Our Granddaughter Lyla Has Officially Become Our Extended Family Physician

“Play is often talked about as if it were a relief from serious learning. But…for children, Play is serious learning. Play is really…the work of childhood.”

—Mister Rogers

While at our daughter Michelle’s mother-in-law Kim and husband AL’s home waiting for Michelle and her husband Kyle to bring home their new born daughter

Emmeline (Emmy) from the hospital recently, Lyla was keeping busy playing with her toys. I happened to see a plastic bag with a stethoscope in it off to the side behind a doll house Kim and AL bought for her and I made mention of it.

Reacting to my interest in it, she walked over to her doctor’s kit and began to unpack it. AL helped put her doctor’s white coat on. She then picked up her stethoscope, put on her doctor glasses and walked over to me to give me an examination. She had an

Otoscope, a medical device that she employed to examine my ears. The doctor’s kit really fosters great imaginative play. I was fascinated how engaged she was in playing the role. Mr. Rogers was right, Play is serious learning.

Here are some photos I took of our granddaughter, Dr. Lyla Lewis and a photo that was taken of her examining my ear very intently. When I went home, it made me search for my first doctor’s bag while I was a student at the Illinois College of Podiatric Medicine in Chicago. I can’t wait to share it with her. A real stethoscope that will enable her to hear a real heart beat. As far as our dreams for Lyla, as grandparents all we wish for is that she be healthy, happy, giving, curious, vibrant, and good things will come her way.

Discovering and Visiting with Lupe the Mammoth that Roamed San Jose 14,000 Years Ago

On the way to San Jose during a bike ride on the trails, Bill and I discovered Lupe the Mammoth that roamed the very same territory that would later become known as Silicon Valley.

Bill and I can’t take full credit for the discovery, though:-)

It turns out in the summer of 2005, citizen scientist Roger Castillo discovered the skull of a Columbian mammoth while walking his dog, Jenna along the Guadalupe River near the San Jose airport. So actually, it was Jenna who really deserves the credit. Paleontologists from UC Berkeley’s Museum of Paleontology conducted the excavation, and discovered a thigh bone and the pelvis of the juvenile mammoth along the river,

affectionately called Lupe. Though now distinct, it is believed that Lupe would have roamed the valley 14,000 years ago.

You can stand besides a 10-foot tall full size replica indoors at the Children’s Discovery Museum when they open back up, or in front of a model of a fully grown 13-foot mammoth with it’s large tusks outdoors, where Bill and I shamelessly posed for a photo-op. It is hard to believe that that around the time the mammoth roamed the valley, that saber tooth tigers, ground sloths and condors were also roamed where the titans of the tech industry currently cast their wide footprints.

A Star is Born: Our Second Granddaughter Makes Her Debut on the World Stage

“Like stars are to the sky, so are the children to our world. They deserve to shine.”—Chinonye J. Chidolue

“You may think you’ll never love another grandchild like you love your first. You’re wrong.”—Adair Lara

We are happy to announce that our loving daughter Michelle gave birth to our second granddaughter, "Emmeline Belle Lewis," on Saturday, February 27, at Sequoia Hospital Birth Center in Redwood City with her beloved and devoted husband Kyle by her side. She weighed 8.06 ounces. As everyone knows, due to the pandemic other family members were not permitted at the hospital due to safety protocol. However, the birth of their newborn was no less magical than when our first granddaughter, Lyla was born over two years and two months ago.

Like her older sister before her, Emmeline (affectionately called “Emmy”) was swaddled in the Sequoia Hospital Birth Center's signature elephant blanket (photo). In fact, the attending nurse that first admitted Michelle and Kyle in the hospital was the same nurse that gave Lyla her first bath after she was born. The upward pointed trunk of the elephant symbolizes energy, luck, prosperity and kindness. It is the movement elephants use to greet friends and express sheer delight. The ones on the blanket point to the stars.

We were in invited to Kyle’s mom and Al’s home, where Kyle, Michelle and Lyla are temporarily staying, for an early dinner to welcome Emmy. There we sat waiting expectantly to see the latest addition to our respective families. Adding a new baby to the family is an exciting time to be sure, but for some families it is not always a smooth transition. Kim told us that when Lyla first saw a photo of her newly born baby sister, she said. “She’s so cute.” That was a positive sign. Finally, after being discharged from the hospital they arrived. Lyla, happy to see her parents, gave Emmy who was being held by Kyle a beaming smile and a wave hello. We celebrated with a glass of champagne. Cecile and Kim, ever the nurturing grandmothers (Nonnie and Lollie) got to hold little sweet Emmy which in French means “hardworking,” first. Kyle showed everyone how he was taught to use a small syringe (like an eyedropper) to feed breast milk to the baby. Curious Lyla got to participate. Actually, she asked to participate. The rest of the evening unfolded ever so sweetly as Lyla continued to show her love and support for her new baby sister. She asked to hold Emmy, even saying, “please!" She rubbed the baby’s tummy, her back. She wanted to feel her tiny ear, her soft hair. She kissed and hugged her, gently laid her head on Emmy’s lap. At some point she must have realized this is not one of her most precious dolls. This is the real deal. This is her baby sister. Someone whom she can help bathe, feed, sing and play with her. “I love her,” she said, and so do we.

