APRIL 2016
April brought new adventures to the Black Chasm Cavern near Volcano
Check out the dragon below:
On the way home we stopped in Ione for a look at the Preston Reform School.
Then it was off to the races on Sunday in Marysville with John, Tori, Cameron, and Jeff...
...followed by a hike at Hidden Falls Park outside Auburn...
...which included more wildflowers, waterfalls, bridges, and pools...
A week later we joined Jeff, Shane, and Mikayla at the Red Bluff Round-up.
Before leaving we took a picture of our Yeoman rose.
Along the way we also took pictures of Mount Shasta.
The rodeo started off with a parachute landing, flag salute, and parade...
...followed by bull-riding, roping, and all sorts of rodeo excitement
FIRST COMMUNION
On the last Sunday in April we joined the Nelms family for Jada's First Communion in Chico. Jada and her classmate helped decorate the altar...
...then it was Communion time with Mom and Dad...
...followed by group pictures...
But some of the best pictures of the day were back home
with Mom, sisters Alexa and Aaliyah, and Aunt Monica
We ended April by attending a reunion of alumni from St. Francis H.S. in Watsonville. I was in the junior seminary as a student there from 1960 to 1962. Then I returned as a teaching brother from 1967 to 1969. I taught English to many of those attending and shared the stories they had written about their freshman initiation experience. I also brought vintage copies of the school newsletter from those years.
Fr. Dave Purdy joined all the former seminarians and their spouses for the group photo on the right.
Back Row: Colette Aldridge, Jim Aldridge, Charlotte McCarthy, Joe McCarthy, Tony Ragonesi, Frank Alves, Fr. Dave Purdy, Gary Lockhart, Vic Suarez, Fernando Micheli, Jim Collins
Middle Row: Ignatius Schmidt, Pat Rawson, Julianne Ragonesi, Marie Marheineke, Stephanie Alves, Anita Lockhart, Janice Micheli, Barbara Collins
Front Row: Maria Marin, John Marin, Marty Lastowski, Michael Marheineke