"ABSENCE OF EMPTINESS"

In Newport, Oregon's Nye Beach District, there is a ginormous sculpture created from a single piece of redwood "driftwood."  The artist, Juergen Eckstein most likely needed scaffolding to coax his visions from the wood.

 

 

 

Photos of more of Eckstein's art can be found on his website, http://www.juergeneckstein.com

IN AND AROUND NEWPORT, OREGON

I hate heat.  And I hate to use the word "hate."  But I absolutely H-A-T-E heat.  Anything over 76 degrees makes me feel like I've got PMS all over again, and, trust me, I'm waaaaay beyond PMS.  Scary!  What to do? What to do?

Escape to my beginnings:  the coast.  Just one problem though...I had to go through heat in order to get to the coast where my favorite color (GRAY!) greeted me and miracle of miracles, I became a civilized human being again -- almost overnight!

Historic, Kitschy Bayfront

Breweries, Painted Buildings and Sidewalk Art

One of Several Newport Glass Blowing Hot Spots

Hatfield Marine Science Center -- So fun and interesting, there was no time left for the Aquarium!

Yaquina Head Outstanding Natural Area's Lighthouse...

and Bridge

Another "historic"...Historic Nye Beach

And yet ANOTHER "historic."  This one belongs on your bucket list .. even if only for the food:  Sylvia Beach Hotel, a Hotel for Book Lovers.  And lovers of leisurely, 4-star meals, four courses, prix fixe, served family style -- unique.

And whoever doesn't believe in Mother Nature's magic, go to your room!
Wind, water, waves.  One day Nye Beach was calm and flat.

After 24 hours of incessant, high wind, the beach grew from flat sand to sand dunes...deep dunes, unwalkable dunes (if one was looking for a flat beach!)

But wait!  Just wait another few days of tides and waves...et viola -- no dunes!

TAIKO DRUMMERS

Santa Cruz is well known for its spontaneous drum circles -- you never know when or where a group might appear here or there.  But an appearance in Santa Cruz of the Watsonville Taiko Drummers is considered a special event.  My son and I were treated to not one, but two Taiko groups at the Japanese Cultural Festival held in Santa Cruz each June.

These are some faces of Watsonville and San Francisco Taiko Drummers.  For me, these throbbing, rhythmic, goosebump-raising sounds are spiritual.

Young or old, the intense, passionate energy coming from these drummers is palpable and invigorating.

And the so-obvious enjoyment of their craft is so very infectious.

I don't consider my photographs "art," but I do hope that my images help tell a story.  Or, at least tell you something about the colorful world we live in.

San Francisco's Taiko Maestro on the left; my gorgeous son on the right.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRYaQpVsFLQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtLrxPdF7x4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQxp55Mon-Q