Natural City

Lost and found. 

Conformity.

Nature's spotlight.

Plums

A little over a year ago, John and I planted a plum tree in the back yard. Soon it flowered, and before we knew it we had two plums hanging from the branches. I thought that was pretty good for a brand new tree.

I watched the plums grow from little green balls to more purplish, more plum-ish.

Then one day, the plums were gone. Remnants of their carcasses lay on the ground at the foot of the tree. Birds? Squirrels? I don't know.

But it's not going to happen this year.

Hahamongna Detail Week, 1

Hahamongna Watershed Park is not beautiful in a conventional sense. It's not crashing waves, alpine meadows, or even amber waves of grain, though on some days the skies are glorious. Much of the growth here is native California scrub.

There are what you might call sweeping vistas, of NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab.

Conventional beauty has never been Boz's thing. Give him the wild smells and plenty of things to pee on, and he's happy.


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.

Mood

Sometimes I don't know what to post. I can't find a single photo that would interest you. I have about 25,000 pictures on file, yet at times not one of them is the least bit intriguing.

The next day, I look at my files and I've got 25,000 photos to show you! That gorgeous shadow, that bright color, that angle! How will I ever post them all?

What's that about? Mood, maybe, but what makes or breaks mood? Is it what I had to eat the previous day, or how well I slept, or whether or not my jeans are too tight? Exercise. Money in the bank. Accomplishment. Cookies.

It's voodoo, I tell you.

How's your mood today? Why?

Bauble Tree

Do you recognize this tree, with its winter baubly bulbs? I don't recall seeing this one before.

No one has ever mistaken me for an arborist, but you'd think after all this time I'd at least know the trees in my neighborhood.

Break

Let's take a break today. Get an early start on the weekend, what do you say? At least in our minds.

If you could take any break you desire, what would it be?

Okay, so, the impromptu flight to Paris is out of the question. What's possible, then? What is within reason?

A mid-afternoon cookie. Wait--no--think big! Something between Paris and a cookie. A trip to the post office doesn't count. Neither does a dog walk. I do that every day.

What would you do for your break?

Discoveries

After several days of rain--a lot, for us--sunny skies are predicted for the immediate future. I like rain. I'm a homebody; to cuddle up in a blanket and read, pretending it's actual winter outside, is an old-fashioned pleasure for me.

Boz, our dog, does not like rain. This is a problem, as his bathroom facilities are outside. He won't go. He won't won't won't. He curls up in his towels (he owns a large collection) and it seems like he's pouting. But really, he's listening.

The moment he hears the rain stop he begins to murph. (This is how he expresses himself vocally--we haven't heard him bark since about 2005.) "Murph, murph," he says, repeating himself until we get what he's trying to tell us.

A family walk ensues. And discoveries.

Zen Monday: #205

It's Zen Monday. Tell us how the photo makes you feel.

Bright and Beautiful

Something simple is what I want for today. But not too quiet.

I know it's a rose but I don't know what kind. Do you?

I've been working hard. Too much time at the computer! I need to go stare at a real flower for a while. Smell things. Eat something fun. Hear noise.

Thanks for all your encouraging words on Belinda's Birthday! I'm working on a business plan for the publication of Camelot & Vine and I'll let you in on it as I figure it out. I want to do a European book tour. I will be delighted, however, with a tour of the San Gabriel Valley.

Jacaranda

It's the time of the Jacarandas in the San Gabriel Valley. Adele at Seeing Sierra Madre has already posted more than one "purple picture" and she has more up her sleeve (or in her camera bag). Everyone in southern California with access to a camera is aiming it at the nearest Jacaranda right about now.

If you don't live around here you might not be familiar with these stunning trees, and I don't use that word lightly ("stunning," not "trees," silly). Click on the links to see how gorgeous the jacarandas are.

They're messy, though. And am I the only one who thinks they stink?

Shroom

This is a mushroom.

A mushroom.

It's in my neighbor's yard. I tried to give you some perspective by putting my keys next to it. You can hardly see them in the grass, but the grass itself gives scale.

My neighbor told me I am welcome to come by with some butter and a pan to sautee this monster. I think not.


Zen Monday #200 contest:

We have a tie for first place!

Jean Spitzer and Pasadena Adjacent are the winners, with Frank Zgonc in second place, taking home our beautiful Pasadena City Hall key chain.
Now, for that very competitive first prize, we can either have a run-off, or I might have a way to work this out. I have a secret other prize. I'll contact the winners to find out if they want it, and I'll let you know.

Later:

Ladies and gentlemen, in the Zen Monday #200 contest:

We had a tie, as you read above. And we have prizes for both winners. The lovely and talented Jean Spitzer will receive (I want you to picture Carol Merrill if you're old enough) a stylish, navy blue Lowepro EXS 160 Photo/Video bag and adjustable camera strap!

(Yay! clap clap clap applause!)

Pasadena Adjacent, also lovely and talented (I attract 'em), has agreed to accept the alternate first prize, two free passes to the Huntington Library and Gardens!

(clap clap Woohoo! whistle clap)

Being as PA is local, I hoped that might work out. Whew! Who thought there would be a tie? Obviously, I didn't.

The runner-up, your friend and mine, Frank Zgonc, aka Frazgo Fraz (speaking of lovely and talented) will receive a lovely City of Pasadena square chrome key chain.

Let's hear it for our wonderful winners!

Snacks

As I type, I'm sitting on the porch. I hear buzzing. It's not the neighbor's gardener, not this time. It's bees.

