John & Anne Wiley

2011/03/24

Back to School

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 07:31

I know. Pix of UCSB might actually get boring for some people. For me though, especially lately with clear weather and lots of water and green and clouds… Well, lately I’ve been asking ATC for takeoff from funway 25 (meant to say Runway 25 of course, but the slip fit so well I left it in). Anyway, by going from that runway there’s a great view of UCSB and the islands as the first visual greeting aloft. sigh…

6295 Molly Factor

6295 UC Factors

The fact that Molly and Erin went there adds a lot too, almost like the shimmer of the slough is a mirror back into years of warm memories.

OK, so tomorrow I’ll start sharing more pix from this 3/22 flight. Unless we fly between storms again and get something so fun I get jolted back to the present. 🙂

2011/03/23

Another Look

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 03:02

We flew a little earlier today for another look at the local waterfalls, but I haven’t yet downloaded the pix into my computer and besides there are some from yesterday I’d like to share first. Cachuma Lake’s spillway in Bradbury Dam, for instance.

6221 Water Slide

6221 Water Slide

From this far way, doesn’t it look like a water park ride? Maybe not so fun to actually slide down it maybe. And the hills, good golly the Hills!

6216 Wearing the Green

6216 Wearing the Green

Massive patches of light and dark beneath the clouds seemed to struggle over whether it was night or day, Winter or Spring.

6231 Back to Winter

6231 Back to Winter

There were zillions of waterfalls as you’ll see on our Photo Page as we upload them, but one last pic of yesterday to share here is a bit of chance dusk magic. It was the first time we’d seen many twinkling lights on Oprah’s estate. It was enchanting in that dim light, how there seemed to be flocks of fireflies.

6245 Oprah's Magic

6245 Oprah's Magic

After snapping this, it turned into many small yard spotlights coming in and out of view between the trees. For that first moment though, we saw faeries.

2011/03/22

Clouds roaming hills

Filed under: Aviation,by Anne,Flying,Has Photos,Nature,SB Region — Anne @ 06:52

SB had record rainfall yesterday the 21st, its highest in history ever recorded for ANY day, at 5.23″ in one day.  Today, the 22nd, was supposed to be clear so we intended to fly for a photo shoot of waterfalls which we figured would be abundant.  It did not clear up all day – until late in the afternoon.  I was about to end a phone call as John came in the room making flying motions.  So off we went and he got some BEEutiful shots which he will share but he can’t get to it yet. In the meantime I’m posting one I took and also encourage you to look at his “Flickr” page (see right and click on “More Photos”) to see one of the prettiest he took.  Here is my humble offering of our spectacular flight in the meantime…

1879 Clouds caressing hills at sunset

1879 Clouds caressing hills at sunset

~by Anne

2011/03/21

Rain Seekers

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 02:17

I stayed dry today, unlike my Seattleite wife who relished the chance to weed her rose garden.

6200 Not Blue

6200 Not Blue

Despite the intermittent heavy rain and the amount of blue in this pic, she was quite happy. She came in smelling all fresh and green, and now enjoying the warm fireplace and the welcome she received from a happy dry hubby. Now as darkness falls, the rain gets even heavier, and as I write this, another scene outside caught my eye.

1866 Guard Frog

1866 Guard Frog

When we moved into this place, the previous owners had left behind a massive cement frog that we instantly adopted. We enjoy putting him in various poses around the yard. A few weeks ago he took up this watchful position near the dry fountain. As you can see, it is now overflowing with all the rain. Is it just me, or does he look happy? Can he have spent some years in Seattle too? I hope the xeriscape plant with bright red flowers is happy with all this water, because it took root on its own and we haven’t watered it in this normally dry climate. I hope we can get a break in the clouds to take a quick flight tomorrow, because I’d like to dry Tripp out and get some pix of the local seasonal waterfalls that must all be spectacular right now.

2011/03/19

Days in boots

Filed under: by Anne,Has Photos,Nature,Random,White North Adventure — Anne @ 08:24

While walking downtown in short sleeves, John noted “It’s a little cool today without a jacket.”  Then he heard himself, given recent context of our month in climate 100′ colder than Santa Barbara, and repeated the sentence so we could both take in what an amazingly different experience we were having.  So it seemed fun to revisit this man on a bridge in recently purchased big clumpy warm boots.  Though head and hands are momentarily bare, the car is just across the street.  Behind him is the North Saskatchewan River completely frozen and covered with snow.

1520-not in shirtsleeves

1520 Not in shirtsleeves

On the same outing I snapped this snowy home as we drove by.

1529 Snow House

1529 Snow House

We enjoyed our time there, and it’s fun to see it warmly from this distance.

~by Anne

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Blog at WordPress.com.