Saying so long...

I've enjoyed sharing great things around my neighborhood, crazy projects, my obsession with certain gardens or critters, and yes, the occasional rant. This blog was started as a way to stay in touch with friends and family who are too far away or too busy to be able to keep in touch personally on the regular. It was also a way for me to get a little brain exercise going by forcing myself to write coherent sentences and putting together cogent stories. But now, the party's over. I'll be setting my blog to private. 

Thanks to those who viewed regularly and even commented occasionally. It's been fun.

Nellie and Rascal saying goodbye

In my years of living in this house, we have had one, and only one, letter carrier who has always gone above and beyond, not to mention just getting it right. He knows how to read addresses correctly, he checks for outgoing mail even if you don't have any incoming, he moves packages out of street view and when he's delivering a package, he rings the bell to let you know it's there. He's kind and incredibly patient with crazy, barking dogs. Nellie has always liked him whenever we're out and about, but let him come up on the porch -- all bets are off. Howling ensues. Rascal has added to the din, as he is a barker who has perfected his skills over 14 years. Never fazed Billy our mail carrier. I went around the neighborhood alerting people to his impending departure (retirement much deserved) and encouraged thank you notes. If they wanted to add a little gift, so much the better. I shouldn't have been astonished by all of the people I talked to being totally on board. The enthusiastic responses were heartwarming. In addition to the card and gift, Nellie and Rascal wanted to make sure he knew they were going to miss giving him grief whenever he came up the steps to deliver mail. Today was his last day on the job:

 

Meet Rascal, our new family member

Yes, everyone already knows I'm crazy and a sucker for a pretty face and sad story. When I checked the local humane society website (OK - you got me - I look daily) I saw a dog named Rascal, 14 years old, who was surrendered for snapping at someone who got too near his food bowl. Older snappy dogs, especially those who are 14 and black, are very hard to find willing takers. When I talk to people about why they are unwilling to adopt seniors, they usually say things about the ending is too soon and too sad. Totally agree. HOWEVER, making a dog's last years truly comfortable and happy, at least to me, is more important than my own feelings of grief when they leave us. So for almost 2 months, I checked daily on Rascal. This past Sunday we finally made an appointment for a meet and greet. We inquired how many people had asked about him. None. Now those who were making bets we would be coming home that day with the bundle of energy we got to see in action -- you lose. We actually tried to have reason overcome our hearts (for once). We went home to think about it.

Monday we called the shelter and told them to wrap him up, we're taking him home. On Tuesday afternoon, we sprung him from jail, bundled him into the car in his brand new harness, collar and leash (matching teal, in case you were wondering). Once home, he was walked down the street a bit while I collected Nellie to walk on the opposite side of the street. Eventually we got closer to each other and kept walking. Rascal was far more interested in marking absolutely every shrub, tree, rock, and blade of grass to pay much attention to Nellie, so that was a good start. Kept walking, closer and closer together. There were a couple of tense moments, but overall, things were going well. Kept on walking. By the time we got back home, we pretty much decided to try and let them loose in the backyard to let nature take its course. This is against all expert advice by the way, so don't try this at home. So with a bit of trepidation we opened the gate and turned them loose inside. Nellie's response was much like her shenanigans at the dog park -- run circles around him and demonstrate a first-class case of the zoomies. Rascal was a bit confused by this, but took it in stride and after a bit, they did what dogs do best and people better NEVER do. So while they are not best mates yet, they tolerate each other. A win!

Now, Rascal is an Australian Kelpie mix and the people who surrendered him apparently decided to leave out pertinent information. His isn't just a resource guarder (shelter speak for he doesn't like other animals or people to mess with him while eating). He bites. Full on snarl and teeth. While introducing him to a neighbor who charms all the dogs who go by, he tried to bite her (and missed, thank goodness). OK -- maybe a one off. Nope. I was gently stroking his head and telling him what a good boy he was, and he suddenly, out of nowhere, snarled and nailed my wrist. He snaps when we put his harness on. Now, you would think that any sane person would take this unpredictable dog straight back to the shelter. Who thought we were sane? We now know we just have more issues to deal with and are taking steps to make him more comfortable in his new home. That and the barking. And trying to get out any open door. Yup, we have lots of challenges. And I don't care because he's family now and in a couple of months it'll be a different story altogether. So on that note, the first picture of Rascal:

It only took 15 years but IT'S DONE

Nobody on the planet can ever accuse me of going forward with projects in a hasty and timely manner. The front retaining wall to the house has taken 15 years to complete. Part of that delay was working too hard at a job which didn't deserve such dedication (a story told over a good caramel latté and pumpkin muffin only), partly because I kept dithering about how I wanted to approach it and get it done, and partly because I was distracted by other projects that required more immediate attention. OK - well those are the excuses I tell myself anyway. But it's finally done. And I can honestly say I don't hate it. And to those of you who wondered why the Sam Hill I would do something that detailed behind hedges for Pete's sake, I say this...I dunno know, I just did.

From Goose to Geese

I posted before about a goose hanging about on the playing field of a local school. Well, on Sunday, as Nellie and I were walking by, I spotted our friend again -- this time with a mate. Couldn't resist sharing this unusual find.

Alas, I couldn't get anywhere near them (well, the fence was keeping me out and having a dog along would've spooked them anyway). Wherever their nest is, I hope it's safe and away from wayward schoolboys who like to mess with things.

 

I've been busy...really!

It seems to take me longer these days to hop on the old computer and post things, even though life and interests have not stopped. But it's life and interests that are also keeping me very busy. 

Activity 1:  Pictures forthcoming. Even though I can never remotely be called a dog whisperer, or trainer for that matter, I am currently helping a neighbor with the most beautiful German Shepherd. His guardian is reluctant to walk Otis because he's such a powerful dog who's a bit reactive to other dogs. Also, he's not leash trained. So we've started working on basic commands and calm walking. Otis is just a big love-bug and I hope (fingers-crossed) that in a few weeks we can assure his guardian that he can behave himself on forays into the real world beyond his (admittedly beautiful) backyard.

Activity 2:  We're experiencing a super bloom this year. Walking around the neighborhood and seeing the explosion of color and smelling the intoxicating floral aromas is truly amazing (not to mention very bad for the old allergies). I know I've posted a picture about this mysterious alien plant before, but it has blossomed even further and looks even more otherworldly:

Activity 3:  I've moaned about my front wall mosaic before. It was supposed to be finished by Thanksgiving. When that fell through and winter (such as it is here) arrived, I had to do a serious re-think of how to finish it off. Short of dynamiting the doggone thing to just get it over with, I decided instead to use stained glass for the background to the main design of whirls and swirls. Then, naturally, I dithered for weeks about how I would approach it. Well...I FINALLY got started on it a couple of weeks ago and have surprised myself. I don't hate it! Oh, I still have a few weeks of work left on it, and I won't show pictures until it is complete, but again, I don't hate it. It's unlike anything I've done in the past -- more chaotic and free form -- and it's shaping up into something I can live with. WHEW! Once it's done, then all the agonizing over starting the back wall begins. And here I thought only actual artists were supposed to be so tortured. 

Happy Easter

Jake the bandana dog has struck again. The Divine Ms. M sent a bandana for Jake after she saw how magnificent he was in his St. Patrick's Day bandana. Well, his Easter get-up is no less impressive. And as Ms. M says, he truly is stately. (Don't miss the third picture!).

An intensely blooming Spring

When I step out to the Critter Café to feed the squirrels and birds, I am now greeted by so many blossoming flowers I hardly recognize the place. And please don't ask me how this all happened because I honestly haven't a clue. Just had to share:

Who needs the Easter bunny?

When there is a Easter dinosaur in the neighborhood, you have it all. Once again, we were delighted to see our favorite T-Rex decked out in bunny ears and lei. A bit of a mixed bag, to be sure, but it sure brought out the smiles.

A Goose Going to School?

What happens when a wild goose decides to attend classes? Well, I honestly don't know, but one was gracing the playing field at a local school. Couldn't resist taking a picture or two. And now for the frustrating/sad part. The kid in the gray sweatshirt decided it would be loads of fun to kick a ball at this beautiful creature. Of course I yelled. Fortunately, the little ass wipe missed.

