inglorious wanderer

In spite of the Tragic Turin story that would forever hunt my family, I still looked forward to revisiting Italy. Francesco Cordiano's invitation to pick grapes at his family winery made me forget of Tragic Turin as I joined about a  dozen or  more who came to pick grapes at a San Pascual Valley vineyard in Escondido. Dave, the meetup organizer for the event probably copied the letter of invitation on the meetup event post. Greetings everyone! I hope you've all had a wonderful summer, full of health and happiness. Mother Nature has given given us an early to the harvest season this year, and the warm temperatures we've had have ripened the Cabernet Franc and Petit Sirah to perfection! So we will begin the first phase of our grape harvest this Saturday, August 31 at 7 am. Everyone is invited to join us, and we expect to finish picking by 11 am . We'll provide clippers, buckets and water bottles until supples run out. You might want to bring g the following: glo...

Aye was the one who got Kay sign up for the San Diego Urban Exploration Meetup Group. Aye had hiked with the group before. The group introduced me to  the Pacific Crest Trail at the Morena Butte. Husband RN and Aye trespassed the defunct Sycamore Missile Facility with the group from Bridgestone Community Park once. Kaye and Aye were the first ones at the virtual trailhead of the Lawrence Welk Talus Caves at the non-existent Moss Tree Lane at Hidden Meadows in Escondido. Lawrence Welk, talus caves, and hidden meadows are  by itself stories distinct from the other. The real Lawrence Welk  was an entertainer originally from Strasburg, North Dakota. A you tuber before his time or long after he died in 1992, his show only featured dance music like waltz, polka and whatever was popular during in his era. He had a band and he played the accordion.  In Escondido, Lawrence Welk seemed more of a business name like the Lawrence Welk Resort that includes a...

I have crossed a thousand bridges In my search for something real There were great suspension bridges Made like spider webs of steel There were tiny wooden trestles I just love Sergio Mendes and Brasilia 88. Travessia: it must be the Brazilian term for bridges. The soothing voice of a woman singing about crossing a thousand bridges brings me back to my favorite bridge: Brooklyn Bridge. I don't remember much of the  bridges I have crossed before I came to America but I liked the song long before I came to America. When I was in first year of high school, I sang "Bridge Over Troubled Water" in front of my class. The memory of Rogelio Sanchez making fun of my singing days after the singing has become a traumatic experience. I knew then that I could not sing out loud. There's a bridge to tomorrow There's a bridge to the past The meetup hike was led by Robert Deveraux, a professional photographer. The shot that he took of the whole group at the Harbor Driv...

Julian, California I have been to the area for the umpteenth time since RN, KG, Karlee and I drove some 40 miles north east of San Diego to a town  more than 4000 feet elevated  above sea level. Every time I was in the area hiking, I thought of looking for the Volcan Mountain landmark that I keep seeing in photographs of the best places to hike in San Diego.       The gateway to Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve is even more striking and interesting than seeing it in pictures. From afar, the architecture and wood sculpture rolled into one reminds  me of the pre-school book illustrations  of Noah's ark.   "Oh my God, what does it mean?" I try to fight off potential attacks of Stendahl Syndrome and realize it's Sunday. I should be in church praising the Lord and speaking tongues. The gateway  monument was designed by James Hubble, a renowned artist and a  Julian local.  An  array of sculptures ...