the end.

and so, we've reached the end.

the sky is big in pasadena lasted through four years of daily photos.  this is the one thousand four hundred and forty-first consecutive daily blog post.  this humble site has seen over 90,000 visitors and thousands of wonderful comments.

i set out to give myself an artistic outlet during my time in seminary, and i never imagined how big it could become.  it has been an incredible journey and i am extremely proud of the result.

but to be quite honest, i am ready for a break.  i'm sure i'll probably start blogging again sometime in the near future - maybe in a different format and certainly in a new location.  i don't know quite what my blogging future holds, but i can say that today's post is the last one for now.


i want to say thank you to everyone who has ever visited, and an even bigger thank you to those who have commented, become daily visitors, or added this website to your blogroll or rss feed.  your appreciation of my work has been what has kept this project going.



and finally, there are plenty of good blogs out there about pasadena and the san gabriel valley.  the sidebar of this blog contains many of them.
 
my favorites are these fine sites.  if you haven't already, please add these incredible blogs to your reading list...

pasadena daily photo (petrea is the best of the best and an incredible inspiration)
glimpses of south pasadena (laurie is also incredible, just further south)
91105 and beyond (newer on the pasadena scene, but lots of fun photos)
all over pasadena (the newest pasadena daily photographer whom i just discovered)
pasadena pio (our public information officer is an incredible blogger and wonderful person)
cafe pasadena (not a daily photographer, but knows and comments on ALL area blogs)
an immovable feast (my favorite local food reviewer)

#1 - friends

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.

today we have arrived at #1.


#1 - friends

i almost can't write these words without getting a bit choked up.  without our friends, pasadena would never have felt like our home.  without our friends, pasadena never would have become a place we longed to return to.

we met an incredible array of wonderful people during our time here - not all are pictured above.  some of you are still very much in our lives - even if you don't live right next to us anymore.  some of you we knew for only a short time but you left a lasting impact on us.  some of you we met through school, others through church, a few through mutual friends, and even a few of you through this blog.

thank you for being such a big part of our lives.

and thank you for making pasadena our home.

#2 - city hall

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  we have arrived at the top ten things about life in pasadena.


#2 - city hall

much like the pasadena sky, city hall was a frequent subject of my daily photo blog.  it has appeared seventy times in four years - not quite twice per month, but getting close to that mark.  it was one of my first blog posts ever, and is easily my favorite thing to take pictures of in town.

anyone who comes to visit us remarks about how beautiful this building is, and they are always amazed at how easy it is to walk in and around.  pasadena's beloved public information officer even gave a private tour to some local bloggers last year which was a ton of fun.  i will miss this beautiful building.

#3 - sky

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  we have arrived at the top ten things about life in pasadena.


#3 - sky

okay, i know the title of this blog has the word sky in it.  you would think this would have come in at #1, right?  well, to be honest, it almost was #1 just out of principle, but i think my top two come in just above. 

this blog has shown hundreds of photos of the beautiful pasadena sky - many of them coming as part of the incredible skywatch friday photo community (all of which you can see here).

#4 - pasadena mennonite church/palm sunday peace parade

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  we have arrived at the top ten things about life in pasadena.



#4 - pasadena mennonite church/palm sunday peace parade

i cheated a bit with this one.  realisticially, these both deserve their own entry in my top ten.  but because they are pretty closely related, i tied them together. 

pasadena mennonite has been our incredible church home while we've lived here.  we have been welcomed there with open arms and have found meaningful relationships that will carry on beyond pasadena.  this community has acted as our substitute parents, grandparents, and aunts and uncles.  they have been our mentors and peers in ways we never could have imagined.

the peace parade is one of the things that this church does annually as a way to make a public declaration of a commitment to peace.  it is held every year on palm sunday and has grown to include many other local groups dedicated to peace and an end to global warfare.

both of these things are special to me, and i will miss them deeply when we move from here.

