A Season Missed

This winter has been unusual. For the first time in a long time I am a bit anxious to see what the future will bring. The weather has been generous and mostly moderate up until now.The rest of the country has been buried in snow, Napa has experienced what might be considered an El Nina year. Santa Ana winds blew up from the south keeping a wonderful high pressure system in tact up until a few weeks ago. The high pressure system that hung out in February eventually dissipated, and these past few weeks have brought in a steady stream of delayed winter storms. March came in like a lion, and is going out the same way.

I didn't intend for this to turn into a weather report, but I started writing this blog weeks ago and things just flow. I wanted to write about the security I felt when working a full time job last Fall, and now I am concerned if I will ever be working a full-time job again. God is my strength, and I am relying on God to keep me safe and secure as I enter these first few months of my 60th year..Job or no job.

I've stayed busy checking the job posts on Craigs List, and submit resumes and cover letters with a degree of hope.Other than this, I paint and draw to keep from dwelling on the negative.The evenings have been filled with AA meetings and fellowship.My diet has been restricted now that I no longer enjoy the bountiful benefit of eating my lunches at the CIA. Losing that job has hurt more though, because of the friends I no longer get to see every day. Winter has officially ended, and the tourist season gets going again after Mother’s day, and continues right on through till Halloween. I will miss all the action at the Concierge Desk. ( Oh well. )

This past year has been one of disasters, both personally and "naturally". A large quake and Tsunami hit Japan and many other parts of the globe have been affected. Nuclear reactors have been spilling toxic fumes and radiation into the environment.War is continuing to sweep the Middle east, and financial markets have suffered worldwide due to a seemingly endless oil crisis that has caused rampant inflation.Who knew that this is where we were headed? Many fear that the world is on the brink of collapse.

This is only part of the story. More is being revealed to us on a daily basis.

The Green Thang

Today is St. Patty's day and I have passed out quite a few "Shamrocks" to my friends here. I am wearing a green sweater just in case someone gets the idea of pinching me. Hmmm... maybe that's not such a bad thing depending on who is doing it. But Hey, I ain't no Blarney Stone, so don't get any ideas about slobbering your wet lips all over my face.Nuff said.

The picture above is my interpretation of "Devil's Well Falls" from the Archer Taylor Reserve. Its a pretty muddy watercolor that I tweaked just enough to make presentable here on my blog. Some landscapes just don't have the same "feel" If you know what I mean. Comparing this work to the one I did of "Russian Gulch" is like night and day. I had a lot of interest in doing that one for sure.This one was a chore.

Lately, I have been having trouble staying motivated to do my art projects. I don't know why specifically, but it usually blows over in a day or two.Inspiration moves quickly. Like the saying, " Easy come,easy go" that is how it is for me.

Right now, there are a group of Mexican Stone Masons who are building a fountain area and patio next door at the Golden Haven Spa. I hear the "tink, tink, tink" of chisels and stone cutting equipment all day long. It is making me feel challenged to create something long lasting and relevant. This is what they have been doing...

The Weather Aboveground

Japan has suffered a major earthquake and tsunami. Mother earth is punishing us with what seems like continual catastrophic events.This winter has been unusual. For the first time in a long time I am not anxious to see it go. The weather has been generous and mostly moderate, whereas the rest of the country has been buried in snow or has been flooding after a record number of storms have pounded three quarters of the country.

Napa has enjoyed what might be considered an El Nina year. Santa Ana winds blew up from the south keeping a wonderful high pressure system in tact a few weeks ago. This has prevented storms that usually move down from the Pacific Northwest to continue moving across to Southeast states like Colorado, Wyoming and Utah.

I didn't intend for this to turn into a weather report. but my friend Eric has informed me the the Pacific Northwest with all it’s rain has been getting quite redundant. I’ve been enjoying the rain.I suspect I am in a minority. The picture above is of my friends Dieter and Harrison. This was from the hike we took yesterday from Mt. St. Helena to Calistoga. Innocent enough, but one can see the ominous clouds rolling in from the west.

The New Ipad

Okay, so I took the plunge. I drank the kool aid . Whatever. This thing is really sweet. I am sitting her in St. Helena after a meeting enjoying the ease at which I can do a simple log entry and listen to music, video chat with my brother in Chicago, play a game, check out the web, etc. Etc. ...and it's so much fun!

