and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.
~Author Unknown
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
HAPPY HALLOWEEN
When witches go riding,
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.
~Author Unknown
and black cats are seen,
the moon laughs and whispers,
‘tis near Halloween.
~Author Unknown
Thursday, October 25, 2007
Another Update
Just so you all know, the fires in my neck of the woods are all out or pretty much contained. I am no longer in danger of fires now it's just bad air. The sad thing is the fires aren't over yet. They are still burning in Arrowhead, Irvine, and San Diego. So many people with no place to go, homes just burned to the ground. I do know Pres Bush is here today in California survaying the damage and has declared California in a state of national disater so we should be getting help to deal with the destruction of the fires. It's been a sad and intense week for Southern Californians. Even if you weren't affected by the fires you knew someone that was. Hopefully the fires will be out but the end of the week. Wow!! Crazy huh!
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Day 3 and the fires are still Blazing
I was sitting here reading the news and my heart is aching for these poor people. So many people have lost homes and have no where to go and they are sharing it on the web. I thought I would share with you some of their stories and statistics.
'The fire is right on my house'
The ridges above Majesto Canyon are completely engulfed in 50-75 feet high flames and no fire fighters able to battle them. The canyon was too narrow and the heat and flames were too intense to try to save 330 homes in the canyon, it was not immediately clear how many were burned. Nearly all the residents evacuated in the early morning hours, and the few who were left fled at about quarter to 11 this morning.
Resident Mark Jackson, ran up to fire fighters and said, "The fire is right on my house, this is really scary. I lived through 8 fires out here and I've never seen anything like this. Why can't you do anything?!"
John Kinsman, who was fleeing the canyon with his 3 dogs and 1 cat said, "The fire was eating eating up my house right now!" There were no firefighters there to help put out the flames.
-Janet Wilson in Majesto Canyon
'I haven't slept in three days'
High above, water-dropping airplanes circled above as fires raced up Mt. Woodson near Poway. Down below, in the Mina de Oro community of hilltop homes, firefighters tried to beat back flames that flanked two-thirds of the neighborhood.
Dave Alfer, 47, had no real business here. On Sunday night, his 3,500 square home in Ramona had burned to the ground. He could have evacuated and started to reflect long and hard about rebuilding among other fire refugees.
Instead, he came to this fire-ringed community to help a friend in need, and whoever else he could. Looking tired and scruffy with a beard, blue jeans, work boots and a baseball cap, Alfer lugged around a cooler with Gatorade. The auto repair shop owner passed the sports drinks out to weary firefighters and residents. He used his Jeep Cherokee to help neighbors move belongings to safety.
"I haven't slept in three days," Alfer said Tuesday. "I'm driving around from house to house, trying to help out. That's just the way my daddy brought me up."
At around 11:20 a.m., as aircraft attacked the flames on the communication tower-crowned mountain, Alfer loaded his friend's goat into his Jeep, and rode off, taking it to safety-all the while, flashing a peace sign.
-Robert J. Lopez in Mina de Oro (near Poway)
'Firefighters warned of battle fatigue'
As firefighters began their third day on the line against the Santiago fire, Chip Prather, fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, warned commanders during a briefing this morning about the dangers of fatigue in the field.
"Don't get complacent. That's what's going to kill somebody," Prather said.
He added that watching a dozen firefighters Monday deploy their emergency fire-retardant tents as a blaze overtook them on a hillside in Santiago Canyon was "an emotional time. I don't want to see that" again.
Prather also told his staff that they shouldn't expect any more resources for the time being.
"What you see is what you're going to have," he said.
Fire crews will focus on saving lives and then property. And if the rest turns into a "moonscape, I apologize to the environmentalists, but that's the way it's going to be," he said.
-- Mike Anton
STATS
In an area as large as Southern California, officials remained focused on how to cope with their individual disasters, and there was little information for the region as a whole. But most officials agreed that all of the numbers grew overnight. There were more fires, more evacuations, more damage and more fatigue among firefighters.
* There was no official figure for the number of people forced to flee, but the disaster was being called the state's largest evacuation crisis. San Diego officials said they had ordered 346,000 homes evacuated. At more than two people per home and with evacuations elsewhere, that could mean more than 700,000 people have fled to shelters, hotels, relatives and friends.
* The extent of the damage was widespread, with more than 400,000 acres burned. More than 1,500 homes and other structures were destroyed, 1,300 in San Diego alone.
* Officials at the California Geographic Area Coordination Center, which coordinates resources, confirmed that a second person had died in the fires, but they had no details. The number of injuries also grew, to more than four dozen civilians and firefighters.
