We have a commercial landowner nearby who is proposing developing their property in a way that makes most of us worry about the local water supply and traffic concerns. Since the land in question changed hands twelve years ago, they have switched from dry land bean/hay farming with no inputs of water, to a wine-growing vineyard operation with thousands of acres now under irrigation. As the owner drills wells and makes his millions, he is slowly draining the water level, causing some dismay among nearby people who have had their wells go dry. A coalition of locals has been formed to fight this unwise expansion that threatens to displace many families when their wells go dry. Here is their latest letter.
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Hello Neighbors,
I know that many of you are following the recent news stories about the Caltrans proposal to block the five crossings on Highway 101 between the Thompson/Los Berros exit and the Traffic Way exit in Arroyo Grande. Click here to see the recent article in the Adobe Press.
Your NiHA Steering Committee met last week to form a stance on this proposal and to draft a letter to Caltrans. Keep in mind that one of our concerns is that if the freeway crossing opposite of the Laetitia winery is closed, it will give Laetitia an arguing point to force all access to their winery and proposed housing development through the Thompson/Sheehy/Dana Foothill/ULBR entrance. This is not good, since, as you know, our roads cannot handle this heavy traffic. The Laetitia housing development alone calls for and an added 1,000 vehicle trips per day through our little country roads!
I have attached the letter that was sent today to Caltrans, SCAC, and Katcho Achadjian. I hope you will take the time to read it.
I would encourage all of you to write a similar letter expressing your concerns to:
Matt Fowler
Caltrans
50 Higuera Street
SLO, CA 93401
Jay H.
The Nipomo Hills Alliance
PS: With all the rain we have had this season, you might expect Los Berros creek to be running. Right?
Wrong. As it passes Laetitia, it flowed for only two days, and has been dry ever since.
Also…do you have neighbors that would like to keep informed on this email list? If so, please let me know of their address.
We had what is to us a large amount of rainfall in January.
Sometimes nature gives to us with one hand and takes with another…. in this case we were given bounty both times… first with the heavy rainfall coming in long and slow, not causing great erosion problems or run-off… for the most part, it came slow enough to soak into the ground. But it seems the last five weeks have given us more rainy days than not. And now, the next month after, we finally got a week-long break in the weather. We used it here to get caught up on our cactus harvesting and fill back-orders, some of which had waited for a couple of weeks for their cactus leaves. The warmth brought swelling in the buds of the fruit trees which will soon burst forth with blossoms. It also stimulated the flowering of many of the native forbes and flowers. The manzanitas are blooming, and the fragrant ceanothus (California Lilac) is in full bloom with the many shades of blues the various bushes carry. We took a little walk through the hills with neighbors, and took some photos of blooming flowers.
I was in Van Nuys a couple of years ago and took this photos of a treehouse.
I’ve never built a treehouse… I think they’re cool and interesting, and I enjoy building things…. but I don’t want to put nails and screws into a living tree. It’s not good for the tree, and one day when the tree has grown around it, someone (like me) might cut into the nail with a chainsaw when the tree is dead. Metal in trees is real bad for a chain blade, and it might snap causing injury. But still, I am fascinated with treehouses, and tend to photograph them when I see them.
In nature it is the margin areas that are the most productive….. land animals need food from the open areas that grow it well… but they also need cover and housing in the brushy areas that don’t grow the best browse. Margins and borders are very important in human civilization also… it is the borders that mix the attributes and characteristics of two peoples into one amalgam… in agriculture we call this ‘Hybrid Vigor’. The inculcation of new germ-plasm… new DNA makes a species and a population stronger and more resistant to disease…. the blend of cultures makes for a stronger culture that has thrown off some aspects not conducive to modern life, yet retains a sense of wonder and awe in both cultures…
Afro-Celtic Sound System is a band that incorporates African rhythms, Celtic singing and instruments and Mid Eastern sounds into a strong mix… haunting… ethereal…. hard to pin down.. enigmatic. I love it.
One of their songs that I like best is Ionen…. I don’t ‘get’ the lyrics, but I like the sound.
Me and my Annette, we was as fond as we could be
We was set to marry in October ‘33
I set my sights on courtin’ her, as fine as she could be
I never ever noticed her best friend Marilee
Took a job at the saw mill and I bought my girl a ring,
Had a pre-wedding party, close friends and family
Everything was fine, eatin homemade ice cream
I swear I never noticed maid of honor, Marilee
My Sweet Annette was left standing at the alter
Marilee was taken ill, it was several miles from home
Back then it wasnt fittin’ for a girl to leave alone
Sweet Annette, she asked me to walk her to the door
As innocent as children back before the war
My Sweet Annette was left standing at the alter
Lord have mercy for what we done,
Lord have mercy when two people get along
Neither one of us had done anything like that you see
By the next sunset, I had eloped with Marilee
And my Sweet Annette was left standing at the alter.
