.

To Sleep, To Sleep

2009-12-13T16:46:00.000-08:00

This cleansing tide streaks the afternoon birches,And they might sing with joy in June.But there they stand, winterized and ready for bed ---Red-yellow remnants shuddering slowly, silently. Misting and drenching both as this minute passes, The sunny shower sings alone. Some branches stir in silent gratitudeAnd promise a resounding overture come spring. To sleep, to sleep.To dream, to dream.

Overkill

2009-12-12T19:26:00.000-08:00

A rainy morning found us traveling down I-5 to Lathrop to meet friends for breakfast at the Country Kitchen. Then we drove down to Union Road and turned south, braving the downpour and an unfamiliar street. We were going to surprise Angel with a visit to Bass Pro Shops in Manteca. She'd been there before, but was excited about seeing the Christmas decorations and mass hubbub. My hunting days

Freeze Out

2009-12-07T18:32:00.000-08:00

California's moniker, The Sunshine State, was tarnished today as the snow clouds moved in and dumped tons of the white stuff across valleys, hills and mountains. I don't know who took this picture or who the coffee drinker is. It was among 500 that had been uploaded to the KCRA Channel 3 in Sacramento website. I had expected a dusting here in Stockton in the early a.m. and got out of bed to

Lighting Your City Christmas Tree, Or Not!

2009-12-04T17:14:00.000-08:00

Picture from The Modesto Bee, Brian Ramsay photographer.Now this is a choice example of city bureaucracy: Local officials decide to trim the budget and save $3000 by not adding Christmas tree lights to the city tree at Modesto Centre Plaza. That's okay, but they failed to tell the City Council (or the Council misinterpreted a memo) and advertising for the lighting ceremony was printed and

The Answer, My Friend . . .

2009-11-28T15:19:00.000-08:00

We wanted to take more bird pictures today at Cosumnes River Wildlife Preserve just north of us. A Sacramento photography blog said their group was going to be there this morning at 9:00. After making an 8:00 appointment for a tire rotation, we ate breakfast and drove up a little after 10:00 --- with the wind blowing out of the north at a sustained 40 mph! This is about the worst valley wind I've

The Wonderhood

2009-11-27T18:39:00.000-08:00

There is local color, and then there is LOCAL COLOR! The dreariness of this time of year is offset by the glorious glow of reds and oranges, yellows and golds. The city has planted so many Chinese Pistache trees, our neighborhood actually takes on a artistic warmth along the streets. The mundane is transformed into a wonderland --- at least for a few weeks.Our junior college landscaping has its

Tons to Run

2009-11-26T18:01:00.000-08:00

It takes awhile to run over 300,000 folded continuous forms for Fireman's Fund. It's a Premium Rejection Notice that ships to Dallas. They must process a lot of rejections since we repeat this form a few times a year.The bulk of what we run goes to our Sacramento plant where they print and mail 'shell' masters that are distributed to a State funded health program. Guess I better not tell you

Hobby Hobos on the Beach

2009-11-16T19:14:00.000-08:00

Saturday's photo op at Santa Cruz with Don rewarded both of us with some keepers. Most of the photographers on the beach were shooting Canons with big, fast (and heavy) lenses, while Don sported his new Nikon D300 with kit lens and me with the oldie but goodie Nikon D70 and kit lens with polarizer. No tripods for us (left them in the trunk), but I don't really think they're necessary when you're

Findings and Recommendations

2009-11-12T18:25:00.000-08:00

This week's Internal Audit, corporate's twice-a-year, three-day (longer in some facilities), let's-see-your-dirty-underwear series of meetings ended today with the inevitable list of Findings and Recommendations projected on the conference room wall. Roberta and I are the sole management representatives for this grueling necessity. Thankfully, each interrogation has been extremely understanding

Blow Out

2009-11-06T19:19:00.000-08:00

I didn't really try to unlight the candles with a single breath. Angel was using my camera to take pictures and could hardly hold it up with two hands, let alone find the shutter release and zoom easily. So slow motion posing was the order for the evening.The beginning of this 63rd year of borrowed time is another reminder of the inevitable slide toward that final year when I'll do this 'blow

TV Dinner Delight

2009-10-30T17:09:00.000-07:00

Boy, those were the days in Paso Robles! We were so poor, we thought TV dinners were like going to a restaurant. Rare and delicious! Guess our normal fare of hamburger, potatoes and string beans was a lot cheaper. Or maybe the freezer didn't work too well. Can't remember. Grandma Skinner in San Luis was a great cook, but liked to treat herself (and us kids) with these Swanson delights. I