On a much more serious note, Japan was hit with a major quake today and their are Tsunami warnings for Hawaii and the west coast of the U.S. My prayers go out to the people of Japan.

As I write this, it is Monday and already and SO MUCH has occurred both personally and globally, that it is hard to keep up with it all. Saturday was my grandnephew’s second birthday and it was great being with my relatives and their friends down in Napa. My nephew always does a good job of having a party, and it usually goes off without a hitch.Little Mica has a host of friends and cousins who helped him share this momentous occasion.

Yesterday, I hiked from Robert Louis Stevenson State Park through the Palisades into Calistoga with my friends Harrison and Dieter. The hike took around six hours. We started at 9:45 AM and ended in Calistoga close to 4PM. I am getting in better shape every week I go out. It is already Lent, so I am giving up bread and milk products to augment my diet. I hope to lose around thirty pounds this year. My ideal weight is 155 lbs. and I am currently 185 lbs. Time to get crackin’ !

March comes in ...

It’s Sunday and the weather is wet and rainy.Perfect for a marathoner, because it will keep you nice and cool when you are well into the race.Around five hundred to a thousand people showed up for this race that was scheduled to go off at 7am.

Joan Benoit Samuelson , who won the First women’s Olympic Marathon event in a time of 2:22:19 in 1984 was the spokesperson who was invited to greet the runners at the start. Her hair is greying, but she still has a striking presence and great physique for a woman well into her fifties.She has been and still is an inspiration to many runners… both men and women.

You wouldn’t find me in the lineup with plans to run the race this year. The last time I had participated was in 1995 and I had jumped into it on a lark. Not surprisingly, I covered the distance in 5:21:24 and was just happy to stop.

In my best shape, I had completed the Oakland Marathon in 1984 in 2:50:14 which is one of my major accomplishments in life.I have missed running in the past few years, but have taken to hiking which still gives me somewhat of an aerobic workout depending on the pace I keep. The endorphins are still there to be had.

The video below shows the start of the race. The siren is a little annoying, but you can see the excitement in the faces of the runners. Joan Benoit is the last runner to go by as I pan the camera ( she is the one in purple ).

Angwin to Calistoga

Yesterday was Sunny and cold in the morning. We ( Harrison, Dieter and I ) started out our long hike from Angwin around 9:30 am, somewhere west of College and White Cottage road.

Being a novice with all the specialized gear and accouterments, I had over prepared myself. After a mile into the uphill start, I began to get hot and sweaty. I immediately shed my sweater and vest,and naturally the backpack was hella crammed with three water bottles, my lunch and sunglass case. Luckily, I was able to squeeze the extra clothes into the pack and continue along the path.

The next thing to get my attention was my ankle. The bone was rubbing up against the inside of my boots... Dammit! I re-laced the boot and it seemed to work, so long as I was walking straight and not doing any lateral moves. However, every time I stepped on a rock that pushed my foot sideways, it hurt. After awhile, I just ignored it so as not to seem burdensome to my fellow travelers.By the end of the hike it was pretty sore.

For Lunch, we stopped at a cool hideaway off the beaten path that only Harrison knew about. It was a cave that someone had built a wooden platform about ten feet up off the ground. You would not find this special spot if you were just hiking along the traditional path. We climbed a small ladder and sat down on little benches and rails and had our lunch ( see pic above ). We were a little past the half-way point of this 12 mile hike and it was around 1 pm.The lunches everyone brought were great, and we all shared what we had. Not to be outdone,Dieter provided us with extra sandwiches and even Truffles for dessert.

Back on the trail, we took a small jaunt over to the top of the Palisades, we then made our way back down the mountain into the town of Calistoga. We arrived about 3:30 PM , so we were hiking for a total of 6 hours including a half hour for lunch. It was pretty awesome.

