Looking Into The Distance

I haven't picked up the camera in a few days. The above photo was taken more than a week ago when we were out walking a new trail. We had turned around to take a look at the ocean before heading higher into the coastal prairie and up into the redwoods.

We've had little bit of rain, a little bit of disappointment. We didn't get the house. We thought about countering back, but realized that we wanted to buy the place in spite of the house not because of it. We were willing to put up with a lot: no high-speed internet via dsl or cable; a shared well; extremely poor orientation; but we weren't willing to to spend more than we thought the house was really worth (both objectively and to us). So, we said no. We don't mind really, but it sure was a thrill to think about having a piece of good gardening land under our feet again. One good thing to come out of this experience is that my twin brother realized that he felt a twinge of disappointment when he thought we might buy land without him. He and his wife have toyed with the idea of buying land with us. Not until we had made the offer did it really sink in that we were on a path that would definitely rule that out. So, they are actively looking at property now too, and we are making plans that could help us buy a much bigger piece of the earth to be good stewards of together. That is quite an exciting prospect. So...the silver lining.

We had some fine company over the weekend. Roger's youngest and her sweetheart came to spend the weekend with us. It's the most gratifying thing to spend time with young people who are bright, energetic, earnest, good-natured, and deeply sincere. We had delicious meals together and great conversation. They came with plants, soil conditioner, and mulch. We cleaned up the long-ignored, street-side yard on this ancient, ocean-front house. We worked together in a sudden downpour, with unflappable and positive spirit. Sometimes you just know that the future is going to be in good hands, and it's a truly calming and hopeful thing.

Other than that, we are driving south on Monday to spend a few days in southern California with my mom. There will be updates from those arid southlands soon.

If you click on pic you'll see the Pacific Coast Highway in the foreground, and far far off in the distance well beyond sight at 36 degrees north and many thousands of miles west until it becomes east, Japan in background.