Category Archives: News and Serious Stuff

The Not-Giving, Hateful, Horrible Tree

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This is NOT about that giving tree, Shel Silverstein’s sad apple tree who was abused and abandoned after she gave all that she had for years in her attempts to please a narcissistic little boy.

Taking a bit of a detour and as an aside to that, Angel Girl read The Giving Tree to me — well, not really READ it, but she had memorized every single word and wanted to “read” to me, just like her big brother reads to me. Too adorable, right?

Angel Boy, sitting on my other side, was quick to report in a loud whisper, “She’s not really reading like ME, Grandma, you know that, don’t you?”

I replied, “I know, T, but she wants you and I to be proud of her, so we’re just going to go along with it and praise her efforts, aren’t we?”

After she finished “reading”, we chatted a bit about what the story was all about and Angel Boy said how much he didn’t like it because it was too sad for him to think about the poor tree and Angel Girl chimed in with the same sort of commentary, “He took it all, Grandma, and all she had left was a trunk for him to sleep on when he was old. That wasn’t very nice.”

I was impressed by their empathy and compassion.

And then, because these children NEVER miss an opportunity to point things out to me, she said, “And the man in the book is WAY OLDER than you are, Grandma.”

Ha Ha Ha. Thanks for that, my angel.

Back to my rant, but before I begin, I need to make sure everyone is completely aware about how much I love trees. I don’t even hate eucalyptus trees, but they’re a menace and never should have been planted as a residential street tree, especially so close to houses. I mean, it’s not like I have a colony of koalas in my backyard that need a regular source of food, don’t you agree?

What I’m going on a tirade about is a gigantic eucalyptus tree lives in the space between my house and my next door neighbor’s driveway. It’s a city-owned tree so we can’t do anything about it. No birds nest here; even THEY don’t like it.

The California Invasive Plant Council (CAL-IPC) classifies certain eucalyptus as a “moderate” invasive.

They’re a real fire hazard and can disrupt ecological relationships among species that co-evolved over millennia, which is why many groups work to remove eucalyptus and restore coast live oaks. If that’s not bad enough, limbs fall during storms, and the euc’s shallow root system contributes to the whole tree falling, both of which have killed people.

Volatile oils in eucalyptus trees fuel more intense fires which is enough of a reason to permanently remove this tree.

They are a hazard in every sense of the word. Back in the 1900s, these trees were imported from Australia and planted with the hope that they could be harvested and sold as railroad ties. Unfortunately, eucalyptus is a brittle wood and cracks easily, therefore was unsuitable.

Eucalyptus limbs, branches, and trees regularly fall with potential catastrophic injuries. Recently, one eucalyptus as large as mine fell near our elementary school and was removed. 

Last January in San Diego at Balboa Park, a eucalyptus tree was uprooted and fell on top of a woman, obviously causing injuries. 

In 2017, A man in his seventies was killed by a branch that fell from a eucalyptus tree at Holiday Park in Carlsbad.

This tree continually drops leaves and other litter on the street, our yards, the sidewalk, and rain gutters. Roots are invasive. The leaves and other tree litter can damage vehicle paint. 

I’m really sick and tired of cleaning up this kind of tree debris every week or so.

A few neighbors and I wrote letters to the city expressing all of that and requested the tree be removed. That request was denied. This isn’t the first time we’ve made an effort to get the city to do something about it, and you would think they would be intelligent enough to remove a potentially dangerous hazard, but all they suggested was that If we wanted to spend more than one hundred dollars, we could appeal the decision, but so far, we have not done that.

I met with our councilmember and to no one’s surprise, received no help at all. I’m working on a little show-and-tell with exhibits for a future city council meeting to prove my point and will update you to share all the details about well my plan was or was NOT received. Heehee.

This tree doesn’t give apples; it gives me angst and frustration.

Coyote Awareness Week

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This year, Project Coyote launches the first Annual Coyote Awareness Week, March 17-23, to celebrate America’s song dogs.

I can’t think of a better way to officially recognize the arrival of SPRING and the vernal equinox than by highlighting the importance of the beautiful coyote, especially on March 23rd which has been designated National Coyote Day.

