A Poem

THE PAINTER'S BRUSH

scattered clouds, boasting
with pride one can't really feel
the periods of the mind that allow
us to crave for that certain smile
are but lost without wonder.
i still see the sky as an artist's
palette--one that allows a mixture
of colors
to unite as one.
i believe in the magic of the brush
as you perform the mystic abundance
of heartfelt gestures
one can only dream of.
more of everything isn't good
but the few sips of freedom we have
justifies the climactic overtures of
your laughter.
i long for the sun to set before us
telling tales we dreamed upon
and perhaps the sky will again come out
with a rendering only you and i could
interpret.

1.29.06

$9.99

Headless mannequins seem to scream out their "wares" at $9.99 each. I loved their stance--a la Sunset Boulevard!

Want some?

Front yard?

The elegant Victorian house in the background has been around for more than a century. And so are the fields that are now planted with vegetables for future harvesting. Note the very tall trees around the residential lot. The mountains in the background are the Topa-Topa mountains of Ojai (California). If you look closely, on top of the nearer mountain range are the same two trees shown on the upper photo.

Mystic Abundance

As the sun hides behind the clouds, I know I am
Still the same but without mantra
And as quick as a wink I leave behind
Another day well-spent with a smile
Longing to hold you still--
Learning from you that I
Can always make it more fun
To see the sun so sublime.

In your hands I see a camera
Deep within your soul there's an uproar
Of sweetness and love so fine
Would I be chosen
And get invited to the panorama
That your love bestows?


1.25.06

Vanishing gondolier

I took a picture of the above scene at a slow speed (1/2.5 second), f20. Then turned the lens to make the picture go "farther"... thus creating this effect.

Time passages

But you're all alone
In these time passages
I know you're in there
You're just out of sight
Oh, time passages
Buy me a ticket
On the last train home tonight.

Rock hard

I looked at it again.

The rock has cradled the waves

in its womb.

Beneath its structure,

the soft and gentle memories

of life has its roots

beyond the pages of time.

The afternoon has since silenced

the seas, and the sun has vowed

to leave once more.

I looked at it again.

Will it ever look at me

again, as well?

Among the flowers

Guess you didn't like the answers that were muttered. If the last of you have been heard, please remember that the love you felt is true. Maybe it's more than difficult to put down in words how wonderful life is when you're around.

When the last trumpet has growled among the flowers
The sun never lifted the clouds if only to dream another dream
Closing the door is not the end of the dream.
Let the rains come, and the silent thunder just won't let me hear
The echoes of laughter that were never heard.
Loving someone: can it be understood any easier?

Almost there

Few hours earlier there was a good amount of rain. Although it didn't keep me indoors, I decided to stay home and read. Then just as I was about to go out, I noticed how the sky was changing--from overcast to clearing up. Rushing out with a camera, I took several shots of the sky only to find out that a low-flying bird was in my viewfinder.

I snapped it. And I would like to share it with you.

AMBIVALENT CLOUDS

Like an artist's working floor, different colors mingle with each other as if insinuating another idea of an art design. Here, the clouds don't seem to make a pattern--and like the weather, it could rain. Or shine.

Raining today

The predicted rain (60% chance) came. But without pomp and circumstance. Gentle drizzle it was. Enough water to wash away the dirt on pavements, and give enough shine to reflect an almost leafless tree.

WAVIN' GOODBYE?

Have you ever stared at a single wave as it comes towards the shore? You focus on it as it rushes towards you. And as it reaches your bare feet you feel its caress--its life-giving worth, its enormous magnetism as it ebbs and flows from over yonder. You'll soon notice that it makes a sound. Something that qualifies as a screaming silence. Only because it quiets down as quick as it roared. Then it's eventually gone, its sound muffled. You feel its immediate absence--that which puts a dart in your heart. Something you don't feel until you're just as numb as a tree trunk. Then you realize its playful approach, its seemingly endless touch, and the awakening it bears with it as it once again feels you. Have you seen a wave waving goodbye?

I have. Yes, I have.

MACH 2?

IT WAS HALLOWEEN night and as I sat in my car at a parking lot, I SAW THIS! What could it be? A "fast-moving" trick-or-treat'er?

Mediterranean sunset

Opportunity is like the sunset, if you wait too long you'll miss it.

Cascading water

A trip to Rome wouldn't be complete without a visit to the Trevi fountain.

Most of the tourists are on the right side of the picture. I thought I'd exclude people in this picture to concentrate on the "softness" of the cascading water.

It's almost holy, touch it.

Sit beside me

Two empty chairs
Look out to the deep blue waters,
The extinct volcano lurks way back there
Quietly I whisper into the wind
Your name.
You nodded, and smiled such that I squinted
Into the sun.
You wanted to spend an evening with me,
Don't you?
There are two chairs.

Restin' Reagan

Knute Rockne. The Gipper. The Prez. Ronald Reagan chose to be buried at the grounds of his Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California. It's on top of a hill, overlooking the valley. Few homes are seen towards the west, and a freeway named after him meanders nearby. If you live in California, you just might want to check it out. Do it on a weekend, when you have an extra couple of hours to simply enjoy the view and the collection of the Reagans during their two terms of office at the White House. General admission: $12 (seniors $9).

