John & Anne Wiley

2011/01/17

Turrets ‘n Towers

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 20:22

Looking at pix from our 1/15 flight I got to thinking about how Knapp’s Castle and a recent tower pic could be overlapping in my psyche. Of all the beautiful, amazing and interesting things to notice while flying over Santa Barbara, why did I snap this?

4767 Home = Castle

4767 Home = Castle

Everyone knows there are plenty of mansions hereabouts, but a theme connecting these three pix seems related to the old adage “A man’s home is his castle.” The distinguishing feature of a tower or turret stands out in the two mansion pix, and that could be attributed to my love of the high perspective that’s surely part of the joy I find in flying. But the low remaining walls of Knapp’s are basically ground level. On the other hand, Knapp’s ground level is thousands of feet above sea level with a commanding 180 degree view of Santa Ynez Valley. Guess I’ll need to ponder this more, because there’s an inkling that my love of round windows is somehow related. Art and architecture, like poetry and music, gush from deep within the personality and it seems to me the trans-personal realms beyond where our ancestors dwell in us.

2011/01/16

Knapp’s Castle

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 05:32

The old ruin known to local hikers as Knapp’s Castle is evocative of five generations ago, and dreams of a mountaintop fortress with commanding views. One of our first adventures in the hills was taking the short hike out from Camino Cielo to climb on the stone walls, and pausing so a hiking buddy could snap us posing in this window frame.

'95 Knapp Frame

'95 Knapp Frame

Lately there seems to be some action there, and signs that it’s being rebuilt.

4754 Knapp's Sunset

4754 Knapp's Sunset

I’ve sent a different aerial photo to Edhat, so comments there will probably provide plenty of information because that seems to be a great site for finding out what’s going on around town.

2011/01/15

Span

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 08:05

We have always enjoyed beautiful bridges, both for the metaphor of connection and easy flow and the lines of human art interacting with nature. Over the old stagecoach trail that runs past Cold Spring Tavern, the arch bridge on Highway 154 near the summit is our local fav. It might soon be sporting suicide prevention barriers, so every time we see it there’s an extra urge to really enjoy the magnificent architecture. Our flight past it Wednesday afternoon just after looking at the trees on the ridge was no exception.

4494 Cold Spring Bridge

4494 Cold Spring Bridge

We get quiet thinking about the tragic human stories that have ended in the scrub beneath it. Yet we still thrill to the lean lines and remember the many times we’ve enjoyed unobstructed panoramic views when driving across it.

4500 Graceful Span

4500 Graceful Span

2011/01/14

Going Up

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 07:09

I’m surprised it’s taking me so long to go through the pix from yesterday’s flight. After posting the snaps of the new copper dome, we got distracted with lots of other stuff. Anyway, just now I looked through the first few and here are some favs from the flight. Just after takeoff UCSB looked especially lovely, and since it was a bit hazy I’d mounted the polarizing filter. The result is both better and worse than without, since it reduces haze but makes colors a bit strange and reduces sharpness a bit. Fun to see it differently, and at least in terms of haze more like how it looks when we’re flying.

4468 UCSB Polarized

4468 UCSB Polarized

Click to see the larger version here, or better yet visit our Photo Page (link in right column) to see an even larger and sharper version. Such a beautiful campus and setting!

We climbed over the ridge West of Painted Cave near what I think is a gun club, and this stand of trees with the island background was captivating.

4486 Huddled Trees On Top

4486 Huddled Trees On Top

I’m hoping to look at and post more pix from the flight tomorrow. Such fun to “re-fly” it via the photos.

2011/01/13

Brief Shine

Filed under: Aviation,Happiness,Has Photos,Random,SB Region — John @ 06:28

The new KSBA airport terminal building is getting a shiny copper dome, and I paused to snap it during taxi for takeoff today. I wonder how it will look once the copper gets a green patina in a year or two, and whether anyone will be allowed to go up there for the glorious view.

4464 Copper Cupola

4464 Copper Cupola

Luckily the view we get in the first second after liftoff is vastly superior. 🙂

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