03-05-25

Here are some views of "our" park where we walk almost every morning.  The "elephant" sculpture is in the middle of the image.  Our house is on the left edge about in the middle, beyond the chain link fence and the flood control channel.  You can see the cider block wall on the right along the east side of the park. 

 

Still lots of California Sycamore leaves left for the wind to blow around.

Looking the other way (south) toward the only entrance/exit.  This is the zip line  which has two lines, each with a round "seat" hanging from the rail.  I can't  pick the  seats out in this picture, some day I'll take a photo of someone zipping.

 

We did most of our steps this morning due to the threat of rain and we did have a few sprinkles.   But the rain started seriously about 2pm while I was  driving to see  the orthopedist and it has continued the rest of the day and into the night.  So, no walking for KoKo this evening, but I did the cul de sacs alone  to fill out the two miles.    Rain predicted for tomorrow, so we may not be able to walk at all.

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Going to the park 02-22-25

Parque Del Arroyo Verde is the park I look into from the back of our house. It is long and narrow with one way in and out at the narrow end.  It is about two house lots wide and fifteen house lots long - about 130 acres I read somewhere.  In the 38 years we have lived here it has undergone two major renovations, the latest just last year. It is now more suited to middle school kids and dog walkers.  No swings, jungle bars, slides, but several climbing structures (one that somewhat resembles an elephant) and even a zip line.  There is a large covered picnic area with two Bar-B-Q grills and nearby a restroom building for women and men - very clean.  KoKo and I walk there several times a week. It is a little less than a mile from our house to the back of the park where we can took up at the  back of our house.  I like the smooth, unbroken paving that I won't trip on and KoKo enjoys the bushes, trees, and open lawn areas. We now run into some of the same people and he likes to see the little children who carefully pet him.  He protects me from the big dogs, but accepts advances from small, friendly pups.

On the far side of the park is a gated community of "patio homes". 

Looking the length of the park with the wide paved path.The tallest trees are in the patio homes community.

The elephant that I can see from my backyard.  These boys were so good at helping their little sister climb up and down.

On weekends there are always mixed groups trying to outdo each other. 

There is our house with the big ficus tree in myneighbor's yard. The flood control channel runs between the two chainlink fences.  The beige wall is the end of the park abutting the patio homes.

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First Day of 2024 01-01-24

It has been a rather strange day-verrrry quiet!  When we walked this morning we saw nobody and no cars drove through our neighborhood.  Even this evening about 4:30p when we did our  evening walk we only saw three other people.  Fortunately one was willing to give KoKo some loving.  He expects it, you know!  Not many planes, which is eerie because we live under the flight paths of John Wayne/Orange County airport and the small Fullerton General Aviation Airport.  And we didn't have many fireworks  last evening either.   An unusually quiet New Years.   Somehow people did take down their Xmas decorations but a few are still up.  Like this one.

This is my favorite decorated tree.   It is an olive and the owners keep it nicely trimmed.  The lights wrapped around the trunk and branches go way up inside the leafy part and make the light spots in the dark crown. It  is like broccoli with lights inside.. The wrapped lights are red and white but the red doesn't show in a picture taken in the dark.

Meanwhile, behind our house the contractors are still renovating our little park. The two trees in the foreground have been in for a few years and the large ones in the background are located in the gated community beyond the slump stone wall.

A few small trees have been planted and they have added the lighter area in the middle of the cement ring. I don't know what the light stuff is, but it looks like sawdust.   The two structures that look like an elephant and a pile of dung, we  guess are for climbing on. Hopefully everyone who climbs will have to sign a  waiver in case  they fall.  Ha!  In the very foreground is the flood control channel with a gravel road in the bottom right corner used by the occasional trucks doing  an inspection.  I am told there is a zipline nearer the entrance to the park - guess the city must have fabulous liability insurance.  The park is unstaffed.  

 

An elephant without a trunk??

I had only three "to-do" items on my list today and didn't do even one.  Not very promising for the first day of a new year!!