Perfect circles

High above Denver an airplane flies over circular patterns. To the uninitiated, they can be puzzling. But to those who knew what these are, they are often ignored. I had an idea what they were until I asked a flight attendant: "Circular irrigation system". These are more appreciated when viewed celestially. Fly sometime.

TWO shadows each

Count them!

Beyond the horizon

Ask yourself the question: "What's beyond?" No one knows. You have to find out for yourself. Don't let the serenity of the place fool you. Listen to your heart. Feel the beat, smell the roses, care a little more. Perhaps you didn't need to go beyond the horizon to find something that makes you "smile." After all, it's not the destination that counts but the journey.

Reflection

It's already January and the temperature was still in the 70s. Not a cloud in the sky, very little breeze, and I didn't have to work. Drove by the harbor to check out the water, and the boats. Here's what my camera saw--boats and their reflections albeit "wiggly" which indicates movement. It gives that dramatic scene, almost unassuming. Like life sometimes. Spend your days wisely. Look for life, and enjoy it.

Sea and surf

It looked very summery. The surf teased the shore like a hammer banging on a clam, hoping there's a pearl inside. The footprints could be that of pets that graciously roamed earlier that day. Then birds got their feet wet, hoping they, too, would get something from the sand--food. And I had a camera!

Sea up above

It could be an illusion. But it looks more like clouds than a stormy (and wavy) sea. Taken from an airplane at 30,000 feet. And who said we can't touch the clouds?

Two hats

Summer 2005, Southern California. Parking fee: $6. Amenities include clean toilets, lots of sand, a lifeguard, and your friends. Lots of drinks and food should really be a good idea! A perfect tanning salon for those who enjoy perusing a book or two, as well. I should have asked these two guys if they're twins.

The Parthenon

One of the eight wonders of the world: the Parthenon at the Acropolis in Athens. It's a long walk up there but all worth it. You tread on smooth stones on the path that hugs the edge of the hill. The immediate vicinity is full of stones and other building materials that used to be parts of this amazing wonder. Down below is the outdoor amphitheater where singers and bands have performed through the years--ancient and modern.

Freeway show

I felt like piloting a supersonic military jet aircraft here. But the thing is I must be trailing behind the others. The plumes from their exhausts are so beautiful. And heavenly. Guess I have yet to "take off" from the freeway ramp.

Revered floor

The huge St. Peter's Basilica. Even non-Catholics respect the solemnity of it. You can almost feel the "saints" come marching in. Its high ceiling and the intricate art work just blew me away. St. Peter is buried here. And Popes.

Sitting here

Intense heat. High noon, or thereabouts. These two girls must have been waiting for their parents to come out of the store. Obviously they haven't bought anything. But they're well-dressed for the hot day. I, too, was sitting down on a bench waiting for this shot.

Fanning

It was a hot day. This lady had it all: hat, clothes, and a fan to boot! Taken in Rhodes, Greece.

Play on light

As if the sun is waiting for the unknown gymnast to this maze of "balance beams," reflecting the residual light the sun emitted.

There was no gymnast. No one would dare to tiptoe on this narrow wall's top. However I felt an enormous pull from it, but it was deep inside--a heartfelt yearning for another peaceful evening.

Newport mansions

This was taken Nov. 27 as I drove through the popular mansions in Newport. Never made it to where we wanted to go as it was getting too dark at 3 p.m. Instead, I made a U-turn and parked the car, with its engine idling. I took about 5 shots in this area, but I do like this one best.

Seems so surreally serene, I gathered.

Bird, or flower?

Like its counterpart, the rooster, this bird of paradise seems to crow as a signal that it was time to wake up. (I opted to use flash on this, to further make the background play "second fiddle.")

January 3, 17:53:45

The setting sun hugs the mountain top. Hues of red, orange, yellow and blue hover above the dark images of treetops. Four birds fly north as if trying to outrun the sun into its hiding.

Time: 5:53:45 P.M.

Somewhere over

A song went like this: "... and it's over so they say/evil rain on sunny day, i know/shining down like water/i want to know, have you ever seen the rain/coming down on a sunny day?"

Rainbows appear when the sun and a drizzle come together. But wait! Is there really a pot of gold at the end of it?

QUO VADIS?

THE YOU I KNOW

Maybe there's a reason why I smile
Amidst the early morning fog
Drowned in your laughter, I erase bad memories
Ending with songs you love to hear.
Love is always the answer
Into someone's forgiving deeds
Never will I see the clouds disappear again,
Ever.

Asking a kiss from you isn't impossible
Rivers overflow with joy when I receive one
Endearing hugs, sweet embraces I can recall
Nights like ours just last forever
Above our heads we see two hearts
So entwined, so close, so in love.


1.15.06

CAPTURE

... A moment at the right time. The scene will be gone in a few moments, never again to come back as it was. Just like life, opportunities should be taken seriously. They, too, will quickly disappear, just like the sunset. If you wait too long, you'll miss it completely.