Postscript: Michelle shared with us that Kyle chose the name Emmeline, taken from Emmeline Pankhurst who founded the Women’s Social and Political Union, whose members—known as suffragettes—fought to enfranchise women in the United Kingdom

Note: The next to the last photo is Lyla at Birth and the one before that is Emmy.

Nothing But Blue Skies: Bicycling to Guadalupe Reservoir & the Beautiful Sights Along the Way

“Blue skies smilin’ at me, nothing but blue skies do I see…”—Willie Nelson

After exiting the Los Gatos Creek Trails a mile or two from our homes we headed to Kennedy Road which runs into Shannon and onto Hicks Road making our climb toward to the Guadalupe Reservoir with blue skies as far as the eye can see. We made one stop on the way to see La Rusticana d’Orsa Water Wheel [a 'working waterwheel,' I may add] which has been described as “…a unique estate of rare beauty tucked away in the Santa Cruz Mountains,” dedicated to fine wine production since the 1980s.

There is a cobbled stone driveway and Italian cypress bushes in front and a vineyard atop of a terrace of rolling hills with rock walls miles away from phrenetic pace of Silicon Valley.

We continued our climb to the reservoir. Beyond this body of water, there were moss-laden creek beds with some water, enough to make some beautiful tributary-like designs, only nature knows how to do. The silence was broken by a solitary person across the ravine yelling and singing at the top of his lungs while jumping up and down on a rock landing as if he was at a rave party. On our bike rides we never know who or what we are going to run into. Given the bucolic setting, it was oddly entertaining.

After enjoying a zippy downhill ride with many twists and turns beyond the reservoir we reversed course. Lagging behind I stopped to take photographs. Bill and I had agreed to meet back at the reservoir. When I arrived I climbed on top of two large boulders overlooking the reservoir spillway. Feeling a need to stretch from time to time, I instinctively assumed a Downward Facing Dog position to stretch my spine and lengthen my tight hamstrings and calves. Then, I did a Squat pose to open my hips, ankles, groin muscles, Achilles tendon and stabilize the spine. It felt good.

The area we were in is virtually devoid of any traffic, is peaceful, and has some beautiful estates tucked away from the main road. As we continued on, Bill noticed and pointed to deer grazing on lush green grass in front of someone’s residence and I was able to capture a few photos before they sought refuge deeper into the brush. I also took some photos of Bill in front of a ranch house with a sign advertising oak slabs and a few whimsical wood sculptures for sale.

After our almost 29-mile ride, we stopped at a local Jamba Juice for an energy boost and to cool off, hopped back on the creek trails and headed home.

A Challenging 31-Mile Bike Ride From Aptos to La Selva Beach and the Pastoral Corralitos

“Cycling isn’t a hobby for me, it’s my inner peace.”

—Everyday Cyclist

My biking buddy Bill Rothenberg and I uploaded our bikes on the back of his SUV and headed over the Santa Cruz Mountains to Aptos, California. We hooked up with his childhood friend, Charlie Savoca, a Soquel acupuncturist, at a local shopping mall parking lot.

The challenging part of the ride was to conserve enough battery power which has as range of just over 30 miles to make the roundtrip ride. We were blessed with mild temperate weather. Our first stop was La Selva Beach (photos), one of several communities that neighbors Seascape. It is also next to Manresa State Beach.

“La Selva,” is Spanish for “the jungle,” or, in temperate regions, “the forest,” is a small beach community that was once surrounded by dense conifer woods. It is also near the San Andreas Fault, close to the epicenter of the October 17, 1989, Loma Prieta earthquake that had shook us to our core.

We continued on to Valencia Road, 3 miles of gentle rolling forested hills, to Day Valley Road which starts off with a climb to the top and exhilarating descent to Freedom Boulevard.

We then made our way to the pastoral Corralitos, a small rural town known for farms, wineries, and our final destination the infamous Corralitos Market & Sausage Company Bill and Charlie had raved about. We enjoyed the beautiful views, of open pastures, cows, horses, lovely flower gardens, and a proud apple grower for Martinelli & Company, my favorite apple juice vendor along the way.

Bill, Charlie and I purchased deli sandwiches, chips and drinks to go, at the Corralitos Market & Sausage Company and ate at an outdoor picnic table across the street, and Bill, a short-lived (4 months) full-on vegan, ordered enough smoked lamb, German and Linguisa sausage to go to open a small butcher store:-)

After replenishing ourselves with food and drink, we retraced our ride back to Aptos. As expected I barely had enough battery charge for my pedal assist eBike. After saying our goodbyes to Charlie, Bill and I took the Old Santa Cruz highway back home.

Enjoy the photos!

Postscript: The ever-popular Corralitos Market & Sausage Company, has a real butcher shop,

makes 30 varieties of in-house made smoked, and fresh sausages, catering to a diverse population with ethnic foods originating from Croatia, Portugal, England, and Mexico.

Happy Lunar New Year! and Many Thanks to Yan Zhao, Mayor, City of Saratoga for the Gift

“A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood.”

