We had returned to California after living in green green Ireland. When we moved here to sunny San Diego
County, we chose a city that was more rural than city. With cows
grazing in fields, orange groves, and huge gardens that sold produce in
road-side stands, we loved it. The hills around us were covered with
rocky outcrops with patches of manzanita and sage.
While not as green as Ireland, it was a joy to see fields with life.
What a pleasure to be outside! Wind from
the west sent the smell of cows (and manure) our way. The north wind
gave us eucalyptus. From the south came the sweet citrus orange
blossoms. The eastern winds from San Jacinto Mountains and deserts gave
me a migraine.
That was nearly 25 years ago, and life in California changes at a rapid pace.
On the hills we now see expensive homes
with a superior view. The rocks are still there, but for how long?
Until another housing developer blasts them away?
The cows grazed on mighty expensive land,
it turned out. Those lovely black and white cows were moved out and a
new high school moved in with parking lots.
The brittle eucalyptus trees grow at an
alarming rate. We had four and had to remove them; they were a danger
to houses around us. Brought here by Spanish padres from Australia,
those trees took over the state. Not a source of lumber since the trees
shattered and burned easily, the trees are being removed.
Orange groves once covered large parts of
southern California. Once a heavenly-scented place to live, the groves
are gone with houses in their place. The grove to the south of us sat
for years on a big corner lot. Ignored, oranges dropped and rotted on
the ground. Without water, the trees were gnarled dwarfs.
Yesterday, on a drive to the store in that
area, I was shocked to see the trees bulldozed into a pile in the
middle. The lot was valuable and had been sold.
So, the only thing that remains is the Santa Ana wind from the east.
That, unfortunately, will always blow through my head, giving me a migraine.
The photos comes from the following sites:
