Moon-struck...

In Spanish... it's called La Luna; in French... Lune; the Greeks call her Mene; the Germans say Mond; in any language, it translates to Moon. The more we know about her... the more we know how little we really know. The stories are bold. The metaphors are endless.

I took the photo on the evening of August 27, 2009, over the night sky of Santa Barbara, California. She is waxing toward September's "Full Corn Moon", in Pisces on September 4th. It will mark the beginning of the corn harvest... so says the Farmer's Almanac.

I don't know corn moons from strawberry moons or Hunter's moons, cold moons, blue moons, or grape fruit flakes moons. But I do know when she's full she's awesome, and my shutter stands in waiting. The moon will rise at around 6:45 pm; still daylight, which might offer some nice shots. She will be full at 12:03 am, and set around 5:40 am. I expect I'll spend the wee early hours somewhere around one of the beaches along the California shore.

Here's mooning ya....

and so it goes.

Pacific Nights...

I'm fairly sure that strange, somewhat bright, object I saw gliding across the early morning sky, as I was photographing Orion and Pleiades, was one of the many satellites wandering around "up there". It appeared briefly... a few seconds, and seemed to twist it's way across the sky in a wave. Probably it wasn't one of those mysterious visits by a UFO. I'm fairly certain. Right!?

Anyway... after more than a week of cloudy nights, the Pacific night sky, off the coast of Santa Barbara, showed off last night. A blue black backdrop, over the ocean, revealed heavenly wonders in all their glory. Stars and planets visibly cruised toward the western horizon right through the break of dawn. It was... exhilarating.

Besides that strange object, occasional meteors interrupted the seeming stillness of stars and planets hanging in the dark void, accompanied by a soft melodic refrain, no doubt provided by the ebb and flow of stars vibrating their way through life... and death, in the mysterious chaotic calm of the cosmos.

The approaching Fall and Winter has long been my most favorite time for star-gazing. Much of the reason has to do with Orion taking center stage... along with the Seven Sisters ( Pleiades ). Together they call forth the brightest and most mysterious objects of the heavens. Alone, they offer mysteries and magnificence of their own. To the left, I cropped out a 100 mm shot of the Pleiades... the reputed cradle of life.

Below... Orion hangs ominous in all his mystery, magnificence, and commanding stature. It's said that the first instance of life born of Pleiades was transported to Orion, where it sought perfection... and found chaos instead. Unrelenting, the Great Hunter continues to seek that elusive perfection; the chaos remains, albeit with a purpose and beauty unmatched... save like systems in millions of other galaxies.

...and so it goes.

From This Seed: An Amazing Grandson

Over my nearly sixty-five years I have witnessed some amazing things. I used to think my recovery from the challenges put to me, resulting from war, were remarkable and I concluded that in the battle of mind and body, the mind has the upper hand if one so chooses. Little did I know how right I was.

Of all the remarkable things I have witnessed, none reaches the heights set by my grandson... Joey; as he takes on his days one at a time, on his terms... with a powerfully positive attitude that says to the reaper, "not just yet". This young man of eighteen years has set a new standard for what is and isn't "remarkable". I live each and every day with the pride and joy of knowing he is "from this seed"..... a Navarro.

From where does this remarkably high outlook and attitude come? That one is easy. Joey's parents... my son Joseph and his wife, Robyn; who share that high standard the three of them have set and continue to elevate. I shed happy tears of pride each and every day, over their amazing strength and faith.

While I know first hand that impossible is but a word forever proved erroneous, I am a realist and remain ever aware of a possible change in the tide. But, for now I bathe in the joy that each day brings as Joey defies the odds and dares to redefine impossible.

Today is another good day. Tomorrow will be another. My remarkable grandson is in the driver's seat and he's steering a course filled with happy days. I remain here in California enjoying each and every day he gives me.

From this seed...

Not long after graduating from high school I got a call. A voice in my head said go north. I listened.

I was young back then, and pretty much full of myself. Fresh out of high school, I was destined to take on the world on my terms; or so I thought. It's an old story. You probably heard it before. Could be you lived it your own self.

