Flood Advisory
Hazardous Weather Outlook
High Wind Warning
Today...Very windy. Rain...locally heavy at times...and isolated thunderstorms. Some thunderstorms may produce gusty winds and small hail. Highs in the mid 40s to lower 50s. Southeast winds 30 to 45 mph...becoming south 20 to 30 mph with gusts to around 40 mph in the afternoon.
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We may lose power again ... lights flickering a bit already, and winds rising ... so sending out this bulletin while I can. More later when possible. We're warm and dry, but not goin' nowhere!
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
El Nino Viene
It's raining gatos y perros! At long last the National Weather Service, so often a plaything of fate, has been right on target for California.
Our Monday (yesterday) was spent in tightening up our rough-weather plans: John tied down the carport/awning against the blown-umbrella effect of high winds; I inventoried our well-laid-in food supplies and noted a few little missing items. Around 11 AM, the man of the house drove down through light rains beginning, to pick up the necessaries in the village.
While he was out, the power followed suit: it went out, at around noon. After John had parked a half-mile down from our cottage and hiked up the rest of the way with the groceries, he regaled me with the reason for the sudden silence in our house. A lightly rooted oak tree had tumbled down across power lines and blocked Big Basin Way, the main route to our place from the village.
Fine; we change our day's plans. Now it's hot tea and reading in the big back room, where those lovely windows let in all the daylight there is available. Wrapped in lap-robes and warm with the coverage and the tea, we plowed through our well-selected pile of books chosen for this eventuality. Could be worse, eh?
As the light faded, our brave John donned slicker and boots and went down to the Bracken Brae entrance to see what could be seen: a lot of disgruntled workers standing around in the rain, waiting for a P G & E crane truck to lift the tree off of the wires. These poor peons were ready to do their work of cutting up and removing the big tree, and P G & E linemen were ready to restore our power. But meanwhile, they awaited and awaited the arrival of the crane.
Other local denizens were out prowling around too, and camaraderie abounded – but not light. So John came back up to the cottage, built a warming fire in the woodstove, and gratefully accepted a drink. I lit candles and set up the kitchen for a stovetop dinner, with camping lanterns and matches for lighting the propane stove.
Rain continued; and the power came on at 7 PM. We had dinner and went to bed; rain continued..... but not the predicted high winds (yet).
At 5 AM today, we were awakened by a powerful and spectacular thunderstorm; the reverberating booms echoed down our valley, reminding us of a similar great storm we once watched engulf the Stubai valley in Austria – as we discovered where Wagner got his musical ideas.
So now we are into Day 2 of the week of storms. If the NWS continues lucky, we are due for two or three more powerful storms, day by day, throughout the week. Whenever we have power up here I will try to update this blog, so stay tuned if you can.
Our Monday (yesterday) was spent in tightening up our rough-weather plans: John tied down the carport/awning against the blown-umbrella effect of high winds; I inventoried our well-laid-in food supplies and noted a few little missing items. Around 11 AM, the man of the house drove down through light rains beginning, to pick up the necessaries in the village.
While he was out, the power followed suit: it went out, at around noon. After John had parked a half-mile down from our cottage and hiked up the rest of the way with the groceries, he regaled me with the reason for the sudden silence in our house. A lightly rooted oak tree had tumbled down across power lines and blocked Big Basin Way, the main route to our place from the village.
Fine; we change our day's plans. Now it's hot tea and reading in the big back room, where those lovely windows let in all the daylight there is available. Wrapped in lap-robes and warm with the coverage and the tea, we plowed through our well-selected pile of books chosen for this eventuality. Could be worse, eh?
As the light faded, our brave John donned slicker and boots and went down to the Bracken Brae entrance to see what could be seen: a lot of disgruntled workers standing around in the rain, waiting for a P G & E crane truck to lift the tree off of the wires. These poor peons were ready to do their work of cutting up and removing the big tree, and P G & E linemen were ready to restore our power. But meanwhile, they awaited and awaited the arrival of the crane.
