Fluttered back from a Washington DC visit Tuesday. Enough light left in the day to see, as we passed Echo Park Lake, that the paddle boats are still parked on the water there, even though the concession is, for now, canceled. Then, following drop-off: Enough light left in the day to walk Rosie the dog in Elysian Park, with my daughter Madeleine, who was ready for a walk, too, after hours on a plane. On the way to the park we passed the ruins on upper Ewing of a house that burned down decades ago, aka the graffiti pit. Sometimes there's nothing lovelier than a scene of destruction after it's had time to settle, providing the disaster was not your own. There were four boys standing amid the 3-D graffiti – the stone floors and walls being covered – the oldest of them looked about 14.

One of the boys called out to me that they were painting the graffiti. “Excuse me?” He held up a paint roller covered in white. He asked if I knew the owner of the property. I said I was peripherally acquainted with the owner, but didn’t know him. “Do you think he’d mind?” the boy wanted to know. What would he mind? “We’re painting these walls. This one and that one over there.” I said I didn’t know, but that he probably wouldn’t mind white paint…just a guess. I’ve written about this property before. My neighbor Joe D’Augustine has done some research into why it’s been sitting there, undeveloped, on one of the most desired streets (Park Drive) in Echo Park. Coincidentally, Joe posted his own blog entry about Vincent Price just a couple of days ago, and his post included details about this property. According to Joe, the sculptor who owned the now-gone house – and who died there in a kiln explosion – fabricated some works for Price.

We left the boys to their whitewash and joined the dog walkers, talkers and joggers in the park. Made our way to the horses near the water tank and there made the acquaintance of Percy Dove Tonsils, a rooster. But not just any. Percy, I had learned on the Echo Park Animal Alliance list, had been dumped on Park Drive in a box. He’s handsome, silvery gold with black accents. Nice comb. Very friendly and curious. He’s living in the rabbit pen at the Atwater property now, right next to the horses. At least for the time being. He can get out of the uncovered pen, but doesn’t seem to want to, having spent the last several days there in relative security. I say relative security because there’s been an explosion of coyote sightings in the area – there’s even a spiffy new warning sign at the top of the Baxter Steps. But maybe the coyotes won’t go near the horses. Maybe Percy Dove Tonsils knows that. You’d have to ask him.

Walking back, it was tranquil, nice sun-setting light. No one mentioning the three shootings on the other side of Echo Park in recent days, no one thinking to mention that the old avocado trees in front of the Headstart facility (on EP Ave.) – which were spared when the site was cleared a few weeks ago – were ripped out after all. My guess is one of them may have dated from the time of the avocado grove around Duane and Ewing near Echo Park Ave. But it’s just a guess. If it was one of the originals, it was past its expiration date. But tell that to the harsh new view.