Maybe they're feeding on the rosemary, or having their way with the night-blooming jasmine. I'm not going to look. I'm going to leave them bee. I'm not going to touch their blooming victuals. All I ask is that they grant me the same courtesy and leave my cookie alone.

Happy spring. I hope the day is just as filling where you are.

Change is Work

The work must be done. Changes must be made. Things were falling to ruin and it's time to reverse the entropy. Get rid of what doesn't work and replace it with something that does. Chop-chop. The deadline looms.

Even so, there's room for beauty if you make it.

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CDP bloggers: if you're concerned about theme day because the portal's not working, check out Julie's link. 

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More emails coming in today from people unable to comment on Blogger. Thank you all, and wish me luck! This weekend I attempt the move to Wordpress so we can get back to normal around here. I'm not a software genius so there are no guarantees, and I will need that luck.

Today

Today is mine. I get to have it.

Most days we pitch in, assist, participate, help out, work hard, share responsibilities. But today is not most days, and everyone deserves to have a day that is not most days.

WetFest

Because we didn't get to have our LitFest yesterday (it's rescheduled for May 12th) I was hoping for a pretty good show of rain, and the skies delivered some beautiful stuff.

The Bottomless Pit of Love, aka Boz, gets even deeper on rainy days, refusing to go out and asking sweetly and persistently for extra attention. What can I say but yes? (Actually, I say "whoozapooper?" It means the same thing.)

In the afternoon, I talked to a friend in Chicago. (With her, I used regular English.) It was in the 70s and sunny where she was. It's supposed to be freezing and snowy in Chicago in March! What gives? Is it a fluke? Or is it time to mandate compost-powered cars?

Pasadena Purple

Here's what I did to this photo: I toned down the highlights.

Now that I see it on the screen it looks like I was walking in an enchanted forest, where pretty posies grow near a charming cottage. Maybe an ogre lives there, or better yet a sweet old witch, who makes tasty cookies for good children and nasty ones for bad ones. The purple flowers tempt the littlest ones to her doorstep, where she offers them goodies (or baddies--one can't be sure 'til one eats). The older, wiser kids must be brave. They leap the purple flowers, run to the house, grab the tiny hands of the little ones and spirit them away, plucking a blossom as they go.

Either that or I was squatting in the gutter, while Boz stood on the median saying, "murph!" Which means "come back now, you come back now."

Geisel Geyser

All it takes is a neighborhood walk to know that Dr. Seuss used to hang out around here.

I have it on good authority that he spent time at the Huntington Library and Gardens. Go there and visit the desert garden and you'll know what I mean.

Perhaps he never walked down this particular sidewalk on this particular street in Pasadena. But just the other day, someone stood on this very spot and thought about him.

Be Your Valentine

I picked white azaleas and camellias in our yard and made a bouquet for our table last night. Lots of stuff is blooming right now. The rain helped. I think the plants like the cooler weather, too.

This one's growing in our back yard. It climbed over the fence. I don't know what it is. Any clues?

I hope you have a happy Valentine's Day. J and I couldn't work out our schedules so we'll celebrate later this week. We feel fortunate to have each other and we celebrate that every day.

To those who have a date tonight: have a lovely, romantic time. Indulge in your love. It's good stuff.

To those who dread this day like final exams, nausea and the coming of Al Qaeda all in one: I recommend self-indulgence of the non-alcoholic kind. (Drinking makes it more maudlin than it already is.) Ice cream, chocolate, chips, cookies, a good book, a funny movie, bubble bath--whatever you want, you should have it. Indulge yourself, dammit. Somebody's got to do it.

Best Things

One of those warm Saturday evenings a week or two ago:

Boz and I are having our walk. He sniffs his usual spots, as dogs do. We turn the corner and dusk has ditched us. Dark moseys down the sidewalk. A mom calls her kid to come in. End of day, end of day.

A gaggle of children still plays in a yard. One of them spots us when the street lights come on. "A customer!" she shouts. "Hi! Do you want to buy a free flower ring? Free flower rings for sale!"

"Just one more," calls a mom to whatever kids in the batch are hers, "then you're coming inside." She stands in the doorway, warm light spilling out from behind her onto the porch. I wave to her. She says "hi." She can't wave back because she's holding a baby in her arms.

Five or six children, of varying sizes but all smaller than I am, gather to meet me, discuss Boz and hawk their free flower rings. I ask to see the merchandise.

The children have a tiny table set on the lawn. (It might actually be a footstool.) On it are displayed in orderly fashion about twenty of the loveliest, most aromatic flowers. The kids have coiled the stems into rings.

"Take this one. And this--this is a good one. One for each hand."

"No, two for each hand."

"Do you think Boz wants one?"

"If the lady gets four then Boz gets four."

"Wait," I say, "how much?"

"They're free!" the children squeal. They are so pleased with themselves.

"Free?" I say. "But they're so beautiful." They truly are.

The kids could not be more thrilled that I'm thrilled. I lavish praise on their works and thank them profusely. Mom calls again. "That was the last one," she says, and calls "have a good evening" to me.

Boz and I walk on. I have a dog leash and a full bag of poo in one hand, and eight pretty flowers in the other. I can't believe my good fortune.

Zen Monday: #177

Because this is a very special Monday, at least for Pasadena, we have two kinds of Zen today. First, we have Zen Zen.

Then we have Zen Monday Zen.

Please share your opinions, wisdom and wisecracks in the comments.