Just back from mother-in-law’s 60th birthday celebration in Paso Robles, Calif., with my sister-and-law and her two boys, who are growing up now. The elder, Alex, walks around with an “I’m absorbing things” look which I find appealing.

We found anemones and sea stars in the tidepools of the central coast, did some wine tasting (including a stint in a silly giant castle winery!) and putzed about.