Happy Easter & Happy Spring: For Our Granddaughter Lyla it's All About Rabbits, Easter Egg Hunts & Other Forms of Play

"I think we need to do some deep soul searching about what’s important to our lives and renew our spirit and our spiritual thinking, whether it’s through faith-based religion or just through loving nature....”

—Louie Schwartzberg

“I still believe in Santa, the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy and true love. Don’t even try to tell me different.”

—Dolly Parton

"The moment you stand up and claim your divinity,

Christ is reborn within your heart,

Buddha rejoices,

Mohammed dances upon the mountaintop,

Lao Tzu winks approvingly

And the Promise of the Tree of Life is Fulfilled....”

—Walt Whitman

Cecile and I babysat our 2-year and four-month old granddaughter Lyla today. She was dressed for the Easter season. She had a pink "Hoppy Easter" top with a long-eared bunny rabbit on front, floral print pants, white slip-on sneakers with a decorative butterfly (certainly a symbol of transformation) on top. Before going for a bike ride, I colored with her, and when I returned, Cecile was blowing bubbles with her. We took her for a walk to see the turtles sunbathing on the rocks in the lake and ponds in our gated community. There were rumors that white tailed bunny rabbits were being sighted. Sure enough, as I had hoped one did make an appearance. Lyla was captivated. She was also captivated by a two-tiered fountain of flowers next to our neighbor’s driveway, and while sitting on a large white decoy Swan at poolside.

Cecile and I are an intermarried couple. I was raised Catholic, She was raised in Judaism. Having been in the midst of remodeling our home these past few months

we weren’t able to celebrate Passover with family and friends. Though I have a deep appreciation for my birth faith, especially the Christian mystics, my main interest is in the Eastern traditions involving mindfulness practice. I also love nature, and springtime is my favorite time of the year. With my interest in cycling and photography I can immerse myself in the most in-the-moment heart-opening experiences that make almost every day a special holiday.

In early April, even sooner in California, birds are chirping and preparing their nests for offspring, flowers are popping up from the ground and trees are getting green buds.

Green thumbs are tending their gardens and watching for the first signs of bulbs they planted last fall. Even if Easter is not a religious holiday for you—and perhaps more so if it is—there is something to be said about seeing the first flowers of the spring season begin to bloom in your garden.

In short, the world is coming alive after a long and cold winter for so many as it does each year at this time. Moreover, the Covid-19 vaccines are being administered in full force giving the most vulnerable among us a big sigh of relief. Easter being a symbol of hope, renewal and a new life is certainly at play this year more than ever before.

Our secular symbols of Easter: eggs, baby chicks, rabbits, are the first contact young children have with the celebration of Easter. For many children—including myself when I was a child—Easter was, and is, a time of Easter bunnies, Easter eggs, Easter egg hunts, Easter baskets with chocolate rabbits, shimmery foil covered chocolate eggs, and jelly beans inside.

But, what do all of these Easter treats mean? The egg is an ancient symbol of new life and associated with festivals celebrating spring. It has also been associated with death, rebirth, and kingship especially in pre-historic Egypt, Crete, and Mesopotamia. In Christianity, Easter eggs were said to represent Jesus’ emergence from the tomb and his resurrection. According to some sources, decorating eggs for Easter is a tradition dating back to the 13th century. Eggs were formerly a forbidden food during the Lenten season, so people would paint and decorate them to mark the end of penance and fasting, then eat them on Easter. Over the years, it evolved to decorated eggs being hidden on Easter morning for children to find. The following poem by Richelle E. Goodrich about Easter resonates with me in many ways including the miracle of transformation in the "change of seasons and "resurrection of souls."

Easter is…Joining in a birdsong,

Eying an early sunrise,

Smelling yellow daffodils,

Unbolting windows and doors,

Skipping through meadows,

Cuddling newborns,

Hoping, believing,

Reviving spent life,

Inhaling fresh air,

Sprinkling seeds along furrows,

Tracking in the mud.

Easter is the soul’s first taste of spring.

—Richelle E. Goodrich

Photo credit for “Cosmic Egg” is Salvador D

Biking the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park & Revisiting the 1,000-Year Old Toppled Redwood Tree

Just outside of the quaint village of Aptos, CA, lies a serene oasis called the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park. It is named after the matriarch of the Marks family from Salinas who donated the land to become a state park.

