Palomar Mountain News

SDG&E has some scheduled power maintenance up here apparently.  Tomorrow, Thursday, from 8 to 4 our power is to be off.

We’ll have our generator humming and are a free hotspot if anyone needs to re-charge, use our internet, or just pop by and say ‘Hi”.

Bonnie

Are you free next Saturday?  You are invited to a ‘Good Time BBQ & Potluck’. We’d love to have you join in the fun!  A few weeks back, our son Nathan presented a 40 Day Healthy Lifestyle Challenge.  It included gathering with neighbors and friends more often. So, whether you are playing along with the challenge or not, we decided to celebrate summer and invite y’all!  We promised we won’t harass you about the challenge – no agenda at all, just Good Times like the good ole times!

This coming Saturday, July 14, 2018, games start at 4:00 and let’s eat at 5:00.

We have some wonderful street taco guys coming with their big grill for carne asada, chicken and pork. Those guys are fun to watch!  Lemonade, infused water, coffee, tea and hot chocolate will be waiting for you.  How about you bring a side dish?  Salad, appetizers or dessert (and your beverage, if you are so inclined). If you have a favorite chair, bring it along.

It will be very casual so you can join the kids-of-all-ages in a game of kickball in the orchard or toss some Frisbees.  There is dice for Yardzee, Farkle or play croquet ’round the ground squirrel holes. Pick a table and enjoy a game of Pictionary or Dominos. Maybe you have a game you’d like to bring? Or, just relax and have a good time people-watching.  Catch up with your neighbors, meet new ones, or folks who would like to be neighbors one of these days!

Do you play a guitar or musical instrument?  Love to have you bring it, too.  After dark, two campfires will have s’mores available, of course.

Event is at our place on State Park Road (message me if you’d like the address).  Extra parking is planned at the lookout across from us and along Fern Meadow Road, down by our 5th wheel.  You are welcome to pull in our driveway to drop off food and request a shuttle. There will be a porta-potty in the orchard.

Ok, here is the catch:  The taco guys are planning on 100 people.  We don’t want to run out of tacos!  So, please RSVP.

Hope to see you Saturday!

Bonnie and Don

From: Cecelia Borland

Defensible Space Inspections are in progress. PMFSC will have a 40 yd dumpster delivered to the fire dept for use by the community to help you rid the area around your home of combustible “stuff”.  Dumpster will be open 9 AM to 4 PM, Sat and Sun or until the dumpster is full.
WE CANNOT ACCEPT TIRES, PAINT, E-WASTE, HAZMAT (CHEMICALS)

Sat and Sun or until full. People may dump 2 pickups full on Sat and until noon on Sunday. After noon on Sun you may dump as much as will fit flat in the top. Please do not over-fill.

 Last time we had to turn many folks away because the box was full by 11 AM Sat. We are therefore limiting the amount each family can dump/

It is always nice to welcome new folks to Palomar.  However, it is often bitter-sweet for the seller.  Palomar is such a special place…

The escrow that closed today was the fifth family property to sell in less than a year for the Clark family.  Many of you know Steve Clark who served on the Water Board and PMPO over the years.  He and his wife live in Santa Maria so went out for a steak dinner to celebrate tonight.  He is thankful his escrow closed but Palomar is so close to his heart with 5 generations feeling the same way.

Steve’s family purchased Pedley Valley in the late 1800’s.  Some of their story was part of the marketing for their Bear’s Den Cabin that closed today.  Reminiscing, Steve told me his grandfather hand-dug the Palomar Mutual Water Company Well #1, known as Doctors Pond.

Pedley Valley had the only logging mill up here for many decades.  The wood for the Lodge and vintage cabins was logged out of the valley that is below Crestline on the north side.  The valley is now owned by a handful of different folks, including the water company.  The vintage apple trees that present owners still enjoy, were planted over 100 years ago.  So, Steve’s forefathers enjoyed apples off those same trees.  Yes, many happy memories.

The new owner we’ll introduce soon on a ‘New Neighbor’ post, but some of you have already met him!  George Wolfe is a licensed electrician and has already worked for several folks up here solving their electrical needs.  Welcome George!

That A-frame still in escrow sure has some patient buyers.  Several projects are finishing up to get the cabin in their name, hopefully next week.  They will be joining us full time!

The Forest Fixer was scooped up by two neighbors.  They teamed up with plans to really raise the bar with a total remodel, open up the view, fix the road fill it full of cabin charm.

We’ve had active showings for the 34 acres just waiting for your dream home or cabin but still looking for ‘the one’. Good time to check it out!

