Mele Kalikimaka

Happy Holidays! Wishing all of you cheerful days, safe travels, happy surprises and appreciation for the special people and important things we have to be grateful for. xoxo

I don't know this guy, but liked the video :)

quoting

Try and penetrate with our limited means the secrets of nature and you will find that, behind all the discernible concatenations, there remains something subtle, intangible and inexplicable.
~ Albert Einstein

quoting

"I long to accomplish a great and noble task, but it is my chief duty to accomplish small tasks as if they were great and noble."
- Helen Keller

quoting

"Love is a portion of the soul itself, and it is of the same nature as the celestial breathing of the atmosphere of paradise." Victor Hugo

sky shows & other tidbits

the sunsets have been even more colorful and spectacular the past few weeks, the Fall sunsets here are my favorite, both because there isn't as much fog that gets in the way and because the sun sets right above the ocean horizon, so no hills, houses or trees to obstruct the view.

A few weeks ago it was a clear and colorful sky, but the water was a barely moving glassy calm, reflecting everything and the wet sand almost a perfect mirror - last night the waves were rolling in at incredible heights, huge fat swells rolling in several feet high and closing out into white water washing machine, making colorful mists and crazy cool reflections of colors everywhere we looked and the wet sand a misty mirror.

Also for our celestial viewing pleasure Jupiter, Venus and the crescent moon have been hanging out together in a cool cluster for the past few days, they look close enough to leap from one to the other. Last night it looked like a big, well - sort of off-kilter smiley face, sooooo cool and wont happen again until 2057.

I think between my other great photographing friend and I, we may have some pics to post soon.

Two of my friends were injured surfing this weekend, one bruised his ribs, board and pride, the other is sporting six staples in his head, I am glad to report they both should be just fine and if you can even believe this (I barely can) the one with staples in his head was looking to borrow shower caps or swimming caps so he could go back out yesterday!!

Thanksgiving was very different for me this year. Due to a number of factors, I ended up staying here in stead of heading up to see my family. It resulted in a very fun though not so holiday-ish day. I met a friend for breakfast and walked through an almost completely deserted SLO town, then came back to the U and met up with friends for an afternoon hike along the bluffs. We hiked for hours, went crab hunting which was hilarious and delightful and then came home to BBQ some delicious steaks! I hope your holiday was filled with family, fun, friends and feasts!

Giving Thanks

My most sincere gratitude for each and every blessing of my life :)

quoting

"Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase. Just take the first step."
- Martin Luther King Jr.

somebody say hoe

Much activity in the front yard today, time for a new retaining wall, so they will be tearing out the very old and unstable wood and replacing it with shiny new concrete complete with proper drainage.

I think this is fantastic for a couple of reasons: with the current retaining wall failing, my house is beginning to lean not so gently forward - away from the foundation, then there are the three rather large and heavy starter castles just behind and above me built in to a rather steep hill that I'd like to ensure stay stable and in place and lastly, I am thinking it will look nice and fresh and maybe even allow me to do a little more with the front yard, and that would be lovely!

All that to say that there is a backhoe ripping up my font yard as I write this and boy is it noisy :)

Subathing in November

If I lived in, oh,say - Hawaii, Arizona, or some other tropical or desert climate, the title would make sense...

As I watched football all day today and saw the snowflakes falling on the field, I had to really remind myself that Thanksgiving is next week - this is actually Fall, because looking around here what you see is a bunch of hot and sweaty people trying to deal with 90+ degree temperatures in a place typically quite mild that has been seeing some ridiculous and odd heatwaves this year.

The Santa Ana's are fueling the heatwave and of course several fires again. It is starting to feel like a perpetual burning and though I feel bad for everyone involved, it has been especially disconcerting because I know and love people and places that have been affected this year by the various fires, which includes some of those special people whose job it is to jump into these chaotic situations to help. Bright Blessings to each of you.

The posts have been sporadic because things have been rather hectic lately and I guess I let myself get caught up in the stress of it, far more than is typical and that I prefer. On the plus side, I think that is dissipating or at the very least I am just handling it all better.

It was a really nice weekend, obviously we had these beautiful sunny days, incredibly bright stars in perfectly clear skies - including a wish on a falling star, but we also had one of the best "community" weekends I have had in a long time. In the last 6 months or so, many of my closest friends here moved onto or within a block or so of the street I live on. We have been gathering and making great meals, playing board games and just hanging out together enjoying general shenanigans and lots of time outside too.

quoting

"Energy is the essence of life. Every day you decide how you're going to use it by knowing what you want and what it takes to reach that goal, and by maintaining focus."
- Oprah Winfrey

Election Day!

Please vote today!

Thank you! :)

quoting

"To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream, not only plan, but also believe."
- Anatole France

Happy Friday and some random updates

Aloha Friday my friends!

As I write this, there is a "magic bus" parked in my drive-way - a rather large re-painted and re-purposed old school bus that was used during The Longest Walk 2008. It now belongs to one of the former walkers, who is the youngest son of one of my dearest friends and mine is the only driveway large enough for it to fit safely off the street whilst he finishes converting and pimping it out. :) Actually he plans to do some really admirable things with it, feeding the homeless/hungry, leading a peace march and raising awareness of organic farming, all kinds of karmic hippy goodness going on! I have to admit, it is a little surreal to see, I'll try to remember to go out and get a photo of it - and I am a bit concerned the neighbors might complain, but how could I say no to someone who is willing to put his own personal comfort aside to help others...

