John & Anne Wiley

2013/01/18

Valley Views

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 23:53

I love California. Even when the hills are a furry golden brown in Winter. But after some rain, the green hills and valleys are also breathtaking in the morning and when evening light gently caresses their colors and shapes.

2553 Golden Green Flank

2553 Golden Green Flank

After we passed the golden tinged green flank of the hill descending into Santa Ynez, the old barn in the vineyard by the airport was lit by our “Heiligenschein” (near the top-center where our shadow would be if closer).

2556 Heiligenschein Vines

2556 Heiligenschein Vines

Since the term for it is such a mouthful, I tend to just call it a “Glory” even tho that’s not technically what this type of “anti-solar” effect is. Oh well, eh? 🙂

As we climbed out of the airport toward Gaviota Pass, treetops taking their last glimpse of daylight in the valley brought a deep sigh that just happened again as I looked at it. What a magnificent planet we share!

2571 Last Glimpse of Day

2571 Last Glimpse of Day

2013/01/16

Close Encounter

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Random,SB Region — John @ 03:40

It’s fun being near bigger and faster planes when we fly. This big KC-130J was especially close, as you can see.

3663 Close Encounter

3663 Close Encounter

We were sitting in the “run-up” area for Runway 25, when this big critter cruised thru SBA for a “touch and go” practice landing.

3661 USMC KC-130J

3661 USMC KC-130J

So we weren’t more than a couple of wing spans away as it went by, and the pilot was clearly visible. These big birds are used by the Marines for aerial refueling. Felt like a mini personal air show. 🙂

2013/01/13

High Minded

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 04:13

I used to think about taking the train from SB to Lompoc, just to see that beautiful coast.

2804 Amtrak Coast

2804 Amtrak Coast

These days, having flown it many times with views like this, not so much.

2805 Highfalutin

2805 Highfalutin?

Is it “high minded,” highfalutin” or just plain snobby of me to look down at that little train in this big view, and imagine the brief glimpses it provides of the scene we’re immersed in up here? I don’t mean to be sanctimonious, yet flying is such a magical thing! Added to the immensity of panoramic delight, there are little scenes like this magical blending of colors and shapes.

2798 Dream Carpet

2798 Dream Carpet

It all weaves into a Dream Carpet every time we fly even for a few minutes. I hope you can forgive how endlessly and ebulliently I sing the praises of flight, because to me the words and pix still fall so woefully short of giving you an appreciation of my pure Joy. 🙂

2013/01/11

Wings

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 22:35

“We love on wings of glass,” the angel said in last night’s dream. It was such a striking thing to say, I just had to share. Of course I’ve been thinking about it some today, curious where it came from in the sea of happiness where we dwell. An odd association comes up, related to having once yearned to live far from people. That in turn relates to this pic.

2807 Far Away

2807 Far Away

Not just the lighthouse, actually, though I did once imagine working at one or at a forest fire lookout. It’s the little keeper’s house in the shade at top-left that’s somehow associated with last night’s dream. This closeup I got of it evokes such a powerful sense of distance.

2823 Abandoned Dream

2823 Abandoned Dream

I imagine the keeper there a century ago, perhaps with a family. Feeling happy and fortunate to be there. Then things changed for the people and place, until now the dream stands neglected.

Flying from all the warmth and humanity of SB to visit that isolated spot, I enjoyed this vista out toward the islands. I notice now the sturdy aluminum wing in this pic, and am thankful for the contrast to last night’s dream. How far indeed our new wings of marriage have carried us, into the realm of Love.

2803 Sturdy Wing

2803 Sturdy Wing

2013/01/09

Both Sides

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 08:19

We’ve seen Point Conception Light from both sides now. Today I managed to finally get permission (thanks, Dave!) to enter the restricted airspace over and to the West of the light. Such a powerful experience it was to fly in this place!

2819 Passing Normal

2819 Passing Normal

Passing where we can normally go, the colors and sights instantly went from breathtaking into the realm of magic. First off, with full zoom at full resolution I can make out the year 1881 stamped into that gray concrete emblem above the door.

2892 Looking Back

2892 Looking Back

Now in terms of human activity here at the Western Gate as the ancients called it, 1881 is yesterday. But it gets you looking back. Circling around it, we could see more deeply into the place.

2860 Looking Deeper

2860 Looking Deeper

Out over the water we looked at the sea caves carved in the rock below the light by billions of pounding waves.

2842 Sea Caves

2842 Sea Caves

 

With our new perspective we could also see out to the islands in another transcendent panorama beyond this side few people get to see.

2806 Forbidden View

2806 Forbidden View

We felt altered by this brief flight, and it will take some time to process our memories and look thru our pix. I hope we can find words and images to share more of it with you!

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