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More construction in the park 09-07-23

 No workers  in the park today.

Here  is the cement they have poured at this far end of the park.

A closer view, but I cannot figure out what this will be.  The little bits of rain over the last week or so has started the grass sprouting.

The new cement path wanders off to the right to end at the small parking lot on  Palm Drive at the entrance to the park.  It is a small park - the width is about that of two house lots and  the length is about fourteen  housing lots.  I tell people that ours is the fifteenth house from Palm Drive.  

Warmer today.  The high was 84F and the low 62F.  Highs in the mid 90F until next Tuesday.  KoKo and I have enjoyed the autumn like temps for the last 3 or 4 days.  

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Construction in the park 09-06-23

Toward the end of July the city started the revamping of Parque de Arroyo Verde which we see from our backyard.  I searched through my  pictures to find  views over the years.  There aren't as many as I expected.

2011

This is sort of what it looked iike when we moved in 1986, but then the deodar trees were healthy and green.  By 2011 they were diseased  and dying and  the tree trimmers were taking them out.  

December 24, 2018

At the bottom of the picture you can just see the young trees that replaced the deodars and had been growing for about seven years.  They were just sticks when planted.    The trees  in the background had just been trimmed, they  are located in  the patio  homes beyond the perimeter block wall. 

February 14, 2019

Just a few months  later in a wet year the trees are still  rather  small, but the grass is green, very unusual for this area.  I have this picture in the wrong order, See the tall trees before they were trimmed.  Also notice that the vandals had been at  work in the flood control channel. 

Feb 26, 2923

One of the reasons for redoing the park was the city thought it wasn't being utilized enough.  There were never hoards of people, but it seemed to me that quite a few people used it for dog walking, running, picnics, and just  hanging  out.   

Notice  how much  those  little trees have grown  in four years. 

June 24,2023

We have had a drought for the last three years and the city stopped watering.   

But I guess the kids didn't  mind.  

June 24, 2023

This picture shows further south with the  wandering  path that had been there since at least  1986.

August 18,2023

The  end  of July the trees that didn't fit the  new  plan were removed.  Forms  for cement were put in.  It was very hot so they erected an awning over a table to hold the plans they were working from.  

August 21, 2023

When we had our "hurricane" that didn't amount to much, but it brought strong winds and lashings of rain  The awning and the table went flying and I guess the workers were dealing with fallen limbs and debris in other city parks because they didn't work here for most of last week.  The broken awning is still broken  and will probably go in the landfill.

I thought I had a picture of what it looks like today, but guess it didn't take.  So, I will go out in the morning and do a few shots and add on to this post.

NOPE.  I posted more pictures on the next post - 09-07-23

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A war in the park!! 06-24-23

When KoKo went out for his afternoon piddle I saw all these barrel shaped things in the park.  They moved a little so I think they must be filled with air.  Then along came a hoard of boys (maybe aged 9 to 12) running from the other end of the park carrying pretend long guns.  They divided up and took up positions behind the "barrels".  Then their adult "director" blew his whistle and the boys moved toward each other, shielding behind the "barrels" and firing away.  They must be using those foam rubber bullets that I see laying around in yards and on the sidewalk, especially after a holiday, as they went around picking them up after the battle was over.  I don't know how they keep score, I didn't see anyone fall and play dead.  They attacked each other three times before the "director" called them off to drink some water and they trooped back the way they came.  

The blue rectangle looks like a large gym mat is leaning against the 25' flood light post, can't tell the purpose or what the blue thing on the other side might be.  

I didn't catch them in the heat of the battle. 

The other end of the park.  See the blue patch in the center?

The headquarters with blue awning to provide some shade, the high today was 77F. The black square is the usual trash can that is there all the time.  

I don't know how long they were out there playing war.  KoKo was ready to come inside and what KoKo wants, KoKo gets!!  