Color and Cousins

2009-10-24T17:32:00.001-07:00

The Salinas River is transformed from green to yellow gold during the fall. We had just driven by King City on the way home when I looked back and saw these trees. The car came to a quick stop as big rigs and cars flew by. I trekked to the fence line and climbed up to get a few shots of color. Nothing striking, but a lasting record of something that takes place each year along this long strand

San Miguel Mission Statement

2009-10-22T17:44:00.000-07:00

I was never a fan of heading north of Paso Robles to the little dusty town of San Miguel, where the world famous California mission has attracted tourists for decades. Growing up just 7 miles away, going to church at 17th and Oak Street, only visiting a relatives that lived there a few times, and hearing nothing but jokes about it --- a mission visit wasn't on the agenda. When the photography bug

Taking the Little Creek to Cambria

2009-10-19T17:19:00.000-07:00

Wow! There's nothing like visiting the same old places over and over! That's pretty much what we do when we vacation in the Paso Robles area. It's fun to scout new horizons, but the old haunts are still filled with a 'first visit' flavor. Guess you can appreciate them more as the years roll by.I don't like downtown Cambria. Sorry, folks. Why do I want to look at things I can't afford to buy and

Pioneer Day Marathon

2009-10-15T20:23:00.000-07:00

This year's crop of Paso Robles Pioneer Day Parade pictures is in the middle of the harvest. You'll soon see all the color and smiles forthwith. Hang in there, friends. (Pictures are now online)

Getting Paid What You're Worth

2009-10-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

Our city has a few gems in its special places to visit. The Haggin Museum in Victory Park is one of them. It is Stockton's record of local history, but equally emphasizes quintessential artwork. The currently featured exhibit is a large collection of National Park plein-air paintings, not a few crafted by locals like Gil Dellinger and Ray Roberts. Over a dozen Plein-Air Painters of America were

Go Carts on Moss Avenue

2009-09-29T18:10:00.000-07:00

Back in the day, you used to actually make your own personal flying machine. But this one came with four wheels that never got off the ground. We creatively attached them to a slotted 2x4 with a big hole in the middle for a shiney new bolt (or an old one if you were poor like us). This front axle would sport a rope rein and swivel perfectly. You had to count on it to steer you away from any

Avila Beach in the 1930's

2009-09-21T18:34:00.000-07:00

My father, Don Skinner, grew up off of South Broad Street in San Luis Obispo. Born in 1921 to a hard-working Union Oil man from Templeton and a doting mother from Tennessee, he and his younger sister, Margaret, would become part of the greatest generation of kids who experienced relative innocence before the horrors of WWII re-defined their view of the world. Avila Beach in the 30's offered

Sunday Sermon

2009-09-20T07:12:00.000-07:00

There's a powerful passage in St. Paul's letter to the church in Rome that says something I used to vehemently deny. "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness supress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal

September Visit To True Tennessee

2009-09-13T18:22:00.000-07:00

Tennessee is neither for the impressionist painter, earringed pirates, nor frumpless foo foos. It is real America, real rural America with real rural residents whose roots extend back to a time when the simple life ruled the forests of the Cumberland Plateau, Sequatchie Valley and the Appalachian Mountains. Big city life is closer to the almost-all-American pulse, but the smaller the town,

Little Brother

2009-09-04T17:05:00.000-07:00

Angel's little half-bro is definitely looking the part of a Limas. Like father, like son and daughter.

A Wowie-Zowie Dinner

2009-09-03T19:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes originality pays big dividends, as proven by Barb's out-of-the-blue Crocktipzini. Here's how to treat yourself to an easy, pleasy dinner, especially if you like to dip your bread in the savory juices!Ingredients:* 1 1/2 lb. Tri-Tip steak strips, about 1 to 1 1/2 inch wide* 1 - 14.5 oz can S & W stewed tomatoes, Mexican Recipe (style)* 2 - small 5" fresh zucchini* Seasoned pepper* Mrs.

First Time Champs

2009-08-30T14:34:00.000-07:00

I'm watching the last out of the last inning of the Little League World Series and the Blue Bombers from Chula Vista, CA just pitched the final strike to win the game and championship with a score of 6 - 3. Chinese Taipei (Taiwan) was narrowly squeezed out by a better California defensive team that had some late inning hits by their key players. Click here for details.There so much more emotion

Rusting Out

2009-08-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

Thanks to bruxelles5 Photography for this reminder that due to the physical law of entropy, all things that can rust WILL rust eventually, given the right circumstances. That pristine new set of wheels you bought back in 1960 just isn't the same car 50 years later, even if you've done your best to keep it spit polished. Just as glaring is the degenerative aura taken on by your face in the

Minor Invasion

2009-08-21T18:39:00.000-07:00

A little flock of even littler bushtits landed in the birch trees outside the dining room window after dinner. These diminutives flitter, flutter and add some acrobatics to their feeding routine. They'll stick to the side of a tree looking for insects and spiders or hang upside down examining the back of leaves. My 200mm lens is hardly the best bet when shooting through this window. And with

Striking It Rich!

