Big, Bad & Ugly Surf Contest 2009
by Kevin Cole

Morro Rock by Dennis Young

USCG Surf Boats by Malcolm Riordan

Great Blue Heron by Nan Carder

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Peregrine Falcon Image on Banner by Cleve Nash

Atascadero Writers Group

The Seeing Eye plant
Keeps watch on fish in the sea
Looks for strange movement,
"Unfishlike activities"
Then reports to King Neptune   . . .         Read More

The Elements of Life by Lucille Bosco

Ah September! The students have returned to school. The snowbirds are revving up their engines to take flight in their humongous motor homes. The autumnal equinox is approaching. Nature's landscape on the central coast of California does not see the dramatic changes one would witness on the east coast. Ours are more subtle, yet still astounding in their beauty. And, as always, the celestial landscape supports these changes. Read More

Frustrated Local Writer by Rose Marie Zurkan

Rose Marie is trying something a little different, serializing a book she has written — "The Evil Men Do." Each month she will be sharing a chapter with you. As the months go by, you will be able to go back and re-read previous chapters if you wish to. We both welcome your thoughts on both the book itself and the process we are trying. So — jump in! Read More

Genie's Pocket by Jeanie Greensfelder

Like a searchlight,
the moon
moves over the swamp,
spies a ghost orchid,
lingers, and lets
white on white
mirror one another
in the black of night.            Read More

Great Shots by Jerry Kirkhart & Steve Corey

Our photo editors bring you some of their favorite coastal images for the month. This month's featured local photographers are Mike Baird, Pamela Link, Jenn Lawrence, Howard Ignatius, Ken Bondy, Linda Tanner, Beedie Savage, Heather Craig, Mike Vieira, Sylvia Sanchez, Ronnie Goyette, Mimi Ditchie, Aidan Briggs, Bob Canepa, Marlin Harms, Dave Lawrence, Michelle Maani, Linda McDonald, Alice Cahill, Steve Corey, Dagman Collins, James Crawford, Donald Quintana, Beth Sargent, Aprille Lipton, and Jerry Kirkhart. See More

Mostly Music by Dawn Starr

Under the hot August sun in the expansive outdoor beer garden at the Barrel House Brewing Company, Ted Waterhouse was setting up for the weekly Thursday evening Real Blues Jam. He has gathered a group of talented local musicians who start the event by "jamming," with Ted leading on guitar and vocals.  Read More

One Poet's Perspective by Jane Elsdon

She is not sure.
when she first became conscious
how foreign this unfolding origami,
her life, has become.
But as the forest of aging
around and within her
grows thicker
more shadowed
strange experiences occur:             Read More

Opera SLO by Kathryn Bumpass

About three months ago I provided an overview of the HD series in this column. What strikes me now, as then, is the emphasis on Russian and Eastern European opera. We'll see Tchaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, Prokofiev's The Nose, Borodin's Prince Igor and Dvorak's Rusalka. I'd like to take a closer look at two of these, Eugene Onegin and Prince Igor. Read More

Practicing Poetic Justice by Deborah Tobola

Steven was so determined to have his tattoo removed that he spent the night in the waiting room of the hospital so he'd be at the clinic the next day to receive a laser treatment. Since his first treatment, Steven has found a job, purchased a car, and decided to become an Emergency Medical Technician. Read More

Shutterbugs by Fred Moore

I grew up in Bakersfield and worked mostly in the oil fields until deciding to have my own shop and build street rods for customers. I married the love of my life, Diane, in 1969 and together we had a successful business for many years. I took a lot of pictures of the cars we built, but left the real photography to the pros that worked for the magazines that featured our cars. Read More

Valencia Peak Panorama by Howard Ignatius