High over Mt. Baldy

San Gabriel Mountains, LA basin & Catalina Island (Winter 2013)

My son took this photo with his iPhone during his soaring flight over Mt. Baldy (and "enhanced" it a bit.)

At LACMA

An afternoon at the LA County Museum of Art, Los Angeles

Over Palos Verdes Peninsula

My son took me for a perfect flight around the peninsula on the last day of last year. Prominant in this view is the Palos Verdes High School, designed by Richard Neutra in 1961.

Shall we dance? (Valyermo, CA)

QUACKstep-TIME (January 2012)

Sunshine at St. Andrew's Abbey (Valyermo, CA)

Valyermo, CA (January 2012)

St. Andrew's Abbey link

A Benedictine Monastery in Valyermo, CA

Rancher (Bishop, CA)

At a cafe in Bishop, California (December 2011)

Winter in PV: Trees

Along Hawthorne Blvd. near Peninsula Center

Been sitting on the fence lately?

Proud pea-fowl in Rolling Hills Estates

With so many "issues" coming at us, who wouldn't be.

A Mirage? at El Mirage (dry) Lake

Citabria on El Mirage dry lake bed (iPhone photo by Ian B.)

Our son flew his instructor's Citabria out from Torrance and landed on the dry lake bed, south-east of Edwards AFB.

The colors in the photo make me think of a vintage 60's post card.

Fall Sunset at Abalone Cove

Abalone Cove, 26 Oct 2012 (iPhone photo by Ian B.)

Our son drove along the PV Drive South last Friday and captured the sunset.

Final Farewell to Eddie Bertrand -- The Real Showman

Eddie Bertrand in concert (photo courtesy of Tim F.)

Eddie Bertrand (photo courtesy of Tim F.)

With sadness, I am posting this e-mail from Eddie's friend Tim to all of you. Eddie is a legendary local surf rock musician. From my half hour talk with Eddie, I was left with an impression of a kind, unassuming person.

"Back in Oct 2008 (Post link) you posted a blog about long time PV resident Eddie Bertrand. Unfortunately, Eddie has terminal cancer and only has a few has days left. I was hoping you could share this in your blog.

Those wishing to send their thoughts to Eddie may do so at eddieandtheshowmen@yahoo.com. All emails will be read to Eddie and placed in a book for the family.

Here is a link to one of Eddie's Last Live Performance."

A Wedge of Morning Sky



 From our patio, before sun peaked over the buildings



From our patio, a bit after

UFO

Untitled
a temporary arrangement by Tash, February 2012
from found broken pottery and tiles, Llano, CA

This is one of my Un-Finished Objects. Amazingly, a couple years ago, I was given a plate with the same pattern as the broken one shown in the photo. I have several more UFOs (sewing, knitting, drawing, ...) in hiding.

What kind of UFOs are waiting to pounce on you every time you open a storage closet?

Bank Holiday?

Malaga Bank, tented, February 2012

My branch of our local Malaga Bank was colorfully tented for fumigation earlier this year.
Looked to me as if the bank went off camping.

Chase with Mr. Sheets' Horsemen

Horsemen Mural, Millard Sheets, 1974
Glass mosaic inlaid in black granite
Chase bank (formerly Home Savings & Loan)

PV residents are so fortunate to have a Millard Sheets masterpiece available for daily viewing.

I've read that this work is called "50 Horsemen" although I count only 21 riders (?)

Fall Sunshine

Hi!

Greetings from a local resident

SkyWatch Friday over Rolling Hills Est.

Uplifting view at corner of Hawthorne Blvd. and Indian Peak Rd.

Portuguese Bend Gate House

Former Portuguese Bend Gate House

A wider view of the Narcissa Dr. entrance into the private community of Portuguese Bend.

Wednesday's Window

Portuguese Bend (Narcissa Dr) Gate House,
Rancho Palos Verdes

The privately owned former Gate House seems to be a chapel now.

We've been having a heat wave and it was unexpected to already see the changing colors of the leaves.

Bikers on the move

Newly finished mural by L. Clapp (9/12) -- Golden Cove Center in Rancho Palos Verdes

Flying High over Horseshoe Cove

Taken last May from the back seat of a Citabria, with my son as the pilot.

People Watching, Pelicans Flying

By the Interpretive Center in Rancho Palos Verdes, 2 Sept 2012

Miss me?

Come meet us at the beach!

In Rancho Palos Verdes, CA

Public access from old Ocean Trails GC (now Trump National GC).

Dear blogger friends,

I'm taking a summer break and will probably be back in September. I do miss you all.

Love, Tash

At the Glass Chapel - Now & Then

The Tower by the Glass (Wayfarers) Chapel (which is hidden by the trees)

Tower Completed
1954

 The glass chapel was designed by Lloyd Wright, the son of Frank Lloyd. I found the 1954 photo of the chapel with tower in the Visitor Center building of this Swedenborgian Church with the following caption: "The tower, sidewalks, berm planting stonewalls and Reflection Pool were constructed. Lloyd Wright called the tower a "Hallelujah" with a sense of upraised hands in celebration. The bells were added in 1978."

Mis-aligned

"Stellar Axis" (1992-1997) - Lita Albuquerque

I missed this April's sun alignment thru the Stellar Axis at the PV Main Library, however, I still get to enjoy the interesting sky view every time I visit the library.

 (A cylinder (or “viewing tube”) slices through four floors of lobby space and jutts thirteen feet above the roof. The sun aligns directly overhead two days a year and fills a transparent onyx oval on the floor. See more pictures by clicking lita-albuquerques-zenith-of-stellar.)

Eggsperience Pancakes and Café Restaurant in Chicago (14 April 2012)

On a related "shape" theme, I also very much enjoyed the ceiling ovals and an absolutely delicious "Eleni’s Egg White Delight" omelette for an early morning breakfast during a recent visit to Chicago.

Colors of Chicago

BLUE CHICAGO

RED CHICAGO

GREEN CHICAGO

ORANGE/PURPLE/PINK CHICAGO

Spring in Yellow Springs, Ohio

Is a bird caught on "film" worth two on a tree?
Yellow Springs, Ohio  (11 April 2012)

Sam & Eddie's was NOT OPEN...
but the excellent DARK STAR (used) BOOKS & COMICS across the street was.

I came away with 4 comics and 3 books: 1921 edition on historical quilts, a 1919 Zane Gray western, and modern art book from the early 1930's. And from Village Artisians Co-op, I purchased a vibrant mountain & field watercolor by Sue Brezine.

Old Barn - Yellow Springs, Ohio

On the road to Yellow Springs, Ohio  (11 April 2012)

Before spending the weekend in Chicago,

I was on business travel in Dayton, Ohio,

where we visited the artsy old town of Yellow Springs.

My colleague paused by the side of the narrow road

for me to take a photo of this splendid old (perhaps dairy?) barn.

On Display - ART INSTITVTE CHICAGO

In Van Gogh's Bedroom

_____________________________

By Matisse's River Bathers

 ______________________________

ROY over RED

______________________________

Renoir's Two Sisters with Two Sisters

________________________________

Alex Katz's son Vincent and friend Tony observed by a girl, a man, and the girl's dad

The first afternoon, we went to the Art Institute and

only glimpsed the collection.

(Note to self: ALWAYS check that the camera lens is clean!!!)