John & Anne Wiley

2011/01/20

Green Mountains

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 07:27

Our flight on the 17th took us over Gaviota Pass, and the mountains there were even more beautiful than usual. The intricate rock formations on the East side of the pass stood out brilliantly against the lush green of all the new growth from the recent rains.

4826 Gav Pass East Side Peaks

4826 Gav Pass East Side Peaks

You can make out highway 101 snaking from left to upper right beyond the foreground mountains, and the smaller road that branches off to Lompoc at the left. We were flying along the coast looking northward, and wondering which of these peaks has trails people climb from near the 101 tunnel. It’s fun to imagine how this area will look when the wildflowers start to bloom!

2011/01/18

Sunset Views

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 23:03

As we headed toward SBA at sunset on the 15th, we noticed that Oprah’s front yard is getting a major makeover. It will be interesting to watch the new landscaping emerge over the coming months.

4770 Oprah Estate Changes

4770 Oprah Estate Changes

After we tied Tripp down and thanked her for another wonderful aerial adventure, we headed for Goleta Beach for a stroll. Afternoon beach goers were folding their blankets as the night crowd arrived.

4797 Beach Blanket

4797 Beach Blanket

The islands serenely complemented Campus Point, and the splash of a small wave seemed about to engulf a calm couple safely up the sloping sand. On the nearby grassy area beneath sheltering trees a roaring fire warmed a dinner picnic as the last flaming colors drained from the sky.

4800 Beach Party

4800 Beach Party

 

2011/01/17

Turrets ‘n Towers

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 20:22

Looking at pix from our 1/15 flight I got to thinking about how Knapp’s Castle and a recent tower pic could be overlapping in my psyche. Of all the beautiful, amazing and interesting things to notice while flying over Santa Barbara, why did I snap this?

4767 Home = Castle

4767 Home = Castle

Everyone knows there are plenty of mansions hereabouts, but a theme connecting these three pix seems related to the old adage “A man’s home is his castle.” The distinguishing feature of a tower or turret stands out in the two mansion pix, and that could be attributed to my love of the high perspective that’s surely part of the joy I find in flying. But the low remaining walls of Knapp’s are basically ground level. On the other hand, Knapp’s ground level is thousands of feet above sea level with a commanding 180 degree view of Santa Ynez Valley. Guess I’ll need to ponder this more, because there’s an inkling that my love of round windows is somehow related. Art and architecture, like poetry and music, gush from deep within the personality and it seems to me the trans-personal realms beyond where our ancestors dwell in us.

2011/01/16

Knapp’s Castle

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 05:32

The old ruin known to local hikers as Knapp’s Castle is evocative of five generations ago, and dreams of a mountaintop fortress with commanding views. One of our first adventures in the hills was taking the short hike out from Camino Cielo to climb on the stone walls, and pausing so a hiking buddy could snap us posing in this window frame.

'95 Knapp Frame

'95 Knapp Frame

Lately there seems to be some action there, and signs that it’s being rebuilt.

4754 Knapp's Sunset

4754 Knapp's Sunset

I’ve sent a different aerial photo to Edhat, so comments there will probably provide plenty of information because that seems to be a great site for finding out what’s going on around town.

2011/01/15

Span

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 08:05

We have always enjoyed beautiful bridges, both for the metaphor of connection and easy flow and the lines of human art interacting with nature. Over the old stagecoach trail that runs past Cold Spring Tavern, the arch bridge on Highway 154 near the summit is our local fav. It might soon be sporting suicide prevention barriers, so every time we see it there’s an extra urge to really enjoy the magnificent architecture. Our flight past it Wednesday afternoon just after looking at the trees on the ridge was no exception.

4494 Cold Spring Bridge

4494 Cold Spring Bridge

We get quiet thinking about the tragic human stories that have ended in the scrub beneath it. Yet we still thrill to the lean lines and remember the many times we’ve enjoyed unobstructed panoramic views when driving across it.

4500 Graceful Span

4500 Graceful Span

« Previous Page — Next Page »

Blog at WordPress.com.