To view the photo album, go to:My Mobile Me Gallery

Archer Taylor Reserve

Went for a great hike again at the end of Redwood road in Napa. We got permission to hike around four miles up to some beautiful Falls through snow and many levels of hand-made stairs ( lots of cut logs and pieces of rebar driven into the hillside ) that kept going up and up. We reached “Maggie Peak” just around 10:30 am and continued through some pretty treacherous terrain to this powerful water fall that dropped down from an ascent of about 200 feet.Our group viewed these falls from above and below.This group of radicals could easily swayed to go for a hike... be it on a cold, blustery weekend in February or unseasonably warm one like the previous week.

After meeting at Starbucks in Napa, we checked to see if we had plenty of provisions for the our picnic lunch on the way back. Everyone except me had hiking poles and gloves. Luckily, our group leader Harrison had an extra pair of warm gloves that he lent me. Later people were complaining of frozen hands and fingers.One fellow,Ted didn’t want to use his hiking poles so I found them to be quite useful upon descents on slick rock and crossing streams.

We had initially planned on going on a hike from Calistoga to Anqwin but those plans fell through, so I am grateful that we had this wonderful new area to explore. I had heard about this place when I was living up at Mt. La Salle but never had the opportunity to hike it. A great trek for a great group.

Aetna Springs Hike

Yesterday was another gorgeous day in the valley. After mass, I met some friends for an 8 mile hike from Calistoga to Aetna Springs. It was a rugged hike with lots of rocks on the trail and beautiful vistas. I came prepared with a backpack full of goodies like trail mix, apples, sandwiches, extra water bottles and the like. Initially it was quite cold, but before long we all began shedding our jackets and long shirts. By the time we reached China Camp, the sun was very warm and everyone was hungry. All total, their were about eight people hiking. One group went from Aetna Springs to Calistoga. The group I went with; went in the opposite direction. The hike took a total of four hours. When I arrived home, I took a long hot shower and a nap. What a day !

Ho Hum Day

This was a boring day and I was depressed because I could not get myself motivated to do anything. Besides this, it was great weather outside. I painted a few rocks and started to design a business card . Everything I started went downhill fast. Then I made lunch. I had a rice cake. Now that is pathetic. I should've had a piece of styrofoam and peanut butter, I would have probably been happier.

It is very difficult for me to admit that I am having anything less than a fabulous day. That is why I am telling you, the reader. Whoever you are ( perhaps no one will read this entry , and I can go merrily along in bullshit land ).

It was said by someone important to me that when I am bored, I am getting close to my Higher Power. Can you believe that? Hmmm... If that is true then my Higher Power needs a little action to get going. Some kind of stimulus package perhaps.

Super Sunday

Today was another gorgeous day in Calistoga. The temperature was a curious 80 degrees . This is shocking for February, and people around here are waiting for the other shoe to drop.Yesterday I went on a group hike to a place called "Zim Zim Falls " a natural waterfall one valley over from where I live.

Their were around 16 people who opted to go on this 8 mile hike, and about 8 made it to the Falls and back. Plenty of snacks were brought by those who went along. We shared all our "Super Food" as we compared chocolates, powerbars, pumpkin seeds, blueberries and the like. But as you might gather,"Food alone does not a hiker make fit". You have to do the hiking. Uphill, downhill, panting or not. I have a lot more calories to burn off as I type this blog. Even with all the preparation and specialized gear like new boots, a backpack and windbreaker. You still have to put one foot in front of the other and not lag behind. I made sure that i didn't do that. In fact, I got so far out in front that I was scolded for not waiting for the rest of the group to catch up.
My momentum was working and the leader was a little pissed off at me. I felt pretty good at the end of the day and was in fact, grateful for the camaraderie.

The weather today was a repeat of yesterday. More high pressure built in and plenty of blue skies. A lot of folks still opted to stay inside and watch the Super Bowl in front of their wide screen, high res, high def, 3-D Plasma pumping monoliths.

People in Texas were gathering outside the stadium in Arlington watching the matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers on similar style Jumbotrons at $200. a head! It was hard not to gloat, making comparisons between our situation and theirs.

Well the Packers won to my delight. I cannot claim any particular loyalty, except that they were slated as the underdogs, and I usually will root for the underdogs especially if someone I don't like is pulling for the opposition.

The problem here is that the people that were hosting the party were Steeler fans, and pretty nice folks. Hopefully they didn't care as much as I didn't care about the final outcome of the game. Besides, we had plenty of fun "dissing" the commercials which were naturally over-the-top, obnoxious and violent.

