Look what the AI can do…
There’s a curl of fog that crawls across the hill behind my house, misting in the dew and saturating the live oak trees across the hilltop as they drink thirsty from the sky. The marine layer from the Monterey Bay rolls across farm fields between Monterey and Watsonville, and then it rises above a gentle mountain to flow onto Gilroy.
And the fog finally swirls up over the hill next to my house and crawls down the other side, in foggy fingers, gripping downward toward us in a cool, moist embrace.
This is what CHATGPT thought about that fog… I kinda like it. CHATGPT, Write me a poem about the fog, crawling across the mountains behind my house.
The Fog Behind My House (a quiet unfolding): It comes without a name or sound, a breath exhaled from higher ground, crawling slow on silent knees through needled pines and live oak trees. Its fingers lace the ridgeline tight, a hush that dims the mountain’s height—not smoke, not cloud, not ghost nor mist, but something softer, hard to list.
It slides down slopes like whispered sin, a secret slipping farther in, each swirl a veil, each wisp a sigh, a prayer that never meets the sky. The world, reshaped in shades of gray, lets edges melt and time decay; my breath hangs still, the trees stand bowed, as though the earth itself were proud.
And in that hush, behind my door, the fog becomes what I adore—not threat, not chill, not cause to flee, but something vast that visits me… Around San Francisco we call the fog by a name. We call him, “Carl”…
David Bartholomew
Gilroy
Bring Amtrak to Gilroy
Regarding the noteworthy column by Kelly Barbazette, “Gilroy is a hub for Northern California destinations,” it should provide impetus to lobby Amtrak for a stop in Gilroy. (Dispatch, May 9, 2025)
Amtrak’s Coast Starlight runs through Gilroy as train No. 11 to points south, terminating in Los Angeles. In the evening, train No. 14, the northbound train, stops at points north terminating in Seattle.
This train passes right through downtown Gilroy, which is a great advantage for tourists and travelers. Currently if one wishes to catch this train, they have to drive to Salinas or connect with Caltrain, VTA bus or car to San Jose.
Six years ago the residents and the city of Paso Robles successfully petitioned Amtrak to make a stop there. If they can do it, so can Gilroy!
Gary V. Plomp, rail advocate
Gilroy
Support the arts
In celebration of Arts, Culture and Creativity Month during the month of April, the Gilroy Arts Roundtable invites the community of Gilroy to join us in working together to support the arts in
Gilroy and help elevate our vibrant arts community and its contributions in South Santa Clara County.
The Gilroy Arts Roundtable, in partnership with SVCreates, is a collective of artists, arts leaders and advocates connecting, building and amplifying arts and culture in Gilroy, South County and beyond. We meet the last Wednesday of each month at 6:30pm at the Gilroy Center for the Arts, 7341 Monterey Rd.
Whether you’re an artist, an arts advocate or a local resident who appreciates art, please join us at an upcoming meeting and learn about the exciting things happening in our arts community!
On April 7, we had the privilege of receiving a certificate from Gilroy Mayor Greg Bozzo and the City Council proclaiming April as Arts, Culture and Creativity Month.
As part of the proclamation, the City of Gilroy encourages everyone to celebrate the power of the arts in our community. Gilroy joins the State of California and cities throughout the state, including our neighbors in Milpitas, Morgan Hill and San José, in declaring April as Arts, Culture and Creativity Month.
Please join us for an upcoming meeting or event dedicated to supporting our local arts scene and nurturing the next generation of arts leaders in Gilroy. Discover exciting developments and events happening in our arts community and learn how you can get involved.
For more information, visit our Instagram page at @gilroyartsroundtable. We look forward to seeing you soon at our monthly meeting on the last Wednesday of the month!
Kelly Barbazette
On behalf of the Gilroy Arts Roundtable Steering Committee
