John & Anne Wiley

2013/11/13

In City and in Forest

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 02:36

There’s a line I like in an old Leonard Cohen song, “In city and in forest, they smiled like me and you.” I’m reminded of that theme looking at this home hidden in a forest right here in paradise.

4973 Forest Home

4973 Forest Home

It’s so lush and secluded, surely it’s in a jungle far from everything. But from the air we can see how it’s nestled among orchards, greenhouses, mobilehomes, and not far from the fascinating wetland and beaches of Carp.

4975 Well Placed

4975 Well Placed

Barely visible at the bottom of the pic, you can see how well placed this home is for a quiet life with easy access to the relaxed playground that is Carp and all the culture Santa Barbara has to offer. I relax just looking at it. 🙂

2013/11/07

New Wealth

Filed under: Aviation,by Anne,Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,SB Region — Anne @ 09:56

The title of this post is not to imply that We have new wealth – but it seems some do and are putting it into homes they will live in – or at least visit!  Though we live way modestly in this town, we counted our blessings in the air today – one of which was that we were in the air… 🙂

As we flew above Santa Barbara, I (Anne) noticed how much construction is going on. Surprised me in the midst of this economy. These are the crème de la crème of course – Montecito and Hope Ranch areas of ultimate wealth. I thought to show some construction that is happening.  For example, this is Oprah’s:

5348 Oprah rethinks her style

5348 Oprah rethinks her style

We fly over ’cause everyone knows O and her property is large & easy to spot. Though not new construction, she has been doing a major remodel, and recently auctioned off most all pieces of art & furniture – & even 5 small motorcycles? Her African school that educates girls will receive a boost in funds from the sale. On closer view, these guys are carting things out of her Montecito home, presumably to accommodate new items that she will enjoy more.

On the Hills – more challenging terrain:

5285 New Constrtuction

5285 Hilly House & Terracing

Also in the Hills, below, with lots of space to call their own.  See all the tiles sitting on the roof.   Bet the owners hoping they are in place before the rains come.

5290 Expansive

5290 Expansive, tiles stacked on roof

Now we’re along the coast from the SB Harbor to the airport.

5424 Smaller with beach below

5424 Turret and more

Maybe a mo-in-law unit in the back, above?

A pool going in while construction is happening:

5428 Along the coast

5428 Along the coast

Below is the biggest place, and we’ve been watching it develop for many months.

5433 Hope Ranch Manse

5433 Biggest Newest Hope Ranch manse

Just for context, the next photo shows the setting for the above biggest newest mansion, just so you can see where it sits:

5436 Biggest plus Lake

5436 Biggest plus Lake

It’s on the coast, see the beach below. Then note the LAKE that was developed on this property too. We refer to it as “Hope Lake” but have no idea what they like to call it.

We imagine the life these folks might have – and wonder how they came upon funds to live in this way.  And we happily fly on by!

~by Anne

2013/10/24

Mission Accomplished

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,People,Random,SB Region — John @ 18:44

Looking at the mission in my previous post here got me thinking about the lovely mission here in Santa Babs.

4030 Mission Context

4030 SB Mission Context

Up at the foot of the mountains, Mission Santa Barbara is surrounded by its influence. All those red tile roofs are the result of building codes creating what’s called the “mission style” of architecture for our whole community. Right in the middle of downtown is another ancient example of this style.

4061 Presidio Santa Barbara

4061 Presidio Santa Barbara

This was once the focus of military might in our town. It’s appropriately located on a street with the military name Calle del Canon Perdido deriving from an infamous incident. Now the Presidio stands as a tourist attraction and a classroom in mission style adobe construction.

2013/09/30

Home

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 20:27

All our wanderings across the continent in Tripp only increase our delight in the joys of Home. I wonder what dreams of home dwelt in the heart of Huguette Clark, who owned the mansion on the point below.

0273 Hugette Clark's Home

0273 Huguette Clark’s Home

She lived and died in her cloistered NYC apartment without seeing this place for half a century. Yet she paid a massive sum to keep it as she remembered, as if she could walk in any moment and return Home. Most of her large fortune was left to the creation of a museum there. We understand what it is to love Santa Barbara.

0274 Safe Harbor

0274 Safe Harbor

Near her home looking in the other direction, the harbor and City College on the shore bring similar feelings of Home and shelter in peaceful waves. Stearn’s Wharf points the way up “Altered” State Street to a short turn into the park where Solstice Parade ends in ebullient celebration every Summer.

0287 Solstice Setting

0287 Solstice Setting

There is another feeling of Home evoked for us by the Courthouse, where we’ve gathered with loved ones for memorable events.

0280 Garden of Memories

0280 Garden of Memories

So many places have the feeling of Home, and in our travels we’ve enjoyed discovering what other people love about theirs. We’ve traveled back in time, too, to places that once were home for us and our ancestors. Still, despite only having lived here for a small portion of our lives, these pix remind us there’s no place like Home.

2013/09/16

Upward Mobility

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Nature,People,Random,Relationships,SB Region — John @ 01:24

I got to pondering old poems on the larger subject of this post while reviewing the last pix from our recent SF trip, starting with this little boat.

2763 Apex Icon

2763 Apex Icon

Anchored off Sausalito carrying several “dinghies” more valuable than our car, and probably costing more to operate for a day than our plane does for a year, this boat represents one archetype of upward mobility. But the view opens out to the quirky little city itself, where art mingles with wealth.

2764 Sausalito

2764 Sausalito

But more alive for me is the upward mobility brought by Tripp, as we rise above all this and beyond time itself in a way.

2777 Clear Lake

2777 Clear Lake

We were taking a quick afternoon trip to visit loved ones in Clear Lake before going home to Santa Barbara. Something impossible without an affordable trusty steed like Tripp. On the way home after our visit, the Bay shone in the hazy evening light illuminating another mobility. Upward from the past, when I wandered this area on the ground and savored the rare commercial flights that gave me a hasty glimpse of this scene through a milky plastic portal.

2798 SF Bay Evening

2798 SF Bay Evening

Looking back at an old barn among the golden hills of my youth brought a keen awareness of this upward arc.

2837 Sunset Farm

2837 Sunset Farm

Suddenly a few light squalls appeared alongside our route, and our steed easily climbed to find a way among them while treating us to a circular rainbow that we could only capture this slice of with the camera.

2841 Angel Eye

2841 Angel Eye

This view of heaven and earth is reserved for those who have chosen to devote at least the modest sum we’ve saved, to buy upward mobility of this kind. In a few minutes we were back in clear air and passing the familiar gently rolling hills of my California youth.

Golden light
Nectar, pouring through,
These hills.

2854 These Hills

2854 These Hills

My soul
Dipping
The warm burgundy
Wash of evening clouds
Mingling with
These hills.

2847 Clouds Mingling

2847 Clouds Mingling

       Mile 37
Let me notice
What quickens the heart.
Caress of a hand,
Shape of a hillock,
Sound of a breeze.

What catches the eye.
Lone tree on a ridge,
Flicker of a fleeting movement,
Impulse of a photograph in time.

2859 Nightfall to Dream

2859 Nightfall to Dream

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