Frankie sang of it... "I did it my way." And... for most of us, that "my way" attitude often led to unplanned and not so desirable results.

Still... good can be found in everything. My move to Santa Barbara back in 1963 eventually led to two wonderful sons, a grandson, two grand-daughters and... to date, three great grand-daughters. There will soon be more to come, as my youngest grand-daughter (not pictured) announced her intentions to add to the family tree.

Pictured here is my oldest grand-daughter... Linda, with my oldest great grand-daughter, Bella. We hung out together today. It was grand, no pun intended.

Bella will start school next week. She is smart as a whip and I envision the beginning of something special in the making that will impact the world in a special way in 12-16 years from now.

It's these special moments that keep us older folks feeling young and proud.

In The Heat of The Night.....

Lightning comes in many forms. Sometimes it's so far away that you don't hear the associated thunder and it appears more as a fireball in the clouds instead of the familiar streaks of electricity. They call it "heat lightning".... without an "E" after the T.

This show of power in the sky was going on, tonight, as I ventured over to Baskin-Robins for a taste of Cherries Jubilee ice cream.

The storm was off to the west and north... over the Gulf. It lasted for about two hours. By the time it reached shore, one hour after I took the photos, the lightning had ceased and rain began falling.

I had hoped to watch the Perseids, but this show was alt least as entertaining.

... and so it goes.

Dancing in the Night Sky...

(Location: Falling Waters State Park, Florida)

It was a treacherously hot day for northern Florida... in the low 100's. I weathered the heat for a short while, hiking around the park. Finally, enough was enough and I headed back to camp in search of relief. Finding none, I went for a swim.

As the evening shade cloaked the landscape and the temperature dropped to a more tolerable 82 degrees, I began setting up for my evening Perseid meteor watch. I hoped to get lucky and catch a shooting star, or two, in my lens. But Mother Nature doesn't appear inclined to be cooperative. As storm clouds gathered, I captured a different sort of show. The dancing lights of electricity bursting from the clouds, in a lightning display worthy of charging admission.

So far... no rain, but that's not unusual during these summer displays of power in the sky.


It's still possible that the clouds could wander off, clearing the way for a starry night. Here's hoping.

Meanwhile, I've sprayed myself with OFF to guard against the vampire mosquitoes.... and I wait, listening to the call of the night.

... and so it goes.

Playing with stars and planets

(Location: Falling Waters State Park, Florida)

The photo is actually a "stack" of seven photos, taken over a three minute span, to capture the Earth's movement in relationship to the night sky.

The bright object(s) is the planet Jupiter. The others are surrounding stars. They are moving east to west (left to right in the photo). You'll notice a gap, where I stopped to adjust the shutter speed.

I took this photo(s) in response to a question I was asked about photographing the night sky and why the stars appeared to streak. It demonstrates a number of problems. Primarily, available light and how to deal with it. Apart from the dealing with the primary problem, it also demonstrates the technique of photographing star and planet "trails" as the object(s) move across the sky. If the central focus of the photo had been the North Star, instead of Jupiter, the streaks of light would go around in a circle.

Note the equal lengths of the first five objects in the sets. Exposure time for each was 20 seconds. For the last two, exposure was changed to 8 seconds and 4 seconds, respectively. With less exposure time the objects more closely assumed their circular shape. At 10 seconds each object would be represented with a single long streak of light. Optimal exposure time to capture the object without movement, using a still camera, is in the one to two second range. The problem would be how to capture that far away light in such a short time.

The solutions are varied, and involve changing film or digital chip speed, and a larger aperture setting (smaller number). This example was taken at F/5.8, ISO 100. A setting of F/2 ISO 400 would allow for more light to reach the chip (or film) faster and thus reduce the necessary shutter speed and eliminate the Earth's rotation.

Below is an example of stopping the night sky's motion. The arrow points to jupiter.

100mm F/2.8, ISO 800, 1 sec exposure

By the way, Jupiter is approaching it's closest position to Earth over the next few days and is an awesome sight in the camera lens or a good set of binoculars.

