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First, on the serious side, the Santa Ana Winds are whipping through California, and so are the fires. Living here in the National Forest we are always very aware of fire season. There was a small little fire down the hill that started last night that was quickly put out. There is a second fire going down in the San Bernardino, this one isn’t a wild fire it’s a major structural fire, including a paper manufacturing plant, near the 215 freeway. Neither of these fires had any chance of reaching us, but the second fire affected John’s commute this morning. Since we burned last October we really aren’t expecting any fires this year, but it’s something to keep an eye on. Note: the above picture is of “”our”” mountain on fire, but is very old. It is from the fires of 2003, shortly before we started looking for a house up there. The photo shows, roughly, the view you would have seen from Redlands.

Now, on the lighter side, but just as dangerous, a yarn shop has opened here in town! AJ and I had to go check it out this morning. We found a little pattern booklet for toddler hats (he’s out grown last year’s infant hats) and a skien of super soft blue varigated yarn. Wish me well on my efforts to finish a project in a reasonable amount of time. Here’s the pattern booklet, I’m trying to decide between the hat with the earflaps, the striped rolled brim (that I’d do in a solid color) or the pink one on the bottom right, minus the flower, of course!
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