Snowprints

 Animal tracks

Walk, bike, and ski tracks

Walking carefully on sloppy sidewalks

My least favorite - clean driveway and icy sidewalk

No tracks at the train stops because it is almost solid salt!

Hidden in Plain Sight

 I am still not running, but am able to go for long walks. I see things I hadn't noticed before.

I can't quite see the house, but I like the entryway.
An online site says this house last sold in 1971.

I had never noticed this house built in 1927,

even though the unusual garage is right on the corner.

This 1928 house is behind a large hedge, but when
I looked it up I found photos from the last time it was on the market.

I had not noticed the house next door, another one built in 1928.

It is not as well maintained, but I can imagine it had been elegant.

It reminds me a bit of a house on College Ave.,

which was built in 1930.

Yet another house I never noticed

is also built in 1928, but looks so different. It last sold in 1988.

"Lloyd L. Brehaut
Fertilizer Dealer"
I have seen this many times and always wonder what is inside.

Nice to know there is still more see.

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Repair

We loved the porch swing we had for years, but we don't have a porch.

 

Instead we bought a glider made of recycled plastic,
which we hoped could hold up in the sun and heat.

When we visited the botanic garden recently we sat in their wire chairs.

I have only this older and cuter photo to share.

The chairs were not so attractive, but were sturdy and were very comfortable. It got us looking for chairs to join the glider on the front patio. D. found a local place that fixes up old patio furniture and we checked it out.

There was so much furniture in the front parking lot
(protected by cats, if you look carefully).
This furniture will be fixed eventually, but no one is waiting for it.

In the back lot is furniture whose owners are waiting for it be fixed.

Just inside the office were a couple sample chairs.

My favorite part was going into the repair area.

Heating the straps to weave onto the chair frames

In the end we bought two comfortable chairs.

I hope we'll spend more time here.

Fires in the Region

People from around the world have been asking us about fires in Los Angeles. We have had very little rain this season and the winds were much gustier than normal winter winds. It's a bad combination.

Locally we had strong winds on Tuesday and the next day

I could see trees down (local park shown here).

Our neighbors' tree lost some limbs.

We covered our ears and watched people work to clean it up. 

It was a bit smoky and hazy, but it has not been having a significant impact on our days.

That's about it. It is hard to feel lucky when we know people who are not. We are looking for ways to be helpful (donate requested items, donate money) and maybe even foster a dog.

Freebies Found

 While out and about

December '24 Leftovers

 

Soaking up these sweet moments

A petting zoo came to campus before final
and we visited even though we had no exams.

Someone put crystal dreidels in our little library.

In the puzzle library someone left an envelope with a found puzzle piece

glad I didn't ride my bicycle today

SYCAMORE 💛

Special gift - D. printed a tandem for our minifigs