Five Island Day

 Lone Walker, Santa Barbara Harbor

Anyone who has much experience with the Santa Barbara area knows what this means. 

There was rain, then wind, and the next day from Gibralter Rock, high in the foothills, we could see 5 channel Islands.  From West to East, San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz (where a piece of my heart resides, but that's a story for another day), Anacapa, and San Nicolas (much further offshore.)

I have no images of that.  Sorry.  It is a dandy metaphor for a rare and special time, though. 

We had the privilege of showing our friends around this place which has everything. Except affordable housing.  Or integration.  Or winter weather. But I digress. In all seriousness, Santa Barbara is gorgeous, and an inspiration.

There's a quality of light there after a storm which I can only describe as crystalline.  The clouds move out quickly and the rising sun lights up the mountains in a way that brings to mind Homer's rosy-fingered dawn.  Pinker than our orange sunrises in Arizona.  Gentler.

 First Light, Mission Santa Barbara

Dawn at the Mission made us both gasp (just the two of us.  I never ask civilians traveling with us to stand around shivering in the dark waiting for the sun to come up.  I'd run right out of friends).

Here's wishing you a five-island new year. 

More California Christmas photos are on the website

Unconventional

 Barn, Pine AZ

I'm not normal. 

Some folks who know me are laughing, I know.

Think about it, though.  Normal people, on the weekend of December 15, are baking cookies, writing Christmas cards, decorating or [cringe] shopping. Many of them are even enjoying themselves.

My hostess in Pine Friday night was in fact baking cookies.  I don't know her well enough yet to predict whether she thinks of herself as normal.  No disrespect is intended.  Some of my best friends are normal.

After spending the night in luxury in Pine AZ, my friend Greg and I slogged around in the winter wonderland there, and in nearby Strawberry and points north.  At one point I was cruising through snow above my knees.  Fabulous.  My new Sorel boots were pretty great, too.

All the way home I was thinking of Sedona in the snow.  I couldn't resist heading up on Sunday.

West Fork 

There was about a foot of snow in the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon, just a handful of people, and very few footprints further up the canyon.  I have a weakness for fresh snow piled up on rocks in the running creek.  

Sunset and Clearing Storm, Sedona

After a snack and hot chocolate at the remarkable Indian Gardens, the sunset and clearing storm over Mount Wilson was breathtaking.

Who needs normal?  Just don't be looking for a holiday card from me this year.

More images from this winter are on the website.