Visiting the Dentist is Much More Pleasant Than It Used to Be

 

Relic from Dentistry Past, Found in Front of Hygienist's Office, © B. Radisavljevic

I'm old enough to remember seeing what's in the picture above while sitting in a dentist chair. A couple of weeks ago I saw it standing outside a hygienist's office as décor. Here's my personal history of how dentistry has improved since those days. Dr. Casper has now retired, and Dr. Rylie is now serving his patients. I'm glad she retained his office staff. They are the best!

And just for fun, here are some funny decorative items and buttons those who work inside a dentist office today can use to make their patients laugh while reminding them to practice good oral hygiene. 

Funny Tooth Gratitude PosterFunny Dentist Dental Hygienist Pinback ButtonDentist: Funny Vintage Dentistry PosterYou Don't Have To Brush All Your Teeth MagnetDental Hygiene Lying Through Teeth Not Flossing Magnet

 

Although my visits to my dentist aren't my favorite engagements, I don't dread them as much as I used to when I was a teenager. Kudos to my favorite dental team at Dr. Rylie's office in Paso Robles for always doing their best to make me feel as comfortable as possible. 

I love the poster I see from the dentist chair every time I visit Dr. Rylie. It's in the window, which is why the light is funny in this photo. It's a reminder to keep dental appointments even when I might prefer not to. 

Sign in Window of Dr. Rylie's Treatment Room, © B. Radisavljevic

I love the location of Dr. Rylie's office, too. Those trees comfort me. 

Dr. Riley's Office in Paso Robles, © B. Radisavljevic

Here's to keeping all your teeth and keeping them happy. 

Note: Dr. Rylie and her staff had no idea I was going to publish this and had nothing to do with my writing it, except doing their jobs well. They have not seen it before publication. It will be a surprise to them, and, I hope, a happy one. 

Elderberry Is Blooming All Around Larry Moore Park

 

Elderberry at Larry Moore Park, © Barbara Radisavljevic

I finally got a chance to walk in Larry Moore Park yesterday. I discovered elderberry was blooming almost everywhere I looked. (Please click photos to enlarge photos). 

Elderberry near Beginning of Trail at Larry Moore Park, © Barbara Radisavljevic

This is near the memorial tree I discovered a year ago on another walk. Both that tree and this elderberry tree have grown larger since then. You can see the difference if you look back at that post and at this one on Medium.

Elderberry on the Other Side of Trail at Larry Moore Park, © Barbara Radisavljevic

As I've discovered on my Paso Robles property, elderberry grows like a weed. The birds eat the berries and spread the seeds. That must be how my own tree got started. 

There used to be an elderberry marking the junction of this trail and the one leading westward to the river. It was still there last time I walked the park, but it was gone yesterday. Here's where it used to be. You probably won't notice the tree below because that photo was taken in January when the branches are bare. This year they've been cutting a lot of trees from this area. The tree they removed may have been the mother of many of these other trees. 

Elderberry Removed This Year at Larry Moore Park, © Barbara Radisavljevic

Below you can get a closer look at the elderberry flowers and some baby berries.                    

Close-up of Elderberry in Bloom at Larry Moore Park, © Barbara Radisavljevic

Below is an expanded view of the scene in the first photo. I have shown you just some of the trees I found on limited parts of intersecting trails near the north end of Larry Moore Park. If I'd shared photos of all the elderberry trees in bloom at the park right now, this post would fill several more screens. 

I wonder who will eat all those berries when they get ripe? Do you think the birds will be able to handle it? Or do you think the homeless who camp in the riverbed below will have a handy medicinal food source if they can can cook the berries. They are toxic if eaten raw.

Elderberries in Bloom at Larry Moore Park, © Barbara Radisavljevic

Learn more about elderberries here. 

