2014 Wrap-up and holiday newsletter

Thanksgiving 2014 in Santa Monica Mountains

Visit to my brother and sister in-Laws house in the Santa Monica mountains. They keep an amazing garden.

Pre-turkey activities for Ross and Morgan...

Preparing the meal...

 The outdoor prep kitchen

Hiking at Malibou Creek State Park. Recognize the location?

Now you got it?

And finally, a woman with her treasures...

Land's End and Bolivian Pride Festival - Golden Gate Park

We embark on a meandering hike along Lincoln Park to Lands End, and then up through Golden Gate Park with the "Realm of Possibilities" crew, stopping to explore, perform, and discuss the music and musings of Bob Dylan. The setting is as much an entertainment as the props and lyrics we brought along - and the stories which wound it all together provided by the group's collective San Franciscan upbringing in the 60's expanded the experience beyond all expectations.

Can you find the kayaker fishing in the photo below?

The labyrinth and Land's End - a place full of magic and adolescent mischief.

A rusty horizon mid-day - now what would cause that?

Rambling while reciting a verse

in Dylan's voice so horsely terse

we stumble upon

a pride so strong

a group that dresses to belong

We're Bolivian and proud

our costumes are loud

The others nearby 

co-opted our pride

our dress and our customs

spread far and wide

and dance now to celebrate

Bolivian Pride!

And a short movie...

Anyone know what this odd concoction of a featured creature is called?

Marlette Lake Fall Colors

We prepared to go on an outing to seek out some spectacular fall colors. As I was loading the car I grabbed this image from the driveway...

On the way up 267 towards Brockway Summit, there is this old homestead that has always had reliable aspens in full fall color.

After driving down to Lake Tahoe, and then around the east shore to Spooner Summit, we unloaded the bikes and rode 4 1/2 miles uphill from Spooner Summit to Marlette Lake.  The road is relentless, but after 2 1/2 hours of effort we arrived at the shores on Marlette lake - not to be disappointed.

2 minute Lake Tahoe meditation movie

Note: If you want to see this full size or High Definition, you'll need to click over to view it on the Vimeo site. Just click on the "HD" at the bottom of the video to jump over..."

Lake Tahoe from Sugar Pine Point from David Galson on Vimeo.

Truckee River and Sugar Pine Point