I have been meaning to write a bit more about my trip down south in September (can't believe its already been a month since then) like how we figured out about a week later that all of us that slept on the beach that night also each got bitten by tarantulas, which sounds scary as hell , but actually wasn't that bad. That the insane amount of tar all over my shoes, socks, towel and feet from barely an hours walk on the beach was enough to make me take pictures of the tar everywhere and makes me want to start trying to really raise awareness about how offshore drilling really isn't this harmless thing they are trying to portray it as. That we unexpectedly stopped at Refugio beach to just take in the sunset before heading over to Buellton to dinner and it was this perfect momentary respite, just lovely.

Last weekend I got to enjoy being a local gal. I went to the annual harbor festival in Morro Bay on saturday, ate some screaming grilled albacore kabobs and grilled oysters accompanied by some great wine and lots of dancing with friends to a few of the bands that played on the "main" stage. Sunday I went to see Bonnie Raitt in Avila beach completely at the last minute, which was truly fabulous, the venue there has been moved and it is now back in this beautiful sunny canyon, we walked through the golf course resort to get to it, which is surrounded by the back bay, which was full of pelicans and just so lovely to cross the old bridge adn Bonnie is a great performer! I have been so lucky with the concerts this year. Willie last month, Bonnie last Sunday and I am heading up north to see Jimmy Buffet in a little over a week. Parrot heads and Margaritaville, here I come! :)

quoting

"It's never too late to become the person you might have been."
- George Elliot

"The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one."
- Elbert Hubbard

No Raiders and not standing

Well last week's game was a heartbreaking shame, now Kiffen's out and Al is still making us crazy! I stayed in the football pool 4 whole weeks this year, but alas lost when Denver got completely stomped by the Chiefs, it was a small consolation that my other pick probably would have been Dallas and they didn't win either...there is always next year....It is a bye week for the Raiders, so the likely torture of watching the rest of this season's games won't begin for another week. :( so sad.

quoting

"If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves."
- Thomas Edison

Summers fall and autumns call

in the eve, fall's beginning chill
the day still bent to summers will
but soon enough it will take the day
cooling, crisping in the breezy sway

another summer come and gone
festive days and nights of song
adventures new and some replayed
kinships kindled and kinships made

treasures all and every one
cherished, nourished in the sun
memories, moments, snapshots of mind
sifting, sorting, enjoying in kind

as quiet creeps into the land
a slower time slips the sand
seasons rhythms glide and soar
the sea blows kisses to the shore

some will come and some must stay
as not all, can walk this way
though I wish on stars bright shine
one just cant and won't leave my mind

fall will bring the candles out
the colored leaves will hang about
comforts from the hearth abound
holidays approach begins to sound

shorter days and longer nights
sparkle on the brilliant lights
time moves forward, time cary's on
still, a part will live in a moment gone

a place, a time, those visions clear
oceans of words whispered near
ancient mighty circles meet the swell
redwoods stand where I fell

future's bounty may not know
but ignited fire embers glow
light is not shut out like sound
no longer lost, found and bound

reasons that sense cannot see
sea, sage and music, always me
reflections, reminders, hidden deep
living in dreams as we sleep

grow and live in gardens kept
willows bend and willows wept
towards the light the branches reach
what is meant will find the beach

what must go will wash away
new beginnings will come to play
tears, need not meet the rain
spring and summer will return again

copywrite - jls- 2008

2 weeks in the pool and go Raiders!

So, every year since I have moved back here I have joined the annual "last man standing" football pool and every year I am out within the first week...so imagine my joy and surprise that I made it not only the first week this year but as of last night, the second week also! :) I am still standing!!!

It is a total of 50 players, I know that 13 went out the first week and I know at least two of my friends went out yesterday, so there is 15 less and I am pretty sure more than that must have gone out because there were a lot of close games yesterday that went against the odds. Though more likely that this is just some random streak of luck, there is an actual possibility I could end up in the top few and even win the pool, which seems utterly amazing, given my 5 year losing streak. This is second only to the glorious joy of the Raiders winning the game yesterday against Kansas City and even looking like a decent team a few times while doing so!

Rumors are rampant that Al Davis wants to fire Lane Kiffen, which is almost amusing being that most Raider fans would like to fire Al Davis! Lane Kiffen may not be dazzling me, but I hardly think he is the main issue at this point and firing him and bringing in someone new may cause us even more heartache, it takes a little time to mesh a new team and leaders. Yesterday's game was a good start, if they can build on that this season, and keep winning games and playing as a real team, wow this will be an exciting and happy season, if not then Raider fans are going to be very very cranky and Kiffen probably does need to find a new job.

I can't believe how much I missed football in the off-season and how happy I am to have it back! I watched 3 games yesterday, starting with the Raiders and hosting friends for a football brunch that was pretty tasty and lots of fun. I have to say the Seattle, Niner game was really entertaining, there were a few plays that had us all on the edge of our seats and at one point we realized we had made the same sound effects for a full 10 seconds as one of them played out. Giggles all around!

Perhaps the only drawback I can think of at the momet is that watching so much football we spent the bulk of the day inside and that seems a shame since the weather is absolutely perfect right now, clear, sunny and breezy, nicer than many of our true spring and summer days. I'll definitely be beach walkin' this afternoon! After so much travel, it is just nice and good to be home. :)

"...you were always on my mind..."

I really should be finishing my report and I am still unpacking from the weekend and re-packing to go back up again to the office tomorrow morning, but I don't want too much time to pass before noting how great the weekend was!

