Natural City

Lost and found. 

Conformity.

Nature's spotlight.

Hahamongna Detail Week, 2

Boz doesn't always look up when we're at Hahamongna. He's got his nose on the ground, where the smells are. But if he did look up, he'd see hawks, owls, herons, and many other birds, including the endangered Least Bell's Vireo.


This week, Boz is giving you a tour of Hahamongna Watershed Park to show you some of his favorite details. I'll check in and respond to comments as much as possible. It shouldn't be too hard. I hope you're having a week full of wonders.

I Got Yer Small Business

I guess when they say "small business" this is not what they mean. Yet this guy is definitely plying his (or her) trade.

Small Business Saturday is a relatively new "holiday," though some of us have been celebrating it year-round for as long as we can remember. It's a good day to explore that little store you've been wondering about, where you've never heard of the brands they carry and half the stuff on the shelves is locally handmade.

You never know. Someone, maybe a neighbor, might have woven something special that just calls to you.

Worm Kayak

It rained here most of the day yesterday. The neighborhood kids took advantage of the streams running in the gutters and made a couple of kayaks for the worms.

These are the girls, mind you. I'm not sure what the boys were up to.

This worm is fitted with its own kayak, oar, umbrella and seat belt. The way things work around here, he/she/it was about to head east. Bon voyage!

Parrot Season

My title's misleading. It's always parrot season in Pasadena.

Some say they escaped or were freed from a 1959 fire at Simpson's Gardenland and Bird Farm, or they flew up from Mexico and Central America. Some say they were spawned by remnants of Adolphus Busch's original Busch Gardens in the Arroyo. (The Parrot Project of Los Angeles has all the doo-doo.) Escaped pets joined up, everybody reproduced, et volant! We've got flocks and flocks.

Giant gangs of them roam our skies year 'round, bleating, "ohmygodohmygodohmygod!" like terrified Aunt Tillies. But winter is their big time. The noise they make can be deafening. I love them.

**********

VOTE!

While you're here, vote for your favorite Week Six entry in the Camelot Where You Are photo contest! Voting ends at midnight.

Storm

I didn't get a picture of the lightning (or the thunder, for that matter) but we had both yesterday. They're rarities around here. I welcome them, calamities that they may seem to be. Or nature's thrills, if you'd rather.

It was a respectable storm. Nothing terrifying, but not a piddle. Kind of refreshing, like a glass of ice-water on a summer's day.

The last time John and I were in Illinois we got caught in a prairie rumbler the likes of which frightens even the locals. We were driving from DeKalb to Chicago, or at least we were trying to. The storm was so feral we had to pull over and wait for it to pass, and hope it didn't notice us. You can't see to drive in a storm like that, no matter how frantically your windshield wipers wham. Because the water does not fall in drops, it does not fall in sheets or blankets or even torrents but in thick gobs, poured from the sky's pitchers by wild giants who don't care what they hit. It's ice-water, though not so refreshing when it's beating on you like that.

But it's beautiful to see as it rolls over the plains, dark and cruel as only an unconscious thing can be. As long as your defroster is working and you get a good viewing spot under the overpass, there's no show like it.

Theme Day: Action Shot

(see below for wind advisory press releases from the Pasadena Public Information Officer, including phone numbers and emergency instructions, as they come in)

Today's City Daily Photo theme is "action shot. This picture of a white crane coming in for a landing at Hahamongna Watershed Park was a lucky shot for me. I have countless action shots of my dog, Boz, running at Hahamongna. They're fun, but it's not the same.

City Daily Photo is now 1429 blogs strong. Sure, some people post more "daily" than others. But pick a city, almost any city, and there's bound to be a CDP blog in it or near it. Our newest addition is Sohar, Oman. Stop by and give a welcome.

Not all CDP bloggers take part in theme day. It's not a requirement. It's just fun. Click here to view thumbnails for today's participants.


