THE WEEKENDER :) TIS THAT SEASON

FILL IT UP WITH CHEER

The Christmas season has not always been

a season, nor has it always been a time of cheer.

A spiritual or religious observance at its origin,

it has through the last century and a half become

a cultural event.  There are the gifts, parties, songs, carols, traditions, and merry making. 

Of course it has been taken over by the 

shopping season and the advertising blitz. 

Still there is the Christian observance of Advent. But even away from the hopeful intent of the day, there is a type of magic, and even a glimpse of the joy of hope

come to chaos.

People just seem to be more giving, thoughtful and

happy during this season.

So to help you maintain that sense of cheer,

the Weekender :) offers this ditty.

See you down the trail.

A WESTERN MINDSET-ROCK ON

A HEARTY APPRECIATION

At our post tennis coffee we were talking

about how the region in which you live affects

your perception, activity and state of mind.

Of course we are all in California and

give high marks to the "quality of life" here

and particularly in our village. It was

easy then to give low marks to Florida or the mid-west

on the issue of how people "age," that is how

they think about aging.  I recall a board I served on 

and how when several men of stature, ceo's, business titans, wealthy and influential men, were bumped to

an "emeritus" status when they reached 65.  Still

vibrant and fully alive men, being in essence bumped

to the "old boys" bench.  Preposterous!  

Having lived elsewhere and being a reasonably astute observer, I will say that wouldn't happen here.

In fact in the immediate here, 65 can easily

be bested by an 80 plus on the tennis court.

And some of the best and most experienced travelers

don't even get started until they are 65.

The best artists on the coast, in many cases,

are the most experienced.

It is a state of mind. 

 And affected, greatly I believe, by the climate.

DAY BOOK

BRIGHT SCENES

See you down the trail.

TROUBLE ON THE TRAIL & A FROSTY COURT

BREAKING TENNIS NEWS

It was a chipper 31 on the court as we 

commenced play at 7:30 AM.

Tennis gloves and even leg wear were needed.

First time since moving from the mid west that

our play was "periled" by weather! 

We prevailed however. :)

NOW BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAMMING-----

WASHBURN NEEDS CLEARING

The 3.3 mile Washburn hiking trail runs from

sea level up into the highlands of the Santa Lucia range

and encircles portions of the San Simeon Natural Preserve.

It crosses wetlands, riparian areas, passes through

several undisturbed native plant areas, Monterey

Pine forest, climbs, winds and descends into a canyon and

back up to scenic overlooks.

The tree above is typical of many of the old pines

along the 3.3 mile trail.

READER ALERT

This post is a 40 shot documentation of the trail

in the aftermath of the December Santa Ana windstorm that raked California.  The trail is littered with

many fallen trees and not a casual walk.

As you will see the Cambria Walking Bunch

found the going a bit rough at spots.

Still, it is beautiful hike.

A glimpse of blue sky before going into the forest and beginning a climb.

Even some of the saplings were uprooted. 

Limbs of some of the older pines were sheared.

A trail blockage and damaged bench.

Another blockage.

More damage.

A fallen tree makes for a low overhead.

Boughs make for a tangled path with difficult footing.

Yet more blocked trail and damage.

More tricky footing.

But the forest also held seasonal charm.

Fortunately none of the bridges or boardwalks were damaged.

The high-ground scenic overlooks were sun drenched.

After the climbing, squeezing under and crunching over the

Walking Bunch opted for the road from the campground

back to the parking lot. 

Surviving pines stand sentry over looking the big blue.

Hopefully rangers and volunteers will clear some

of the trees that did not survive the Santa Annas.

See you down the trail.

AFTER THE SUN & PLANET TEARS

TWILIGHT COLORS

Once the grandiloquence of 

the sun's evening departure is fixed

in our mind, in the hour of 

myth and dreams, the land becomes a 

subtle scape of texture and hues.

The summit of the pass over the Santa Lucia range is a portal.

 A place of exquisite subtlety.

HISTORY WILL CARRY THE VERDICT

Imagine December 2111.  Is it possible that humankind

will look back to us and say we had a choice between

money and life and we chose money?  Children born

between now and the next 10 years will be the elders of that humankind.  What will they endure, because of our

devotion to economic structure as we know it instead

of care for the planet?

I don't believe our science, as good as it is, fully understands the continual changes, shifts and evolutionary forces at work on our blue planet. But some of the maladies are man made.  Poisons in rivers, lakes and oceans. 

Trash and debris that takes generations to degrade and 

often leaves an altered earth and water supply behind.  Global climate changes may not all be man made, but there are apocalyptic warnings about changing temperatures, animal and insect migration changes, extreme weather changes.  It is also undeniable that carbon emissions are rising. Maybe they don't matter. But what if they do?

10 Thousand government ministers and experts from 194 nations are meeting in Durbin for a conference on our 

planet's future. From the most rational and reluctant to the most strident, there is a consensus things are changing

and those changes will force biological and botanical  reactive change.  How we live will change, in ways 

we can only speculate.

But, because the planet is gripped by economic fear,

there will be no agenda, no plan of action, no

muscle to try to change the course we are on.

Socialist, Capitalist, Communist, Feudal, Tribal-

no matter how the nations of the world practice

economics, this age is too wed to evaluating

life and human endeavor by those standards to 

instead put a value on the life of the planet we

inhabit or the lives of our descendants.

December 2111.  Will they regret the choices 

we have made?

See you down the trail.