There are over 40 miles of well maintained hiking, jogging and biking trails, and fire roads meandering through 10,000 acres. Waiting to be discovered are second growth redwoods and oak groves in rugged semi-wilderness terrain, that rises from sea level to steep coastal mountains of more than 2,600 feet with panoramic views of the Monterey Bay from Sand Point Overlook.

Bill and I met a couple of mountain bikers at the lookout point who we passed along the way as we peddled to the top. One had only been riding a year and was absolutely loving the joy and freedom of cycling. The other, more experienced rider who had the same brand of riding gloves as mine was equally exuberant. Suddenly, he said: “Sir, do you mind me asking how old you are?” It’s rare that anybody calls me “sir," and my first instinct was to turn around and see who he was talking to:-). “I’m 70,” I responded smilingly. “Oh, great,” he added, “it gives me hope and inspiration,” for the future. Ironically, I have made the same sort of inquiry whenever I encounter someone ten years my senior still riding. As they say everything is relative.

Historically, almost all of the redwood forest we were in the midst of, was cut down during a 40-year logging boom from 1883 to 1923. When loggers departed the Aptos Creek Canyon, the forest began to heal itself from the scars of the past. The Forest of Nisene Marks is a monument to the miracle of forest regeneration.

On October 17, 1989, about a dozen miles below the Forest of Nisene Marks, the 6.9-magnitude Loma Prieta Earthquake tore through Aptos Creek Canyon snapping redwoods and Douglas fir tops like toothpicks, loosing sand and stone, sending violent and destructive tremors rippling across Northern California. It flattened downtown Santa Cruz and collapsed the Bay Bridge. Our swimming pool at our former home in Saratoga rocked up and down from side-to-side like the Tilt-a-wheel amusement ride of my New Jersey youth.

Though Bill and I enjoyed the thrill of rugged and varied terrain trails, not to mention some of the cleanest and coolest air in California, it was a challenging. At times I felt I was riding a bucking bronco, especially during the plunging descent.

When we got to the guard attended entrance parking lot, I invited Bill to check out the site of a 1,000-year old "Advocate Tree" that was uprooted during a storm in The Forest of Nisene Marks in January 2019. This majestic “old growth” landmark redwood once stood at over 260 feet and had a circumference of 45 feet. It had been around during the time of the Anasazi (“Ancient Ones”) cliff dwellers, believed to be the ancestors of the modern Pueblo Indians. It was alive when Genghis Khan ruled Mongolia, when Joan of Arc was burned at the stake, William Normandy invaded England, when the Spanish Conquistadors conquered the Americas. It was alive during the African Slave Trade, the Salem Witch Hunt Trials, and the American and Civil Wars.

Postscript: I first witnessed the fallen Advocate Tree shortly after the storm that caused its’ demise in 2019. I had climbed on top of the colossal toppled tree that had broken into several monumental section. See photo of me standing on top of its massive trunk and of our friend James Hunter standing along its’ length.

A Self-Guided Cycling Tour of the Embarcadero Waterfront & the Iconic Golden Gate Bridge

"San Francisco itself is art, above all literary art. Every block is a short story, every hill a novel. Every home a poem, every dweller within immortal…”

—Williama Saryoyan

San Francisco is a tie-dyed, technicolor haven for free spirits and open-minded sentient beings and it was great to revisited it. Bill and I off-loaded our bikes from his SUV near the Chase Center indoor arena, the home venue of the Golden State Warriors in the Mission Bay neighborhood of San Francisco. We then made our way to Oracle Park, home of the San Francisco Giants baseball team in South Beach, and began our 3-mile roadway ride—with pauses in between—on the Embarcadero waterfront, one of the most cycle-friendly coastal stretched in the city. This palm-tree laden coastal parkway is a cyclists’ dream. Embarcadero means “pier” or “a place to embark” in Spanish. We then paused at Rincon Park, where the Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen’s massive “Cupid Span” sculpture depicts a colorful bow and arrow angled downward.

Sea lions made their appearance on pier 39 in the Embarcadero more than thirty years ago, and became a permanent fixture. Waddling and raucous barking and behavior has captured the imagination of tourists and residents alike. Last year, a hand-painted series, illustrated by Bay Area artists of six-foot-tall colorful fiberglass sculptures in their likeness were spread across the waterfront, downtown and Golden Gate Park as part of a yearlong art Installation celebrating their 30th anniversary (now 31) of their takeover of Pier 39, following the Loma Prieta earthquake in 1989.