Camping Friday night was lots of fun, it was nice to see some of the people that we met up with that haven't been seen for a while and met some cool new friends as well. The best part for me was making a last minute executive decision to forgo the tent and sleep on the beach under the stars! The weather was beautiful and the night sky so clear. It has been years since I did that and it just felt wonderful. Wishing on the shooting stars, singing songs, chatting with friends, listening to the never-ending crash of the waves rolling in, it was glorious. I really need to sleep on the beach more often, especially since it is only a block away and I know plenty of spots that are both safe and a bit hidden from the beaten path. =o)


The Willie Nelson concert was so so so good! What an incredible performer, songwriter and musician he is!!! He played many of my favorite songs and was close enough to see us blowing kisses to him and blew a few kisses back to us! So freakin' cool! =o)


Spa day was great too and we spent the afternoon (after our appointments), just cruising state street, shopping, chatting and stopping to nibble here and there. We ended up stopping at the hitching post in buellton on the way home for dinner, had the scrumptious grilled artichokes and the always fabulous steak dinner, and as an added treat got to hang out and have a nice glass of wine with one of our friends there, who usually doesn't work on Sunday, but happened to last night. All just delightful.

No flippen way!

So while procrastinating today, (because I am still really struggling with a report I have due) I came across the following:

DEAR ABBY: I am writing about a change I have seen in church. I accept the loud guitar music and informal settings, although I do miss the traditional hymns and formal altars.

What I cannot get used to is the forced "friendly" greeting and handshaking. I attend church to meditate and worship with my family. I do not go to shake hands with strangers and give them a greeting dictated by a pastor.

I like people. I am naturally caring, outgoing and friendly. However, I believe that a greeting or handshake should come from my own heart.

I have mentioned this to friends and family from all faiths, ages and walks of life. None of them like this scheduled "greeting" either. Many say they head for the restroom at that time, turn their backs or just shake hands with the people they came with, come to church late to avoid it, or don't come at all. Others feel the practice is unsanitary.

I suggest that church leaders take an anonymous poll and ask how many in their congregations agree with me. What do you think, Abby? -- MINISTER'S DAUGHTER, CAYUCOS, CALIF.

DEAR DAUGHTER: Thank you for asking my opinion. Here it is: Something is wrong in our fragmented society if, for one moment in a house of God, people cannot find it in their hearts to reach out and make sure that everyone feels included and welcome. And for those who fear it is unsanitary -- bring small bottles of hand sanitizer.

Whoa!! I have no idea who this is, but you can bet that I'll be asking around!

quoting

Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong. - George Carlin

"...my hero's have always been cowboys..."

I get to see Willie Nelson in concert this coming weekend!! He is playing at the Santa Barbara Bowl on Saturday night. I bought the tickets months ago both because I love Willie and because it coincides with the birthday of one of my dearest friends, who is also a fan.

We've decided to make a full weekend of it, camping on Friday night, hiking and beaching Saturday, going to the concert in the evening, staying at a hotel on Saturday night and indulging in a spa day on Sunday, just delicious! :) The concert was great enough, everything else is just icing on the cake!

I am very much looking forward to all of it and feeling grateful that it all came together so easily. It should be grand fun! :)

Oh Raiders!

Ok, let's just hope they look better than they've looked during the pre-season! :)

breathtaking

quoting

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
~ Albert Einstein

Go Raiders!

I know, it is only the first game of the pre-season, but 18 - 6 never looked so sweet!

Thoughts from Santa Rosa Island =)

A few things remembered, a few things learned:

• I am very very blessed & filled with an overwhelming gratitude for every. single. thing.
  
• Far more regular Stargazing is necessary
• I absolutely despise my new sleeping bag, "mummy bag" = hot squishy straitjacket!
• I can walk for miles and miles and miles
• Simplify & pare down - far less is really required than imagined & a lighter load goes a longer way
• Sometimes you simply must keep going, no matter how much you don't want to or feel like you can't, giving up just isn't a survivable option
• Steep trail, rest often
• Pushing yourself often provides the most awesome rewards and shows you that you actually can do far more than you might think
  
• Taking time out is a requirement and must be done more regularly and often
  
• There are still places in the world absent of noise and artificial light
• Nature is phenomenal
• Literally one step at a time: don't look ahead or focus thoughts on the challenges ahead, even if you think you know, you can't anticipate what hasn't happened yet and sometimes you can be very pleasantly surprised
  
• Sometimes the next corner is exactly what you were looking for, sometimes it's not
  
• Sometimes it is good to be a little lost, unsure of the territory
• Sometimes exactly what you need shows up in the least likely way
  
• I am madly in love with Tall Ships
• There is still so much to learn, to experience, to do and to be
• Breathtaking beauty in so very much, if only we look
  

quoting

"The indispensable first step to getting the things you want out of life is this: decide what you want."
- Ben Stein

"When we are motivated by goals that have deep meaning, by dreams that need completion, by pure love that needs expressing, then we truly live life."
- Greg Anderson

Off the island

Arrived back on the mainland safely late last night, my lips are cracked, my face is chapped, I am bruised and sore from head to toe and still grinning from ear to ear - what a fantastic trip! Took over 700 pictures! It may take a few days to get them posted.

Island Anticipation

Yaaaaaaaayyyy, it is finally time for the camping trip to Santa Rosa Island! Busy, busy, busy little bee, is me. I am sooooo ready to hang out on an island for a few days! We have planned, shopped and packed and I am practically on pins and needles looking forward to getting started. Channel Islands, here I come! =o)

Originally we had talked about going down and hanging out for the whole weekend, but the memorial service for my friend is Saturday morning. So, instead, we are heading down to Ventura on Sunday, playing tourists a bit during the day, having dinner and attempting to get to bed early and get a good nights sleep. It is too long a drive to try to head out from here the morning of the boat trip, since we need to be down at the harbor by about 6:30 Monday morning to load the camping gear on the boat.

