A Tale of Two Trails

This post is a gift to my faithful readers.  I went for a great hike this morning and didn't take a single picture so I went back later just so I would have something to show you.

Sycamore Canyon has been closed since the fire of 2003 but with the help of the L.A. Conservation Corps (among other groups) it reopened last weekend.  I missed the celebration, but was happy to have a chance to explore today.

Head down the steps near Higginbotham Park through the fence to the trails.

There are two trails and this is the short, flat one that has a bit of shade.

This shows some of the work done, including planting saplings and strengthening the hillside.

One of the saplings

A Boy Scout cabin was built here in the early 1930's.

The trail ends at the cabin, but if you go a bit farther you can see signs of the fire.

You can also see signs of why the trail ends (poison oak).

This longer, steeper trail connects to Johnson's Pasture and the Claremont Wilderness Park.

It was a clear day and I could see mountains to the north (above), east, and south.  

Unfortunately my little camera did not take pictures worth sharing with you.

There were lizards and wildflowers along the way.

I am excited to go back when I have more time and when it is not 90ºF.

Educational television

I was asked how I decide what to post on Facebook and what to post here.  I don't have a list to help me decide, but since a little blurb on Facebook got no reaction I feel the need to go into detail here.

I would like A. to keep up his language skills so usually he watches a soccer/football news program in Danish, but that is produced only weekly.  To find something else I usually go to dr.dk, the national radio and television site.  There is a children's channel and I can see a list of videos if I click on the last week's tv link.  When he was home after having a tooth pulled he watched an entertaining game show that takes place in a school (Ramasjangskolen), but I couldn't find that so I found Uncle Shrimp and the Children's Mailbox.

If you have been reading The Economist you might remember that we should be looking to Nordic countries to know the future, so here it is.

smoking!  an unkempt beard!

public urination!  cigarettes!

fireworks!

dancing toilets!

men in underwear!

What a great country!

The Art of Food

In only her first year of ceramics R. had a piece accepted into a local show, ArtReach: The Art of Food.

 My niece also had a piece in the show.

There were so many other pieces I liked a lot.  Sorry I can't show all of them to you.

a piece made food

food made of paper

a table setting in the style of Christo

a chess game - processed food versus produce

Euro 2012

When we were in Denmark last August all the Euro 2012 (soccer cup) trading cards were on sale. A. took his own money to the gas station (the one with the delicious bread, briefly mentioned here) and bought a binder for keeping his cards, which was a deal since it came with ten packs of cards.

I can't quite remember how it happened, but one friend decided to start collecting cards and the two of them started trading.  A third friend bought cards (from Amazon and shipped from Europe)  and then it got drastic - checking prices on eBay, carrying to cards to every playdate, and constant negotiations.  That was nothing compared to watching videos of other people opening cards!!

A. saved many weeks of allowance and bought a box of 50 packs, which was shipped from the U.K.  Less than 24 hours later he asked (with a smile) if they had arrived.  Over 300 hours later we were all relieved from the stress of waiting, constantly looking by the front door, and imagining that definitely tomorrow they would arrive.

Worth the wait!

Sorting!

Displaying the first pack.

The binder is almost full!

Now the hope is for his friends to receive more cards for birthday presents so they can keep trading.  What will happen when the supply dries up?  What will happen if we go to Europe and come back with 2012-13 Champions League cards?

Election Day

Another beautiful day to do my civic duty, even if only three people were running for two spots on City Council.  Two were listed as incumbents and the third was listed as a professional window washer.  Most people did not feel the need to vote, as was shown by the fact that I was the 80th voter when I went in at 11:30 a.m.

All information is shown in many languages.

Including information about electioneering
and a voter bill of rights.

Spring is here

Can you read that post title without hearing Tom Lehrer singing in your head?  But I digress.  The point of this post was to show you what is happening in the neighborhood.  Sorry, no lilacs.

lots of camellias are in bloom

not quite sure about these but I like the picture

a fruit tree

lavender

snowdrops

not a great picture of the freesia, and,
even worse, you can't smell them - sorry

irises and daffodils

azaleas 

I recognize that pumpkin!
The yellow flowers are bulbine.

How to pop someone's balloon

Judy:  When I retire I will read the newspaper in the morning.
Unnamed buzz killer: If there still are newspapers!

We get the LA Times Thursday through Sunday and the NY Times Monday through Friday (and the delivery person does a great job of keeping it straight).  In order to enjoy the paper while I can (as suggested by another unnamed buzz killer) I will buy the LA Times tomorrow just because.