A HOMELIST ON THE HILL----THE ODD CHILL AND CONSTANT HEAT

    September Sunrise in Cambria

     It's a new day in American politics. The buzz and passion of Pope Francis's sermon to congress and American politicians will fade, but not the significance of the address.

    If you are of a certain age you will recall that a knock on John Kennedy was that he was a Roman Catholic. In 1960 there were some who worried that he might be a "Papist" more loyal to the church than American principals-however that might have been defined by the worriers. Absurd by contemporary thought and now buried with other American ignorance on the trash heap, buried even deeper by the historic appearance of the Pope before congress.

    One need not be a Christian to understand the pointed message. Nor does one need to delve into the uniquely Catholic skewed topics. There is nothing uniquely religious in telling the most powerful nation on earth it needs to end polarization, tend to the needy, work as hard at peace as selling weapons and engaging in wars, take better care of the planet and not to let money be more important that people.

    In a world that pulses with the speed and frenetic energy of trending, it was arresting to see the Bishop of Rome preaching to the United States Congress. Historic, profound and difficult to ignore.

A SOLITARY WALK

FEEDING FRENZY

    Happy hour off the Cambria coast.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN

Image Courtesy of NOAA and The Washington Post

   Even a casual glance at this latest data will lead us to conclude adaptive as well as remedial action is needed, critically.  

     A new concern is the cold blob and its implications. A continuing worry is the fact the hottest years on record have been the last two.

     See you down the trail.

POPE FRANCIS, BEN CARSON, BUDDY GUY, GEORGE THOROGOOD, WINE COOL

HARD CHOICE

     Before we jump into high energy personality and wine country cool a couple of ironies that define the complexity of your world.
      How long before American political and military leaders have to address our compliance in pederasty.  American troops have complained they have been told to "look the other way" as Afghani police and military men sexually abuse young boys. The New York Times, among others, reports American troops have been told it is part of the Afghani culture.
       My colleagues and I learned of this cultural practice when we were reporting on the Mujaheddin, the US supported Afghanis fighting the Russians. I was repelled. This is not consensual same gender sex. It's called bacha bazi "boy play" and in truth is tantamount to rape. 
       How long do we look the other way for the sake of cultural respect and political alliances? Is looking the other way immoral? Do we condone child sexual abuse by acting as though it's their culture and we should stay out of it? How many other "blind eyes" and trade offs must we engage in and to what end?
         What brings "boy play" to the front page is the growing number of US Marines and others who are sick of condoning the often violent assaults.

Another Trick Bag

     Pope Francis and Ben Carson, two men who profess faith as Christians. The Pope embraces the outcast and in an act simulating Jesus, he washes their feet. Carson who speaks of his belief says on the political stump no Muslim should be President.Carson is a Seventh Day Adventist, a Christian denomination that believes in the imminent second coming of Christ. 

       Makes you wonder what Jesus would think, huh?

       It's a hard world and our choices are complex.

A BLUES GUY AND ROCK HARD

coming up-but first

PICK UP DEFINED

   You're looking at a pick up-actually a multiple pick up party.

   After we moved to California our mid western friends would say "What?" when we told them we were going to a pick up party.  

   Wineries stage parties for wine club members to "pick up" their wine.

 Though the temperature was near 90 in the Paso Robles West Side wine region, the old barn was cool and provided a breeze.

 The new public tasting room at Halter Ranch is almost ready to open.

  The Members Tasting room and offices were closed on this pick day as harvesting and processing is underway in the work area and acres of underground caves.

    Storage barns were makeshift check out lines and still
offered a gorgeous view.

       Harvest is underway in Paso. Members pick up and harvesters pick.

FACES OF BUDDY GUY

   It's always a thrill to see the great blues guitarist Buddy Guy.

 The six time Grammy winner and member of the Rock and Roll hall of fame lit it up at Vina Robles Amphitheatre. 

   The 79 year old virtuoso is a beloved legend.

BOOGIE BLUES DESTROYER

  George Thorogood and the Destroyers may be the ultimate bar band. 

 The Wilmington Delaware native is 65 and still kicks it up as much as he did back in the early 80's when he burst onto the scene, touring with the Rolling Stones.

 High Velocity Impressions

  He electrified the audience.  

   See you down the trail.

NOT A DEBATE-FLOWER WARS-SENTIMENTAL THROWBACK

WOULD RATHER HAVE WATCHED THIS

    Soccer enthusiasts abound in Cambria and that is even more so for some folks of Mexican heritage. Strong family ties are evidenced in the volunteer coaching by moms and dads in Shamel Park. Maybe some future world cup players being groomed in the village.
    As we watched a recent afternoon drill I wondered what these kids thought of Donald Trump and some of his immigration worrying debate colleagues.

NOT A DEBATE

    Let me give you my bona fides.  I've moderated many state and federal debates-Governors, Congress and Senate. Having said that I thought Jake Tapper did a good job according to his assignment-but there in lies the rub.  

