Dear Madeline,
Well it looks like it will be another summer vacation in which you won't be able to visit you dad, since none of us know where you are or how to reach you.  I thought I'd catch you up on what your dad and family are doing.

Your dad has a summer job with the U.S. Forest Service.  He is part of a team that searches for the Spotted Owls in the Sequoia Monument and tries to find their nests so that they can be protected from logging activities.  He stays up in the mountains during the week, and comes home on the weekends.

Your aunt Erin is on board a ship in Alaska counting Salmon!  She will come home in September.  She graduated with her marine biology degree in December and this is her first deployment as an "Alaska Observer."  Her training was 3 weeks long and very intensive.

Your aunt Eleanor finished her sophomore year and has a lot of plans for the summer.  She's going to spend time painting and also training her horses.  

Your aunt Amelia finished third grade and is reading and writing in both Spanish and English, but she really shines in math.

Grandma Mildred is scheduled to play at a music festival this fall with the band she and Papa have, Groundspeed.

Your aunt Jalene is busy with Finn and River and working on their new house while Uncle Scott is going to be joining his twin brother in the desert where they relocate tortises that are threatened by development.  They enjoy being out in nature.

I am still working at the court and also teaching a class at the law school.  It makes for long days in Fresno.

The horses and cats and dogs and the goat and chickens, the pigeon and the fish, all are doing fine, and the quail!  We would sure like to see you for a visit someday.

Love,

Your U li si