The party itself was pot luck, so their was plenty of food to nosh on. I had a whole variety of snacks which I am going to have to burn off by exercising at the end of this blog. Yea, right. Another 8 mile hike? I need a week to recoupe.

Locked Out !

The picture above is for my sister Tara. She has been encouraging me to do more landscapes so I drew this picture, scanned it and modified it in Photoshop. This is supposed to be a coastal scene of Russian Gulch, where I collect my Spirit Rocks.
Now onto the blog...

The sun shined brightly today, whereas in Streamwood Illinois, the sun may have been out but a major snow storm hit. My brother reported winds up to 60 mph, and around two feet of fresh snow. Yikes ! I really am counting my blessings and staying grateful for the unseasonably warm weather we have been having here on the west coast.

Speaking of the coast, that is where I went today. Jenner beckoned me with the idea of collecting more rocks for my Spirit Rock enterprise. I arrived around 3:30 PM with a large cloth bag to load about fifty perfectly smooth stones to be painted later. Only four other people were on the beach and around 5:00 PM i had enough rocks and seaside experience to carry me into the evening.Walking back to my car I had quite a load. The bag ending up breaking at the bottom, but no rocks escaped. I just folded it under and carried it like a baby. But when I got to my car i looked inside the window and immediately spotted my keys on the front seat. Shit ! Then came that sinking feeling you get when you realize a situation could become dire very easily.

I cussed some more and began to have racing thoughts. My first thought was to find a wire hanger or something to fish through the window to unlock the door. No such luck. One couple came back from the beach but sadly remarked that they didn't have a hanger and jumped into their car and took off. The next thought was AAA. Luckily, I had my Iphone with me. Not so lucky was that I couldn't get a signal and all my attempts at calling anyone failed. Shit !

I began pray. Some cars were whizzing by on their way up the coast towards Fort Bragg. I didn't want to flag someone down and look like a crazy person by waving my arms near the side of the road. It was getting cold and the sun was beginning to set...fewer cars were driving by. I told myself not to panic, and to listen to my inner guidance. It told me to drop my ego and seek help. So, like a crazy man I began waving my arms. The first truck sped by looking straight ahead. The next Truck slowed to a halt.

" What's up man?" the guy said. Swallowing my pride and told him that my keys were locked inside the car and needed to get in touch with AAA. He laughed and said "Hop in, I will take you to the gas station." He said that this type of thing happens all the time out here. I tried to remain cheerful in spite of an undercurrent of anxiety. We got to the gas station in Jenner and he let me out. Thankfully, the guy inside the convenience store had seen it all before as well. He gave me his cordless phone to call AAA. The operator informed me that It would take around 40 minutes, but to be patient and someone would be by. The store attendent interjected that they will probably send out smiling Dan. I began to wonder who this guy was, and if that was a good thing. Instead of worrying,maybe I should just trust the process and let my Higher Power handle this.

"I put a fresh pot of coffee on if you are interested" said the attendent." Thanks, that sounds like a good idea". so i shelled out a buck-fifty for the coffee and went outside to wait for smiling Dan.The sun began to set, and it was beautiful. Eventually AAA showed up and I got a ride with who I thought was to be smiling Dan. He told me that no, he was not smiling Dan, but was miserable Mark !

I gave a nervous laugh as he just dropped it into first gear and were off.

He looked like a grease monkey and a heavy metal dude ( perhaps a speed freak! ). Then Mark asks if I mind if he plays a little of his music ( I prepared myself for an amped up sample of Metallica ) and was shocked as he turns on a lilting sonnet by Mahler ! The guy digs classical ! Miserable Mark was a tough study, and I think he liked it that way. Long story short, we got to my lonesome vehicle, he was able to unlock the door with a jimmy stick and I was on my way. I thanked him by giving him one of the finished Spirit Rocks and he was most thankful. I signed the form and bid him farewell. Naturally I thanked my Higher Power for all the blessings received.

An Impulse Buy, but then...

