by Diane Cretin
When I was in Santa Cruz recently, I had the opportunity to drive around one day to get a feel for the area. I also went on a nice walk through the neighborhood one morning. I had seen several things while driving that I wanted to investigate more. As a gardener, I always like to look at people's yards.
What I quickly realized is that I bring my own bias with me wherever I go. Follow me on my journey.
I saw many beautiful flowers, some of which I would like to add to my yard. I love that God created the world to be visually beautiful when it could have looked like a wasteland.
I have the flowers on the right below (scabiosa) in purple, but I think Olivia would like the two-toned pink ones. I will have to look for those next year.
I like to look at architecture and how people paint and accent their homes. This was a beautiful front door to one house.
This house made me think of the McDonald Mansion due to its sheer size. However, this house is apparently rented out to many people as there were eight mailboxes on the front porch. I think it would be interesting to see inside this house.
If I could have gained access to one house, I would have chosen this one. I especially would have liked to see the third story. What a beautifully maintained residence.
Things got more interesting as I started to think about what I saw, how it made me feel, and what assumptions I might be making, unconsciously or not, about what I saw.
If you had asked me in advance if I would like a purple house, I would have said "probably not". However, I loved this cute house. It had a lending library out front on the corner (behind the telephone pole in the picture above) and the interesting area up on the roof that I think you could access. That made me think of Nancy Drew books I read as a child. I would have loved to go up into the attic and onto the roof.
The lending library made me think that the owners like to share and that they care about their neighbors. I realized that some of the books were out because a young couple walking their dog had picked some out but did not want to carry them on their walk. They picked them up when I was about a 1/2 block behind them as they passed back by. They lived just a few houses away.
This was very sweet. It is hard to read here. It says: "Martha Harman Day, a.k.a. MOM, lived on this property from 1961 until her death in 1982. On sunny afternoons Mom would fix herself a cocktail (gin and tonic), grab a cigarette, and come out to this very spot to sit and watch the sun go down. She would contemplate and ponder life, reflect upon it, and also dream about the future.
There's another thing I know for sure - Mom loved Santa Cruz and she especially loved this neighborhood!
So, friends, neighbors, and visitors... I invite you to follow Mom's lead. Have a drink, rest a spell, ponder, contemplate, reflect and dream. And by all means, "Smoke 'em if you got 'em!" But please, take your trash and butts with you when you leave."
Below is the bench and other signs that are there. I did sit a while and contemplate life. I realized how easy it is to jump into judgement mode. I first had to stop any negative thoughts about this bench because I don't smoke or drink a lot. Back when Mom lived, the dangers of smoking would not have been as well known. Plus we all have something we could improve upon. (I eat more than I need.) Then I thought about how loved and well known Mom must have been for her family and friends to have created this corner. That says a lot about Mom and her character. I bet she knew everyone in her neighborhood.
I did manage not to get hit by any falling bodies from commercial airliners that passed overhead. (I love a sense of humor and Mom's tribe had it.)
I loved the contrast in the paint job on this house. It had a lot of character.
I love these signs. When I look at them and the next picture, the word that comes to mind to me is "inclusion". I want to be welcoming and inclusive to people who are not just like me.
I think the most interesting house I saw was the one what had this fence in front of it. I first noticed it from a distance due to the paint color being brighter than the surrounding house colors. Then I got to see the artwork up close. I thought of the skill it took to do the artwork and wondered from a practical standpoint how they did the painting on the upper window. Is it on the glass itself with a coating on it or is it on another material that is stuck to the inside of the window? Since I garden, I liked the words, "Grow Food".
The Dorothy cutout was in the front yard. I loved the Wizard of Oz as a kid, so found this quite interesting.
Looking at this house and its yard can tell you some things about yourself. Do you like it? If so, why? If not, what bothers you? Seeing the multitude of different art and houses in Santa Cruz made me consider my preferences and prejudices. I think it is good to stop and take a truthful look at ourselves at times.
Now on a lighter note, here were some fun things I saw.
My absolute favorite was the next picture due to the lightheartedness of it. So, do you think I did this?
With Covid 19 numbers surging, it can be hard to make yourself get out of your house. But I do encourage you to go for a walk. You can do that and still socially distance. I think I am going to drive to Humboldt Street soon and walk in that neighborhood. I think it will remind me of where I stayed in Santa Cruz. Stay safe. Think about what determines your values.
Continued blessings,
Diane