San Francisco Bay offers a potential for imagination. The clouds in the distance towards Oakland resemble mountains of clouds majestic as they seem piled up; they grow and gather upon one another, making hues of blue-gray, tines of orange, and beige. As in the Jack and the Bean Stalk story, imagine seeing the castles of medieval lords or ships sailing; the clouds are like the oceans below. Sunlight pounding on an island in bay waters with a bright glowing contrasting with the blue background of the day.

In one moment, a memory could pounce, tearing and forcing the observer back to a time when the clouds’ formations and the sky’s hue were similar to what was seen years ago. There’s a sudden yearning for a life that once was.

As the oscillating lights of the Bay Bridge are active, the world is bathed in a medium blue tinge, yet the clouds are a deep blue-grayish green. The contrasts of amber lights that dominates the piers invite potential observers to relax.

Create a scene through imagination living in a floating dwelling barely hovering above the bay waters. It’s wrapped in the mist. The dweller looks up at the Bay Bridge, observing its enormity. Lamps surround the residence as guides or property markers. Crossing the waters of the bay are highways for horse riders, bikes, and travelers on foot.

Days and nights change rapidly; there are always subjects to write about.

Robert J. Matsunaga