We are going backpacking style, except for food and beverage cooler, because it's about 1.5 miles from the pier to the campgrounds, so the lighter the better. It was rather fun to get some new gear for the trip. Although I have plenty of camping gear, I didn't really have the right stuff for camping "lite". So a whirlwind shopping spree at the local mountaineer store produced a new backpacking pack, a new condensed sleeping bag, a good sleeping pad and a few other random items. Not a cheap excursion, but worth every penny, in my opinion. It is both thrilling and a tiny bit scary to think about living out of a back pack, being that I will also be on a small island without access to pretty much anything, but it is only for 3 days, and soooo totally cool!

It takes about 3 hours to get from Ventura Harbor to Santa Rosa Island and I believe there is brief stop on Santa Cruz Island first, if it happens to be any sunnier this trip, it would be lovely to get some better shots of the seascape surrounding the islands. Pretty excited at just the joy of being on a boat heading for a great trip and the planned breakfast with mimosa's we'll be partaking in with the 18 other people in our group that we are meeting up with at the harbor! :) Delightful!

I'll come back with lots of photo's to share and perhaps a good story or two to tell. =o)

quoting

"Don't be afraid of the space between your dreams and reality. If you can dream it, you can make it so."
- Belva Davis

Shakers

Several news stations are reporting a 5.4 earthquake hit in SoCal earlier today - hope everyone down there is doing alright, sounds like the aftershocks are pretty strong. Take it slow and please be cautious.

Peace and love and light and joy

Generally, this is a way to share the bit of my life I am comfortable sharing publicly with my friends and family around the world to help us keep in touch. I tend to keep it light, just the more entertaining of the things I come across and the things I am up to. Occasionally though, I go a bit deeper. Today is one of those days.

Things have been a bit rough and its finally really getting to me. A friend of mine passed away last week, completely unexpectedly. 2 weeks before that, another friend was in a serious car accident with her family, and her Mother died at the scene. We are a small and very close community, these tragedies have hit us hard.

Everywhere I look these days, it seems there is just so much to be sad about, so much that breaks my heart, that I have no control over. It is easy to feel overwhelmed, even for me, someone who is well known for my typically cheerful - glass is half full type disposition. The many fires, smoke and ash, the people losing everything, the people in harms way trying to help, global warming, drought, the wars, the floods, the homeless, people starving, people losing their homes, people blowing themselves and others up, people harming children, the elderly and each other, the failing economy, the mundane day to day challenges...we sure have made life complicated and it has been far easier to see the uglier and more depressing of life, it's complicated mysteries and the less stellar side of human nature, lately.

Though there isn't much that I can directly do about most of it, I take and offer some comfort in the ways that I can. In my direct community, I am very active, involved and contributing. I strive to help anyone, in any way and whenever I can. Often, simply being there for someone in their time of need is enough, sometimes, it is just a small unexpected gesture, whatever it is, it most often feels a very small price for the reward of making a difference. Some of it, is literally the way I choose to live my life. Because I personally have lost so many people, I make it a point to tell the people I care about most, that I love and am grateful for them whenever we speak and try never to leave important things unsaid or allow small stupid things to fester. I try to smile at everyone I see, to be kind to everyone I come across, to really notice and pay attention to people as we interact. When I feel helpless over larger things, I retreat to the basics: invocation and counting blessings. I'd like to believe that when put out into the world, they have a little more power to affect a positive outcome.

Peace to all my relations
Love to all my relations
Comfort to all my relations
Grace to all my relations
Community to all my relations
Compassion to all my relations
Safety to all my relations
Health to all my relations
Joy to all my relations
Shelter to all my relations
Nourishment to all my relations
Gratitude to all my relations
Safe Harbor to all my relations
Rest to all my relations
Workable Solutions to all my relations
A Helping Hand to all my relations
A Compassionate Ear/Shoulder to all my relations
Friendship to all my relations
Help to all my relations
Faith to all my relations
Connection to all my relations
Beauty to all my relations
Light to all my relations
Blessings to all my relations
Respite to all my relations
Inspiration to all my relations

For everyone and anyone who is suffering today, may you find grace, peace and comfort.

For everyone and anyone who is experiencing joy today, may you share your blessings with another.

xoxoxo

dark knights - comedy

quoting

	To dare is to lose one's footing momentarily. Not to dare is to lose oneself. Soren Kierkegaard, 1813-1855 Danish Author and Philosopher

Fill'er up and take a drive

Some good things happened this weekend....

The only gas station in town finally re-opened after almost a year (so we no longer have to drive to another town to get gas) and they managed to contain enough of the basin complex fire to re-open highway one! So it seemed a good reason to get some gas and take a nice Sunday drive.

Since there are still a lot of firefighters, equipment, major clean up along the road that needs to happen and residents are still headed back home, we didn't want to get in the way, so we decided not to go all the way to Big Sur and stopped Lucia instead to have lunch. It was comforting to see that it is still our beautiful coast. Though we didn't go into the heart of the worst of it and I imagine that will be sad to see when we do, I will take and share the good when I can, so I am thrilled to report that from what I could tell LimeKiln appears to be in good shape and though they were all closed to the public, all of the parks and forests from like Sand Dollar up to Lucia, looked okay from what we could see. The visible smoke in the air is far reduced from a few weeks ago and the scent has diminished as well, though both still around.