—Chinese Proverb

I made a quick stop at the Saratoga Farmer’s Market for some fresh orange juice and noticed a gathering around a colorful booth I had not seen before. As I moved closer, I was handed a bright, beautiful red envelope (known as hongbao), compliments of Yan Zhao, mayor of Saratoga.

While traditionally the giving of red envelope centers on children (filled with money), it is also customary to give red envelopes to friends, family, colleagues and other relatives, and even a casual acquaintance can expect to receive an envelope. The red color symbolizes good luck, good health, and prosperity in Chinese and other East Asian cultures. In the twenty-first century, many people exchange digital red envelopes instead of the traditional paper one. These are virtual packets of very real cash, transferred directly to friends and family’s smartphones.

I looked in my envelope and noticed there was no cash:-) but there was a beautiful and heartfelt card wishing me a Happy Lunar New Year, and informing me that in the Chinese Zodiac, the Ox gifts the world with superhuman strength of mind, body, and spirit. So thank you mayor Zhao for your good wishes and generosity of spirit.

In closing, I have attached a short video clip link below of the lion dance, sent to me by Rose, a Chinese-American friend and fellow yoga Qi Gong enthusiast. It is one of the most important traditions of Chinese New Year. It is performed to bring prosperity and good luck for the upcoming year. It is a powerful, festive and a magical performance that adults and children the world over love. We have had the pleasure of experiencing the lion dance through our many travels in Asia and South Asian countries, and in San Francisco’s Chinatown. This video was recorded in Harbor City in Hong Kong.

https://vimeo.com/515047297/a59edb18f4

The Call of the Wild: Cycling Through the Redwoods to Summit Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains

“There is an ecstasy that marks the summit of life, and beyond which life cannot rise. And such is the paradox of living, this ecstasy comes when one is most alive...” —Jack London

My friend, Bill Rothenberg charted a course to drive his SUV up to the parking lot at the lower level of Lexington Reservoir County Park. We off-loaded our bikes and rode around the upper part of the mountain to Old Santa Cruz Highway, and continued our climb to Summit Road. Some of the photos were taken from our recent ride around the entire reservoir just after our heavy rain storm. The clouds were abundant, floating and stunning to behold. The balance of the photos were taken yesterday and it was all blue skies. I can see why some of my friends live in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The air is fresh and cool and one feels embraced by the giant redwood forest that make us and our bicycles appear dwarf in comparison.

Once on the Summit we stopped at the Taylor Ranch, and unattended cabin that sells fresh eggs, apples and fresh-pressed unfiltered Apple Cider on the honor system. There is a sign that reads “Please help yourself and leave money in the box. Thanks for your honesty.” Bill and I purchased a half gallon container each of the apple cider.

We continued to ride on Summit Road, before reversing course. The next stop was Nestldown which I have some history with. The now defunct Saratoga Community of Painters, a watercolor group I belonged to for many years got permission to do plein-air watercolor on their spacious grounds. It is billed as a place to share meaningful events, to serve nonprofit groups and give them the opportunity renew themselves and find respite in a beautiful, nurturing environment of gorgeous gardens and redwood groves. Actor Nicolas Cage was married here in 2004.

The photo Bill took of me pointing to the sign "Call Of The Wild RD" is a shout-out to friends Elizabeth Sharkey, a teacher at Fisher School in Los Gatos and podiatrist and colleague, Dr. Doug Robinson, whom I continue to refer patients to since I fully retired in 1992.

Last stop and ride through was at Chemeketa Park, an unincorporated community of 150 homes located in

Lexington Hills. Chemeketa is a Kalapuya Indian word with various meanings attributed to it, including “resting place,” “meeting place,” “old home,” or camping ground. The Kalapuya lived in the area now known as the Willamette Valley.

The Native American theme is present throughout with street names including “Comanche Trail,” "Ogallala Warpath,” “Apache Trail,” and “Navaho Trail.”

We finished our downhill ride and the rest of Lexington Reservoir before loading up our bikes on Bill's bike rack and headed home.

Witnessing A Grand Grey Heron Spreading its Wings in the Roaring Vasona Reservoir Spillway

“Our task must be to free ourselves…by widening our circles of compassion to embrace all living creatures and the whole of nature in its beauty.” —Albert Einstein

I made my way down the muddy embankment off the biking trail by foot while friend Bill Rothenberg and daughter Madeline who were ahead of me waited at the top overlooking Lake Vasona. The purpose was to capture the roaring water run-off from the Vasona Reservoir spillway with my iPhone camera. After a winter rainstorm, the water gushes forth with a more powerful thrust than usual. What I didn’t expect was to witness a grand Grey Heron standing on a cement curb forward of the spillway. At the end of our ride, Bill and I parted company (Madeline had to leave early) as I wanted to stop in town for take-out food (Herb Green Falafel and Hummus) from Oren’s Hummus.

