Elusion of Peace

A light haze hugs the bay. Predicted high winds have not appeared to blow it away. The roses out my window are still bearing but getting cranky with neglect. Up here things appear calm but that is a deception. Oakland is experiencing trauma once again, not by fire this time but by the tear gas removal of over a thousand wall street protesters camping at the plaza. Meanwhile less than a mile west the last two ton steel section of the bay bridge retrofit is being jiggled into place this morning. Attaching it to the adjoining structure will take 4,500 bolts. Like the rest of the project, it was all made in China. The irony goes without saying.

At Cathy Lane the last of the kitchen crown molding is in place but the cupboard doors remain handleless and a few other things undone. Some days I churn at the contractor but mostly I've become philosophical about it. It seems unimportant in the larger scheme of things. Kodi is eating fairly well but still behaving like a basket case at night.

I've yet to figure out what scares him or hurts him and have no more discretionary funds to invest in doggie specialists. Mostly he wants to build a cave under my recliner which is fine as long as I remember to warn him to move when I go to jump up. I don't wish to deal with a squished Husky.

Last weekend Catherine, Kodi and I refreshed ourselves at Cath and Mary's other house in Santa Rosa. We took in two of the art displays in Santa Rosa's Art Trails which is somewhat like open studios. What fun! It surprised me to see that the vineyards around there are still green as green can be. Its almost November. Where is our fall color?

In my own small orchard my ten year old persimmon tree is exploding. It looks like there will be plenty of fruit and leaves for subjects to paint this year but its going to be late. The photo above is my rendering from another year's crop. I am always seeking peace but only finding it in my paintings. Perhaps I should go back to Bali. I wonder if they'd take Kodi?