THE WEEKENDER :) HANGIN' OUT WITH PAPA

THE CUBA FILE
THE AUTHOR'S PAD

     Finca Vigia, Ernest Hemingway's home in Cuba.  Our latest
post in the Cuba File series takes us inside what few have seen.

        The author lived here with his third wife Martha Gellhorn.
He left here to cover WWII and returned to live and write until he left in 1960 after the Cuban Revolution.
     The previous posts in The Cuba File are linked here:
     A visit with Hemingway's boat Captain and the Pilar
         Cuban Street Scenes
          The healing shrine of St. Lazaro

     Inside tours of the home are rarely permitted.  Most often tourists and groups are kept outside the home.  Below is
a collection of Hemingway artifacts on one of his desks.

    Hemingway often wrote standing up, because of a back injury sustained in an African plane crash.  He wrote in both longhand and on this Royal typewriter.

     I was told he often stood at this book shelf to create his
prized literature.  

     His bedroom was a light and airy place.

PROBABLY HAVE NEVER SEEN THIS BEFORE

This is a weigh in log he kept on his bathroom wall.  

     The scale, bidet and partial log of Hemingway.  

This blogger's self portrait in Hemingway's mirror.

   One of the beautiful views near San Francisco De Paula,
the small village near his home.

     One of my concerns, and that of other Hemingway fans and
the serious scholars is the condition of his own book collection.  Many of the bound volumes are beginning to 
deteriorate. 

     Hemingway's private china and silver.

      One of his famous trophies. 

   Photographer and friend Jon Christopher Hughes, on the left, was my ticket for the exclusive look inside.  Jon is an 
old Cuba hand.  He's been shooting there since the '70s.
He presides over the journalism school at the University of Cincinnati and remains one of the most talented active 
photographers in the US.

MORE HEMINGWAY FUN AND LINKS
RARE FILM OF HEMINGWAY

A SHORT SPANISH LANGUAGE CLIP WITH GOOD IMAGES

HEMINGWAY AND OTHER CORRESPONDENTS,
INCLUDING EDWARD G. ROBINSON AT
MT. SAINT MICHEL

By the way-this location figures
prominently in my first novel
THE SANIBEL ARCANUM.

A HEMINGWAY SPOOF, FROM MIDNIGHT IN PARIS

MY OWN HEMINGWAY COLLECTION

The first photograph is by Jon of Gregirio Fuentes
the captain of Hemingway's Pilar.  He was 101 the
day Jon and I visited with him.  The second
photo, intentionally over exposed in this clip,
is of Hemingway and Fidel Castro, the day Hemingway left
the island.  The signed and numbered copy was 
taken by the late Oswaldo Salas. Salas was a
remarkable photographer and the father of one of the famous Roberto Salas.
Someday I'll post about how we got the 
picture out of Cuba.




HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND. MAYBE READ A LITTLE
HEMINGWAY.
See you down the trail.

HERE COMES THE SUN & THE MYSTERY FLIGHT

SUN STORMS

Photo from Solar Dynamics Observatory

     The solar flare depicted above is striking Earth today and is the largest flare in 5 years.  Power grids and communication could be affected.  We are in he midst of a period of increased sun storm.
      In February 2011 I posted an extraordinary video of a solar flare and detailed potential problems. 

Photo from NASA Satellite

       Most nations have been slow in developing contingency

plans.  So, as the old saying goes, we have to just wait and see.

SEEING FROM ABOVE

Photo from US Air Force

      This is the Air Force space plane the X-37B before launch.
W.J. Hennigan of the Los Angeles Times reports that after a year in space, the drone continues its mystery mission.
       The X-37B it was scheduled to land before the end of 2011.  The craft is only 9 feet tall, 29 feet long with a wing span of about 125 feet.

Image from NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center

        There is a lot of speculation about the nature of its mission.  The Pentagon says only it is a "test bed" for technology.  It was built by Boeings Phantom Works in Southern California-the Space and Intelligence Systems Division in Huntington Beach.

