Our Trip to France with Maria

Everyone loves Paris in the springtime.
But last May we discovered L'Elzet in the south of France and felt as if we'd stumbled into paradise.  The magic we experienced there is evoked by this photo.  Though not in chronological order (July and August happenings can be seen by scrolling down), I didn't want to miss the opportunity to share the memories of our trip to France with Maria and our adventures there with the Côté Family.
Click on the link to join the fun:

http://picasaweb.google.com/bannerdays16/France02?authkey=Gv1sRgCKnUqO3xptueCQ#

One Field Meal at the Deck Family Farm

Click on the link below to view photos of this exciting event at the Deck Family Farm on August 30th. Sponsored by Slow Food Eugene, the day was unforgettable for all the families who attended. Since so many family and friends weren't able to participate, here's the next best thing---a "taste" of what the farm produces.
http://picasaweb.google.com/bannerdays16/OneFieldMealAtTheDeckFamilyFarm02?authkey=Gv1sRgCOqz1Jru-_-dkQE&feat=email#

Our Cruise to Alaska

We began our 50th year of marriage by returning to Alaska with our children and grandchildren, remembering the two years we spent there when our family was young. We left Alaska forty-one years ago with an authentic Alaskan souvenir. His name was John Baranof Deck, and he was born December 19, 1967 This turned out to be an auspicious year, not only for us but for the state of Alaska which celebrated the 100th anniversary of its purchase by the United States from Russia. The Russian Governor's name was Alexander Baranof, so he is the namesake of both John and our grandson, Alexander. You're invited to accompany us on our cruise by clicking on this link:

http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/sredir?uname=bannerdays16&target=ALBUM&id=5365103791809201089&authkey=Gv1sRgCJH-vf6NmeaWzwE&feat=email
OR, if you've already seen the photos, you might want to take a look at this video of "The Great Belly Flop Contest." If there's ever a Belly Flop Event in the Summer Olympics, our family has some contenders.