October 10, 2012  Bandon, Oregon

From "Ocean Vista" cottage where we are taking an R & R.  The view is dramatic including a "colony" of sea stacks varying in size from 8 feet to 80 feet high and 5 feet to 100 feet wide, maybe more.  They are remnants of the cliff that rises 80 feet above the sand beach when it once extended further west.  These sea stack rocks appear to have been arranged by a zen master gardener.  Each one is in perfect relationship in size and position to the others.  It is a wondrous example of how natural forces create art that no human hand can improve on.  There is something mystical yet simple about this phenomenon.  You see it everywhere in nature but this oversize rendition that has taken thousands of years to produce is one of the more dramatic examples.  The arrangement appears as  if it could be no other way, yet obviously it could be arranged in an infinite number of ways and still give the same impression of being inevitable:  Large, medium, small -- blocky, narrow, rounded -- near, wide, overlapping -- clustered, separated -- light, shadow -- all in perfect harmony.  Powerful forces at work over long spans of time create wonders that we call beautiful.

Been out of town, off line and when back on spending far too much time with twitter.  You may note that my blogging is evolving.  That's a weak attempt to justify the above photo of one of humanity's true heros.  Back to more worthy blogging later -- or not.  

At about 2 AM, June 11, 1943 a B-24 Liberator heavy bomber crashed between the towns of Weed and Mount Shasta, California about 8 miles north of where we live.  The bomber was on a night navigation training mission out of Salinas, CA army air force base, with a crew of 10 aboard.  The cause of the crash was the failure of two engines on the the same wing.  Four of the crew bailed out and survived.  The other six lost their lives in the crash and subsequent fire.  The site of the crash can still be visited and small pieces of debris found.  Several of us have been involved in producing and installing an exhibit about the crash at the Sisson Museum near the town of Mount Shasta, CA.  The exhibit is dedicated to the memory of the young men who gave their lives in service to their country.  The photo above shows the size and configuration of this famous World War II aircraft.

I recently finished a biography of Isak Dinesen by Judith Thurman.  Isak Dinesen is the pen name of Danish author Karen Blixen.  Blixen's most famous book is "Out of Africa", her memoir of the 17 years she spent in British East Africa, now known as, Kenya. It was published in 1937.  The book was made into the Academy Award winning film, of the same title, staring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford.  Blixen's next most famous work is "Seven Gothic Tales."  These dense, dark stories are a challenge, but worth the effort.  The photo above of Karen Blixen, her mother, and an odd driver displays the author's whimsical side, one facet of her complex personality.

Were the Stanford grad below and Alex Trebek ("Jeobardy") above separated at birth?

Will this Stanford grad recognize himself?  He's pointing to the year he graduated.  There is a brass plaque every couple feet along the quad colonnade for all the years that Stanford has been in business, which is quite a few plaques.

If you are ever in Santa Rosa, CA and were or are a "Peanuts" fan, be sure to visit the Charles Schultz museum.  It's very well done with hundreds of original Peanuts panels and a recreation of  Shultz's studio among other interesting items. You can also pose beside life size Peanuts characters as seen above with yours truly and our former Sunnyvale neighbors, Janet and Glenn Hubbard who now live in Santa Rosa.  In this rare case, Jennie was the photographer.  For more information and photos see the web site www.shultzmuseum.org