My backyard camera captures their frequent visits, along with bobcats and sometimes both in the same night, which makes me very, very happy. I know they’re helping to deplete the rodent population that’s exploded in the last few years.

(And because a couple of readers have asked where “song dog” comes from, I learned that the word coyote comes from the Aztec word coyotl, meaning Song Dog or Barking Dog.)

The purpose of this new holiday is to raise awareness about the intense persecution and misunderstanding coyotes face and the importance of compassionate coexistence.

Coyotes represent the pinnacle of unethical and unscientific wildlife “management” in the United States. Increased awareness of and appreciation for coyotes are critically needed to reform outdated wildlife policies and end the unjust and unscientific persecution of coyotes deeply rooted in American culture ever since European colonization. 

Predator extermination campaigns in the 1800s–mid 1900s nearly wiped wolves, mountain lions, and bears off the map. But when the focus turned to coyotes, they responded to this persecution with resilience and adaptability, tripling their range in the last century and filling vacant niches left where wolves were extirpated. Rather than celebrating their resilience to adapt to a human dominated world and the important roles they play in our urban and rural communities, our society has often labeled the coyote as a “pest” or a threat to human communities. 

Coyote’s ability to adjust to changing conditions and diverse environments, along with their resiliency to survive and thrive in the face of relentless persecution, has left them vulnerable to insufficient legal protections. In almost every region of the United States, coyotes are legally allowed to be killed, sometimes incentivized through bounties, in unlimited numbers 365 days of the year, using almost any means, including killing contests, trapping, poisoning, hounding, and unregulated recreational killing. 

“If we can change hearts and minds about coyotes, the world will be a more compassionate place for all wildlife. That is why coyotes are our flagship species at Project Coyote. And that is why we launched the first annual Coyote Awareness Week,” said Camilla Fox, Project Coyote Founder & Executive Director. 

The inadequate protections for coyotes lead to at least 500,000 killed each year, of which over 55,000 are killed annually by the USDA’s Wildlife Services agency at taxpayer expense (as of 2022). Accurate numbers do not exist for how many coyotes are killed through “sport” or wildlife killing contests, because state agencies often do not track or monitor the killing of coyotes, and this number is likely a very low estimate. Even with this underestimate, it translates to: 41,666 coyotes killed every month, 9,615 coyotes killed every week, 1,370 coyotes killed every day, 57 coyotes killed every hour, and 1 coyote killed every minute. 

It is vital to foster coexistence with coyotes in both urban and rural communities. Coyotes play critical roles in our multispecies communities including regulating disease transmission by managing rodent populations and culling sick animals, keeping our communities clean by scavenging carrion, and limiting mesocarnivore populations (e.g. raccoons, skunks and foxes) thereby increasing bird diversity and abundance. 

Coexisting with coyotes and other wild carnivores can reduce conflict. Decades of scientific literature demonstrate the ineffectiveness of lethal “management” for reducing conflict and for reducing population size. Indiscriminate killing disrupts social systems and subsequently encourages more breeding and migration, which can lead to increases in livestock conflict.  Additionally, higher survivability of coyote pups can follow brief population declines due to a temporary increase in available prey, allowing coyote populations to quickly rebound and even increase in number. Despite this data, the default reaction to coyote sightings is too often fear mongering that leads to lethal management. To combat this, citizens across the country can empower their fellow community members to instead interpret coyote behavior, reduce attractants (like unsecured garbage, compost, and pet food), and humanely haze bold coyotes. 

It is well past time to replace lethal “management” with compassionate coexistence. Coyotes, like everyone, belong and have a right to exist. Coyotes are sentient, family oriented beings who deserve protection from unscientific and unethical persecution. 

We encourage supporters to promote coyote coexistence in their community this week- and every week. It’s a community wide effort to keep coyotes wild and safe from unintended habituation.

