John & Anne Wiley

2012/02/12

Rides

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 08:31

A few years ago, few things were more fun than body surfing. The feel of the water around me. The rush when a set came in and a big one stood up to invite some fun. Unconsciously using past breaks on this day’s waves to calculate where this monster would break. Swimming hard to be at the right place. Just barely catching it, and then falling into the groove to ride until my mind started turning to the next wave and deciding whether to bail and try for it. Such pure physical, emotional and spiritual joy. Why would anyone ever do anything else?

0188 Smooth

0188 Smooth

It’s all Smooth somehow. Perfection. Now maybe if I’d ever gotten good on a board I’d still be out there, but as you know by now I’d rather be flying. Having been there makes watching a ride like this from our magic carpet all the more enchanting. There is a powerful Smooth for me on a good flight. Heck, on most flights. It might be something we see, or the song of Tripp’s engine, or a turn. Even landings sometimes are akin to catching that wave and feeling again the Smooth of a great ride.

2012/02/11

Hidden Gardens

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 06:59

This area abounds with beautiful hidden gardens. Some are in yards protected by high walls and/or hedges, so few people ever see them.

0070 Symmetry

0070 Symmetry

Many of the walled gardens have some sort of symmetry. A mandala, a labyrinth, or often boxes and rows like this one in Montecito. Nearby are many breathtaking natural gardens, like Tangerine Falls.

0077 Tangerine Falls

0077 Tangerine Falls

With so little rain this Winter, it’s nearly dry. Even so, by all reports it’s Eden on the trail in and at the base. Of course, that hike is also reputed to be less than an idyllic stroll in the woods. But on this flight we noticed this garden perhaps even more enchanting, and a quiet pool still filled with sparkling water.

0080 Zen

0080 Zen

This garden of Zen so close to town is very easy to reach. With a helicopter to lower you down a long cable. Seriously, I wonder how many people have ever been here. Maybe we’ll fly closer next time to look for trails and a better angle for pix. Meanwhile I’m musing on the secret gardens within. How high are my walls, and how daunting the paths into the psyche? With continued effort, will I more often open the gates to share the places most precious? For me, sharing our Garden is the essence of life. That is why sharing the joy of flight so expands the moments aloft.

2012/02/10

Passage

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 01:33

Before a railroad line was built, the passage from Santa Barbara to L.A. was probably fastest by sea. With only sails that might have taken at least a day with good winds. For us it’s an easy half-hour and some, including diversions to check out things like this.

9990 Passage

9990 Passage

To me there’s something enchanting about this angle near the end of day, and the glow of roadway lighting. But all tunnels seem to invite a magic. You temporarily leave all the sights, sounds and smells of the everyday world. For a time you have the sensation of motion, but the variety of life is lost to a nearly featureless tube close around you. When you emerge from the other end, it’s often into quite different surroundings that are greatly accentuated by the deprivation of transit. Maybe the opposite of flying in some way, because the journey itself is so enriching. Earlier we diverted slightly to look at this massive boulder and the graffiti slab above it.

9939 Rock & Slab

9939 Rock & Slab

There are certainly many things more fun and fascinating than flying. I just can’t think of any. 🙂

2012/02/07

Sometimes

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,SB Region — John @ 08:26

Sometimes a particular scene just captures my heart, and this pic even captures some of the mood I felt.

9981 Moment

9981 Moment

It was as if time stood still for a moment, in a reflective blend of colors. In the original version I could make out surfers, and that in turn got me reflecting on times out on such water. As the smooth sea produced each new swell, it would rise up into yet another bright moment.

2012/02/06

Other Tenth

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 04:46

I seem to recall a cliche something like, “How the other half lives” being used in relation to the wealthy. Maybe it’s from old movies about the thirties? The catch phrase now is some variation on, “The ten percent.” Well I don’t know what fraction or percent these mansions house, but I like looking at them.

9891 Hope Fulls

9891 Hope Fulls

Many of the mansions in Hope Ranch are magnificent. In this shot I especially like the tuscan yellow with colorful bougainvillea upper-right, and the white one with vineyard and corral bottom-right. In this wider shot you can see the yellow one center-left.

9892 View View

9892 View View

The manses on the beach bluff of course have astounding views, and I like viewing them from this perspective because it reminds me of the much better view of their view out our other window. From this vantage point we have gazillion dollar views in every direction, but we pay by the hour. 🙂

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