Showing posts with label deck. Show all posts
Showing posts with label deck. Show all posts

My Home: Orangevale, California - New Roof, Front Yard and Back Deck - In the Distance a Field and a Daycare Center... Our Creek and an Abandoned Vineyard... Palm Trees Out Front...


My Home in Orangevale, CA - Door on the Left is My Room
Door on the Left is My Room.

New roof on my House


New Roof on my House under Construction
New Roof on my House under 
Construction today 3/22/2022

Giant Truck with Crane to put Shingles on the Roof EffortlesslyGiant Truck with a Crane for putting the Shingles on the NEW ROOF Effortlessly... Observe the Shadow of the Arm That's holding a Pallet full of Shingles... No need for a Construction worker climbing a ladder with a bag of shingles on his shoulder... Like they did in the olden days... there is a man wearing a yellow hooded sweatshirt... standing near the rear of the truck... he looks tiny!


A View of the Front of the House thru the Palm Trees
A View of the Front of the House
thru the Palm Trees

Inside my Room Looking Out at the World.
Inside My Room Looking Out at
the Parking Lot and The House Next door...
and Our Palm Trees, The Redwoods...

I spend Most of My Life Observing this View
Because I Rest the Laptop Computer on the 
Chair in the Foreground of this Picture.
I'm on the Computer a LOT... and
I Like to Listen to New Age Music on the TV. 
It Plays 24 Hours a Day and Blocks the Noise
from the Rest of the House...
TV Sets Blaring, Employees Talking on
their Phones... Etc, Etc, Etc

one step out my door - trees, lawn
One Step Out My Door - Trees, Lawn
In the Summer, there are Roses 
and a Crepe Myrtle tree in Bloom.

Our Creek. Stagnant Water & The Abandoned Vineyard
Our Creek. Stagnant Water & 
The Abandoned Vineyard...

It hasn't rained for two months but 
the water is still there... 
Breeding Mosquitoes... 
I Squirted Some Liquid Hand Soap 
on the water. That's supposed to prevent 
Mosquito Larva from Hatching... 
We Shall SEE!

Lawnmower Man:
Here He Comes... 
Lawnmower Man - 1

Lawnmower Man 2

Lawnmower Man 3
There He Goes!

~~~~~~ (~);-} ~~~~~~

Back Deck: I spend a lot of time observing nature here... That's one of the Great Advantages of Retirement... I Can sit here in the Sunshine and Listen to the Little Birds and the Children Playing far away... Not Reading a Book, Not Writing a Blog Post... Just Observing the Wonders of Nature... 

Deck - Looking Left
Looking All the Way Left

Deck - Looking Middle Left
Looking Middle Left

Deck - Looking Middle Right
Looking Middle Right

Deck - Looking Right
Looking All the Way Right

Today I saw Seven Turkeys Walking across that Field.

We have a Creek & Abandoned Vineyard
Vineyard and Creek Left
Creek: All the Way Left

Vineyard and Creek Middle Left
Creek: Middle Left

Vineyard and Creek Middle Right
Creek: Middle Right

Vineyard and Creek Right
Creek: All the Way Right

The Neighbor's Yard - With Table and Chairs.
The Neighbor's Back Yard
With Table and Chairs

Our Back Deck with Tables and Chairs and Shadows

Our Back Deck with Tables 
and Chairs and Shadows.
Photos taken on March 4th
When the Trees have No Leaves.

Palm Tree Out Front - Leaves All Year Round
Palm Tree Out Front - Leaves All Year Round

