Alaska with James Earl Jones

There is a void in the theatrical world with the loss of James Earl Jones, earlier this week. Steve and I have our own personal memories of the man. We spent a week, in 1992, on Holland America's m.s. Noordam with Mr. Jones, his wife, son, and his in-laws. I just had to share.

Because he was just a fellow cruiser, we never approached him so this is the only photo taken of the legend. We're discreet paparazzi.

So why was James Earl Jones on an Alaskan cruise? We found that out when he graciously offered to host a Q & A session if everyone would stop approaching him and his family! What an event. What a neat guy. Turns out, in 1990, Mr. Jones spent a weekend in Juneau to narrate a film about the killer whale Shamu for the Sea World marine parks. He returned with a "heart full of love for this country."  “This is a new idea at Sea World,” said Jones. “Instead of just voice narration for the shows, they use a large screen to showcase natural habitats and other background of the animals.” Interestingly, we were Sea World passholders and had seen his Shamu Show numerous times. What wonderful memories.

"To live in hearts we leave behind, is not to die. ~Thomas Campbell

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Whirlwind Tahoe Stop

This hasn't been our summer for too many unforgettable Sierra memories but when this brief escape arose, we embraced the opportunity.

We celebrated our friend Sharon's birthday with a brunch al fresco. We played Yahtzee on Bob and Jenny's deck overlooking the Lake. I had coffee and catchup time with Cyndi, and while I spent the day with Karen, Steve hiked his favorite trail. It may have been a brief visit but it was exceptional one.
Karen and I began our Friend Fun Day at Cove East for some Lake admiring and nature ogling.



We then had coffee at a darling new little store, Gathered and Grown Home.
This adorable shop is a curated home goods store for the modern living environment. Founded by mother and daughter, the store offers an intimate setting to browse, shop, drink coffee and relax.
"The organization and store experience are premised on the principles of slow living: cultivating community, simplifying our lives, love of design and investing time in appreciating the preciousness of our environment."
Our ultimate destination was the Haldan Gallery at Lake Tahoe Community College. The current exhibit is Luminous Nights: A Dance of Light and Darkness. These photos by Vanessa Franking are unbelievably gorgeous and unique.
We were asked to "Step into a realm where the night comes alive with movement and mystery. The collection of photographs explores the enchanting interplay of light and color in the deepest hours of night. The show includes stunning captures of the Milky Way and night sky, offering a celestial perspective that invites viewers to lose themselves in the vast expanse of stars. The photographs not only highlight the beauty of the cosmos but also evoke a sense of wonder and contemplation."
"Light-painting images, taken during the early blue hour or combined with the Milky Way, add another layer of creativity and intrigue. These works demonstrate the artist’s mastery in using minimal light to create maximum impact, blending natural and artificial light sources to craft unique and ethereal visuals."



At the beginning of the exhibit there is a display where Vanessa recognizes Light-Painting legends Eric Paré and Kim Henry for luring her into the world of tube light-painting and into the worldwide Tube Tribe of fellow light-painter. I found an amazing video that shows just how Eric makes the magic happen. Wow.
"Through this collection, the artist invites you to experience the magic of night, where the scarcity of light paints a dark canvas for infinite creativity. Join us for an immersive journey into the art of long exposure photography, where every image tells a story of light and shadow in perfect harmony."
I agree with Vanessa's philosophy, 100%, "This is a work in progress. I travel, I observe, and I see. Always looking for the joy element, I hope to share with you the world as I see it."

While our stay in Tahoe wasn't nearly long enough, it definitely contained many joy elements!

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I am a SOLANTHOPHILE

My girlfriend, Keri, shared this apt noun describing me.

Solanthophile (n.): someone who is irresistibly in love with sunflowers, especially because of their positive vibe and aura. And while not found in a dictionary, I like the idea of the word.
I have found myself in large fields of sunflowers in Italy and in California. If spotted, a loud "Stop the car!" is uttered. It brings me such joy.
"If I wasn't created as a human, I'd want to be a sunflower, for to me, there is nothing as cheery or as bright in the world. This majestic bloom stands in a field taller than those plants which surround it. Its brilliant yellow petals are visible from great distances, allowing happiness to begin, in wonderful anticipation. Its face, no matter its circumstances, is always turned toward the sun, seeking its warmth and goodness. Its seeds number in vast quantities, allowing new sprouts to grow over large areas, spreading its cheeriness easily and freely. It is a sunflower that I'd want to be, if, of course, I wasn't me."
“A sunflower field is like
a sky with a thousand suns.”
― Corina Abdulahm-Negura
"Keep your face to the sunshine
and you cannot see the shadow.
It's what sunflowers do."
-Helen Keller
"Flowers have an expression of countenance
as much as men and animals.
Some seem to smile; some have a sad expression;
some are pensive and diffident; others again are plain,
honest and upright, like the broad-faced sunflower and the hollyhock."
-Henry Ward Beecher
While on a road trip through Kansas, I spotted sunflowers in a field. This huge work demanded the question, "Did I see what I thought I saw?" In 2001, Cameron Cross created a 24 by 32 foot reproduction of Vincent Van Gogh's Sunflowers and mounted it on an 80 foot steel easel. This photo doesn't do it justice. The structure and painting weigh 40,000 pounds and resides in Goodland, Kansas. By the way, Kansas is nicknamed the Sunflower State so this painting is perfect for so many reasons.
And when I can't find a sunflower field to be in, I always have my car. My last two vehicles have been adorned with this delightful image. I am so a SOLANTHOPHILE. What a delightful trip down my Sunflower Memory Lane.

