Northwest for Spring Break

We're heading north to see some fabulous nature and visit cities and family as well. Tomorrow begins National Poetry Month for April, so I thought I'd try for a poem a day. There's a group called NaPoWriMo, based on the novel-writer's group (write a novel in 30 days, in November), that encourages the practice of daily poetry. I think NaPoWriMo is perhaps the least poetic name ever created, but the idea behind it is not bad. What if we all wrote a poem a day? Yes, there would be some very bad poems, but also some surprisingly good ones. And writing every day is not a bad plan overall.

Here we are heading toward Mt. Shasta. Mt. Lassen was visible on this drive as well, but it is off the beaten path and tends to be the forgotten mountain of the Cascade Range. Maybe a poem would help.

I'm on a different computer without Photoshop, so bear with me as I attempt to manage some photography on the road. Craggy peaks. Keith knows the name of this formation (update: it's Castle Crags, everyone). I'll check in with him on that and get back to you.

Mt. Shasta barely visible in this image in the bright north sky. The white sports car is a Tesla—my first sighting of a solar-powered car. A young, breezy guy was driving. A young, breezy guy with decent cash-flow. Oh, that's not very poetic. Tomorrow for poetry...

Pow! Spring

As far as this little tree's concerned, it's spring.

 

Chapel of the Chimes Columbarium - Oakland, California

A columbarium is a building full of niches that hold cremated remains. Oakland happens to have a very beautiful one, designed by Julia Morgan—The Chapel of the Chimes. The older section of the chapel—a Moroccan-style maze of a building dates from 1928. Additions have been added and all sections contain a multitude of skylights, gardens, fountains and mezzanine levels.

The Chapel sponsors a jazz-concert series and holds a surprisingly weird annual Summer Solstice ambient-noise concert throughout its mysterious hallways and secretive rooms. A strange and enchanting experience.

We found the resting place for John Lee Hooker, a Bay Area blues master.

We took a hike up the hill at the adjacent Mountain View Cemetery, designed by Frederick Law Olmsted.

The higher you go, the more elaborate the monuments on "millionaire's row"

A view of the San Francisco skyline—pyramids galore