~~~~~~ (~);-} ~~~~~~

Remember: The GOP's Fake "Voter Fraud" is all about preventing Democrats from Voting... Because the Majority of Voters are Young, Women, Minorities or College Graduates and ALL Those Groups Vote Democratic.

~~~~~~ (~);-} ~~~~~~

DEFUND tRUMP's SPACE FARCE. It's Really Unlikely that we will be Invaded by Aliens in Flying Saucers... and if we do, we ought to be friendly... because they would have better technology... better weapons! It's Obvious that tRUMP Started the Space Farce because he believed that Little Green Men from Uranus were Likely to Attack Him... Clinically, That's Paranoid Schizophrenia... Police Code 5150... 

Putin's Puppet - Mad King Donald the Loser
Putin's Puppet - Mad King Donald the Loser

and then I read on Faceborg:
Thank you my friend Fred Hamill 👏
Moscow Mitch had a plan on a takeover of the U S Senate and House in the 2022 midterm elections just 8 months from now.
It was a simple plan and definitely the smartest route to take.
His plan was to say ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about the Republican radical right agenda once the Republicans actually seized power.
But now his plan has been completely sabotaged by Republican Senator Rick Scott of Florida.
Last week Rick Scott laid out a frightening, Orwellian 11 point agenda once Republicans regain power.
It is a comprehensive right wing wish list for a theocratic, kleptocratic, plutocratic, apartheid based United States where the poor are further impoverished and power and resources are concentrated even further into the hands of corporate elites.
The Rick Scott, Republican agenda proposes the following:
The total phase out of Social Security retirement benefits for ALL Americans!!
A declaration of war on the transgender community by claiming there are JUST two genders. This will enable Republicans to impose harsh punishments against transgender people.
Eliminating the federal Department of Education while introducing prayer in public schools. This has been a longtime desire by the theocratic right.
The mandatory phase out of ALL federal programs including every environmental protection law unless specifically reauthorized by a Republican controlled government.
A massive gutting of federal workers including regulators who protect our health, environment, food safety, and IRS workers so the richest non paying plutocrats and corporate criminals pay nothing in taxes.
And while the Rick Scott agenda says noting about the rich paying their fair share of taxes he goes out of his way to impose new taxes on the poorest people in this country. Or as Rick Scott phrased it "everyone should have skin in the game"
It does not matter to Rick Scott and Republicans how impoverished Americans are. They must pay taxes to allow billionaires and corporate criminals to pay none!
The Scott/Republican agenda calls for draconian nationwide voter ID laws to suppress minority and student voters and to lock in permanent Republican advantages in all elections.
The Scott/Republican agenda will spend billions of dollars to build the fantasy wall envisioned by Trump and to even name the wall after the TWICE impeached Trump.
The Scott/Republican agenda calls for a FIFTY STATE BAN on abortions. This plan would not just make abortion a state by state decision but would impose a national ban on abortions.
In some respects Democrats owe Rick Scott a huge thank you.
He has exposed the Republican agenda for the anti democratic, fascist roadmap that it is.
It is a plan that economist Paul Krugman has called "zombie economics".


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I remember Vasona Lake in Los Gatos, California before it became a Park. There was a lot of Bamboo and Cattail swamps. We went swimming off the Dam... We Fed the Ducks...

  • Later, when it was a Park I went sailing with Barry Hill in a Homemade "El Toro" Boat that his Dad, Robert, Made out of a Kit... The Last time I was driving around with My Dad, they tried to get $5.00 admission to the Park and I refused... We drove to Apollo Heights behind Saratoga instead... That is a Epic View. Looking down on the Paul Masson Mountaintop Winery... and Los Gatos, Moffett Field, San Francisco... Our house on Bruce Ave. was able to get San Francisco TV Stations if you pointed the Antenna in the Exact Right Direction. We owned a Radio Shack Antenna with a Rotator Box... and we did NOT climb up on the roof ourselves to install it. MOM insisted that we stop climbing up on the roof and Hire People to do stuff like that... and that worked! We never fell off the roof! That house has vanished... the new owners had it torn down so they could build a McMansion and Reap a Profit... I wonder what happened to the Redwood Deck that Mom, Dad and Grandpa built themselves? That wood is still valuable 60 years later.
  • and then the People on the Facebook Group "Things I Remember Growing Up in Los Gatos" said: 

  • Terry Kirby I remember too...We hung out and swam in that slimy water behind the dam...Good times..👍
  • Brian Glenn The swimming area in the late 50s was at oak meadow park in los Gatos but I swam at the dam in the60s I remember a hundred people laying on towels on the dam and swimming all day
    1
    • Terry Kirby Brian Glenn We swam behind the dam and hung out all day. I think I remember it was the early 60s? And part of it was slimy. Not all of it. LOL Fun times❤️I lived right down the street. Oak Meadow was too far for me.