#5 - farmers markets

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind (which thankfully, are already posted), and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  we have arrived at my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#5 - farmers markets

picture this - fresh produce, all year long.  so goes life in southern california.  and if you live in pasadena, you are fortunate to have access to farmers markets on tuesday morning at villa parke, wednesday afternoon on south lake avenue, thursday nights in south pasadena, and saturday morning at the high school.  if you expand to a few towns over you find markets in countless others on all days of the week.  amazing!

#6 - pasadena public library

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind (which thankfully, are already posted), and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  we have arrived at my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#6 - pasadena public library

the public library system in pasadena is extensive with countless programs happening at ten different locations across the city.  we've been fortunate to live near two locations - the beautiful central library (shown above) and our local villa parke location.  books can be requested from any branch to be picked up at whatever location is convenient.  the main central library has frequent art displays, a small used book store, and a coffee shop (among other things).  I will certainly miss the library.

#7 - free concerts

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  we have arrived at the top ten things about life in pasadena.

#7 - free concerts

one of the coolest things about living in pasadena is the levitt pavilion summer concert series.  getting in to free music concerts is always a good thing, but when they occur four times a week throughout the summer, well that is a GREAT thing.  i thoroughly enjoyed katie herzig (pictured above) and the belle brigade (who are amazing - go check them out right now!) - two artists i probably would have paid to see, but i got to see them for free. 

while writing this...  i'm wondering if i should have made this higher on my list.

#8 - the rose parade/doo dah parade

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#8 - the rose parade/doo dah parade

here in pasadena we love a good parade.  there is the big flowery one that everyone knows about, and then there is the much wilder local party known as the doo dah.  i love them both - especially comparing them to each other.  i think today's photos say it all.  the one from the rose parade is a beautiful designed train made of flowers, the doo dah photo is of a clunky mechanical cat made of carpet.

awesome.

#9 - bike week

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  we have arrived at the top ten things about life in pasadena.


#9 - bike week

for the most part, pasadena is a bike friendly city.  one of the best aspects is bike week - an annual event celebrating the city's bicycle community.  today's photo is a collage i created after this year's event (sorry, i'm reusing it) which was one of the best.

#10 - fuller seminary

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind (which thankfully, are already posted), and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  we have arrived at my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#10 - fuller seminary

let's face it.  this is the reason we arrived in pasadena four years ago.  without fuller, we probably would never have considered pasadena in the first place.  in many ways it has been more than i ever imagined.  not everything has been what i expected it to be, and sometimes i wondered what life would have been like at another seminary, but all in all i am glad i made the choice to come here.

fuller has challenged me, stretched me, and made me into a better thinker.  it has given me the foundation for a huge number of relationships - both at the mentor and peer level.  i am constantly amazed at the reach of this school in the global community, and i am proud to be one of its many alumni.

today's photo was taken recently.  compare it with this photo of me shortly after we arrived.  have i changed at all in four years??

#1 negative - disparity between rich and poor

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  today is the final installment of things i won't be sad to leave behind.

#1 negative - disparity between rich and poor

today's photo is of one of the many people who stand on our streets and beg for money.  disparity exists around the world - pasadena is not unique in this fact.  yet here in pasadena, we have one of the largest gaps between the wealthiest and poorest of any american city.  we have neighborhoods featuring incredible wealth and lavish expansive mansions, and we have families that are struggling to pay their rent and put food on the table (in fact our local shelters often run out of space and food).  peter drier, professor at occidental college, has written extensively on this issue.  you can find one of his recently published articles right here.

but you don't have to take his word for it.  just look at our local schools - some of the best private schools in the country, and on the flip side, some of the worst public schools.  old town pasadena is home to incredible high end restaurants, and just south of old town is a soup kitchen that is always filled with people looking for food.

fortunately, pasadena does have an incredible group of people dedicated to fighting this injustice.  if you are interested in learning more, this recent pasadena star article is a good place to start.


finally, here's a brilliant clip on the gap between the rich and poor from the daily show...

