Originally posted April 2011 on Becoming is Superior to Being. — kenne
“The only thing we can perceive are our perceptions. In other words, consciousness is the matrix upon which
the cosmos is apprehended. Color, sound, temperature, and the like exist only as perceptions in our head,
not as absolute essences. In the broadest sense, we cannot be sure of an outside universe at all.” — George Berkeley
Artist Along Sabino Creek In Sabino Canyon, April, 2011 — Image by kenne
Image by kenne
Water
Pressure of sun on the rockslide
whirled me in a dizzy hop-and-step descent,
Pool of pebbles buzzed in a Juniper shadow,
Tiny tongue of a this-year rattlesnake flicked,
I leaped, laughing for little boulder-color coil —
Pounded by heat raced down the slabs to the creek
Deep tumbling under arching walls and stuck
Whole head and shoulders in the water:
Stretched full on cobble—ears roaring
Eyes open aching from the cold and face a trout.
— Gary Snyder
“I am a poet who has preferred not to distinguish in poetry between nature and humanity.”
A mountain stream in Bear Canyon — Image by kenne
One word (after the sun) that best describes our past, present and future is water. Currently, in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area the mountain runoff is restarting nature’s wonderful cycle. Other than the fact it almost took my D800 the other day, I love being in its presence. Maybe I need to reduce my “risk factor.”
kenne
Children in Rural Area of Nicaragua (November 5, 2007) — Image by kenne
In November of 2007 I had an opportunity to visit the operation of The Rainbow Network in Nicaragua. This nondenominational organization serving Nicaragua’s poorest people through nutrition, healthcare, education, housing and micro-loans. Although I had an opportunity to learn about and witness their service in each of these areas, I was most impressed with their work to help provide access to clean water.
Shortly after my trip I became aware of One Drop, and international non-profit organization created by Cirque Du Soleil founder Guy Laliberte in 2007. One Drop has as its mission the use of water as a transformational force to improve living conditions, as well as give communities the ability to care for themselves and their families.
Three years ago many of the Cirque Du Soleil began working on a special show, One Night for One Drop, a tribute to scarce water supplies in countries around the world. This year marks the four year that 105 volunteer Cirque performers have worked on this project, and for the first time Fathom Events will be releasing Cirque du Soleil’s performance One Night for One Drop at select U.S. movie theaters, June 7th.
Slideshow Images by kenne
Our rain total since the beginning of April is .3 inches (.76 cm) — yes, we do live in the desert. Image by kenne
— kenne
The Oasis On Lake Travis — 2002 Image by kenne
Today, voters in Texas have an opportunity to help determine how the state will be able to fund future water needs, especially considering recent trends in population and climate. As reported in StateImpact, “The state’s reservoirs are currently just over 60 percent full.” The continued drought throughout the southwest continues to worsen an already dire situation.
Recently we were visiting family and friends in the Houston area and on our return trip to Tucson, spent a couple of days in the Austin area. Having heard how low Lake Travis is, we went to The Oasis On Lake Travis for lunch, a scenic location we had visited several time over the years.
Lake Travis is currently 33% full. — Images by kenne
The Oasis, because of its high venue over Lake Travis has fared much better than many businesses on the lake. Another well-known restaurant on the lake, Carlos’n Charlie’s, open for nearly twenty years, shut down September 2, 2013. Jeff Beckham wrote in the NY Times article, “With Lakes Drying Up, Businesses are Parched,”
“The closing of Carlos’n Charlie’s was the latest and most visible business impact of the drought. In the past, thousands of patrons would arrive by boat and car to watch the restaurant’s annual Fourth of July fireworks show and listen to live music. But the boat docks have been unusable for more than three years.”
One of the Oasis decks well above the current lake level.
“In 2011, a coalition of governments, nonprofits and businesses commissioned a study to calculate a baseline economic and fiscal value to the area surrounding Lake Travis. The Lake Travis Economic Impact Report found that when the lake level dropped below 660 feet, visitor spending dropped by up to $33.8 million, resulting in up to 241 lost jobs and $6.1 million in lost wages a year. Lake Travis has been below 660 feet since April 2011, and the current level is about 620 feet.” (NY Times)
The last time Lake Travis was full was 2007.
Lunch-Time at the Oasis (October 28, 2013)
Currently, public boat ramps are closed on the lake and most residential boat decks are hundreds of feet away from the residence, high and dry.
“High and Dry” On Lake Travis
Jeff Beckham quoted Pete Clark, co-owner of Carlos’n Charlie’s — “It’s kind of like a sick friend in the hospital right now, but it’s still a friend and it’s still a great place. And it will be again.”
Let’s hope he’s correct, but like it or not, the odds are not good.
kenne
Image by kenneRIPPLE OF LOVE
Ripple of love, little bluepond
Making waves, inside out
Shimmering seed, in every heart
Radiant light,ripple of love
Circling rings, reaching out
Sounding waves, far and wide
Sparkling seeds, turning round
Ripple of love, homeward bound
Ripple of love, little bluepond
Making waves, inside out
Radiant light,ripple of love
Radiant light,ripple of love
A seed and a ripple and a moving ring
Tuning the heart of everything
— Raffi
Desert Sun, Water and Shadows — Image by kenne
Hiking down the trail before the rain
Caught in the rain on the way back up the trail, the colors jump at me. Water adds to both life and death. — Image by kenne
kenne
“In and out, in and out.
The seagull cries.
Colors blend and wash ashore,
Drifting in from beyond the skies.”
— from “Sea” by Kate E Deter
Our patio fountain becomes a watering hole and bath for local birds. — Images by kenne
A mountain stream in Bear Canyon — Image by kenne
One word (after the sun) that best describes our past, present and future is water. Currently, in the Sabino Canyon Recreation Area the mountain runoff is restarting nature’s wonderful cycle. Other than the fact it almost took my D800 the other day, I love being in its presence. Maybe I need to reduce my “risk factor.”
kenne
Sabino Canyon Creek — Images by kenne
Images by kenne
Becoming is Superior to Being 
In 2007 I had an opportunity to visit a rural Nicaraguan water project that is part of the Rainbow Network. When it comes to the availability of water, it’s on the backs and heads of women. Even when hand driven water pumps are made available, it is the women who pump and carry the water back to their communities.
The practice of women being responsible for finding and collecting water for drinking, washing, cooking, cleaning is common in many countries. ” They walk miles, carry heavy burdens, wait for hours and pay exorbitant prices. The work is back-breaking and all-consuming. Often the water is contaminated, even deadly. In these instances, they face an impossible choice – certain death without water or possible death from illness.” You can learn more about women and the water crisis at water.org.
Living in southern Arizona one is frequently reminded of the need for sustainable water sources, and global warming will continue to challenge our ability meet water needs. An article in today’s New York Times, “A Parched and Sinking Capital — Mexico City’s Water Crisis Pushes It Toward the Brink,” is one more reminder of the social, economical and health issues caused by the water crisis.
— kenne
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