That Camping Feeling

When we return from camping, I always have some leftover relaxed, nothing-more-important-to-do-than-sit-in-the-shade-and-read-a-book kind of feeling. I try to hang on to that feeling for as many days as I can.

My washing, cleaning, organizing and storing of camping stuff is almost done. The piles are getting smaller and smaller. It feels good to get all that done, but the sad part is that my leftover camping feeling is diminishing in direct proportion to the size of my piles.

Hawaiian Flag

Ka Hae Hawaiʻi

Camping Stuff

The only not-so-great thing about camping . . . all the stuff that needs to be cleaned, organized and put away when we get home.

Hotel's Hot Peppers

freshly-grown (growing)

hot peppers

in a hotel's courtyard.

cool

(and hot)

Drapery detail

a shockingly bold design--

but it doesn't overpower when it's printed on draperies.

interesting...

Back to Civilization

We've been camping in some of the most beautiful and relaxing parts of the state, but L.A. still feels good when we get back. Even though our neighborhood is not the fanciest (that's an understatement), it still always feels right when we return from a trip. We turn up our street, pass the chain link fences and dried weeds in the empty lots, through the patchwork of a neighborhood that we call home.  It feels just that - home.

Park site

The beginnings of a new neighborhood park; hope they plan for shade.

advertisement

Inviting advertisement from Trader Joe's

Shortcut

sidewalks are nice.

sometimes shortcuts are better.

seat covers

Walked in a public restroom stall and for the first time ever I saw an automatic toilet seat cover; technology put to good use.

Feeding the plants

feeding the plants:

clean water, afternoon sun

and some Aloha vibes.

urban botany

right on.

Garbage in Chains

Repot

Noticed this plant is in need of re potting.

Firestone FIREHAWK

seeing this inflatable character

took me back to being a kid

when characters like this dominated my mind

when life was filled with superheroes 

panting smile

I noticed that even in the heat and through all his panting, that Buddy just always seems to be smiling.

Two times better

Double refreshing!

Yosemite View

Even though I notice that I embarrass him, I still like having him around.

(See you guys later. Going back off the grid for now.)

Disco Lives

Disco alive and flourishing at a summer concert in the park however I noticed that these musicians might not have even been alive in the 70"s!

Home for a Couple Days

Home for a couple days inbetween trips. Just enough time to unload and repack. Came back to:

1.) 100+ degree weather
2.) More stuff to handle re my recent identity theft
3.) Notification that I did not get the perfect job
4.) All of the above creating a very cranky me

Thank goodness I can still remember last week's fabulous trip.

And thank goodness there's still more camping to come.

Salt lamp

I've seen these in the stores,

but never in an "up close and personal" kind of way.

Stunningly beautiful

And so calming.

It reminds me of Kilauea's glow

on Hawai'i Island

street bike

Vintage (& cool!)

Stairs

Food Truck

Really? A Lobster Food Truck? It's a long way from a "roach coach".

Elevated Train Support

Terrarium

hearts aflutter

This building looks like there's hearts fluttering around it; I liked it.

Without a Computer

I've been working like crazy. Teaching like crazy. Loving it like crazy. Our final show was the best I ever put together and so satisfying. Now I'm off camping for two weeks. A much needed break from the city and obligations. I'll have my camera, but no computer. See you all in two weeks!

wired fence

Deterrent from climbing over I suppose.

Let's begin, again...

This morning, I poured myself a big cup of coffee

& sat down at my computer

& told myself:

"Ok.  You're back.  You've made it thru all of the craziness

of the past couple of months.

Breathe.  Return to the present moment.

Begin, again.

Hi Nan

Continuing to prepare for our final show at Summer of Art, I was pulling off more vinyl letters of student names left over from the full-time program, and noticed that I was left with "hi." I brought over "nan" from another wall, and had a neat little wink to my mom during our final show last Friday.

Light in the window

Lone light in the building made me wonder if anyone was home.

Bieber Bus

Made my way back to NYC from Reading, PA yesterday

riding on "The Bieber Bus" as it's affectionately called.

No.  Not Justin Bieber.

Carl R. Bieber Tourways.

I wonder how many teens think it's HIS tour bus when they see it

rolling down the highway...

tan lines

My husband wears shorts daily and works outside and his tan lines are evident.

We Never Close

The sign says "WE NEVER CLOSE"

Never say never

Color in the Classroom

Just a little splash of color

Rosemary

Saw of group of birds in the front yard; managed to catch this one enjoying the aroma of my rosemary plant. Made me think of the nest Jeanie found.

moon

Stopped and admired the full moon on my way home tonight.

Driving

Yep. There he is. My youngest. In the driver's seat.

After

27 years later....

Summer Vacation

Nearly 30 years ago, we went on a trip up the coast of California. It was planned as a long camping trip with a quick first stop as an overnight visit with my relatives in Petaluma.

We drove up the beautiful Pacific Coast Highway.

Just south of San Francisco, our Volkswagen camper leaked fuel into the oil. By the time we arrived at my aunt's house, our engine was ruined (which we had just recently rebuilt). We were stuck for the entire two weeks of our vacation trying with little success to get our car fixed. In the end, they were able to get it running enough for us to drive home to L.A. and our own mechanic. But they warned us to drive slowly and take it easy.

I had been so angry while waiting and wasting away our vacation.

Driving home, at 45 miles an hour, gave me a completely differently outlook. The anger blew away with the wind through the windwing window. I realized that I could notice more, enjoy the trip a lot more, just by going more slowly.

North of Santa Barbara we stopped for the night at a little, rundown campground. We sputtered to a stop and set up camp. Across the highway was the ocean and there we discovered another campground - a wonderful place called El Capitan State Beach.

We went back the next year, and the year after that. Other family members started joining us. It's now a family tradition, and the only place my guys want to go for summer. And we still go there in that same Volkswagen camper.

Station 20

We have an annual beach party every summer and for years we've set up near station 20; here we were yesterday at 6am claiming our spot for a day of fun in the sun.

Nan

Today, I was getting my classroom ready for our final show next week. There were vinyl letters on the wall - the names of students left over from the year-end show of the full-time BFA program. I was going around pulling the letters off the wall. Before I completely removed Sean Heffernan, I noticed this bit of loveliness left on the wall.

Nan was my mom's name.   I think I will leave this on the wall for a while longer.

Lei materials

While I was on Molokai recently,

I gathered lots of materials to make new leis.

These are bags of hihiwai shells, half shells of the kukui nut

and kamani nuts from the sacred grove

27/27

July 27, 1985- maybe it's lucky to be 27 years on the 27th?

muralist

Mural in the making

Lunch Time

I spent my lunch hour watching this young girl spend her lunch hour doing summersaults and handstands across the grass.

Stairs at Otis

I love these stairs. Up and down all day long in my favorite place.

statement art?

Political statement? scary.

Staples Again

Seriously? Again?

The third (or is it fourth) time that I've shared

this crowded freeway interchange with the Staples truck

during morning rush hour.