Palomar Mountain News

Palomar Mountain is closed.  Not because of the snow.  Palomar is closed because of Coronavirus. Folks love to come up after a snow, but not this time. So sorry to be the bearer of this news.

The Observatory, Nate Harrison Grade, Mother’s Kitchen, General Store, State Park and all Campgrounds are closed.  Local traffic, residents and land owners need to be ready to show their resident visor hanger, a copy of their deed or electrical bill as everyone is to stay home.

This storm brought us about 10 inches of rain/snow/slush so far and falling heavy all morning.  The good news for us on State Park Road is that it is not accumulating at all.  When I see the plow go by, it looks like he is plowing a waterfall. Don’t think any of us are snowed in.  Even though it looks inviting out there, it is warmer, very wet and not a good snow for sledding, if that makes you feel a little better.

Also, I’ve seen Deputy Sheriffs out patrolling.  We have a lookout I see from my desk, across from our house. Yesterday, a deputy pulled in there and got out to enjoy the view.  Eventually a car I didn’t recognize, drove by, the deputy turned and looked.  The car was heated to the State Park and turned around at the Road Closed signs.  A couple minutes later the car came back, cruising along.  I’ve seen just a few cars the past week or so and guessed they were just out for some fresh air and really felt for them.  They picked a beautiful area, but the deputy was waiting, pulled out to follow them and turn on his lights because of the stay-home order.

Like to have a change of view? There are many photos waiting for you of fun snow days on MyPalomarMountain.com.  From the Snow page, here is one that might be the deepest snow on record for Palomar;  The Deep Snow of 1949.     From there, you can click through links to see many more pages of special snow days on Palomar.  Plus a video is waiting for you below…

Happy clicking through our snow today!

Have a blessed Easter Weekend,

Bonnie Phelps, Realtor

The past few years, more and more neighbors have relied on their cell phones and cancelled their old fashioned, plug into the wall ‘land line’ phones.  With CV creating all the extra use from our homes, cell phones have been in and out across Palomar Mountain.  Internet speed is taking us back to the dial-up days.  It is not uncommon to see half a dozen cars parked at a lookout up here, checking messages.

Thinking this to be awhile, you might want to consider having A&TT hook up that old fashioned phone again.  I’ve also been told that A&TT offers a package with internet up here and it works well.  A&TT: 800-310-2355  We have their ‘Message Center’ that has been wonderful.  Our VM is through their service and I roll my calls to my cell when out.  You can also roll your cell phone to your land line.  Be sure to have a phone that works even if the power goes out.  I got a new phone recently with two remotes that are convenient but don’t work, of course, during power outages.  But, there is also a phone on my desk with the cord between the handset and phone base that rings and works during outages.

All the best to you during this season in out lives,

Bonnie Phelps

(Yes, that is one of our Treasures, over a decade ago.  He has a birthday this week!  Judah will be 12 already.  Hello!  Where did the time go?!!)

Isn’t this a great sign Teresa McCarthy made and put up in their charming cabin?  (Such an artist!)  She posted it on Facebook a couple days ago.  I wasn’t surprised when she and Jim messaged me this morning asking what we could use from town. They were early birds in the city for groceries, took my order and delivered!  Wasn’t that nice?  They reported that the purple lupin is already blooming at the base of the mountain.  Can hardly wait to see it.

Jim and Teresa are living out their sign challenge:

Today

Who am I checking or connecting with?

What expectations of ‘NORMAL” am I letting go of?

How am I getting OUSIDE?

How am I moving my body?

What BEAUTY am I either creating, cultivating or inviting in?

Let’s all do our part to help one another.  Be kind.  Call your neighbor to just check in.  When we do pass each other on the road or picking up our mail, let’s key up our smiles and waves.  Smiling is contagious, too, you know.

Do you or someone you know need some encouragement or help?  Perhaps we can work together to make this stormy time a little smoother.  Just let me know.

Bonnie Phelps – appreciating so much being on our mountain!

Delivery service workers sure have my respect and deserve a huge dose of gratitude.  I was just turning out our lights and saw this van drive up.  It was 10:43 pm, way up here,  on the top of Palomar Mountain.  Royal explained that it is just like Christmas rush with such an increase in deliveries.  He is the office manager for Fed Ex and normally doesn’t do deliveries at all.  “We’re just trying to catch up and get your packages to you, but each day there are more and more…”

There were still several dozen boxes in his van.   He passed on the offer of coffee or hot soup.   Hope Royal and all the drivers out there get home safe tonight.   He does know the people of Palomar appreciate his dedication.

Thank you, thank you so much for keeping our packages coming, not just to our little mountain, but all across America and around the world!

Bonnie Phelps

Colorful quilts are getting some sun Ken at Lynda Ruth’s.  Many people have been gifted her mountain-made quilts;  Disabled Vets, Kids with Cancer, and the tiniest babies being cared for at local hospital NICU.

We met at a Fire Department BBQ and have been good friends ever since.  Over the years we’ve shared many meals and Lynda often brings her bag of yarn to crochet for a while  ’round the fire.  One year I was in awe as she achieved her goal of making a quilt a day.   On the phone a few days ago I asked what she was doing to stay busy during these past few weeks up here.  Making quilts!  So, I asked her to display them so I could take a pic to share.

Lynda called this morning, letting me know they were on the railing.  She took off on a hike (no cooties!) when I arrived and I ran up for the photo for you.  She was meeting up with Ken who is out cutting firewood.

Ken always has projects going as this is their third cabin on Palomar.  They just keep moving up!  The day I listed this one, we’d been invited for dinner.  I rolled in late (!!) when they were already sitting around the table.  “You just bought a new cabin”, I said,   “It even has a garage for Ken’s projects.  Do you want to see it now or have dinner first!?”  We did have that delicious dinner first, then ran over to see the cabin that they are hibernating in now.