WIND ADVISORY UPDATES

Outage Map

1:30 pm

The Pasadena Police Department has surveyed major streets for fallen trees, downed power lines and damaged facilities.

Of 200 buildings in Pasadena damaged by the wind storm, 42 units have been red-tagged – 40 units in one building alone – and six have been yellow-tagged. Residents of red-tagged units have been evacuated.  Thirty-six residents are at a temporary shelter at Robinson Park Center, 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave. California Assemblyman Anthony Portantino graciously provided lunch to the families today. The local Red Cross is assisting at the shelter.

Lamanda Park Branch Library and Hill Avenue Branch Library have sustained downed trees and minor damage.  All Pasadena public libraries are closed today; it will be determined later today if libraries will open tomorrow.

Public schools, Maranatha High School, Pasadena City College, Fuller Theological Seminary and Northwest College are closed today; closures tomorrow will be announced.

The Pasadena Fire Department responded to wind-related fire incidents in the 100 block of Penn Street where a house fire resulted in four injuries; the 1200 block of Hudson Avenue where 40 residents were evacuated due a large tree falling into the structure; and the 900 block of Del Mar Boulevard where seven residents were evacuated due to a structure fire. The injured residents were transported to a local hospital.

Four hundred fifty public street trees are down or damaged. This figure does not include trees in parks and Brookside Golf Course, where assessments are not complete.  The Pasadena Public Works Department is being assisted by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Works to clear downed trees in the public right of way.

By 11 a.m. today 30 percent of major streets had been cleared of fallen trees and other debris.  Crews expect to complete the work on major streets by the end of the day today.  All but eight of 106 impact traffic signals have been restored to normal operations.

Power is being restored to customers throughout Pasadena. Currently about 3,791 customers – about six percent – are without power; at 9 a.m. more than 5,000 were without power.

Pasadena ARTS buses are not running today.  Dial-A-Ride is available only for non-emergency medical appointments.

Animal control through the Pasadena Humane Society is taking care of animals that are loose as a result of downed fences.

On-street parking regulations are not being enforced today except in Red Flag restricted areas, red curbs, loading zones and disabled parking spaces.  Enforcement of overnight parking restrictions will be suspended tonight except in Red Flag areas.

The Pasadena Public Health Department encourages anyone who has been clearing debris to make sure they have up-to-date Tetanus shots from the department at 1845 N. Fair Oaks Ave. or a private physician.

The Pasadena Fire Department encourages everyone to make sure their disaster preparedness kits are updated and to have fresh batteries in flashlights.

If power goes out, keep your refrigerator and freezer doors closed to preserve perishables.

A local state of emergency was declared early this morning and the Emergency Operations Center was activated overnight.

Pasadenans are advised to stay home if possible until the wind situation improves because some roads are impassable and many trees remain fragile throughout the community.  Many streets are barricaded due to fallen trees and/or downed power lines.

The Zero Waste Strategic Plan workshops, the World AIDS Day event and the General Plan workshop in Spanish scheduled for today have been canceled.

City officials urge people not to call 9-1-1 or other emergency numbers unless you have a life-threatening emergency. Do not approach or attempt to move downed power lines. Pasadena Water and Power crews are responding as quickly as possible; they are not responding to downed cable TV lines.

Two information phone lines have been established for the public to report fallen trees and downed power lines – (626) 564-0199 and (626) 564-0299 – and the city website at www.cityofpasadena.net is being updated as necessary.

Additional updates will be provided throughout the day.

Pasadena residents and others who want to sign up for local alerts can go to www.cityofpasadena.net/fire/PLEAS or www.nixle.com.
 
********

Our dear PIO was up very early this morning, and possibly all night:

9:00 am
Now that daylight is upon us, city of Pasadena crews are thoroughly assessing damage throughout the community so responses can be more targeted with respect to fallen trees, downed power lines, damaged facilities, etc.

A local state of emergency was declared early this morning and the Emergency Operations Center was activated overnight.

