The Simpsons and East Pasadena's Parrots

Seems most every morning I'm greeted by the screech of parrots.  Often they fly over our house.  Sometimes, like this morning, they hang around the neighborhood screeching back and forth.   This one landed in our eucalyptus tree and, on cue, gave me that quizzical parrot look as I sneaked up for a picture.

Legend has it our local parrots are descendants of parrots that were let loose in 1959 when a fire engulfed Simpson's Gardenland and Bird Farm.   The story is often recounted as "local legend" but, as legends go, it seems fairly well accepted.  I know I've heard and read the story over and over since moving to Pasadena more than twenty years ago.

Not often reported, however, is the legend's East Pasadena connection.

You see, Simpson's Garden Town Nursery and Bird Farm was a long-time East Pasadena institution.  On little more than a wing and a prayer, in 1928, Hal Simpson started his nursery.  He had a $500 loan, a $55 Model T delivery truck, and moonlighted on odd jobs as his business took hold.   Over time the business grew until it blossomed into a mall of sorts that included a nursery, florist, lawnmower shop, garden center, materials supply, and pet shop.  Eventually Simpsons occupied a swath of land that fronted Colorado Blvd. east of Sierra Madre Blvd. and stretched north beyond the present-day 210 freeway.    Billing itself as the largest and most diversified garden center in the West, at its height, Simpsons deployed 70 trucks and fielded calls on nearly 50 phone lines.

Then, in 1959, fire hit.  The nursery buildings, supplies and records were destroyed.   According to legend, as the fire raged, the birds (including the forebears of our local parrots) were released.

The birds were gone and a big part of his operation decimated.  But, Hal Simpson got back on his feet and rebuilt.  Customers stepped forward to pay accounts that were due even though Simpsons had no records.  Simpsons remained an entrenched part of the East Pasadena landscape.  

But, in the 50's and 60's, East Pasadena's landscape was changing fast and Simpson's resurgence was short-lived.  Eventually the State of California did what the fire could not.  In 1968, the State took much of the Simpson property to build the 210 freeway.   Forty years after he started, Hal Simpson was finished.

But, the story's not over.

Old Hal was not quite ready to call it a day.   With proceeds from the State of California, he moved south.  He bought a160-acre spread in East San Diego County and ... that old guy started over growing and selling plants. 

And, in 2011, Simpsons Garden Town Nursery in Jamul, California is operated by Hal's granddaughter, Cathy.  Like her grandad, Cathy offers plants, and lots more, for sale.  She has a pretty good website, too, with pictures of the nursery, gift shop and dozens of classic cars on display at Garden Town.  Fittingly enough, Cathy's website pays homage to Garden Town's East Pasadena roots and beautifully tells the story of Hal Simpson -- a story that I've recounted above.

East of Allen Highlights

Hard to believe it has been three years of East of Allen blogging.  Time for a little reflection and maybe some "best of" posting.  

I started this back in March, 2008 to record some Eaton Wash and East Pasadena historical stuff.  Then, in late April of that year, the Chantry Flat fire hit.  I did a series of posts on what I was seeing here in NE Pas and closely followed altadenablog and several other Altadena and Sierra Madre blogs.  The late great Foothill Cities blog tied the coverage together and, before I knew it, I was blogging. 

Since then, I've done about 180 posts, nearly all of them with photos.  The historical posts are my favorites and they often take a fair amount of time.   But, there are a few animal posts that I particularly like too. 

What posts have been most popular with visitors?   The mouse wins.  According to Google statistics more people have viewed a post I did on a baby mouse than any other East of Allen post.   That's a little sobering given the work I've put into other posts.  But, them's the facts.  The bear, snake and alligator lizard posts are also particularly popular.   Go figure.

Posts about the Hastings Ranch Christmas lights have also attracted a relatively high number of views. If East Pasadena has a top attraction, it is probably the Hastings Christmas lights and, of course, post Rose Parade float viewing.     

It has been fun to get emails from people who are interested in something I've posted.  I received some interesting correspondence from collectors following my post about the famous portrait of President Lincoln that is mysteriously missing from the Pasadena Public Library.   And, I've received a number of emails about  my St. Luke's posts -- some from people who were born at St. Luke's, one from a producer and others interested in the proposed St. Luke's development.  The series on Earthside Nature Center  was plain old fun to do and also elicited some interesting feedback from persons who knew the garden's founders.  

