Autumn Outdoor Market

Only one more farmer's market will be held out in City Park this season. In November, the market moves indoors, to the lovely Grange building for the winter. I'll miss the beautiful sunlight cast through and beneath the trees.

Main Street Action

A pot bust went down in a small parking lot off Main Street today. A few of us were at the counter eating lunch when someone noticed the police car with the lights flashing while an officer searched the back of a Toyota. His blue gloves must have been to aviod contaminating any evidence. The bags of cannabis were put on top of the vehicle, and remained under the careful eye of another officer. I'm glad I finally remembered to pull out my camera to get a couple images. I was sitting at my Lucky Perch at the Ardella's counter, come to think of it.

Another Main Street Change

I'm all for creating access for people needing mobility assistance to get around town. Gradually, existing infrastructure will sport improvements like banked curbs at street crossings or audible walk signals. Privately owned businesses are wise to welcome all the customers they can. On older structures, a certain amount of rebuilding makes all that possible, as with these two doors.


The ramped access replaced a short step-up, lined on its outer edge with ceramic tile. Sadly for me, this improvement came with the sacrifice of one of my favorite art installations; a lovely illusion of koi fish swimming in a shallow pool. I'm glad I got a picture of it last year.

New Shop

The windows of a shop front on the uptown promenade had been painted over for longer than a year, with a scene resembling Little Lake Valley in pastel colors (photographed last year). It was a pleasant enough alternative to seeing a vacant room moldering away. But I was reminded that I need to get over to the business hub more often, when I saw this new clothing boutique already open. Welcome, Stefany's, and good luck!

Ants, Beware

Among my recent explorations, I spotted these two little "craters" in the sandy soil, amid the decaying leaves and grass of a summer gone by. They are produced by "ant lions", the larvae of damselfly type creatures. I didn't see any ants around, so I hope they get enough to eat.

Pledge Drive Time

The community radio station of Mendocino county has been hurt, like everything else, by the economic hard times. Headquartered in Philo, over in the same lovely Anderson Valley of the county fair, KZYX sacrificed some paid positions to make ends meet, including that of the news gal on the right side of this picture. But most of the programmers, the hosts of the various programs, are volunteers. Here, we see soul-master DJ Reed handing off the booth to gentle reggae giant Pappa John, as they pitch together for listener pledge support. I captured them last October when I volunteered to answer pledge calls.

Old Albion School

My grandfather taught at this schoolhouse from about 1928 to 1942. It had several classrooms, but they primarily used the one looking out to the ocean, on the left, for all the students together. They could look out the windows, at the right times of year, and see whales spouting at sea. He loved radio, the newest media technology of the time, and the class would listen to a scheduled news broadcast several times a week, then discuss the current events.

The building was purchased a number of years ago, and refurbished as a private residence. About five years ago, the owner kindly agreed to let my mom host part of a school reunion event there. I had never seen the inside before, and it was marvelous. The owner had even retained the hallway drinking fountain. I wish I had had a digital camera at the time. For my mother, I'm sure there were all kinds of memories.

The one thing I'm not a big fan of are all the eucalyptus trees on this north side of Albion. It's not a native tree, and local wildlife aren't adapted to utilize it for much other than a perch, but by now I suppose they seem like a tradition. The wooden bridge across the mouth of the river far below is scheduled to be replaced one of these years. I'll miss it, but I suppose my mom missed the one before it, down closer to the river.

Moooore From the Cownty Fair

Sorry. Couldn't help myself.

The Young Meet the Old

Many of the Roots volunteers and enthusiasts have been older men, and several have died in the past year. The everyday working machines they remembered as boys are now rare relics to be saved. Without an infusion of young, curious minds to inspire, the soul of these iron horses could be lost. It was great to see some young families exploring the steam-up displays.