* Estimates of the monetary losses start in the tens of millions, and the cost of fighting the fires was expected to at least match that number. Help was on the way after the White House declared a state of emergency, clearing the way for additional federal aid.
* If there was one factor that officials agreed would solve the current crisis, it was a break in the weather. Santa Ana winds need to quiet their roar so rescuers can catch up. That could happen by Wednesday, but for the rest of today, officials were keeping their fingers crossed.
'The fire is right on my house'
The ridges above Majesto Canyon are completely engulfed in 50-75 feet high flames and no fire fighters able to battle them. The canyon was too narrow and the heat and flames were too intense to try to save 330 homes in the canyon, it was not immediately clear how many were burned. Nearly all the residents evacuated in the early morning hours, and the few who were left fled at about quarter to 11 this morning.
Resident Mark Jackson, ran up to fire fighters and said, "The fire is right on my house, this is really scary. I lived through 8 fires out here and I've never seen anything like this. Why can't you do anything?!"
John Kinsman, who was fleeing the canyon with his 3 dogs and 1 cat said, "The fire was eating eating up my house right now!" There were no firefighters there to help put out the flames.
-Janet Wilson in Majesto Canyon
'I haven't slept in three days'
High above, water-dropping airplanes circled above as fires raced up Mt. Woodson near Poway. Down below, in the Mina de Oro community of hilltop homes, firefighters tried to beat back flames that flanked two-thirds of the neighborhood.
Dave Alfer, 47, had no real business here. On Sunday night, his 3,500 square home in Ramona had burned to the ground. He could have evacuated and started to reflect long and hard about rebuilding among other fire refugees.
Instead, he came to this fire-ringed community to help a friend in need, and whoever else he could. Looking tired and scruffy with a beard, blue jeans, work boots and a baseball cap, Alfer lugged around a cooler with Gatorade. The auto repair shop owner passed the sports drinks out to weary firefighters and residents. He used his Jeep Cherokee to help neighbors move belongings to safety.
"I haven't slept in three days," Alfer said Tuesday. "I'm driving around from house to house, trying to help out. That's just the way my daddy brought me up."
At around 11:20 a.m., as aircraft attacked the flames on the communication tower-crowned mountain, Alfer loaded his friend's goat into his Jeep, and rode off, taking it to safety-all the while, flashing a peace sign.
-Robert J. Lopez in Mina de Oro (near Poway)
'Firefighters warned of battle fatigue'
As firefighters began their third day on the line against the Santiago fire, Chip Prather, fire chief of the Orange County Fire Authority, warned commanders during a briefing this morning about the dangers of fatigue in the field.
"Don't get complacent. That's what's going to kill somebody," Prather said.
He added that watching a dozen firefighters Monday deploy their emergency fire-retardant tents as a blaze overtook them on a hillside in Santiago Canyon was "an emotional time. I don't want to see that" again.
Prather also told his staff that they shouldn't expect any more resources for the time being.
"What you see is what you're going to have," he said.
Fire crews will focus on saving lives and then property. And if the rest turns into a "moonscape, I apologize to the environmentalists, but that's the way it's going to be," he said.
-- Mike Anton
STATS
In an area as large as Southern California, officials remained focused on how to cope with their individual disasters, and there was little information for the region as a whole. But most officials agreed that all of the numbers grew overnight. There were more fires, more evacuations, more damage and more fatigue among firefighters.
* There was no official figure for the number of people forced to flee, but the disaster was being called the state's largest evacuation crisis. San Diego officials said they had ordered 346,000 homes evacuated. At more than two people per home and with evacuations elsewhere, that could mean more than 700,000 people have fled to shelters, hotels, relatives and friends.
* The extent of the damage was widespread, with more than 400,000 acres burned. More than 1,500 homes and other structures were destroyed, 1,300 in San Diego alone.
* Officials at the California Geographic Area Coordination Center, which coordinates resources, confirmed that a second person had died in the fires, but they had no details. The number of injuries also grew, to more than four dozen civilians and firefighters.
* Estimates of the monetary losses start in the tens of millions, and the cost of fighting the fires was expected to at least match that number. Help was on the way after the White House declared a state of emergency, clearing the way for additional federal aid.
* If there was one factor that officials agreed would solve the current crisis, it was a break in the weather. Santa Ana winds need to quiet their roar so rescuers can catch up. That could happen by Wednesday, but for the rest of today, officials were keeping their fingers crossed.
