More construction in the park 09-07-23

 No workers  in the park today.

Here  is the cement they have poured at this far end of the park.

A closer view, but I cannot figure out what this will be.  The little bits of rain over the last week or so has started the grass sprouting.

The new cement path wanders off to the right to end at the small parking lot on  Palm Drive at the entrance to the park.  It is a small park - the width is about that of two house lots and  the length is about fourteen  housing lots.  I tell people that ours is the fifteenth house from Palm Drive.  

Warmer today.  The high was 84F and the low 62F.  Highs in the mid 90F until next Tuesday.  KoKo and I have enjoyed the autumn like temps for the last 3 or 4 days.  

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Construction in the park 09-06-23

Toward the end of July the city started the revamping of Parque de Arroyo Verde which we see from our backyard.  I searched through my  pictures to find  views over the years.  There aren't as many as I expected.

2011

This is sort of what it looked iike when we moved in 1986, but then the deodar trees were healthy and green.  By 2011 they were diseased  and dying and  the tree trimmers were taking them out.  

December 24, 2018

At the bottom of the picture you can just see the young trees that replaced the deodars and had been growing for about seven years.  They were just sticks when planted.    The trees  in the background had just been trimmed, they  are located in  the patio  homes beyond the perimeter block wall. 

February 14, 2019

Just a few months  later in a wet year the trees are still  rather  small, but the grass is green, very unusual for this area.  I have this picture in the wrong order, See the tall trees before they were trimmed.  Also notice that the vandals had been at  work in the flood control channel. 

Feb 26, 2923

One of the reasons for redoing the park was the city thought it wasn't being utilized enough.  There were never hoards of people, but it seemed to me that quite a few people used it for dog walking, running, picnics, and just  hanging  out.   

Notice  how much  those  little trees have grown  in four years. 

June 24,2023

We have had a drought for the last three years and the city stopped watering.   

But I guess the kids didn't  mind.  

June 24, 2023

This picture shows further south with the  wandering  path that had been there since at least  1986.

August 18,2023

The  end  of July the trees that didn't fit the  new  plan were removed.  Forms  for cement were put in.  It was very hot so they erected an awning over a table to hold the plans they were working from.  

August 21, 2023

When we had our "hurricane" that didn't amount to much, but it brought strong winds and lashings of rain  The awning and the table went flying and I guess the workers were dealing with fallen limbs and debris in other city parks because they didn't work here for most of last week.  The broken awning is still broken  and will probably go in the landfill.

I thought I had a picture of what it looks like today, but guess it didn't take.  So, I will go out in the morning and do a few shots and add on to this post.

NOPE.  I posted more pictures on the next post - 09-07-23

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Construction 08-29-23

There is construction in the park behind us and several new roofs being installed around the area. It is about time for a new roof on this house, so I have been paying  attention to the different roofing projects  and  think I will  go with  Brea Roofing - depending  on the  estimates.   This is one of their projects a couple streets to the west. 

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The first step is taking off the old roof. Under the asphalt shingles are on bare 1X4 slats.  The house is 55 - 60 years old, so this can't be the original roof. However, for at least 40 years the standard for new or replacements is to put 1/2" plywood down under any shingles.  There were ten guys in pairs on the roof working at scraping off the shingles and throwing them in the truck backed up in the driveway.  Scraping, putting the debris on canvas tarps, carrying them to the truck location, and dumping them. One guy in the truck bed stomping them down to compact  them. 

The next day they had all the old shingles off and the stacks of plywood (with red edges) lifted onto the roof.

Two white stakes on each plywood pile keeps them from sliding.

You can see the slates that open into the attic.  They have to plan the plywood layout to go around vents, etc. 

The next morning they had a truck with a belt on a long sort of crane.  The bundles of shingles were loaded by a guy in the bed of the truck and lifted up to a guy on the roof  You can see that almost all the plywood has been laid  and nailed along with some metal flashings for the chimney and various vents.

This guy lifts each  bundle of shingles onto his shoulder and hustles up to a pile on the roof top.  Then  he hustles back before the next bundle comes up.  He was working very hard.  

The final day they are putting on the penultimate shingles before the roof cap .

The trailer is in place for all the scraps and wrappings.  I wonder how many trucks and trailers of trash they took to the dump for this one roof replacement. 

This morning all was quiet with the roof finished and all the debris removed.  It took them about six days.  The crew was well coordinated and worked well together.   KoKo and I sat on a wall across the street to watch and take pictures.  

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Miscellaneous 08-20-23

It has been a very active week and I have not had the energy to even think about my blog.  So much going on in addition to our normal schedule.  Today, as I'm sure you know, we have had heavy rain and this evening  the strong wind came up. No problems that I know of, but I do have ponds in both front and back yards. They will be gone when the rain stops.  There are adequate drains with normal rain, but when we have a deluge the water just backs up. 

Our park is being renovated to provide more activities which I hope are not too noisy.  On Friday and Saturday there were about18 guys out there pouring and  smoothing the cement which was piped in from the revolving trucks at least a 100 feet away.  I believe they were trying to get it all poured and smoothed to benefit from the rain to help set it.  They have been working on the "frames" and foundation for a couple weeks.  The green at the bottom of the image is a mesh material on the chain link fence to help control the dust.  It runs right along the top of the flood control channel.  

KoKo's friend Bun-Bun, one of three Bijons in the neighborhood, returned from the  boarding place where she stayed for a month while her family vacationed.  They were very happy to see each other and wove a net with leashes trying to smell every part of each other.  This is about the only dog KoKo tolerates.  Sam and Mary walk the dog but I have never met the mother. 

On Wednesday I drove to Claremont,CA.,for the monthly  Book Group meeting.  One of our members relocated there several years ago and she drives down for our meetings which are now at 11:30am, bring your own lunch.  So, occasionally we carpool up to her house.  The  book  was  Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell.

Yesterday, Saturday,  I  drove to San Diego for the meeting of the Art Stream  group.  Our design challenge  was Connections and because I am such a sloth these days I did not have mine finished - only about 2/3's done.  However, others were more diligent.  Please don't pass these pictures on to anyone. 

Nelda's connection is the bridge on Highway One near Big Sur.  Great piece with a gorgeous bridge and amazing sky. 12X12

Andrea didmany connections in a rich autumnal palette.

Maybe 18X20

Ellen has been experimenting with various dyeing techniques, this one is an ice dye. 

This beautiful water-looking piece is done with arashi shibori. 

  The traffic both going and returning was generally light for a Saturday on the I-5, but still a bit of a slog.  KoKo  spent the day with Nancy Ota  and  when I picked him up she and I had a cup of tea and a short visit.  He loves being with her, but when I  show up he immediately latches on to me.

He might be a tiny bit spoiled.

Today wasaday of rest, which I REALLY needed.

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