Other local denizens were out prowling around too, and camaraderie abounded – but not light. So John came back up to the cottage, built a warming fire in the woodstove, and gratefully accepted a drink. I lit candles and set up the kitchen for a stovetop dinner, with camping lanterns and matches for lighting the propane stove.
Rain continued; and the power came on at 7 PM. We had dinner and went to bed; rain continued..... but not the predicted high winds (yet).
At 5 AM today, we were awakened by a powerful and spectacular thunderstorm; the reverberating booms echoed down our valley, reminding us of a similar great storm we once watched engulf the Stubai valley in Austria – as we discovered where Wagner got his musical ideas.
So now we are into Day 2 of the week of storms. If the NWS continues lucky, we are due for two or three more powerful storms, day by day, throughout the week. Whenever we have power up here I will try to update this blog, so stay tuned if you can.
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Christmas At The Country Club, Again
There's a very funny song that a local band, The Trailer Park Troubadours, has recorded, called "It's Christmas At The Trailer Park Again" -- and we've had a good few of those, in the past! But now, with our second winter holiday season in the cottage coming to a close, we are cozy and happy, and not a bit sick, as we were last year at this time.
Our sincere little Douglas fir and its accompanying Advent Wreath with the Christ Candle (see above, taken Christmas Eve) were our main decorations in the parlor; and we needed no outside lights this year, thanks to the major lighting wars our two sets of neighboring houses were carrying on! (Peter's efforts you can see above; Ted & Teresa's display was so huge and covered so much territory in their front garden and on the house that we couldn't capture the whole light-show with our camera.) Suffice to say that NASA probably used our little block as a guide marker for the satellites.
But our front door was adorned with a lovely, fruit-decorated fresh evergreen wreath that Julie bought for us; and candles were lit in the parlor and the little kitchen. We had a festival of lights of our own sort.
Christmas Eve revels brought Julie, Bryan, DannyD and Stef – accompanied by her Highly Touted Jaque – to our door, for a leisurely afternoon of buffet-lunching on black bean soup and tomato-basil bisque, breads and cheeses, and a fabulous pumpkin cheesecake that Julie baked and brought along. Jaque won points in our book by bringing a big basket of meats and sausages for our freezer, a gift from his parents who own the best gourmet butcher shop in this area, the Corralitos Market near Watsonville.
We spent that evening by ourselves, with fire and candles all lit, listening to our CD of Christmas Eve vespers, "A Ceremony of Nine Lessons and Carols," from King's College/Cambridge. (We were too stuffed from the late lunch to eat any dinner!)
On Christmas Day in the morning we drove down to our church in Scotts Valley for Mass; and then we spent a quiet afternoon opening gifts traversed from afar, with a bit of tea and Dresdener Stollen (gift from Leenie) – and had a delicious baked ham dinner and music from our Munich Choir's great "Messiah" recordings.
The time has been quiet since then; we went to an afternoon movie with Julie yesterday ("It's Complicated") and will also have a peaceful and quiet New Year's weekend coming. Two old student friends of mine from UCSB days are driving up from San Jose tomorrow for a visit, but will leave before New Years' Eve skies darken. In the evening we'll share some simple hors d'oeuvres and champagne "a deux" – with our recording of "Die Fledermaus" – and go to bed when it's midnight (in the Rockies, most likely!)
I hope all have had as lovely a holiday season; if you care to share your experiences in the Comments segment below, we'd love to hear about it.
Happy New Year to all, and to all a good 2010! Much joy coming with our Reunion in midsummer, the highlight of our hopes for the next 365 days.
Saturday, 19 December 2009
A Musical Education
I have to tell you all about a fantastic evening we had with Julie last night. Some of DannyD's friends are in a "School of Rock" band that started up in the Aptos area when D was still in grade school. Last night they had a gig at a local folk/rock and Mexican restaurant venue up here in Felton – Don Quixote's – as an opening act for their teachers' Irish band, "The Wild Rovers." Julie came up and got us and we drove down to the club, where several of Ju's girlfriends (whose kids all grew up together with Danny) gathered with us. The place was packed (this show has lots of area fans, apparently) – and we found out why!
