Arbor

If you're not joining us for the Hahamongna Walkabout today, you might head on over to Linda Vista and plant a tree.

Arbor Day is April 29th. Pasadena is celebrating early by planting 50 new trees today along Linda Vista Avenue, with volunteers staging from the corner of El Mirador Drive. The trees (coast live oak, jacaranda, American sweet gum, sawtooth elm and one of my favorites, Chinese elm) were donated by the Pasadena Beautiful Foundation, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Pasadena has about as many trees as it has people. Such a friendly and diverse population.

Bribe

I can no longer contain myself. I want 500 followers, dammit. Click the button already! Puhleeeze.

...zzz...

I'll give you a prize. I've got a brand new, size medium, navy blue Pasadena t-shirt right here.

Whaddaya mean, it's not your size? What kind of excuse is that? You've got a loved one who deserves a nice gift, don't you? Go ahead. Be number 500.

...sigh...

Now, I don't have a plan if you end up being number 501 or 502. Hey, who do you think I am, some kind of moneybags? Like I'm Oprah or somebody, I can give everyone a t-shirt?

Oh. Wait. I won Mystery History a couple of weeks ago. I'll tell you what: if you're number 505 you can have my fabulous prize.

Hahamongna Upset Overturned

The Honorable Michael D. Antonovich                                3/1/11
L.A. County Board of Supervisors
Los Angeles, California

Dear Supervisor Antonovich:

On behalf of the City of Pasadena, I convey strong support for your motion on today’s Supplemental Agenda (Item 60C) pertaining to the Devil’s Gate Dam Sediment Removal Project. After due deliberations, the Council unanimously expressed support for the motion.

We recognize the seriousness of the project to be undertaken, and Pasadena is prepared to cooperate fully in its implementation in the years ahead. But like you, we strongly believe that the project must be structured in a thoughtful and environmentally sensitive manner, and we agree that the approach suggested in your motion will put us on the right track for this effort. The City will be represented at today’s meeting by either Vice Mayor Victor Gordo or Councilmember Steve Madison. 

Please share this letter with your colleagues on the Board of Supervisors.  It is our hope that the motion carries and that the short term plan, to be returned within 90 days, will take into account all material environmental concerns. In this regard, our Public Works staff stands ready to confer and cooperate with the Department of Public Works, Los Angeles County, to assure that the interests of the City of Pasadena in Hahamongna Park are taken fully into account.

Please let us know how we can be helpful in pursuing this important matter.

Sincerely,
BILL BOGAARD
Mayor

Locals may already know that Supervisor Antonovich's motion passed and there will be an Environmental Impact Report before the Department of Public Works begins removing silt from behind the Devil's Gate Dam. (Yay!) The referenced "short term plan," as I understand it, will actually be returned within 30 days as opposed to 90. During this period LADPW has permission to clean out the workings of the dam itself. I hope I've got that right.

The Hahamongna walkabout is this Saturday, March 5th, and there's room for you! Sign up and join us! (I'm leading the 9am tour.) Find out why so many people continue to push to preserve this "urbanwild" place (have done so for years and will always do so).

Big thanks to the City Council for standing up for Pasadena's interests and to Pasadena PIO Ann Erdman for sharing the Mayor's letter. Thanks to Mademoiselle Gramophone for videotaping the Supervisors' meeting and reporting. Thanks to the Pasadena Star-News for this excellent editorial that states it all so clearly and evenly. And thanks to the many, many people who signed the petition (you can sign, too) and made their voices heard in support of Hahamongna. I'd list them all, but the band would play me off the stage.

There will be more challenges. Let's stay tuned.

Artful Aerie

On a gray day, the birds need somewhere nice to go. We have trees in Pasadena, of course, but some birds are picky.

I think these avian penthouses are mighty fine. I wonder what the interior decor looks like.

Theme Day: My Favorite Part of Town

The first of every month, City Daily Photo blogs have a theme day. Today it's "My Favorite Part of Town." I have a lot of favorite places in Pasadena, but my number-one-tops is my block.

I love where I live. I love my home, my street, my neighbors and the way of life we share. We have something worth protecting.

J and I once thought we'd stay here until we make our fortune, then head to the greener pastures of San Marino or Beverly Hills. Now we know there are no greener pastures than our front lawn.

City Daily Photo bloggers around the world are participating in today's theme. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants. Find out Eric's favorite part of Paris, Fabrizio's favorite part of Torino, Ham's favorite part of London, etc. etc. etc. CDP is now 1355 blogs strong, so you can see pretty much anyone's favorite part of anywhere.

Zen Monday: #135

On Zen Monday, I pretend I am a Zen Master. I ask you to experience the photo and tell us, in the comments, what you've learned. Today I'm not much of a master (as if that's different from other Mondays) because I must suggest that you click on the photo to enlarge it.

(Your first Zen Monday? Tell us what the photo makes you think of. There's no right or wrong. There are no prizes. Just have fun.)

Cozy Up to the Library

Pasadena Central Library's Centennial Room

Yesterday, several of my neighbors packed their kids in their cars and headed to Altadena to play in the snow. My friends in Burbank said they made a snowman, but I haven't seen pictures.

I grew up in a cold climate and I moved to the west coast for a reason. To my mind, if you didn't have a fire going in your fireplace yesterday, it was a good day for the library.

Today's good, too, except the Central Library is open only from 1-5 on Sundays and the other branches are closed. I guess the librarians have a right to take a day off and freeze just like everyone else.

The travesty is that on Sundays, Central Grounds is closed.