Light/Breezes

Light/Breezes
SUNRISE AT DEATH VALLEY-Photo by Tom Cochrun

Monday, June 20, 2016

SUMMER COOL, LIVE AND LET LIVE, LIVE OAK SCENES

COOL SUMMER
      As temperatures "over the hill" on the other side of the Santa Lucia mountains rise, it draws moisture from the Pacific through the Templeton Gap, Highway 46, and leaves this side of the range shrouded in a cool marine fog.
    It ghosts in, filling valleys and creating a mood and ambiance. Evening is the preferred time of this cooling mist during summer. We can transition from bright cobalt sky and sun to a wispy fog in just moments.



LIVE AND LET LIVE
or leave
    Boomers grew up with the concept of "the melting pot," America as place where diverse cultures met and lived jointly. Somewhere along the timeline it became important to some that they not share a common good and still honor their unique history, instead they became tribal, standing off and finding fault with meeting in the middle. Subsequently sub groups grew, denigrating shared culture and fostering an attitude that a melting pot culture was wrong. Now there are some who would destroy what we have become to live according to their precepts, imposing them. Yes there are external threats, Isis and that sort, but homegrown separatists exist. I'm not sure how it happened, when the disrespect began, when narrow and selfish emerged. Thank heavens that view remains less than normative, but it's growing. As generations spend more time on screens and less in real life interaction I wonder if we only exacerbate it.
Diversity, where heritage and culture are celebrated is beautiful and makes the whole stronger and more interesting.

LIVE OAK NATION
business

African Guitar Summit at Live Oak Music Festival
    Frequent readers have seen previous posts from the Live Oak Music Festival, a premiere fund raiser for central California coast public radio, KCBX.
    Nestled in a magnificent live oak grove near Lake Cachuma and the San Marcos pass north of Santa Barbara, it is a weekend of magnificent music, camping, family gathering, fun and merchandise.
     This year's snap shots tend toward the vendors.














   As they say "peace, love and dirt." It's become a multi generational affair over the last 28 years. This year daughter Katherine joined us for the first time and she too approved!

OAK TREE UPDATE
     As the county continues its investigation of the Justin Winery ownership for large scale cutting of oak trees, improper land clearing and lying about their intent, a boycott of Justin wines has begun.
     Several San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles restaurants have dropped Justin wines. Individuals are stopping their purchase of Justin as well. Once owned and operated by Justin Baldwin, it is now the province of Stewart Resnick's big business empire that includes Fiji water, Pom Wonderful and other products.
     Neighbors have expressed concern about Justin's  intention to build a lake or reservoir that would have sucked huge amounts of water out of the already hard pressed aquifer. Longtime fans complain about the change the new owners have brought to a once prestige wine maker and for the attitude they evince in a friendly and family like wine region. Stay tuned.

    See you down the trail.

10 comments:

  1. Ah, that fog looks so cooling. Send some over here.

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    1. Wish we could send it too you. You guys are in the hot zone.

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  2. I've always loved fog, probably because of fun times spent in San Francisco. From your pictures it looks like tie-dye is alive and well.

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    1. The evening fog makes being inside a nice cozy experience. And yes, lots of tie-dye in the Live Oak Nation.

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  3. So many times have I been in your area, either off 101 or 1. It seems your climate is changing as are so many in north america. My memories of the area from San Francisco down, through Big Sur, on to the beaches we then camped on surround by elephant seals.
    I'm happy to have live a life that let me experience your area, and those couple of weeks in La Honda, when Kesey was there.
    cheers,
    Mike

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    1. That elephant seal population has grown over the years. Years ago we used to roam on the sand dunes there, but no longer.
      Hope you get back this way sometime.

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  4. Nice! Rainy season is just starting here with us.

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    1. Hope that it is a good rainy season. Ours is from Nov-April.

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  5. Beautiful photos, Tom, of Live Oak Music Festival and fog --the spirit of the Pacific-- rolling in gently. I love this post.

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    1. Thank you Geo. There is indeed a spirit of the Pacific.

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