The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook

#11 - museums

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#11 - museums

pasadena boasts an incredible array of museums.  there are history museums, museums for kids, museums dedicated to a particular theme, and museums with a much broader appeal.  heck, there is even a bunny museum!  i love how accessible they are, that they have free days to visit, and that they are all so close together.  today's photo is from the armory center for the arts - an incredible institution dedicated to local art here in southern california.  i am definitely going to miss this aspect of california.

#2 negative - smog

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#2 negative - smog
 

while it might make for a beautiful skyline, the pollution hanging in the air above pasadena is really pretty terrible.  i hear it is much better than it was even a few decades ago - and all i have to say to that is i am surprised people were willing to live in that.  when we moved here four years ago i had very mild seasonal allergies (almost none in fact).  after a year of living here i had to take off the shelf allergy medication to make it through certain seasons.  by the end of the second year i was taking those pills almost every day.  by year three i finally got a prescription product, and now in year four i can already feel that starting to lose its effect.  

simply put, there is just a lot of garbage in our air here.  this article ranks los angeles county as the second worst place to live in the usa based on air quality (second to bakersfield, ca...  wow).  needless to say, we won't miss this - especially as parents of a young child.  it is time to get her some cleaner air.

#12 - parks

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#12 - parks

pasadena parks...  where can i begin?  well, for starters i wrote extensively on twenty of pasadena's parks (you can check out that series right here).  more than that, we have come to love the array of park options that abound as parents of a small child.  pasadena's parks are diverse in size, shape, and what they have to offer.  each one is unique in its offering - playgrounds? sports fields? pools?  check.  amphitheaters? nature walks? fitness equipment?  you bet.  trees, grass, and plants of all sizes?  we've got it. 

#3 negative - traffic

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#3 negative - traffic

just your average friday afternoon on the 210.  i will not miss traffic.

#13 - biking routes

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#13 - biking routes

los angeles county gets a really bad rap for its cycling culture.  let's face it - this town is owned by the automobile.  but, the san gabriel valley is filled with winding roads, mountain vistas, quiet neighborhoods, and quaint towns.  sometimes they are a bit hard to find, but that is what makes biking in this area so much fun.  ironically, when we left virginia i was sad that we'd be leaving the rolling country hills behind (you can see my lament in the list posted above).  i assumed it would be flat and boring out here, but it was anything but that.

#4 negative - leafblowers

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#4 negative - leafblowers

ugh.  leafblowers. 

fill the air with noise, polution, pollen, dust, and grime.  all in the name of making things clean.  every once in a while i hear that they are illegal within a certain distance of residences, but i don't see anyone following that rule. 

either way, i will not be sad to leave them.

#14 - hiking

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#14 - hiking

we didn't take advantage of this often enough during our time here.  there is incredible hiking within a very short distance of pasadena - much of it found in the san gabriel mountains. 

#5 negative - cost of housing

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#5 negative - cost of housing

let's face it.  los angeles county is an expensive place to live.  pasadena isn't one of the cheaper neighborhoods either.  the building featured in today's photo lists their condo prices on their website.  for around $500,000 you can purchase a one-bedroom condo in this old town pasadena location.

half a mil.  for one bedroom.  this is something we clearly will not miss.

#15 - the rose bowl

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

 

 

# 15 - the rose bowl

iconic in every way, this looming stadium is tucked away in the arroyo seco.  its precarious environment doesn't prevent it from hosting huge events throughout the year from college football to international soccer to major concerts.  we were fortunate to check out a ucla football game during our time here, but the highlight rose bowl event for me was the incredible u2 concert that was streamed on youtube and eventually released as a concert dvd.

#6 negative - fire season

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#6 negative - fire season

this one needs little explanation.  this photo was from 2009 during the awful station fire that destroyed much of the san gabriel mountain range just north of pasadena (coincidentally, one of the highest visitor totals of any photo i've ever put up).  fire season fills the air with smoke, rains ash down across the city, and sparks fear in the lives of people who live near the the burn zones.  i will have no problem leaving this part of pasadena behind.