The Rim-of-the-World custom and the oh-so-inviting getaway on 9 acres are both sparkling and ready for you to move right in to catch the lazy days of summer.

With a couple thousand subscribers to PMNews, there are quite a few of you who are anxiously awaiting new listings.  I hear from you often.  So, dear readers with seldom used lots, land, cabins, homes or ranches….  I’m certainly glad to get your questions answered. Many buyers are waiting!

A safe and Happy Fourth to All,

Bonnie Phelps, Realtor

Thanks to Brian Beezley, a friend of the mountain for sending this link our way.  Three different SDG&E webcams give us a view off the mountain; Birch Hill, High Point and Boucher Lookout.   Guessing you might even see some fireworks in the view these next couple nights!  Happy Fourth Everyone!

From: Brian Beezley

I just wanted to tell you about some mountain webcams you may not be aware of:

http://www.alertwildfire.org/sdge/

Unlike the HPWREN webcams, these cameras can be pointed in different directions and they have telephoto zoom lenses to show distant detail.

The camera operators zoom in whenever they spot a fire. I have watched several fires this year using the cameras.

I thought this might be a valuable safety resource for anyone living on Palomar.

Brian

Thinking of camping on Palomar?  Staying at a Vacation Rental?  Like a couple bundles for your weekend at the cabin?  There is an easy source for firewood waiting for you on State Park Road!

The youngest entrepreneurs on the mountain have quite a business going! Ten year old Judah has enlisted the help of his 5 year old brother, and 9 and 11 year old sisters.  They have been supplying firewood for vacation rentals for over a year now.  Two weeks ago Judah built and painted his firewood stand all by himself (well, the other kids helped a little bit).  So, their business has really taken off!

Judah now has a contract with neighbors to harvest their big logs with Grandaddy. The kids split the wood with Grandma.  Then, they haul, bundle and stock their popular “Woodpecker Firewood” stand.  The stand is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Payment is by the honor system with a little can to slip in $5.00 per bundle.  They also go on Stick Patrol around the property to keep a bucket of kindling full.  The kindling is offered as a free bonus.

Scramble on over for fresh eggs, too!  They gather eggs daily from their very happy hens that lay eggs in several different colors.

And, the Stand is a free Internet Hot Spot.  Pull in, sign on as our Guest, no password and you’ll be checking your messages or catching up on calls in a minute.

You are welcome to call or text ahead to reserve your wood and eggs.

(Since these photos were taken, they have the proper eye wear, ear protection, jeans, boots, gloves and all the rest….  Safety First!)

It is so great to see how much these kids are enjoying hard work and see them interact greeting customers …  warms my heart!

Directions to the Stand: From Mother’s Kitchen and the Store, take State Park Road just over a mile.  You’ll see the stand on the right.  Can’t miss it!

Happy Camping Everyone!  Don’t forget the s’mores!

Bonnie

When I first saw that bright umbrella, I thought some folks were having a BBQ!  Just some friendly guys staying out of the sun.  Several different crews are up doing their jobs, prepping to change out old wooded poles for steel. Apparently the jobs will take quite awhile.  Sure is fun for mountain kids to watch…   helicopters coming back, soon, too!

Thanks to all for helping make our mountain more fire-safe.

Bonnie

Another Clean Up the Mountain free dumpster opportunity is coming up next weekend!

Click for the flyer where all the details are waiting for you!

SDG&E is replacing wood poles with steel for a higher level of safety during time of fire.  I talked to a gal a couple days ago doing site studies to mark pole locations on the roads.  A helicopter was scouting the mountain mid-day a couple days ago. Another worker yesterday said quite a few different contractors are involved, including helicopters to ferry in some poles in challenging locations.  Apparently a pole above our place will be set with a helicopter and guessing the local younger set would really enjoy watching.

When you hear those big birds in the air, you might take a look outside.

(Ok, I have to say it… wouldn’t this be a nice time to put a lot of this underground?  If only…)

Bonnie Phelps – who often dreams of photo-shopping those power lines in our view…

Absolutely everyone is invited next Tuesday to hear the new State Park Interpreter.  Will Myest has a great program for kids of all ages.

From: Stacy Eriksen

Tuesday the 26th, Will Myest, the State Park Interpreter will be coming to Kids Club to talk about mammals on the mountain and trail safety! He does the Junior Ranger program and has a lot to share with the kids!

Presentation will start at 10:30 at the Observatory Outreach Center. Hope to see you there!!