‘The Water is Wide’ is an old Irish tune that’s several hundred years old
Yeah, few can say it like the Irish
The water is wide, I can’t cross oer
Neither have I the wings to fly
Give me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row, my love and I
Oh love is gentle
and love is kind
the sweetest flower
when first it’s new
but love grows old
and waxes cold
and fades away
like morning dew
There is a ship and she sails the sea
She’s loaded deep as deep can be
But not as deep as the love I’m in
I know not how I sink or swim
I leaned my back against an oak
Thinking it was a trusty tree
But first it bent and then it broke
So did my love prove false to me
Oh love be handsome and love be kind
Bright as a jewel when first it is new
But love grows old and waxes cold
And fades away like the morning dew
I sowed the seeds of love.
I sowed them in the springtime,
Gathered them up in the morning so soon
While small birds sweetly sing.
My garden was planted well
With flowers everywhere.
I had not the liberty to choose for myself
The flower I held so dear.
Now, the willow tree may twist
And the willow tree may twine.
I wish I was lying in that young woman’s arms
That once held this heart of mine.
When cockle shells turn silver bells
Then will my love come back to me
When roses bloom in winter’s gloom
Then will my love return to me
The water is wide, I cannot get oer.
Neither have I the wings to fly
Give me a boat that can carry two
And both shall row, my love and I.
Here is a Skunk Spray Antidote I got from Paul Krebaum
In a plastic bucket, mix well the following ingredients:
1 quart of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide
1/4 cup of baking soda
1 to 2 teaspoons liquid soap
for very large pets one quart of tepid tap water may be added to enable complete coverage.
Wash pet promptly and thoroughly, work the solution deep into the fur. Let your nose guide you, leave the solution on about 5 minutes or until the odor is gone. Some heavily oiled areas may require a “rinse and repeat” washing.
We’ve always used tomato juice… with just chihuahuas that need it, we don’t require but a small can. Tomato juice works pretty well… although just like someone hurting your feelings… there is still some lingering reminder even after you do all you can to remove the offense.
Here’s some photos of our skunk on the porch… another skunk on the wall to remind the outdoors skunk to be nice…. and our Chihuahua Whitey in his tomato bath… he’s not too happy.
There you may stand in your splendor and jewels
Swaying me in both directions
One is the right one, the other for fools
How do I make my selection?
The city lies silent in the warm morning light
The sand is as golden as saffron
Oasis of love, sweet water of life
God bless the poor ones who have none though they have tried
Someone is drowning down there in the flood
But this river will dry by tomorrow
Is it ocean or stream, this love in my blood?
Bringer of joy or of sorrow?
The end of the journey must soon be in sight
Birth is the start of the swansong
Oasis of love, sweet water of life
God bless the poor ones who want some, but are denied
No one is given the map to their dreams
All we can do is to trace it
See where we go to, know where we’ve been
Build up the courage to face it.
While we fumble in the darkness where once there was light
Roaming the land of the ancients
Oasis of love, sweet water of life
God bless the poor ones whose patience never died
While we stumble in blindness where once there was sight
Searching for trees in the forest
Oasis of love, sweet water of life
God bless the poor ones who have none though they have tried
God bless the poor ones who want some, but are denied
God bless the poor ones whose patience never died
God bless the poor ones on that one-way donkey ride
We went to check on the ladybugs by the creek.
They’ve spent the winter clinging to these bushes… sometimes they fall to the ground and stay in a thick mat all packed deeply.
They are like red jewels moving slowly and dripping from the leaves to the moist cool earth.
They have to move to regulate their temperatures, they move in and out of the sun which just this week started peeking into the canyon. They are starting to awaken from their dormancy.
I suppose they don’t want to leave too early though… they have a secluded safe spot here in which to rest through the winter…. once they become active they will need to eat. In the great scheme of life, they probably time their dispersion with the hatching of aphids. This will give them some food while they start their own egg-laying. The youngsters will hatch amid a plethora of food. Thousands of ladybugs will spread for ‘who-knows-how-far’ from this one tiny little spot in the middle of nowhere.
Here’s a little video I took showing the ladybugs.
And below we have some photos.
See the next post before this to find some info and links on ladybugs.
