Movers and Shakers

These pictures were taken on a field trip this week to Mission San Juan Capistrano -- one of the many return trips I've taken since my first (4th grade) visit. 

Even back in grade school, I felt conflicted about Father Junipero Serra's work at this and other California missions. I believe the padres meant well, but as it often happens in such circumstances, the laws of unintended consequences played out in some very unhappy ways. Still, most of the 21 missions are quite beautiful. And this one, of course, is the crown jewel of El Camino Real.



1. Ruins of the original stone church, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1812



2. The Fountain of the Four Evangelists, which once provided fresh water for the entire mission community



3. An evocative statue of Father Junipero Serra ministering to a Native American child



4. Thanks to the efforts of the Gardening Angels, the grounds of the Mission are covered with beautiful flowers, edible fruits and vegetables, and a variety of palm, citrus, pepper, and olive trees. 



5. Hmm...How exactly does one start the day in church and end up in jail? 

  

I must go down to the seas again, to the vagrant gypsy life,
To the gull's way and the whale's way, where the wind's like a whetted knife;
And all I ask is a merry yarn from a laughing fellow-rover,
And quiet sleep and a sweet dream when the long trick's over.

--excerpt from Sea Fever, by John Masefield

My friend Karen and I are taking some of the same field trips I remember from my childhood—the Mission at San Juan Capistrano, the county fair, tide pools along the Pacific Ocean. What I like best about these child's-eye views of Orange County: They're raw and real, not spoiled by the media's distorted lens. 

I spy, with my little blue eyes...


tide-pool treasures, spilled from...


Mother Nature's pocketbook!

1) Mamma mia, I couldn't resist these disco-ball inspired flip-flops! (Oooh, shiny objects...) Macy's was having a big sale this weekend, though, so I got them for a song. "How many pairs of flip-flops does a girl really need?" Silly question, mi amore.

2)  Although I"ve got plans that prevent me staying for the entire SCBWI-LA conference, some LJ friends are meeting up with me on Thursday for an early dinner/appetizers/drinks. The more the merrier...Please let me know if you can join us!

3) I'm headed to the gym for a stint on the Precor, and then I'll be grabbing another Fast Pass ticket for Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Oh, and John Wayne Airport (see #4).

4) Two months to the day after our kitchen remodel was completed,, I've only used the oven twice. For reheating pre-made meals. "Tsk, Tsk -- Such a waste of top-grade appliances!" That's what you're thinking, right? Well, I've cooked up a remedy for the situation. My friend Karen, who's got mad cooking skilz, is flying in tonight. I'm all about culinary inspiration, a decent home-cooked meal, however I can get it.

So...what's cookin' with all of you?

I do like Dark Rides, though – the more imaginative, the better. Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride at Disneyland is my all-time favorite.

The beginning is peaceful, idyllic even. You climb into a caravan of horseless carriages going “merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, to no place in particular.” Suddenly, the seemingly benign adventure goes berserk! No matter how hard you crank the steering wheel, your car careens in all directions. You crash through the Toad Hall fireplace, barrel through haystacks, nearly run over pedestrians, and narrowly avoid an explosion in a dynamite-filled warehouse. After managing a daring escape from the long arm of the law, your car twists and turns through the darkness, until...OMG! You meet your demise in a head-on collision with an oncoming train. Then – get this – Satan awaits you at the fiery gates of Hell!

 

But don't fret: In the Magic Kingdom*, all passengers return safely to the sunlit shopping kiosk disembarking area. Hi-tech, it's not. But I think it's great. It's a C-Ticket ride to Hades and back, with a happily-ever-after ending. 

I also think Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is a great metaphor for memoir writers. There’s no instant rush of adrenaline...just a series of wide-awake encounters with your scariest nightmares. You’re not always sure you can push past the obstacles, nor can you be 100% certain that your project won't hit the skids. Sometimes the pitch-black gets to you. You’re never in real danger, of course; still, you’re always choking back the fear that you could be stuck for a very long time in the cobwebbed surreality of this emotionally charged adventure. But when you tunnel your way out of a difficult passage—wow, that’s magic! You emerge from the darkness with a huge smile on your face, ready to go again.

*Although the original Disneyland ride is still operational, Disney World drove Mr. Toad's wild ride into oblivion in 1998. 
 

The clean_slates community is open to all LJ members ISO a little extra camaraderie and accountability. Beginning today, we're setting new goals (or updating existing plans), with the autumn equinox as our next milestone marker. Perhaps you'd like to join us? 

The equinox happens twice yearly, springtime and autumn. It falls on the day when the nighttime is equal to the daytime. This year, it lands on September 22 at 15:44 p.m. 

Several holiday celebrations occur around this date, often centered around common themes: harvest, balance, and thanksgiving. Mother Earth wears party clothes embroidered with fall colors -- orange, magenta, scarlet, yellow, indigo, and brown.

If you'd like to join the festivities, come on over! We're an accommodating, supportive group. You can write goals about anything, be as specific or abstract as you’d like. With the autumnal equinox as inspiration, here are some prompts to get you started:

• Which fruits of your labor would you like to harvest on September 22?
• What aspect of your life could you bring into balance?
• What gifts might you recognize and offer, to bring gratitude and thanksgiving into your life?

1) Thank you so much for helping me celebrate my good news yesterday!  And for those of you who showered me with little white lies compliments, God bless you, everyone.



2) I've been wanting to talk with Jen Garsee ever since I read her book, BEFORE, AFTER, and SOMEBODY IN BETWEEN. We've emailed back and forth a bit, and last night we finally connected. Boy howdy, did we ever! It was like a pajama party, minus the popcorn and M&Ms. And by phone, unfortunately, 'cause she lives way the heck in Ohio. Anyway, something she said about her writing process really clicked with me. I'm going to write it into a separate post, after I gather my wits thoughts.

A preview of coming attractions:

 Don't be scared. It's a C-Ticket ride, I promise.