      CNN was not so interested in serious examination of issues, solutions and philosophy as they were in stirring up a verbal fight. The brain trust at CNN decided they'd pander and play "Real Candidates of The Campaign Trail."  They could have called it Sass and Ego at the Reagan. 

     Tapper had instruction to set up verbal sparing and he did that well. He did a pretty decent job of controlling the bombast and the real journalist in him even snuck out a few times where he got to questions that were not merely set ups for more verbal warfare. From inception it was more about atmospherics and theatrics than real substance and analysis, but such is the business of politics when twitter and trending is as important as intellect.
     Dana Bash was able to ask a few real questions. Hugh Hewitt should have been left in the make up room or in the GOP pom pom squad. What a joke he was!  
     In three hours of gab and BS we probably learned a bit more about the candidates, due to time and exposure more than it was to the format. Next time CNN should arm the candidates with paint ball guns and Nerf bats.

MYSTIQUE

    Now that I see the bromeliad bloom above and the bloom below they don't look as much alike as I thought they did. Boomer memory you know…

   The plant above is called a cama or Indian Hyacinth. Native Americans in the Northwest Territory, including Indiana were said to fight over them.  In some tribes they were considered "old ghosts," "old spirits" and the tuber or bulb was a source of food or medicine.
   It is a Camassia, a kind of asparagus. We had large patches of them growing on our old growth forest acreage on the Indianapolis north side.

   There were times of day, early morning or late evening especially when the camas seemed to radiate the gloaming light and appeared to be small ghosts dancing as they tossed on the breeze.

 SENTIMENTAL SEPTEMBER THROWBACK

   Back at our Indianapolis home late September was time to begin marking the change of season by tending to leaves and winterizing the house.
   One September was particularly sentimental, the year our eldest moved to Florida. Graduated from IU she was ready to "leave home."

   She left at the height of "leaf season" and I teased her about timing the move so she left fall chores to mom, dad and younger sister Katherine.  On 3 1/2 acres of old forest we had a lot of clean up.

     This September she is busy building a nest for her own growing family and sister Katherine begins work as an RN in cardiac telemetry. Lana and I are pleased that our boomer backs, shoulders, arms and legs are not putting up winter shutters.  We do hope for California rain, but no shoveling is required!

      See you down the trail.

      

A GAME OF LOVE--SHARING THE BIG BLUE and BAN FOOTBALL?

STRANGENESS ON THE COURT

   Cambria Tennis Club play cancelled Monday because of strangeness on the courts. Locals haven't seen this substance for quite a while. Measurable rain in September! Remnants of a tropical storm delivering a small gift and we hope a signal of the rainy season which begins next month.

    Glad to give up play for rain and oh how we hope some of this rain gets to the tragic fires burning upstate.

     A Game of Love

   In case you missed it, a real life fairy tail played out at the US Open Tennis Championship this weekend. Flavia Pennetta, ranked 26th defeated her life long friend and unranked player Roberta Vinci. That's the stat. As Chrissie Evert said, she's never seen such a happy scene after a match. Vinci came out of nowhere to upset the famed number 1, Serena Williams to get to the finals.

    The charismatic and charming Italian women, roommates when they were young, wowed the tennis world with enthusiasm and delight. Upon being presented the US Open Trophy, Flavia announced that a month ago she had decided to retire at age 34.  

     It was her first major championship and she is the oldest US Open Winner. You can't make up a better story line. Hope you can get a chance to see video of Vinci and Penetta in the trophy presentation. Their smiles and antics will make you smile.

     On the men's side the #1 Novak Djokovic beat #2 Roger Federer. I'm a fan of both men, but had hoped the 34 year old Fed could manage another win. He's won 5 but still plays with a grace and elegance that is unmatched.  Even Djokovic said he's the greatest player of all time.

HEADS UP

    We victims of traumatic brain injury pay close attention to the latest research on details of legacy affects. In the last couple of years we all have duly begun to pay attention the tragedy being inflicted on football players after years of serial concussions.

     A good friend and one of the more studied and wise people I know says as "anti-American" as it may seem, it is time to outlaw football, until and unless it can be proved that new helmets and rules can prevent what is now common place-serial concussions and the damage they extract. 

    A couple of high profile NFL suicides has further opened the door on what is one of those obvious issues hiding in plain view. By the time a kid has played junior league, high school and college football, he has rattled his brain thousands of times. 
     Will Smith stars in an upcoming film the NFL would like to see go away. We are told the story line has been tweaked a bit to soften the blow, but Concussion is on path to create a new public awareness-long overdue.

SUMMER COVE

sharing the water

   One of the many Humpback Whales that have summered near the shore from Cambria to San Simeon.

         Sea Otters have become cohabitants as well.

     Tourists have taken to the San Simeon Cove too, sans wet suits.  More evidence of the warmer than normal currents.

   See you down the trail.