John & Anne Wiley

2010/06/04

Everyday Miracles

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Nature,Random,SB Region — John @ 05:47

So often when we fly the ethereal permeates us. This seems to happen most often when flying the SB area, so close to the center of things. Today the weather forecast was a little discouraging, so we talked about waiting for a better day. It couldn’t have been. Immediately after takeoff, once we climbed above the haze, puffy white clouds added notes of paradise along the coast or clinging to hills. The stuff of dreams.

6635 Cloud Shroud

6635 Cloud Shroud

We did keep close to home in case clouds moved over the airport again forcing us to land at Santa Ynez and take a bus or cab home. Also, the winds were pretty strong at the ridge line though turbulence was mild when we stayed high enough.

6645 Shapes & Textures

6645 Shapes & Textures

Over in the valley it was clear, and we enjoyed the timeless symmetry of the dance between agriculture and ranching.

6646 Gaviota Gloom

6646 Gaviota Gloom

Turning back toward home, what was probably a close and somewhat gloomy day at Gaviota Beach was for us a glorious soft work of art.

6659 Toward the Gate

6659 Toward the Gate

Minutes later, looking back along the coast toward Point Conception, the magic of it all was nearly unbelievable. We could well imagine how the Chumash people believed this to be the “Western Gate” where souls pass to the paradise of Similaqsa. To fly is to dream. To dream is to live.

2010/06/03

Long & Short

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 06:14

Today we had a short flight that seemed much longer, flying slowly out to Carpinteria and back. Not much more than half an hour on the clock, but it feels like a journey of several days in dreamtime. I’ve sent some words & pix from the outbound flight to Edhat (I might add a link to the page, but you could also use this) and also put two more on my Photo Page. Coming back, we had a look at the demolition of St. Francis Hospital where so many people entered and left the community of Santa Barbara.

6619 St. Francis Demolition

6619 St. Francis Demolition

I hope our medical care won’t suffer from the lack of competition, and it’s strange watching from above as this landmark vanishes at the same time as Cottage Hospital nearby is getting a major expansion.

Another large construction project is going on at our home airport of SBA. The new long terminal will still have much of the short charm we’ve long enjoyed here, but things will be much more comfortable for everyone who works there and hopefully more streamlined for the passers through.

6625 KSBA Expansion

6625 KSBA Expansion

After leaving Tripp, we drove to SB Mission and it had an especially magical feel. People were quietly talking, almost reverent strolling quietly amid the amazing chalk art works of “i Maddonari” as an early summer frisbee toss coexisted with people lying and sitting on the grass out front.

6626 Mission Moment

6626 Mission Moment

The people-watching there is almost as remarkable as the chalk art, and will be for weeks as the crowds ebb and flow with vacations and weekend visitors.

6634 People & Art As Art

6634 People & Art As Art

2010/05/31

Quiet At Home

We enjoyed a quiet Sunday, puttering around the house and entertaining a friend. That fits the quiet mood of some pix from Friday’s flight to Lompoc. According to a comment on my first Edhat post from the flight, the Knapp’s “castle” ruin now has caretakers. I imagine the silence up there must be powerful. Especially at night, when the coyotes aren’t singing and you can hear every little sound of nature around you, looking over sleepy Paradise Valley to the Sierra Madre beneath silent stars beyond.

6543 Knapp's Castle

6543 Knapp's Castle

There’s a different sort of quiet around the mansion at Michael Jackson’s former Neverland Ranch. It had been unkempt after he moved out, but since his passing it has been restored. The massive oaks stand quietly as if contemplating the people and activities from past times. There’s something so forlorn to me about this place, and it will be interesting to see what will happen there next. See our photo page for other aerials, including the train depot, zoo and rides.

6561 Neverland Mansion

6561 Neverland Mansion

Another study in celebrity retreats we “visited” again was Brad Pitt’s place on the beach near El Capitan. I wonder if he visits there or will sell now that he’s mostly in New Orleans, and what the white open tent is used for (and how it has survived the freaky ferocious winds we’ve had this year!). I imagine him sitting with loved ones quietly sipping some cool drink and listening to the waves lapping on his beach.

6590 Brad Pitt's Beachhouse

6590 Brad Pitt's Beachhouse

As we tied Tripp’s tail to the ground back at her home airport, we heard a bumblebee busily browsing little yellow flowers. Darting so quickly even this 1/800 second exposure is blurred, it still evoked a lazy summer mood in us.

6607 Browsing Bee

6607 Browsing Bee

Perhaps our languid flight, glimpses of quiet homes, and the enchanting weaving of the bee all fit somehow with the quiet mood of our holiday weekend. Shall we go untie Tripp today and have a new adventure?

2010/05/30

Big Game

Filed under: Aviation,Flying,Has Photos,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 18:37

I found out today on Edhat in Comments to my photos from yesterday’s flight, that the big crowd we saw at SB High was for a special alumni game, so I’m posting these aerials to enhance the collection of photos at PresidioSports. These were taken at about 3:20pm from opposite sides of the stadium. Note: as with all photos on this blog, to see the largest version just click until it doesn’t get any bigger (sometimes two to four clicks).

6509 SB-SM Alumni Game

6509 SB-SM Alumni Game

6521 SB-SM Alumni Game - N. Side

6521 SB-SM Alumni Game - N. Side

Young & Old

We flew to Lompoc today, and at the airport a man was trying to find someone willing to show his son an airplane. We of course gave them a Tripp tour, and it was heartwarming to see dad’s patience and the youthful excitement. Dad was excited too, and walked over to Above All to see about learning to fly.

6507 Future Pilot

6507 Future Pilot

Before heading for Lompoc we flew over iMadonnari at Mission Santa Barbara to check the progress, and it was quite a contrast with yesterday. Many of the chalk art projects are nearing completion, and the place is alive with people.

6510 iMadonnari

6510 iMadonnari

Tomorrow if we don’t fly I’ll post more pix and tales from today, but for now I’m going to rest and relax in the warm glow of slow flight over scenic wonders.

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