The Old Cottonwood, Like 2020, Is Almost Gone

Dead Cottonwood Tree on December 30, 2020,© Barbara Radisavljevic

This cottonwood tree In Larry Moore Park was showing signs of ill health when I moved here and first photographed it in December 2004. At the time most of the green part of it was mistletoe hanging from the branches. It did still have a few branches with leaves, but not many. You can see the tree's history from 2004 to 2017 here. Now even the mistletoe has given up on it. 

Soon this tree will be history, just as 2020 will be. The sun is setting on this year in a few hours. 

Sunset from Charolais RiverTrail on December 28, 2020,© Barbara Radisavljevic

Let's hope 2021 will be happier than this one has been, but that is in God's hands. I hope the pandemic will be over and we will have more, not less, freedom to move and do business again as usual. 

Is This the Last Photo of This Tree I Will Be Able to Take? © Barbara Radisavljevic, 12/30/2020

Happy New Year!

Kite Practice at Larry Moore Park at Dusk

A Parafoil Kite?

I never know quite what I will see when I walk around my neighborhood. It's been almost too hot to walk these past few weeks, with temperatures ranging from high eighties to triple digits, and it's still hot as the sun is going down. Last night, though, it was a bit cooler and I finally walked past Larry Moore Park at dusk. I sure didn't expect to see a man learning to fly a parafoil kite.

Man Flying Parafoil Kite

Frankly, I'm no expert on kites. I wasn't sure what I was seeing. I stood and watched for several minutes as this young man made several attempts to get his kite into the air as you see above -- and below in the video.

Flying the Kite

Understanding What I Was Seeing

I'm no expert on kites. I wasn't sure if this was a stunt kite or a surfing kite or what made it special. I did figure out that it was a multi string kite, but I couldn't see in the dim light from a distance how many controls it had. I thought maybe this man was planning to go windsurfing, but my quick research shows he could have wanted to have the kite drag him along the ground or beach sand. It did appear to me that he was learning to fly the kite or practicing with it.

Kite Flying Has Come a Long Way Since I Was a Child

The Chinese invented kites a few centuries before the birth of Christ. They were used mostly by the military at first, to measure distances. Most of them were shaped like birds. Marco Polo saw manned kites in the city of Weifang  in 1282. When he returned to Italy, he brought along a kite, thus introducing kites to Europe. Now the Weifang International Kite Festival is held in that city in April of each year. People come from all over the world to watch or participate in the kite competitions at the festival. Chinese kites today may be in the shapes of animals or Zodiac figures. Some, like this flying saucer kite below,  may even have LED lights for night flying.


When I was young about sixty years ago, the only kites I knew about were simple ones with only one string. I saw someone flying that kind not long ago in City Park in downtown Paso Robles. That's the kind I and my friends attempted to get off the ground and into the air. My friends were more successful than I was.

I didn't know about stunt kites until I saw a family flying them at Moonstone Beach in Cambria. I was fascinated as I saw my first kites with more than one string, chasing each other in the air. And yesterday I saw my first parafoil kite up close. One just never knows what one will find in the park.

What's Your Experience with Kites?

Have you flown a stunt or dual string kite? Have you any experience with parafoil kites? Have you ever been kitesurfing? I'd love to hear about your experience with kites of any kind. Feel free to share in the comments. Please pin this post so others can learn something new about kites.

Making Music at Studios on the Park

The City Daily Photo Blogger Theme for August is Music. Paso Robles is full of free music all over town. My favorite place to get my music fix is at Studios on the Park. Every month at Art After Dark a different musician is featured. I  took this photo at Art After Dark in October, 2016. I loved listening to  Julie Beaver and Wally Barnick as they entertained us. I couldn't keep my toes from tapping. 

Julie Beaver and Wally Barnick Entertained Us

See what other City Daily Photo Bloggers have posted to this theme. 

Fair Weather Has a Unique Meaning in Paso Robles

Fair Weather In July

The most common usage of the term "fair weather" is as the opposite of "foul weather." According to the Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus, fair weather is 'FINE, dry, bright, clear, sunny, cloudless, warm, balmy, clement, benign, pleasant.'  Here in Paso Robles, though, locals have their own interpretation of "fair weather."