So, now I have a new category called "highlights" and may in the coming months re-post some of my own highlights from this blog.      

Altadena Urban Farmers' Market

Altadena Urban Farmers' Market just keeps getting better and better.  It is not your usual farmers' market or street fair.   In fact, it's not your usual anything.

Sunday's market was the best yet.   About 30 local vendors came -- all offering homemade local food and goods.  Then there were the goats (including two babies), chickens and historic venue.  On top of that, there was the Farmers' Market University offering lessons in making cheese, bread and home cleaners.  And there were a lot of people.   

I thought my photo of the crowd was pretty good -- that is until I saw Petrea's artistry at Pasadena Daily Photo.  Of course, she found a mother and daughter strolling under an archway.   It was good to see her and John at the market.  Actually, I saw a lot of folks I knew.   The market is is taking on a bit of a Main Street flavor where you encounter not only local produce and goods, but bump into friends as well. 

We were there with Marcia's homegrown enterprise,  HomeBody Botanicals - offering herbal body products she makes with local and organic ingredients.    She was non-stop busy for all of the three-hour market and is seeing repeat customers, which is gratifying.

This little market that started just last October has quickly become a hit.  As you walk the market, you get the sense that there is a pent-up desire for this kind of thing.  Yes, folks are discovering something new.  But maybe it is more. Maybe they're finding something that was long ago misplaced.    

The market is certainly part of the trend toward localism.   Altadena shop owner Lori Webster talked about this recently in her excellent blog.  She's on the front lines of retailing and observes that the trend toward localism is "huge and growing."   May the trend continue.

Memorial Day 2011

 Victory Park was dedicated in 1952 as a memorial to those who fell in World War II.   As I've done since 2008, I post a photo of the V shaped rose garden at the corner of Altadena and Paloma, and the flagpole with flag at half-mast.   This year I wanted the photo to include more of the park and mountains so you have to enlarge the photo or look closely at the lower right to see the rose garden.

The base of the flagpole has a plaque provided by the Gold Star Mothers inscribed "In remembrance of those who made the supreme sacrifice during World War II."

Today is a day to honor those brave men and women who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our nation.   It is a day to remember.

I commend to you excellent Memorial Day posts at Sierra Madre Tattler, Pasadena Latina, Glimpses of South Pasadena,  and the sky is big in Pasadena.  As always, it is a good day to visit The Wall.

Also, in one of her best mystery histories, Pasadena PIO has posted the story of how the city's efforts to build a war memorial led to the founding of Victory Park.  There are some great park photos there going back to 1952.   

The Geese of Pasadena High

 For a week or more we've noticed geese on the grass in front of PHS and in the Sierra Madre Blvd. median.  This morning I saw these two geese resting on the median in front of the Home of the Bulldogs.
 

With all the traffic and commotion, I can't imagine why the geese choose the median as a resting place.   But, they seem unruffled by the cars whizzing by and perfectly able to relax.  

Last year my son got a shot of two geese and their goslings walking along Washington Blvd. on the east side of PHS.   This photo was taken May 5 a year ago.  Makes me wonder if goslings are in the future for the pair sitting in front of PHS this year.

Geese are apparently one of the most talkative animals (after humans of course).   Not sure how all this works but baby geese begin communicating with their parents while still in the egg and scientists have identified 13 different goose calls with different meanings.   

If anyone knows about geese -- what they eat, where they nest, ect. I hope you'll leave a comment. 

Views from Hamilton Park

 

The view from Hamilton Park this afternoon.   That's the Pasadena Nazarene Church in the left foreground and the San Gabriel Valley stretching out below.  

I took my camera to softball practice because I had a feeling we would have some great views.  We did.  

Downtown Los Angeles between the trees.

Industrial Poppies

Early yesterday morning I was driving down Walnut Street and saw that someone had seeded the roadside with poppies.  After the rains, the flowers are now in bloom and stretch along the road for hundreds of yards.   

The brilliant colors of the poppies stand out in this otherwise industrial gray part of town.  To the right of the photo is the Avon shipping yard filled with big rigs.  On the other side of  the street are smaller businesses and the new Grandahl lumber yard.   I think the strip of land is part of an old railroad right of way.  Don't know who owns the land or who planted the flowers.   But, whoever they are, they definitely deserve a "caught being nice" award.   Thank you to whoever you are.