 

Pandemonium

Our walks usually mean running into other doggie peeps and chatting for a bit before moving on. These meetings are important for creating neighborly ties, and equally important for allowing dogs to socialize with those of their kind. Yesterday evening, Nellie hit the jackpot. We ran into two of her good buddies, a Schipperke named Bert, and adorable Felix. After treats were duly passed out to the fur-babies (I am extremely popular among the four-legged set and it's not for my sparkling personality), Felix invited us into his yard for a zoomie session. The result? Very happy pups who were able to get some of their energy out:

 

An effort to appreciate allergies

'Tis the season to be sniffling, sneezing, and otherwise feeling like nature is out to get you. Here's how I respond to that particular misery -- I look for beautiful and, yes, unusual plants to feel good about. Today's selection:

Trees that bloom are just perfect in their own right. This next plant is unusual because the shapes the blossoms take. Like tiny creatures from another planet:

Yes, I have a love/hate relationship with Spring.

What's not to love?

One of the wonderful things about walking around with Nellie is she's often shy about meeting new people and dogs, but she's not overly reactive or aggressive. Even when those dogs are a little overeager (mostly because she is sooooo adorable). One such dog is a gorgeous (and I mean that!) chocolate Lab named Jake. Jake is not only the sweetest dog, but he's also polite to Nellie once the initial rush toward the treats I always carry is over. He's wearing his St. Patrick's Day bandana with such flair, not to mention panache, that it has been decreed he must wear a different bandana for each day of the week and special ones for holidays. Naturally, since I'm the one who decreed that, and no one elected me the arbiter of doggie fashion, I don't know if there will be follow-through. Either way, it's all good. Here is the handsome dude:

Spring is here

As Nellie and I walk about the neighborhood, feeling a bit lost, we have come across the signs of life that Spring brings and find comfort.

For instance, the best dinosaur ever is already sporting her St. Patrick's Day gear:

And the wisteria is blooming all over:

And last, but not least, the brightest colors anywhere:

New beginnings....

Farewell to my big bear

I believe I mentioned Kuma was diagnosed with inoperable cancer last August. I held the firm belief he would outlive all predictions, and in a way he did. After a sudden collapse last night, and multiple health failures, we decided to ease his suffering this morning. Our 16 year old beautiful bear, of late looking more like a wolf, passed peacefully with the help of the vet we adore. 

Kuma came up to us on the street in 2008 and was unfailingly sweet with everyone he met. He will be missed by all his neighborhood fans who loved his one floppy ear and his happy grin when he spotted someone who knew how to give a good ear rub. The place feels so empty without him.

Dark and oh so handsome:

Starting to look like a distinguished gentleman:

Showing the wisdom of old age:

A squirrel's booty...or bounty...depending on your lingo

For some reason, squirrels are either regarded as adorably cute, or huge pests. I lean to the adorably cute persuasion. As Nellie and I were walking the other day, I noticed a squirrel carrying something almost bigger than she was. Upon closer inspection, it was a gourd. Naturally I whipped out the phone to record. The following is the squirrel violently twitching her tail to tell us to back off from her prize. Which we did. 

Later that evening, we noticed that she had made a good feast out of her prize. The remains:

I confess to feeding the squirrels around my house, and a couple will even come within a couple of feet to get a prized walnut. While it is very sweet, it is also dangerous behavior because wild should stay wild. I'm just a sucker for their begging. Please don't tell the squirrel police!

Blooms in Spring

There is an entire poem about good fences making good neighbors and I cannot deny that the fence between us has yielded very good neighbors indeed. I'm speaking of an amazing blossom that somehow managed to bloom from one side of the fence to our side in sheer perfection:

 

Another mystery plant, a gift from Ms. P (thank you!), has also bloomed and is regally beautiful. Frankly, I'm surprised it thrived at all, knowing my propensity for haphazard gardening, but I am so happy it did.

 As always, click on the picture to get up close and personal and enjoy a moment of nature's gifts to the world.

Santa Ana winds are no joke

Last Friday (Jan. 21), the Santa Ana winds we get in SoCal decided to come in earnest. Power went out around 10:30 pm and I hear a car alarm going off. Naturally wondering what was going on, I poked my head out the door to a horrifying sight. One of the Deodars (think enormous Christmas tree) had fallen and taken the two power poles in front of our house down with it. On the way down, one of the power poles fell on a passing car. Occupants were OK, but with live wires everywhere, they couldn't get out. I think every neighbor on the block called 911 and firefighters arrived to cut off power and safely get the people out. 