Monday, October 22, 2007
It's still Burning and Bad
I have been reading the news all day long and it seems to only be getting worse. There are now 15 fires burning out of control in Southern California. It's terrible. There are now 3 fires in Santa Clarita Valley, luckily we're still safe in Agua Dulce, but you never no when that's going to change. This is absolutely unbelievable. There are now over 150 homes and structures burned in Lake Arrowhead and still counting. So many people are losing everything. There are still evacuating residents in Santa Clarita I hope I can get home today. It's devestating to see.
California Is Burning
I wish I had pictures, but the news is providing penty of those. It's so unreal the devestation that's occuring in my home town. The Canyon Counrty fire actually started right near my home but due to the 100 mph winds it quickly moved over the hills into Canyon Country. Our home is safe for now, but there are so many of our friends who have had to evacuate. We were getting phone calls all day yesterday of concerened friends and loved ones and then calls from those who may possible need a place to go if evacuated. It's heart breaking. I think we were so blessed it could be a totally different story if the winds were blowing the other direction. It's so unreal there are fires buring all around southeren california. I think there are a total of 12 fires burning now and the winds haven't lightened up. Hopefully they will be under control soon, but the way things are looking no ones knows.
An Update, here's a picture of one of the fires. It is now 800 homes in Canyon Country / Santa Clarita Valley now evacuated.
An Update, here's a picture of one of the fires. It is now 800 homes in Canyon Country / Santa Clarita Valley now evacuated.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
My Little Brother is all grown up
Yup it has happened my little brother is getting married in less than a month. I can't believe it. It seems like it was yesterday that he just graduated high school. Time sure flys by when you're not expecting it. He just sent me a link of his engagment pictures. I thought I would post a few and brag about what a cute couple they are. Ha Ha what are older sisters for.
Monday, October 15, 2007
I'm a County Girl! Well...
I actually did something so fun this weekend. I didn't get to go last year because I procrastinated buying tickets, but this year no way I wasn't going to miss it the ultimate country bash in Irvine.
Country music is back in LA and I went to my radio's station first concert celebrating it's comeback. It's usually the Counrty Bash, but since the station is now Go Country the concert was Go Fest and it featured 5 artist. All I can say is I'm a country music lover. I got to see Joanna Cotton, Keith Anderson (who is actually pretty good lookin'), Jason Michael Carrol, Brooks & Dunn, and Alan Jackson. What a show huh! Loved all their performances. They all know how to put on a show. I have to say even though I had seen Brooks & Dunn before they were still my favorite. Let me share why I love country music so much. First of all they sing about life and all the stuff that comes with it the heartahce and the joy, it's absolutely great. I love how god fearing they all are and patriotic. It's amazing. Sure they sing a little too much about drinkin' but I don't think the one negative could compare to the many positives like family, love, God, America. It's so uplifting. Every artist that performed shared how grateful they were to live in such a wonderful country and honored the soldiers past, present, and future. It was awesome, I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed. I took my mom since she's never expereinced an event like this and I think she enjoyed it. Of course she wasn't up singing and dancing to every song with me, but she was having fun. I usually take my littlest sister, but she's not so little anymore, attending BYU Idaho and all. Anyway that's my schpel about my love for country music and the fun I had at the concert this weekend. Dude, I am seriously debating about going to another one in LA. ;)
Country music is back in LA and I went to my radio's station first concert celebrating it's comeback. It's usually the Counrty Bash, but since the station is now Go Country the concert was Go Fest and it featured 5 artist. All I can say is I'm a country music lover. I got to see Joanna Cotton, Keith Anderson (who is actually pretty good lookin'), Jason Michael Carrol, Brooks & Dunn, and Alan Jackson. What a show huh! Loved all their performances. They all know how to put on a show. I have to say even though I had seen Brooks & Dunn before they were still my favorite. Let me share why I love country music so much. First of all they sing about life and all the stuff that comes with it the heartahce and the joy, it's absolutely great. I love how god fearing they all are and patriotic. It's amazing. Sure they sing a little too much about drinkin' but I don't think the one negative could compare to the many positives like family, love, God, America. It's so uplifting. Every artist that performed shared how grateful they were to live in such a wonderful country and honored the soldiers past, present, and future. It was awesome, I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed. I took my mom since she's never expereinced an event like this and I think she enjoyed it. Of course she wasn't up singing and dancing to every song with me, but she was having fun. I usually take my littlest sister, but she's not so little anymore, attending BYU Idaho and all. Anyway that's my schpel about my love for country music and the fun I had at the concert this weekend. Dude, I am seriously debating about going to another one in LA. ;)
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