Also managed to stop in for a quick bite for sunday sunset at schoonies on the way home, usually a mostly locals only event but tourist demand for locals entertainment was on high last evening. So the locals were on display and in rare performing form for their viewing pleasure. I seriously wonder sometimes how many peoples home videos and photo albums I (& others that live here) am on/in around the world. Sometimes I think of it like a Jeff Corwin experience, I imagine him walking through town describing us like they do when exploring some exotic location and its natural species..."Hopefully we'll spot a native today, the "ucan" native can be seen along shorelines, in the surf, on the pier and at various watering holes in the region...though mostly sun creatures this species does suprisingly well at night too...prone to frequents smiles, loud laughter, melodic bursts of song and colorful artwork...often seen riding boards and bicycles or wandering aimlessly about town..."

Saturday was spent puttering luxuriously around the house in the morning and then a planned attendance at a summer art show held by some damn talented folks from Forever Stoked. There was so much eye candy I had to walk through the exhibits several times just to take it all in. If I had roughly 12 grand to spend, I would have come home 3 very large paintings, two of which would have taken up an entire walls by themselves and one of which is comprised of 3 large panels. I was inspired by almost all of them though really. Since my budget is not that phat at the moment, I instead purchased gratefully a print of Charlie's Old Cayucos, a small print of Chris's take on Morro Bay - the 3 stacks and a rock view from Los Osos, and a print of a lovely tree done by an new artist for the Forever Stoked crew, OH! and a diggin' sketch print in black and white of a surfer surfing by flashlight! Yeah, I love art! It was also just a really nice sunny day, at a beautiful little ranch out in Morro Bay, live music, time to be creatively inspired, super nice people - including meeting someone who works for my company too - sooo random but fun! I never meet anyone who works at my company unless I am up at the office, half the time I have to explain how it isn't the food company!

not snow, little sun

The sun is trying to peek out today for the first time since last Sunday. For weeks now ash from the fires has been caked and baked on my car (and everything else) and a mixture of smoke, ash and fog has kept it pretty dark and eerie around here. The smell of smoke and burning has permeated the air for weeks too. A beach bonfire has never ever sounded so unappealing!

The sunsets, when they can be seen, are beautiful intense reds, oranges, purples and yellows, from the smoke filtering out all of the blue light, so pretty, but still disturbing. Whereas a few weeks back the talk was the crazy heat wave, now all anyone talks about is the many fires. Last evening, I looked out of my window and saw fat flakes falling through the air, at first I thought it was snowing, but it was really just tons of very large ashes floating down. I think last night was the worst so far, the quality of light was really creepy and the air was so full of moisture, smoke and ash. I am not sure which fire is bringing it our way, as basically it is burning both north and south of me within about an hours drive. If it is this bad here, it is actually tough to imagine what it must be like at the actual scenes.

I can't help but wonder if there is anything left of my little camping spot, it seems surreal that I was just there only weeks ago, hiking and taking pictures all throughout the Big Sur coast and that much of it may not be there, as it was, any more. My heart goes out to the many that have lost so much all across California and those that are temporarily displaced, they are in my thoughts and prayers as much as the thousands of people spending grueling hours, some while standing in harms way, to help. Blessings to you all!

basin fire effects

Le Grande Finale

This is Buck!

ladies and gentlemen, we actually have proof...I give you, the man, the myth, the legend...this is the real, original, one and only true...Buck

Don't know who Buck is? Well, the story goes like this....I was invited to a birthday party for a friend of a friend and it was going to be out on a ranch, on a creek, out in a rural neighboring town. Because of the distance and locale, we were also invited to camp overnight. Being just a weekend before the planned trip to limekiln, we debated, but ended up going out late in the afternoon.

It was a pretty little spot and there was a good turnout, folks were wandering along the creek and up to the main house to chat it up and grab a beer or something to eat. At some point this kid wanders up and he says, "Hi, I'm Buck" then he proceeded to talk to us for about a half an hour, but about every 3 minutes, he would bust out with some variation of "Hi, I'm Buck" Yup, he was beyond hammered. We found it endlessly amusing but were also a bit glad when he finally wandered off.

But later in the evening he wandered back. He managed to do pretty much the exact same pattern, yada yada yada, Hey, I'm Buck! Then he passed out, as the pictures above attest to, and then our friends dog crawlwed up in to his lap (and may have had his way with him.) We had way too much fun at this kids expense, we made up a whole new "bucking" vocabularly. We tried to use the word @u%k as often as possible in a sentence but substitute "buck"...so things like "that bucking kid, he's so bucking wasted, we can't even get him away from the bucking fire." (I know, its proabaly really lame, but we found it endlessly entertaining at the time, as has everyone we have been able to share the story in person with since) and soooooo, we found these pictures and for those who have heard the story, we wanted to provide a face for the name.

graceful wonders

I went into SLO yesterday to see the orthodontist, for a check in on the braces, delightful.

It was a later afternoon appointment so I decided to log into work early in the morning so that I could log off for the day when the appointment time arrived. After some quality mouth torture I decided to shop, something I rarely do. It was actually nice to just wander a bit in town, got a coffee, ran some errands, bought a few nice things, got my favorite sandwich from my favorite little Italian deli.

On my way back, as I was coming around the corner into the northern bay and along the strand, something flickered in the corner of my eye out on the ocean. I pulled across the lanes and over to the beach, I parked and walked out to the vista point above the first beach access stairway to see if it was just my eyes playing tricks on me. What I saw instead was the largest pod of dolphins I have ever seen, frolicking in the surf, in super shallow waves, in a giant ring and in every direction I looked they were rolling in and out of the water in pairs. It was stunning, simply breath taking. Their peaceful, easy, graceful roll, so entrancing and soothing. It was a perfect suspended moment in time, like so many beautiful moments I have been so gratefully and unexpectedly blessed with lately.