Yesterday I returned from S.F. for the second time in two days. I went to MacWorld on Thursday, which is something I like to do annually. While there, I perused all of the expo floor and talked with many vendors about their new gadgets, software and peripherals.I recall being intrigued by a microprojector which you could hook up to your iPhone4 to see movies projected up to 7 feet in perfect resolution against a blank wall. I found it especially fascinating because you could also use it as a portable "still" projector and with special software you could project images onto a surface that could easily be traced using a pencil. I stood and watched the demo presentation over and over and asked many questions until all that was left was my desire to have the thing for myself.The presenter could tell I was chomping at the bit. I plunked down the plastic and after taxes it came to almost four bills. I wandered around to see the rest of the show, but already was feeling a bit anxious. Upon returning to Calistoga I immediately unboxed this jewel of gadgetry and began testing it out. If I were a rich man, this purchase would not phase me one iota. I decided to sleep on it. The next morning I awoke and this was the first and only thing on my mind. I called my friend Leo to come over and check it out before I returned to MacWorld to try and get my money back. The good news is that I was able to return it and get a full refund. Now I have the money I will need to purchase groceries. Food, Shelter and Clothing. These things come first .

Stags Leap

Today a group of us went on a hike to the top of the mountain range on the east side of the Napa Valley, known as the Vacas. We entered near Napa County's fish and game preserve and began walking east, straight up an incline that lead us to a fairly unmarked trail. It was a beautiful day with lots of sunshine. The temperature was unseasonably warm for January. I think it got up in the 70's. Harrison Hood and a fellow named Carter were our leaders. Everyone seemed to have just the right amount of gear to navigate this difficult trek... except me. I had a fanny pack, some chapstick, trail mix,water bottle a baseball cap and some decent socks to wear. Other than the bare bones basics I guess you could say. Thankfully, others had some sun block and extra snacks to tide me over.My shoes were comfortable but not meant for long hikes on rocky trails.Luckily, I did not suffer any blisters upon my return. The view at the top was phenomenal as this video will attest.

Antonia Moves on...

My friend and neighbor, Antonia Guitteriez has taken her family ( Neftali and Jessenia ) and has moved to a house on Fairway drive here in town. She is also an employee of the Culinary Institute and a fantastic baker. She used to bake all the cookies for the campus bakery when it was in operation. Yes, these are the same Peanut butter, Chocolate chip, Oatmeal and Sugar cookies that I got to bring home at the end of my shift everyday, to share with others in the neighborhood. As it turns out, she was never drawn to snacking on her own creations even though she would taste them, just to make sure they came out just right. Her kids are the most well behaved , fun - loving youngsters I have had the privilege to know.

Lately, I have been sleeping in, watching videos on my Ipad and painting rocks. I don’t get out much these days, and if I do it is only to shop or fill the car up with gas.Is this lazy or what? I wish I had something interesting or exciting to blog about. MacWorld is next week so maybe then I will have something to post here. The picture above is of the swamp area of Lake Hennessy. My favorite place to find solace.

Moving on, slowly

Today I accomplished three things that I set out to do. One, I updated my Spirit Rock weblog with a video that demos the luminescent qualities of the Spirit Rocks. Next, I took the single velvet sample bag that I received in the mail and scratched off the bar mitzvah commemoration that was inscribed on the front and emblazoned my own logo on the bag ( see above ). Lastly, I printed out five reproductions of paintings I had done, to submit to the St. Helena Library for consideration of a possible show in the future. All in all, it was a very productive day.

Too many distractions

Every day I make a point of getting focused. It is so easy to fall off track or forget to prioritize the tasks I set out for myself to do. I just got up to rewarm a cup of coffee in the microwave and have discovered that it is almost time to go shopping for groceries again. I have been eating lots of almonds, cheese and salami. Great diet, huh? These are items my brother and sister in law sent me for Christmas. i am ploying through them like a cellar rat foraging through the mother load of a squirrel's winter storage. I am still staying busy by painting lots of Spirit Rocks. I think I would be in the looney bin if I didn't have this way to spend my time. Thankfully, it doesn't get boring, and I feel that I am being useful with my time. Back to distractions. I have started about four books that I don't find the time to read but feel that I must engage them at some point ( Life by Keith Richards, An Uncertain Peril by Claire Claire Cummings, Getting Control of your anger by Robert Allan and No more in control by Redford & Virginia Williams). I spend far too much time on the puter reading aimless emails and Facebook postings.Another sip of coffee. Speaking of which, I have the coffee commitment for the Wednesday night meeting at 8pm. Feeling pressure to find meaningful work. Checking Craigs list daily. Firing off a cover letter and resume when something strikes my fancy... even if it is a job far away. Hey, I'm available ! Focus... what is next? okay... focus.

