While we're on the topic of photos...

Yeah, I know--it's been (Yikes!) ten months since I posted new photos. What say we do something about that, eh? Believe it or not, August's gallery is up and ready for your viewing pleasure here.




August was an unpredictable month around The Hamilton Zone. It started off with one Z Kid (Zach) returning home from his second year at camp. It ended with another (Zoë) being evacuated from school due to a raging fire nearby. In between, it was hot--the hottest August on record in Redding, with an average afternoon temperature of 99 degrees and a high of 112. But at least the smoke from wildfires that blanketed our area through late June and all of July, which kept temperatures during those months below normal, had diminished considerably.

August also saw the reemergence of Shack, Zoë's kitten, from our half bathroom, where he'd been quarantined for six weeks with ringworm. It also marked the beginning of a new school year, with Zach starting sixth grade, Zoë starting second, and both kids at new schools closer to home. And August was the month I finally got a digital SLR camera after our old point and shoot gave up the ghost. Hopefully, you'll notice the improved photo quality, even if the change did nothing to improve my skills.

With the older Z Kids off at school, Zienna really came into her own last month, talking and singing up a storm, involved in increasingly imaginative play, and actively mimicking her siblings' academic activities. If you've not seen photos of her in a while, brace yourself. She's not a baby anymore!

Summer’s far from over and we’re still topping 100 degrees, but there’s a chill in the air each morning that tells us relief is in sight and changes are coming. What will they mean for The Hamilton Zone? That's hard to say. Better stay tuned!