AND SO IT BEGINS....

 Winter has come to the California central coast.

  Christmas season has come to the Cochrun home, the creche is on the mantle.

    Since the girls were young the tree comes soon after Thanksgiving and this year we were fortunate to get an early gift of rain.

   And we commence our dreams of a green Christmas,

   Back in Indiana a rainy, misty day was not always a source of joy. We value those things that are rare.

    We used to make a journey over the river and through the woods to the magical twinkle shop at Watts Christmas Tree Farm. Grand daughter Addie finds the magic at the Christmas shop at the Cambria Nursery

   We'll see more from here in the days ahead. In the meantime we watch the forecast and the promise of more rain-a seasonal blessing here in the Republic.

    These are storm clouds in which we delight. The clouds over Washington bring a storm of another sort. 

rousting the rogue

   Mandated by Congress, the White House was forced to release a report issued by 13 federal agencies and because it flies in the face of the bogus claims of the rogue President, they tried to bury it. 

    Once citizens sober up from the shopping and feasting binge they will face the chilling the facts that were released the day after Thanksgiving. The findings are directly at odds with Trump administrations program of environmental deregulation. 

     The American economy will also suffer, unless steps are taken quickly to deal with global climate change. The 16 hundred pages lay out the devastation that will come to human health, the environment and the economy. 

      I doubt that Donald Trump or any of his ardent supporters will take the time to read the report. As we have seen in the last two years they live in a world of lies and fantasy and vented anger. I am angry too because my grand children will live in a world made worse by the stupidity of Trump and his supporters. 

      I agree with Tusli Gabbard, the veteran and congresswoman from Hawaii who called him a "Saudi bitch," and with those in the intelligence and military community who called him a "traitor." From before the election he has functioned as a "Russian stooge." Now he is a killer of children yet unborn who will likely inherit a damaged world. I am also angry that his legion of angry followers have no trouble with him undertaking the unprecedented action of challenging the legitimacy of the federal judiciary and a robust free press.

       He is not just stupid, unfit, unqualified, he is increasingly dangerous. Every day he remains in office he threatens the future. 

    Now we'll watch the Fox News Channel propagandists

and his angry, no-mind-of-their-own cult of followers try to talk back to 13 Federal agencies who are trying to warn the world. In Trumpland their own opinions are more important than facts or science. The lies and empty promises of their malignant leader are all they need. And that's all they get, lies and empty blather from an unsound and evil man.

    Storm clouds indeed!

     See you down the trail.

SHE SAYS-HE SAYS and A Few Diversions

   In this post, we'll open and close here-something good, something very good and nice. We need diversions, don't we?

  The other stories in the Kavanaugh confirmation coming up, but first a good bye------

one tough old bird

     Our little village tucked between the Santa Lucia Mountains and the Pacific lost a big force this weekend, Reggie Perkins at 92. Some of us lost a buddy.

    Here's an sketch of how tough Reg was. A few years ago he had a heart attack on Christmas Eve. He was back on the tennis court New Year's Day.  

     A WWII vet, he had been a battalion chief on the LA Fire Department. He helped build the Cambria Fire Department and served on the community governing board, the CCSD.

      He and his late wife founded a volunteer group that assists people in need or needing medical equipment, or trips to the doctor. They started the annual Easter Egg hunt. He was active in the American Legion and had been a long time treasure of the Odd Fellows benevolence lodge.

     On the tennis court Reg, who played up to only a few months ago despite knees that hurt him every minute, had one of the toughest drop shots in tennis. He chuckled many times as I ran like a banshee to get to the ball, only to watch his patented spin make me look like a fool. I was not alone.