  • Sheila Brown I remember sailing with Joel Place in his El Toro on Vasona lake
  • Leslie J Montague I remember swimming behind the dam too, but it wasn't slimy. You could swim across the lake and in the middle it was shallow over building foundations. Dangerous to walk because of basement holes.
    • Tødd Frederick Sounds like the danger of swimming in quarries with steep dropoffs, dark water, obstructions like construction equipment abandoned in the middle of the water, and a dangerously low water temp. 

      Swimming off a dam is something of the past. These days we have cut out all those childhood risks.
      1
  • Gregory Laan I was really impressed that a person could build a boat... In his Garage... That's a skill my family does not have... and then, a friend of my Dad's Built a BIG BOAT in his basement way up on Black Road... and had to Partially Dismantle the House to get it out...
  • Gregory Laan Looking at Los Gatos from Apollo Heights
    Image may contain: mountain, sky, outdoor and nature
    2
    • Amy Kirk Od Gregory Laan I lived in the house on the left with the blue tile roof. Great view! We also lived below the dam in LG.
    • David Brock Amy Kirk Od Was that the house your dad built way up on the ridge above Montalvo. Worked with Matt and Ed all on that house all Summer before going off to college.
    View 5 more replies
  • Victor Koman I remember taking advantage of all the wonderful boyhood adventures Los Gatos offered not NEARLY enough! I don't think I ever stuck a toe in Lake Vasona or even got near the dam. I mostly biked and walked around the park and downtown LG — mostly alone — and had a good time doing so.
  • Lisa McGowan I love your reminiscences.
    3
  • Linda Woodworth We had a town swimming pool off of East Main. So much fun. Lost it to the Freeway (17). Also had avTeen Center on East Main across from the high school. Donations and sweat built that Center. Among the financial contributors was a famous violinist that lived in our area. Lots of dances after football games. So much fun. It was torn down and replaced with a Senior Center.
    1
    • Randy Southwick Linda Woodworth Yehudi Menuhin.
      1
    • Lynn Woolard Merrill He used to come in my dad's cleaning plant. He would come in the back door usually dressed in shorts and sandals with socks and a Hawaiian shirt. He would light the place up. The park that we lost the Highway 17 was one of the prettiest parks I've ever seen anywhere. I loved going there. I learned to swim in that pool.
    • Gail Frey Collie Love to see any photos. Any one have any?
    • Gail Frey Collie We moved here in 56. Did I miss it?
    Write a reply...

  • Fred Capp Next time you want to go to Vasona, do what I do. Park on Garden Hill, or along the creek somewhere, and walk in.
  • Aaron Crumpton Ranger Rick was a D—k
    1
  • Jeff Crosby WOW! I am getting old. I remember Vasona in the 1950s as a gravel pit and no highway 17. Farley Road crossed it. You could drive from across Farley from Blossom Hill Manor—through the gravel bed—across Los Gatos Creek—and back on to Farley to reach Winchester. The creek was usually shallow enough to drive through it. 😎
    5
    • Debi Thompson-Boring You mean the Farley Rd that ends at Flintridge Dr.? (my old street) Wow! So it went all the way across where Hwy 17 is? Wow! Did not know that!)
      1
    • Carrie Gray Jeff Crosby I remember the gravel pit also. It belonged to my great grandfather. My Dad worked there also then the county wanted it. Immeniet domain action.
      3
    View 1 more reply
  • ToddRene Patterson I lovef floating threw the tubes on the "Rapids " at vasona. So much fun 40 years ago that was.
  • Bill Chrisman In 1960 Vasona was just a rock quarry. We used to swim in the ponds that they used to was the gravel with. Water came from LG creek.
    1
  • Terry Laucher The Vasona Park gravel pit was owned by Lark Shrader. When it got taken out and replaced with Highway 17, Lark ave was created. His children went to LGHS. One was in my class of '60. I think his son got one of the first Edsel Fords as was seen in the…See More
    2
    • Russ Hanson Kid was Randy Schrader. He was in my HS class. THey had an angus ranch some where else. He used to show the angus steers at the fair (FFA).
    • Lynn Woolard Merrill Terry Laucher I remember when 17 was just about ready to be paved. It was the best bike coasting, flexi flyer riding hill ever. I remember the Schrader kids too. Anita Schrader was in my class. We were living off Roberts Road and the construction of th…See More
      2
    • Terry Laucher Roberts Rd was the funky, winding Rd where Blossom Hill comes through today, I believe. I think John Mercer's family live off there somewhere. How did your family go about getting a house designed and built? And where? Deanna Shrader was in my class. So sweet.
    Write a reply...

  • Stacy Renee I remember taking all those things to and the choo-choo train. I disliked the ducks when they tried to bite my child. That was 32 years ago.
  • Jeffrey Rodgers I grew up within walking distance to Vasona. Lots of fishing, exploring, and sailing El Toro’s and Sunfish. The dog could swim off leash. The water was clear. The ducks were everywhere. Very good memories. We would slide down the big hill on ice blocks on hot summer days.