After placing my lunch in my trusty Sondor’s clip-on bag on the back fender rack, I rode back on the Los Gatos Creek Trail and returned to the spillway, and to my surprise the grey heron was still there, standing upon a rock in the flowing creek bed. I tried to get closer. It shifted and hopped into the creek, hunched up, its wingtips drooped down, and in a split-second, with its back facing toward me it spread its wings wide open into a full monte. I was sure it was looking for a mate. I was thinking it was so unusual an event that I turned around to see if anyone else witnessed it. It’s not that I hadn’t ever seen such an exhibition. I had observed cormorants standing with wings spread in the sun drying their feathers for the first time in Kenya while on a camera safari. I also have seen cormorants drying their wings on a rock or the dock of the lake where we live. Their external feathers are wettable and maintain an insulating layer of air next to the skin when swimming underwater. I just didn’t expect to see the posture in a great heron. In fact, I’ve seen my share of grey, white and grey herons mostly standing patiently in the reeds searching for small fish to eat whole, as this one was doing earlier. But I have never seen them spread their wings in such a seemingly provocative way. It turns out that the full wing spreading or what is referred to as “Flasher Pose” in herons is one of their maintenance behaviors.

According to janthina images photo-journal, It could be that the purpose of this pose while mostly facing the sun is to dry their wings, but also a way to keep itself cool to sway parasites and other pests from hanging out and makes them more accessible for the heron to remove during preening. Or, maybe it was just doing yoga:) After all, the truth is ancient yogis mimicked or modeled their practice after trees, wheels, dogs, and other wildlife and animals they observed in nature.

Took Lyla on an Outing to the Innovative Magical Bridge Playground in Her Yellow Boots

“From a color theory perspective, every child is drawn to the colors they need emotionally at the moment…sometimes a particular color makes a child ‘feel better...'

—Maureen Healy, author of The Emotionally Healthy Child

“Yellow is for the thinkers. Toddlers who like yellow might be good at planning and strategizing even if that just means organizing their toys."

—Week World News

Cecile and I had about two hours yesterday to take Lyla for a walk through the neighborhood to the Magical Bridge Playground before an impending rainstorm was about to plow through the Bay Area the rest of this week. Lyla has dressed appropriately in her pink water-resistant hooded jacket and her favorite yellow rain boots.

The Magical Bridge Playground is a world-renowned concept first developed in Palo Alto and now at Red Morton Community Park in Redwood City. It is designed to be socially inclusive for children and adults of varying physical and cognitive abilities. Its’ aim is to go beyond typical playground designs, that often overlook the growing autistic population, cognitively challenged, visually and hearing impaired, physically limited, and the aging population.

Yellow represents happiness and a love of learning, the freedom to express your individuality by creating new ideas, sharing your collected knowledge with others, and having a deep need for logical order in your everyday life. When I lifted Lyla up to place her in one of the bucket swings she intuitively knew she shouldn’t and couldn’t get into the swing with her big yellow boots. “Too big Papa!” she said. Of course, she was right.

Toddlers want what they want when they want it. Have you ever tried to tell a toddler “no” when they want something? Lyla is no different. She is learning the art of negotiation at an early age, and to counteract such willfulness, Cecile has taught her the “Yes,” song, which makes her smile.

As an adult, we can rationalize decisions based on what we know to be the best for us.

Toddlers, however, live in a world of their own where “they" make the rules until they learn about ours.

There are eight or nine different sections or zones in the playground. Lyla, Cecile, and I got our groove on at the Music Zone which is an artist-designed 24-string Musical Laser Harp and Drums activated by stepping up and

down in a series of concentric circles. There is also an Innovation Zone, Spin Zone, Swing & Sway Zone, Picnic Area, Playhouse, and Play-stage for pretend-play where children experience the full range of their senses and feelings. Alternately, there is the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative funded Tot Zone for young children to create friendships, explore, take risks, develop fine and gross motor skills and absorb a vast amount of basic knowledge. Finally, there is the Kindness Corner, the heart of the Magical Bridge, which is a gathering place for reflection, compassion, education, and modeling positive behavior, basically reinforcing all the lessons learned in many of the children's books we read Lyla. Then, Lyla wanted to play hide and seek or should I say hidden in plain sight hide and seek (hands to her eyes:).

Shortly, after we made it back to our daughter Michelle’s and Kyle’s house. Cecile fed Lyla, we read a couple of stories to her and she went down for her nap. View Lyla on the blue bumpy slide by clicking on the following short Vimeo video link:

https://vimeo.com/507266421

Postscript: Future Magical Bridge Playground being planned in a city near you

https://climaterwc.com/.../redwood-city-residents-enjoy.../

A Frigid Bike Ride in the Neighborhood on the Way to the Historic Saratoga Quarry Park

If you truly love nature, you will find beauty everywhere [in every season].” —Vincent Van Gogh

“Wherever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine. —Anthony J. D'Angelo

The 70 degree days we were blessed with came and went. Currently the temperatures have dropped to the just under 40 to 50 degrees. The floating cloud formations have been incredibly prolific. Some angry looking and others billowing with reflections of light from the sun (photos). The cold snap didn’t stop friend and neighbor Bill Rothenberg and I from going for a bike ride this weekend before the much needed rain set in and will continue after today’s respite. After noodling around local private family vineyards, stately homes in quiet untrodden neighborhoods and dirt trails, hidden away from traffic, we made our way to Saratoga Quarry Park, located a mile outside historic Saratoga Village just passed Hakone Gardens. In conjunction with Santa Clara County and the Mid-peninsula Regional Open Space District the land was purchased by the city of Saratoga in 2011 with the intention to develop a park. Future plans include connecting the Quarry Park to the Skyline to the Sea Trail though the Santa Cruz Mountains, a bicyclist and hiker’s dream.

