We’re back from wonderful visits on our latest journey to Okotoks Canada (& precious 5yr old grandaughter!), Glacier Park MT, Seattle, Grants Pass – with delightful family & friends. We flew home today along Shasta Lake,
dams,
and the ever-intriguing wetland shapes from aerial perspective.
So glad we went on our wonderful trip visiting lovely people – and so happy to be home! More photos to come…once we settle in to our happy home 🙂
We were surprised to still see so much oil in the water Tuesday afternoon at Goleta Beach, and even more startled by the weird color out beyond that thin dark line along the beach.
3044 Goleta Beach, June 3
The beach facing southwest from Devereux had some dark black water along the shore, especially just beyond the surf. I hope if anyone’s swimming in that it’s safe for them.
3385 Devereux Black Water
If like us you’re interested in the May 19 oil spill aftermath, check out the new pix I’m uploading to my “Photo Page” (link in right column). Included there are a section of IV beach, a good view of the spill path cleanup at the 101 lane closure out past Refugio, and new looks at Refugio and El Capitan from this flight.
Flying over rural communities and farmland, this view jumped out at me like a cartoon figure. Most likely farmers are following some terrain, and perhaps have no idea what a delight these shapes are from above. This first is my favorite. Notice on the right Tripp’s shoe and the city below -juxtaposing alongside this broad swipe cartoon puzzle shape.
These puzzle pieces were reaching far up to the hills above. ~by Anne
The title of this post is not to imply that We have new wealth – but it seems some do and are putting it into homes they will live in – or at least visit! Though we live way modestly in this town, we counted our blessings in the air today – one of which was that we were in the air… 🙂
As we flew above Santa Barbara, I (Anne) noticed how much construction is going on. Surprised me in the midst of this economy. These are the crème de la crème of course – Montecito and Hope Ranch areas of ultimate wealth. I thought to show some construction that is happening. For example, this is Oprah’s:
5348 Oprah rethinks her style
We fly over ’cause everyone knows O and her property is large & easy to spot. Though not new construction, she has been doing a major remodel, and recently auctioned off most all pieces of art & furniture – & even 5 small motorcycles? Her African school that educates girls will receive a boost in funds from the sale. On closer view, these guys are carting things out of her Montecito home, presumably to accommodate new items that she will enjoy more.
On the Hills – more challenging terrain:
5285 Hilly House & Terracing
Also in the Hills, below, with lots of space to call their own. See all the tiles sitting on the roof. Bet the owners hoping they are in place before the rains come.
5290 Expansive, tiles stacked on roof
Now we’re along the coast from the SB Harbor to the airport.
5424 Turret and more
Maybe a mo-in-law unit in the back, above?
A pool going in while construction is happening:
5428 Along the coast
Below is the biggest place, and we’ve been watching it develop for many months.
5433 Biggest Newest Hope Ranch manse
Just for context, the next photo shows the setting for the above biggest newest mansion, just so you can see where it sits:
5436 Biggest plus Lake
It’s on the coast, see the beach below. Then note the LAKE that was developed on this property too. We refer to it as “Hope Lake” but have no idea what they like to call it.
We imagine the life these folks might have – and wonder how they came upon funds to live in this way. And we happily fly on by!
~by Anne
No photos today as this is Anne typing on my tablet. The only photos I have are my logs of our plane stops. Maybe I’ll attempt to attach one so you can see a tiny piece of what I do when we fly. Not that we are flying. We are officially ‘grounded’ due to weather here and there. We’re actually traveling via rental car! Perhaps from Pittsburgh where we currently are, to Washington DC where I just made reservations at a Courtyard Marriott in Alexandria Old Town for Sunday & Monday. But don’t be surprised if this changes. We make and break plans as needed or on whimsey in this adventurous trip.
The title on this post is optimistic. John is overwhelmingly involved in tracing his great, great, great and even greater grandfathers. These are the guys he fairly recently discovered as ancestors… and the original name is Walley until John’s most recent grandfather lied his way out of an orphanage and into the army for WWI as Wiley. So like others of you I went to read the blog…and see he has skipped it for 2 days of immersion in documents and now ancestry.com so I decided to fill in. We’ll be glad when he returns 🙂
Speaking of ancestry, if we do end up in the reserved hotel in Alexandria, we’ll be in the town of my parents marriage in 1944. A naval crossed swords event it was. Wish I could include my photo of that.
In lieu of that romantic pic, I offer instead one of my plane log notes fyi…
0981 Flight Notes
Update! John just transferred onto my tablet two of the photos I took today in downtown Pittsburgh, so here’s a bit of our day.
You know how when you come out of an art show everything looks like art? These girl friends were making art!
1015 Nine Girls on Posts
and some artful buildings wove along our path
1017 Artful Architecture
John & Anne Wiley 
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