What are YOU doing?  If you have something you’d like to share with PMNews, I’d love to turn it around to brighten the day for our neighbors and friends.

Hope you can get outside and enjoy our beautiful day!

Bonnie Phelps

Meeting my Title Team might spark a bit of joy today!

All of you property owners on Palomar have no idea how much Jeff Knapp and his team have helped this mountain with easement issues.  Jeff has hung in there for over 10 years, helped point me in the right directions, showed up at county and title offices to pled our case to get what was needed to cure most of the easement issues on Palomar.

When I first got my license, nearly 20 years ago, about 90% of the parcels on Palomar were landlocked.  I’ll never forget when a former title rep called and said his company just couldn’t do Palomar anymore.

Jeff to the rescue!  Now about 90% of the properties have legal, deeded access through documents that can be added to your title report as permanent records.  This adds value if you ever pulled permits to build or add on or sell your property.

Thanks Jeff, Kirby, Marvin and all the rest that help make my job so much easier.

Bonnie Phelps

Palomar Realtor since the beginning of the Century

Just off the phone with Solidarity Farm in Pauma Valley.  They are open this weekend with lots of fresh produce.   I understand farmer’s markets and farm stands are back up and running and it is so much nicer, to me, to buy directly from local farmers. This doctor gives tips on how to clean your vegies.

Last time I was there, I couldn’t resist their collards.  That guy I live with is a southern boy from the back woods of Carolina.  So, I learned, years ago to really enjoy a ‘mess a collards’.  Very simple.  This big pot fed several families,  I sliced up 6 bunches and since it was St. Pat’s Day, added 3 corned beef. Covered with water. Simmered all day.  (Sometimes the corned beef is extra salty, so you might change out some of the broth). Added some potatoes and cooked until soft. That was it.  No seasoning, nothing.  Sometimes we use ham hocks or kielbasa sausage.

Just thought I’d share our yummy meal for this snowy weather on beautiful Palomar Mountain.

Bonnie Phelps

Many of you locals met Joe and Sharon Sewall when they had a cabin here for a few years. Sharon’s roots with Palomar go way back since her mother’s brother-in-law was George Ellery Hale’s personal chauffer!  Oh, you know, it was Hale’s vision that culminated in finding the home for the 200 inch telescope on Palomar Mountain.

They live in Yucca Valley now and shared this easy recipe:

Bread shortage?
This is the easiest kind of bread you can make. Costs pennies and can get you through. The kids would love it.
Navajo Flatbread:
Makes 6
2 cups flour
1 – 1 1/4cup of lukewarm water
1 table spoon baking soda
1 tsp kosher salt
1 table spoon oil/butter/shortening
Mix dry ingredients together and add most water, mix and add water until it has the consistency of tacky pizza dough.
Knead for a few minutes.
Let rest in greased bowl for 30- 60 minutes.
Divide into 6 pieces and roll out on floured surface thin. (Tortilla thickness)
Hear griddle to 350F.
Cook until golden brown spots and flip, cooking until done.
They can be made ahead and kept under a flour towel or frozen for later use.
Hope this helps.

Welcome to Hi Ho Cabin. The owner has decades of happy memories with family and friends on Palomar; fishing in Doane Pond, games around the table and lots of good eatin’.   That was his dad’s Cadillac parked out front about 60 years ago. Sorry to say, the car isn’t included.  Whew!  That classic would really up the price!$!

Lots of love is needed for this vintage cabin. It comes with free pets! Critters are very happy here – even a bobcat who apparently lives in the basement!  (Bob has it made, as it is nice and dry in there)!  Air conditioning is available for those warmer days.  The woodpeckers have had quite a time storing their acorns in the walls. Oh, and there are some broken windows that are helpful for a nice breeze, too! The roof leaks a bit so you have a lovely water feature!  However, there’s a newer, permitted (!) septic system, all new electrical in conduit (the mice weren’t happy about that addition) and a recorded survey. A real plus, is an amazing flock of birds that call this little hamlet, home. Listen to their latest chorus, below.

So, here is the great news! A very special find in a bathroom drawer was some (drum roll!!!) toilet paper and a few bars of soap. Those can be yours for just $75,000 and you get a FREE cabin! Imagine that!

Click for all the MLS info and photos, including a peek inside that drawer of valuable essentials!!!

So, here’s the not-so-good news for many of you: It is already sold. We were arranging for some hauling and clean up after the weather calmed down. But I ran over last week to take the snow photos.  Most of you locals, know A&W – Anne and Wayne. They have a charming cabin next door. He was moving his car out before our last snow and asked about the cabin. Knowing he would love to see inside, we did our proper distancing and he got a tour with lots of laughs. The most current National Geographic was from 1964. We couldn’t even pretend to count all the acorns stashed around…

On the way out, I tried to get the door to close but it was so swollen from all the rain and snow, I couldn’t get it locked properly.  I jokingly invited him to bring Anne over for a peek and went home to snag my husband to help with the door. A few minutes later, the phone rang! A &W have been running out of projects and just had to have this little gem, too.

The past 10 years or so, I’ve been totally paperless. We real quick, wrote up the offer over the phone, they signed on-line, the seller was thrilled and we are to close this week!

Be sure to listen to the birds!!! I think they are singing “Hi Ho, Hi Ho, it’s to the cabin we go….”

Bonnie Phelps, having fun in Real Estate

Some of us haven’t been off the Mountain in a couple weeks.  However, the next time you’re out and about, you might top off at Rincon or La Jolla stations.  Great prices these days.