It is officially 4th of July as I write this, it is a bit late and I have been out with the other locals. The night before the holiday is as much a part of the ritual as the holiday itself. It has reached an almost holy stature for most of us. Yes, around here the 4th of July is practically sacred, it is lovingly referred to as Cayucos Christmas. I am so excited!

I have to be up in an hour and a half to go move my car from downtown. That is going to hurt a bit...then its sand castle review at 7am, coffee, breakfast burritos and chair and tent set up, accompanied by bleary eyed good mornings and the mounting parade anticipation. Town wandering, a short nap, BBQ visits, more wandering, perhaps more napping and then the pier fireworks show. Nothing says 4th of July like the characters, spectacles, beauty and town drunks of our little version of a cross between Mayberry and Tortuga the home of the cowboy pirate surfers...

never leave the house without a camera

see, I know this - I know I should never leave my house without my camera, and yet occasionally I do, either because it slipped my mind to take it or because I thought for whatever brief reason I was going to be out and about, that I just wouldn't need it...

So of course the first thing I saw when I left for a little beach walk last evening was a young man walking down the street, he was carrying and actually playing a guitar (impressive considering it was large and he didn't have a strap) and because of this, he had his head slightly bowed, which made it much easier to see the Raiders logo in the front of his hat and harder to see the smoldering cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth. I don't know him, in fact he is likely one of those very rare people that probably lives here but that I have never seen. Despite this, I blurted out: "Wow, what a great picture that is!" and although he was probably thinking - "whatever crazy lady!" - he responded quite warmly and we had a brief neighborly exchange. It would have been an incredible picture, words just can't do it justice - here is this skinny kid, head bowed, just walking down the street strumming a guitar, and it was just really something - that I now super super wish, I had a picture of to show!

The next thing I saw was 6 kite surfers with some of the most beautiful colored kites flying in the air above them, that again, I would love to show...

I will not leave my house without my camera! :)

she looks familiar...

just playing with settings on the new camera, lots of fun :)

quoting

"Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions."
- Albert Einstein

How hot was it?

Well...........was it hot enough for ya?!

Pretty much every conversation I have had over the past few days has included some discussion about the record heat...suddenly everyone (clearly, myself included) is an amateur meteorologist - it's actually kind of funny how we seem incapable of discussing almost anything else! :)

And boy does everyone have an opinion, it is not at all simply, "hey, its' freakin' hot out" which should certainly cover the bulk of it, no no, it is actually all of the additional commentary and speculation about why it is so hot and what it all means...I heard every suspicion from random natural fluke to global warming and quite often to either proof of the nearing of the end of the world or the actual dawning of the age of Aquarius, I don't know why I find it so amusing and fascinating, but I do! :)

Also funny is how totally ill-equipt we coastal folk are to deal with high temperatures, for example: very few people here own fans or even have shade tree's for that matter and every store for miles was completely out of ice by early Friday afternoon. I have never seen so many hats, umbrellas, or barely/poorly dressed tourists (something I could definitely go the rest of my life happily without ever seeing again, by the way.) For 4 days, it was all quite something, but as of today, we seem to be all back to normal again. I began to wonder if the locals might start bowing to the returning marine layer, I'll admit, I was tempted.

So how hot was it? Well, us amateurs certainly made lots of guesses and predictions but the "experts" have now weighed in and the records are as follows for max temps in my small central California coastal town

Thursday - 107
Friday - 113
Saturday - 108

oh, and the average around here for this time of year is usually cold foggy mornings and early afternoons with a peek of sun in late afternoon and feeling lucky if we hit mid 70's. (thus the term: June Gloom)

Something I never thought I'd be able to say it that it was actually hotter here at the coast than in many places in the valley! We joked about going over to bakersfield to be tourists there since it was about 15 degrees cooler, I wonder what they would have thought of that! I heard so many people say things along the lines of "we came over here to get away from the heat, turns out we should have stayed home"

Small personal casualties of the heatwave:

• the standard plastic/resin kitchen broom that I left outside leaning against the wall after sweeping the deck is now a mostly useless stick with a completely melted and oddly curled tip mildly resembling what used to be the brushes

• my surfboard, even though in shade, all of the wax melted off the deck of the board, which would be fine except that all of my spare surfwax which was stored in my shed, also completely melted

Best things I saw this weekend:

• A teenage boy on a bicycle (I'll assume a local) with a cut up t-shirt, on the back he had hand written the following: "Tourist, go home but leave your daughter"

• Sundays at the Smokehouse are back: 6 singers, a mandolin player, stand up base player, tribal drummer, guitar player and several other contributors were gathered and making beautiful music on the corner by the beach today

• Dolphins playing in the surf

• Friends and fRamily

• I'll let some of the pictures speak for themselves...

Heat Wave

It was easily 100 degrees this morning at 9:30 am, we are really getting the summer out of this solstice! :)

I think it is the first time here that I have ever had to keep the windows shut to keep the heat out. But this is just observance, not a complaint, because it is so beautiful and clear and it feels so fabulously Friday today!

I am sure some of it is because I have put in a ton of overtime this week because two of team mates are on holiday and I have been picking up the slack for them, in addition to my regular projects. On the plus side of this, I plan to log off early without guilt and take a nice long beach walk (& possibly an ocean swim) which will probably end in the cool shade of a schoonies window for sunset and the hope of a green flash, with a bunch of friends and some ice cold adult beverages.