Pasadenans are advised to stay home if possible until the wind situation improves because some roads are impassable and many trees remain fragile throughout the community.  Many streets are barricaded due to fallen trees and/or downed power lines. We are in the process of clearing trees off major arterial streets and restoring power as quickly as possible.

Pasadena public libraries, public schools, Maranatha High School and Pasadena City College will be closed today.

Dial-A-Ride service will be operational for non-emergency medical appointments only. Pasadena ARTS buses are not in service and be restored to service by this afternoon.

A shelter for displaced families has been established at Robinson Park Center, 1081 N. Fair Oaks Ave., where Red Cross workers are assisting as well.

The Zero Waste Strategic Plan workshops and the World AIDS Day event scheduled for today have been canceled.

Overnight there were several structure fires, with patients transported by paramedics to local hospitals.

City officials urge people not to call 9-1-1 or other emergency numbers unless you have a life-threatening emergency. Do not approach or attempt to move downed power lines. Pasadena Water and Power crews are responding as quickly as possible; they are not responding to downed cable TV lines.

Two information phone lines have been established for the public – (626) 564-0199 and (626) 564-0299 – and the city website at www.cityofpasadena.net is being updated as necessary.

Pasadena residents and others who want to sign up for local alerts can go to www.cityofpasadena.net/fire/PLEAS or www.nixle.com.

*******
5:45 am
Pasadena was hard-hit by winds overnight and the situation continues with power outages, fallen trees, downed power lines and structure fires.

Pasadenans are advised to stay home if possible until the wind situation improves because some roads are impassable.  Pasadena ARTS buses are not running until further notice.

The top priorities for the city of Pasadena are life safety and clearing streets. City crews from the Pasadena Fire Department, Police Department, Public Works Department and Pasadena Water and Power have been responding all night throughout Pasadena and continue to do so.

Do not call 9-1-1 or other emergency numbers unless you have a life-threatening emergency. Do not approach or attempt to move downed power lines. Pasadena and Water crews are responding as quickly as possible; they are not responding to downed cable TV lines.

Two information phone lines have been established for the public: (626) 564-0199 and (626) 564-0299 and the city website at www.cityofpasadena.net is being updated as necessary.

Pasadena residents and others who want to sign up for local alerts can go to www.cityofpasadena.net/fire/PLEAS or www.nixle.com."

Volunteer

I transplanted a bush several weeks ago. It died. But up from the compost in the hole sprung a volunteer--a squash maybe, or a pumpkin--that's so pretty and healthy I'm letting it take over the property.

I might as well. I haven't been lucky growing things, and I'm so pleased to have something grow that I don't care what it does or where it goes, as long as it stays alive. I water it every day. It seems to like that. It can have the whole yard if it wants it.

The bees love love love it, which I consider a bonus. We need more things for bees to love.

Phase I

Remember our Last Day Project? For one year, on the last day of every month we stood in this spot at Hahamongna Watershed Park and looked out over Johnson Field, watching it change with the seasons.

A few hundred yards away, Devil's Gate Dam was backing up with sediment. After years of neglect plus a Station Fire and two seasons of heavy rain, the sediment must now be removed. Much discussion has ensued about how to do so, and it looks like a two-phase plan will soon begin. In order to pacify those who don't want debris-laden trucks on their street, the first phase could involve LA County piling sediment in Johnson Field as soon as the annual toad population clears out.

Toads hang out in wet places. They're about the size of a thumbnail and the color of a pebble. Because they run and hide when I come near them the pictures I've gotten are lousy, but Walt Mancini of the Pasadena Star-News got a good one. The toads will go away when the water dries. It's drying now.

I'm glad the County is willing to wait for the toads to leave. Let's be honest, these little guys are being saved long enough to get eaten by snakes and coyotes, but that's better for the ecosystem than a pile of sediment. Then again, a pile of sediment is better for a city than a failed dam in a flood.