In the mid 1850s the site was first used to mine lime for the gold and silver mining industry. The county operated the quarry from 1921 to 1967 to extract rock and gravel for the county roads. After the quarry was closed in 1967, it was used for private picnics, parties and weddings until the 1990s.

Remnants of the quarry days still remain and are celebrated for its historical significance including old mine cart axles that were converted to benches. The sturdy gravel trails are well marked with signs and vary from level to steep climbs, and there are extensive picnic grounds for warmer times. There are concrete remains of the Old Loading Structure by the parking lot entrance that was once used to deposit freight onto train cars. The building now contains large black and white photos from when the quarry was fully active.

We were surprised to see several families hiking around the gravel trails on such a cold day, but these days of sheltering in place, people are taking advantage of being out in nature, which is allowable under CDC guidelines with the usual precautions.

A Hovering Helicopter Above Bay Club Courtside Gets Members Attention

"The helicopter approaches closer than any other [vehicle] to the fulfillment of mankind’s ancient dream of a flying horse and the magic carpet.” —Igor Sikorsky

My plan was simple. I would go to the Bay Club Courtside resort-style facility to nurse my aching sacroiliac joint in my right hip with a little self-administered hydrotherapy as I had done the day prior and swim a few laps before taking a bike ride on the Los Gatos Creek Trail behind the Netflix headquarters and campus directly across the street from the club.

To this end, I strategically sat in front of the pulsating hot tub jets which provided virtually immediate relief. While lounging on the comfortable, thick cushioned royal blue chaise lounge waiting for a pool lane to be freed up, I heard the signature sound of a helicopter as did others who were just as curious and entertained as I was.

Some people describe the sound of the rotating blades of a helicopter as whirling, clapping, chopping, or fluttering as it hovers in place. The sound conjures up all sorts of things (good and bad) depending on one’s experience. For me I am reminded of the time I invited my late dad to take a helicopter ride with me while vacationing in Maui; recalling the hit series “Mash” starring Alan Alda as Hawkeye or "Good Morning Vietnam” starring the late Robin Williams back in the day. More currently the popular Seal Team series comes to mind.

The defining characteristic of a helicopter is its ability to hover at any point during a flight. Helicopters hover by generating lift from the horizontal rotating blades. As the air is sliced and separated by the blade an upward lift force is created, keeping the helicopter suspended in the sky. It is it’s hovering in place capability that allowed me to capture these photos and short video clip:

<IMG_3154

At a time when travel restrictions are still in place due to COVID-19, I have really enjoyed the outdoor pools and hot tub, especially during the resurgence of the great 70-degree weather we’ve been having of late in the South Bay. I am also grateful for the health and safety protocols that the management has put in place and the friendly and helpful staff who are doing their best to serve its’ members.

Feeling Alive and Refreshed From my 25-Mile Solo Lexington Reservoir Bike Ride

“The bicycle has a soul. If you succeed to love it, it will give you emotions that you will never forget.”

—Mario CIpollinni

My 25-mile roundtrip bike ride began along the Los Gatos Creek Trails, where one can see turtles sunning themselves on rocks in the creek, scrub jays and squirrels gathering acorns for the winter, a great egret wading in the water looking for fish, geese, and ducks lounging over the spillways, nests perched on tree branches, brush piles, and holes in the ground, any one of which can be a home for an animal in-the-wild. In fact, wildlife use this unbroken creek corridor as a natural highway, just as bicyclists like myself use the adjacent mostly paved trails as a nature-driven refuge to energize our bodies and recharge our spirits.

Eventually, the trails lead to a series of wooden and paved pedestrian and bicyclists bridges that cut through the hidden path behind downtown Los Gatos. It continues to follow the creeks, shady underpasses, and wide dirt and gravel trails leading to Lexington Reservoir County Park, popular with people who enjoy hiking, running, and bicycling.

The reservoir loop as it’s called is a relatively moderate clockwise ride removed from the traffic that traces the outline of the Lexington Reservoir. In fact on this sunny weekday, there were hardly any cars or other bicyclists on the road. I practically had it all to myself except for a couple of motorcycle riders that whizzed by. I was in no rush. The journey is more important to me than the destination, and I love to make unplanned stops to take photos along the way. Aside from several hairpin turns there are a few notable climbs along the stretch of the ride, one of which is a short slope where the grade reaches approximately 20% for a couple of hundred feet.

I have grown accustomed to pausing at Dakota William Toy's roadside memorial. Dakota died in a tragic car accident on August 25, 1994. He was only 20 years old. He aspired to be an electrician like his dad and grandfather. His passions were cars, bike riding, and traveling. The memorial is lovingly tended with colorful flower baskets and a makeshift wooden cross. This time I noticed a small card with the word ‘Happy' imprinted on it (photo).

