The Quantum Nap

        Is it my reading and viewing list, or have you too noted there's a lot of recent information out there about quantum physics, quantum computing and how things quantum make the potential of "multiverses" something more than fodder for science fiction?

        It's all a push for my pragmatic sense of things and my hard headed desire to "understand." 

        A recent science article and an Apple television series had me puzzling through the idea of "alternative realities" when the moon shadows seized my attention. I grabbed a camera and got a frame of myself standing on our upper deck, in the world of shadows. I haven't worked out how the distant Pacific surf may have sounded in that shadow universe, nor do I know what would become of that shadow reality if I, or someone, had not seen, observed or photographed it.

        What marvelous riddles, and possibilities there are!  And what potential there is for those to whom the future belongs. Still, there is that nagging human problem about learning-learning from our past and from our frequently misguided ways.

        But for now, a deep dive into the present here on the California central coast and in Lana's garden, all, appreciative of the season's rain.  
 

Is it one or many?

           The peas are growing well. 

         Lana complains the hillside is too full of weeds-she has had back issues and her weed eradication effort has been slowed. I continue my more than half a century protest that weeds are also life and provide their own contributions to the blue sphere. Alternate realities, eh? But Green is green.

        Our youngest of the brood, Sunny is enjoying the return of the Sun...     

The old tiger gal, Joy, is particularly taken with the beds near the front walk

    And the old boy Hemingway, our polydactyl, would be Garfield, does what he enjoys most, next to eating. Naps tend to make a lot of sense to me these days as well.

    Madmen still make war, a taste for power has driven a whole political cult into a trance of stupefaction and insensibility, and we've unleashed machine learning and artificial intelligence experiments on our children. Phones, screens and social media are rewiring our brains and undoing society. 

    It's like the meme, "Here hold my beer"  while we blindly jump into the next thing, never mind we have forgotten the word consequence and the mere idea of forethought.

    Yea, naps are a good alternative reality.

          Summon your wits good people, gird your loins and activate that life of experience and learning. 

        Our hand are no longer on the throttles of power, but we have voice and a vote and we are still to be reckoned with. There are facts to note, truth to tell and a Republic to defend between now and November. 

        We know this drill, we can still answer the call, and we'll be effective, if we take our nap and remember our meds. 

        Be of good cheer, we have the cosmos and eternity set in our hearts.

        See you down the trail.

The Break Between Storms

         In the wisdom of the old saying, "every cloud has a silver lining" today's clouds over Cambria are mostly mist and sprinkles, providing the ground and citizens a chance to dry and assess.

         Times of crisis bring out the best in people. Neighbors helping each other, including the emergency crews-fire, safety, utilities and road. During last years repaving of local roads,  gutters and swales were improved and they've made the last two weeks of rain easier. 

    

        We've been blessed by location. Our ridge is a block below the highest elevation between Highway 1 and the Pacific. It's called Top of the World and thus far drainage has been good.

    The pause in the series of storms affords a chance to take a closer look. The back hill garden plantings are holding. Lana's indefatigable work provides more than beauty. It's important because our property is slope with a plateau over more slope. 

    Here's a look around.

        

    The lemon flourishes but work on the new raised bed has been halted.

        The solar panels and battery are invaluable when PG&E service is disrupted.

Energy production is minimal, though not zero, in this kind of overcast. 

The Baby Tears have faired well and the pea gravel has continued to drain and percolate. 

Lana's "garden alley" and potting bench came through the deluge  without harm. 

No damage in her hanging meditation corner.

Most of her succulents and small plants on the deck had to be moved and drained, but no lasting damage. 

The artichoke bed is no worse for the wear.

The rain collection barrels are ready for pumping.

The barrel above is also plumbed to receive water that is used in our reverse osmosis process at the tap.

        Glad we trimmed the bottle brush below the utility lines. These storms have produced high winds. Trees into power lines have been a big problem.

        We've escaped the flooding, mudslides, and evacuations that plague thousands of our fellow Californians. If the forecast holds, tomorrow will allow for more drying and absorption. Friday we head into 4 days of another atmospheric river. 

        Perhaps a future generation will come to realize the value of rain and runoff capture, for those not so wet seasons that are inevitable on the west coast.

        It seems everyone is coping with extreme weather of some form this season. Hang in there and stay safe. 

        BTW, this was written by a person. No ChatGPT working here. 

        See you down the trail. 

    

This option is joy...

In the season of life there is a lot on all of our minds.

Today, we give it a rest. Instead we celebrate.

Here's the latest report from Lana's back hill garden.

     Color and vibrance of another sort as we visit the garden patios of Casa Munch, the home built by Paso Robles wine legend John Munch of Le Cuvier.

    John is a creative giant, he writes as magically as he makes wine and builds houses. 

    He's a great force in a writers group as well.    

One of his mentees, Clay Selkirk, is a budding legend of a winemaker as well.

Cheers!

See you down the trail.