DAY BOOK

CATCHING THE SUN
AND SHADOW PLAY 

See you down the trail.

A GOOD GOODBYE, AFTERNOON SUN AND HAWK NOTES

DONE WITH GREAT CLASS

Photo by Associated Press

     One of the world's premier athletes made one of the classiest exits in sport.  After 14 years Peyton Manning, perhaps the game's greatest quarterback, is leaving the Indianapolis Colts.

      It was an emotional goodbye but done with goodwill,

sincerity and humility.  Those are three qualities terribly lacking in the world today, especially in professional sport. 

Photo by WRTV 6/ABC.com

     Manning's legacy is 11 playoffs, 11 pro bowl games, 4 times he was the leagues MVP, 2 super bowl games and 1 championship.  Manning is responsible for turning Indianapolis   into a genuine NFL city.  Indianapolis loves him.  He is an icon in what used to be exclusively a basket ball town.There are countless young Peytons, both male and female, in the Hoosier state.

     Money, negotiations, positions in the draft, medical uncertainty and other at times difficult issues were behind

the departure, but at the farewell news conference, Manning

was, as he was when directing the Colts on the field, eloquent, brilliant and on target. 

     As a kid I liked Johnny Unitas, the great Baltimore Colt quarterback.  In this age of media, super stars and the modern NFL, the great Colts quarterback for the age is

Indianapolis Colts Peyton Manning.

      Soon we may see what Andrew Luck brings to the big shoes to be filled. But for now Manning's number 18 has been retired and it will be hard to see him as anything but a Colt, which he says he will remain in his heart. 

DAY BOOK

IN THE AFTERNOON SUN

      Lana was looking after neighbor's cats when she spotted
the hawk, catching a few afternoon rays.

 Photo by Lana E Cochrun

Photo by Lana E Cochrun

     This appears to be a young hawk, of which there are many in this area of the highlands and forest.  I spoke with a man last evening who has trained a young red tailed hawk to hunt rabbits.  Now that rabbit season is about over, he will begin a kind of reverse training process to release the young raptor

back into the wild.

A QUESTION FOR YOU CINEMA BUFFS

    My friend Neal Moore, a fellow Churchillian and one of

technologies earliest adapters, is seeking information.

What Hitchcock film includes a famous no edit, single camera, boom shot? Let us know.  Thanks.

      See you down the trail.

BEING TOUGH

BRAVO TO THE TOUGH GUYS

     It takes special character to evince toughness in 

the face of the winds of adversity.

 Photo by Daniel Ochoa E Olza/AP

   Juan Jose Padilla is tough.  You may disapprove of his sport

 Photo by Elena Munoz/AP

and you may even think of him as a fool, but you can not deny his courage.  The picture above was taken in October as he was being gored by the bull he was fighting.  He was severely injured and disfigured.  That he even survived surprised many.

 Photo by Daniel Ochoa Ed Olza/AP

     This is the 38 year old Spanish bull fighter back at work this week. Five months after narrowly escaping death, Padilla returned to the ring.

 Photo by Daniel Ochoa De Olza/AP

Photo by Daniel Ochoa De Olza/AP

     He did it he said because of the "...need to win, to triumph, to be a better man."

     Too bad Ernest Hemingway wasn't around to see a 

genuine article. 

      Juan Jose Padilla's comeback offers a perfect 

transition to one of my favorite Presidential Quotes.

Teddy Roosevelt

April 23, 1910 at the Sorbonne, Paris.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. 

Hat's Off to another tough guy

     I've posted previously about Bob Foster, my friend and former colleague, who is in the midst of a bone marrow transplant in his recovery from leukemia.  Bob is not only tough, he demonstrates great humor and wit in the midst of battle.  Here's one of his daily postings, from just a couple of days ago.

