To Everything,

(turn)
It happened late one night. We all dashed out of our houses to discover what had made the creak, crash, boom.

(turn)
I guess the tree got old and gave up. I'm 5'4" tall. When I stand next to this, it comes up to my shoulder.

(turn)
It was nice, all of us outside in the night, chatting, wondering, exclaiming, grateful no property or person was damaged when the giant tree came down.

We miss the tree. Our neighbor who loved it in her front yard got a mountain of firewood. But she misses the tree most of all.

A new season awaits a new tree.

Bookmarks: Literary Pasadena

Amid all the editing and proofreading I've been doing lately (I've practically memorized Camelot & Vine), a pleasant task came my way the other day. I was asked to proofread my contribution to a new book that's coming out in April called Literary Pasadena: The Fiction Edition.

You're going to want to get a copy of this book. It contains short stories by many of Pasadena's best authors, plus excerpts from upcoming works, and more. I'm honored to be a part of it.

Funny thing about my novel, Camelot & Vine. I've been working on it for so long I'm embarrassed to say. It's a good book, I think. I won't know 'til you read it, but it's mine, I love it, and it's a fun story.  If it were War & Peace I might be willing to tell you how long it took me to write it. I have slaved over the proofreading, tweaking where I dare, and sometimes wishing I could rewrite the whole damn thing.

Not so with my little short story in Literary Pasadena. I wrote it. I like it. Done.

Why is that? What's the difference?

The picture: parrots. They invaded our neighborhood last week. Enlarge the photo and see, they are all along the phone wires, all the way down the street. When I took this they were in every treetop, on every wire, flying everywhere. The noise they make is deafening.

I chose this picture because to me, the parrots are uniquely Pasadena. Literary Pasadena: The Fiction Edition, will be uniquely Pasadena, too.

Meanie Streets

I thought I was brave to snap this photo with a car coming. Now that I upload it, the car looks far away.

One thing I love about January: I can take night shots and still be home by 6:30. I tempt fate! I brave the night! I will stay out until 6:45! 7:00 maybe! I dare to stand in front of an oncoming car that's a mere 500 yards away, going 15 miles an hour! Haha! Bring it on, you dastard. I AM NOT AFRAID. Try and stop me, JUST TRY.

Silly one, you cannot stop me. I am fearless. I have an iPhone, a packet of kleenex, and a little tub of Vaseline in my very pockets. I have keys! And my companion is a dangerous, elderly dog who obeys my every command except the ones he doesn't know, like "kill" and "come here."

So don't mess with me or I will take your picture! And my dog will ignore you to death!

Girl, Interrupted

 

"Suzie! Time for dinner!"

"Okay!"

Scuffle scuffle run run run blam! In the chair.

"Did you wash your hands?"

"Aw, Mom, I'm hungry!"

"I don't care, wash your hands."

"Mom..."

"Wash."

Chair scooch. Stomp stomp stomp. Splash.

"Good. Did you pick up your toys?"

"........" 

Towel flip. 

"........Yup."

 "Fine. Let's eat."

I Love a Grainy Night

Christmas isn't over 'til everyone takes down their lights. A stroll in the neighborhood last night told us that's not going to happen soon. I like the nostalgic glow, but I think it's lost on Boz.

Christmas Cheerubs

Guess who went with us when we walked Boz yesterday?

It was faster than a walk at times.

Santa should have such elves. And such reindeer!

Sign Up

This one made me late for work. I didn't have my camera when Boz and I took our morning perambulation, so I had to go back home and get it. That'll teach me.

Time Window

I thought I'd post this because there's been so much green on the blog lately due to the rain. We had a long, hot summer this year, which I loved, but after all that brown I become a glutton for green.

This was a hidden, rear window in my neighbors' garage. I say "was," because they've fixed it up and now it's nicer. I'm glad I got a picture of the messy old thing, though I'm not sure my neighbors are. I love this kind of stuff.

