John & Anne Wiley

2010/12/17

Some Enchanted Evening

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,SB Region — John @ 03:44

This evening we enjoyed a brief flight that could be our last chance for a few days due to forecast rain. I’ve sent some words & pix to Edhat and posted some on my Photo Page (links in the right column of this page), and wanted to share more here. Already feeling blissful from being aloft again, the mood deepened when we spotted this “sun dog” over the channel.

3982 Sun Dog

3982 Sun Dog

Over the sacred Chumash site named Shalawa Meadow was another contemplative view of clouds over the coast to Ventura.

3983 Coastal Clouds

3983 Coastal Clouds

By the time we landed, our mood had shifted far into the mystic. Back in town we paused to admire the rainbow moon floating in an indigo sky beyond the magical tree shapes, portending tomorrow’s rain.

4022 Rainbow Moon

4022 Rainbow Moon

 

2010/12/12

Homecoming

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 07:57

Tonight we hosted a small party of “Mystics” – the group we formed for a retreat in Ballyvaughan Ireland with poet, scholar, Celtic mystic and former Catholic priest John O’Donohue back in 2003. It was one of those deeply enchanting and transformative experiences in life for most of us. We met here in SB, went on hikes together, did the 10 day retreat, and have kept meeting sporadically since. Tonight we enjoyed a leisurely potluck supper and regaled each other with conversation, memories and singing. It was a homecoming of sorts, including the sense of connecting with our ancestors. Part of the Ireland experience many of us shared was being welcomed back there by the spirits of our ancestors, and tonight’s conversation touched on that.

In looking over a few photos from tonight, I also glanced back at pix from our 12/6 flight to Neverland. Among those is this one of Brad Pitt’s place, where there also may be some sort of homecoming going on. Since he began spending lots of time in New Orleans, his waterfront bungalow West of town has been deserted except for the caretakers on top of the hill. I noticed tonight that there’s a white car parked down near the beach cottages and lots of cars parked up at the entrance. Maybe he’s visiting, or they’re preparing the place for a visit. There’s some odd black thing with white “doors” on pallets that I don’t recall seeing there before, and I’m curious whether it will be there if we fly out that way tomorrow.

3874 Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie's SB Beach Cottage

3874 Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie's SB Beach Cottage

2010/12/08

A’s photos, same trip(p)

Filed under: Aviation,by Anne,Flying,Has Photos,Nature,SB Region — Anne @ 05:07

John invited photos and I do have three to share.  Over the Santa Ynez valley I enjoyed the long dark shadows cast by the pale trees.  When looking at the actual photo, I noticed Cachuma Lake in the upper right corner, so that gives you an idea of location.  But for now, here is what drew my eye:

0936 Shadow Sentrys

0936 Shadow Sentrys

West of Michael Jackson’s place John noticed this nestling cloud all by itself on my side so I took a quick snap.

0939 Cloud snug & nestled in

0939 Cloud snug & nestled in

Coming back along the coast out of Gaviota, I liked these craggy rocks along shore, and lined them up along the contrasting straight & narrow railroad track.  My first glance at the actual photo looked like snow at the top, as though snow was coming down a green mountain.  Snowy looking Surf!

0941 Snowy surf, Squiggly rocks, Straight rail

0941 Snowy surf, Squiggly rocks, Straight rail

by ~Anne

Rocky Returns

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region,Tripp — John @ 02:18

No, I haven’t gotten over it. I’m the rockhound that never quits. Here’s a sequel to the rocks from above theme. It’s not just the sculptural shapes of rock formations that I enjoy. Sometimes the pure texture of a rock will capture my attention.

3860 Texture Stories

3860 Texture Stories

What created the texture on these stones? Was it only mountain rainfall erosion of sandstone laid down when this was a slumbering sea bed, or might there once have been a hillside creek or pool involved? Did humans participate at any point? Who visits this spot since the ancient peoples stopped coming? How long before this is all but buried in thick, tall brush? As you can see in this next shot, large areas are relatively clear still from the recent series of wildfires on these slopes.

3858 Rocks Revealed

3858 Rocks Revealed

An even wider view brings in Tripp’s sturdy strut, easing me from rock reveries back to flying dreams.

3861 Ridge Roaming

3861 Ridge Roaming

The brighter area top-middle is where our shadow would be if closer to the distant ridge. I like the radiant effect when looking exactly opposite the sun’s direction, and you never see that from the ground unless on a mountain top. Any time of day aloft you can spot this, and if low enough you’ll also see the shadow of your aircraft painting an impression of the outline someone on the ground will see. If they ever look up.

Well, Anne got some interesting snaps on this flight. Will she share any?

2010/12/07

Mist Approach

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 02:28

Instrument practice often involves a “missed approach” called by the pilot, as a way to save time. Basically it means you fly as if in clouds, but instead of taking the time to land and then take off again you do the procedures as if weather were so bad you couldn’t land. Well, approaching SBA after our evening flight today we enjoyed a “mist approach” when noticing the thin mist clinging to this bit of coast.

3872 Misty Coast

3872 Misty Coast

So soft and lovely with the brilliant sunset glow on the bluff. Earlier we’d enjoyed the fuzzy air caressing the undulating hills in northern Santa Ynez Valley on our way to take a fresh peek at Michael Jackson’s Neverland estate.

3842 Blanket of Hills

3842 Blanket of Hills

Reminds me of a rumpled blanket, as if some giant forgot to make his bed. On the way home the quaint village of Los Olivos looked like a movie miniature.

3853 Los Olivos Shadows

3853 Los Olivos Shadows

I’ve sent some pix from this flight to Edhat and also put a few on my Photo Page, so you could use the links in the right column here if you’d like to see more. Tomorrow I might share other views here and on those sites, as I go through the snaps from today.

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