The Light Before the Storm
November 12, 2025
We’re about to hit a week of rain, so throwing up a picture I took walking through Central Park a couple days ago.. in the not rain.
I think it’s also goodbye to temps in the 70s. We’ve enjoyed those a lot longer than usual.
Splash!
August 25, 2025
This is the latest thing to come to Davis… this tribute to Davis Police Officer, Natalie Corona, tragically killed in the line-of-duty in 2019. It’s a splash pad.. a huge interactive water feature on the north end of Central Park.. just a couple blocks from our house. Wish I were a kiddo!
Afternoon Tunes
May 3, 2025
It’s hard to get more pleasant than this, and I’m not even a jazz fan.
TH, the owner of Cloud Forest has been offering live music from his outside deck in the Spring and Fall on Saturday afternoons from 4-6. He’s been doing it for years now. This is the second time I’ve gone (can’t remember if I blogged about it two weeks ago).
Today’s was a 5-person jazz ensemble that included a trumpet player who used to back up Gladys Knight (two weeks ago, there was a guitar player who used to back up BB King). Today also featured a vocalist who was lovely. They did a lot of Cole Porter, some Miles Davis, all kinds of standards I knew, a George Benson song, and more; they played for two hours with a break.
He could advertise it more… the crowd is very small… but the quality of music is high and the setting is lovely. Warm day, light breeze, shaded patio, gin and tonics… lots to love about all that. And all free.
Mayday Mayday May Day
May 1, 2025
I love the double entendre, I don’t love that we are in a crisis.
Even in a crisis, getting together with friends and neighbors (and husbands!!) is gratifying. At least — in a country divided — everyone in Davis’s Central Park was rowing in the same direction (as they say). That feels good. This one brought out nearly 1000 folks. Not bad for a mid-week, early evening event. Speeches, signs, a march through downtown… just another day in trump’s ‘murica.
Some pics…
As Jim and I approached 5th and B, we ran into Victoria and Phil, and then Janet! As we got within view of the park, we saw this.. uh… WOW.
Steve, Dillan, Kelly, a Davis College dem, Jesse:
If you look close, you’ll see Jim’s neon beacon.. and Jim holding my latest sign…
And Antonio with a farmworker who shared her story…
C is for Compassion
April 29, 2025
Two years ago today, the local Phoenix Coalition organized a community memorial to David, who’d been killed just three days before. I was in Ann Arbor and could not be there. I’m so grateful to have stumbled across this photo on Lucas’s FB feed tonight. It’s really something. One of the commenters on the post said, “Now we know what the C in C Street stands for.”
A year later, the City actually designated the corner of Third and C: Compassion Corner.
Another commenter on the thread mentioned how eloquent Maria and Robb had been in their remembrances. Maria had shared a text she’d received from David some years prior to his murder. She committed that from this moment on, she would carry forward David’s prescient and moving message of compassion.
Shortly afterward, another guy created a graphic of what David had said in his message to his sister:
Millionth Annual Picnic Day
April 12, 2025
Jim and I did our traditional thing: Jim set out early to procure a parade-side table at Crepeville, I arrived about 90 minutes later, and we watched the parade go by, peering over the heads of people we wished would sit on the curb instead of stand in the street. But it was fine. There are few surprises anymore.. mostly the same ol’ same ol’.
Here’s something new this year: the city showed off its new ladder fire truck! Jim’s been kvetching about this for awhile as an unnecessary expenditure. Here it is.. quite impressive (it was a few parade entries behind the University’s ladder truck, which is always in the parade).
Best of show right here… I took this picture because Welsh Corgis are Peter’s favorite dog. (Speaking of Peter, see note below!)
We returned home after the parade. A bit later I took a walk around campus to check things out. Rounding the corner at A and Russell, I saw this scene in front of the Sigma Nu fraternity:
Resting, sunning or passed out?
Campus was abuzz with picnickers, food trucks and a raucous rock band.. it was a nice vibe:
Battle of the Bands took place on the north side of Mrak Hall… lovely shady spot for gathering. It was dense with folks and numerous marching bands from universities all over the state. Also great energy.
