John & Anne Wiley

2013/01/06

Happy Valley

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 07:42

Having savored a relaxed flight over the hills to Santa Ynez, I’m in a happy valley today. Well, you might call it a welcome rut. Not just the soaring joy of seeing this riot of fresh green among lingering Fall colors.

2547 Happy Valleys

2547 Happy Valleys

Another part of my happy rut is more experimenting with 3D. Now maybe you didn’t like the one I shared before, or weren’t able to ever see it in 3D, or are concerned about eye strain. Well, close one eye because here are two more. First this cool old barn next to the airport and winery, with grand old oaks in attendance.

2560 Barn-O-Rama

2560 Barn-O-Rama

I’ve spiked it a bit, because I like how it enhances my enjoyment of the dimensionality. If that’s too overdone even when you only look at half of it, here’s a more natural one. Reminds me of scenes in the View-Master some well-off kids had. So maybe I’m enjoying finally having one of my own, with photos taken from beneath the broad wings of Tripp.

5053 Hills, Cachuma, Beyond

5053 Hills, Cachuma, Beyond

In case you’re still reading, couldn’t get the 3D effect with my prior method, and want to try again, I found another trick. Pick a spot in one of the photos, maybe the barn or the lake, and look at it while you cross your eyes like we all did as kids. When you cross them too far you’ll see more than three copies of the image, and too little gets you back to two copies. Go back and forth crossing more and less until you can hold three copies of the image while looking at your target point. I find that after a moment my eyes “lock” and then I can look around that center image without losing the 3D effect. Again, it’s easier if the image is smaller on the screen so you could zoom out if you’re having trouble. But I made these images a bit bigger, so if you click to see the largest versions this cross-eye method might enable you to see it in 3D more easily than the other method. Anyway, I hope you’ve at least enjoyed my fascination with this, and I’ll try to resist sharing any more unless someone requests them – even tho I’ll probably keep playing with them for a while before leaving my happy rut.  🙂

2013/01/01

’12 Final Minutes Aloft

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 05:59

Our final minutes aloft of 2012 brought a delightful and refreshing variety of scenes into our hearts. Taking off, this familiar view past UCSB to the islands immediately launched us into bliss.

2393 UC Launch

2393 UC Launch

Somehow the shapes and colors of this view bring instant relaxation and delight, even viewing this tiny impression of the remarkable scene we were immersed in. Moments later as we turned North to climb over the front country mountains of the Santa Ynez range, the luscious green hills made our hearts soar with the joys of Spring.

2395 Green Hills of Home

2395 Green Hills of Home

After we’d lifted effortlessly over Painted Cave and climbed across Santa Ynez Valley, snowy peaks of the San Rafael and Sierra Madre brought us to this wintry wonderland.

2420 Wintry Wonderland

2420 Wintry Wonderland

Turning homeward we descended past East Camino Cielo where snow lingers on that much lower slope in the shadows of the North slope.

2448 Snow Over Sun

2448 Snow Over Sun

The sun lit a hazy glow from agricultural burns in the region, giving a bluish glow to this scene that encompasses the snowy ridge and the nearby harbor where people are wading in the sea. Such a short flight ably demonstrates the breadth of delights within easy reach of our community. A wonderful way to invest our final minutes aloft in this year that has brought us so many wonderful moments. May your coming Lucky ’13 overflow with Love, Friendship and warm memories.

 

2012/12/30

City Sandwich

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 07:37

Flying from SB to SD for family holiday, we passed hilltop mansions between the LA and SD megalopoli that form a double-decker city sandwich. Like this little Hobbiton on the mountains near Topanga Canyon.

2203 Hobbit Hill

2203 Hobbit Hill

I love the creativity of homes like these, and often wonder how many people will ever see them other than those flying “low and slow” in small planes like Tripp. We also get different views of LA, like this “clear day” one just above the layer of smog blown back to the hills.

2207 LA Layers

2207 LA Layers

Looking down thru the layer in Santa Monica everything is vaguely brownish, and the stark snowy peaks shine out above it in the far distance. Downtown LA seems very much in peril of being swallowed alive at the right edge of the layer. Not long after as we pass La Jolla approaching SD, more fanciful mansions catch my eye.

2217 Life on the Edge

2217 Life on the Edge

Here on the edge of another major population center, on the edge of an eroding bluff over the sea perch more whimsical shapes. For me they evoke thoughts of beauty, peace and wealth mingled with images of fire, flood and quake. If we could afford to build there, would we? If so, would we try to mitigate the risks that so readily spring to mind or would we grow comfortable with the reality that life is fleeting and impermanent?

2012/12/24

Ever Onward

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 06:56

There’s a line in the Tolkien books something like, “The road leads ever on…” Somehow up where Tripp takes us so far beyond the concept of roads, it also seems to lead ever onward. It never gets old, and there’s always something beautiful and fascinating to see. Like this pond somewhere in the Camarillo area with an Atlantis look.

2192 Atlantis Pond

2192 Atlantis Pond

Maybe when they used machines to dig the pond it ended up making those intrictate patterns in the bottom that are showing through the shallow water? In this next one you can see past the coastal mountains to Santa Monica, downtown LA beyond that, all the way to the snow-capped peaks beyond.

2195 Mountain Magic

2195 Mountain Magic

Simply magical, even to what I call the “Sunset Pig” of smog hovering in the distance. Maybe it’s due to growing up in SoCA that I think of this when I hear that phrase in Joni Mitchell’s song, rather than 1960s police on Sunset Blvd she was actually referring to. To me it’s magic to see the mountains crisp and chill so near the eternal sunshine of the surf spots beneath our wings.

Hey, in case I don’t post again for a few days, Happy Holidays everyone! May the warmth of family and friends fill your heart with Joy and your dreams with Love.

2012/12/19

What Bumps?

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 08:43

When people fly for the first time, they often notice every little bump in the air. Other first-timers may point out that it’s almost always smoother than riding in a boat. But most people who’ve grown accustomed to flying, when asked about the uncommon minor turbulence we occasionally encounter will often say, “What bumps?”

2034 UCSB Takeoff

2034 UCSB Takeoff

Today we decided to take a short evening flight, even though we knew there would be turbulence. I’m glad we did because the air was especially clear, the light was beautiful, and afterward Anne blurted at least a dozen times, “That was Fun!” 🙂

Just after takeoff we passed UCSB for the glorious view above, and coming home after an exhilarating half hour we saw this different angle of it nestled in our magnificent local scenery with a view all the way to Point Conception.

2091 UCSB to Conception

2091 UCSB to Conception

I wish we could take the whole world on one of our amazing little flights that cost less than a movie, and rekindle the soul. But on a totally calm day. 🙂

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