Chris’ camera has snapped another beautiful picture, so here it is for your enjoyment. The subject of this high dynamic range photograph is the so-called Butterfly House of Carmel-by-the-Sea. The Butterfly House is one of five oceanfront properties in Carmel that are practically perched upon the sea. The house gets its name because the oceanfront side looks a bit like a butterfly perched on the point. A couple of weeks ago Chris’ camera was trained upon another one of the five, here is the link. The back story on the butterfly house comes from its sale in 2008. This property came on the market then for the first time in fifty years. It was listed for twenty million. With a floor plan of 3,000 square feet, that taps out to $6667 per square foot. At the time of its sale (which was in an election year) there was a rumor that VP Dick Cheney had purchased the property, but this turned out not to be true and Carmel’s liberal and quail populations took a collective sigh of relief. The Butterfly House also gives its name to the dive spot that it overlooks. A diving website says, this site is dynamic, with large rock structures, sheer walls, small canyons and crevices full of sea life all guarded by a giant kelp forest near the shore.
It is the Friday before the Labor Day Weekend, the summer holiday in which we honor our nation’s workers. I have always enjoyed this holiday as I have enjoyed any time off from work, but I have only now begun to appreciate it. Other summer national holidays such as the 4th of July or more particularly Memorial Day honor our nation’s combatants more than its non-combatants. I have no complaints about this, our nation was born in war and Memorial Day is rightly set aside for our fallen heroes. I enjoy the time off from work, I appreciate the sacrifices that have been made for my freedom, but I still feel like a spectator rather than a participant at these holidays. This is no longer true for Labor Day. On this Friday before the Labor Day Weekend, many of my relatives, friends and co-workers will be off from work, but I will be on the job.
I know what you are thinking, “Oh no, here comes mister high and mighty preaching about himself!” Well yeah, you’re right, if only for a little bit. I have worked professionally for 30+ years. And continuously, except for that six months leave of absence that Anne and I took off on our bicycles with, but that is another story. That is a history that I am proud of. On this Labor Day holiday I feel like I’m the one that should be fêted, or at least one of the ones. To all of you other workers out there, have a great Labor Day holiday, you have earned it. Just try to be into work all the earlier on Monday Tuesday. 😉