Peculiarities

         The double rainbow, as seen from our deck last evening, was the beginning of the rain season on the California central coast. Rain season ends and begins in July, so our August .2 of an inch is an early start and a bit peculiar.

        And so is this. The other evening as I walked back from taking out some trash I spotted and and then was buzzed by the "smallest hummingbird I've seen" as I said to Lana.

        "Really?" she said, going back to what she was reading.

        Well, she saw it the next day, with our granddaughter and she was a bit more excited about it.

        It is not a hummingbird, but it has a wing flap rate as high as the hummers. It is a White-lined Sphinx Moth and grows to 2-3 inches. Speedy little creature.

        These we found on a lupine bush. They were interrupted long enough to be inspected by granddaughter and Nana, and photographed before being returned to their bliss on the lupine.

        

        This was a sunset cocktail companion the other evening at a Camp Ocean Pines fundraising event. 

        I frequently hear some of his cousins as they observe their nightly vespers here on the ridge.

        Time to cue the frog. Actually as I opened the spa cover yesterday a little dude had taken to napping next to the control buttons. Granddaughter and Nana got a chance to spot it, before his spoiled nap led him to leap to the step and then to dash under the spa.

        Sorry Kermit...so I'll vamp and quote your song, that Jim Henson helped you 

pen....

        "What's on the other side?

        Rainbows are visions, but only illusions.

        And rainbows have nothing to hide.

        So we've been told and some choose to believe it

        I know they're wrong, wait and see.

        Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,

        the lovers, the dreamers and me."

        See you down the trail.

        

WE ARE ALL STAKE HOLDERS

SOME THINGS HAVE TO BE SAID

     Despite my intention to provide only art and beauty in this first post of the week perhaps an obvious statement needs to be made.

      How many Americans need to be gunned down before citizens demand that something be done?  No other nation on the planet has as many murders. I am a full supporter of the Bill of Rights.  The first amendment is my favorite, but all of them are important.  So I'm not trashing the Second. Still something is profoundly wrong when deranged people or hate filled bigots and zealots can so easily destroy life.

       We cannot continue to take these shocks and refuse to do something to prevent them.  We all have a stake in this.

DAY FILE

LINES AND TEXTURES
a collection of scenes where I was struck
by linearity and patterns

In the shot above and below is a pattern of lines in confluence.

   Kelp, seaweed trailing on the surface of the water.

   These are shots of light captured on ripples in the Pacific

   Lines of an emerging lean to

FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC LOVERS ONLY
A CAMBRIA LOCAL

   Camp Ocean Pines, which is very true to its name, hosted

an extraordinary musical event this weekend.  Under the towering Monterey Pine, with window peaks of the deep Pacific Blue warmed by dappled sun beneath the arch of cobalt blue skies, musicians filled the air with classical beauty.  Performers had completed the Summer Strings Workshop under the guidance of the San Luis Obispo Symphony.  Here is a sample.  My apologies the video quality is not more fitting the quality of the music. We gleaned this with a hand held iPhone.  Still, you'll get a sense of the special afternoon.

SETTING STANDARDS

EXCELLENCE
The Maritime College football team from the Bronx New York did something extraordinary this year.
Instead of player names on the back of the uniform the 
team displayed words like FAMILY, RESPECT,
ACCOUNTABILITY and CHARACTER.
It was the concept of Coach Clayton Kendrick-Holmes
who told his players to be mindful of those qualities as 
they competed.
Coach Kendrick-Holmes is an amazing story in his own right.
This video demonstrates not only excellence, but 
commitment and courage.

Excellence and
Classy Seats
Camp Ocean Pines in Cambria is
another place of excellence.
Link here to learn of the many opportunities for youth and adults. We've watched as they have build a new
amphitheatre.  Recently we visited for a progress
report and were amazed and charmed by the 
artistic detail in the seats.

That attention to detail and style underscores

the idea and practice of excellence and artistic appreciation.

Salutes to the Maritime football team, coach Kendrick-Holmes and to Camp Ocean Pines.

See you down the trail.