Dry Cereal

Panther Meadows

I have been shown a new retreat, Panther Meadows. No amount of hype could reach what this place offers. My friend posted a few of her photos, and they do come close to capturing the beauty. But the feeling of that place, is indescribable. And yet, the spirits of that place seem to want you to take it out into the world, and create something similar where you end up. Which is why it feels...

Ireland

Next month, I'm visiting my friend TR in Dublin. He's from Santa Cruz, and living abroad for a while. This month in Dublin. T and I travel well together, and since he has friends and family there this trip is pretty much unscheduled. No need for advance tour or hotel reservations. There are a few pagan sites to visit, like Brigit's Well but I'm looking forward to unscheduled time. So rare for me.

Divorce

I rarely talk about my personal life in the blog, and lately I rarely post in it. But I thought I'd add an entry about my divorce, for those few random people who may read it and don't speak with me regularly. So, yes, I'm recently divorced. We didn't get around to doing the paperwork until recently, but the households are split up and the money is divided and the hard parts are likely past us. It won't be final for a few months, because breaking up a domestic partnership is legally the same...

Basin Fire Contained

The Basin Fire was contained 7/27. It burned 160,000 acres and cost $77 million to contain. I visited my friends on Partington Ridge on Saturday. Still as magical as ever, their little house in a green island, surrounded by a dozer line, and fire hoses still stacked on the porch. After a delightful picnic, we went down the mountain to a local's only party/fundraiser at Loma Vista, where I got to visit the paintings in Del...

Santa Cruz is Still the Same

The Sentinel reports that a naked lady walked down Pacific last week and no one care.

Cooling Off

The Big Sur fire has turned the corner--at least on the populated western front. But it looks like most of the "back country" east of Big Sur village will burn. It will be a very different forest--for our lifetimes anyway. My friends have been able to return to their Partington Ridge home, but I haven't heard details yet. The Boston Globe collected some amazing...

Summer of Fire

We've been able to keep track of the fire in Big Sur using internet tools we never dreamed of before. Google earth, combined with recreation map overlays, combined with twice-daily infrared satellite data.... wow. The story is horrible, but it is better to know what's happening. This way I don't need to bother my friends for news updates.

Circumperabulation of the Monterey Bay part 2

Previously, I posted about my walk from Capitola to Moss Landing. Last Sunday, the class continued, and we walked from Moss Landing to...well, we were supposed to walk to Monterey, but we only made it as far as Seaside. Why? Because the sand south of Moss Landing is completely different from the sand north of Moss Landing. Since geologist Gary Griggs, was one of the teachers, I know exactly why that is.

How Not to Do Tech Support

I love stories of poor support techs and ridiculous end users. "The Website is down" is a hilarious video that illustrates both.

June

I finally have noticed that June is not a happy month around here and it never has been. For one thing, it is too short. For another, it is a time of leave takings and retirements and moving away. Others, not me of course. And Summer Solstice is a holiday about death and ending and moving on. It is a un-merry as is Winter Solstice 6 months opposite from it on the calendar. This week was one conflagration after another, and not just the fire in Big Sur. Lots of endings and powder-kegs...