  • Joyce Erwin The best was Billy Jones train on Dave’s Avenue when he lived there. That little train going around his orchard was so much fun! He had a cement above ground pool that he used to let us swim in. Walt Disney came to see him in the 1950’s for his ideas for the Disneyland trains.
  • Russ Hanson Are "gang" local neighbor kids we used to fish there all the time 50-early 60's. One time a dairy had thrown the bull ball in the lake and they washed ashore. Scared the heck out of us.
  • Debi Thompson-Boring My sister and I use to sneak out (we lived on Flintridge Dr, which is right on 17) and we would literally RUN across 17 to get to Vasona to meet up with my older brother and his friends and slide down the grassy hills on huge ice blocks. Can't believe we never got run over 😁
    1
  • Ann Parle Thanks Gregory, for the memories, we lived close to the park before it was a park. Spend the summer at the dam, that's when the railroad tracks was still there. Always barefooted the tracks where hot. Raided the apricot trees on the way, nobody cared. Lived near Farley road.
    1
  • Howie Brooks Used to go to the gravel beds in the late 40s early 50s.
  • Janine Lydon Debbie.. omg..
  • Mark Matthew Schmale Do you remember the peralta adobe before the fire? It used to be in that meadow on the left as you drive in vasona before the old dump where they found live grenades from the war. The lake used to be a quarry im told below the dairy farm that was betwe…See More
  • Laurel Panighetti Blakley I remember walking to oak meadow and vasona and catching frogs in the creek What fun memories
    1
  • Trina Crosby It used to be a gravel pit. I went there with my Dad to get gravel in our dump truck. Fun times😄💕
  • Esjean Jussenle I go into Vasona for free, with my disabled placard. 
    I can't go on any hikes or anything, but just sitting for a while in the peace is nice.
    All SCC parks have no fee with handicap placard.
    2
  • Sterling Bates Yes, I remember the Gravel Pit there too, before the lake..
  • Lara Allen Fabans Did you have to take piano lessons from Mrs. Sherman? That's what I remember most on Bruce Ave :-D
  • Terry Laucher I bought an old beat up motor scooter off of Doug Sherbinski, down by Vasona Park area. Cost was $30. Got it home and it never ran again. Where is Doug Sherbinski?
  • Holly Westfall Powers My dad took my brother and me sailing at Vasona in the 60s. While my dad and brother were taking the sails down, I was standing on the dock bending over using a stick I had found to gouge the styrofoam under the dock. I pushed too hard and went head over heels into the water! My clothes were soaking wet when we got home, and my mom was angry with my dad for not watching me better!
  • Holly Russ Smelt Did Barry Hill have a brother named Allan? He was a friend of my brother’s.
  • April Heath My mom use to take me to play on that plane that is still there
  • Mark Dias What year did it become a park ?
  • Mark Dias Same with my house on yeap Bruce Ave too. When the guy who moved in (was the CEO of a small high tech company in Silicon Valley) was building it. I would drop by and he would show me the plans on what he was doing. I told him he should have given my dad tips. My dad sold it for a million. The new house is appraised at well over three million.
    1
  • Carol Christofferson Hock Nice article Greg, I lived on May's ave.....‼️
  • Sandra Agatha Johnson I have a picture of my daughter at Vasona front page of San Jose Mercury news. She was blowing bubbles on a park bench and I was sitting. 7 months pregnant with her brother. She died in a car accident in Florida at 18 but she made the San Jose Paper and The Minnesota Herald tribune in her short lifetime. She loved that park.
  • Kimberly Van Metre I walked the park, which would be 38 years ago today. It brought on my labor and my sons bday is today!! I will always remember that walk in the park! Can’t sleep now because of the memories.... it’s going to be a wonderful day, 38 years later... so blessed
  • F Krue Krueger I lived at 15983 Rose Ave I put two Los Gatos cats at each side of the driveway.
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I Was Born in 1954. We lived Near the San Jose Airport until they Started Landing Jet Airplanes and We had to move... We went to Los Gatos in 1960. I lived there until graduation from Los Gatos High School in 1972... an Ideal Childhood... FYI: Los Gatos is about 50 miles South of San Francisco on the edge of the mountains between San Jose and Santa Cruz.

I Went to West Valley Jr. College, learned electronics drafting and got a job at System Industries in Santa Clara... I feel blessed that not only did I grow up in a great location but I also grew up at a great time. I missed the Vietnam War by ONE Year and Silicon Valley Was Hiring Like Crazy When I Needed a Job.
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During the 1950s Americans went into a Mad Panic about Communists taking over the world. We built thousands of Nuclear Missiles and Fallout Shelters. The US Congress had witch hunts (Joe McCarthy-HUAC) to expose "Commies" who worked in The Hollywood Movie business and blacklisted folksingers that were leading our young people astray with Labor Union Organizing songs.


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READ MORE: https://gvan42.blogspot.com/2017/11/a-brief-history-of-vietnam-war-58000.html

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