Healthcare is like an artichoke (Sorry about the vegetable choice for the metaphor. I don’t like onions.) The longer you are treated for a condition, the more you finally learn the “why”.

I am gobbling down 3,200 mg of magnesium per day. Yet, I remain magnesium deficient. At this moment, I am receiving another 2,000 mg by IV. (That’s 5,200 mg for those of you listening in Loma Linda.)  

An anti-rejection drug (Don’t you wish a drug could have prevented rejection when you were dating in high school?)prevents some magnesium absorption. Got it. But that much? No.

This afternoon I learned engrafting cells consume mega amounts of magnesium and potassium to make new blood cells. Holy catfish! Those little buggers are ravenous. They must be grinding out new cells at warp speed. (“Make it so, Number One.” –Jean Luc Picard)  And God is Number One. 

Thank you, Jesus. Rev up that IV pump. Hand me the bloomin' pills. Engraft on, Lord.

I am crying with gratitude. Folks, your prayers are being answered. Was there ever any doubt?  

Here's a toast to all who battle on with courage and 
conviction, be the foe disease, a bull, a bully, an ideologue, a racist, sexist, ageist, corruption, poverty, or ignorance.
DAY BOOK

A TOUGH CHOP

See you down the trail.

LIMBAUGH, SANTORUM & PUTIN-WHO IS THE JERK & WHO IS THE IDIOT? PLUS LOVELY SCENES

RUSH IS THE JERK 

     Advertisers continue to bail out on the gas bag. At his

best Limbaugh was a mildly amusing talker who knew a little

about marketing from his days as a pr flack and baseball pimp.  That he went from a goof ball to a political force is

merely a testament to how low brow American politics has

descended.  But this latest episode of his verbal assault on a woman has caused many to begin to smell the coffee. Why 

anyone took his views as serious is mystifying, maybe now

some of those followers will see him for what he really is.

He is only a performer, a phony, playing to a crowd. He is 

just a talker.

     What he said was wrong by any definition.  He will probably survive this meltdown, but the trash heap of over stuffed egos would be too good a place for the jerk.  He's mean, devious, laughing all the way to the bank and should be water boarded  until Dick Cheney runs to his rescue. That is run, physically, in person.

RICK SANTORUM MUST BE STUPID TOO

     This doofus is the worst thing for Republicans since

since mold on bread.  In this democratic republic even extremists or idiots are entitled to their view, but no one should draw political boundaries or build a following based on the assumption their theology is better than anyone else's. That's the province of the wacko brand of Islamic fundamentalist Imams who train young boys to be bombers.  Santorum is actually dangerous.  His brand Catholicism embarrasses many Roman Catholics and diverges from the church's larger view.

      Why moderate, centrist, intelligent Republicans have not spoken out against him defies explanation. Even the religious right should sanction this fool.

NOW LETS SEE HOW THE STRONG MAN WILL PLAY IT. 

VLADIMIR THAT IS

     Putin, who is light years more intelligent and enlightened than either of the cretins referred to above, now faces a tough spot.  Elected to a 6 year term, to his old post as President of Russia, he will have to confront the rapidly growing opposition movement.  The anti Putin demonstrations were the most significant public outpouring of that kind in decades in Russia.  

     Putin was an unlikely candidate to begin with. Before his earlier rise to political influence he had been one of those gray, faceless, technocrats in the old KGB.  Putin is smart,

has demonstrated he knows how to wield power and he is tough.  But this challenge is something new. Will he result to old Soviet ways of dealing with the growing opposition movement, or will he pushed to find a more rational way? Regardless, it appears he's going to have some homegrown issues to occupy his new Presidency.

DAY BOOK

CALIFORNIA SPRING, GREEN & MORRO ROCK

     An almond tree in March bloom at the Pipestone Vineyard.

     In the distant horizon, the famed Morro Rock. Shot from
Highway 46, Green Valley Road, earning its name.

      Look at the difference of a couple of hours in the frame 
above and below.