     Reg was one of the founders of the "prayer meeting" that I was invited into about 12 years ago. A group of old boys meeting on someone's porch or deck at precisely 4:00 to have coffee and a cigar, if you were so inclined. Way back the group met on Wednesdays and Sundays. In the last few years the gatherings were on Sunday and wine had been added as well. As a new retiree in the village the tips, insights and history I heard from Reg, John Angel and the late Phil Allen, plus the jokes, made a newbie feel right at home. 
      Reg listened more than he talked, but when he said something, it stuck. These were truly old boys still full of life. 

     It was only a couple of weeks ago Reg was on my deck reminding me I needed to add cushions to my hard wood furniture. We all thought Reg would go on forever. He filled his 92 years and left us all with a target to shoot for. He will be missed.

     What you see in the frame above is the largest lemon I've seen. It was grown locally.  How big is it?

an appropriate pause

     In a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court, the new accusations have to be taken seriously enough to be investigated and either tossed aside or validated. 

      What's the rush? Mitch McConnell considered a year a valid wait. The Kentucky wheeler dealer denied America's first African American President a chance to get even a hearing on his nominee. So, what's the rush now? Does someone sense American voters are fed up with Republican rule and acquiescence to the malignant narcissist and Russian stooge?

      More important than Republicans protecting their advantage is the fact the American public deserves resolution as do Judge Kavanaugh and Professor Ford. And the same goes for the more recent accusers and the Judge. 

       But there is an ugly strain in all of this. Some, on both sides of the political aisle, wonder if accusations this old have any bearing on the decision. The default position for many is, what really matters is if the judge is telling the truth. Well of course that matters. 

      But I am one who thinks the behavior all those years ago matter as well, though it is complicated. It is possible that people can change. I think it is entirely possible that youthful and foolish behavior can be left behind. And we know  drinking can contribute to poor judgement and horrendous behavior--but....wrong is wrong, and violence is violence. Also, a patriarchal mind set is wrong and too often has been enabling. 

       The idea that "boys will be boys" is wrong headed and dangerous. That attitude permeates American culture and it was certainly in play at the time that Judge Kavanaugh was a beer drinking, hell raising, privileged preppie and Yalie. It was wrong and if we are ever to get fair and healthy in relationships between men and women we need to recognize it. It shouldn't have been condoned then. It cannot be condoned now. Should it bar him from the court? If it was something he did repeatedly, but now lies about, then yes.

       If Kavanaugh did not in fact act like a boorish, privileged drunk punk then it goes beyond what and how he described himself at the time. Still I'm sure boys who behaved badly have grown to be responsible adults and that may in fact be the case for the judge, unless he is lying now, embarrassed about his previous alleged behavior or too drunk to remember.
       He is where few people go, nominated to the Supreme Court and we have a right to know. Our right to know supersedes his privacy, her privacy, since she had made the accusation and certainly supersedes any thing Mitch McConnell wants.

      The last thing on this is fairness-fairness in this case and the historic issue of fairness in how women have been second class, abused and treated. I read this contemporary culture as being invested by women and men who say

time's up. We want to play by new rules.  We want to play by fair rules.

      I think there is enough accrued injustice and resultant anger that the old white men on the Judiciary Committee better realize what year it is and what fair now means. If Republicans behave as they did in 1991, they belong on the ash bin.

and now to the diversions

there are some things you just can't explain

no matter where you look

relax

at this age, and in this time, diversions are healthy

cheers!

      See you down the trail.   

An Amazing Story

     
   It was one of those direct to the heart moments. Standing before the group, explaining his goals for "Everesting Hearst," the young man said his goal in life is to contribute $50 thousand  to charity before he passes. 
    I was moved. Live your life in journalism and you hear a lot but I never heard someone measure their life by setting a goal to give to charity.
   To date he's donated $19 thousand. He's stuck on it hard and working on meeting the $50 k life's goal.
    Here are some extenuating factors. He makes a spartan living as a kayak outfitter at San Simeon beach. He's been a camp director, competitive runner and mountain biker, and never earned much. He says he's not interested in earning a lot of money, only enough to feed himself and his dogs and hit his charitable goal. He is Cubby Cashen, beloved by those who meet him.

