AcroYoga - Naked Biglemoi Washing Machine

On Saturday, Tori and I were finally successful with the Naked Biglemoi washing machine. Created by Jacob Brown and Debbie Collis, it combines the Naked Singularity, Rotisserie and Big Lemoi washing machines. After practicing rotating three times in the same direction on each side, we combined both sides sides together to complete the symmetrical pattern seen in the video below. You can see that we almost lost it in the middle of the third rotation, but we saved it! Ha!

Tori and I practicing the Naked Biglemoi washing machine at the park atop the cliff at Swami's Beach. The name of the tiki head art piece behind us is Easter Island Head II and was carved from an old tree by Tim Richards in 2018. 

Memorial Day - Walk on Saint Malo Beach

On Memorial Day, Tori and I went for a walk on Saint Malo Beach in South Oceanside. It was high tide so we had to run between the beach stairs to escape the waves. The wood-shingled houses along this shore were built to mimic the ones on the island of Saint Malo off the Normandy coast of France. They are part of the first gated community in San Diego. Built in the 1920’s, the beach houses were a getaway for the wealthy elite of Los Angeles. Harpo Marx and Al Capone were among the notable guests.

Saint Malo Beach is just north of the outlet to the Buena Vista Lagoon that separates the cities of Oceanside and Carlsbad. This used to be a saltwater lagoon but it changed to freshwater after the Saint Malo community built a small dam in the 1940's to block its connection to the ocean. There is debate on whether it should be returned to its original brackish state like the region's other lagoons but no decision has been made. The lagoon is home to the Buena Vista Audubon Society Nature Center and is California's first Ecological Reserve in 1968. While the Carlsbad City Beach was completely open to sun bathers, the Carlsbad State Beach was restricted to walking and water sports only due to the Coronavirus. You can see the difference in the crowds in the two photos I took below.

AcroYoga Base View (Jacaranda Tree)

The Jacaranda Trees in the neighborhood were in full bloom with their gorgeous purple flowers so we decided to take some AcroYoga Base View photos underneath one of them. We started out with Bird, Straddle Throne and Side Star poses.

Here is a funny sequence of photos as Tori tried to recover her sunglasses as she jumped up into Reverse Star. In the third, I am helping adjust her glasses with my finger. 

These two Mono Reverse Stars with Tori balancing on each leg were shot automatically with the GoPro at my side. It takes a lot of concentration to hold this pose so I didn't feel confident trying to take the photos holding my iPhone at the same time.

We don't know the name of this modified Side Star but I included a video below showing how we got into the pose.

AcroYoga - Base View Photography

I have always enjoyed the Base View angle with AcroYoga photos since it mimics what I see from below. Here are some photos of Tori and I playing around with different poses in the park, starting with variations of Straddle Bat.

Tori and I are very comfortable in Croc pose but it is much harder to balance when I need to switch focus to take a photo with the iPhone in my hands. The first two are of regular Croc on my inside legs and the third is Funky Croc in the outside position. The pose really popped when I rotated the photo.

Taking the photos with the fill flash really helped against the back light from the sun. This is a silly pose that I call Sideways Bird since I don't know it's true name.

Air Force Thunderbirds (San Diego Flyover Salute)

Starting at noon on Friday, the Air Force Thunderbirds flew across San Diego in a Flyover Salute for the hospitals and first responders in the area. Even with my zoom lens, the Delta Formation of F-16 Fighting Falcons looked tiny flying over the nearby farmland. I was on the roof of my office as they sped past and circled Mount Calavera in the distance before returning to follow the ridge-line across the valley and head out towards Escondido. There was also a two-seater F-16 following the six other fighter jets in their Delta Formation. They were loud!

While I was on the roof taking photos of the flyover, I also took this picture of a tractor plowing the fields below. I am glad there is still some farmland left in Carlsbad.