Happy Days Are Here Again

Curb Cuts: Not Just for Wheelchairs.

One gloomy January day I went to Insight Coffee for a pick-me-up and was sitting there admiring the architecture of this tree, wondering how long it had been there when I noticed...

...this. The curb had obviously been constructed to accommodate the tree's roots. So I got a partial answer to my musing - the tree was older than the curb.

Just next to it was a newly planted tree. This curb cut was the obvious clue that a larger tree once lived there, too. Thus concludes my tiny neighborhood observation about civilization accommodating nature.

The Plaque is Back

Remember when I posted in February that this was stolen from our park for the metal?

Well,  it looks like the neighbors chipped in and replaced it, this time in stone.

Here's a closeup so you can read it.

Thanks to the donors for supporting this and not letting the thieves win!

Get Ready to SWIM!!!

Mission accomplished!! Well, nearly. Just came from a meeting with the city and the YMCA and they are now finalizing an agreement for pilot program for the Y to manage our Southside Park Pool. Under their plan the pool will be open SEVEN DAYS A WEEK this summer.

Stay tuned for some fundraising events that will make this possible.

Yay!!

Street-side Surprises

There are all kinds of little things to see on a walk in our neighborhood. Before I wrote this blog I overlooked them. Now they are everywhere! Here are two sweet surprises:

Earth Day 2012

Southside Park Neighborhood Association volunteers welcomed people to our park today for the annual Earth Day festival.

The hot, hot weather prompted festival goers to join in the movement to re-open Southside Park Pool.

Shade trees underscored the message of a green planet.

While most of the booths were what one would expect to see at Earth Day...

... can someone tell me how this booth fits in with the theme?

One Park, Two Views

I received this email today:


"I was taking a walk around Southside Park last evening and came across this incredible flowering bush near the Horseshoe Pit by the water's edge.  The incredible fragrant blossoms about knocked me off my feet."

Photo by Jay Hansen

Contrast that to what I saw on my walk around the park yesterday:

These trees were being removed in preparation for the final leg of the fence installation around the lake. Fair enough, but I'm not sure why they had to remove these street-side trees, as well.

Sadly, with nine less trees there is now less of a barrier of sound, noise and dust between the neighborhood and the freeway.

Nevertheless, the lake remains gorgeous. Guess I'll walk around it to the horseshoe pit for a whiff of spring.