2009-08-13T19:43:00.000-07:00

This year's rains and less than a little pruning resulted in an over-abundance of grapes. What a surprise, because there's normally next to nothing. Angel was wowed, too. We took bags full to our class at church last Sunday and got rid of the first pick. We bagged another 15 or 20 lbs. today of Thompson and Flames. Not the biggest, but pretty sweet. Perfect for snacks at work and a refreshing

Sunday Sermon

2009-08-09T06:20:00.000-07:00

From Psalm 119:130, "The unfolding of your words gives light; it imparts understanding to the simple." -ESVfrom Charles Bridges' 1827 commentary on Psalm 119 --- ". . . But - Reader - rest not satisfied with whatever measure of light may have been hitherto vouchsafed. Seek that the word may have 'an entrance ministered unto you abundantly.' The most advanced believer is most ready to acknowledge,

Scrabble On, Dude!

2009-08-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

This 60's version of a futuristic freeway has yet to materialize. And if it does, there is little chance of any family playing Dominoes or Scrabble while scooting from San Francisco to Paso Robles. Families do next to nothing together in 2009. The current trend follows a more autonomous existence where the goal is to say as little as possible to each other and hole up in our personal

"I Asked You First !!!!!"

2009-08-07T16:06:00.000-07:00

I picked up Angel after school yesterday. She wanted to know if I brought the old pickup. I laughed and said, "Not this time." When her mother was in high school, she used to hate me coming to pick her up in the rattle-trap and would tell me to park far away so her friends wouldn't see her get in it.Anyway, Angel parks herself in the backseat of the car and proceeds with the small talk for

ObamaCare In Action?

2009-08-01T11:11:00.000-07:00

Let's see: It's the Crowleys of the world who will take care of the disabled elderly Gates of the world while the President doesn't seem concerned. Is something wrong with this picture. Or is something wonderfully right?

Neighborhood Beer Summit

2009-07-31T21:12:00.000-07:00

We now have proof that all misunderstandings, differences, disagreements, wrongdoings, and other serious injustices can be mitigated, assuaged, diluted, reconciled and/or resolved by facing your opponent over a beer. Or not.

To Clone or Not to Clone . . .

2009-07-23T19:11:00.000-07:00

AP News Release: By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein, Ap Science Writer – Thu Jul 23, 4:47 pm ET "Two teams of Chinese scientists have made a major advance in mice in the development of a new kind of stem cell that doesn't involve destroying embryos."Those cells are derived from ordinary skin cells, and when they were created two years ago from human skin and genetically

Point and Shoot the Moon

2009-07-20T18:14:00.000-07:00

Today's anniversary of one of the greatest events in history (humanly speaking) will soon fade from memory --- again. Former space nerds are going goo-ga over all things moon-landing-ish this week. Ken Rockwell, camera reviewer and space exploration/technology nerd, has given real life to the events, writing details of the chronology of the landing that you most likely don't know. Makes for

The Rest of Occum's Story

2009-07-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Abbreviating history is the common practice of our day. The following introduction to Dartmouth College's antiquity mentions Samson Occom, the Mohegan Indian who was largely responsible for donating a substantial sum necessary to ensure the school's survival. It doesn't mention the story of how the money came into his hands.-- from Dartmouth College's website: "The Reverend Eleazar Wheelock, a

2009-07-04T18:48:00.000-07:00

1500 more tax/rotten government protests are now history - all held today throughout the nation. Our local turnout was pretty low - people would rather be with family, and I don't blame them. But those who showed up expressed their ire and irate concern for the state of the states with enthusiasm, nonetheless. The groundswell has started. The fear of being branded "terrorists" isn't deterring

True Liberty

2009-07-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

We just finished watching the John Adams 7-part movie series on 3 DVDs. It's an excellent portrayal of everything 'revolutionary' in America's break with England and endeavor to govern through the chaos of the early years. Pretty factual from what I've read, except they don't emphasize the fact that Adams (and many others) believed the truth that, "Our Constitution was made only for a moral and

Dirty Dealing

2009-07-03T19:17:00.000-07:00

Family matters. So does doing your job well. A state governor shouldn't be spending 80% of her time dealing with over a dozen empty ethics violations and non-stop family hate speech. The political left has proven itself so very afraid and hateful of Governor Palin, it will stop at nothing to discredit her, even if it means making the taxpayers of Alaska fork over millions unnecessarily.It's

The Certain Demise Of America as We Knew It

2009-06-27T18:12:00.000-07:00

According to this article, 80% of parents aren't monitoring their kids' Internet surfing, even though they have the software to do it. The negative moral and social implications are incalculable, in spite of 'if-it-feels-good-do-it' naysayers. Wake up, America!

