Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Die Hard

At 3pm, wisps were blowing up from the mountaintops. By 4pm, if you were in the car you were driving with your headlights on. If you were walking you might have had a mouth full of grit.

It's what's left on the ground in the mountains from the Station Fire, now known to be "the largest fire in the recorded history of the Angeles National Forest." There's no vegetation to hold down the thick layer of ash when the Santa Ana winds pick up. The winds were expected to get up to 70mph in the mountains last night.

For some people this is a plus. If you don't mind a bit of eye sting you can have a golf course to yourself. For our part, we enjoyed a lawn furniture ballet as dinner entertainment, and our back yard has been nicely landscaped where it wasn't before.

17 comments:

Cafe Pasadena said...

P, where were you that the dust storm hit you at 4pm?

I didn't really notice it until almost 5pm on Colorado Blvd. I thought it was gonna rain or see a tornado next!

(See, non-SoCal's: this is our real weather - not the tv production stuff you see on say, the 1st day of the yr. Y'all have it better where you are at. Lucky you!)

Shell Sherree said...

Yikes, you all have my sympathies there! I hope it didn't make its way inside as well.

Almost Precious said...

I'm saddened to hear that the Santa Ana winds had to follow so closely on the footsteps of that horrendous fire. Seems the old adage of "feast or famine" or "It never rains that it pours" holds true.

Desiree said...

Hmmm--I am desperately seeking the Bruce Willis character in this photo--

Anonymous said...

Of course, that's what it was. Couldn't figure it out. Oh, and also of course, the gardeners were here yesterday just before the wind kicked up.

All quiet on the northern front this morning.

Lisa..... said...

The Fallout: broken gate, patio cover blown off, tree brances down, and 2 bags of avacados. When life gives you avacados, make guacamole?

Petrea Burchard said...

I was up in LC-F, Cafe. I went indoors at 3:00 and all was well. Came out at 4 and had to make a run for the car!

Shell, our house is old and...porous. So yeah, we deal with it.

Just redistribution, Precious. Nature does what she does. She doesn't really know we're living here.

Ha ha, Des! I wasn't referring to the movie but to the lone figure on the golf course.

Calm, cold and pretty today, Hiker. Our gardeners are here today, lucky us.

Lisa, you got major redistribution! The bad with the good, as they say.

Linda Dove said...

We had the same problem with the gardeners--came on Monday.

I am trying very hard to learn to like the weather here. Very hard.

Margaret said...

Loved the wind, but feel guilty as I know if may have brought others grief.

Bellis said...

Love your title, and hope your aeolian landscaping is to your liking?

I was driving around upper Altadena when it hit, and my car was pelted with cedar and pine cones. Eyes still stinging from the dust and ash.

Gardener came today. :o)

TheChieftess said...

Love wind...hated the grit and ash blowing around...new computer by an open window got a bit gritty as did my face, teeth and eyes when I braved the wind yesterday and took off for Covina...Thank God and my Dr for Nasonex...(and I generally prefer the alternative methods of healthcare!)

Virginia said...

Oh grit in the mouth and eyes. Not good. Sorry about that for all of you!
V

Katie said...

As amusing as "lawn furniture ballet" sounds, I'm not a big fan of heavy winds. Glad I wasn't on the Bay Bridge in SF yesterday at least. Where do I write to put in an order for a normal CA winter?

Petrea Burchard said...

As evidenced by Katie's comments, I think the enjoyment of wind is all in your location relative to it.

I think us locals must sound odd to those who don't live here: "the gardeners came..." It's common in the LA area to have hired help to mow and trim the lawn. Not common in some other places.

Ms M said...

We had high winds here, too, Monday night and yesterday. Lots of "rearranged lawns" and broken branches, etc. But not ash. I feel for you having to deal with that on top of the winds. Take good care...

Lenora Regan - ShootingWithSlinky.blogspot.com said...

I love this weather! Thank goodness so sinus problems here. Many of my friends not happy with the winds. Thanks for the great photo!!

Petrea Burchard said...

Thanks, Ms. M. It'll be interesting to see how the winter goes.

Hi Lenora, nice to see you. Things are looking lovely at the beach!