The other plus, is that I had to do some testing for work with blogs this week (thus also adding to the recent flurry of posts lately) and along the way, I figured out how to add my music playlist to my blog. This pleases me greatly!! :) So now we will all have items for our listening pleasure while digesting the latest posts. It is practically a full sensory experience now! LOL! The only downside is that it is a little bit limited, there were many other songs I wanted to add but wasn't able to, but still, it's a good start and I have only just begun, so more will arrive over time. It loads automatically, but please note that you can control it: play, pause, volume and even selecting which song plays. Heck, I'll even take requests, and if I can find it, I'll add it in. :)

Well, it is now close to 12:30, its around 104 and I am beyond ready to get this screen out of my face for a few hours! I suspect it will be a busy weekend in town with all the valley folks trying to beat the heat, only to discover its actually as hot or hotter here, which means for me that it could be a quiet weekend of trying to avoiding tourists, or a crazy one entertaining them...around here, ya just never know!

I suspect it will be a good weekend for collecting tourists quotes, one of my favorite summer traditions. Which reminds me that the winner so far this season is a tourist asking a grocery clerk "What time do they put the seashells out on the beach" ...

Stay cool! xoxoxoxox

Whoa!

It is 102 degrees here today, that must be a record...

summer fun!

Absolutely glorious day here my friends!! It is 86 degrees at 10 am this morning on the coast, (pretty rare for that temperature around here!) it is so sunny, clear, bright and warm, it actually feels like a real summer day!! This sun girl is stoked!



It is shaping up to be quite a summer! I love my new (used) bike and have been riding it all over town, walking lots on the beach and catching up with friends that are home or visiting for the summer, taking lots of pictures, I am just so inspired right now by everything I see. Tourist season is starting, but feels different so far this year, folks are in town but they are not taking over as much as it normally feels like they do. We're all debating if this years fourth of July will be insanity because its on a friday and it might end up THE event for toursits this year on limited budgets, or it could end up really quiet because of the limited budgets...

So many things to look forward to, the camping trip on the Channel Islands, golfing, surfing, a visit from my very best and oldest friend with her munchkins, a Willie Nelson concert, beach bonfires, a full moon hike, wine tasting, 5 birthdays, 2 weddings, close friends moving in just two houses down the street, BBQ's, and other random bits of juicy goodness that are sure to be created spur of the moment!

My garden is lovely, the strawberries are going crazy, the snap peas are busting out, the tomatoes are beefing up, the basil, arugala, thyme, sage, mint and majorum are lush and filling out daily, the garlic and onions are going very slow. The flowers are beautiful, I cut some yesterday to bring into the house.

On a similar note, a few of us have been talking about going kayaking at some point soon this summer for quite some time now...the surf has been far too mellow to catch much on a board and the weather and wind have finally been mellowing out, so it seems a good time to make a plan.

Now we just have to decide if we want to go up the coast a bit or maybe start closer to home, over in the bay. All this talk of kayaking and all the yackers we met camping got me thinking about the last time I went kayaking, which was lots and lots of fun, but also a little crazy. Upon reflection, I would now add to the list I wrote before:

Going with someone you trust and who is experienced provides a far better chance to come back in one piece than going with someone who is kind of a freak of nature and has only been out a few times!

Happy Summer!

PS: it's a full moon tonight - make a wish, I did!

Local Saturday

Beginning with a 4 mile beach walk, adding in a free concert at the beach with one of my favorite local musicians Shane Stoneman, a leisurely drive home along a beautiful backroad, crazy beautiful photo ops and ending with a delicious dinner custom made at our little Italian restaurant. Epic!

Ahhhh memories

Not sure why I am so bloggy right now, I guess there is just a lot on my mind and a lot of conference calls that I have to be on but not necessarily really contribute to, so I am multi-tasking. I have been writing a lot and working a lot with an art project I am trying to finish and with all the recent pictures I have taken. Just too much thought to hold in my head, I suppose! :)

Today has been a lot about memories, as I am putting together a gift for my dad for Father's Day which includes many family memories, some things I haven't seen for a long time. On screen at the moment is a 3 year old me ripping into new dresses my grandma made me for my Birthday, and boy am I excited about a red umbrella someone gave to me. I am pretty cute then:

I have been on conference calls non-stop all day and decided to run up to the store as a quick diversion between the last call and the next and threw on a red sweatshirt (cuz its chilly!) Apparently this item didn't make it into the camping wash, because it smells so strongly of campfire, it practically made my eyes water. I wore it that last night we were there, sitting around the blazing dual fire, so many happy memories were made, so many that I'll always treasure. I can hardly believe it has already been two weeks since the trip, I still don't feel like I came back the same person that I was when I left. Funny and fabulous how your life can change in a moment and so often when least expected.

Happy Friday!!

I haven't happy friday'ed in a while! Soooooooo...

Yea!!!!! It's Friday!! I am so ready for the weekend! I need a long walk on the beach, time to catch up on some errands, no schedule, no deadlines, no computer in front of my face all day, time for some art, some nature, some adventure, some fun! I feel some golf and surf coming on, if the weather and waves comply. Wishing all of you a beautiful happy weekend and of course Happy Father's Day to all of you Fathers, brothers, teachers , mentors, uncles and grandfathers! :)

More Happy Camping

Last Fall, I got a chance to take a trip out to the Channel Islands and was able to visit two separate areas of the largest Island, Santa Cruz. It was one of the best things I did last year. I really enjoyed the people that we went with and I got some beautiful shots, a few of which are my favorites of all time. The whole experience felt special and unique, though the island is visited often throughout the year, they have done an excellent job of keeping that sacred ground feeling and at times it was so foggy, we couldn't see beyond a few feet of ocean and it really felt like we were living in a world far away from everyone and everything else. It was just a pretty standard day trip, but very moving and thought provoking and I left feeling like I would love to go again as often as possible and explore all of the islands.

