Author Jacqueline Winspear 04-06-13

Yorba Linda, which adjoins Placentia to the northeast, participates in the One Book, One City program and the current book is "Maisie Dobbs" by Jacqueline Winspear.  I have read all nine of the series and now own the latest, published last week, " Leaving Everything Most Loved".  Today Jacqueline did a "Meet the Author" program at the Yorba Linda Library and had a full house.  Liz and I went early because I have heard that these events are popular.  Since we were early we had front row seats which is a good place to sit and not have distractions from other members of the audience. 


The current book was for sale, thanks to Barnes and Noble, although it is only hardback.  Soft cover will take a few months.
 

The librarian had a list of questions and Jacqueline was very good at answering them, and those submitted by audience members.

She didn't talk much about her private life, but was very articulate about the way she does research and about what she has learned about the era the books are set it - immediately after the" Great War" - 1918 and continuing. We think of it as WWI, but the British have an entirely different take on that event and the resulting massive changes in their society. The "Great War" is still a part of the curriculum in their schools, whereas I doubt that there is more than a sentence or two in schools here in the USA.
 

I especially enjoyed her story about the first time she decided she would be a writer, when she was about six years old and already an avid reader.  With her mother she regularly rode a double decked bus along the same route.  Sitting so high she could look down into the houses along the way.  One in particular was near a bus stop and the room she could see was lined with books and had a black manual typewriter on a table, along with paper and books and sometimes a cup and saucer.  She asked her mother who lived in that house and her mother suggested it might be a writer.  Jacquelyn decided she wanted a room like that so she would have to become a writer.  She didn't start writing until later in her life after a career in education.  And then it was because she was recuperating from an injury and couldn't be active.  She is a good story teller and a good story writer.  Her character Maisie Dobbs is someone I have gotten to know and like, almost like a friend I can visit only every year or so.   Some of you may have also met her in your reading journey.

Fire Devastation 12-09-08

This past weekend Corky and I drove out along the foothills on Carbon Canyon Road where the wildfires raged in Yorba Linda. "Scorched Earth" is the most apt description. We are still living with the lingering odor of smoke, especially in the morning before the dew dries off.

The fire came down to the back fences of these houses, I don't know if any were damaged or lost. I believe all these pictures are click able for a better image.

Just beyond the houses and on the opposite side of Carbon Cyn Rd, the fire jumped the road and burned down toward some industrial buildings. Bank of America has a large office facility about two blocks away - I bet they were concerned. This oil pumper was not pumping when we saw it, but there are a lot that are non functioning, I don't know if this is one of those.

This is a new (probably temporary) fence along the road. I can't imagine there is anything to be kept in, so it must be to keep people in four wheel drive vehicles from driving onto the property.

The fire also burned across Carbon Cyn Rd further east. This is looking toward the east and there are few vehicles, but it is a major commuting route so during morning and evening rush hours it is packed.

Bamboo grows very quickly, as you can see in this burned out grove. The firemen pouring water on it and the tiny bit of rain just before Thanksgiving helped to start it sprouting,

This picture shows one of the major problems in the aftermath of the "Scorched Earth" situation. The slope is probably as steep as it can be and still maintain cohesiveness - in other words, the angle of repose. It doesn't take much rain to cause this adobe soil to start sliding. Anywhere there are houses at the bottom of the slopes there is a serious threat of flash floods and mudslides.

One nice thing about the Santa Ana winds is that when they stop our air is very clear and the sky turns this wonderful clear blue. Gorgeous.

Orange Co. CA fires 11-16-08

I took these pictures on Saturday as I was leaving to pick up Corky to stay with me one night. I had heard on the radio that there was a small fire in Brea that had just started.

Brea Fire

I drove out of my garage and had this view to my right toward Brea.

Three minutes later it was already out of control and growing - the black smoke indicates that whatever is burning is really burning and no water is being applied.

I drove west two blocks and the fire had really grown already.

I drove around again and the smoke almost filled the sky. This fire started two or three miles north of my house, but all of the land between here and there is developed, no open fields with dry brush and grass. The white smoke shows that the firemen have started getting water on the fire. But resources were already stretched beyond what they could handle, so a number of homes burned to the ground before any fire equipment could get in.

I drove down to Palm Drive and Rose Drive the closest major intersection about two blocks from my house and could see the wonderfully clear blue sky to the NE - between the Brea fire and the Yorba Linda/Corona fire.

Yorba Linda/ Corona Fire
This view of the Yorba Linda/Corona fire is looking SE beyond my house - about where Santa Ana Canyon opens up into the riverbed and the 'flat lands'. I took this at the same time I took the first photo at the top of this post.

This was the view as I turned 90 degrees to my right (South).

On the 91 freeway looking east into the mouth of Santa Ana Canyon.

Another view from the 91 Freeway. About a mile further on I transitioned to the Newport Fwy south (55) and followed this pall of smoke all the way to Long Beach. At Corky's house it was somewhat smokey, but downtown LBeach was worse and had started getting ashes. I packed up Corky and headed back to Placentia, as planned.

Just before we left, when it wasn't even sunset, I took this picture over Marine Stadium of the sun trying to shine through the thick smoke.

When we arrived in Placentia the smoke was very thick and the ashes were like snow. I didn't think either Corky or I could breathe that all night - most of my windows are the original forty year old single panes and they let in air, dust, ash and smoke. So, I threw some things in a big basket, grabbed my (always packed) overnight bag and we drove back to LBeach. This morning everything around Corky's house was thick with ashes - both white and black (the kind that carry embers, but not that many miles) it looked as if someone had sprinkle raw rolled oats everywhere. Just going out to do his business (at 4:15am because he refused to do it before we went to bed) made Corky's feet black. I used two wet cloths trying to get all the soot off. Later Corky's daddy cleaned everything with his power sprayer (using less water than a garden hose) and he washed my van which had been sitting out overnight. Nice guy! I drove home alone about 5pm (with a mask on) to see how the smoke and ash were here - didn't seem any worse than LBeach, unless I went outside. So, I am staying home and just not going outside. I had considered driving out to Lake Havasu for a few days, but would rather be home with my computer, projects, food and in my own bed!

The fires are still burning, but the winds from the NE have died down (but might come back) and the fires are burning up into the foothills where there are few structures - a lot of it is public preserve land and completely undeveloped (YET). The firemen are having a chance to at least sit down and have something to eat and maybe a nap before they go out again with strike teams to control hot spots. They are MUCH braver than I am.