All was not well in town, however. Literally minutes before I took the above photo, there’d been a shooting up at Community Park. Unbeknownst to Picnic Day revelers on campus, somebody opened fire at a band concert in the park, injuries were reported and police and ambulances — sirens blaring — were dispatched to the scene.. followed by a helicopter directing folks to evacuate immediately. Lots of hysteria ensued, a stampede formed, there was at least one injury from that… all the while, Picnic Day continued on a picture perfect afternoon, blissfully consuming folks on campus who were oblivious to the drama just a mile away.
I’m sure we’ll find out in the coming days what all happened up there.
For our part, we hunkered down, made a great dinner, Janet came over and we just talked politics and kids.
~~
Speaking of kids.
I’d texted the Corgi photo to Maya and Peter earlier in the day. Maya responded a bit later with the news that she’d just dropped Peter off at the Detroit airport for his flight to Italy. We were flabbergasted. Backing up: A few months back, Peter had been accepted to participate in a one-week program organized by a prominent fluids professor/researcher (from Zurich). It would be a week of collaborative problem solving among a small group of fluids doctoral candidates from around the world… a rare and fantastic opportunity to mix with some of the best in the field. We were flabbergasted because, one, we hadn’t realized the Italy trip was so soon.. we knew it was in April, but thought it was later in the month. Two, we were dubious that Peter’d actually be able to go as he’d run into a passport snag. His passport was due to expire within six months of his departure, requiring him to get a new one (weird rule). He’d applied for a replacement, albeit late, and the application was further delayed due to a missing signature (yikes). As of last week, he was still passportless. It was looking very dicey. Jim and I chose to keep our anxiety about this to ourselves and to let the cards fall where they may. Consequences, you know. If Peter was anxious about it, he didn’t share that with us. As a result, we were sweating it out on our own, keeping our parental handwringing to ourselves, and committing never to mention the not-to-be Italy trip ever again. So imagine our over the moon-ness! The passport arrived and Peter was on his way to a castle in Tuscany to rub elbows with 13 others scholars from around the world (Peter’s one of two from the US), learn new stuff, do math, cook, see the country side… I mean. We’d have hated for him to miss out on the experience. But now he won’t miss out. Super happy parents. I fully expect that no matter what happens, it’ll be a trip to remember. (And as of this writing, he’s arrived safely in Italy, so texted about an hour ago.)
Oh my goodness.
Pride of Ownership
April 3, 2025
The food has yet to grab me, but I am incredibly supportive of this new downtown restaurant, Maya’s, because I love the enthusiasm and obvious pride the owners have in their business. I hope other downtown businesses will take a cue!
That said… hat’s off to TH, owner of Cloud Forest Cafe, my absolute favorite place for coffee, lunch and hanging out. He’s also someone who cares deeply about providing excellent service, creating a beautiful ambiance, and serving quality food and drinks!! He cares about his clientele and treats everyone with great kindness and respect. Hero! And has the best patio in town.
Davis: California’s Last College Town
March 26, 2025
Came across this today in one of my social media’s video clip thingies..
I really loved this particular angle on the train station. I do adore our sweet, historic train station. The video was all aerials, but frankly, the roofs of downtown Davis are not much to look at. This shot, however, was cool.
Big Doings on G Street
February 8, 2025
A lot of people are unhappy with the this G Street transformation. The City had its ribbon cutting for the project — long in the works — a week or two ago. I didn’t attend that, but walked the length of the newly finished pedestrian block yesterday, and again tonight to see the night lighting. I think it’s nice (enough). I imagine when the weather’s warmer, the space will be filled with lots of activity. Seems clean, uniform, solid, simple.
Looking at this photo, I’m amused … thinking back on my days of waitressing at AJ Bumps Saloon.. the bar/restaurant behind the giant yellow Adirondack chair. I look back on that job fondly. I loved being a waitress. Met lots of longtime Davis residents, it was super fun being a part of large team, and the tasks suited my propensity for organization, multitasking and people-pleasing. Decent money, as well. I always tell Jim: if I could, I’d do that job right now. I mean, I could.. but it wouldn’t be right. It’s a young person’s job — the bar culture, the high energy lunch rushes, the working for tips. We were all young. It was fun. That was then, and this is now.
Life of Wry 