Tag Archives: Southern Calfornia

Shades of Twilight. Colors of Dusk.

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“It is almost impossible to watch a sunset and not dream.” Bernard Williams

Photo by Enchanted Seashells
Photo by Enchanted Seashells
Photo by Enchanted Seashells

These photos were taken before we had a few days of much needed rain. There was no flooding around here but I saw video of devastating mudslides in the fire-damaged areas around Malibu — in addition to a medium-sized 3.5 earthquake in the same same general vicinity.

Today was super sunny and warm, a perfect time to spend hours in the garden cleaning up from the storm and getting the raised bed ready for spring planting.

I haven’t had any visits from my coyotes or bobcats in about a month and I’m not sure why. Hopefully, they’ll return soon because I miss my animal family!

OUT OF CONTROL | Los Angeles on FIRE

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As I’m writing this post, there are six major wildfires ravaging the Southern California Los Angeles area, about 100 miles north of me, burning more than 30,000 acres. As many as 10,000 structures have been burned and the death toll is reported to be ten, but will most likely rise.

**The last time there was a major fire in my area where neighbors just a few blocks away were evacuated was in January 2021. https://enchantedseashells.com/2021/01/20/fire-in-carlsbad/

Santa Ana winds were calculated at 100 miles per hour BEFORE they were supercharged by the heat of the fires themselves. We haven’t had rain in months; everything is bone dry.

Many celebrity homes in Malibu are completely destroyed, not that I think those people are any more special than anyone else who lost everything in the fires or other disasters. It’s just crazy to see those beach homes right on the Pacific Ocean burned to a crisp.

Thousands of homeowners were dropped by their insurers before the Palisades fire, leaving them with no protection. It’s been happening for the last few years to homeowners who live in regions prone to climate disasters.

The coastal Palisades Fire is now the most destructive ever to hit Los Angeles County, while the Eaton Fire has devastated communities below Angeles National Forest to the east. There’s also the Hurst Fire, Lidia Fire, Kenneth Fire, and the Westhills Fire near Calabasas.

I don’t want to even think about the cause or repeat any unsubstantiated gossip. Mostly I care about the poor animals– pets and wild creatures — who are now injured and displaced. It’s so sad.

In the midst of this tragedy, I’m sharing a heartwarming story of a heroic woman who rescued forty one pets from the wildfires.

Dr. Annie Harvilicz, a veterinarian, bravely risked her life to help rescue dogs, cats, and a rabbit from the path of the Pacific Palisades fire as their owners were forced to flee.

The animal lover has opened her home and an empty pet hospital because their owners simply don’t have the space or resources to bring the pets with them.

She also rescued 4 dogs near LAX airport and has taken them into her home.

If you’d like to help, her email is: drannieawc@gmail.com and you can donate here: www.animalwellnessfoundation.org

Here’s video from the BBC:

Hurricane Hilary is Coming!

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A West Coast hurricane?

Crazy, right?

But look at the graphic because we in SoCal are in the CONE!!!

That’s all anyone is talking about around here.

The storm’s path will bring it across the Baja California peninsula into the southwestern United States over the weekend and into Monday.

Regardless of Hilary’s exact track, we’ll be on the lookout for excessive rain, flash flooding, and high surf.

The National Weather Service has issued a Day 3 high risk of excessive rainfall, up to seven inches in the desert and about three inches here on the coast.

Hurricane Hilary grew rapidly to Category 4 strength off Mexico’s Pacific coast on Friday and could reach Southern California as the first tropical storm there in 84 years.

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Hilary had sustained winds near 145 mph and was expected to continue its rapid intensification through Friday before starting to weaken.

It will nevertheless still be a hurricane when it approaches Mexico’s Baja California peninsula on Saturday night and will approach Southern California on Sunday as a tropical storm. It will potentially cause “significant and rare impacts” including extensive flooding.

However, if the hurricane tracks just a bit differently, it will cause more extensive and significant coastal damage. Winds are expected to be 50-ish mph with 70 mph gusts.

No tropical storm has made landfall in Southern California since Sept. 25, 1939, and reaching far into the past, the only known hurricane to make actual contact was near San Diego in 1858 with 73 mph winds.

I guess it’s time to batten down the hatches. I’ve been doing some prep out in the garden like removing umbrellas, wind chimes, and any deck furniture light enough to be blown around. Tomorrow I’ll clear out the ditch up on the hill that’s full of debris so it’ll flow if there’s any accumulated rain and not flood the backyard. I have plenty of candles if the power goes out and my cell is always charged.

Knowing me, I’ll want to go for a walk to the beach in the rain, but I’m also aware that’s not a great idea.

The one and only time I experienced a hurricane was about twenty years ago when I visited my son and DIL who were in school on the east coast. We huddled together when the power went out and the house was shaking off its foundation from the strong winds. The next morning we went for a walk and surveyed the damage; trees down, electrical wires dangling and sparking, and debris everywhere. After that, we drove to the beach to look at the surf. Another memorable event with those guys, that’s for sure!

the little moments

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I captured the final glimpse of the sunset with my son still out there surfing. Can life get any better? I think not. #grateful

And, one day
We shall look back and see
It was always those little moments
That mattered the most

(A little poem written by Athey Thompson)

Nature and Nietzsche

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“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” Friedrich Nietzsche

I like the sensual undulating ribbon dance of this little creek at the lagoon.

“All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.” Friedrich Nietzsche.

I can’t disagree with that!

“The essence of all beautiful art, all great art, is gratitude.” Friedrich Nietzsche ·

For me, nature IS art and I’m grateful for it, especially this lagoon, one of my happy places.

I Was Bitten By An Alligator

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lizard.

Yup, an alligator lizard. So adorable. So harmless looking, right?

alligatorlizard

A few teenagers were sitting in a local park above our beautiful Agua Hedionda Lagoon, attempting to humanely herd this creature off the grass and back into his native habitat of sagebrush and coyote bush, when I waltzed by and thought I’d be the conquering heroine and offer my assistance.

They were afraid to pick him up, but I said, “no problem, guys, here’s how it’s done.” I then proceeded to pick him up, totally forgetting the proper way to handle a scared reptile and he immediately latched onto my finger with his razor sharp teeth and WOULD NOT LET GO.

So much for my heroics; I started screaming and shook off the poor little fella, sending him sailing off into the bushes. No worries, though. He was FINE, scurrying away with all of his limbs intact and whole, probably searched for his family to tell them about the lunatic human he encountered, while I was nursing several bleeding puncture wounds…amid teenaged laughter. To be fair, they DID ask me if I was OK, but I think they actually recorded the whole incident, so if you see it on YouTube, yes, that was ME.

I dropped my phone whilst repelling the attack of the ‘gator, and this pic was accidentally taken…

alligatorlizard2

It was all good, though. Just a day in the life of Princess Rosebud.