I have thousands of pictures I doubt I'll ever post. But taking pictures can be like record-keeping. You never know when you'll want to look up something you almost forgot.

Theme Day: My Street

It's the first of the month and time for City Daily Photo's monthly theme day. "My Street" is the theme we selected this time (democratically, as always).

I won't tell you much about my street because it's our private Brigadoon. We love living here. We have the most wonderful neighbors, and we know we're fortunate to have found this quiet, friendly spot to call home.

City Daily Photo has a new website, where you can find daily photo blogs from all over the world. The new site administrators continue to shine it up as a work in progress. Take a look at today's theme participants, or pick a blog in a remote land and explore.

Zen Monday: #222

Rainy days and Mondays always get Boz down. Even Zen Mondays.

If Boz could sing, I don't think he'd sound like Karen Carpenter. I think he would sound like Robert Plant.

Sorry to go on. Zen Monday is supposed to be the day when you caption the photo instead of me. But feel free to add links to your favorite rain songs, if you're so inclined.

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!

Zen Monday: #216

photo by John Sandel

Here is your Monday Zen.

Now you say something.

**********

We're taking a break from the Camelot Where You Are photo contest this week but we'll get back to it next week. Details are here.

Last week's winner is (drumroll)
Ann Erdman, with #19, the Knight in Shining Armor at Avalon Lake!
Here's how it all shook out:

 

Thank you all for participating. The winner gets a free copy of my new novel, Camelot & Vine, when it comes out (more on that this week). 

I want to come up with a prize for everyone who enters. I'm wracking my brains but bookmarks just don't cut it. Any ideas?

Zen Monday: #215

Zen Monday returns!

Zen Monday is the day when you tell us what the photo's about, rather than me telling you. For newcomers: the idea is loosely (very loosely) based on the Zen practice of teaching and learning through action and example, rather than through didactic lectures.

So basically, you already know what this photo's about. Just say what comes to mind.

**********

Here's the latest on the Camelot Where You Are photo contest:

The winner of last week's round is Katie, with #15, House of Shields!
(You are a bunch of lushes, aren't you?)

Congratulations, Katie! Thank you all so much for entering. Every photo last week was imaginative, beautiful and spectacular.

The contest returns tomorrow, with four entries this week. The rate of receipt of entries is diminishing so we might take next week off. According to the contest rules, I'm accepting entries until the date of publication. So far the rules are working, so I'm sticking to them.

I still don't have a definite publication date, so the contest continues!

Storm Light

We had rain yesterday!

Rain!

The children ran out to play in it!

Boz got a raindrop on his head and refused to take one step further!

The storm poured down in rushes and lasted entire seconds!

And then...

And then...

Storm light.

Thank You, Chicken Little

When a tree on our street began dropping large, random branches, we called the city. While we await the inspector's visit, the neighbor girls and I are concerned about what happens when the next branch falls. So we got out the markers and construction paper.

I don't think it was the sign above that warned off these neighbors because it's on the wrong side of the tree for them to see.

They crossed the street in time to be out of harm's way. It might have been this sign that warned them.

 

Or maybe it was these dire warnings, which they saw on their approach.

For help with city-owned trees on your block, call Pasadena's Urban Forestry division at Parks and Natural Resources, 744-4321.


Update: 

A crew of great guys came out within 48 hours of my phone call. They removed the branches that had come down and mulched them on the spot. They told us they don't park their cars under trees when the weather gets hot like it's been lately. Any tree, not just a liquid ambar, can drop a branch. The guys said they'd send an inspector out, just to make sure there were no other problems with the tree.

My neighbor (whose daughters made the signs) asked the crew what to do about a branch dangling over her driveway; it had been damaged by a truck and it threatened to come down. They sent a man up in the cherry-picker and snip-snip! Problem solved.

Wonderful work, gentlemen! Thank you.

Weather Patterns

The heat wave has finally reached southern California. It was still above 90 degrees at 6pm yesterday, so Boz and I had to wait until the sun went down to take our walk. He did not appreciate the wait.