On The Beach

2009-06-24T19:37:00.000-07:00

Many of the San Luis Obispo Skinner guests lived in Templeton or the San Joaquin Valley. Hot summer road trips to the big city on the other side of Cuesta Grade were rewarded with fresh air and cool marine breezes. And no trip was complete without a jalopy jaunt to the beach. Avila, Morro Bay, Cuyucos --- it didn't matter where. Just bring a camera and a coat!

Templeton Quilt Show

2009-06-21T05:18:00.001-07:00

Well, what was more exciting --- a 4.4 earthquake 15 miles west of Paso Robles, or a quilt fair in Templeton on Saturday? I'll pick the Quilt Show.Handmade quilts were found hanging along Main Street from various businesses, homes, fences and porches to reflect the down home feel of this enduringly sleepy city, where my great-grandparents raised a houseful of rowdy kids (south of the park).

Leak Freak

2009-06-20T17:57:00.000-07:00

An overdue fix took life's center stage today as we made an all-out assault on the drain leak behind the kitchen sink. After two trips to Lowe's, two to Home Depot and one to OSH (for some replacement 10-3 Romex that had been destroyed), this one hour job turned into a 6 hour fiasco. But all is well now --- until the next event is tackled.

Flag Day 2009

2009-06-13T16:50:00.001-07:00

June 14th is Flag Day in America. This once highly celebrated event has disintegrated and disappeared over the years, thanks to an anti-U.S.A. culture that began in the 60's. That crowd is now running the country. Or should we say ruining the country? This photo I took yesterday at the University of the Pacific campus portrays a colorless sky behind a still vibrant red, white and blue. The sun

Drooling in the Corner

2009-06-12T20:35:00.000-07:00

"Just because you're an old guy, you don't have to sit around drooling in the corner," says George H.W. Bush, our former president and all around good guy who just celebrated his 85th birthday with another jump out of an airplane."Bush's first parachute jump came when his plane was shot down over the Pacific in 1944 during World War II. He bailed out at 1,500 feet after a bombing mission over

The Paso Robles Leader - 1898

2009-06-04T18:56:00.000-07:00

One of the wonders of the Internet is that of treasure hunting --- finding those little unexpected items that just popped up on your screen after a little browsing. This Paso Robles Leader newspaper from 1898 caught my eye while looking at eBay offerings. I thought it would be fun to read the local gossip from 111 years ago. My biggest surprise was seeing the dearth of news about the old

Most Secure Job Areas

2009-06-03T19:07:00.000-07:00

Are you still working, or has the EASY MONEY RECESSION (what got us into this mess) rewarded you with an unemployment check? Thankfully, many of us still are holding on, but too many industries/companies are dead or dying. Here's a Wall Street Journal look at how U.S. cities rank in the jobless rates.Get ready to move to Iowa or Texas!

Not Eggsactly

2009-05-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

This oak parasite looks like an egg at first sight. Put it in a nest with other like-spotted eggs and the deception is even greater. But closer inspection reveals the illusion.What are you believing that you haven't really studied?

The Great Mystery Excavation

2009-05-27T19:38:00.000-07:00

I've finally been able to see and take pictures of Angel's excavated archeological find. You can see the size and shape by the pictures. I don't see any nostril holes as you'd see in a bird beak, plus the four grooved length of the piece doesn't really look beak-like. So any forensic help would be appreciated. The broken tip has been re-attached after these photos were taken, so it's a little

Choices

2009-05-23T20:32:00.000-07:00

Your daily diet of planetary existence is rife with decision-making. Think what you will, deny any affinity, argue blue blazes --- it is a truism of universal proportions: Your waking hours are a continuous string of choices. Sleeping --- now that's a different story.

Helpless

2009-05-19T18:48:00.000-07:00

"A dear friend of mine who was quite a lover of the chase, told me the following story: 'Rising early one morning,' he said, 'I heard the baying of a score of deerhounds in pursuit of their quarry. Looking away to a broad, open field in front of me, I saw a young fawn making its way across, and giving signs, moreover, that its race was well-nigh run. Reaching the rails of the enclosure, it leaped

Monkey See, Monkey Do

2009-05-13T20:02:00.000-07:00

Beware of eight year old snapshooter on the loose! Angel wanted to take closeups of some toys she bought today, so I gave her a 30 second tutorial on how to set the camera for no flash and macro mode, and she started shooting. First indoors, then outside. Amazingly, a lot of her pictures looked like something I'd take. But after she's seen thousands of photos I've taken, I think she is a bit