It wasn't 'til morning we realized the full extent of the damage. On our house, the 2 masts on the roof (the pipes that stick up to receive power wires), were at a 45 degree angle. Not good. Wires were on the ground after being totally ripped off both house and power poles. Again, not good. Further investigation revealed that the tree, which blessedly did not fall on a house, had smashed a parked car into oblivion. Again, no people hurt.

The City crews swung into action. They even partnered with a nearby City crew to restore power within 24 hours. That meant they had to remove the downed poles and erect two brand new poles. Yes! And they did this in ONE DAY. Good for everyone, right? Welllll, not for me. Because my mast was totally shot, I had to find an electrician to fix that before the power company could hook me up. And here's where it gets really lucky. The people across the street also needed an electrician. Being far better at behaving like adults than we are, they had scheduled an appointment within an hour of realizing their need. So what do you expect I did? Why, of course, I casually moseyed over and asked the electrician if he could come take a look. He cheerfully said yes and within 1/2 hour, he told me what needed to be done and when that could happen. And yes, he was happy to come on Sunday to complete the task.

Meanwhile, I'm bugging the poor supervisor of the power company team with questions about how I would contact the City to get power restored, and will they really come out on a Sunday, and what do I do if.... The poor man must have thought I was demented, but he was the soul of graciousness and patiently answered all my questions and said don't worry. 

So Sunday comes and the electrician is coming up on the end of the time frame he gave me to arrive. I try the take-a-deep-breath zen approach and decide to wait for one half hour before texting him, when suddenly, lo and behold, he shows up right on time and is in apology mode. Why? He had trouble finding one piece he needed to complete the job. I was so relieved that if it were at all socially appropriate to hug him, I would have. Only decorum and COVID kept me at bay. So I leave him to it. Three hours later he flags me down to call the City. Mmmm. What I thought was a direct line to a person was not. And it didn't want to understand what I was saying. Frustration and worry mode start to ratchet up. Try again. Better this time but I'm anxious that the City person won't show up before the electrician has to take off. Just as I'm about to go into full worry mode, a City truck pulls up. He hails the electrician (they have worked together before apparently), works his magic, listens to my praise for his help, and then tells me something that stuns me speechless: it was no accident he showed up when he did. His supervisor called him, told him to check on me in the morning and again in the early afternoon to make sure everything was good to go. The poor man was facing a 24 hour shift, and he still was gracious and fulfilled that request for service. 

With the internet finally back up 4 days after getting power, it's all good again. The devastation below is all cleared up and we are happily back to pandemic mode as usual.

If you squint hard enough, you can see the fallen tree in the background. The root ball is about 7 feet high and the tree itself crosses the entire street. 

So glad that whole adventure is over!

A case of the zoomies

On our walks, Nellie and I frequently visit an adorable little dog named Shanna. Shanna is a bit of a princess, as she demands ear and tummy rubs every time we go by. Her guardian has given us carte blanche to enter her yard so we may do full justice to her demands. Over the months, she and Nellie have become buddies. Yesterday was a first though. 

As I was dutifully giving Shanna her scratches and rubs, Nellie starting zooming around the yard like a dog possessed. She was doing twirls and what looked like cartwheels. Shanna and I stood there in disbelief. Then Shanna decided to figure out what was going on and walked over to Nellie (who had FINALLY come to a halt). For fun, I pulled out my phone to see what would happen and this is a more sedate result:

Mind you, when I take her to a dog park to romp and play, she hides behind me the entire time. Go figure. And to the very observant among you, yes, Nellie desperately needs a haircut.

A little late but still in the spirit

Yes, Christmas has (sort of) come and gone, though many houses are still sporting lights and other decor of the season. One of my favorites just came to my attention yesterday, as Nellie and I were strolling down a street we hadn't visited in a while. You may remember the dinosaur from Halloween. She's changed her outfit to be a fearsome Santa:

On another note, as I was puttering around the yard, the seashell birds I tucked away in a hollowed tree stump made me smile. Happy new year:

Just in case someone thinks I had the talent to create that ensemble from coral and seashells, the answer is no. But I sure know cute when I see it.