When there were more and larger trees there was much more surreptitious activity, including some fornication, but the trees became infected with something and died so they had to be removed.  A variety of long needle pine trees were planted and are slowly growing. They have done well this year with all the rain.  The very large trees you see are outside of the park.  

Lots of excitement in my neighborhood!! 

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A visit to a park 02-05-22

It was a perfectly gorgeous day - blue sky, no wind, 76F.  Too nice to stay inside.  Recently a neighbor was telling me about flying his model airplanes at Irvine Regional Park on La Palma Ave.  The park is long and narrow and is bounded on the south side by a biking trail, the Santa Ana River, and the 91 Fwy.  To the north is all residential in Anaheim. The park was established in 1897, but It has been greatly modernized since then!  However, the large sycamore trees could easily be more than a 100 years old, as could some of the other trees.  Today we took our first visit and plan to visit again.  

We  did not get out of the car, but KoKo stood in my lap and hung out of the window.  I think he was amazed at all the people, dogs, and ducks/geese.

This group of at least seven families came in separate cars and unloaded everything one could possible want on a picnic in the park - babies, chairs, coolers, food, games, blankets, a lovely lab who walked freely dragging his leash.  

They looked like they were settling into a spot they had used previously and everyone pitched in to get everything set up. 

There are many of these covered "pavilions" and all were occupied, it was a Saturday after all.  And some were celebrating something with balloons and games and even a bounce house set up next to the pavilion.  

There is quite a good sized lake... 

..with flotillas of ducks, white pelicans and...

...rented swan boats.  I couldn't tell how they were propelled, but I could see that everyone was wearing a vest.  And noticed at the checkout place that vests were hanging on racks, I suppose to be rented, but maybe they come with the boats. Notice the gnarled old tree on the right.   

The swans were all carrying a good load of people. 

 This little girl in yellow was so dramatic.  Two ladies nearby were watching her and two smaller children, who were having fun on the play equipment.  I think lady-in-yellow was just off in her own fantasy world and not in distress.  I have always been inclined to go off on my own, so I sympathized with her.  KoKo just stared and followed her rambling.  Guess we both enjoy people watching!

On the way home we stopped at a Starbuck's for a latte and a lunch sandwich.  And when we were home we had to have a little nap due to the excitement of the day. 

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Mystery in the park 04-17-21

There aren't very many organized events in the park behind our house.  Used to be the Scouts, girl or boy, would do adventures, but not this past year.  And some years ago there was a summer "camp" where the kids would put up tents, play games, and have lunch, only to take everything down in the late afternoon. This is the second time this group has set up back there and I haven't figured out what they are doing.  My guess would be "war games", but surely not with such young children.  There are no weapons in sight.  I see some plastic tubs beside some of the structures, which appear to be filled with air.  There doesn't appear to be any organized activity, just kids running around and arraying themselves near the structures.  About 3pm they had packed up their equipment and left.  Any ideas?

I cannot make out what the lettering says. 

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A walk in a different park 07-21/22-09

Oh dear, I'm not doing very well this week. I prepared this post for the 21st, but somehow failed to post it! Sorry. So, it will do for two days.

Corky was here Saturday/Sunday this past weekend. On Sunday we walked in the morning because it was very hot. Actually, it was almost too hot even in the morning. But we trotted down to the corner, turned left, walked another 200 feet or so and turned into the park. This is Parque Arroyo Verde, the one that is long and skinny and extends all the way to the back of our house. It is used in the mornings by people with children who have lots of energy and by people with dogs in the early evening. There are also the sunbathers and the teenagers who come to neck in the dark. (is it still called 'necking'?). Just as Corky and I were walking to the exit this family came in - papa, mama, two little boys and two white dogs. The dogs were interested in Corky, but they were a little too rambunctious for a nose to nose (or elsewhere) meeting. In the picture the smaller boy is just above the white dog under the jungle gym (or whatever it is called these days). I seem to be very aware of what things were called and what they are called now. How about pedal pushers? Cutoffs, maybe? Christine Thresh is designing a block-a-day - all of them four inch paper pieced blocks and she provides the pattern to download. Among the cute everyday things she has come up with is one depicting pedal pushers - just like in the good old days. Check out her blog at www.winnowings.blogspot.com

