John & Anne Wiley

2012/01/20

East to West

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 09:45

I flew the brother of a dear friend in a large circle, first from SBA to Montecito where this lovely home nestles at the base of the mountain.

9688 Nice Digs

9688 Nice Digs

Compared with many Montecito estates and manses this one’s fairly modest. I like how the grounds integrate with the manse creating a unified whole. We of course saw many other beautiful and interesting things, but I didn’t snap many pix. The other one I like from the flight is this view past Broadcast Peak to the Channel Islands, tho the snap only takes in what I’m guessing is Santa Rosa Island.

9692 Broadcast Peak

9692 Broadcast Peak

It’s such a delight to fly with someone who loves it, and the smile on his face when he told sis about it was heartwarming. Sometimes I wonder why everyone doesn’t fly at every opportunity, but it’s lucky they don’t or it wouldn’t be such a relaxing activity. Even with the vast airspace available, if everyone else were up there…

2012/01/19

Peace & Love

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 09:41

At the request of some parents and teachers, we flew over a local grade school today while the kids made these symbols on the playground.

9654 Our Future

9654 Our Future

Such a delight to see the excitement and enthusiasm of our country’s future generation. Many parents joined them, and it got me wondering what our nation would be like if every child were cherished and nurtured by two informed and involved parents and a similarly supportive extended family and circle of friends. I ♥ Teachers! 🙂

2012/01/18

Rock Art

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 09:27

I liked “Bridge on the River Kwai” when I saw it. I like many forms of Art. I like looking at rock formations. I like seeing how people with basically unlimited money sometimes express themselves in their homes and gardens. I love flying of course. So putting all this together, you could come to understand why I enjoy looking at this place in Hidden Valley just South of Westlake.

9593 Murdock's Fancy

9593 Murdock's Fancy

Now without zoom, you might not notice some of the more peculiar features of this modest home. So with a twist of the lens, more is revealed.

9597 Yard Toys

9597 Yard Toys

Between the mansion at the right and arboretum at the left is an array of tall white sculptures. It turns out, according to stuff I’ve read, those are stones from the River Kwai hand picked from a helicopter by David Murdock. In case you’re wondering, he made some money on Dole Foods. He likes pagodas too, and this one is in the pond just right of the mansion.

9594 Zen

9594 Zen

There’s another pagoda at the top of this last pic, that also gives a closer look at the beautiful Kwai stones.

9598 Sculpture Garden

9598 Sculpture Garden

I’m guessing there are some interesting vehicles inside those two facing 3-car garages just left of the manse. Also out of view is his surrounding world class horse ranch. Wouldn’t it be lovely to stroll that estate? Isn’t this one of the most creative uses of wealth you’ve seen?

2012/01/17

Top Shelf

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 20:46

When we’re little, parents hide stuff by putting it on the top shelf out of sight. Maybe the Boney Mtn. area is like that, being up where few people see it. Look how close the populous areas of southeast Ventura and southwest L.A. Counties are!

9578 Top Shelf

9578 Top Shelf

Millions of people drive past it on the 101 freeway and Highway 1 coastal route, but few have any notion of what’s up here. Of course, even when I knew my parents put something fun up on the top shelf it was usually impossible for me to actually reach it. Other than dedicated mountaineers and bushwhacking hikers, how many of us could reach spots like this?

9580 Beyond Reach?

9580 Beyond Reach?

Is another thing I love about flying the ability to at least find and get a closer look at such wild places? Even if I can’t touch the revealed delights, there is a feeling of connection from turning them in my mind’s eye feeling their textures and tasting their shapes. In those moments there are also sometimes deep Rememberings of childhood and my relationships with self, other and divine fleeting among the recollections triggered by looking at pix like these. Flight in small planes adds so many dimensions to life!

Boney

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 09:37

Boney Mountain State Wilderness above Conejo Grade near Camarillo has some great rock formations. I got some pix when we flew over it recently, and will probably post more here in addition to those I’ve already sent to Edhat and posted on my Photo Page (links in right column here). Meanwhile, here’s a starter.

9585 Boney Colors

9585 Boney Colors

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