... and so it goes.

Survival: How Well Do You Blend In?

My BlogSpot (http://www.dnavarrosr.blogspot.com/)

As I worked my way back to Florida, I though about how the Sunshine State is a real SURVIVOR. Not only does it continue to weather hurricanes and tornadoes every year, it's also prone to sink holes, and much of the state is BELOW sea level. Back home at The Briars it's barely 57 feet above the water line, with the highest area elevation being a mere 213 feet. I suppose that difference qualifies adding the "Hill" to Spring Hill. The highest point in the state is up at Britton Hill (345 ft), in the panhandle... up near the Southern Alabama border; not too far from my current location.

I'm spending the next couple of days at Falling Waters. It's a Florida State Park up by Chipley; south of I-10, west of Tallahassee. When one thinks of waterfalls the image is usually of water cascading down a mountainside. Falling Waters is dubbed as Florida's "highest" waterfall. It's a 20 foot wide pit. The Sink is 100 feet deep. A small stream flows into the pit dropping 73 feet to an as yet determined destination somewhere in the aquifer.

I'm not a fanatic about causes, and not an eco-activist. But I do get concerned when corporate interests rape and pillage the land uncontrollably; displacing natures wonders in favor of the almighty dollar. I enjoy the tranquility that comes with blending into nature and take care to ensure my forays leave the land the way I find it. I expect others to do the same and tend to get miffed when I see litter strewn about.

Speaking of blending in... this happy couple takes camouflage to the extreme. Spotting them is more accidental than anything else as they could easily seem to be part of the tree.

Wednesday I'll drive directly back to the Briars without slowing as I pass GO, and not a whole lot of concern about winning a get out of jail free card or the financially advantages of buying Boardwalk and Park Place. The appointment on the 13th has monopolized enough of my plans. If it gets changed again I'll just cancel it and get back on the road. Good grief Charlie Brown, the settlers didn't have this many delays heading west.

I'm going to pan fry some diced chicken breast over a campfire tonite, and settle back to watch the opening salvo of the Perseid meteor shower.

This is the way it is in my world..... and so it goes.

America The Beautiful

My BlogSpot - August 10, 2009

I'm camping along-side the Pascagoula River; down around the Mississippi Sound, by Gautier. Unspoiled cordgrass marches and cypress trees blend into an estuary that dumps into the Gulf of Mexico. It's another example of how similar...yet different life is along the Gulf Coast.

I wasn't able to get a "modern conveniences" campsite, so I'm roughing it. But at least I got a picnic table and grill. I had to hike a bit to shower up at the public bath house. After settling in and taking care of necessities, I went over to Alligator Alley... a disk golf course that bumps up against Lamotte Bayou. Disk golf is included in the park entry fee.

What the heck is disk golf, you ask. Well... you remember the era of the frisbee? Instead of whacking a little white ball with a club, in disk golf you throw a frisbee disk through, over, and around the trees; the goal being a target basket. It's great excercise and a chance to really enjoy the natural beauty of the park.

Predicted thundershowers didn't arrive. The weather has been good... although a tad hot and humid in the upper 80's. Today is expected to be somewhere up in the 90's. At this early hour (5am) it's already 83 degrees, with no wind... which causes the humidity to hang heavy in the air. But that comes with Gulf Coast living and is the reason for the slow pace down in this part of the country.

Night time light pollution is minimal and I've had a chance to enjoy watching the stars and planet dance around the sky from a different perspective than I normally see back home at The Briars. Jupiter off to my southwest... Venus and Mars rising in the north-northeast; the occasional meteor blazing across the heavens. The mind wanders easily as it tugs at whatever this natural connection is that we have with universal wonders. I'll watch the sunrise with other early rising campers.

Round and Round We Go .....

I'm beginning to feel like a wandering nomad.