“Coyote power: surviving by one’s intelligence and wits when others cannot; embracing existence in a mad, dancing, laughing, sympathetic expression of pure joy at evading the grimmest of fates; exulting in sheer aliveness; recognizing our shortcomings with rueful chagrin.”
~ Dan Flores, author, Coyote America and Project Coyote Ambassador

Photo by Enchanted Seashells

Info curated from #ProjectWildlife

Novalunosis: Word of the Day

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“The universe and the light of the stars come through me.” — Rumi

Novalunosis (n.) – The state of relaxation and wonderment experienced while gazing upon the stars.

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

There’s some online discussion regarding whether or not novalunosis is a “real” word, but there’s no disagreement about the feeling of looking up in wonderment at the night sky.

Is Earth the only inhabited planet? With the vastness of the unexplored cosmos, is it even possible to think we are the only living, breathing, sentient creatures?

It’s an overwhelming feeling; novalunosis, but it can spark deep thoughts and conversations about infinity and the cosmos.

“The Cosmos is all that is or was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us; there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries.”
— Carl Sagan

March 8 Isn’t Only About International Women’s Day…

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Wishing a very happy International Woman’s Day to all strong, intelligent, talented, and simply wonderful women of this world!

Today is International Women’s Day, but really, EVERY DAY should be a day to celebrate women, to encourage a world where difference is valued and celebrated with all the ways we can forge women’s equality. 

IWD began in New York City on March 8, 1857 when female textile workers marched in protest of unfair working conditions and unequal rights for women. It was one of the first organized strikes by working women, during which they called for a shorter work day and decent wages.

For me, even more important than a single day set aside to commemorate women, March 8 is the day to rejoice in the birth of Angel Boy 2.0 on his eighth solar return.

I don’t know how it happened, but that child I love with all my heart is eight years old today! How is that even possible?

I still think of him as he was learning to walk…

and now running as fast as he can.

He’s an awesome soccer player; obsessed with Minecraft, (no longer Ninjago or even Pokemon), so his presents reflected that: a giant Minecraft Lego set, Minecraft underwear, a Minecraft joke book, and as many Minecraft t-shirts as I could find, all wrapped up in a Minecraft bag with a musical Minecraft birthday card. He doesn’t have any Minecraft video games, I’m happy to report.

Happy eight years around the sun, AB 2.0!

Rain, Rain, Go Away

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Did you hear about the unprecedented, record breaking rainfall we had in Southern California?

The area of Pt. Loma received nearly five inches of rain, half of its normal yearly amount. The last time San Diego received this much rain was ninety-six years ago. It rained 3.23 inches on April 5, 1926. The San Diego River is at the minor flood stage at 10.86 feet and still rising.

The news showed video after video of flooded homes and streets, people standing on top of their cars, and paddleboarders on the 78 freeway where the creek ran over the road and they had to close it down.

At Casa de Enchanted Seashells, a bit north of the city, we received about 3.5 inches of rain in four days, which was enough to turn parts of the backyard into a lake, but no water damage to the structure or foundation.

I was forced to brave the worst of the storm to get fresh gauze and compression pads (bad timing!) so I was actually driving around, but only locally.

It was pretty hard to see at times, and careless drivers were speeding, but I managed to hobble in and out with my wound care items and safely return home.

My curiosity almost got the better of my (not very) good sense and I was going to stop and take pictures of the flooded freeway from a vantage point on El Camino Real, but the windshield wipers were having a hard time keeping up with the heavy rain so I thought better of it, and drove back home.

It’s starting to dry out and warmer days are forecasted, but there might be another storm next week, so I hope everyone prepares for possible extreme sky water!

Surf’s Up : Part Two

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Even though it rained last night, the waves were forecasted to be even BIGGER than yesterday, so I went down to the beach again. The sidewalk was packed with people and cameras and video equipment, all searching for the holy grail of the perfect shot.

I’m disappointed to report that the news was false; the waves weren’t any bigger than yesterday, at least not here. This was definitely not in the ten to twelve-plus range that I had anticipated.

The only surfer I was was one crazy teenager who was determined to surf the blown out waves. I walked out on the jetty to take this video, which wouldn’t have been a smart choice if the waves had been as giant as predicted.