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Meet Architect Lilian Rice...

On the way to visiting Steve's Mom, we delight in taking detours. This one provided us with an interesting history lesson about Southern California native, Lilian Jeannette Rice (1889–1938).

In 1921, Rice was hired as an associate in the office of Richard Requa and Herbert Jackson, resulting in a significant advance in her professional life. Of note is that the roster of the California State Board of Architectural Examiners indicates that Rice was only the tenth woman in the state to receive her license at a time when there were 1,650 men licensed as architects. Requa and Jackson had recently been commissioned to design a Civic Center on the former Spanish land grant of Rancho San Dieguito in San Diego County (a property of nearly 9,000 acres), a project that they passed on to Rice, their most capable associate. When the designs for the Civic Center site plan and buildings were completed, she turned to the residential aspects of the highly restricted, upscale subdivision, which was renamed Rancho Santa Fe in mid-1922. With other more lucrative projects to work on in San Diego, Requa gave her full creative and supervisory control over the entire project in 1923, and she was soon directing a large team of workers. Rancho Santa Fe became one of the state's first planned communities unified by a single architectural theme, the Spanish Colonial Revival.
With not enough time to explore thoroughly, we ogled as many of her buildings as possible. Finished in 1923, this was her office.


Rice’s variation on the Spanish colonial architectural style was a Spanish village concept, where she combined the history of the original rancho, her travels (she loved Spain) and her training. La Flecha House, her first village residence, was built in 1923.
A modest building of some 1,000 square feet, the home included a living room, dining room, kitchen, two bedrooms and a bath. Its most unusual feature was being wired as an all-electric house—heating (including hot water), lighting and cooking—at a time when many rural San Diego homes had no electricity at all. The home was built of adobe brick, rough plastered on the exterior, smooth on the interior. The roof was flat, with parapet walls, equipped with drainpipes to dispose of rainfall. All railings, and both exterior and interior lighting fixtures were crafted of wrought iron in the Spanish colonial style. A garage wasn’t provided, or needed, at the time.
It now houses the Rancho Santa Fe Historical Society but wouldn't you know it, it was closed for renovations. Next time!
Our final stop was an explore of The Inn. In 1924, the Santa Fe Land Company built a guest house called ‘La Morada’ for potential homebuyers. As the new village took shape along Paseo Delicias — Rice also designed the commercial block, row houses, a school, even a gas station — The Inn soon became the center of the community. It attracted such Hollywood stars as Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks, who had ranchos nearby, and later, Bing Crosby, who opened the Del Mar Racetrack in 1937. Howard Hughes even leased a cottage here in the early sixties.




We plan to return to admire more architectural masterpieces, lounge about in the library, and have lunch on the patio to admire the view created by Lilian over 100 years ago.
If it's good enough for Bing, it's good enough for us!
"The community of Rancho Santa Fe reveals itself through layers of California history. History that moves from a Spanish pueblo, to a Mexican rancho, to an ambitious horticultural experiment gone awry, and finally to an inspired planned community. The very name Rancho Santa Fe (the namesake of the Santa Fe Railway) is a result of the marriage of these historical eras testifying to life in southern California during the 19th and 20th centuries. This extraordinary tract of land continues to convey its history even today."

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"The Measure", My Recent Read

I was given this thought-provoking novel last month (thank you so much Mary Jo) and I just finished it today. Have you ever had one of those books whose story you just didn't want to end? Nikki Erlick's debut novel, The Measure, had that impact on me. What timing, too.

One day, the entire world population, age 22 and over, receives a mysterious box engraved with one's name and the tantalizing inscription, The measure of your life lies within. Within is a string whose length represents one's time on Earth. Would you open it?

In this page-turner of a book, as society comes together and pulls apart, everyone faces the same shocking choice: Do they wish to know how long they’ll live? And, if so, what will they do with that knowledge?

The Measure charts the dawn of this new world through an unforgettable cast of characters whose decisions and fates interweave with one another: best friends whose dreams are forever entwined, pen pals finding refuge in the unknown, a couple who thought they didn’t have to rush, a doctor who cannot save himself, and a politician whose box becomes the powder keg that ultimately changes everything.

I can't even begin to express how many times I've answered the question, "Would I open it?" I am still flipflopping with my answer. I so agree with the review by Freya Sampson, author of The Last Chance Library, "The Measure is an utterly original and hugely compelling story, which drew me in from the very first page with its beautiful writing. Weeks after reading it, I'm still thinking about this smart, uplifting novel and its wonderful characters." 👍👍

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A Return to the Zoo...

We had to drop our son off at the San Diego Airport at 7 AM so we used the early time to arrive at the Zoo before opening hours. This guaranteed us a killer parking spot and a well-timed ticket to ogle Pandas.

We were informed that 24,000 guests were going to visit today. I don't think I've ever been where it was that populated.
Unbeknownst to us, the San Diego Zoo releases macaws at the opening of the gates every morning. How fun that we arrived early to witness the show, which included a flight of macaws and a child from the audience pushing a button to release them.
The unique flowers in bloom were a treat, too.


A flamboyance of flamingos is one of my favorite things!






Because it was early and still cool (65°) most of the animals were out and active.



Some on the other hand, enjoyed their morning naptime.




Without a timed entrance ticket, the wait for the standby line, for Panda Ridge, was 1½ hours. Oh man, we planned our morning right.

Since the Zoo’s inception in 1916, after the Panama-California Exposition, people have been making memories here. Today, we made quite a few... all before 11 AM. What fun!

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