Ralph Pace Photography

Happy birthday my dude

Cheers to the legend you are. Cheers to not being an as***le, and cheers to dealing with me when I was one. Cheers to jumping off the garage. Cheers to always trusting your cape. Cheers to being my fu***ng hero.

Cheers to understanding that using the left was as important as the right. To collecting cans and returning arrows when the count was off. To knowing you were only as good you acted, smart as you taught and as good of a father as you did.

Cheers to noticing the light as it dappled the river. The grain that pointed inwards. The boards that were backward. ... Cheers to knowing the importance of the mud between your toes, the smell of cutting grass, the touch of the earth, the freedom of dipping in the Hazel. Cheers to the warm slide on a fresh duck egg.

Cheers to crafting with your hands. Things that you can feel. Things that are real. To sharing it with the world. Cheers to teaching us. Cheers to not fixing the leg.

I always thought we’d have another chance. A few more spins on the lathe, a few more f***s said aloud. Cheers to being able to say f**k with the best of them. Cheers for teaching me.

Cheers to driving the open road. Cheers to the fun of throwing a line without a fly. To spoiling long walks while trying to dodge gopher holes. To coffee in bowls, wine in sailor jars, walking to the end of the world and understanding no place is more important than where you are.

Cheers to being at your best in a vast field running wide open. Thanks for letting us be part of the ride. I’ll never forget the sunset salt, poor pregame diets, milk for stomach aches, gasoline on ivy and the importance of the gentle caress on the downshift.
Thanks to giving me life, the hard head and curiosity of the wild world. To showing me what a big heart feels like and how to wear it on the sleeve.

Cheers to not giving a f**k. To sawdust in your hair. Cheers to winning the dirtiest car two weeks in a row. Cheers to giving away the wash. To understanding it was more important to be you, than to fit the mold. Cheers to understanding the value of conversations, connection and being human. Thanks for not understanding technology, I loved the extra calls.

Cheers to never growing up. And, cheers to always showing up. Cheers to living your dream. Cheers to helping me craft mine.

Be good.

Man’s lens is brought into focus through nature

Happy

2025 has been a kind year for squishy things in Monterey. I call them squishy things censuses that’s the only box they all fit into.

From squid runs, valella both invading kelp and offshore, phronima coming up in their scalp homes from the deep with eggs, to melibe everywhere you look, to eggyolk jellies, the barnacles that grow on those jellies and to the food caught by those jellies. Plus the normal beautiful locals we get.

Here’s to hoping the rest of the year counties this way.