View post on imgur.com

I did spy this giant log, a rare sight on our beach. I wish I could have dragged it home with me, but it was too heavy.

Even though the reality didn’t live up to the hype, it was still beautiful, and now it’s raining again.

This is what it was like down the coast at Swamis.

Happy almost 2024!

Surf’s Up!

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Photo credit to Enchanted Seashells
High Surf Warning, dangerously large breaking waves of 8 to 12 feet with sets to 15 + feet.

The larger waves are south of where I am –at Sunset Cliffs and La Jolla, but I went to my local beach to check it out, and the surf was impressive here, too. In Northern California, they’re reporting ginormous waves of 28 to 33 feet, up to possibly forty feet! I’d love to see waves like that from a safe distance, of course.

Photo credit to Enchanted Seashells

Again, there were dolphins, way out beyond the waves, and no way to get a decent photo.

Photo credit to Enchanted Seashells

These are two Imgur videos; some people can open them, and I’ve heard that a few can’t, so I’m sorry in advance. They’re pretty cool. It was a lovely morning.

View post on imgur.com
Video credit to Enchanted Seashells

There have been highly unusual sightings of orca whales in San Diego county but I didn’t see them either, I’m sad to report.

View post on imgur.com
Video credit to Enchanted Seashells

From TMZ, check out these videos of Santa Cruz and Ventura!
https://www.tmz.com/2023/12/29/massive-socal-waves-crash-street-onlookers-dangerous-flood-advisory-ventura/

What a way to end 2023!

Joyous Winter Solstice 2023

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It’s the shortest day; the longest night.

To Know the Dark

To go in the dark with a light is to know the light.
To know the dark, go dark. Go without sight,
and find that the dark, too, blooms and sings,
and is traveled by dark feet and dark wings.–Wendell Berry

This is a magical moment. It’s not simply a day on the calendar; it’s actually a very specific moment when the sun stands still, which is over almost as soon as it has begun, and winter begins. This physical changing of the seasons is a powerful time to manifest spiritual transformations.

I awoke at dawn to honor the spirit of the solstice — from the backyard, a pink sunrise in a blue sky. It rained all night and more is on the way, but for now it’s clear and sunny.

From the front yard, check out this glorious skyfire, a perfect celebration for the solstice, safer than a bonfire!

These Dreams…

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Photo by Alex Fu on Pexels.com

Like the lyrics from that Heart song…
“These dreams in the mist
Darkness on the edge, shadows where I stand
I search for the time on a watch with no hands”

I experienced an incredibly unsettling dream last night that I just can’t shake, one of those dreams that some other protective part of your brain thankfully forces you to wake up from; a heart pounding, traumatizing, scary dream that you can’t quite figure out and you wish you could forget, but some of the details and the feelings of dread and fear remain firmly etched.

In this dream, I had driven to the airport, not to immediately travel anywhere, but for another reason, although I don’t know what that was.

I wasn’t alone–one of my first-born fur children was with me, Sabrina Sue, my beloved Border Collie. (She died when Angel Boy was still a toddler). I parked on the street, close to the airport, because I planned to walk there. I couldn’t explain why Sab was there and alive when she’s been gone for decades, but our bond was strong and it was like old times when that beautiful black and white, bright-eyed little girl was with me, as she always was.

Here’s where it gets weird. I left Sabrina in the car, which I had NEVER EVER done when she was alive, except for a couple of times when I quickly ran into the store or the post office, and only when it was cold outside, so she would be in no danger of becoming overheated.

I finished whatever business I had in the airport and walked back to where I parked my car. When I was about a block away, to my surprise, Sabrina was sitting on the sidewalk, ears up, looking at me. I crouched down low and like I always had done, stretched out my arms and said, “Come, girl!” She ran at full speed, nearly knocking me over, and we proceeded to where I parked.

But the car was gone. It had disappeared, gone, not where it should have been.

My car had been stolen, I surmised, but whoever did it must have opened the back and let Sabrina out, which wasn’t easy, as she was an extremely protective Border. I think she was the best trained of all my kids, and stay was so ingrained in her memory that she could wait forever until I gave the signal that released her to come to me.

