A December We'll Remember

2020 will be remembered for a lot of reasons. Among them, this is the first Christmas we have not spent together as a family. Even while living abroad, we managed to get everyone in the same place for Christmas, no matter how complicated the logistics were. But in spite of our relative proximity of one another this year, the pandemic proved to be a complication we could not safely overcome.

It's been a less than ideal December, but we're trying to make the most of the holiday season none the less. That has included cross country skiing for the kids, who are together in Portland; some long walks and snowy hiking for us in Philadelphia, including a visit to Washington's Crossing, along the Bucks County Ale Trail and one of Philly's mural miles; Christmas crafting in the form of the beautiful felt stockings Emily and Jake made, pictured above; a bi-coastal Christmas-eve charcuterie show-down; and our annual Christmas morning family gift exchange via FaceTime. Photo links follow:

• Philadelphia Mural Mile (South) 
• Snow Day
• Christmas Weekend

Best wishes for a safe, healthy, way less chaotic, and happy New Year. 

Thanksgiving Weekend

Click here for photos from ourThanksgiving weekends on both coasts. Pat and I were in Philadelphia moving into our new house after 2+ months in an Airbnb - an apartment in East Falls in a building that used to be a women's medical college. It was a nice temporary spot, but now we can finally start settling into our 1920 twin in Chestnut Hill. 

Before we closed on the house, we enjoyed a Thanksgiving Day walk from East Falls into downtown along Philadelphia's boathouse row, pictured above. After closing, we made a quick trip to New York to get some belongings Uncle Jeff was kindly storing for us. 

The kids were able to be together in Portland and got to enjoy some kayaking, kick-ball, snowshoeing, and collaboration on a great Thanksgiving meal. Thank goodness for Zoom.  

After the long weekend, the twins returned to Corvallis and Bellingham to finish off their Fall terms. Jake is keeping us updated with a daily countdown to Christmas. Emily and her roommates got a tree. And sadly, we unbooked the flights the kids were supposed to be taking to Philadelphia this Friday. Last Christmas, we are all together in Malta. This year is another story. 

Happy Holidays. 

Art and Leisure on Both Coasts

We made our first visit to the Philadelphia Museum of Art last week. Click here for a few photos of some of our favorite pieces, including Gilding Diana, pictured above. The museum has restricted access right now, so it was quiet, uncrowded, and a nice escape on a rainy evening. 

This weekend, we made our first trip to the Poconos, to visit the Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area. Click here for photos. We were too late for leaf-peeping, but the hiking was still nice on a sunny day. 

Meanwhile on the other coast, click here for photos submitted by the Pacific Northwest portion of our family - hard at work, school, and play as they make the best of a difficult time. 

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Click here for photos from our trip to Valley Forge National Historical Park on Saturday, where we took advantage of nice weather and the park's many miles of hiking trails. 

Meanwhile out west, Emily and her friend Anna were on a Bellingham walkabout on Saturday. 

Assateague Island

This weekend we visited Assateague Island National Seashore, on Maryland's Delmarva Peninsula, where wild horses roam. Click here for photos. 

We also visited nearby Ocean City, Maryland, for a beach walk. The town of Ocean City was too kitschy for our taste, but the beach was nice. We 

got to see a dozen or so dolphins at play, but didn't have the camera with us to take photos. Our final stop in route back to Philadelphia was the tiny town of Milton, Delaware, home to the Dogfish Head Brewery.

Philadelphia - Week One

Our first week in Philadelphia was highlighted by starting two new jobs, lots of house hunting and way-finding, discovering all the items we wish we had not packed away in boxes we won't have access to for several weeks, and getting to know our new city.  Pictured above is a creek that runs along NW Philadelphia's Wissahickon Trail, which we walked on Saturday.  Click here for photos from our hike along Forbidden Drive, as well as Sunday's more urban hike downtown where we took a quick peek at the Liberty Bell, then walked along the Delaware River. 

Meanwhile over on the other coast, Drew and friends were enjoying a camping weekend along the Deschutes River in Central Oregon.  Click here for photos.  He's always enjoyed fly fishing, as demonstrated by the photos below. The one on the left is from this weekend. The one on the right was taking in 2008 in Wyoming near Grand Teton National Park.

Jake and Emily are each two weeks into their Fall terms and trying to make the best of online classes. Quick shout-out to their twin cousins, Jadyn & Ashley, who are celebrating their birthdays today!  

Farewell Malta - Hello Portland - Coming soon Philadelphia

Click here for photos from our final days in Malta, along with some highlights from the weeks Jake and Emily were with us and working as summer hires at the Embassy. 

As part of our transition back to the U.S., we got to spend two weeks in Portland with Drew, Jake, and Emily. Click here for photos from our walks around Mt. Tabor, mushroom hunting in the Tillamook Forest, hanging out in Drew's ceramics studio, dinner with friends, and more. We arrived in Portland when the city was experiencing hazardous air quality due to wildfires, but thankfully rain cleared the air part way through our time together. 

Next stop, Philadelphia.