Day: August 11, 2010

Featured Artist

And now, to change the dialogue a bit, I would like to offer up a “featured artist.” I would like to make this a regular feature, but it would depend on others sending me jpg versions of their work, so no promises. The work could be in any form – paintings, photographs, sculpture, jewelry, whatever form your art takes, but sent to me in jpg format.

Today’s feature artist sent me three jpgs, but I can only find two of them. This artist has been the art teacher, as well as a teacher of other subjects, for over 15 years at the school down the hill from me. He has led the school in an “Ambassador of the Arts” program, a recycling program, has won many awards and grants for the students and the school, and is a commercial fisherman on the side.

Dave donates his art to every non-profit fundraiser around, and donates his time unselfishly to leading student created murals, including one on the K-rail at the Health Center.

Dave Allen has also been a regular contributor to this blog since its inception, and has provided up close and personal accounts of harrowing trips down the coast in difficult winter conditions. Thank you, Dave for all that you do for your students, your school, and the community of Big Sur! And thanks for sharing your work with bigsurkate readers!

Mirage 2 by Dave Allen

Magnificent Sea by Dave Allen

If any other local artists would like to be featured, please send a couple of jpg files to kwnovoa@mac.com

USFS “brushed” out roads

6:30 pm – I just spoke with Sherry Tune of the USFS and we discussed the problems with the brush work. She informed me that the contract provides for chipping up all the material left. She is aware of the problems created by this work and is addressing them. One of those problems is drainage. That’s one of the things I like about Sherry. She is accessible, and she really cares about being a good neighbor.

I have some photos I will be posting later today of the work that has been going on. I am going to avoid any editorial comments about the work, and let readers reach their own conclusions. I have no idea if a clean-up is planned, or not. Check back later this afternoon. I have a few things to do before I can upload the photos.

Here is one of the two mowers. I have a number of photos to upload, so will be posting one or two throughout the day, as time and internet allow.




Okay, the photo above, and the next few require explanation, so you know what you are seeing. This is the source of a spring along side the road. It is just above the end of the county portion of the road, and the road is not currently maintained by the USFS (it was last graded 10 years ago.) This spring, during the winter has a habit of breaking out over the road, and we have almost lost the ocean-side edge a number of times. Rock Knocker and others have done work to keep that edge as in tack as possible.

Locals did some road work here, and hand dug a trench, with a berm, to keep the water flowing on the inside of the road, and not across it, both above and below the spring. This is necessary to keep the water from scattering, going down the road and across it, causing erosion to the outside edge. That trench is now filled with debris, which must be removed before the first rains.

The photo above shows more of the trench and the debris filling it up.