My memory is fuzzy about how we got home, but I remember using my scarf as a leash.

As I reflect about the dream, after my heart rate subsided and I was no longer in panic mode, I had a faint recollection that I went there to purchase a ticket to Hawaii, but I’ve lost the rest of that mindthread.

When we got home, I called the police and reported my stolen vehicle.I don’t remember having a cell phone, so I had to wait for a landline.

In my dream state, I was overcome with an overwhelming feeling of shame and anxiety. I remember saying to the police, “But how will I get anywhere? I need my car.”

That’s when I woke up, saturated in self-hatred and shame for whatever I had done to set the wheels in motion to make my car available to be stolen. I must have done something wrong and that’s an intense stressful trigger for me. I always take the blame, it’s always my fault, somehow.

I think I woke up before there was any clear resolution, but I have a fleeting thought that my car WAS found and returned and that it wasn’t damaged, but I don’t recall any details about who stole it, or why.

Of course I researched dream interpretations and learned that dreaming of your car being stolen has many different meanings and scenarios. It could reflect something you feel is out of your control. You shouldn’t ignore a dream in which you lose your car because it shows your deepest fears and hopes. This dream could be the consequence of a number of unacknowledged insecurities that have surfaced in your subconscious and are causing you fear. To overcome your anxieties, you must first recognize them.

Along with my subconscious mind freaking out, here in SoCal we’re being blasted with multiple energetic events, solar flares, and strong Santa Ana weather with very low humidity. There have been multiple structure fires around here today, and a wildfire up the coast.

Did you know about space weather? That’s new to me. Check it out. It’s NOAA’s (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Space Weather Prediction Center.

Sun activity has jumped to high over the past day, thanks to an M5.4 flare blasted out by sunspot region AR3511. The blast happened late in the day yesterday.

What damage could a solar flare do?

Heliophysicists and other scientists studying space weather warn that flares and related solar outbursts can indeed interfere with modern life by damaging power grids, as well as by increasing radiation exposures for occupants of space habitats and high-altitude aircraft.

Solar storms also affect the circadian rhythm in humans, reducing the production of melatonin and increasing levels of the stress hormone cortisol, effects that are more pronounced in patients with coronary heart disease.

During solar flares, people may feel disconnected or low while others of us may feel imbalanced or emotionally sensitive. This volatile energy can be used to connect with the higher self or achieve spiritual connectedness through meditation and yoga.

My solution? Spend the entire day in the garden.There’s always a project or two that needs attention and love. In Southern California, autumn/winter is a good time to prepare the garden to plant natives so they can benefit from the upcoming rainy season. Fingers crossed that we’ll get some decent rain this year.

At the end of the day, this dream is still sort of haunting me. As much as I loved being reunited with my sweet Sabrina, the idea of my car being stolen triggers every one of my vulnerable abandonment issues. I’ve never had a dream like that before and it’s going to take a while to recover from the intensity of the feelings it generated.

And if you read this far, the calamity that befell me wasn’t a stolen car, but just now when I returned from a walk, the garage was flooded from a very leaky and failing water heater. I don’t know how it happened so fast, but it did. I put a bucket under the drippy part, wiped up the floor, and now I need to find a plumber. Did my dream foretell impending doom? Maybe so…

Festival of Lights | Happy Hanukkah! | Chag Sameach 🕎 

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Tonight’s the first night of Hanukkah and Hello Kitty reminds us to let our light shine!

Our Jewish Festival of Lights lasts for eight days and nights in honor of a 2,000-year-old miracle in which light won out over darkness.

During Hanukkah 1931, Rachel Posner, wife of Rabbi Dr. Akiva Posner, took this photo of the family Hanukkah menorah from the window ledge of the family home looking out on to the building across the road decorated with Nazi flags.

While it’s definitely a time for serious reflection, it’s also all about fun with latkes, gold coins, dreidels, lots of presents, and this iconic song by Adam Sandler:

Last year’s post about Hanukkah has a lot more info about the historical significance https://enchantedseashells.com/2022/12/19/whats-hanukkah-all-about/