With the news about Joey getting better and better, I'm sorta in neutral gear here in Louisiana; camped out at Lake Bruin State Park. Down near St Joseph. It's a nice setting, complete with all the modern camping amenities; fresh water, electricity, showers, picnic tables, a splash pad, a fire ring for campers to gather 'round and meet.

I'm actually pointing the Explorer east again, and not really in much of a hurry to go anywhere. Sheesh.... how's that for no responsibilities. I do have that appointment on the 13th that I initially returned home to keep; so I have 5 days to kill trekking slowly back to the Briars.

Here's the new agenda:
I'll spend the next 5 days on a slow and lazy exploration of the Gulf Coast, around Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida panhandle. I'll take in some sights... and some sun around the beaches; especially Biloxi and Fort Walton; and then I slide down to the Briars for that appointment.

I'll spend the ensuing weekend... 14th through the 16th, in Naples (FL) at Briars II. There's a great Jazz concert going on. Did I say I have a weakness for good smooth jazz.

On Monday, August 17, we'll try this westward road trip again. Ten days to reach Houston for mom's birthday. I'll likely get there on the 25th or 26th. I'll meet Big Joey (my son) and his wife there; as the whole clan gathers for a reunion, and they will join me on the drive to California.

Now... California is a nice place - to visit. I lived there for almost thirty years, and chose to venture east for many reasons. Some of those reasons will certainly surface over time and I'll get a calling to head home again. What I don't know is when.

When I do start back (probably in late October or November), barring any glitches, it will be a slow drive east through and around points further north... along the Interstate -40 corridor. That will take me through the Texas panhandle, Oklahoma, Arkansas, upper Mississippi and over to Atlanta and Stone Mountain. It's at Stone Mountain that I will turn south again, dropping down Georgia, through Valdosta and back home. We'll be in the throes of winter by then, so there will certainly be no big rush.

Anyway:

As I settled down here at the camp ground, I noticed a family of five setting up camp. It's hot... low 90's, and I noticed the dad was frustrated over the kids pouting. I struck up a conversation with him and he said they (the kids) were pouting because they couldn't get on the Internet from there. Good grief, Charlie Brown... I thought. The Internet really has consumed us.

Anyway, he said he was about to drive back to the nearest city and buy a cell phone Internet connection. "That would be New Orleans", I offered.

Then... suddenly, one of the kids hollered out... "hey, daddy.... there's an Internet connection somewhere nearby. I've got a good signal." All three kids were excited. Dad just smiled. Mom turned her attention from the BBQ pit and shook her head. "Awe shucks", the kid blurted, "it has a password."

"Maybe you can crack it," said the younger brother."

I laughed.

Finally, edging the dad aside, I said... "the signal is coming from my car. When you reach the end of your frustration I'll give you the password and you can be a hero, if you want."

"Really?!" he exclaimed, with a wide smile.

Later they invited me over to have supper with them; after which he demonstrated his password cracking skills to the kids and he, his wife and I went for a hike around the Lake.

The real story here, for me, is not so much how the Internet has consumed our attention; particularly the younger generation, but that there remains many friendly folks out here on the road and it doesn't take a whole lot to meet new friends and weave fun memories on a road trip across America.

... and so it goes.

Staying Connected ...

05 Aug 2009, Briars II at My BlogSpot - I travel... alot, by car. I might be in a big city in the morning and far from civilization by noon; staying in a motel room one night, and camping in the wilderness on another. While I enjoy my travels, I'd be lost without a means of communications. The Internet has become an integral part of my life. Probably yours too.

As such... AutoNet, which turns my car into a WiFi hotspot is an important part of my travel gear. Even more so than my GPS. I can turn on my laptop and take the world with me to the top of Mt Rushmore or a Grand Canyon gorge; to the middle of Atlanta, or the middle of the Mojave Desert.

Today's technology has made the world a smaller place. That's not entirely a bad thing. Afterall, electronics do come with an off switch.

... and so it goes.

Next Up......

Took a detour back to the Briars to keep a Tuesday appointment, which has now been pushed to the 13th. I hate when that happens. Anyway, that gives me a few days to hang around the Gulf Coast, go boating and... maybe visit the Tampa Bay zoo. By the way ... the boat will be christened DESTINY.