So it looks like we might have a decent compromise, at least for now. Nobody gets everything they want but everybody gets something. That's democracy, and it's beautiful when it works. The coyotes and snakes will need to go somewhere when the trucks come. They know all about compromise. They'll likely end up in the yards of the people who didn't want trucks on their street. Are coyotes in the yard better than trucks on the street? If you live alongside Hahamongna, you may not have a choice.

I'm not crazy about piling sediment in Johnson Field, but I'm crazy about compromise. It's the only way unless we want a monarchy, and I wouldn't vote for that.

There will be a Phase II.

The next meeting of the Hahamongna Watershed Park Advisory Committee will take place at 6pm this coming Tuesday, July 26th at the Pasadena City Yards - Training Room, 233 West Mountain Street, Second Floor, Pasadena 91103. On the agenda: Update on the LACDPW Post Station Fire Sediment Removal Project.

Peck Road Park

When Karen Klein spoke with passion about Peck Road Park in her guest author post here the other day, I had no idea where the park was. Apparently I'm in the majority. And that's one of the park's many pluses.

Just get off the 210 at Myrtle and head south. Myrtle becomes Peck and there you are.

You may want to see this on a map.

It took about 20 minutes to get there from my place in Pasadena. If you live in Arcadia, Temple City or Monrovia it'll be even less.

The park is undergoing improvements, thanks to the volunteers at Amigos de los Rios. Talk about urban interface. It's right in the middle of everything. That's the gist of Peck Road Park; right in the middle of everything you've got an oasis of trees (mature beauties plus acres of new plantings), picnic tables, walkways, bike trails and a lake--a lake which was once a quarry. I never saw the quarry but I'm going to stick my neck out here and say the lake is an improvement.

Speaking of necks: ducks and geese! Living together! Is nothing sacred?

Amazing, isn't it, what's right in the middle of everything, right under our noses?

Aquatic Creatures

Remember the Last Day Project? Once a month for a year, I posted a photo taken from this spot, to catch the changing of the seasons. Never once did I catch anything like this. Go ahead, click the link and scroll down. The difference is amazing.

Johnson Field's been soggy lately, but in my five and a half years in Pasadena I've never seen it flooded. And look! Ducks! I may declare tomorrow and Sunday "Duck Weekend" and post more photos of them.

Hahamongna was glorious, wet and chilly yesterday morning, just the way the ducks like it. By the way, dogs like it that way, too. Maybe I'll make it "Dog Weekend." I can't decide.

Either way, we expect more rain today and tomorrow. By Sunday, we'll probably have manta rays and sharks out there.

Release

Just a cloud. Just a treetop. Just a gray day. Just some birds.

Praying Mantis

A praying mantis is, according to scientists, quite aware when being watched, at least in laboratory conditions.

Briefly, I fooled myself.

"She's letting me take her picture," I thought.

Clutching the side of the back step, she posed while I practiced with my macro setting. The leaves behind her are on the ground and I'm shooting downward. The fact that she held on like that is how she fooled me. But she's missing one of her antennae and perhaps even a foreleg.

It wasn't her choice to sit still for our photo shoot. The rain or the cold must have killed her.

Still, she hung on.

Making Something

Koi at Houston's Restaurant

Boz and I took a walk last evening and got a look at some of the Halloween decorations going up in the neighborhood. Some people do the same thing every year. (If it works, don't fix it, right?) Some people try new things. It's fun to see folks being creative.

So far the Pumpkin God has not appeared. I hope he does. He's my favorite. But that display is a lot of work and maybe his creator wants to try something new this year. Or maybe he'd rather put up nothing at all. I don't blame him. I usually stick a couple of gourds on the front steps, and rarely do they even get carved.

I guess people are creative in different ways. There's the chef, the painter, the tailor, the interior designer, the architect, the gardener--these people do things I envy. Then again, I'm glad I get to take pictures and write stories. (And as soon as my talents make me enough money to hire all the aforementioned people, then perhaps I can stop envying their talents so damned much)

Sometimes I do the same thing because I know it works. Sometimes, I like to shake it up.

