Reflections Morro Bay

Follow effective action with quiet reflection. From the quiet reflection will come even more effective action.

Peter F. Drucker

I picked up the harp earlier this week. My teacher went with me and we stayed overnight in Morro Bay. Beautiful area. The morning was misty and the bird calls rang out over the water as we walked in the early light. Our time there was very brief so it's a location I hope to return to in a few months.

Michigan is next on the travel agenda. I'll leave for there in a couple of days. Will post more from there if I have time. Still groovin on Jesse Cook, so here is some more from him.

Jesse Cook, "Europa":

October Road Trip 4...Manzanar Part 2

There are stars who's light only reaches the earth long after they have fallen apart. There are people who's remembrance gives light in this world, long after they have passed away. This light shines in our darkest nights on the road we must follow.

The stark beauty and remembrance of Manzanar remains two weeks later. I will be going back and learning more. I encourage anyone who is in that area to visit and remain unchanged....

I will be going on another road trip this weekend. I hope you have a good one and enjoy the richness of life....

Nickelback, "If Today Was Your Last Day":

October Road Trip 3...Manzanar Part 1

Papa’s life ended at Manzanar... Until this trip I had not been able to admit that my own life really began there

Farewell to Manzanar

Something about Manzanar compels me. I have been drawn to it twice and plan to return yet again. It's not that there are enormous ruins, or that they have significant beauty....perhaps it is a spiritual resonance about the place. Perhaps it is the lessons that it has to teach that aren't immediately visible, but only come from spending some time there, perhaps in hope you can reach across the generations and only by touching on some aspect of their life there one began to understand something of the aforementioned lessons...

Perhaps it doesn't matter and it's simply bearing witness to what was.....

Alison Krauss, "It Doesn't Matter":

October Road Trip 2...Bodie and Fragments

When you have come to the edge Of all light that you know And are about to drop off into the darkness Of the unknown, Faith is knowing One of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or You will be taught to fly

Patrick Overton

Finally I found myself in Bodie again. As always the question becomes what to photograph as there is so much. What intrigued me was the fragments that were everywhere and so although I did some panoramic shots, I set out to take some photos of the fragments. As I looked at them, I considered what lead people to Bodie, to settle in an area so desolate. Yes, gold was the obvious motivator, but there were also more subtle reasons. And then what kept them there, what were their life's like? Bodie was known as a den of iniquity, but significant relationships developed and were part of life there...the fragments of these life's exposed themselves when you looked...Who knew that my mind set around relationship would lead to the unexpected factor of the weekend that happened.

I'll share more photos of what I found at Manzanar next post. As for the rest, we'll see.

Deborah Henson-Conant and the Grand Rapids Symphony, "Baroque Flamenco":

Jesse Cook Rumbas Through Part Two

One last post on Jesse Cook and I'll return to the road trip. As I indicated yesterday, one of the delights of the concert is the rapport between Jesse and his band. Also the rapport the band members have with each other. You can tell they've been on the road together as there is an ease and familiarity that can only come from that long time association. However familiarity doesn't keep the music from being fresh. You get the sense for them, they're able to play it as if it were the first time. However there was an interesting first of sorts. Jesse takes and seeks fusion with another musician(s) for inspiration with each album he produces. This time he ended up in Columbia with a very special group. As part of that an accordion was needed. Since the group couldn't tour, Chris Church learned to play the accordion in two weeks. You'd never know, it seemed like he was born with the instrument in his hands.

So again if Jesse and his band comes anywhere near your town, seek him out. Especially on this tour, as he terms it, "a rumba party" will be yours.

I'll share one of his remakes of a Crowded House tune. It is the best version I've ever heard and it resonates for me as a result of a very special meeting on my trip last weekend (I'll share more next post).

Jesse Cook, "Fall At Your Feet":

Jesse Cook Rumbas Through Part One

I'm breaking format for a couple of days. Last night Jesse Cook was in town. Luck was with me and I was able combine my two passions photography and music. The concert was even better then last year and I lucked out with a second row left orchestra seat that was perfect for shooting. The music was phenomenal. As a musician I love to watch the interplay between band members and you could tell these guys loved being together. It was intimate, sensual and stirring. He played several tunes from his new CD, "The Rumba Foundation" which I've had on my Walkman since it was released last week. If anyone left the concert disappointed last night they weren't at the same one I was.

I took a good deal of photos and did a few in black and white. I'll do some color tomorrow. He is out on tour for the next several months and I would encourage anyone to see him. It will be one of the best concerts you ever attend.

I'll include one of the tunes (again) that brought me to attention about him as an artist oh so many years ago.

Jesse Cook, "Tempest":

October Road Trip 1...Mono Lake and Moonlight Madness

The loveliest faces are to be seen by moonlight

Persian saying

My trip this weekend ended up something that I didn't expect. Something wonderful, life changing and I'm still processing it, so will let that clue be all for the moment. All I can say is moonlight madness was part of the trip. I did several photos taken this weekend, but not all I had planned.

I was at Mono Lake later then I planned, but still got a few good shots of the moon and happier about this set of shots, then the ones I had taken a year ago. The weather was clear and several photographers were out and about.

More in the next few days....

Toploader, "Dancing In The Moonlight":