Sad to say

Eric called last night, he had gone to Big Sur to do some stuff. The fire burned down the hill near where we used to live, rather just above the house above ours. It burned down to the shop area. The fired burned much of the area where these photos are. At Julie Pfeifer you can only park and walk down to the ocean overlook, the waterfall trail is burned. Maybe the house also and the old barn? Not really sure about those yet, haven't heard. Haven't heard about the Tin House yet, but probably that also, it was on a ridge. Such a beautiful place for the view. It burned down to Captain Cooper, but it didn't get the school, where Rochelle and Eric went to elementary school. Some homes of families we knew when we lived there were burned this time. Within the community of Big Sur, Hwy 1, that is still intact. Also, Ventana, Nepenthe, Deetjin Inn, The Gallers and some others ~ glad to say. They are holding 'healing' events. There are efforts going on to educate the locals about what they need to do for restoration, reforesting. They need to get their act together to do what they can to prevent as much damage from the winter rains and the flash flooding that will happen because most of the watershed area was damaged. There are emergency meetings, fema meeting, locals meeting, services being offered. etc. informing the people of what needs to be done and what is available. Many of the locals are getting this information out to others via their blogs, and that is a good thing, a good group of tight knit folk. Then again there are those pointing fingers, and they need to be adult about this and stop pointing and blaming and do what they need to do for self preservation and preservation of their land/area and surrounding area. The fire happened, now do what needs to be done! Went through this in 1977 during the Marble Cone fire and even though it burned 205,000 acres it didn't burn as close to the community as this fire did, we still prepared. I remember we canceled our vacation that year (so did most everyone) to clear areas in the gorge and rivers of the dead vegetation and trees, etc. so that when the rains came the bridge on Hwy1 (a main artery) would not be wiped out. We went to the bridge during the 1st good rain and the water was licking the edges, so close. We weren't there for the Molera Fire in 1972, but when we moved there in 1976 there was still damage from the river (when it flooded) showing, the old post office building was still there (utterly ruined) a a few other ruined buildings, there was even an 'ark' that had been built after that fire, it was pretty impressive the effort that went into that.

The people need to become one to do what needs to be done.

Just a tid bit here, if you have seen "Return to Witch Mountain" made in the middle 1970's, you have seen some of the Big Sur area, as it was filmed in that area. The rich house was in Carmel, along HWY 1, the ocean scene, where he discoveres the children ~ Little Sur ~ the building where the children take the 'phone call' ~ River Inn. Some of the chase scenes in the hills above Big Sur and along the Old Coast Road.

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Also, today it has been 10 years since my dad and his van had a very inopportune and fatal meeting with the roadside tree. I miss you dad, there is so much that has happened since you left this earth, so much that I'd like to share because I know you'd enjoy it. Your oldest grandchild is now married and has 2 little ones of her own, as is your 3rd (K) with a son, and your 5th (L) married and a son. You have a total of 4 great- grandchildren ~ 3 boys and 1 girl ages 3 mo. to 7 years. Your grandchildren have all grown up with the youngest now 12 1/2. God bless, we will see you again someday, in the meantime enjoy your time with Jesus.