Age

Hi,

Our first full day in Palo Alto was a busy one.  The sky was crystal clear blue, and it really felt like summer when I was a kid.  

“The monkeys stand for honesty, giraffes are insincere, and the elephants are kindly but they’re dumb.  Ourangutans are skeptical of changes in their cages and the zookeeper is very fond of rum… It’s all happening __ __ __”

Hint:  It’s by a duo who celebrated New York in many of their songs.  

The place where we are staying has a lot of pick-up trucks.  Early in the morning, one at a time, these trucks started their day by sitting, idling for a very long time.  Their rumbling exhausts keeping me from going back to sleep.  As one would leave, the silence was bliss, until another started.  When the lot was almost empty, it was time to get up.  Nosey me wishes I knew what was going on, but I’ll never know.

We picked up Joe at 8:30 and drove across town to a place called Stacks.  That’s because the specialty is pancakes.  After a big breakfast we went to the health food store.  Joe is a regular there and it’s fun to see him in his local element.  I got some healthy cookies (555).  In the past, we would have gone to the art supply store, but it’s gone.  The apparent plague that has changed many towns and cities is having an effect on Palo Alto.  Gentrification is rearing it’s ugly head.  The rents go up, long time merchants are displaced by those willing to pay the new freight.  On top of that, art supply stores are becoming a rare thing, as digital art appears to be replacing paint and brushes.  Mom and Pop art shops are being bought by chains who can survive, apparently.  

The rest of the morning was spent in Joe’s studio, looking at all the new work, revisiting some old pieces, and learning some of his methods.  He and Lisa discussed the color black and how to achieve depth.  If you just walked in, it would sound like a really crazy conversation, but black is not just black.

Lunch at Zoe’s, a tiny coffee/lunch shop near the house, is always pretty cool.  Zoe is very committed to the community, and the planet and her shop reflects that.  I got a line on paper straws and a box of the best brownies in the world, complete with no dairy or soy.  She has singers on some evenings, in the style of the 60s coffee house vibe, and does projects with school children.  It’s a perfect example of one little shop, a mother/daughter team with a little help, making a difference where they live.  We all napped after lunch.

Our final adventure was a road trip to Santa Clara and the university there.  Some of Joe’s work is on display, along with a print exhibition of Mazur and a photo exhibit of jazz artists ranging from the 30s to the 60s.  In one of the rooms there was a phonograph playing albums of some of the artists.  There were big, comfortable chairs some one could sit back and enjoy the music.  It was ‘cool’.

Tomorrow we’ll go to San Fransisco and see Joe’s current exhibition at Far Out Gallery. 

Today’s photo was taken at Santa Clara.  The tall pine tree behind the chapel is the same kind that we have by our pool.  This one is about three or four times as tall.  The way ours is growing, it’s possible. 

Have a Thrilling Thursday.

                   Peace,

                             Danny

“Age is a case of mind over matter.

If you don’t mind, it don’t matter.”

~Satchel  Paige