When I circled the reservoir to the other side, I entered a dirt road with great reservoir lake views and followed a young fisherman down a makeshift path which allowed me to make it to the water’s edge around a thousand feet away from the graffiti-filled underpinning of Highway 17. This was my final respite before retracing my way back home. The views were breathtaking. When I headed back towards the path I spotted the remnants of a yellow mylar birthday balloon with a string attached propped up on some ground cover with a smiley face (photo). The universe does have a sense of humor at times.

My Granddaughter Lyla & I Discovered an Alien Mutant-Looking Fruit While Picking Lemons

“Lemons are like people. As long as the insides are OK, it doesn’t matter if they don’t look perfect.”

—Dan Haggarty posted on Quora

After sliding down the slide a few times from the play structure we had bought Lyla for Christmas, this little bundle of joy and energy was ready to do something else. “Pick lemon,” she said. The lemon tree in our daughter Michelle and husband Kyle’s back yard is just a few feet away. I picked Lyla up and ‘Lo and Behold,' there was the most unimaginable looking lemon I had ever seen, and I am willing to bet the same goes for Lyla in her two years of life. In fact, she looked bemused.

When Beyonce recorded her latest “When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade,” I don’t think metaphorically these were the type of lemons she had in mind.

Don’t get me wrong I have seen other deformed-looking fruits and vegetables before, and they are edible. There is even a market for them, but you will not see them in the general food markets.

However, there is a variety of lemon called “The Buddha’s Hand Citron" sold by specialty grocers and Asian markets around the country. What makes it unique is that it has long fingered tentacles at the end and rarely has any juice on the inside. While the Buddha’s Hand has no juice, the fruit itself is edible and can be used to make Citron Sun-Tea, can be blended with Vodka and sugar, into a Buddhachello, has strong antifungal and antibacterial properties, natural perfume or room freshener, used in salads, keep away insects (Citronella) and many other uses.

The Buddha’s Hand actually has a significant role to play in Buddhism, where it is considered to be a special offering in temples, and used during New Years’ in China (Photo). It likely originated in India more than 2,000 years ago. The fruit is a symbol of happiness, longevity, and good fortune and typically given as a New Years’ gift. The finger-like extensions of the hand resemble ‘praying hands,' and its’ yellow color represents the 'Yin and Yang’ or balance of life. A story to tell Lyla when she's a little older.

The Only Sunsets That I Don't Like are the Ones I Missed

“There’s always a sunrise and always a sunset and it’s up to you to choose to be there for it,' said my mother. ‘Put yourself in the way of beauty.’”

—Cheryl Strayed, Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail

An Opacarophile is defined as a person who loves sunsets. The word is broken down into two parts: 'opacare’ which is Latin for dusk or sunset, and ‘phile’ which is Greek for love.

If I learned anything this past year, is that you don’t have to be vacationing on some exotic island to enjoy a stunning, calming, sunset. It makes your worries melt away. It is a natural mood elevator. It enriches one’s life and gives you a sense of gratitude. It slows downtime and gives you a moment to reflect, and it’s available to you FREE 360 days a year.

Whether you are walking, running, bicycling, and even driving, any person can enjoy a sunset. Here are some sunsets I photographed on the Los Gatos Creek Trails this past week.

The fourth photo was taken by my wife Cecile while we were driving back from Fremont, CA just as the sun was beginning to set.

A Poem by Mary Oliver called The Sun:

"Have you seen anything in your life more wonderful than the sun, every evening, relaxed and easy,

floats toward the horizon and into the clouds or the hills, or the rumpled sea, and is gone—and how it slides again out of the blackness, every morning, on the other side of the world, like a red flower streaming upward in early summer, at its perfect imperial distance—and have you ever felt for anything such wild love—do you think there is anywhere, in any language,

a word billowing enough for the pleasure that fills you, as the sun reaches out as it warms you as you stand there, empty-handed or have you to turned from this world—or have you too gone crazy for power, for things."

Remembering the late Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) Life Member Frank Augustine on the Anniversary of his Birthday

"Thanks to the eldest son, Dr. Dennis F. Augustine (retired), for honoring his late Dad by writing about his contributions to his country during a time of America’s upheaval leading up to the Great Depression and the Second World War and, for serving his community in his later years. Please note that Frank Augustine was born January 5, 1917, not 2017 (Apologies for the misprint)."

Dad was one of tens of thousands of young men to serve in Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), the brain-child of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal in the 1930s, a work relief program that contributed to the renewal and beautification of the country. Dad also served as a cook in Company 1296 Blackfoot, Idaho, and Company 3201, Gibbon, Oregon, 1940. When he died at the end of 2017, I had intended to write a memorial tribute in his honor, but the mourning of his passing, and personal family issues, made it virtually impossible. When I finally had the time to submit a posthumous story to be published, the COVID-19 pandemic crisis delayed its’ publication even further. When I asked Joan Sharpe, president and editor of the CCC Legacy Journal if it was too late, she kindly responded: “It’s never too late to honor a CCC boy,” and my tribute to dad was finally published in the April-October 2020 issue.

