Category TRAVELING BITS
The Talent, Luck – Oh, and the Water – Bit
Seems it never rains in Southern California… Ah, yes – a classic ’70’s song, and another legend about La La Land! So far in 2024, any such myth is getting pretty thoroughly debunked. You might tell that by our snarly freeways full of people whose rainy-day driving choices are – um – well, they’re not […]
The Adventures in Waitressing Bit
So this summer, I was browsing in a railroad museum shop (as you do) and I couldn’t resist picking up what, for me, is a bit of fan merch: Ever since reading about the Harvey Girls and seeing the Judy Garland musical, I’ve felt kind of a kinship with these gals! They were women who […]
‘Twas the Night Before Posting
Holiday greetings! For the eighth time, I’m wrapping up my blogging year with a poem in the form of that classic work, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas! As ever, I hope you’ll enjoy! ’Twas a year of adjusting, of change and transition,Requiring profession and life expedition: Surveying the landscape as changes arose,Feeling both joy and […]
The Bit of a “Kaliméra” Effect
Man, I’ve been struggling with my memory lately. I just transferred a bunch of old VHS home movies to digital, and sometimes even when I see myself right there on the screen (albeit younger and blurrier), I still can’t call the particular circumstance to mind… I fared better though when I stopped by a Greek […]
The Bear in the Room Bit
Greetings, all! Can’t believe the summer’s nearly over… As a finale to what kinda became my “2023 Season of Trees Tour”, I was just off camping amid the beautiful forests around Northern California’s Pinecrest Lake! The trip came right on the heels of a bit of a health scare for me…but a wonderful week at […]
A Life Among the Trees Bit
Man! Across the country and the world, it has been one sweltering summer! Here in LA, I try to get my neighborhood walk in early. Even in the morning though, I still need the hat and the water and the pauses under sidewalk trees for a little cooling shade. I sure appreciate a nice tree […]
Santa Ynez Valley: The What’s With the Names Bit
So just a couple-ish hours’ drive northwest from LA is a favorite destination I’ve been so pleased to get back to. It’s the Santa Ynez Valley! The area’s got diverse and dramatic beauty, lots to do – and some pretty eclectic overlays of history! As local place names suggest, the valley includes multiple cultures at […]
Pacific Coast: The Gifts from the Sea Bit
Okay, so full disclosure – the title for this post is a respectful nod to the 1955 book by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, Gift from the Sea. In it, she shares essays about roles and relationships in the context of her era – and about life lessons combed from the beach of an island retreat. Of […]
The Bit About Boat Whistles
“I don’t like boat whistles…” That’s what Cary Grant’s grandmother, Janou, declares in An Affair to Remember – one of my all-time favorite movies! Whenever I come across it (thanks, TCM!), I can’t resist watching – even though I know it means a journey through lots of emotions… Come to think of it, boat whistles […]
The “Somewhere Over the Sand Dunes” Bit
Okay, so two things I’ve always had a special fascination with are film and history. And when I get to combine these two passions – or when they kind of collide – it can be such a fun thing! That’s what happened on my first mini field trip of 2023! While it’s never been my […]
TESSEROLOGY 