2021 Holiday Greetings
from California

 Joe   --   Dorian  --  Arielle 
Click on any photo for enlargement

Dorian's Greeting

I can't imagine that just 6 months ago I was getting up at 5:30 to start my morning ritual: stretching, a 3 mile jog, and biking to work. Then, day after day, year after year, I rode to work, created lessons, guided students, and thoroughly enjoyed my job as a 5th grade teacher, with little time to worry about doing much else. Twelve hours and more on the weekend were already planned for me.

Life is so different now. I can count the times on one pinky that I've been up before 6, and I realize that I have time to take-on on my dreams. As everyone says, it's amazing how time is filled up. On one hand, you feel like you should be doing something to help humanity, on the other hand, there is the gym, biking, hours of time to practice the fiddle, and time to rake the front yard and think about what else I might be doing.

So 2022 will be a year of re-imagining, rediscovering what can be done without a rigid schedule and other's expectations. 2022 will be a year to really test the self-imposed restraints on thinking and action. And, moreover, 2022 will be a great time to enjoy some time with you: take a walk outdoors, a coffee, a pub, whatever and share. That would be time well spent! My schedule is open to you and we can help humanity together!


Here is Peter with the family at Long Ridge OSP, in the Santa Cruz mountains. It's not far from one of the architectural sites he has been working on for the last few years, now remotely from his home in South Lake Tahoe. He is taking advantage of a few gap years before grad school, working a satisfying job in his field, and escaping for recreation in the Sierras after work. He joined a regional soccer team, takes regular hikes and backpacking adventures around the lake, ran a marathon, and enjoys cooking and some gaming (Magic, not the slots :-) . It may be hard for him to leave  South Lake Tahoe, and all its possibilities!

In 2022, you'll definitely find me in June at Jazz Camp West in La Honda, CA. This camp is a week of harmonic nirvana in the redwoods. Later, we have two boats reserved for Greece in July; a trip we had to cancel two summers back.   And finally the biggy in October-November: we are cruising for a month in the far east: Japan, Taiwan, Vietnam and ending up in Thailand. We’ll bike for a week in the north of Thailand, and finish with a second sailing trip out of Phuket, Thailand (James Bond Island) and other exquisite karst geology in the south.  Still looking for more crew to join us.

Joe's Greeting

This retirement thing is fabulous.  Particularly after Dorian joined me in the repudiation of the daily grind.  Outstanding way of living, but for the lack of regular positive deposits in our checking account being a noticeable downside.

In the spring, I snuck in a covid-delayed trip to see schoolmates friends in Florida to celebrate a half-century of living.   Really pleased to see Al and  Sally, Brent and Nancy, Sue, and Francine with newly engaged beau Joe.  Hope to do this again!

 After Dorian retired, we started tripping by biking through some magnificent national parks in southeast Utah, starting and ending in St. George.  We urge you to see Southwest Utah. It is not to be missed.

In the late summer, we had to cancel the third LIG sailing trip in a row due to covid. As consolation, we invited the spurned crew to our cabin near Lake Tahoe where we sailed the lake on Dan's trimaran. That started a cross country car trip spanning 9 weeks, 9000 miles, and 28 states.  It was cool to see over a dozen friends and family, hike the Colorado mountains, bike the Vermont "Northern Kingdom",  enjoy two state fairs, savor three broadway shows ("Hadestown" is highly recommended!), attend a 45th USNA reunion, and witness a most amazing sculpture garden you in New Jersey.  Many gems found between Maine and California to be sure.

With my brother Jeff and  our mom, now 89, joined for two trips this year: a February respite from the Wisconsin cold in Phoenix, then a gentle summer week at Lake Tahoe where we walked a bunch and saw Shakespeare performed on the lake.  the 35th year for that festival.  She is valiantly battling Alzheimer's but still living independently.

I continue to make stuff.  See galleries at http://martinka.org/art.  I have been inspired to start an art degree at a local college in January 2022 just to have fun and learn more what I'll not be able to do.

Biking continues a source of cardio and bliss for me.  In 2021, I totaled over 2500 miles, and 43 miles vertical (192,000 feet climbing).  This is on par with the last few years of 'retirement riding', and I plan to amp it up this year with bike trips in the Alps and in Thailand.  Additionally we plan to cruise in Asia and in the Med this year.  Do it while we can...the years pass quickly.

Considering a trip in California this year?  Let us know, and we would love to host you at our mountain cabin at on Lake Tahoe's West Shore.    Or stop by to see us in Sunnyvale!

Arielle's Greeting

While my parents enjoyed the start to their shared retirement in 2021, I entered the workforce. I started 2021 as a student teacher of biology and SDIAE biology at Santa Clara High School. I learned a lot from the supported independence of student teaching, and really enjoyed finding new ways to connect with students and teach science- both through the student teaching and my graduate classes at Santa Clara University. At my Master's graduation in June, Dad pointed out his haunts from his own time at SCU in the 80's and Mom reminisced on her own teaching education and career.  The  dual picture is of Mom and me graduating with Education Masters 30 years apart.  I'm so lucky to have learned from both of them!

This school year, I started my teaching career for realsies teaching biology at Mountain View High School. The knowledgeable, supportive teachers and curious, respectful students of MVHS have made this transition smoother than I expected- phew! Learning more biology every day, dressing up for crazy spirit days (my favorite has been "anything but a backpack" day when the students brought anything from wheelbarrows to buckets for their school supplies) and celebrating my second annual Fat Bear Week have also added to my joy at school.

In April, I visited a Boulder Creek location that had been ravaged by the CZU fires in 2020. Compared to my last visit around 6 weeks after the fires, the area had significant and inspiring regrowth and the rainy forest was teeming with california newts!

Other Californian ecosystem appreciation events have come in the form of camping, hammocking, hiking, and backpacking.

More stuff:
o chopped off my hair, so I look like my mom now
o adopted Taricha (named after the Pacific newt genus), a beautiful tortoiseshell cat who has introduced me to the joy of sharing space with a 11-pound predator

Here's to 2022, continuing curiosity, practicing mindfulness, learning new perspectives, and joy.

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 Family Art Galleries : Watercolors, Woodturnings and Oils

Life is Grand (LIG) Sailing:  Past and future trips (email Joe if you are interested)

Past Holiday Holiday Letter Archives:

2020  
2019   --   2018   --  2017   --  2016
2015    -- 2010   --  2009   --  2008
2007   --  2006    --  2005  --  2004
2003   --  2001   --  2000  --  1994

(NOTE If you have kept any xmas letter between 2011 and 2014, let us know. We would appreciate a copy of it and send a sweet gift in return)