Suzie Talks Me For a Walk

 Our visit with our Carlin grandkids in California is winding down. Tomorrow we fly back to Georgia. This morning I was thrilled that Susannah wanted to take a walk with me. We began the same route that we'd taken with her sisters a few days ago -- up Anza past the newly renovated house next door then up the private drive to Cabrillo Dr and the big water tank, down the hill to the east a little and then back.

I suggested we sit on the new wall next door right on Anza for a picture.

That was my last contribution to how the walk would go today. Suz is an assertive four-year-old and arranged the rest of the stops and pictures and the turn-around spot. 

Pausing in front of the passion flower vines with her walking stick and just a bit of the roof of her house in the background.

When I asked how much she loves me she used to stretch her arms wide. Now she thinks it's cute to go further and have them meet in a full 360 degrees of love.

We were entiquied by the long tree branch that had grown along a the chain link fence and actually engulfed bits of it.

These showy succulents made another opportunity for a photo.

She sniffed each flower we found and pronounced the scent of each "beautiful".  

The huge water tank the the very top of Cabrillo Drive was another photo op.

When she found a discarded office chair she had to pose in it.

She delighted in the California deep red cousin of our southern Maypop or Passion flower.

What Time Is It Mr. Fox?

 On our last day of this trip to visit with our California grandgirls I was introduced to a playground game that is new to me. 

One of the things I enjoy about these three beautiful and smart girls is how they so easily involve other kids in their games. Very soon after arriving at a park they are busy making friends. 

After playing with other kids in the sand and on the playground equipment soon they were engrossed in this game. One (sometimes two) kids would be Mr. (or Ms.) Fox. Ms. Fox would turn her back as the other kids would gather at the agreed spot maybe twenty yards away. They would call out, "What time is it Ms. Fox?!". The fox would reply by shouting a time and the kids would take that many steps toward the fox. This was repeated until the fox fine responds by shouting "Dinner Time" and turning to chase the other kids. When one is caught that one becomes the fox for the next round. They had a ball. (I should have better pictures!)

The Light

My Mother's 103rd birthday would have been later this week. We lost her in 2021 at the age of 98. Mother had a way with. words and loved to write - sermons, blog posts, letters, and poems. This poem is one of my favorites. 

The Light

My father always left a light for me . . .

Against the nightime shadows . . .

Lovingly.

He left the door unlocked . . .

It opened wide

And I could safely find,

My way inside.

Beyond the grave

I see a light . . . I see

The Lights of home . . . 

God left a light for me.

So I can walk through death.

With faith . . . not fear.

I see the Lights of home,

And God is near.

- Ruth Baird Shaw 1978.

A Morning Walk With Clem, Ruth, & Suz

Today all three girls wanted to join me for a walk!

We posed at the front gate for a picture while we were fresh.

Here we are on the small private road that joins Anza to Cabrillo Drive. The tall skinny tree is actually in back edge of their yard.

We were impressed with how the folks at this house, built right on little Cabrillo Drive, has such nice flowers and succulent plants.

About halfway down the hill to the east are more gorgeous succulents.

Whatever this flower is, it is fragrant!

At the bottom Clem and Ruth started right back up the steep hill leaving Suz and especially me far behind!

But that gave Suzie and me a chance to see this small hawk.

Nearer the top Ms. Juna, a neighbor stopped to say hi and to introduce us to her her husband Scott.

We were tired but happy when we got back.

 

Walking with Clementine

 One of the great joys of my last trip top Vista, California was getting to take several nice long walks with my eldest granddaughter Clementine. Today, a Saturday, was our first opportunity for such a walk on this trip and what a nice walk we had.

We started by walking up the hill off of Anza to the huge water tank on Carillo Dr. There we met a neighbor, Ms. Juna, who showed us the beautiful view from her yard. We could barely make out a bit of the Pacific through the haze. On a clear day she says you can see one of the Channel Islands and even a bit of Catalina Island. 

Toward the bottom of Carrillo Dr. near Smith St. we met another neighbor, Will, walking his dog, and asked him to snap our picture.  

That's where we saw this beautiful Morning Glory.

From Carillo we walked across Smith to Townsite and then across Vista Way to the Nature Trail. There we saw Western Sycamores and talked about their "Christmas balls" and "naked limbs". We saw a hummingbird flitting about but not close enough to catch a good picture.

This Townsend's Warbler was a much more cooperative model...

...flitting from one nearby low branch to another... 

and pretty much completely ignoring us.

Very near the warbler three kids and their father came along. I asked Matteo to snap our picture.

We continued down the Nature Trail to Wildwood Park and then along Vista Way through the little memorial to service members to the old downtown section of Vista.

Vista has lots of public art. Clementine calls this sculpture "The Time Machine".  

At Danny's Donuts I decided to buy a dozen so we could take some back to the rest of the family. Clementine picked out some special ones-- a heart shaped one, and one topped by Oreos. But when we were ready to each eat one she chose a strawberry donut...

...and I chose a blueberry donut.

Right next to Danny's Donuts is a flower stand. Since this is Valentine's Day they were VERY busy. Clementine picked out a beautiful, bouquet to take back to her Granny and her Mom.

Just as we were nearing home again we saw TWO hawks, and while we were looking at the hawks Clem noticed that an airplane was writing a message in the sky. It turned out he had almost finished...

... but we got to see him cross his "A".

When we got home there was a Red Shouldered Hawk right there on a wire near the driveway!

A Poem: For Alex Jeffrey Pretti by Amanda Gorman

For Alex Jeffrey Pretti

Murdered by federal agents January 24, 2026

by Amanda Gorman

We wake with

no words, just woe

& wound. Our own country shoot

ing us in the back is not just brutal

ity; it’s jarring betrayal; not enforcement,

but execution. A message: Love your people & you

will die. Yet our greatest threat isn’t the outsiders

among us, but those among us who never look

within. Fear not the those without papers, but those

without conscience. Know that to care intensively,

united, is to carry both pain-dark horror for today

& a profound, daring hope for tomorrow. We can feel

we have nothing to give, & still belove this world wait

ing, trembling to change. If we cannot find words, may

we find the will; if we ever lose hope, may we never lose our

humanity. The only undying thing is mercy, the courage to open

ourselves like doors, hug our neighbor,

& save one more bright, impossible life.