New Year is upon us

I am sitting here at home listening to my police scanner and "amateur night" is turning out to be just that. Already their is an intoxicated patron at Twin Pines casino who fallen off the bar stool and has hit his head requiring medical attention. A car has driven off Silverado trail into a ditch with four people involved. The transport helicopter cannot land due to poor visibility, so an ambulance has been dispatched from Napa.
So, tomorrow I am going to Dillon Beach for a pot luck lunch at my friend Dave 's place. I will be taking a friend named Melissa who I have enrolled in my rock hunting and painting pursuit.
I plan to show her Russian Gulch where I go to collect most of the rocks I use to create Spirit Rocks . I am looking forward to a great day.

Holy Night

After stopping off at my nephew Edward’s house in Napa to deliver gifts for his extended family, I went to Mass at Mt. La Salle. It used to be a midnight mass, but the retired Christian Brothers who live there, like to get to bed early. The chapel was filled with many people who I hadn’t seen in years. Brother Richard did the second reading which he described later as a run on sentence... offering no periods, commas or ellipses. Richard was my sponsor when I was studying to become a Christian Brother after my first year in college. He told me that I reminded him of Jesus Christ, which left quite an impression on me. Needless to say, I had to go out and prove him I was quite the opposite, yet still very much in need of redemption. He gave me a copy of a poem called,” The hound of heaven” which talks about the unrelenting pursuit of God’s love for us.That was years ago. I gave him one of my Spirit Rocks and he was very thankful. The Liturgy of the mass was splendid. The choir was accompanied by a violinist and organist. The sound was awe inspiring. Later after the reception, I drove back to Napa and went to a meeting. One of several that was being held over Christmas.

Inspired by the glow

Today I am following a new direction in my artwork. The emphasis will be on glowing. I like things that glow, reflect, refract or otherwise direct light in a visually pleasing manner.Mostly, things that either glow, sparkle, twinkle, shine from the outside or inside either right before dawn or just after dusk. This is why early Spring and early Fall are my favorite times of the year.As much as I enjoy the coziness of Winter, I must say that it is very much like the dog days of summer, where boredom and ennui creeps in and longs for change... any change. The Spirit Rocks were just a start. I am interested in creating something perhaps in 3-D, that will provide a sense of wonderment for a small child. Christmas tree lights and the fascination with glowing things are prevalent this time of the year. My apartment has several electronic gadgets that support my computers that have small colored lights of red, green and blue. Sometimes I think that it is because of these lights that I have all the computers. They just look so cool !

This one’s for you

December 14th is my friend Eric Swenson’s Birthday. I know, because he is one year ahead of me in the "number of years on the planet” category. I hope that he is having a great time up there in Port Townsend, Oregon. I heard someone say that 60 is today’s 40. Too bad for Eric because he is now 61.God, I hope that he is feeling more like 41 because that is how I remember him. I hope this sentiment is true for every one of the baby boomers that are still walking the planet. Remember when we used to "Not trust anyone over 30?" Now it's more like, just don't trust anyone ! LOL

Lately, the cloudy days around here have made me feel a bit melancholy.Yet it is wonderful to stay inside and create stuff. Today I worked on a new design for my Spirit rocks. I printed out a bunch of stickers with this upside down face on it. The “upside-downers” are fun to do. They say that if your nose runs and your feet smell that you are built upside down. That is what I tell people when I give them this particular rock. It is appropriate for this time of the year, because a lot of people have the sniffles.Anyway, after I print out the stickers, I cut them to size and paste them on the front side of the painted rock. Then after they are firmly sticking, I spray a coat of varnish over the top for protection. Then voila ! a new product is born.If you would like to see more of these rocks, go to my Spirit Rock blog. Just click on the link in the list on the right.