To access the story and accompanying photographs please double click on the link below!

https://www.dropbox.com/.../2020%20Vol.%2044%2C%202%2C...

Belated New Years Toast with our Son Jason & Dinner from Hong's Gourmet Cuisine

Belated New Years Toast with our Son Jason & Dinner from Hong's Gourmet Cuisine

It was Jason’s idea to toast the New Year with a Sidecar cocktail (Just one!). Cecile and I had the Grand Marnier and fresh lemon juice and Jason provided the Cognac. Normally, we would use a cocktail glass as shown in the photo but almost everything is packed away for our upcoming kitchen remodel. So we had to improvise by using copper mugs normally used for Moscow Mules. The drink is said to be invented at the turn of World War 1 in either London or Paris and is named after sidecar motorcycle attachment, which was very common in those days (Photo of Cecile and me in a souped-up modern-day version while vacationing in Maui a few years ago). The Ritz Hotel in Paris claims the origin of the drink.

“It is difficult to imagine any year when our need for this ritual has been greater. Many of us have lost those dearest to us and absorbed those losses in isolation. Livelihoods have been wiped out…We have never been so constrained in our rituals. That does not mean we are not celebrating. Inside lighted rooms, we raise glasses to the people who sacrificed for us, to the triumphant performance of our health care workers, and to a thousand small kindnesses already receding from memory…The end of a year may be an illusion, just a way to trick ourselves into keeping going. But we made it.”

—Ellen Barry

Happy New Year 2021 to our Friends and Family & an Uplifting Message of Hope

With all the terrible things that have happened in the world this past year, everyone is anxious for it to end. We often feel guilty when experiencing moments of joy or any form of elation

when our fellow human beings are suffering. But letting ourselves feel joy when it arises is a crucial part of our collective healing. One of the tools I have found useful and inspiring is reading poetry about the human condition that allows me to sift through the anguish and hold onto the joy of being alive. Poetry is like medicine for the soul. It can inspire hope that the reality of something horrific that on various levels has affected us all won’t last forever, and that change is on the horizon if we are willing to work for it or give it time. Even a glimmer of hope during a time of hopelessness is the solace we all seek.

One glimmer of hope is offered in the poem by Laura Kelly Fanucci, a nationally syndicated columnist, “Faith at Home,” that went viral this year:

“When this is over, may we never take for granted

A handshake with a stranger

Full shelves at the store

Conversations with neighbors

A crowded theater

Friday night out

The taste of communion

A routine checkup

The school rush each morning

Coffee with a friend

The stadium roaring

Each deep breath

A boring Tuesday

Life itself

When this ends

May we find that we have become

More like the people

We wanted to be

We were called to be

We hoped to be

And may we stay that way—better

For each other

Because of the worst.”

Peace, Love, and Light

Dennis & Cecile

Postscript: Photos of us babysitting our Granddaughter Lyla taken in Redwood City, CA

She is still enjoying the Christmas decorations in the neighborhood.

Night Riding: Enjoying A Colorful Sunset & Full Moon & a Happy Coincidence

"Sun and moon can’t rise at the same time…One must set...to let [the other] rise.” —Khushi

Though I absolutely adore sunsets while out bike riding (see photos), unlike the sun, there is something soothingly captivating in gazing up at a full moon. While roving about the spacious trails of Los Gatos Creek Park, I had the chance to witness the final full moon of 2020 last evening, known as the December cold moon. The nickname “cold moon” is attributed to the native American Indian tribe, the Mohawks that give a nickname to each full moon of the year. The full moon in December is commonly known as the “cold moon” due to the plunging temperatures that begin showing up as winter sets in.

I love how poet Tahereh Mafi metaphorically describes a moon in general. It resonates with me:

“The moon is a loyal companion.

It never leaves. It’s always there, watching, steadfast,

knowing us in our light and dark moments, changing

forever just as we do. Every day it’s a different version

of itself. Sometimes weak and wan, sometimes strong

and full of light. The moon understands what it means

to be human. Uncertain. Alone. Cratered by imperfections."

I felt completely rejuvenated from my bike ride when I left the protected open trails of the park. On the last leg of my ride, someone rode up alongside me and called out my name. It was my son-in-law Kyle’s brother Chip. Apparently, I wasn’t the only nightrider pushing the envelope. He had just finished a ride on Hick’s Road and was headed home as well. Hick's Road is part of an urban legend of being "haunted," but that's a story for another time.

Chip and I stopped to take a “selfie" in front of the El Camino Hospital ER sign. It serves as a reminder that biking can be a bit dangerous even if you're careful, especially at night.

If you enjoy being alive and motivated by the spirit of adventure, you must try to manage your risk. This is why I upgraded to a stronger front white spotlight on my handlebar and a red flashing light at the rear for the occasional night ride.

I invited Chip to follow me on one of my long shortcuts (As my wife Cecile puts it:-) over a pedestrian and cyclists bridge that crosses over highway-85 to get him to his destination. On the way, we stopped on the protected overpass to observe the cars and trucks go whizzing by. Usually, when I am off on a solo ride, my companions are my bike and my iPhone camera. However short my coincidental meeting with Chip on the way home, it was nice to have the company.