Before Antibiotics

2009-05-07T18:34:00.000-07:00

There was a time in San Luis Obispo and Paso Robles when NOT wearing a protective mask to prevent a spreading flu virus would cost you up to $100 or some time in jail.Over 60,000 were infected just in California. The year? 1918. The cure? Lemonade. Thanks to David Middlecamp's blog, The Vault, for these articles. And thank the Lord for modern medicine. As much as we have to complain about,

Being Taxed To Death

2009-05-04T18:54:00.000-07:00

One province in China is forcing their population to buy more cigarettes --- or else. If purchase quotas aren't met, fines equal to one month's pay will be levied, according to Telegraph.co.uk:"The edict, issued by officials in Hubei province in central China, threatens to fine officials who "fail to meet their targets" or are caught smoking rival brands manufactured in neighbouring provinces. "

Checking In

2009-04-30T19:11:00.000-07:00

When the work week wrings you out, the creative writing juices pretty much dry up. Not that they were ever overflowing anyway. Yesterday was Barb's birthday. We were invited to Liz and Ryan's to enjoy Angel, Annabel, and Max. Stephanie and Henry came over, too, and we ate a Baskin-Robbins green chocolate mint cake and watched Survivor Man eat old salmon and get burned out of his shelter. Barb

Complacency

2009-04-19T12:54:00.000-07:00

Spring is being upstaged today as sneaky summer temps creep down the valley. We're expecting a high of 95 degrees tomorrow or Tuesday. Get out those t-shirts and shorts - for a few days at least. Shock can be good. Water in the face - a dive into a cold pool - a near miss on the road - back to reality and appreciation for all that is normal.This red rose shocks my complacency for viewing God's

Hey, Big Spender!

2009-04-15T18:30:00.000-07:00

Uncle Sam is getting an ear full today, now that his new nickname is Big Spender. Hundreds of Tea Party protests (not the "dozens" reported on CBS radio news at 4 p.m.) were staged throughout the country as taxpayers vented and voiced their opinion on runaway government spending. Maybe there was one in your town, too. Maybe you attended. Maybe you don't mind being labeled as one of the right

Sacrosanctity Lost

2009-04-14T18:21:00.000-07:00

It was only a matter of time on the slippery slope to the depths of depravity that the fast food gang joined the marketable sex ad campaign. In sync with the porn craze, all things on the 'soft' side of triple X are becoming mainstream. In an America that once protected itself and especially its kids from in-your-face and gratuitious perversion, the tide has now turned, and all things sexual

Living On the Edge

2009-04-11T13:36:00.000-07:00

Safety wasn't the number one priority in 1905 college football, and it hadn't improved much by 1923. "In 1923 at Iowa State, Jack Trice, their first black football player wrote, 'My thoughts just before the first real college game of my life: The honor of my race, family & self is at stake. Everyone is expecting me to do big things. I will. My whole body and soul are to be thrown recklessly

The Wow Factor

2009-04-08T17:33:00.000-07:00

Those of us who live and work in the Asphalt Jungles of America can't wait to get out of town and head for the wide outdoors, breathe in some relatively cleaner air, and fill our heads with the wonder of God's creation (as fallen as it is, it's still beautiful). Poppy lovers of the world, this is your time to visit your local poppy fields!You'll see a million of them at Hwy 49 and Electra Road,

ESC Hype

2009-04-04T08:48:00.000-07:00

That's 'Embryonic Stem Cell Hype' for most of us who only read headlines and never hear about the details. Here are a couple of well-written pieces that might clear up some of your questions.

Behind the Beauty

2009-04-03T18:50:00.000-07:00

This is the sure way to ruin a perfectly good picture - add a spider or two.

Timex Trivia

2009-03-22T16:04:00.000-07:00

Our October journey to Paso Robles and the All-60s Reunion has left wonderful memories to muse. The only regret and misfortune was misplacing/losing my favorite wristwatch, a super-lightweight Timex Expedition Camper with a worn and grubby band and badly scratched (plastic) crystal.We scoured the house for the little ticker to no avail. I retraced my steps, tried to remember anything that would

2009-03-16T20:04:00.000-07:00

Do you have the bill of materials/estimate from the house you're living in? Probably not. It was most likely built by someone you never met (or now wish you hadn't). In the old days, you bought the materials yourself and built your dream home with your own two hands, along with your brothers and sons and friends. We don't work on our own cars anymore, either. Unless we happen to have a pre-smog

Not A Drought Year in California

2009-03-11T18:20:00.000-07:00

"Rain in California. --- A rain gauge carefully kept and registered by Dr. Snell, of Sonora, shows that from the 11th of Eleventh month, 1861, to the 14th of the First month, 1862, seventy-two inches of rain fell at that place."From the publication, The Friend.

