Photos of Camille, Daniel (and family and friends)

We spent a long weekend with our friends Tim and Lauren and their kids in a new development that goes by the bland name of Seabrook on the coast of Washington.  We took turns simultaneously mocking it by calling it Mayberry, Disney-esque, the town from The Truman Show, etc. and enjoying its amenities.  It’s a planned development that has fairly uniform, but pleasing architecture that harks back to New England seaside villages.  The houses are clustered close together and shared open space is preserved in what is termed new urbanism.  As I understand it, new urbanism seeks to recreate small towns and cities with high density and pleasing architecture and turn away from the sprawling suburbs.

I wonder how it will pan out, though.  There are 100 built houses.  Some 70% are in a vacation rental pool; owned but rented out most of the time.  Another 30% are owner occupied – 20% are second homes and 10% are lived in full time.  With only 10 or so full time residents, I don’t see how much of a community with cohesion can develop.  I’m also concerned about the lack of viable businesses.  As of now, besides the developer’s sales and rental office, the only going business is a cafe.  They promise a grocer, but I can’t see how they’ll survive through the long, lonely winter unless they are very heavily capitalized.

In the old tradition of not being able to turn away from a gory traffic accident, I’d like to watch the development of this “community”.  It seems a bit forced, but may turn out well, or fall apart like Jim Carrey’s existence of “The Truman Show“.

Our vacation home – Coyote Cottage.

Molly takes the path to the beach.

The coastline here is vaguely reminiscent of the more interesting Oregon Coast.

Camille enjoys the time honored tradition of jumping in the waves and running from them.

Moistened by salt water.

Daniel mucks in the beach.

Beach grass on the foreshore.

We took a side trip to the rain forest on the south side of Lake Quinault.  The forest is wonderful, resplendent with big trees and a verdant understory.

Camille and Hazel.

Dan and Simon clown around.

The Lake Quinault Lodge from the water.  I’m sure it was classy in its heyday.  It’s a bit shabby now and smaller than I expected.

A chocolately mess.

Sawyer climbed the base of the “world’s largest spruce.”

Dan and Sawyer check out water collected in a crook of the tree base.

Ever since Camille was very small, she has loved picking and eating blackberries, which she called “chewies” – a variant of cherries we think – when she was less than two years old.  I like this picture, because she expresses his displeasure with the thorns with a fantastic mock pout.

Bury me!

In the sand crypt.

Camille insisted that I record this video.

Clothing optional in the tub for the kids.  Boys just wanna have fun.