It seems that very year in July when the California Mid-State Fair comes to Paso Robles it is very, very hot. This week, for example, with the fair in town, we've had triple digit temperatures that are expected to last most of the week before dropping to the nineties. That's what I call fair weather.

I took the photo tonight at 8:30. The temperature was still 85 degrees when I went to get the mail. As I walked back home and looked south, those clouds looked like layers of heat to me.

I can't handle hot weather, so I rarely get to the fair. I understand that the air conditioning went out in at least one of the buildings yesterday -- the one a friend of mine was working in. She said they had to depend on fans to fight the oppressive heat.

Murder at the Mid-State Fair

Did you know that Earlene Fowler wrote a murder mystery set at the Mid-State Fair? She is one of my favorite authors because most of her Benni Harper mysteries are set here in San Luis Obispo County. I love her characters and I enjoy being able to visualize the places mentioned in the books -- even though the author disguises the place names a bit. For example, San Luis Obispo is referred to as San Celina. Any local will find it easy to figure out the settings, and some, like Paso Robles and Morro Bay aren't disguised. Read my review of State Fair here.   Why not pick up a copy at the library while the fair is happening? Or pick it up at Amazon.

Spirit , Wind, and Kite

The Spirit of Theme Day

The first day of every month is theme day for City Daily Photo Bloggers, so I try to get into the spirit of it by posting something related to the theme. This month that theme is "spirit." I will try to relate that theme to a simple kite.

Man Trying to Get Kite into the Air, © B. Radisavljevic

The Wind Lifts a Kite

Without wind, it would be difficult to get a kite into the air. In the Bible's John 3, Jesus told Nicodemus that unless a man is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus asked how that was possible. Would a man have to return to his mother's womb and be born all over again?

Jesus answered: ...unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit....The wind blows where it wills, and you hear the sound of it, but you don't know where it comes from or where it is going; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit. 

Just as a kite in the air lets us know where the wind is blowing and in which direction, so the actions of a man let us know whether the Spirit of God is working in his life. What people do shows us what kind of spirit motivates them.

No one has seen the Spirit of God except when it moves in the lives of people. No one sees any spirit, holy or not, unless it acts on or in something physical, just as the wind acts on the kite to move it around.

Man Flying Kite in Paso Robles  City Park, © B. Radisavljevic

See how other City Daily Photo Bloggers worldwide have interpreted this theme.

Magnolia Flowers Like High Places

Magnolia Flowers are Blooming at City Park

As I was driving past Paso Robles City Park a few days ago, I noticed the flowers on the magnolia trees, but had to hurry home and couldn't stop. I went back yesterday in the late afternoon to photograph them. I couldn't help but notice that most of the flowers were near the top of the tree.

© B. Radisavljevic

Most of the magnolia trees were next to the parking area on 12th Street. Here are a couple that were next to each other. You can see that most of the flowers are at the top or on the outer edge of the tree, close to the light. As far as I can tell, these are Southern Magnolia trees (Magnolia grandiflora.)

These evergreen magnolia trees are one of California's most widely cultivated street trees. The trees around the park aren't as tall as those I found on Oak Street two years ago. (See them here.) On those larger trees the flowers were more evenly distributed. The park trees also have some flowers on the lower branches but they seem to prefer to grow at the edges.

© B. Radisavljevic

The flowers seem to want to get as close to the sun as they can. One on the tree below actually got above the roof of Pappy McGregor's Irish Pub, or so it appears from this camera angle.

© B. Radisavljevic

A Bird Fell

It was as I stood on the park side of Pine Street between two parked cars shooting the picture above that I felt something fall lightly against my leg. When I looked down, this is what I saw.

© B. Radisavljevic

I have no idea where the bird came from. I was not standing under a tree. I never saw the bird in the air. I just felt it hit me. I didn't see it until I looked down where it lay on the street. It was alive and could move its tail to fan it out, and it also spread its wings a couple of times. Its actual size was smaller than this photo. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I left it there, hoping it would recover and move before something hit it.