California Earthquake on October 21, 1868

2009-03-11T17:54:00.000-07:00

"On the 21st instant an earthquake was felt throughout a large part of the State, and in some places considerable damage was done to property. In San Francisco several of the public buildings suffered severely. The U.S. Marine Hospital and City Hall have been condemned as unsafe, and will have to be rebuilt. The total loss in this city is supposed to be between one and two millions. Alameda

Licking The Scorpion

2009-03-09T18:28:00.001-07:00

All granddaughters share a number of things, including the ability to be cute no matter what they're doing. Some granddaughters love the wild and woolly, especially this one who wears a laminated scorpion necklace and is currently sucking on a real-dead scorpion sucker. Can you see the foreleg sticking out of the candy? Yummy!"O, LORD . . . You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my

Where Have All the Flowers Gone?

2009-02-28T16:50:00.000-08:00

An early morning March of Dimes fundraiser in the S-Mart parking lot left me bereft of reason as I tried to figure out what saving babies had to do with heavy metal/megadeath style of music. Hey, I like electric guitar even when it gently weeps, but this stuff was a strictly minor key meltdown. Yeow! The bass and drum beats reminded me of the slashing in Psycho. Stab . . . Stab . . . Stab some

Cootsville At the Ritz

2009-02-23T16:53:00.000-08:00

We visited our friends' upper crust recreation center yesterday. It is the focal point of a housing development where 55+ coots and cootettes pay an extra $155 a month to enjoy a panoply of activities. What a place! A first-class "guaranteed-to-keep-you-busy" facility. Everything from golf to a full-sized softball field, including scoreboard. Pretty tempting, but I haven't entered my old coot

On Stage in Pasadena

2009-02-21T17:29:00.000-08:00

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — "Rinaldo Nocentini of Italy has lunged ahead of New Zealand's Hayden Roulston at the finish line to win Stage 7 of the Tour of California.American Levi Leipheimer of Astana retained his overall lead Saturday after the 88.9-mile leg from Santa Clarita to Pasadena's historic Rose Bowl.Nocentini of AG2R La Mondiale won by less than a bike length, finishing in 3 hours,

Amgen Stage 5 To Paso Robles

2009-02-19T18:11:00.000-08:00

Hey there, cycling fans. San Luis Obispo's Team Columbia-High Road has won both yesterday's Stage 4 in Clovis and today's Stage 5 in Paso Robles as their favorite sprinter, Mark Cavendish, stayed ahead of Tom Boonan in the final sprint to win both days. Perfect weather graced the landscape as each team stretched their legs over the 134 miles from Visalia to WordyDave's home town. Send me your <

Amgen Stage 3

2009-02-17T19:02:00.000-08:00

Finally, a first hand look at the Amgen Tour of California as they whizzed between San Jose and Modesto today. I left work early and drove in the rain to the end of Airport Road, hooked up with another photographer on a strategic corner, and fired away as the groups made their leisurely way to the finish line. Not too exciting at all. Oh, well.Now it's back to cable TV and the live feed of the

Yellow Levi

2009-02-16T15:56:00.000-08:00

Today's soaker didn't bother Astana Team's Levi Leipheimer as he took the Amgen Stage 2 near the summit of Bonnie Doon Road, some minutes before wending his way into Santa Cruz. Although Leipheimer lost the final sprint to Garmin-Slipstream's Tom Peterson, he led in points and snatched the yellow jersey from yesterday's winner, Francisco Mancebo.Peterson's claim to fame is riding dead last in

Paso Robles Winter

2009-02-15T19:29:00.000-08:00

Thanks to my sister, Ginnie, for this capture that was taken behind Barney Schwartz Park. Perfect composition is a gift.

Mancebo Wins Stage 1

2009-02-15T17:01:00.000-08:00

In a wonderfully exciting sprint at the finish line in Santa Rosa, Rock Racing's Francisco Mancebo of Spain held off two contenders to win Stage 1 of the Amgen Tour of California. Perseverance personified and exemplified on a day most would rather spend in front of a warm fire. Little wonder we wimps will never win the yellow jerseys of life.

First Winner of the Amgen Tour of California

2009-02-15T14:29:00.000-08:00

Team Columbia-Highroad's Emilia Fahlin just won the Women's Criterion Amgen Tour race in Santa Rosa while waiting for the men's leaders to reach the 1/2 way point in their 107 mile excursion. Horribly wet weather has prevented helicopter video of the men's event as of 2:30 p.m. Fabian Cancellara has reportedly abandoned Stage 1 due to illness.Lance Armstrong has suffered a flat tire and crash,

The Land of Handsome Men

2009-02-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

The Society of Friends published a 19th century periodical filled with essays, articles, poetry, sermons and other interesting stuff. This article appeared in the The Friend - A Religious and Literary Journal, Vol. 42, 1869.THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA"Already, it is stated by careful observers, the inhabitants of the regions bordering on the Pacific begin to exhibit well marked physical and mental

The Ladder to Distress

2009-02-08T15:01:00.000-08:00

Not a ladder I want to climb at this age. Fear of heights is one of the added features of the vintage lifestyle. And a 50-story flight into the headlines would really hurt, for a fraction of a second anyway.Seriously, this is a beautiful building in downtown Sacramento, just east of the State Capitol and close to the Sacramento River. We visited the old city again for it's Free Museum Day and a

As The World Changes

2009-02-05T19:55:00.000-08:00

Isn't this the greatest time to be alive, watching As the World Changes in person?

