The "Rap" Back and In The Funk Zone

    There is a lot to like about Santa Barbara's funk zone, not the least of which is building art.

  A more extensive look follows, but first, the old goats respond. The Rap back--

**The Text below**

    Frequent readers may recall in the previous post I discussed how our old goats coffee dialectic/cafe debate, populated by a diverse group, was at least civil unlike the wide divergence almost every where else you look these days.

    None of the group seemed to take offense to my characterizations, however Ray, our resident historian responded with verse. BTW Ray has offered up other ditties showing that he could make a run at song writing as a twilight career. 

    I see the group would prefer to be known as the Illuminati instead of old goats. My only retort is a small edit. He noted that my court skills were unknown at Butler U (I was accepted there) but it should read Ball State U, from whence I graduated.  He's right though.  My hoops skills were left for Industrial, Church and Y leagues.

    Thanks Ray, and Illuminati pals. This is a keepsake the kids will find in my files.

the funk

    Santa Barbara's "Funk Zone," between the Pacific, the 101 and adjacent to the Amtrak station is a warren of cafes, wine rooms, galleries, restaurants, boutiques, bistros and plenty to look at. 

      An old warehouse and industrial district, enlivened.

     These 8 x 8 portraits are of Jean-Michel Basquiat, Keith Haring, Frida Kahlo, Yauyoi Kusama, Diego Rivera, Ai Wei Wei. They were done by students and guest muralist David Flores. 

   And then near the Santa Barbara farmers market is another eye appealing bit of public art, on a private home.

     After living in the mid-west my one regret about California is the brevity of the green season. So, enjoy a couple more scenes from nearby.

The Text

Tom came out of Indiana

a sharpened pencil in his hand

vowing to excoriate

every villain in the land

Calif. welcomed him

with widely opened arms

recognizing instantly

those sophisticated charms

He's a Hoosier and a Scot

a journalist most refined

but ignore required readings

and your faults could be defined

At Butler U his court skills

were remarkably unknown

those letters of recruitment

Vanished in the Twilight Zone

you know he's quite the wordsmith

dedicated to the truth

but exhibit mental weakness

and he'll shred you skin and tooth-

He is a well known resident

of many halls of fame

but are those hefty entry fees

just another elitist game?

Tom's an author and a blogger

of national reputation

But I suspect Ms. Lana

supervised his maturation

He's a critic of our president

our "national benefactor"

insisting that insanity

might be a slight distractor

No more distant projects

might an editor seek to send

For we could not tolerate

the loss of such a friend.

Ray Maijala

The Illuminati

 Janos

Dick

Dino

Julie

     See you down the trail.

IT'S ABOUT THE HEAD

life under the oaks

    Our annual Father's Day weekend sojourn to the Live Oak Music Festival is a photographer's paradise.

     The fundraiser for the California central coast NPR station KCBX is nestled between the San Raphael and Santa Ynez mountains north of Santa Barbara where it is beautiful under the ancient oaks. This year brought warm temperatures, so this shooter decided to document how people covered their head. Did you know there was such a variety of straw hat?

a popular man

The eclectic music mix was superb...

   Langhorne Slim made friends when he moved from the cool  shade of the stage into there sun and asked people "to get involved!"

    Joe Craven and the Sometimers blew everyone away with a version of Blackbird.

  Jessica Fichot dazzled as she sang in French, English, Mandarin, Russian and Spanish. 

    Live Oak runs three days and is famous for a stunning array of music.

     Though only a day tripper, we are always dazzled by the Live Oak nation and life under the big oaks...

beating the nincompoop 

       If it is at all possible schedule yourself into Cuba before the latest disruption from the cheeto colored idiot takes affect. Frequent readers have read on the scene posts from the Cuba File. They can be found in the archive of the blog. 

       It is a shame the nincompoop is trying to undo a step in the right direction. The bloated cretin is taking action that violates the belief of the vast majority of Americans. Don't we wish he'd just disappear?

      See you down the trail.