Pitchers of margaritas and plates of nachos and fajitas were consumed; and as the show started we learned that a grade-school group would be the first of the two opening acts.
The teacher who is the leader of the Rovers and the instigator of all this fun at his school introduced the kids, and these pint-sized 5th and 6th graders (and I swear, some only in third or fourth grade) took the stage by storm. The noise was deafening (Julie had commandeered a big table for our group right down in front) and utterly amazing. The girl-singer, a cute little maid with nut-brown hair and glasses perched on the end of her nose, led the band with an infectious joy and a belting growl worthy of Janis; their bass player, a tiny Hawaiian kid with a peaked cap and a righteous attitude, twanged his pale blue axe mightily; and the audience was roaring approval before the first set barely got started!
Then on came the "older team" – led by Danny's long-time best friend/neighbor, 11-year-old Sean Collins (Irish indeed, he is) – they strode onstage, adjusted the mike heights up, and played another "bringing down the house" set. Young Collins knocked us all out; his father told us he's "had the moves" since he picked up a stick with grooves in it at the age of two and started playing rhythm air guitar along with his older brother's riffs. He's famous in this area and received all due respect and chuffs from his audience last night.
After that ripping start, the kids came down and scoffed up more chips and salsa and then gathered in groups on the floor in front of the stage, or squeezed in with us at our table, and attended a long and wonderful full set by their teachers – full of Gaelic standards amped up a-la-Pogues, with plenty of audience participation on the "Oh, nay, never" choruses, and the rapt attention of every kid in the place, as they gazed up in hero worship at their mentors. One cute young blond girl just couldn't sit still; she was up and doing Irish step-dancing with verve and vigor, over to the side of the room from time to time! Young Collins sat by me and watched every tiny move his guitar teacher made with obvious attention and glee – once in a while turning to me with a grin that said: "Isn't he great?!"
This is education for life, folks; I was just overwhelmed to see it in action. Dave Lambert will know what I am talking about: he's preaching the gospel mightily in his own village, bless him! Yes, musicians are a rowdy lot and can get into a lot of trouble; but in my opinion, their music is capable of saving the best of them, in the long run. Most of these kids will not go on to become the next Clapton or Hendrix (or, I pray, Joplin); but they're learning a lifetime joy that no one can take from them: it will bring happiness to them and to their friends who get to share the love of music with them, over the long years of adult struggle and achievement. They are a favored and happy few; Julie has been very lucky to have an environment such as this in which to bring up her children.
In fact, all of our dear kids grew up in a love of music of all kinds; I see that it has comforted and sustained them and brought them joy over the years. Even when you can't play, you can draw sustenance and great fun from those who do.
God bless all musicians, where ere they may shine; their songs are as sweet as the fruit of the vine!
Pitchers of margaritas and plates of nachos and fajitas were consumed; and as the show started we learned that a grade-school group would be the first of the two opening acts.
The teacher who is the leader of the Rovers and the instigator of all this fun at his school introduced the kids, and these pint-sized 5th and 6th graders (and I swear, some only in third or fourth grade) took the stage by storm. The noise was deafening (Julie had commandeered a big table for our group right down in front) and utterly amazing. The girl-singer, a cute little maid with nut-brown hair and glasses perched on the end of her nose, led the band with an infectious joy and a belting growl worthy of Janis; their bass player, a tiny Hawaiian kid with a peaked cap and a righteous attitude, twanged his pale blue axe mightily; and the audience was roaring approval before the first set barely got started!
Then on came the "older team" – led by Danny's long-time best friend/neighbor, 11-year-old Sean Collins (Irish indeed, he is) – they strode onstage, adjusted the mike heights up, and played another "bringing down the house" set. Young Collins knocked us all out; his father told us he's "had the moves" since he picked up a stick with grooves in it at the age of two and started playing rhythm air guitar along with his older brother's riffs. He's famous in this area and received all due respect and chuffs from his audience last night.
