Category: Photos

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Despite what you might believe, tumbleweeds are actually quite common in suburban Southern California. They often grow by the side of the freeway, occasionally getting picked up by the wind and bouncing across cars.

Never is this more noticeable than during the Santa Ana winds, which seasonally sweep out from the desert to the coast, blowing over trees, knocking out power lines, and sending the smog out to sea. (Unfortunately, by the second or third day, all the dust from the desert has taken its place.) The two of us got some great shots from the most recent Santa Anas which hit during the week leading up to Thanksgiving.

Tumbleweed by the side of the road.
A tumbleweed seeks relief at a fire hydrant.

Downed tree in parking lot.
Even a support stake couldn’t keep this tree up.

Tumbleweeds in the *middle* of the road.
Hey! Get off the road! (Yes, tumbleweeds can get that big.)

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On our trip to Carmel last month we passed by Casa de Fruta, once a simple roadside fruit stand, now a huge complex of stores and restaurants, all with names like Casa de Coffee, Casa de Wine, even Casa de Motel. They even have a mini-railroad for kids, called, naturally, Casa de Choo-Choo.

Of course, we immediately thought of Choo-Choo Bear, the amorphous kitty from Something Positive

Photo of a multi-gabled roof shading a waiting area, with a sign proclaiming CASA DE CHOO-CHOO. Down on the sidewalk, a pink cartoon cat sits up proudly.