The historic Ferry Building that serves as a terminal for ferries first opened its doors in 1898, played a major rule in the city’s growth and commerce leading up through WW2. It houses one the city’s most vibrant marketplaces. On top of the Ferry Building sits a 245-foot clock tower with four clock deals, each 22 feet in diameter (photo). Coit Tower is a 210-foot tower in the Telegraph Hill neighborhood can be seen from the Embarcadero district.

Of course, the main attraction is the iconic Golden Gate Bridge which is actually dark reddish-orange. It is a stunning piece of architecture and the pride and joy of San Francisco. The American Society of Civill Engineers voted it one of the Modern Wonders of the World. For all its beauty and charm it is considered one of the most photographed in the world.

The last two times we biked across it, it was shrouded in fog. The other day we were blessed with a clear, albeit windy day and as we approached the bridge the view was absolutely breath-taking. There were more walkers than bicyclists. We were able to see the skyline of the city and the notorious Alcatraz Island that once housed America’s most infamous prisoners like Al Capone. It closed in 1963 and re-opened as a tourist attraction in 1973.

As I approached the bridge proper, I could feel the anticipation growing in my stomach as I had felt before. The great tower and cables loom bigger than life. An electrical surge of joy overcame me. The gust of wind was invigorating. Everyone seemed to have a smile on their face. It felt more like a pilgrimage to a sacred site. In many ways it “is" a sacred site.

On the way back over the bridge we stopped at Vista Point. I had the good fortune to meet a senior monk from the Dhammakaya Meditation Center in Morgan Hill who is originally from Thailand and was also enjoying the sites. His familiar saffron robe, fluttering in the wind brought me back over ten years ago when I did a three-week silent meditation retreat at a Burmese Monastery in Lampang, Thailand that was well supported by the business community in Bangkok. It is the only city in Thailand that still uses horse carts as a means of transportation.

Postscript: Bill and I were admiring the Powell & Wide Street Trolley when the driver offered to take our photos in front of it. He informed us that Krispy Kreme was giving away free donuts for showing our vaccination card through the end of 2021. Maybe, next time:-)

Celebrating our 44th Wedding Anniversary with my Beloved Wife Cecile and Still going Strong

“A Marriage is a commitment to that which you are. That person is literally your other half. And you and the other are one…a marriage is a life commitment, and a life commitment means the prime concern of your life…In marriage, every day you love, and every day you forgive. It is an ongoing sacrament—love and forgiveness…Like a yin/yang symbol…Here I am, and here she is, and here we are.”

—Joseph Campbell, The Power of Myth

“A soulmate is someone who has locks that fit our keys, and keys to fit our locks. When we feel safe enough to open the locks, our truest selves step out and we can be completely and honestly who we are…Each unveils the best part of the other. No matter what else goes wrong around us, with that one person we’re safe in our own paradise.”

—RIchard Bach

It is hard to believe Cecile, that we have been married for forty-four years which is the equivalent to 528 months,16,060 days, 385,440 hours and 23,126,400 minutes. When I think about our relationship, it is akin to the flowering red Camellia we planted on the side of our town home at Rinconada Hills that we both adore. In China, the camellia represents the union between two lovers. The delicately layered petals represents the woman, and the calyx (the green leafy part of the stem that holds the petals together) represents the man who protects her (Though God knows you’ve saved me plenty of times:) The two components are joined together, even after death. Typically when the petals of a flower fall off, the calyx will stay intact. With camellias however, every botanist knows that the calyx and the petals fall away together which is why the camellia also represents eternal love or long-lasting devotion.

As your husband I want you to remember that in my book you are beautiful, compassionate, loving, worthy, important, special, unique, talented, irreplaceable and a pure soul.

Happy Anniversary, my love. I look forward to the next chapter in our lives. As the camellia teaches us, a true love story has no ending.

Postscript: A few photo memories of the last leg of our 30th anniversary trip in 2007 that included a colorful day at the Hong Kong Flower Show which curiously was celebrating its 30th year anniversary.

Threatening Rain Clouds Dazzling Sunsets and Snow-Capped Mountains: Enjoying the Majestic Quality of Mother Nature from My Bicycle Seat

Terri Guillemets once said: "Clouds are the sky’s imagination. And their different shapes and colors are a fodder for our power of imagination. They are what we want them to be. Their gathering to cover the sun, and dispersing to uncover it again, is splendid to watch. There can’t be anything bad or sad about them. Watching them float by is a beautiful experience; and…watching the clouds float across the sky is by no means a waste of time.”

Weather in the Bay Area the past few days has been unpredictable. Sunny, and bright blue skies one moment, and in the next moment increasing dark rain cloud formations seemingly about to burst with much needed rain.

There was a pretty steady flow of cool air as I rode the protected Los Gatos Creek Trail to get my bike tuned-up in San Jose. Just looking at the snow-capped mountains made me shiver. Considering we are quickly approaching spring, this was unexpected. In contrast, on the way back home nature was offering up a full palette of colors. The sunset was bursting with so much color and intensity, I was in awe. Yesterday, my biking buddy Bill Rothenberg and I rode to the boat launch area on the lower end of Lexington Reservoir in the foggy Santa Cruz Mountains. The rowing team were carrying their boats above their heads as they walked on the dock ready to launch their boats for practice.

A helicopter was flying around the reservoir and then landed near the waters edge. The contrast between the varying weather patterns was like watching a split screen TV weather channel showing what was going on in the different parts of the state. All of this was a reminder of the versatility and majesty of mother Nature.

Sometimes, I feel like I am riding my bike in the clouds, and becoming one with them. It reminds me of a quote by Leonard Louis Levenson: “A pessimist sees only the dark side of clouds, and mopes.” I used to feel that way. He then added, “A philosopher sees both sides, and shrugs; an optimist doesn’t see the clouds at all, he’s walking [or riding] on them."

When I don’t have my head in the clouds, I take note of what’s happening on the ground around me. As I ride the underpass tunnel on the paved trail below a city street, I see a large mural of rainbow trout to the right of me (photo). I note a family feeding the ducks in one of the percolation ponds; A father and young son riding the underpass of another city street.

A father in a low-riding tricycle reaching over with his right hand and tenderly tapping the low back of his boy who is attempting to navigate a steep incline, in front of him as I trailed behind. He made to the top, not an easy task. The father is proud for him. Heck, I was proud of the young boy.

There is no way to feel totally isolated, even in the midst of a pandemic when you go out there and see people living in the moment. They are walking their dogs or letting them run free in the dog parks, people are hiking, fishing, running, rowing, skateboarding, riding their unicycles, and physically challenged individuals on their motorized wheel chairs, even when its cold or damp outside. Almost everyone wearing masks, doing their part to keep safe and others safe.

A Classic St. Patrick's Day Dinner Last Evening with the Chiens

“May you bring light to the home

Warmth to the heart

Joy to the soul

And love to the lives you touch”

Irish Blessing for newborn Emmy and big Sister Lyla

It is rare that we get to eat a classic St. Patrick’s Day feast of corned beef and cabbage, green-mashed potatoes and carrots, but thanks to our son-in-law Kyle’s mom Kim and Al Chien, Cecile and I were invited to join them, our daughter Michelle, granddaughter Lyla and, our newest granddaughter, sweet Emmeline (Emmy) last evening.

After catching up on our day, we enjoyed some drinks. Green beer, as it turns out has nothing to do with the original celebrations of St. Patrick’s Day. But drinking does, and so we did. As I approached Kyle at the kitchen counter, he offered me a beer. It was not just “a” beer, but a blend of beers. Blending Guinness dark beer with a Harp Lager beer has a long celebrated history. Kyle poured half of my glass with Harp Lager. Then, like an alchemist took a spoon, turned it upside down, and held it over the liquid surface and slowly poured the rich, creamy, dark Guinness Draught, the king of Irish beers over the back of a spoon. If done correctly, it will sit atop the other beer and you can see a clear boundary between the two. The reason this works is that Guinness isn’t as dense (not heavy) as some believe as Harp Lager beer.

Then, we helped ourselves to a buffet of lean, moist and delicious corned beef, green-mashed, roasted rainbow carrots, cabbage and, fresh-bake sourdough bread. For dessert, Kim (Lollie) with Lyla’s help made a colorful, rich layer cake that contained cream cheese, whipped cream and chocolate filling.

The grandmothers, Cecile (Nonnie) and Kim (Lollie) bonded with Emmy who currently has blue eyes and is making smiley faces. There is nothing like a newborn to warm the heart and soul of the family, and of course Lyla always entertains and is showing increased affection to her baby sister.

Happy St. Patrick's Day in Honor of a Roman Brit that Became the Patron Saint of Ireland

“For the whole world is Irish on the seventeenth o’ March!”

—Thomas Augustine Daly

“Ireland is a land of poets and legends, of dreamers and rebels.”

—Nora Roberts

“May the blessings of each day be the blessings you need the most.”

—Irish Blessing

“There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.”

—Oscar Wilde

Since around the ninth or tenth century, the people of Ireland have been observing the Roman Catholic feast day of St.

Patrick. The first St. Patrick’s Day parade actually took place on March 17, 1601 in a Spanish

colony in what is now known as my namesake city, St. Augustine, Florida. Legend has it that St. Patrick was not Irish at all. He was born in the fourth century, into a wealthy Romano-British family, kidnapped and brought to Ireland as a slave at the age of 16. After escaping, he returned to Ireland and is largely credited with bringing Christianity to its people. He taught that the three leaves of the native Irish clover (the shamrock) represented the Holy Trinity (Father, Son and the Holy Spirit).

St. Patrick’s Day wasn’t widely celebrated in America until Irish-American immigrants made it popular in the 1700s. Though St. Patrick’s Day originated in Ireland, the parades, parties, and the practice of dyeing rivers green (i.e., the Chicago River), is purely an American tradition to demonstrate Irish-American pride. In a surprise tweet, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that the Chicago River was dyed green in honor of St. Patrick's Day. The surprise dyeing of the river was done to avoid large crowds gathering at the waterfront. This is the second year in a row that the traditional St. Patrick’s Day parade are cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Postscript: While a young adult living in Hoboken, NJ, my friends and I used to take the Path train to McSorley's Old Ale House in NYC to celebrate. The iconic Irish pub was established in 1854. The bartenders were Irish and there was sawdust on the floors (See photo).

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

Optimistic & Hopeful and Relieved After Getting our 2nd Pfizer Vaccine Shot

“Responding to Covid is a communal team effort. As much as we have to work as a team to adopt safety precautions, it’s also our responsibility to get the vaccine.”

—Jessica Stern, clinical psychologist & assistant professor at NYU Langone Health

Cecile and I are relieved to have gotten our 2nd COVID-19 vaccine shot later this morning and even celebrated the event at lunch at "Happy Hound," our quick take-out and outdoor eatery for hot dogs and fries.

We sat under the red umbrella with a beautiful mountain view, after what was supposed to be a celebratory event. And yes, we were indeed happy, relieved, and grateful. However, we couldn’t help feel for those who have been left behind due to unequal distribution and shortages of the vaccine, mixed-messaging from the state, and federal authorities.

My doctor called recently and asked how the first inoculation went a few weeks ago. While she was happy to hear our experience was uneventful, she warned that may not be the case with the second shot. Side effects are more common and more pronounced with the second vaccination.

But, again, so far we’re good and it’s better than the potential of an actual COVID-19 infection.

My doctor thanked me for getting the vaccine since the more people who get vaccinated the better chance we have at herd immunity. She added that the compliance in getting the regular annual flu vaccine is at best 50%. We need to do better with the Covid vaccine if we want to get back to any semblance of “normal." The vaccine alone may not be a get out of jail free card, but we have made great strides thanks to the innovation and brilliance of doctors and scientists.

And, as Keith Norris, MD, a professor of medicine at the Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA said recently, “Knowing that after I’ve had the second dose my chance of getting COVID and being so sick I have to go to the hospital or could die is close to zero—that feels wonderful to me.”

The Military Coup in Myanmar (Burma) & my Encounter with a Former Member of the Ministry of Defense Turned Buddhist Monk

“Freedom must be demanded and defended by those who have been denied it and by those who are already free."

—Aung San Suu Kyi, de facto leader of Myanmar

We are standing in solidarity with our dear friends Maybelle, her daughter Michelle MhuMadii and fiancé Jason [yes, coincidentally the same names as our kids] and the over 50 million people of Myanmar (Burma) that are suffering immense hardship resulting from a military coup that ended the country’s nine-year transition to Democracy led by Suu Kyi. A day before the protests, the military leadership ordered a day-long internet blackout.

My love affair with Myanmar began during my first meditation retreat in early 2000. Over the years, I had returned to Myanmar to study and participate in several annual three-week mindfulness meditation retreats at Kyaswa monastery in the Sagaing hills outside of Mandalay. Everything I learned from my studies from the Buddhist tradition I owe to the Burmese lineages that have been kept alive for centuries by the old forests monks. Sayadaw (teacher) Lakkhana, the revered abbott of the monastery died in 2014, and my esteemed lay teachers, Michele Macdonald and Steven Smith from Vipassana Hawaii continue to pass on the light of the teachings. The word Vipassana in Pali, the language at the time of the Buddha means “to see things as they really are,” and is an ancient meditation technique.

A week ago Sunday's protests were the largest of its kind since the "Saffron Revolution" in the fall of 2007, that connects the protests against Myanmar’s military dictatorship to the saffron-colored robes associated with Buddhist monks who were at the forefront of the demonstrations. Suu Kyi, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner, became the State Counsellor of Myanmar (equivalent to a Prime Minister), brought some degree of democracy to her country through nonviolent resistance. As of February 1, 2021, she was arrested and removed from power by the military that declared last November's general election results that her party won by a landslide as fraudulent.

Nyein Chan, BBC Burmese, Yangon reported that protestors took to the streets by the tens of thousands in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) and Mandalay. They demanded the release of their elected leader Suu Kyi and members of her National League of Democracy (NLD) Party including President Win Myint. The three-fingered salute used by the protestors (see photo) and activists from Thailand and Myanmar was borrowed from the Hunger Game film series symbolizing solidarity for democracy movements.

Due to the Saffron Revolution in 2007, westerners like myself weren’t allowed into the country, so in 2008 the annual meditation retreat I attended was held at a Burmese monastery outside of Bangkok, Thailand. In 2009, I returned to the Kyaswa Monastery. While there I met a Buddhist monk (photo) who was assigned to a hut (kuti in Pali) behind mine. He invited me to visit him later that afternoon. He had posters on the wall of his hut, one of the Buddha and another of Suu Kyi, the former leader who was under house arrest at the time. He had been gently caressing and petting a squirrel (see photos) he had coaxed down from a tree a few weeks prior to our meeting. “His name is ‘Rambo,’" he said smilingly. I let out a nervous laugh. How fitting, I thought that a former member of the Ministry of Defense of the Military, turned Buddhist monk would come up with a name like Rambo. He shared how much at peace he experienced being a monk, thanks to his good friend and our respected teacher, Sayadaw U Lakkhana, the abbott of the monastery.

Back History: Aung San Suu Kyi is the daughter of Aung San, Myanmar’s independence hero and the founder of the Burma Independence Army (Myanmar was known as Burma until 1989). He functioned as colonial Burma’s prime minister, moving the country toward independence from Britain in the late 1940s. He did not survive to see a free Burma. Tragically, in 1947, he was assassinated at the age of 32, along with other members of his cabinet when his daughter Suu Kyi was just two years old.

Postscript: Cecile and I visited our friend Maybelle, her daughter Michelle and Michelle’s fiance’ Jason during a one week pre-trip of our five-week tour of Southeast Asia in 2018. I have known Michelle since she was six years old. I also had a nostalgic visit with my esteemed lay teacher Michele Macdonald who had just finished leading a meditation retreat at the monastery.

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.

Light at the End of the Tunnel: Getting Our First Pfizer Vaccine Shot

“I believe this is likely the most significant medical advance in the last 100 years…”

—CEO of Pfizer, Dr. Albert Bourla

“It could be the beginning of the end of the Covid era.”

—Dr. Ugur Sahn, CEO of BioNTech

We never thought we’d be so grateful to get a "shot in the arm,” so to speak. Thanks to the genius of Dr. Ugur Sahin and his wife Dr. Ozlem Tureci co-founders of a small German biotechnology startup BioNTech, who teamed up with premier pharmaceutical company Pfizer in Project Lightspeed, my wife Cecile and I were able to have the first of two COVID-19 vaccine injections at Kaiser Permanente medical office building across from the hospital in San Jose.

The vaccine was found to be more than 90 percent effective in preventing the disease in clinical trials in those volunteers who had no evidence of previously being infected. Though there is always a possibility of side effects, after four hours since our inoculation neither of us have had any symptoms. Our second shot has been scheduled for two weeks from today.

The hardest part of getting the vaccine was the over four-hour wait on speakerphone for Kaiser to accommodate us as part of the priority 65 and older group. But, if the pandemic has taught us anything it's that patience is indeed a virtue. Other than that the staff at Kaiser were efficient, created a safe environment for us to be vaccinated, and we were seen very quickly. We were asked to self-monitor for any adverse effects for 15 minutes before leaving the facility. In our mind, though we did our best to roll with the punches after the pandemic took hold of our country and around the world. The vaccines are the first step in bringing back a sense of normalcy. Though the ride back was rainy and cloudy, for the first time since the pandemic began we felt there was light at the end of the tunnel.

Alert: It is important to note that the protection that the vaccine offers does not kick in until some weeks later. Check with your doctor.