John & Anne Wiley

2010/06/29

A Few More

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 20:33

Just in case you’re not already overwhelmed with photos from Solstice, here are the last I’ll post this year (though Anne might still add a few of hers).

7510 Tired Angel

7510 Tired Angel

As everyone follows the last float to the party at Alameda Park, some exhausted kids get rides.

7512 Gentle Dance

7512 Gentle Dance

Some fairies still found energy for gentle dancing in the flow of celebration.

7523 Refreshments

7523 Refreshments

Large areas of the park are given over to food and drinks, while other parts have arts and crafts on sale.

7536 Free Play

7536 Free Play

Mostly though the parade party is about music, dancing, and freedom to play. There are so many different activities going on in different parts of the park, and all of it has this easy feeling of freedom and community.

7542 Infusion Into Town

7542 Infusion Into Town

The heightened colors, sounds and moods seem to gradually disperse across the city as people walk, ride and drive away from the park festival. For the rest of the weekend you’ll often see someone in face paint or costume, and occasionally glimpse a magic wand extending from someone’s sunroof.

Observations

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 07:02

We like the anticipation of Solstice every year, then the buildup and preparations, the parade itself of course, and another thing we deeply enjoy is watching the people who are in it and those on the street and up on balconies watching.

7433 Reflections

7433 Reflections

I like to see the exuberant essence of the parade reflected in the expressions of people watching, and in the shop windows behind them.

7443 Decorated Observer

7443 Decorated Observer

There are many who come to watch quietly in the background, who find themselves noticed – and decorated – by people wielding confetti-filled eggs or simply hand-tossed confetti. It’s a way that some observers anoint other observers into becoming participants themselves, in something they may have come only to watch.

7445 Family Time

7445 Family Time

When I was a child it was rare to see fathers closely involved with children. It warms my heart to see dads sharing the parade with small children. Memories are formed that will last a lifetime, and this gives me great hope for a future when people share citizenship and community with warmth and open hearts. In such a world we can work together, even when we disagree. We can respect our different ways of expressing our common humanity.

2010/06/28

Parade of People

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 02:40

The whole thing: buildup, parade, aftermath, party in the park, gatherings around town afterward… Solstice weekend in Santa Barbara is something we deeply enjoy.

So here then are more of my pix, and I’m still hoping Anne will share some of the great shots she caught. Keep in mind though, that most of our best memories are in our minds because often there’s no time to snap in the moment when you’re in the moment. Rather than focus on photography, we like to get fully caught up in the celebration.

2010/06/27

Parade Approaching

Filed under: Random — John @ 01:03

The fun and colorful Summer Solstice Parade, one of our fav things about SB. Today we took lots of pix as usual, and perhaps more than usual we also put down the cameras to Be in the flow of it. Here are a few images as the parade approached, and we’ll post more sometime soon.

7262 Sibling Grooming

7262 Sibling Grooming

Waiting for the parade, kids draw chalk art on the streets and break confetti-filled eggs on heads or toss it in the air, or sometimes just apply a garnish.

7266 Transitory Art

7266 Transitory Art

A few kids might go on to artistic careers, but most just leave precious traces of their passing. Like iMadonnari, it will linger for a few weeks as colorful reminders of this glorious moment.

7267 Hats

7267 Hats

Another attraction of the parade is the array of hats and costumes in the audience,

7268 Hats

7268 Hats

and the warm interactions of friends and strangers.

7270 I Love Orange

7270 I Love Orange

Some of the kids like to paint inside the lines, and focus on their favorite color.

7271 Behind the Mask

7271 Behind the Mask

There’s a carnival atmosphere, and more people are wearing fanciful masks in recent years.

7274 Waiting is Hard

7274 Waiting is Hard

Some people arrive early and wait for hours, and it must seem eternity for many kids.

7275 Approaching

7275 Approaching

The balloon arch in the distance heralds the start of the parade proper, but until it arrives the streets surge with conversations, colors and the approaching sounds of drums and music.

2010/06/26

Fire Season

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Has Photos,Random,SB Region — John @ 06:52

Summer solstice has already come and gone this year, but the Santa Barbara celebration is tomorrow and Ventura has already had a wildfire. Flying to Santa Paula with a friend, we saw the hilltop “Two Trees” fire.

7203 Two Trees Fire 3:40pm

7203 Two Trees Fire 3:40pm

This view is toward Oxnard, and you can make out a truck and fire crew between the trees. Coming home to SBA we flew along the freeway near Ventura and caught this aircraft fire retardant drop looking in the opposite direction.

7214 Air Drop 4:18pm

7214 Air Drop 4:18pm

If you click to see the largest version, you might make out what looks like someone standing on the ridge below where the aircraft is. Also a fire crew standing on the ridge to the right of the drop zone, above the puff of white smoke.

As we descended over town toward the airport, it was fun to see a part of Summer much happier than the start of fire season: preparations for the Santa Barbara Solstice Parade that ends at Alameda Park.

7258 Alameda Park Solstice Setup

7258 Alameda Park Solstice Setup

Tomorrow these streets will be packed with floats from the parade and the park will be overflowing with festive costumes, live music, and at least one drum circle with happy dancers.

Next Page »

Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com.