With Giant Sunflowers

In Goodland, Kansas.

In the Garden of the Gods

Emilio of Arabia

At the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

On Capulin

There's a mule deer down there.


On this date in 2013: "Cadillacs, ho!"; in 2012: "Flyin' High."

At the Washita National Battlefield Site, a Texas Rest Stop, and a Japanese Restaurant

The picture below was taken at the Gray County, Texas Safety Rest Area on I-40.


The picture on the left was taken at the Kabuki Romanza Japanese restaurant in Amarillo.

Summer, Day One: Ouch!

Mari called me from the Emergency Room at Mercy Hospital around noon today to report that she had taken Emilio there because he fell while playing at Wintersmith Park and opened a gash on the top of his head.

When I got there to pick up Nina and Pablo, the medical staff was waiting for the topical anesthesia to come in from Walgreen's. When the medicine finally came in, they applied four staples to the wound.

Emilio just told me that on a pain scale of 1-10, the first staple was a 9, the next an 8, the next a 7, and the last one a 6.

Doctor's orders: no baths, only showers for the next 10 days. And no swimming in public swimming pools while we're on vacation. [Sad emoticon]

In the picture at left, Emilio is pointing to the "I'm a Mercy Kid sticker on his chest. He's still wearing the hospital bracelet they gave him. Nina told me she was "sad" and "scared" when Emilio got hurt. Pablo said he was afraid Emi was going to die.

Pabi and Nina are napping now, but they will be happy to see him when they wake up.

Six Flags Over Emilio

Yosemite Sam's Texas Tea Cups.

Wile E. Coyote's Grand Canyon Blaster.

Marvin the Martian's Space Rocket.

Daffy Duck's Bucket Blaster.

ACME Rock-N-Rocket.

The Runaway Mine Train.

On the Shock Wave. One week later, I asked Emi what his favorite rides were. His answer: 1. Aquaman Splashdown. 2. Shock Wave. 3. Pandemonium. 4. Runaway Mine Train. 5. ACME Rock-N-Rocket.