Today, I am so freakin' excited because I was just invited to a 3 day camping trip, near the beginning of August, on the island of Santa Rosa, which is only possible seasonally. The idea of being on one of the island's that is visited the least, being there with great people, having 3 days to explore, hike, rest, contemplate, take pictures and just soak it all up, is generally making me ecstatic! I can hardly wait! Tons of history and artifacts, white sand beaches, a few hours on the ocean, a huge painted cave, seriously, what could be better? Thank goodness I have lots of other fun things planned in the meantime or it would be a little unbearable to wait!

Add in a side trip to Sushi Marina for green mussels and you've got one of my versions of paradise.

mini dj's

These kids are a trip!

A little vacation

Re-entry back into my daily routine was a bit brutal coming off of one of the best little vacations I have taken. The last night, sitting around what may be the most blazing campfire I can recall, we actually discussed how hard it would be to try to explain to anyone who wasn't there just exactly what went on, but unless you were there, it's pretty tough.

I met all of these just wonderful people and so much happened in like two days that it felt like we had all been hanging out for like a month. One of the reasons I so love where I live is the true community aspect we have all created, and it was remarkably similar on this trip, definitely a bit of the kindred spirits feel. I can't remember the last time I laughed that much and for what feels like days on end.

I could write probably paragraphs of the little inside jokes that got created on the fly, and my friends who weren't there just aren't going to understand why almost anything having to do with Russia is funny and why I now slip into this really bad fake Russian accent occasionally, or why I am considered something of a rock star at Nepenthe's, my new appreciation for kayaking, why a six pack is going to send me into peels of giggles, why I will offer to sage anyone that needs a little luck and protection, why I think a show about fire protection would be fabulous and thus why when Hewell Houser says "it's amazing" I am going to fall off my chair laughing, why I am having a custom shovel made at the hardware store, or even how given all this it was even possible that at the last moment I almost didn't go because my best friend who I planned the trip with wasn't able to.

It was everything a good vacation should be, time away to unplug, time with friends, making new friends, laughing, reflecting, getting some exercise and seeing new things, getting a little dusty, stargazing, appreciating the astounding beauty of nature, sharing, making music, drinking a little too much wine, getting a fresh perspective and having a great time! I know without a doubt that I will be taking pieces of it with me all of my life.

I don't even have the words to convey my gratitude nor this huge profound feeling it seems to have created but can't even begin to explain. "It's amazing" (laughing my ass off) that we as a culture have made life so complicated. The basic simplicity I find when camping really brings home the fact that simple can be so much better and I'd like to find ways to create more of that in my life.

Here's hoping each of you is able to get out of your daily grind for a bit this summer to rediscover the wonder of Mother Nature and maybe even a little piece of yourself you didn't even realize was missing! Even a short trip can go a very long way!

Peace and Love and Light and Joy to all my relations! :) xo

Apparently they're all my house

I read somewhere recently that there is a serious bee crisis, that they seem to be severely dwindling in numbers, I find this very alarming as they are essential for our survival - however on a lighter note, I think they might all be at my house...the huge shrubbery someone planted to act as a fence between my house and the next has busted out in a blanket bloom of thousands of clusters of tiny pink flowers (last year it simply remained a ginormous green shrub, if there were any flowers they weren't noteworthy)

This lovely pink display is now daily surrounded by hundreds of bees, the collective buzz so loud at times it almost sounds like a mechanical motor. I really like bee's, and given the crisis, I mostly think this is cool - pretty little flowers, happy little buzzing bees - I am almost tempted to try my hand at beekeeping, but I will note that it is a little disconcerting knowing all those stingers are just lurking about and those cute tiny flowers...full of pollen I am apparently allergic to...

Though I will gladly put up with the minor inconveniences if it means that doing so ensures the endurance of humanity. (LOL)

I wouldn't mind a few more butterflies in the garden though :)

roughly 20 years in the making

So I did a crazy thing tonight, a reunion of sorts, I went to visit the fraternity house where I was once a little sister. A former "brother" happens to be one of my neighbors and best friends, he stopped by this afternoon to tell me about an alumni event that was being held there tonight and asked me to go.

We just had so much fun! We saw old friends, made new ones, shared some of the history the new kids are now a part of, just a blast!

But I must also mention how completely surreal it was to stand somewhere I haven't stood for almost 20 years and that I have been alive that long to even say something like that! So much of the larger events of my young adulthood took place there. My best college friends, my first college boyfriend, my first time away from home. It is so hard to desribe, but I think if you have ever been there, you know.

The best part I think though, is how good and happy I feel about the way things have turned out. I have a beautiful life that I am so grateful for! LIFE IS GOOD! xoxo

A few updates

Looking over the last few entries, it becomes clear i haven't been a very active poster in quite some time...can't sleep tonight for some reason so thought I'd note a bit of the latest.

It has been pretty busy! My brother and his wife held their wedding reception, my dear friends moved back home from Australia and are 5 short weeks away from welcoming their baby girl into the world, I had a rather large super bowl party that turned out really well, my best friend came down for a visit with two of her 3 children for a lovely weekend, I have made several trips up to the office and home generally for work and family events, helped to launch a huge project at work, have been doing a lot of organizing & cleaning and working on my garden. I was down almost 4 full weeks with that crazy flu thats been going around, that stuff is nasty and kinda scary! I am so grateful to be feeling well again. The weather is getting so much warmer and it already feels like Spring, the rain was nice but I am such a sun girl. The rain brought the green back to the hills, the days have been bright and sunny, the nights have been crisp and clear, the stars so bright - really its just been unbelievably beautiful here the past week! I even surfed last Saturday morning and can't wait to get back out. Life is good! I feel a golf day coming on!

Happy Valentines Day

Wishing you love and blessings! xoxo