After that ripping start, the kids came down and scoffed up more chips and salsa and then gathered in groups on the floor in front of the stage, or squeezed in with us at our table, and attended a long and wonderful full set by their teachers – full of Gaelic standards amped up a-la-Pogues, with plenty of audience participation on the "Oh, nay, never" choruses, and the rapt attention of every kid in the place, as they gazed up in hero worship at their mentors. One cute young blond girl just couldn't sit still; she was up and doing Irish step-dancing with verve and vigor, over to the side of the room from time to time! Young Collins sat by me and watched every tiny move his guitar teacher made with obvious attention and glee – once in a while turning to me with a grin that said: "Isn't he great?!"
This is education for life, folks; I was just overwhelmed to see it in action. Dave Lambert will know what I am talking about: he's preaching the gospel mightily in his own village, bless him! Yes, musicians are a rowdy lot and can get into a lot of trouble; but in my opinion, their music is capable of saving the best of them, in the long run. Most of these kids will not go on to become the next Clapton or Hendrix (or, I pray, Joplin); but they're learning a lifetime joy that no one can take from them: it will bring happiness to them and to their friends who get to share the love of music with them, over the long years of adult struggle and achievement. They are a favored and happy few; Julie has been very lucky to have an environment such as this in which to bring up her children.
In fact, all of our dear kids grew up in a love of music of all kinds; I see that it has comforted and sustained them and brought them joy over the years. Even when you can't play, you can draw sustenance and great fun from those who do.
God bless all musicians, where ere they may shine; their songs are as sweet as the fruit of the vine!
Tuesday, 15 December 2009
Having Fun
Well, I must have been having fun: time flew. Actually, I've been having medical tests -- nobody can find nothin' -- to determine the meaning and essence of the arthritic? nerve? muscular? pain that has been plaguing me for a couple of months. We'll get to the bottom of this, some day, I hope.
Meanwhile, Christmas preparations are also gobbling up time – as is probably true for everyone this month. Why did I decide to make baked-gifts this year? Why, why? Oh, I remember: it was those many pleas for Mom's Cookies.
It's been verrry cold up here in the woodsy mountains; and while it's awfully cozy to gather around the woodstove in the evening, once the fire dies down we are most sincerely grateful for the great down-alternative comforter that was our housewarming gift last year. We've had no snow yet, despite threats of same; but the way the winter storms move in one after another, we'll no doubt be graced with white-frosted pines soon.
We pray that everyone is staying warm and well as the cookies get baked, the packages posted, and the house decked with boughs of whatever you've got.
Meanwhile, Christmas preparations are also gobbling up time – as is probably true for everyone this month. Why did I decide to make baked-gifts this year? Why, why? Oh, I remember: it was those many pleas for Mom's Cookies.
It's been verrry cold up here in the woodsy mountains; and while it's awfully cozy to gather around the woodstove in the evening, once the fire dies down we are most sincerely grateful for the great down-alternative comforter that was our housewarming gift last year. We've had no snow yet, despite threats of same; but the way the winter storms move in one after another, we'll no doubt be graced with white-frosted pines soon.
We pray that everyone is staying warm and well as the cookies get baked, the packages posted, and the house decked with boughs of whatever you've got.
Saturday, 21 November 2009
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Visiting The Ol' (Same-Ol') Hometown
I'm constantly amazed at how nothing changes in Santa Barbara, whenever I go back to visit. It seems to me that people there are like the proverbial "fly in amber." I suppose that is because it's a very comfortable place to live; I hope everyone is comfortably happy, as well.
It is a great place to visit, to be sure. I had ten beautiful, sunny days there.
The first part of my sojourn was filled with meeting Leenie's writer friend Sarah Dunant. The two presentations she gave, at La Casa de Maria (for a select group of supporters of the retreat center) and at the UCSB multidisciplinary department (for the faculty and students of religious studies, Italian literature and Renaissance Art history, as well as the general public) were excellent and very well received. Sarah and I had a nice morning together, between the lectures – with a great coffee-chat at a local bakery and a Grand Tour of tourist locations.
