Still tending to our gardens on the brink

STEVE KAWARATANI

“The universal brotherhood of man is our most precious possession.”

-- Mark Twain

“We can let circumstances rule us, or we can take charge and rule

our lives from within.”

-- Earl Nightingale

The early morning sound of sirens was the first indication that

something was amiss in town. The drone of multiple helicopters

circling overhead confirmed that it would be a problem of major

proportions. Catharine saw that her parent’s home had slid downward

on television and we raced toward Bluebird Canyon. Fear turned to

relief when we found Kay and Lewie safe with scores of other

neighbors.

Laguna started pulling together the moment the disaster occurred.

Our police and firemen were on the scene immediately, assisting

residents to safe ground. The mayor, Elizabeth Pearson-Schneider, and

the City Council issued a proclamation that the neighborhood was a

disaster area, setting up the possibility of outside assistance.

Those of us, who live in Laguna Beach, know that we take care of our

own.

This Saturday, breakfast will be served at Bluebird Park,

beginning at 8 a.m. It will be the first opportunity to help those

who have lost their homes. Additionally, a special relief fund has

been set up at South County Bank. For more information, call (949)

494-2028.

Meanwhile, because we are Lagunans, we will continue to garden ...

Q. My gift cyclamen has finished blooming. Now what?

A. Cyclamen are best grown outdoors. Keep it in a cool, filtered

sun area. If it becomes too warm, the leaves will turn yellow. During

the fall, gradually withhold water until the plant becomes dormant.

Store the pot in the garage and bring it back out in the spring. With

warmer weather and water, it will return to flower.

Q. Was Father’s Day invented by greeting card manufacturers?

A. No. Mrs. John B. Dodd, of Washington state, first proposed the

idea of a “father’s day” in 1909. Mrs. Dodd wanted a special day to

honor her father, William Smart. The first Father’s Day was observed

on June 19, 1910 in Spokane Washington. In 1966 President Lyndon

Johnson signed a presidential proclamation declaring the 3rd Sunday

of June as Father’s Day. This year, the special day is June 19th.

Q. How often should I water my tomatoes?

A. Often enough to keep the soil uniformly moist at all times, to

a depth of several inches. Fluctuating moisture can cause blossom-end

rot on tomatoes.

Q. Why are my tomato leaves curling inward?

A. Leaf roll on tomatoes is a physiological result of excessively

wet soil, commonly seen from over-watering. It is a temporary

disorder and within a few days, as the soil dries, the plant leaves

should return to normal.

Q. Why do my gloxinia buds turn brown and wither?

A. Might be mites (have a nursery person take a look), but more

likely the air is too dry. A draft-free, moist environment would be

congenial for your plant.

It is too early to speculate what caused the landslide on

Wednesday, June 1, 2005. Likely, unrelenting, record rainfall was the

culprit. There will be time enough to figure out what happened and

solutions to prevent additional occurrences will be found. For now,

rejoice that no lives were lost, and our spirit of community will

help rebuild lives and homes. See you next time.

* STEVE KAWARATANI is happily married to local writer Catharine

Cooper, and has two cats. He can be reached at (949) 497-2438, or

e-mail to [email protected].