   Shadows play nicely on the undulations of the Santa Lucia highlands.

    One more frame of almond blooms.

THE WEEKENDER :) A CALIFORNIA STATE OF MIND

IT'S GOOD!

      MAKING THE CASE-A COLLECTION OF SCENES

           A coffee patio-mid morning.  An 80+ man is saying he

thinks marijuana should be legalized, not that he wants to smoke it, but he would use food based pot to ease back pain.

"Oh yea, I agree," says another octogenarian. "It would help with prison overcrowding and save the state a lot of money."

           A lunch table conversation.  "The karaoke was so bad last night it wasn't even laughable.  Usually it is a hoot."

           A television newscast.  "Here you see the sheriff rehearsing his Elvis moves.  He's one of the stars of the annual Phyllis Madonna fashion show."   

           Earlier in that newscast. "It's just going to be an awesome weekend.  Temperature in the mid 70's and nothing but blue sky. Awesome.  Get outside and enjoy it."

           Columnist John Brannon in THE CAMBRIAN-"...it was a convention of clouds, of light, the sea and a crescent moon hanging low in the western sky."

            Oh, I could go on, but the point is not to gloat, rather to find that link between well being, nature and being here.

When we saw this play on TV, it provoked a sense of pride

and a chuckle.

     Betty White is a great case in point. People here stay active, longer and that is good for you. I know that we are more active than we were in the mid-west, because it is easier. Weather makes a big difference. (By the way a couple of those scenes were shot just miles from where I sit.)

     And I have noticed people are more playful-that too is good for you.  What's the point of being a grump, as though

carrying the weight of the world on yours shoulders

will A) help you or B) make it any better?

     Last year San Luis Obispo, our county seat, was

named the happiest city in the US. It is true.  People here are friendly, happy and playful. Case(s) in point-The Friday Lunch Flash Mob. Today Jeannie brought toys.

 DAY BOOK

SCENES OF PLAY

 BTW-I'm comparing camera quality.  This was shot with my digital.  The 

scene above, similar to this, was shot with an iPhone.  Do you detect differences in quality?

 Not only beautiful, but good for you as well.

 Big kids at play.

       I used to laugh at all those California jokes.

Maybe now, I am one, but this place is truly a state of mind.

       It's got to be the sunshine. And maybe the molecular impact of the Pacific and all that fresh air. And maybe becasue out here almost anything goes-- it's cool.  No, it's more than that. As they say "it's all good!"

       Here's to a little California in your weekend.

       See you down the trail.

IS THIS DANGEROUS TAMPERING?

DO WE KNOW WHAT WE ARE DOING?

     I ask you these questions after reading the Interior Department's plans that call for killing barred owls to save the spotted owl.

     This is another example of "man as nature's referee." I wonder if it wise?

      In this case the spotted owl, at the center of a long and loud case in logging country in the Pacific northwest 20 years ago, is still in decline.  Back then the government set aside millions of acres to protect the spotted owl, but its population has dropped 40 percent in 25 years.  Now Interior Secretary Ken Salazar says this plan is "a science based approach to forestry" that will affect millions of acres of national, state and private land in Washington, Oregon and California. It is a complex strategy that involves forestry, jobs, land management and the killing of the barred owl.

      I don't doubt the sincere concern, but really wonder about the wisdom of meddling with this balance of life.

      25 years ago we stepped in to try to prop up the spotted owl and those plans have failed.  Is this one any better?  Should nature be allowed to run its own course?  We are now killing California sea lions in the Columbia River to protect salmon.

      Nagging beneath all of this is the question, where does it all end?  Let me know what you think.

DAY BOOK

SPRING SCENES

Some in two takes

A weird confluence of angles on a hill. 

 Tricky pruning.

 Shadow play on the garden shed

 Leaning succulent bloom

 The muses of the potting bench in a shadow stairs

 more shadow play

See you down the trail.