After Sarah left, and with John on his way back to Hoboken and Connecticut for visits with family there, I went off to La Casa by myself for a weekend retreat at the luxurious mansion they call the Immaculate Heart Center for Spiritual Renewal.
Renewed in both spirit and body, I went to the All Saints' Day celebration at my beloved Trinity Parish, and had a lunch and serious chat with parish friends. The rest of the three days before John returned to CA, I spent visiting with other good friends in the town, communing with my sister and brother, and catching up on shopping. I also saw my dear doctor about the pains I've been having in my left hip and leg; and in two days she had me sent for a hip x-ray and an MRI at local facilities. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis of hip and leg will be treated with Dr. Parent's firm prescription: "Get up and get moving, girl!" .... I've begun a daily walking program in conjunction with John's already-set schedule; and I'll search for a facility up here in the mountains or in Santa Cruz that offers water aerobics – these are the two best forms of "getting moving" that are recommended for this common form of arthritis.
So when John got back to the Left Coast, we took my sister out to dinner for her birthday; and headed home to our mountains on Friday morning.
It has been a joy to come home again. Our winter-prep chores were finished before we left for this last trip of the year; the logs are piled high for evening fires, all the battening-down is done, the warm-woolies are out of storage and ready for wearing. And it's certainly cool enough here to warrant the use of these!
We are ready to hibernate for the winter now. We welcome visitors (one or two at a time, please – or there are a few hostelries available if you come with a crowd!) We'll be hosting the West Coast family Thanksgiving dinner this year – my sibs are coming up for that week, and the families of Joe and Julie will join us on the holiday. After that we expect to have a very quiet Advent and Christmas, which is just to our taste.
I hope you all are ready for a "long winter's nap" and a great and festive holiday season.
It is a great place to visit, to be sure. I had ten beautiful, sunny days there.
The first part of my sojourn was filled with meeting Leenie's writer friend Sarah Dunant. The two presentations she gave, at La Casa de Maria (for a select group of supporters of the retreat center) and at the UCSB multidisciplinary department (for the faculty and students of religious studies, Italian literature and Renaissance Art history, as well as the general public) were excellent and very well received. Sarah and I had a nice morning together, between the lectures – with a great coffee-chat at a local bakery and a Grand Tour of tourist locations.
After Sarah left, and with John on his way back to Hoboken and Connecticut for visits with family there, I went off to La Casa by myself for a weekend retreat at the luxurious mansion they call the Immaculate Heart Center for Spiritual Renewal.
Renewed in both spirit and body, I went to the All Saints' Day celebration at my beloved Trinity Parish, and had a lunch and serious chat with parish friends. The rest of the three days before John returned to CA, I spent visiting with other good friends in the town, communing with my sister and brother, and catching up on shopping. I also saw my dear doctor about the pains I've been having in my left hip and leg; and in two days she had me sent for a hip x-ray and an MRI at local facilities. The diagnosis of osteoarthritis of hip and leg will be treated with Dr. Parent's firm prescription: "Get up and get moving, girl!" .... I've begun a daily walking program in conjunction with John's already-set schedule; and I'll search for a facility up here in the mountains or in Santa Cruz that offers water aerobics – these are the two best forms of "getting moving" that are recommended for this common form of arthritis.
So when John got back to the Left Coast, we took my sister out to dinner for her birthday; and headed home to our mountains on Friday morning.
It has been a joy to come home again. Our winter-prep chores were finished before we left for this last trip of the year; the logs are piled high for evening fires, all the battening-down is done, the warm-woolies are out of storage and ready for wearing. And it's certainly cool enough here to warrant the use of these!
We are ready to hibernate for the winter now. We welcome visitors (one or two at a time, please – or there are a few hostelries available if you come with a crowd!) We'll be hosting the West Coast family Thanksgiving dinner this year – my sibs are coming up for that week, and the families of Joe and Julie will join us on the holiday. After that we expect to have a very quiet Advent and Christmas, which is just to our taste.
I hope you all are ready for a "long winter's nap" and a great and festive holiday season.
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