But once we got out it was pleasant to stroll. People were about, moving slowly, just appreciating the air. When you stay inside all day, even in air conditioning, you get stir crazy.

This isn't like the heat wave that's been plaguing the rest of the country. Mid-nineties is normal for August around here. It's just that every year I forget that until right about now.

Outgrown

Looks like somebody got too big for this small, sweet house in Northwest Pasadena.

I haven't outgrown anything lately, although I may have to give up a favorite pair of shorts if I'm not careful. You get to a point, eventually, where you stabilize. If you are careful, that is.

It is to be hoped we are referring only to our physical size here, not the size of our willingness--to listen, for example, or to learn, or to just be open to what's next.

Hello, Goodbye

John and I often joke that we live in Paradise. We love our street, our neighbors. When we were shopping here we didn't know the recession was coming. We had big plans for a someday mansion, and we thought this would be our interim home. Just in case the mansion didn't work out we picked a home we could love, but we figured we wouldn't stay here forever.

During our nearly seven years here we've become friends with the people who share the block with us. We've watched their families grow. Sure, we might hear of a development on Facebook. Then we get to walk across the street and check it out for real.

Change happens, though, it always will. Over our tenure we've watched one family morph from Single Man Purchases Home to Young Couple Remodels House to Family With Two Children and this week they're Beloved Family Moves Away. We hate to say goodbye to them, yet even this loss is laced with joy. Hello to a family from the next block who went from New People with Little Girls to Dear Friends We're Always Glad to See to YAY, They Bought the House. And get this: the deal was facilitated by (say it with me) a neighbor on the block, also a good friend, who happens to be a real estate agent.

There was an early birthday party. An ice cream social. A brunch. Much goodbye-ing and also hello-ing. At the brunch, while the children played on the Slip 'n Slide and the parents chatted and drank mimosas, I was captured by a nostalgia for the very moment I was in, missing it already: I sensed the children grown and gone, the young dads already middle-aged, the moms greying, my own self bent with years, my arm hooked in John's. And I thought, I am so glad we picked a home we could love, because this is our someday mansion, and I hope we will stay here forever.

Zen Monday: #201

...and we're back to our regularly-scheduled Zen Mondays, where you tell us what the photo's about, rather than me telling you.

I hope today is the start of a beautiful week for everyone.

Block Party Heroes

If your Pasadena neighborhood or block organization meets certain simple criteria, you can barricade your street for your block party. The kids love the wild freedom it gives them to ride their bikes in the street. Did you also know that members of the Pasadena Fire Department will come to your block party and mesmerize your children? That is, if they have time.

When the big truck pulled onto our block, the firefighters got a call and immediately had to leave.

A bit later the truck returned, greeted by cheering fans. The men of Station 33 were able to stop long enough to give most of the kids a tour of their gleaming truck but not long enough to get a plate of potluck before another call came in.

Our street was barricaded for the party, as I mentioned, so each time the men came and went they had to stop at the end of the block and move the barricades.

I didn't think they'd come back a third time but they did, this time with a rescue ambulance and a two-man crew. (There are female firefighters in Los Angeles County. Perhaps yesterday's visits inspired more.) The kids (all ages) were thrilled. The smallest ones got to visit inside the ambulance, and afterwards they tried on the firefighters' heavy coats.

Firefighter Paramedic Bondarczuk demonstrated the hood and mask to his rapt audience. He said the hood keeps sparks from getting inside his coat and going down his back. I don't have to tell you what the mask is for.

These guys are amazing enough just doing their jobs. When they take time to come out and talk to families, and wow the children like they did yesterday between emergency calls, one gets a sense of the meaning of the word "hero."

Immediately after I took this picture the paramedics got another call. Off they went, stopping to move the barricades at the end of the street and missing out entirely on hot dogs, brownies and Michelle's famous bruschetta.