I was trying to line up these two pictures to make a whole tree, but couldn't make it work. I'll try again some other time. Many different kinds of trees in the park, some half dead for lack of water. I had a notice that starting the first of August the water company that services this area will start stage 2 of water rationing. There is a long list of do's and don't's; in addition there will be a 6% cut in the water we can use without going into a new (higher) pricing tier. Since I am very frugal with the water I use the 6% cut will be difficult. Unfortunately, there is a law here against using grey water, although I know that some of my neighbors do. It wouldn't do for me to save rinse water from laundry to use on outside plants, because I have a water softener and the salt content would kill the plants.

Quilt Festival -Long Beach will start with the preview this Thursday evening. I will be staying with Corky at his house in LBeach until Sunday. So, perhaps I will be able to post some images from the Festival. On Saturday morning from 9:30 to 11:30 I will be at the SAQA table answering questions and passing out SAQA information. Stop and say hello - I'll be the lady in the hat!

Tri-Cities Park 12-29-08

If I had considered how dull my life is I might not have started this blog. Many of the high points have to do with being a Poodle Nanny to Corky the Poodle Prince. He was with me this weekend and I returned him to his parents today.

On Saturday we discovered the 'back way' into Tri-Cities Park where we like to walk. I was trying to find good locations to take pictures of the mountains with their snow coats and drove down a street I have never been on before. And there at the dead end is a entrance to the park. So, we parked and started out for our walk. We can always see the mountains in the distance, but they are much easier to see when they are white against the blue sky.

Lots of ducks, geese, seagulls - all the usual suspects. I tried for a picture of the cormorants roosting in the top of a eucalyptus tree, but they were too far up for my camera. However the resident egret was there - he always seems to be looking at his reflection!

At the end of the day, here is the Prince curled up in one of his beds. I have never seen him actually arrange the pillow, but he must know just how he wants it and moves it around at night. I sure do love this little guy.

The first of the year 12-08-08

When I kept a journal I always recorded the first sightings of birds and plants. The Journal is long in the past, but I still notice the firsts. There were two for me this past week.

When Corky and I walked in the big park (Tri-Cities) there were two white pelicans who have come back to spend the winter with us. I have seen them here in previous years, but there is always a larger flock at Anaheim Lakes which is a much larger body of water - about 2-1/2 miles SE. By-the-way, the gold squiggles are reflections from the setting sun - the white at the top of the image are geese and ducks.

The first Oxalis blossom of the season, soon my back slope will be awash with this limey yellow. I am posting three photos of the same plant. The reason there are three is none of them is completely in focus, but the background is. How does one take a picture with the foreground in focus?

I held the blossom thinking maybe a midpoint to focus on would help.

It seems to me that nothing is in focus in this shot. If anyone has a suggestion I would appreciate hearing it.

Corky is home with his parents and I don't expect I will have him again until after the holidays. I may drive out to the desert between Xmas and New Year's to take care of him while his parents travel for a few days.

The Park Behind the House 12-05-08

I realized that I have never shown you other aspects of the park behind the house. The entrance and exit is off of Palm Ave and the back is right outside my kitchen window. So, it is about length of 14 house lots and maybe 1-1/2 lots wide. It is used by many different people - business people and the mail delivery people for lunch, children with their parents to play on the playground equipment, people walking and playing with their dogs, kids at night in the summer doing all sorts of things, legal and illegal. And it can be reserved for parties, resulting in many birthday events for children and adults. One of my friends had a party for her husband and had a band march in playing marching music. Cool!

Corky and I walk there frequently when he is at Camp Del. We did today, but yesterday we walked at the big park with the little lake, Tri Cities - not so many people there, I suspect because it was rather chilly at 4pm. Corky will be here until Sunday or Monday. We have a coffee date with Liz in the morning.