John & Anne Wiley

What would I do if money were no object? I’ve known a few people in that position, and the answers vary quite a bit. Most want some basic things like a cozy place to live and some toys: cars, boats, antiques, innovations, and for some like me also planes. I’d like to have a hangar at SBA with a “tricked out” Tripp, and a cozy 2 bedroom place with lap pool and a view. Many want to help others and make a positive difference in the world. We get to see indications of the answers people come up with by flying over neighborhoods. Some are in expensive areas like this Beverly Glen area next to Stone Canyon Reservoir.

0595 Stone Canyon Res

When I look at scenes like this, sometimes the notion of permanence comes to mind. I believe everything in life is transitory, and the only constant is Change. So even if I had the money to buy a mansion or estate somewhere, there would always be the chance of unexpected change. Living beneath a dam seems to increase the chance. Economic considerations are omnipresent for everyone, and one nearby manse seems to represent that variety of change.

0597 Paradise Paused

This owner seems to have stopped work on the back yard. Maybe the economic change we encountered in 2008 brought a sudden halt to the yard work. Looks to me like there was to be a jacuzzi adjoining a lap pool with a spectacular view. Here’s a wide shot (with arrow pointing at the manse) for a sense of what that view is like.

0598 Terrain Talk

The reservoir, the hills, downtown L.A., at least part of Santa Monica, and probably also a slice of coastline on nice days. Great view. Another thing I see relates back the the notion of permanence. This neighborhood seems to me subject to flood, landslide, wild fire. To my eye, the possibility of earthquake may be relevant too. Those long ridges and furrows extending toward Santa Monica look very much like the terrain we see when flying along the San Andreas Fault.

This all brings to mind the way I hope to respond to Change. May the permanence of Love steadily bubble to the surface of a serene awareness, providing an anchor for weathering Change and a source of endless joy in difficult times.

Starting every flight after glancing around to make sure nobody’s standing close to the propeller the pilot generally yells, “Clear!” That way when you start the engine, there’s less chance of startling anyone nearby with the sudden noise. Maybe I yelled it especially well a few days ago, because the air was SO clear!! Look at this shot past the Mission to the Santa Ynez Mountains!

0395 Clear Mission

Our mission on that day was clear: snap some scenic long shots. So we did, and the next one I like is this view from downtown SB toward Ventura along the coast.

0398 SB to Ventura

One particularly long view was of this little Goleta park on the way back to the airport. Years ago I joined my friends Bob and Steve one afternoon when they brought their young boys here to play.

0410 Distant Playground

The kids are now grown, and dear Bob passed away suddenly only a few months after the sounds of that playground romp had faded – soon joined by his wife Catherine. So for me, this is a long and thoughtful view very like the one I get flying over the waterfront SB Cemetery where B&C are resting together.

After the moment of reverie I noticed a Goleta housing tract with many courtyard homes. I can imagine a brisk morning wander out into that sheltered and private opening to the sky, hugging a cup of coffee and watching a small plane sliding past in a quiet descent to the airport.

0411 Courtyard Homes

For one last long view, how about this one from that neighborhood past the freeway at Patterson, beyond Hope Ranch and More Mesa out to the islands.

0412 Goleta to Infinity

Most takeoffs in a small plane from SBA begin with this view of UCSB.

0018 UCSB Takeoff

This end of campus has new buildings that add architectural interest in front of the iconic Storke Tower at upper-left. Of course, this is only a tiny slice of the actual view we get, and it’s degraded by the fact my camera doesn’t do well shooting toward the light. So here’s a look back a moment later, that shows a larger tiny slice that includes Goleta Beach.

0020 Beneath Our Wings

So if you could imagine a panorama taken with a perfect camera of probably ten pix like this, plus 20 more to show more of our vertical angles … well, then you’d have some idea how magnificent it is to fly here. Of course you need to add the motion of waves and the slowly changing perspective as we wander through this 3D miracle. sigh… Wish I could share it more fully somehow. 🙂

A little further along the beach and rotating our view 45 degrees or so to the right, we see More Mesa nestled between glimmering beach and serene mountains.

0021 More Mesa

As for “landings” I like this Hope Ranch waterfront bluff manse that looks like a flying saucer has landed.

0033 Saucer Land

I also enjoy the trail down to a landing at the beach hut, and this is one of the rare estates that actually has a path clear down to the beach. Mixed blessing I’d guess, since some disrespectful beachcombers probably venture up the steps occasionally. Such a lovely property! Later when we were landing, we had completely different and equally fascinating views of the airport area. In between our senses were bathed in a constant unfolding of enJoy-ment as we wandered over paradise. I enjoyed another deeply nourishing sigh just now, recalling a few more moments of this short flight.

Hope your Valentine’s Day has overflowed with Love and Joy as ours is. After our growthful and playful years together, each day brings joy, romance, and ever-increasing Love that expands into all we can perceive.