August 25th: Back to Encinitas

Crabgrass

As I was mowing the grass at Matt and Wendy's I noticed the crabgrass was doing very well. It's kind of fun to pull it out because the runners can be a foot long or so and come our pretty easily if you rake it first. I just started doing a little patch be the patio, but then I became a little obsessed. Not much else to do, might as well pull the crabgrass out. I ended up with a nice little pile.

Glow in the dark 500 piece puzzle

When I finished my Father's day puzzle, I had forgotten it glowed in the dark. When I turned the lights off to go to bed one night, I noticed the puzzle glowing. It's actually pretty neat. The picture doesn't do it justice but it's the best I could get.

View from my window

The weather has been changing a little. August and September are the hottest months here in Encinitas. The temperatures are still comfortable and we are getting marine fog most mornings. It actually makes my morning walks very comfortable as far as the temperature goes. It also keeps more people off the beach and stairs, as long as I go early. The sun is usually out before noon and we haven't had rain since I arrived.

Peace garden

I took a different walking route through Encinitas the other day and ran across this Peace Garden. There was an explanation. The owner of the house, which has a postage stamp sized lawn, said he/she was dismayed with all the stress people were enduring in today's world but wondered what one person could do to help. That person created this little "Peace Garden". A welcome to stop, relax and enjoy the day sign was posted.






There are numerous fun plants and seating provided for passersby who are invited to stop, relax and think positive thoughts. It was in the shade, very comfortable and peaceful. What a great idea!

One of the signs in the Peace Garden

I continued my walk to the beach and saw great big bubbles in the air as I climbed down the stairs. This gentleman was entertaining himself, many of us and the kids with his bubble apparatus. It was fun. The wind off the ocean would carry the bubbles very high, unless the kids could pop them first.

Bubbles at Moonlight Beach

It reminded me of Linda's Master of Mathematics Degree thesis. She researched the mathematics behind the different shapes of soap bubbles created from a variety of geometric shapes. She had fun building the shapes out of copper wire and using them to make bubbles! If you know Linda, I know you are not surprised. A happy memory.

Moonlight Beach Cliff

I continued my walk down the beach where people like to pile rocks on a shelf below the cliff. When the high tide comes in the rocks will get washed away, so it can be a daily activity!

Trevi

Rebecca sent a couple fun pictures of Trevi. For some reason she likes to sleep between the back of the couch and the cushions. Actually, it looks pretty cozy. The picture on the right is so you can see how she looks when not squished!.

Trevi sleeping in the couch

I've been going through old photos and came across this one. Dick, Linda's youngest brother had this 1959 MGA that was in need of repair. Linda was working in a gas station/repair shop at the time. It was very tough to get a teaching job in 1971. I had gotten a job thanks to my dual certification in Biology and Mathematics. Just happened to be what they needed at Norton, High School. Linda  wasn't able to get a job teaching math in the same area. She had always wanted to work at a gas station. (Don't ask me, I cannot explain it other than she grew upon a farm with four brothers.) She learned a lot because the gas station owner also built his own stock car and worked on it in the shop when time allowed. We decided we could repair the MGA and did, successfully, with some help from my machinist Dad who made some parts for us. Not the most practical car, but we had a lot of fun. Note the zebra skin door panel Linda made!

Steve, with hair, 1972 with our 1959 MGA