There is a baby crying Uttering wails of fear As its face contorts Screaming and screaming Sitting in a shopping cart In a nearby empty lot The baby looks around Twisting from side to side Bawling loudly As it screams for help But she doesn’t possess The words to yell Her tiny hands Gripping the cold steel Of the handle bar Desperation etching Lines of age Into the infant’s Soft face The woman stands On the other side Of her car She slides down Against it as her body quakes Her tiny frame Rattled by her sobs That she snuffs out With a bony fist The mother sits crying Curled up into a ball Wondering If she should leave Can she do it Just walk away As her child screams She can’t take it She can’t do it anymore She is listening to her Precious baby wailing Just feet away Yet so very far from her The mother sits On the edge of a choice Between love and desperation She gave everything for her child And there is nothing left for her She can’t even feed herself now She has nothing left to give Except her love The infant And the mother Are separated by a car And a long space A need And a lack of everything Stands between them As they both cry Wishing for what Neither of them has Wondering what comes next

I am thankful for all the weird people in the world and the strangeness of the world we live in. I don’t know what was wrong with you, but you made me laugh. You kind of looked like you were twitching out because someone was touching your merchandise. I was thankful for the laugh and this picture.

A big thanks to Valri and her family for hosting the big turkey event this year. Not many photos this year, but the usual crew stuffed themselves silly once again. It’s always fun to see all the cousins get together. Nick joined us from Cal Poly, Chris from Chico, and Charlie had a break from his Navy duties. And did I mention that I love my awesome wife.

I saw this dog a long time ago at the SPCA and I really wanted to adopt you.I still think of you. I know I was meant to be your owner. It was so hard for me to walk away from you. I wonder what happened along the road that split our paths? I think of you a lot. I wonder what happened to you. You were adorable so I am sure you are in a nice home some where. I just wish it was my home. I wonder what your owner named you. I wanted to name you Kita. I guess it was even harder for me to walk away with a name on my lips. It is the nameless and the faceless that are forgotten. ...

Charlotte and Gordon continue their trip south after spending the night in Cambria with a stop at Hearst Castle in San Simeon. It’s a great day and an awesome tour. The interior is ridiculously elegant. The Christmas decorations add quite the touch. I wouldn’t mind this pool in my backyard.

No this isn’t animal abuse, my dog enjoys hats, especially my polar bear one. Her fur almost matches, maybe the next genetic hybrid should be the polar dog. Well Gracie, at least you can be the first.

The woman walks Along in a crowded street Surrounded by people Yet so alone A scarf like a noose Wrapped around her frail neck Hands shoved deep Into her pockets She only looks At the ground The rhythmic step of her feet Her wide hat Shields her from the world She ignores them Is afraid of them She wraps herself tighter In what is safe and comforting And is content in isolation So she walks along In a crowd of people Without faces The wind picks up For a moment it whispers A soft secret in her ear A riddle told to fast As the wind Carried her hat away The woman let out A short little gasp As her barrier was removed She reached forward Fingertips grazing it Just out of reach As it bounces and rolls Along the dirty street She chases in vain And no one will help Finally out of breath And out of heart She gives up Standing in the crowd Puffs of winter breath Clouding before her as she watches Her hat dance away Her hair billowing about her Watching with sad longing eyes She stands still among thousands As she turns to leave A tap on her shoulder She turns in surprise A man stands before her Her hat in hand Holding it out towards her A smile but no words She takes it and offers A shy little smile in return As she starts to pull it Back into place He reaches out to stop her Why He asks her You have such a pretty face He smiles and lets go Giving an impartial shrug You don’t need to hide You are beautiful you know He leaves her with His few soft words And a knowing smile She stands there Hat in hand Filled with his offerings Her eyes are wide And her hands slightly quake She lifts the hat Looking at it now And tosses it away She watches it Flit and dance in the sky Gone forever She smiles slightly The stranger’s knowing smile She doesn’t need it anymore

Charlotte is heading down to San Luis Obispo to bring Nick back home from Cal Poly for Thanksgiving. This time she’s heading south down the Big Sur coast with her dad. The view always blows you away. A nice stop at Nepenthe for some coffee, while soaking in some of the soothing statues and views. A beautiful sunset ends the day in Cambria for our intrepid travelers. Tomorrow it’s down to San Simeon and then picking up Nick. ...

Sandpiper in Morro Bay.

This little sculpture reminds me of the Greek myth of Sisyphus who was a crafty king seeking to elude death. His punishment was to push a giant boulder up a steep hill for eternity. I really love this sculpture and they way it is done. Congrats artist!