DECEMBER IN WINE COUNTRY & HUGO

A QUIET REST

An odd and even difficult year for

the Paso Robles appellation is nearing an end.

A late frost and bad weather conditions

has generally lowered the yield of

wine growers, but most say

the quality of the fruit and eventually

the wine will be very good.

But for now the vineyards offer

scenes of quiet, color and a meditative peace.

 Wine pick ups offer the beginning of seasonal feasts.

 A sunny afternoon and the honey display at 

Pipestone, made me feel like a kid.

 A noisy goose and quiet duck-

an animal variation of sweet and sour.  
No menu options intended!

Even vines deserve a rest.

REEL THOUGHTS

HUGO

We loved it from the first frame.  Full disclosure here-

I'm a Martin Scorsese fan.  Still this is a masterful work and in 3D-his first use of the tools.  It's a wonderful
story, perfect for the Christmas season and a very
old fashioned film in the best sense.
Ben Kingsley, Sacha Baron Cohen, Asa Butterfield as 
Hugo and Chloe Grace Mortez as his friend are all
superb. The visual look and texture is pure magic, and
enhanced by the 3D optics.  But there is even more
to this Scorsese cinema art, and it is a tribute to
film itself.  Without giving away too much,
there is a brilliant celebration of the films
of George Melies, an early and experimental French film maker.  For that that element of the film alone
Scorcese deserves the gratitude of all film fans everywhere.
It is marvelous and enchanting. Brian Selznick's book gave Scorsese a chance to go where he has never gone before as a film maker, and we are the beneficiaries. 
Want to enjoy a film like you did when younger
and less world wise?  This is the ticket.

See you down the trail.

THE WEEKENDER :) SWAN LAKE AND KITTENS

TIME FOR PLEASANT

Thanks to all of you who have posted comments,

sent e-mails or called to see how we are doing.

We are just fine and it was gorgeous day today.  I spent a lot of time with a broom and power blower and as I worked

I heard others joining the chorus along with chain saws.

We were lucky. All I had to do was go after pine needles and small twigs.  We've heard of a few cars and homes

that were damaged by the falling Monterey Pines.

Hats off to the PG&E, Charter Cable, and CCSD road crews for their great work during and in the aftermath 

of the historic winds. 

In keeping with our WEEKENDER :) attitude

here is a nice departure and something

spectacular.

DAY BOOK

KITTEN BREAK
They seemed "nervous" during the wind storm
finding places to hide, even inside. They
appreciate the sunshine.

See you down the trail.

AFTER THE WINDS

GETTING BACK INTO THE 21st CENTURY

 The moon was the brightest thing on Main Street last

night during what was supposed to be the annual

village "Hospitality Night."

 Revelers were either detoured by or working at

sites like this.

 No official count yet, but many trees were felled

by the highest winds in more than a decade. Some say

more trees than any time they can recall.

 This is a block from our home. The scene was repeated through out Cambria.

 I can't tell you how many times in the last day and half

that I've walked into a room and flipped the switch.

We are dependent on that convenience aren't we?

 I read by lantern light, we used the fireplace for 

heat and hoped the refrigerator would hold it's cold.

 All evening we waited to be surprised by the return of

of power.  But when it was time for the

festivities to begin on Main Street, we were all

in the dark.  Merchants provide treats and snacks as 

the locals stroll through the stores.  It is a village 

tradition to kick off the gift buying and party season.

 But the combination reunion, party, social event

was illuminated only by headlights.

 As always when there is a power outage,

there was one place, powered by their huge

emergency generator-The Main Street Grill.

 You've surmised where people headed.  It was said several

times last night, if we sit here long enough we'll see 

everyone in town.  That was almost a literal truth.

 TODAY, BACK UP IN THE AIR

 Some were lucky to get power last night, but many

woke without toasters, coffee makers, radio, TV

and the Internet. It was also chilly in unheated homes.

 These signs were all over the village.

Ice for powerless refrigerators was flying out of the Cookie Crock Supermarket.

 PG&E guys told me they had been at it 30 hours

non-stop and have a 4AM call to head to Santa Cruz

tomorrow. I'm not sure the overtime pay is enough. 

 These scenes will explain why I'm at Mike and Jacque Griffin's sending this post.  That stuff you see on the downed line is the Charter gear.  Looks like cable, phone and the Internet will down a while.  

Great idea of "bundling" the services eh? 

Wondering now why I bought it. 

 This is a bundle of another sort.

Once the PG&E crews depart, the Charter guys

will have to jump it.

 WE LOVE OUR TREES, BUT

 Cambria is one of only a handful of places in the world

where the Monterey Pine grows naturally. They are a

unique tree and as you can see very shallow rooted.

 It doesn't take much to send them over.

Cambria in the Pines is one of the historic names

for our village.  Our friend Robert quipped today

we should change it to Cambria in the Pains or the Monterey Pain tree.

After 30 hours the power came on at our home on the 

ridge.  Nice to have lights at the flip of a switch, 

heat, a washing machine.  And soon, I hope, Internet and 

cable.  Spoiled aren't we?

Oh, and if you are out this way, the Hospitality night

will apparently be re-staged as a Friday night

sigh of relief.  The historic winds are gone but

so are some of the trees.

See you down the trail.

THE SANTA ANNA WINDS

HISTORIC WINDS RAKE CAMBRIA

The strongest blast of the infamous Santa Anna winds in more than a decade has complicated life from

this idyllic village of Cambria to Los Angeles and beyond.

Winds from 60 to 140 miles per hour have knocked out

power to hundreds of thousands.  This post is coming

from a hot spot in the village as we wait for power

to be restored at home.

High wind warnings are posted from Southern California north and into Utah, Nevada, Arizona and New Mexico.
The Santa Anna's are extremely dry and gusty blasts
that come from off shore in Southern California and 
the Baja. They create a significant fire hazard and mental
health officials says the hot and dry winds can have
and adverse affect on some.
Most roads, drives, sidewalks, decks and roofs are 
littered with Monterey Pine needles and
other debris.

People talk of hearing trees groan and whip in the high winds.

Several of the shallow rooted and rare Monterey Pines were downed in the winds. 

In several instances the falling trees took out power lines in their tumble.

 A lot of sweeping will be underway.

Flags and banners needed to be well mounted or they too took a ride on the wind.

 Workers at the Community Presbyterian Church of Cambria
battled the winds as they set up for the annual
December Thrift Shop sale.  They spent a lot of time
chasing merchandise across the parking lot.

If your power is on, appreciate it!
See you down the trail.