Palomar Mountain News

From: Frank McCarthy

Here is a picture of that lion that came by in May. Good chance it was the same one mentioned in a recent post, she was a female. I haven’t seen any since but they tend to rotate through every 6-12 months. I actually had a coyote sneak up on me last week when I was coming back from Will Valley. It didn’t see me until I rounded a bush but it was clear how fast if was coming that it thought I was a meal.

See also Cougars on Canfield

Would you like to keep your eye on your cabin when you aren’t up here?  Here is the scoop: Rob Hawk mentioned that he would, then Jim Hamerly posted this link for cameras he is using, saying they are ‘inexpensive and work well’.

Might be a fun little toy for your wish list this year!

The very beautiful sky caught my eye Tuesday night.  Took the first pic from my desk but when I saw the ‘waves crashing on the mountain’, I had to run outside for more.  (Double click on each photo to enlarge, if you’d like).

Lots to be thankful for on this mountain.  We even have a tease of our first dusting of snow  over the next couple days – time will tell.  Meanwhile, thank you for all the joy you bring to my life; neighbors, friends, family, and clients who come up for a peek of what some of us are blessed with living a mile nearer heaven.

Happy Thanksgiving to All and may God Bless you Everyone!

Bonnie and Don

Curt Waite, Chairman FFLA sent this our way,  Lotsa perks being a volunteer at a fire lookout!

From: Craig and Joyce Childs, High Point Lookout Hosts 11-22-15

Unremarkable, cool, clear, crisp day at high point. Several groups of visitors from bikes to jeeps to suvs including three older gentleman on BMW motorcycles with Alaska plates on an extended road trip. We gave them some info about anza-borrego. Later on two folks from the Observatory hiked up to observe setting sun, we passed them walking back on the way out. Also saw a doe with two fawns running across road and a two point buck before Cal tech houses. The highlight of our day was in the morning at about 7:10 on Canfield Rd right before the campgrounds. A mama cougar with two cubs bolted across the road right in front of us! They ran from our right up the hill. The second cub we actually cut off from the group and was running next to our car for a moment and then darted back into the forest in the direction they came from. Unmistakable long tails with black tips. The cubs were like the size of medium to large dogs and very fast. In all our time hiking, camping and living here in Pauma Valley, we have seen tracks but NEVER cougars in the wild before. Now I want to see a UFO when we OVN at High Point….

Craig and Joyce

Seeking work: Looking to help out around your ranch, farm, house or cabin.  Have construction background experience, from landscaping and tending, to farm animal needs. Glad to roll up my sleeves and get some work done around your property. Had to close my company and have a few months before starting school again in February. Live at the Cuca Ranch area at base of the mountain.

How may I help YOU? Quick learner, honest, reliable, hard worker. Available 6 days a week, have car will travel.

Thank you,

Matthew Bakthasekaran

Phone or text:  858-6O2-8421

“All around Palomar, I see daffodils that don’t need to be tended.  They just pop up every year from bulbs.  They are everywhere on the mountain – bright, yellow, and as the story mentions – they remind me of sunshine and laughter! Year after year, they come back – beautiful and as strong as ever! 

Leah Stevens, was here on Palomar, with her daughter Sydney, sitting in front of our fire, sharing with me how her book came to be.

“I sing with Ella’s mom in church and witnessed their family’s battle with pediatric cancer firsthand.  I imagined what it would feel like as a young girl to lose all of your hair to this illness.  She began to grow it back, but then as her treatment progressed, she lost it again.  Even through her battle, she was shining!  She always had a sweet smile on her tiny face.  I wanted to write a story, just for Ella.

One morning I woke up with the whole story outlined in my mind.  But, I needed a artist!  A couple weeks later, I was at my best friend’s home to pick up her children for a play date with my kids.  I saw a painting on her wall that was beautiful, colorful, and painted with such loving detail.  It was exactly the style I wanted for the book.  I asked, “Who painted this?”  It was her mother-in-law!  Her mother-in-law was the artist! 

I sent off my story to Kathy Peterson who got back to me immediately after reading the book – saying, “It would be my honor to illustrate your book for free.”  What an amazing gift. 

Though the story was written for Ella, the book started to touch many more people.  When I asked Ella’s family if they could recommend an organization to benefit with the proceeds of my book, I was so impressed with their choice of KICKcancER. Since we saw they were short on funding for dispersing their KICKstart kits, Kathy and I thought it would be a wonderful thing to donate all our profits to eliminating the waiting list for these nurturing kits.”

Leah and her illustrator Kathy are donating books for KICKcancER to add to their kits, plus 100% of the profits of the book to KICKcancER Kits through December 15 of this year.  They hope that people will be generous this Christmas season, and will partner with this project to eliminate the list for all of the children waiting for these amazing kits!

The author with daughter Sydney, above left, who she home-schools, and her niece, Avery who also is growing up at the Christian Conference Center on Palomar Mountain.  “Again, read it again!”

See also:

The Littlest Daffodil press release

Books Blooming on Palomar

Author’s website, Grafted Shoot for more info and How to Order!

Another book Leah wrote with stories of Palomar woven through: https://palomarmountainnews.wordpress.com/2011/12/06/palomar-author-publishes-lunarium/

Until just recently most of Palomar was shown on title records as “landlocked, with physical access only”.  With the combined work of many over the last decade or so, research has uncovered and the County offices have confirmed most of our little dirt roads as “public roads, privately maintained”.  Most important for the land owners is that my title company, is able to add the information to your title report and plot the roads on paper, from Crestline to your cabin.

This has added so much value to your property in these areas.  If your property is between the purple brackets (from the County Park to the Lodge), or the area in orange brackets behind the Lodge, or if you access your property through those areas (Doctor’s Pond or others), we should be able to now secure a loan for your property and/or you should be able to re-finance if you would like to pull some equity out.

We are still working on other areas and I’ll keep you posted.  Double click on the photo above to enlarge.  The yellow road is Crestline.

Questions?  Thinking about selling?  This is a huge advantage for you!  Please email me and I’m glad to get them answered for you.

Bobby Askari – Loans for Palomar

History in the making!  Thanks to all who have contributed!

Bonnie Phelps