Riding Montebello Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains with Son-in-Law Kyle & Brother Chip Lewis

"Feet on the pedals, head in the pillowy cumulus clouds, brisk temperatures and a beautiful rainbow."

My son-in-law Kyle invited me to join him and his brother Chip on a bike ride on Montebello Road in the Santa Cruz Mountains. “Montebello”(Italian and Spanish for 'beautiful mountain') rises 2,000 feet above Silicon Valley, a few miles from the new Apple Spaceship campus. The road is just off Stevens Canyon Road, just past the Stevens Creek Reservoir and the old rock quarry. There are some terrific views of Santa Clara Valley below. The cloud formations, intermittent showers, and a colorful rainbow (photo) added to nature’s spirited entertainment. There are a short series of switchbacks, zig-zags and stair-step climbs up the mountain. I made it a mile past Pichetti’s Winery when I noticed my battery power on my pedal assist Sondor’s eBike began to wane to the 25% mark. Having uneventfully made this climb to the top on a prior ride, I knew instinctively, I wouldn’t make all the way to the Ridge Winery. Though Kyle offered to accompany me back down, I insisted he and Chip continue the climb without me.

On the ride down I turned left on Steven’s Canyon Road alongside the Steven’s Creek Reservoir and continued my descent to the McClellan Ranch Preserve in the Monta Vista neighborhood of Cupertino that still retains its rural ranch look and was one of the favorite sites our watercolor group, Saratoga Community Painters set up our easels back in the day.

It is also a famous bird-watching site and houses the headquarters of the Santa Clara Valley Audubon Society. There is a nature preserve in the middle of the park with walking paths.

I then continued on and circled the McClellan Groundwater Recharge Pond (also known as a percolation pond) which is part of the Valley’s water district. The water is derived from a portion of the Steven’s Creek Reservoir, percolates in the ground, naturally filtered as it slowly moves through the aquifer, and is pumped out to use as high-quality drinking water. The pond has a circular shaped island that looks like an abandoned ancient UFO covered by vegetation which birds love to congregate and sing (Photo).

I then hopped on a dirt and gravel path alongside the railroad tracks on the National Historic Juan Bautista De Anza Trail in Cupertino. It has become part of a five-mile pedestrian and cycling path that has been used for decades and is owned by the Union Pacific Railroad, the Santa Clara Valley Water District, and other utility companies.

I barely made it to our driveway, before my battery ran completely out of power. Five minutes later, Kyle made it back to our home for a late 2 PM vegetarian and a steak felafel lunch and a story to tell.

Merry Christmas from Our Home to Yours & an Aspirational Poem of Hope

"And the people stayed home. And read books, and listened, and rested, and exercised, and made art, and played games, and learned new ways of being, and were still. And listened more deeply. Some meditated, some prayed, some danced. Some met their shadows. And the people began to think differently. And the people healed. And, in the absence of people living in ignorant, dangerous, mindless, and heartless ways, the earth began to heal. And when the danger passed, and the people joined together again, they grieved their losses, and made new choices, and dreamed new images, and created new ways to live and heal the earth fully, as they had been healed.”—Untitled by Kitty O’Meara (2020)

We all know it’s difficult to be Merry when so much was taken from so many during the pandemic. We have all experienced loss to varying degrees including the loss of loved ones. What I like about O’Meara’s poem is that she never mentions the word “pandemic,” and infers that something other than sadness and darkness could emerge from isolation. The bright star that has emerged in our lives as it has for many grandparents is our granddaughter Lyla who just turned two recently.She has hit the jackpot this year getting gifts for her birthday, a small gift for each of the eight days of Hanukkah (Festival of Lights) and multiple Christmas gifts.

During this holiday season, we got to babysit her, do puzzles, blow bubbles, take walks to the ponds and lake in our gated community to see the ducks and exotic birds that bless us with their grace and beauty. We sat on the wooden pedestrian bridge and watched and listened to the waterfalls. We take her to the park (now that she is 2 years old, she too is required to wear a mask), Cecile bakes cookies and cakes with her. We read books to her. She is so eager to learn and understands more than she can speak. We collected and made a little mountain of pines cones behind the cactus garden. Her curiosity inspires us and her energy keeps us energized.

Like many we had a low-keyed Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Our daughter Michelle and husband Kyle and Lyla spent Christmas Eve with his mom Kim and Al Chien. We celebrated Christmas Eve quietly with our son Jason and his dog Daisy who spent the day with us. Cecile baked biscuits, we played Scrabble and as usual Jason kicked our butts. I managed to get a bike ride in, barely making it home before dark, and we ordered take out Asian Fusion cuisine and binged watched Bosch, the detective series on Amazon.

I posted some photos leading up to the holiday season. We want to thank Jason for the cozy clothing he got for his mom and the bright colored bicycle jackets he got me. Also, thank you Kim and Al for the glass wine decanter and the baked cookies, and Michelle and Kyle for the sweets. We look forward to the full family gathering at the Chiens next year. We are all so blessed.

Peace, love and light to all our friends and family.