It just boggles my mind. There is a new meaning for "California, the Golden State"
Friday
Where I live is placed right in the middle between these three fires
The mention Santa Cruz Fire, really named the Trabing fire, is less than 5 miles from my home. I was in the process of taking my cat to the vet that day. It was 105 degrees. I saw the beginning smoke start to climb into the sky, and hesitated to take hiway 1. It's a good thing I did because it would have been a nightmare to get caught on the road with the cat in the car in that heat right next to the flames. That is exactly what happened to other drivers at the time. Hiway 1 was blocked and travelers were kept at a standstill. In that heat, I can't imagine many being able to keep their parked cars air conditioners running for the length of time they were stopped without a way to turn around and get away. My car would have over heated in those conditions.
The Gilroy fire as referred to in the video is 17 miles miles from my home.
The San Martin Fire, 21 miles
The other fire up near Mt. Madonna was called the Summit fire was about 7 miles. It's not that these fires started all at once. They overlapped in the times they were burning. But definitely caused a lot of dirty air.
The mention Santa Cruz Fire, really named the Trabing fire, is less than 5 miles from my home. I was in the process of taking my cat to the vet that day. It was 105 degrees. I saw the beginning smoke start to climb into the sky, and hesitated to take hiway 1. It's a good thing I did because it would have been a nightmare to get caught on the road with the cat in the car in that heat right next to the flames. That is exactly what happened to other drivers at the time. Hiway 1 was blocked and travelers were kept at a standstill. In that heat, I can't imagine many being able to keep their parked cars air conditioners running for the length of time they were stopped without a way to turn around and get away. My car would have over heated in those conditions.
The Gilroy fire as referred to in the video is 17 miles miles from my home.
The San Martin Fire, 21 miles
The other fire up near Mt. Madonna was called the Summit fire was about 7 miles. It's not that these fires started all at once. They overlapped in the times they were burning. But definitely caused a lot of dirty air.
Mt Madonna County Park Fire
Close to my home. This fire started in Corralitos, seven miles away from me
When looking at the map, notice when they mention and show Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. I live approximately a mile from there.
When looking at the map, notice when they mention and show Santa Cruz County Fairgrounds. I live approximately a mile from there.
Understanding Extent of Summit Fire
When this fire started, I packed my cat into my car and drove up to San Francisco to stay with Xavier and Trish.
Change
fascinate me
calm me
give me a sensation
beyond knowing
all that changes
remains unchanged
-Elizabeth Munroz
.
calm me
give me a sensation
beyond knowing
all that changes
remains unchanged
-Elizabeth Munroz
.
Taking Time
"If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?"
- John Wooden
Monday
Happy Birthday Fire
Had a shut-in birthday. The nearby fire this week has been serious, houses burned. Some animals, have not escaped. Though now, at least it is contained. It saddens me to think of so much devastation for those who are facing the losses. Some stay to the last minute hosing down their roofs! They think it was started by a motorist, perhaps the muffler scraping on the road too close to the shoulder.
We had a thunderstorm with lightening Friday (no rain) so many strikes that started numerous fires throughout the state. We seldom have thunder storms and lightening. It's been so dry this year. So dangerous.
I couldn't believe my ears tonight when they said on the news that Governor Swartzenegger announced there are presently 520 wildfires in CA.
My asthma has been well controlled this last year but not now. There's no place I can go to get away from the smoke. The usual ways out are blocked from day to day.
Truly, I am NOT in danger personally. I live close to the edge of the city. But farmland filled with fresh growing vegetables and berries of all types separate me from the wild lands and forests. Though they are close.
The one near me, the"Trabing" Fire was so close that leaves were lifted off the eucalyptus trees and flung all around town, and of course it snowed ash. My car was covered with it. I bet it's good for the garden though.
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| Trabing Fire as seen from the other side of the county 25 miles away. |
I couldn't believe my ears tonight when they said on the news that Governor Swartzenegger announced there are presently 520 wildfires in CA.
My asthma has been well controlled this last year but not now. There's no place I can go to get away from the smoke. The usual ways out are blocked from day to day.
Truly, I am NOT in danger personally. I live close to the edge of the city. But farmland filled with fresh growing vegetables and berries of all types separate me from the wild lands and forests. Though they are close.
The one near me, the"Trabing" Fire was so close that leaves were lifted off the eucalyptus trees and flung all around town, and of course it snowed ash. My car was covered with it. I bet it's good for the garden though.
"Never worry about numbers.
Help one person at a time,
and always start with
the person nearest you."
- Mother Teresa
Help one person at a time,
and always start with
the person nearest you."
- Mother Teresa
Sunday
"Success is not the key to happiness.
Happiness is the key to success.
If you love what you are doing, you will be successful."