     The evening he spoke to the Cambria Dinner Fellowship was the first time in a couple of years he had eaten with other people. He lives a somewhat ascetic life, devoted to nature and charity. In the last year he's adopted a diet of either a small pizza or pint of ice-cream for dinner. Energy bar or cereal at breakfast and sandwich at lunch. No alcohol, no drugs, no frills, just he and his beloved Chiweenies, in a small room.

     He is well known to animal lovers, domesticated or wild.
He's been involved in rescues, some harrowing, of deer, otters, elephant seals and birds that either fall off cliffs, get into deep surf, get injured, caught in netting or other travails.
   Pictured above are the companions he adopted, one of whom is blind, both of whom ride with him on road trips.
   He's in the habit of showing up at his outfitting post, and if no one is waiting for a rental or instruction, he takes to the sea to inspect the shore line, cove and surrounding bluffs to check on nature. He's the first to know when whales are in the cove feeding with their young. He knows when the sharks are around, or when the bait balls of anchovy roll in, or when the shearwaters are in transit and etc. And he loves it. He also has an abiding love for his mother who passed away.

     Every August 8th, his mother's birthday, Cubby donates whatever he earns to a charity, usually one involving animals.

     That is why he has begun training to ride his bike on Thanksgiving up and down the road to Hearst Castle until he reaches, in aggregate, the altitude of Mount Everest, 29,029 feet. "Everesting Hearst." 

      As he's worked out the logistics he figures he will spend 15 hours riding. Thanksgiving, because Hearst Castle is closed to tourists and he'll have the winding 5 mile climb to himself. He's got his hydration and food timetable established and continues to work on GPS certification gear. He plans to start early so he will have only some 3 hours of climbing in the dark.

      "The dark is when your mind starts working on you," he says.

     The beneficiary is the Short n Sweet Rescue Alliance on Jack Creek Road in the Templeton California area. Cubby says they have dogs, rabbits, horses and even donkeys in their care. If you are interested in helping this dynamic young man you can link here to his page. 

      You don't run into many folks like Cubby. He's got a personality full of sunshine. He is the first I've met who measures his life by being able to reach a charitable giving level. Amazing!

thinks he's a baby

     Our irrepressible Hemingway took quick advantage of a visiting baby carriage--and got a quick nap

the end of summer feast

   Our gourmet pal MM laid out what she calls the end of summer meal with some of her favorite recipes. Including her world class Fougasse.

    Great companion to the medly of perfectly roasted veggies, chicken breast and peach with pesto that is off the charts!

    There was a course of cheese, and chocolate dipped figs that didn't make it to the camera, because Mr. Camera was too busy indulging.

      See you down the trail.

LIGHTS

  For the last few years thousands have flocked to Cambria's Christmas Market, a venture of a local hotel and garden center.

   Cambrians are of two minds, at least, about the display and the traffic and commotion. It is said two million lights are used. Count them if you'd like.

     The little ones and more than a few adults seem mesmerized by the displays. 

    I like the Surfin' Santa, complete with Hawaiian motif in the jacket. 

   Something for all, including a tribute to Aliens, here for the holidays. 

   A variation on a roasted artichoke. 

  This vendor was selling high flying spin activated and lit helicopters that continued to arc high above the millions of lights below.  

   The scene below is set off to the side, canted in such a way as to require a special effort to see it and read the warning sign.

     Krampus is the anti Santa Claus. Half goat-half demon, his thing is to punish or carry off bad children. The origin is unclear but it is a figure of the season in some northern and eastern European nations. Glad we skipped that in our childhood.

    This Christmas 2017 this creature could find plenty to carry off at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave, Washington D.C. and at the opposite end on Capitol Hill.  

     On further reflection, I think the beast has already been there, and probably had a large had in the writing of the new tax fraud bill.

      See you down the trail.