Finally, A Perfect Excuse!

2009-01-29T17:05:00.001-08:00

Today is a happy day for truly yours, as he finds out that the reason for his humdum (sic) educational level in grammar and high schools is high sugar levels in the cafeteria food! In fact, we can now blame the far less than stellar scholastic achievement in America on Public School Enemy #1, brain cell-killing sugar. After 10 years of research, the evidence is in, according to this CNN report:"

Perfect Impression

2009-01-27T20:32:00.000-08:00

I should have been more dazzled by his resplendent majesty. Perched in the tallest valley oak, the afternoon sun added to his regal splendor. But my excitement was muted by --- what? By not having the lens I needed to get the best picture. Perfectionism is a robber and thief.

Photos From The Bus

2009-01-23T19:40:00.000-08:00

A wonderful birding adventure punctuated the work week Tuesday as a dozen of us headed north, through Sacramento to visit two National Wildlife Refuges and Gray Lodge Reserve north of the Sutter Buttes. I wasn't happy with the noisy and bumpy bus ride and my short telephoto lens capability, but being with the folks and seeing God's creation made those minor distractions.Quoting from the U.S.

Closing Guantanamo

2009-01-15T19:59:00.000-08:00

For those of us who think harboring prisoners who want to destroy this country is in some way immoral (remember, even treason is punishable by incarceration or worse in America). Or for those who think that these captives are being mistreated (taking water-boarding out of the equation for the moment), please consider the horrors of the real, historical and ungodly prisons in America's past,

Din-Din Under Moonlight

2009-01-10T18:16:00.000-08:00

Tonight's another one of those "close encounter" episodes when the moon winds (or 'wends' - your choice) its way close to the mother ship. High tides and 4th of July 'ooohs' and 'aaahs' will be heard around the globe (at least on this side for a few hours). We have such a fascination with all things astronomical, but hardly question or be amazed at how the same dirt chemicals can be transformed

Yellow and Blue Blazes

2009-01-07T17:25:00.000-08:00

There's just something about blue and yellow in juxtaposition. What a horribly sounding word --- juxtapose. It's almost as bad as tongue, or conjugal or svelt. Thankfully, like harmonious colors, certain English/American words incomparably exude an exquisite beauty in their pronunciation. And remove the stilted sentence structure and you're left with something like this:TO A BRIDEFebruary 17,

California Name Game

2009-01-02T16:48:00.000-08:00

Another new law here in the Golden State permits prospective newlyweds a wider choice of last names during their marriage. Effective immediately, partners can:~ Take either spouse's current last name. ~ Take either spouse's birth name. ~ Create a hyphenated combination of the last two last names. ~ Create a new name using a segment of both spouse's last names.Sure, if your last name is Dunderhead

USC Blowout

2009-01-01T16:18:00.000-08:00

I took this locomotive's Trojan-colored picture yesterday. The merchandise still keeps trucking along, or should I say, 'tracking?' Brute force on rails communicates a sense of controlled power. There is little danger while it stays within its boundary. Let it get off of the rails and it transforms into a devil that will smash and kill indiscriminately.Like a train barreling through the fog, the

Tried Green Tomatoes?

2008-12-30T20:15:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow will herald the last day of this long year. Time to say "goodbye" and "thanks for the memories," both good and bad (Romans 8:28). Time to appreciate another day of blessing and new year of hope. Time to pull out the summer's vegetable garden and find some recipes for hundreds of green tomatoes.

San Luis Obispo Crime

2008-12-24T18:46:00.000-08:00

San Luis Paso ain't. Does that make sense? It will when you go to this crime map of San Luis Obispo, then take the little hand cursor and drag it down and down and down until you get to see little ol' Paso 30 miles north.No comment from this Paso lover.