~ Albert Schweitzer ~
Saturday
On the Way to the Vet
Even though my car has air conditioning, I worried she would be stressed by my putting her in the hot car and waiting until it cooled down.
So I took some picnic ice packs I had in the freezer and laid some beneath the cage and laid some on top of them.
As I started to drive away, I noticed there was a large plume of smoke in the direction of the freeway. I knew the sign. Wildfire! I decided to not take the freeway and turned the car around to take the long way.
Seemed like traffic might have been diverted and other drivers had the same plan as me. Then, I got another look at that plume of smoke. It had tripled in size!
By that time the leaves from the trees were being blown into town. No way was I going to take a chance and get caught in traffic near all that, even with the air conditioning on. What if the car overheated? What if I had to get out, carry my cat and walk.
I pulled over and stopped, took a couple pictures, then went home.
Friday
Indians Fire Ventana Wilderness
I have recently been asked for an update on the new fires in my region. We have had a very dry spring. Little rain. That makes the bushes and grasses easily sparked by lightning.
As long as I stay inside and use my nebulizer, it doesn't bother my asthma much. I have a small air conditioner in the bedroom and I can hole up in there with my books, cats, computer, and TV if necessary.
They are calling it the Indians Fire. Not sure why they call it that. It's in the Ventana Wilderness area, which is at least 40 miles away. Even from that distance, the smoke spreads over the region including where I live. And this fire has been burning for a week. The picture above shows when the smoke was mostly over the ocean.
It's presently at about 10,000 acres. It's more brush and grass than than trees, they say, and because it's in a more uninhabited area not easy to stop.
Locally, over a thousand have been evacuated. Though it is a smaller fire than the other one, it involves Redwood trees. I am saddened that there are fires at all, but also saddened that the trees are being burned.
So, to answer the question. I'm fine.
Still, to me, this is all nothing compared to the floods that seem to have taken over the middle of the country right now.
As long as I stay inside and use my nebulizer, it doesn't bother my asthma much. I have a small air conditioner in the bedroom and I can hole up in there with my books, cats, computer, and TV if necessary.
They are calling it the Indians Fire. Not sure why they call it that. It's in the Ventana Wilderness area, which is at least 40 miles away. Even from that distance, the smoke spreads over the region including where I live. And this fire has been burning for a week. The picture above shows when the smoke was mostly over the ocean.
It's presently at about 10,000 acres. It's more brush and grass than than trees, they say, and because it's in a more uninhabited area not easy to stop.
Locally, over a thousand have been evacuated. Though it is a smaller fire than the other one, it involves Redwood trees. I am saddened that there are fires at all, but also saddened that the trees are being burned.
So, to answer the question. I'm fine.
Still, to me, this is all nothing compared to the floods that seem to have taken over the middle of the country right now.
Graffiti Art?
I saw an interesting video today about "Reverse Graffiti". I couldn't figure out what that meant when I first saw the phrase.
I looked up definitions of graffiti. (see below) But, found little to match my idea of it. Today, graffiti has a whole different connotation. It's art, in a way. Even though it is illegal, there are those who wish to express themselves by spray painting (usually) either their personal symbol of their name or some other depiction. There are those who might create a whole, or partial mural.
Definitions of graffiti include:
"scratches, letters and other marks scratched on the surface of a coin in ancient times to identify its owner"
"a rude decoration inscribed on rocks or walls"
"The words or pictures scrawled or scratched in public places, particularly on walls - could be political messages, personal notes, advertising, curses amongst others."
"Graffiti can take the form of art, drawings, or words, and is illegal vandalism when done without the property owner's consent. Its origin can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece."
All that being said, just take a look at the following video.
I looked up definitions of graffiti. (see below) But, found little to match my idea of it. Today, graffiti has a whole different connotation. It's art, in a way. Even though it is illegal, there are those who wish to express themselves by spray painting (usually) either their personal symbol of their name or some other depiction. There are those who might create a whole, or partial mural.
Definitions of graffiti include:
"scratches, letters and other marks scratched on the surface of a coin in ancient times to identify its owner"
"a rude decoration inscribed on rocks or walls"
"The words or pictures scrawled or scratched in public places, particularly on walls - could be political messages, personal notes, advertising, curses amongst others."
"Graffiti can take the form of art, drawings, or words, and is illegal vandalism when done without the property owner's consent. Its origin can be traced back to ancient civilizations such as the Roman Empire and Ancient Greece."
All that being said, just take a look at the following video.
Wednesday
Summit Fire Containment
The Fire is completely contained. They are now spreading seed.
Hopefully, it will grow enough brush that next winter when the big rains come, there will be minimal mud slides.
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| Jim Sienkiewicz, Photographer - From his website |
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