John & Anne Wiley

2012/01/11

Relaxing

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 02:14

I enjoyed a deep breath just now, remembering how relaxing our morning in Avila Beach was. Great conversation with friends and family, strolling the town and waterfront, and this scene riding the trolley back to Tripp.

9122 Trolley Tour

9122 Trolley Tour

Looking to the right into the sun, the peaceful bay deepened the relaxation.

9131 Warm Bay

9131 Warm Bay

Not much more than an hour later we were flying past the same spots on our way to circle familiar Morro Rock, when I snapped this view of the bay with the sun behind us.

9316 Tripp Tour

9316 Tripp Tour

Relaxing and fun as the trolley tour was, this Tripp Tour went far beyond relaxing into the realm of enchanting refreshment. At the point of the bay, this old lighthouse (now apparently without Fresnel lens) stands as a beacon for tourists.

9326 Avila Light

9326 Avila Light

The calm bay and Avila Beach Pier evoke stillness in my soul again, capturing in this pic the quiet I felt suspended in calm late afternoon air after the memorial we attended there the evening before.

9360 Inner Quiet

9360 Inner Quiet

When I leave this plane, maybe I can soar silently and effortlessly again over scenes such as this.

2012/01/10

Time

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 01:57

Often flying will emphasize different aspects of time. Whether recalling childhood dreams and events or keeping one eye on a clock, flying enhances not just the vertical dimension but also the temporal. On our flight to Avila Beach, I happened to snap this scene on the way there and again on the way back. It’s an area on the South side of the mountains that we pass on that route. Like the other aspects of time, familiar things can appear to us quite different.

9072 Timing is Everything

9072 Timing is Everything

2012/01/09

Afterglow

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 02:22

Flying home tonight from my Uncle’s memorial, I crossed the ridge solo as Anne drove our car home from Santa Ynez. My heart overflowing with painful childhood memories and the closeness of our family now, the sky wore a warm glow of sunset over moonrise. Many more pix to share, but I had to post this right away in case you haven’t been outside.

9527 Sun/Moon Dance

9527 Sun/Moon Dance

2012/01/06

Choices

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 05:55

We asked a loved one what he most enjoyed about living where he does, and he paused for a long moment. “The cost of living,” was his eventual reply. Great reason for choosing that spot!  We often think about how high the cost of housing is here in SB, and how that impacts our meager lifestyle. Yet we have not had even the slightest doubt about our choice, since moving here almost 20 years ago. Worth it, to us.

1000004 Sunset

1000004 Sunset

Case in point, on our evening walk under this sunset we picked some fruit to complement these locally grown organic heirloom tomatoes we got at the farmer’s market.

8951 Still Life

8951 Still Life

I didn’t take time to set up and light the shot, but it still reminds me of still life art I’ve enjoyed. One my Aunt painted in particular, that hung in our home during my childhood. It also reminds me of what we did today. Choosing to live in a modest home and drive a car old enough to vote so we can (barely) afford to buy Tripp enabled us to take a short flight along the coast and see these surfers enjoying the thing that probably factored large in their choice to live here.

8996 Warm Waves

8996 Warm Waves

Having lived in -40F winters, I appreciate the many things that move people to live elsewhere. I also appreciate, perhaps more keenly than most, the joy of living Here. 🙂

 

2012/01/04

Another Look

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 21:44

I was taking another look at our pix from last year a few daze ago (12/31/11), and thought you might enjoy this one as I did.

8937 Last Rays

8937 Last Rays

The last rays of the last day of 2011 were beautiful for us. Reflective of the year, but also of childhood. Standing on a wide, flat beach as the foam slid sizzling toward our feet and we turned squealing to run away. I see that surge of foam in the fog line angling down from the right, about to wash over Oxnard. Anacapa Island beneath the sun seems much smaller than our many memories of flying over and around it. sigh…

Life unfolds in mystery, and slowly we learn, only to forget again as the years wash ashore.

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