Rock of Ages

2008-12-24T16:32:00.000-08:00

I took this picture almost 40 years ago while visiting Glacier Point in Yosemite for the first time. The powers that be have restricted taking pictures from this point since then. You have to stay on a fenced path (to reduce lawsuits most likely). Some things don't change, like this chunk of rock facing into the valley a mile below. Photos taken over a hundred years ago at the same angle could

A Little Sand in Your Sandwich

2008-12-17T19:04:00.000-08:00

Boy, is it cold, or what!? And to top it off they're showing The Day After Tomorrow over and over on FX network. What we need are some beach movies, like Beach Blanket Bingo and Muscle Beach Party with Annette and Frankie. Anything to warm us up a bit. Hey, even a little global warming documentary would be nice!We used to head over to Cayucos during the summer to 'cool off' when it was about

Birdless . . . Wordless

2008-12-12T19:47:00.000-08:00

Many years ago we lived in a house on Monterey Street with a canary Grandmother Cockrell had given us. This rusty yellow warbler was quite the fellow, perched in his wire-rimmed cage and singing most of the day. We named him Chrysostom, after the golden-throated preacher from centuries ago. He was the much loved friend of family and friends as he preached his own gospel in song, cheering the

Keeper

2008-11-28T21:33:00.000-08:00

Angel went fishing with her dad this evening at the Calaveras River. She was the only one to get a fish and was more than eager to show it off. I used to fish with my dad in canals and on rivers. The most memorable trip was south of El Paso on the Rio Grande where we camped out near the beach and fished the next day. I landed a 24" carp. Quite a fight, but had to let him go. Can't remember if

October Surprise

2008-11-23T14:24:00.000-08:00

Our recent trip to Paso Robles turned into a whirlwind see-fest as we attended more than a few events and reconnected with old friends, including cousin Larry. We hadn't seen each other in 15 years or more, but there wasn't a lot of catching up during a Paso Robles Inn breakfast. Larry has been a custom cabinet craftsman for many moons and still loves what he's doing. He was working on a

$1.69 A Gallon for Gas

2008-11-21T19:34:00.000-08:00

Time to visit Stockton, CA, and fill your tank for less than half of what you paid a few months ago. Personally, I'll gladly pay over $4.00 a gallon if the stock market and economy were back to where they were a few months ago. Now I have a full tank of cheap gas, but still not enough cash to go anywhere!

Care Package

2008-11-20T17:57:00.000-08:00

Being surrounded by a caring family is one of life's greatest blessings. These are loved ones you can trust to be there in your inevitable hour of need --- even if they get the call at 2 o'clock in the morning. And you are more than willing to lend a hand when family calls for help.There is another family that is willing to help. This family will lift your needs in prayer, encourage you when

Aging Equipment

2008-11-13T18:37:00.000-08:00

I run various and sundry equipment where I work, including this 27 year old continuous collator. What used to run a formidable segment of our product pie, this poor piece of engineered machinery is in semi-retirement, thanks to the medical world graduating from multi-part computer forms to single laser sheets and virtual records saved on servers. On the positive side, since it is used less and

Yo Ho Ho and a Bottle

2008-11-09T16:10:00.000-08:00

There are few reminders of vintage transportation in the jet age. Oh, you can still ride a horse or drive an old tractor in the Pioneer Day Parade, but how many would like to sail across the ocean in a 2-masted ketch? This ship is so small you can spit from stem to stern - against the wind! A rich mixture of courage and faith would have been necessary to embark in this bark and the thousands

Thank You, Mr. Obama!

2008-11-05T19:01:00.000-08:00

My two cents: Had it not been for a huge turnout and vote for Barack Obama, who won 60% of the California vote, Proposition 8 would most likely have lost. The huge voter turnout of minorities for Barack undoubtedly included their strongly Biblical view of marriage. That, combined with a larger than usual evangelical and conservative vote [those bitter, gun-toting religious wackoes], helped it

Belling the Cat

2008-11-01T08:15:00.000-07:00

An Aesop Fable:Long ago, the mice had a general council to consider what measures they could take to outwit their common enemy, the Cat. Some said this, and some said that; but at last a young mouse got up and said he had a proposal to make, which he thought would meet the case. "You will all agree," said he, "that our chief danger consists in the sly and treacherous manner in which the enemy

Associations Matter

2008-10-30T18:21:00.000-07:00

The list grows as more radical past associations raise questions about Mr. Obama's radical beliefs and lack of judgment in choosing those associates. William Ayers wrote the book, Prarie Fire, in 1974 (republished with other vintage works in 2006) which was in part dedicated to Sirhan Sirhan, the man who assassinated Robert Kennedy forty years ago. How can we trust a President who has to disavow

Jesus and Proposition 8

2008-10-26T15:36:00.000-07:00

In spite of the new cultural mandate to secularize certain biblical institutions or precepts that happen to be at odds with current opinion, marriage and homosexuality have always been and always will be spiritually defined relationships. God called Abraham out of idolatry and established a people who were to reflect His moral purity, not the cultural standards of ancient Persia, Egypt nor the