A Closer Look at the Magnolia Flowers

It was hard to get a clear close-up shot of the flowers because they were not only high in the trees, but they were also facing the sky. I had no way to get a shot of them from the top where one could see their faces best. Below you can see the white edge of a flower near the bottom right edge of the photo. When only partially open like this it somewhat resembles a very large tulip.

© B. Radisavljevic

In the photo below, taken in front of Pappy McGregor's Irish Pub, there are two visible open flowers . The open flower at the top right gives you an idea of the flower's size, even though you can't see its face. You can see the face of the open flower near the center of the photo close to the bottom. The flowers are eight to ten inches in diameter and are very fragrant.

© B. Radisavljevic

Do magnolia trees grow near you? Have you enjoyed their fragrance during the summer?


***

Theme Day: One Color - Ivory

Ivory Dominates in This Theme Day Cat Photo

The challenge for this theme is to post a photo where just one color dominates. I could have easily gone with green, but then I discovered this photo I took Friday afternoon which is mostly ivory.

Siamese Cat by Ivory Color Garage Door, © B. Radisavljevic

The Siamese cat caught my attention as she wandered around this xeriscaped yard. She finally wandered over to pose in front of the ivory garage door beside this tall shrub. So I decided to use this as the theme photo. The next one is a variation.  I allowed a few more of the colors into this one.

Siamese Cat by Ivory Color Garage Door Sniffing Shrub, © B. Radisavljevic

Kitty sat for a while near the middle of the yard.

Siamese Cat on Rock Mulch, © B. Radisavljevic

Kitty Leads us away from the Theme to More Colorful Surroundings

Siamese Cat beside Bed of Jupiter's Beard, © B. Radisavljevic

This clump of Jupiter's Beard adds some needed color to this yard. Like the other plants, it doesn't need much water to look lovely. It's a very popular plant in my neighborhood, and I finally got some it it planted in my yard. I'm waiting for it to bloom.

The most colorful thing in this garden is this colorful sculpted snail -- definitely a bright piece of yard art. It appears to be a planter, but I couldn't get close enough to see if anything was planted there yet. Time will tell.

Siamese Cat beside Colorful Snail Planter, © B. Radisavljevic

Kitty seems to prefer to look back at me than face the snail, even though I was much less colorful. Do you think that the snail fits well within this garden? Contrast it with the rest of the garden art and meet the other cat that lives here, in this post: Cat on the Rocks in a Xeriscaped Yard

See how other City Daily Photo Bloggers treated the One Color theme here.

Cat on the Rocks in a Xeriscaped Yard

The Cat on The Rocks

As I was walking around my neighborhood this afternoon, I almost missed this very still cat crouching in the rocks in this xeriscaped yard. She appeared to be hunting and waiting patiently for some prey to come out. I'm guessing she may have been waiting for a lizard, since I've seen a lot of cats hunt them, but she also may have heard a rodent.

Cat waiting for prey in xeriscaped yard, © B. Radisavljevic

The cat was alert, not asleep. She was very patient. She didn't move during the ten-fifteen minutes I was taking photos of the yard.

Cat waiting for prey in xeriscaped yard, © B. Radisavljevic

The Xeriscaping and Yard Art

Xeriscaping is landscaping that is designed to use very little water. It depends upon drought-resistant plants, drip irrigation, mulch, and decorative art to make it beautiful. You can see all these things in this yard. The cat I introduced above lives here, and if you look very carefully, you might see her lurking behind the rocks. But you need very sharp eyes.

Xeriscaped Yard, © B. Radisavljevic

Notice the rock mulch, drip irrigation, and drought-resistant plants used in the design. The benches are there so the owners can enjoy the garden. The cats also seem to enjoy roaming here. Below is a closer look at the plants around the tabby cat. 

