John & Anne Wiley

2012/06/03

Old California

Walking the mission area is relaxing, connecting with how it was here in past centuries. Yet we often discover something that’s new to us. This bell tower between the mission front and the seminary might have once housed the bells.

0541 Missing Bells

0541 Missing Bells

The big fountain in front of the mission is an ageless magnet for kids, and their watchful parents who navigate that ageless line between protection and freedom as their child teeters along the wall or leans to splash.

0544 Water Child

0544 Water Child

This visit, a new fascination for me was the sculptures over the mission roof. I like how the afternoon light played on the top one.

0545 Roof People

0545 Roof People

I presume her anchor honors the maritime history of Santa Barbara, and the brave souls lost at sea over the years.

0545 Anchor

0545 Anchor

From the front her anchor is invisible, and her visage changes. Probably more religious in theme, yet to me this could be a contemporary young woman in a hoodie engaged in quiet conversation.

0551 Quiet Maiden

0551 Quiet Maiden

Across the street on the expanse of lawn next to the rose garden, some young maidens were enjoying themselves, the weather, the setting and each other in just such a dialog at this gentle place where old California is renewed.

0559 Relaxed Conversation

0559 Relaxed Conversation

2012/05/29

Quick Iowa Trip

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Random,SB Region — John @ 23:47

Going only 100mph or so, we flew from Santa Barbara to Iowa and back this morning.

0246 Out of SBA over Islands

0246 Out of SBA over Islands

The U.S.S. Iowa that is. The WWII battleship was being towed by the tugboat Warrior from San Fransisco to LA, and I’d been watching her track online. This morning she was only 16 miles past Santa Cruz Island, so we climbed to 9,500 feet looking for the ships. It was hard to spot them in the haze, but finally the Warrior’s massive wake gave them away and we turned toward them.

2358 Iowa & Warrior

2358 Iowa & Warrior

Look how hard the tug is pulling against the wind to keep Iowa on course. Descending to a mile above the ship, haze was less a problem. I imagined this view being the last thing an attacking enemy plane would see in this life, as the automated anti-aircraft guns and missiles zeroed in.

0322 Last Look

0322 Last Look

2012/05/25

Perches

People like perches. High places with a view. Some like this place I call the Castle are presumably just wonderful places to Be and Look.

0107 SYV Castle

0107 SYV Castle

It has a commanding view of Santa Ynez Valley, and is designed to make the most of that with tiers of windows in a turret capped with skylights. I enjoy imagining being there and looking on sunny days and starry nights, or when a sudden storm rushes across the valley.

Not far away is this hole in a rock wall that was surely a perch for earlier generations. How many people lived there, looking out at the smaller view or climbing to the “roof” and taking in the panorama across to the islands?

0128 Keyhole Cave

0128 Keyhole Cave

2012/05/23

Hears Who?

One of my daughter’s fav books was Seuss’ “Horton Hears a Who.” Well, ok, one of my favs. 🙂

“A person’s a person, no matter how small.”

So I wonder if any of the small people visible in this snap of Horton Plaza in San Diego hear we who were flying nearly a mile above.

0006 Horton Plaza

0006 Horton Plaza

I like this pic because it hints at the creative nature of this mall. We’ve several times been on one side of that diagonal slit down the middle, wanting to reach people or shops on the other side. When we did find a place to cross over, it typically took us to a different level from the one we wanted so then we’d be searching for stairs. But of course, many of the stairs take you back to the other side where you started (tho at a different level). Maybe our playful Dr. Seuss influenced the design even tho the Horton it was named for was presumably the SD historical figure rather than the book (and movie) hero.

Venice High

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 00:02

We were high at Venice Beach today, and in a light haze.

0024 Venice Beach

0024 Venice Beach

Even with the haze, in this cropped view you can see there’s lots of sunny Tuesday afternoon action on the promenade. A circle of tourists has gathered to the right of the street painting to watch some sidewalk show.

0024 Venice Skate Park

0024 Venice Skate Park

Just to the right of the first pic toward the surf from the promenade is the skate park where there was also some action. We thought about flying lower for a better view, but it was fun to see such a vast SoCal panorama. Plus, we were well ready to be home quickly for some R&R. Wonderful times in San Diego, and now a good long rest!

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