April 30, 2011
You guys! I wrote a book!
And I'm signing it today from noon until 2 p.m at the Angel City Press booth at the LA Times Festival of Books. Come and say hello, browse Angel City's lovely offerings, and meet some of its other authors. (Including LAO's creator, the Big Kahuna himself, Kevin Roderick.)
Then at 3 p.m., I'm moderating a panel with three amazing writers, Diana Wagman, Gabrielle Burton, and Michelle Latiolais.
See you there!
April 29, 2011
It baffles me that economic growth is gauged by "housing starts", as in how many new houses are being built. Because the flip side of that is open land that's vanishing. We've had a lot of that in Malibu, houses and fences going up in the mountains. And as a result, here are a few creatures we don't see as much any more:
It's been a few years since I've seen bobcats at the barn:
Or roadrunners:
Even coyotes, which were as common as crows a few years back (and which I am quite likely in the minority in admiring) are keeping their distance. 
April 28, 2011
This shot of the tiny Labrador hard at work always makes me laugh.
April 27, 2011
I look at those untouched, undeveloped hills and still can imagine the guy in the woody, annoyed there's another car in the lot, moaning about how much Malibu has changed.
Amen, brother.
April 26, 2011
Jake peers into the future. What does he see?
April 25, 2011
This place just leaves me speechless.
April 24, 2011
It wasn't so much a sunrise this morning as a glowing spot on the eastern horizon.
It was definitely a bunny near the beach path, though.
I smell chocolate on his breath.
April 23, 2011
Our branch of the LA County Public Library is getting a face lift so in the meanwhile, the former LA County Sheriff's station is standing in as book central in our little city.
There's a fairly robust DVD and video selection, computers, of course, and shelves where patrons who have ordered books online (the entire catalog of the entire County system is at your beck and call) can pick up their selections.
All in all, a nice, small-town solution to the void left while the main library remains closed.
April 22, 2011
Here's the drive to my local Home Depot, along a gloriously undeveloped stretch of PCH in Ventura County.
And if you know where to look, there are remnants of the old PCH, the part that hasn't yet crumbled into the sea.
April 21, 2011
It was SRO at a great "Wizard of Oz" production here in Malibu earlier this month. The kids and sets and costumes were amazing:
But every bit as interesting as the play on the stage:
Was this little girl in the audience, transfixed and transported.
And longing to give Toto a quick pat on the head.
April 20, 2011
Just a pool of water, a bit of sun and the morning breeze.
April 19, 2011
They're still hanging around, the bachelor ducks, the ones who didn't quite make the mating cut this spring. They visit the pond each day at dawn, paddle around and break the silence with a few wisequacks. (Sorry.)
Perhaps they're remembering the guy who got the girl:
And how that all turned out:
April 18, 2011
R u ok?
R u sure?
April 17, 2011
Here it is, our state flower, blooming everywhere you look on the Point Dume headlands.
April 16, 2011
There are two groups of people when it comes to "Friday Night Lights" -- the ones who love it, and the ones who have never seen it.
April 15, 2011
Is there a prettier place on earth?
April 14, 2011
When the view from the bluff is like this:
You just have to get closer, down to the actual beach:
Where great flights of pelicans are moving through in slow, sinuous formation:
And a few are content to just catch some rays:
April 13, 2011
The sun's losing its fight with the cloud cover this morning, but flowers on the fire road feel like a bookmark for spring.
April 12, 2011
Some days, the less said, the better.
April 11, 2011
It began again in February, a few female ducks hanging out at the pond. As in years before, a lot of male ducks appeared and each did everything he could to persuade the girls to pleaseplease give his DNA a chance.
The best man won and for a few weeks, the happy couple paddled around together. About a month ago, sightings of the female grew brief and infrequent.
Today, she showed us why. Ducklings!
April 10, 2011
Lots of (chilly) drama but no rain.
April 9, 2011
In its heyday (Hi Melissa!) it was this:
When the shopping center changed hands, the new owners made 'improvements' like this:
Which gave way to this:
And this:
For a week or so it was this:
And now, it's this:
End of story for Diesel Books in Malibu? Hmmm, I wouldn't be so sure...
April 8, 2011
I'm never sure which to marvel at first -- the tiny Labrador's constant level of joy, or, let's be honest, that tongue.
April 7, 2011
Sometimes here at the edge of the continent, even with photographic proof, I feel like I'm making this stuff up.
April 6, 2011
A friend and I went to Point Dume yesterday where, in addition to all the wildflowers, we saw pods of dolphins and flights of pelicans and some disturbingly large rabbits.
April 5, 2011
The egrets are back, building nests and delighting passersby (well, maybe not all passersby) as they get ready to raise a new generation of the gorgeous (and goofy) birds.
April 4, 2011
The wisteria's blooming, filling the yard with scent and color.
April 3, 2011
Blue sea glass, always a favorite.
April 2, 2011
The city of Malibu had a birthday bash last week to celebrate 20 years of incorporation. I managed to take one no-so-fab photo of the commemorative medallion in the new park.
Read between the lines (and sometimes, right there in the headlines) of the news stories of that era and you'll see no one thought it would last.
Hah.
April 1, 2011
It was 91 degrees here yesterday, the first truly warm day in over a year.
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