Zen Monday: #116

Zen Monday is the day you experience the photo and give us your thoughts rather than me telling you what I think the photo's about.

I look for a photo worth contemplating or, failing that, something odd or squirrely. And unless I absolutely must say something, I stay out of the comments box until the end of the day to avoid influencing the discussion.

There's no right or wrong. We're here to have fun.

Bite Club

Let's just call it "critter weekend" here on PDP.

What are these two doing? When I came upon them they were completely still--they weren't fighting, and it doesn't look like sex. Then again, what do I know about lizard sex? It's been a long time since I dated reptiles.

Here's the side view:

That grey guy's got a grip on his brownish counterpart and they're clinging to the wall, as still as a pair of sconces. Maybe they're waiting for me to leave so they can get on with...whatever.

Bee Bath

The bees were lovin' this leaky outdoor plumbing when I came across it in one of Pasadena's city parks.

We have an abundance of parks. Abundance is good any time, especially in this time of shortages.

It must take a lot of effort to keep all that plumbing in good shape.

We have a budget shortage, so perhaps that's why the leak hasn't been fixed.

Or maybe no one's noticed.

We have a shortage of water, so maybe I should report it.

Then again, maybe I shouldn't. It pleases the bees, and we also have a shortage of bees. 

For a fanciful and funny take on beekeeping and bees, visit this recent post by Shell Sherree. 
I just posted a photo of a huge wasps' nest on Overdog.

Misdemeanor

Woodpecker holes
a necklace of damage

orderly as beads.

Though they look like a row of bullet holes shot across a wall by one of Capone's gangsters, they're more decorative than detrimental. The tree doesn't notice. I almost didn't notice, either. That's how they get away with it.

We have at least five woodpecker gangs in southern California: the Downy Woodpeckers, Nuttall’s Woodpeckers, the Northern Flickers, the Acorn Woodpeckers and the Red-breasted Sapsuckers.

I couldn't pick this job's culprit out of a lineup but I'm going to take a chance and lay my money on the Acorn Woodpecker, a southern California native. I've seen those guys around and I wouldn't put it past 'em. They know where all the bugs are and this is their turf.

I stay out of their way. You've gotta be a tough little guy to make so many perfect little holes with your face.

Zen Monday: #100

Here it is. #100.

Welcome to Zen Monday. In case this is your first, allow me to explain: Zen Monday is the day you experience the photo and give us your thoughts rather than me telling you what I think the photo's about. There's no right or wrong. We're here to have fun.

I look for a photo worth contemplating or, failing that, something odd or silly. Unless I absolutely must say something I stay out of the comments box to avoid influencing the discussion, because when I get in there everything goes down hill.

They're Lucky They're Cute

Today's photo was taken in the wee hours by my neighbor. He's been having to patch up his yard every morning since a couple of raccoons discovered something delicious under his grass. You can see a bit of their handiwork behind the trap.

Those cute little animals tore my neighbor's lawn to shreds, yet the yards on either side weren't affected. These guys liked one yard and one yard only. My neighbor called the Pasadena Humane Society and rented a humane trap. He also got tips from PHS experts, who thought the problem might have to do with the fact that he'd recently put down new sod. Apparently, raccoons love the grubs and insects that come with new sod. A raccoon invasion can also have to do with watering lawns at night, which a lot of people are doing now due to our drought watering restrictions.

If you have a problem, check the PHS Wildlife Services page and click on Help With Opossum, Raccoons and Skunks for a .pdf full of useful information.

My neighbor is a nice guy, but he was frustrated after a few days of patching. The title of this post is a direct quote.

Update: The neighbors have caught a second raccoon. There are at least two more. It looks like a single group, not a continuing invasion, so they will catch and remove them all once then (hopefully) it'll be done. The family has named the first two Rocky and Rita.