Cat  in Xeriscaped Yard, © B. Radisavljevic

The  homeowner next door also made good use of yard art. I thought his cactus sculpture was clever. The tortoises, ant and bunny also caught my attention. 

Yard Art in Xeriscaped Yard, © B. Radisavljevic

Here's a closer look at the ant and the tortoises. 

Close look at Ant and Tortoise Sculptures in Xeriscaped Yard, © B. Radisavljevic

The sculptures above matched the coloring of the rocks pretty well and blended nicely with the plants. They didn't try to steal the show. The art below grabs a bit more attention. 

Colorful Snail Yard Art in Xeriscaped Yard, © B. Radisavljevic

The snail is brightly colored. It appears to be a planter. I will show you a closer look at it tomorrow. That Siamese cat you see on the walkway in the background will star in tomorrow's post.  Stay tuned. 

This last photo shows the edge of the property near the sidewalk. You can see how the branches of a tree which I'm assuming the homeowner removed or trimmed features prominently as a border. 

Did you get any xeriscaping ideas from these photos?

Get more ideas from my gardening blog, Barb's Garden Observations.  

• Yarrow is Ideal for Xeriscaping
• Xeriscaping is Essential in Dry Areas

Photo Journal of an Atypical Day of Art, Nature, Dogs, and an Accident Scene

An Accident at Kennedy Fitness Paso Adventure

I'd been feeling guilty about not using my gym membership much this month, so I decided to go today. I had two other reasons for going, too. First, I wanted an excuse to finish a book I was reading, and I could do that riding the stationary bike. Second, I knew two of my favorite photographers had their work on display and I wanted photos to share with you.

As I drove into the parking lot, I saw the scene above. I found a place to park, and then went in, hoping no one had had a stroke or heart attack. Lots of us senior citizens exercise here.

When I got inside I learned that a woman had fallen from the rock climbing wall. I saw her on a gurney just under the wall and the paramedics were moving her leg. I hope she is not too badly hurt, and will heal without too much pain or permanent damage. I have never dared to take up rock climbing. I'll stick to riding that bike and walking. 

The Photo Exhibit

The photographers with work currently on display on the walls at Kennedy Club are Dean Crawford Jr. and Deb Hofstetter, both of whom I saw in their studio Saturday night at Art after Dark. These photos and paintings are all part of the display.

Picture on lower left is by Deb Hofstetter. The others are by Dean Crawford, Jr. 

The picture on the left left is by Deb Hofstetter. I believe the one on the right is by Dean Crawford, Jr. 

I'll let you guess who did each of these. If you belong to the Kennedy Club, come in to see if you guessed correctly. 

A Walk at Larry Moore Park

The Dogs

I wanted to get some sunset photos again tonight, so I set off for the park as the time drew near. I was not too thrilled when these two dogs who should have been on leashes almost knocked me down multiple times. Their owners had no reason to give why they were loose, but it didn't seem to bother them to be violating the law as long as no one was there to enforce it.

These dogs should have been on leashes. 

The Trees

On the way to the park I passed the lemon tree I had seen packed with fruit in December. I wish now I'd been brave enough to knock on the door of its owner and ask if he wanted to sell any of the beautiful lemons. It looks as though the frost got them instead.

Lemons Bitten by Jack Frost

As I walked by this Bradford pear tree, I could see it was budding already. I expect to see it bloom within a week or two in this warm weather.

Bradford Pear Tree Budding

As I passed this pepper tree with its dried fruits, I could not help but notice the contrast with the bright colors the peppers trees had displayed in autumn.  Winter in the park is drab in comparison.

Pepper Tree Fruits Dry on Bare Trees in February

The Sky

When I started my walk the sun had just disappeared below the hills, but it was still golden.

After a few minutes it became more pink.

Pink turned toward orange a few minutes later.

In no time the contrails had combined and turned bright orange.

Although life seems pretty routine most days, this one stands out as unique this week. Maybe I should get out of the house more often.

If you enjoyed this post, why not pin this photo to a Pinterest board?

Has anything unusual happened to you lately?