Friday I'll do a weekender... to Maggie Valley/Ashville, North Carolina; one of my favorite areas. I'll tour the 120-foot Rainbow Falls, then head over to Upper Whitewater Falls, where water plummets a heart-stopping 411 feet, and Hickory Nut Falls (404 feet). The down side of the Ashville area is accommodations, which start at around $109 per night. As a matter of principle I simply won't pay that kind of money for 4-5 hours of sleep. No problem though, as I have my tent and Pisgah National Forrest is nearby. I'll also do a Blue Ridge Parkway drive, which is always enjoyable.

Then it's back to the Briars... a few days at the beach, do some bike-riding, take care of business and get back on the road west. With this ten day delay, I have put feelers out for a travel partner. Don't know if I'll get any takers on such short notice but it would be fun.

Good Morning America...

As the sun rises over the Atlantic, silhouettes of life quickly appear to greet the day. Seabirds take flight and humans scurry along packed sand left by the outgoing tide. From Florida to Maine, the picture changes little... save for the seasons, and perhaps more regional decor unblemished by man and tucked away in secret places.

With the light of day, it's clear that life is on the move... be it in work or play.

These scenes tell many stories. Among them; regardless of the state of the world... or the Nation, life goes on. Any sense of dismay or concern is for another time; in another setting; washed away by the sea... in hopes that each passing minute is as pleasant as the last.

For now, at least... all is well.

...and so it goes.

See the USA: Progress is a matter of perception

July 29, 2009 - It's a pretty short trip from the Briars to Jacksonville, Florida; 165 miles... about 3 1/2 hours. That is... unless you're not in a real hurry to get there. I wasn't.

About a third of the way, I stopped in Silver Springs; not to be confused with my destination of Silver Spring (no s) up in Maryland. It's up near Ocala. I didn't stay long. Mostly I was doing some reconnaissance, for a return trip later... with my boat.

Silver Springs is a State Park area and home of a private park featuring glass bottom boat rides. It's also the site of the filming of many movies, including the old Seahunt tv series. To enjoy the view of the springs, I could pay $60 for a park pass, or launch my boat nearby and cruise in via free public access on the river. With the coordinates of a suitable boat launch typed into Magellan I scheduled a return trip to do some cruising, camping and snorkling at the springs on a future date. Only 50 miles from the Briars, it will make a nice day trip.

While there, I did take in the sights. It's a typically gorgeous Florida river setting, with an abundance of foliage and wildlife. Hiking roads meander through the wilderness. Summer tourist activity is pretty brisk, but I imagine when I return in February or March there will be fewer human visitors.

By mid afternoon I was on the road again... heading northeast by way of Hwy 301; a semi-backroad that connects with I-10 just west of Jacksonville. I stopped for a late lunch in Starke.

Starke is a small town, population just over 5000. Most work for the prison system. Starke is home to Florida State Prison and the site of Florida executions, including Ted Bundy, Aileen Wuornos and Danny Rolling. It's also a town famous for film. G.I Jane, Tigerland and What's Love Got To Do With It, were filmed in the area.

Jacksonville is a far cry from backroads Florida. It's nightlights (and night life) compete with most any Metropolis. I'm spending the night here and will head north on I-95 come sunrise.

In the photos... compare downtown Starke to downtown Jacksonville and it's like visiting two different worlds.

(Click on photo to enlarge)

See the USA...

I've had few friends ask if I could include my road trip blogs here on BlogSpot, so I am working on doing that. Actually I should have done it from the start since blogging here automatically posts the blogs to Facebook.

Anyway, I'm going to have a few days of catchup time. I'll use part of it to set up a daily road trip blog on my Briars II blogspot website and begin posting the blogs and photos on my personal website at www.crackedrabbit.com. I've also started using twitter for short notes. Links to facebook and blogspot will be added there.

Initial blogs can be read on facebook. I considered reposting them here but it would duplicate them over on that website.... http://facebook.com/malemotives