#16 - food!

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#16 - food!

oh pasadena.  shortly after we moved here i heard that pasadena has more restaurants per capita than any city in  the country outside of new york.  i'm not sure if that is true, but it sure feels like it sometime.  we've enjoyed trying restaurants all over the city - from burgers to thai to mexican to chinese to ice cream to the gourmet food truck revolution...  and many more!  the incredible thing is that the food world doesn't end at pasadena's borders, but exists throughout the other parts of this area.  we will miss this foodie paradise.

#7 negative - sprinklers/water waste

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#7 negative - sprinklers/water waste

it may surprise some people to learn that pasadena is a pretty dry city.  from may through the end of October we average only 1.7 inches of precipitation - not monthly, for that whole stretch.  much of our city water comes from northern california and from the colorado river, which means it takes a lot of energy just to provide this area with water.

and what do we do with it?  why, we water our lawns!  the pasadena water and power figures say that we use 29 million gallons of water each day in the city.  just going on national averages of around 50-60% of water being used for landscaping, we use a LOT of water simply to make our homes look nice.

i was happy to find this sprinkler turned off, because quite often you will find them on and leaking water on the curbs, sidewalks, or roads.  don't even get me started about sprinkler systems that still come on during rain storms.  the water we put on our lawns is one thing, but every once in a while I still see people using a hose to spray off their driveway or sidewalk.

let me come down off my soapbox for a minute and say that we have been really inspired by some of our neighbors - those who use "grey" water for their landscaping or convert their lawns to drought-resistant landscapes.  some people have opted to switch from the traditional grass lawn to a productive fruit and vegitable farm, and that just makes me smile.  i grew up in a part of the world where lawn watering was almost unheard of, and water was not a commodity that had to be rationed and argued over.  i certainly will not miss this aspect of pasadena.

#17 - old town pasadena

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#17 - old town pasadena

slightly trendy and a bit more upscale than we usually appreciate, we've still loved how close we are to this pasadena hotspot.  old town has a bit of everything.  it is walkable, accessible, and certainly one of the most appealing things about life in pasadena.  today's photo is of the corner where the kitchen is located - one of our favorite places to eat in old town.

#8 negative - changing seasons (or lack of)

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#8 negative - changing seasons (or lack of)

don't get me wrong.  we loved the weather here.  a touch of snow on the mountains is all we ever saw, rare rainy days, and a very comfortable daily temperature make pasadena an incredible place to live.  but for two who grew up in the northeast, we miss having four distinct seasons.  this happy family photo was taken on christmas day with nary a snowflake to be found.  likewise, our fall season has only a few trees which lose their leaves.

okay, maybe i'm just being a nitpick with this one...

#18 - academy 6 theater

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#18 - academy 6 theater

"the cheap theater" as it is known is an incredible thing about this city.  movie tickets are regularily priced at the whopping price of $3, while matinees come in at $2.  wednesday night brings a special deal - two tickets, two orders of popcorn, and two sodas for $10.  sure the movies are not the latest releases, and the picture quality is sometimes a bit off, but this has been a great source of cheap entertainment for us during our time in pasadena.


additionally, happy 5th anniversary to my incredible wife!  let's go out on a date tonight - but maybe somewhere a bit nicer than academy 6.  i love you!

#9 negative - distance from family

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

#9 negative - distance from family

let's face it, we knew this would be an issue before we even moved here.  pasadena is far from where i grew up, and far from where meredith grew up.  we've made friends here that are like family, but we still miss those who we love dearly.  we won't miss the distance from our family.

#19 - artnight pasadena

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to include ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

yesterday was the first negative item, today i'll move on to the next positive one...

#19 - artnight pasadena

pasadena has a plethora of free community events throughout the year.  one of my favorites is artnight pasadena - an openhouse for the local museums (such as pasadena museum of california art, pictured above) and art galleries which is free to all.  the night includes shuttle service from venue to venue, foodtrucks, walking and biking tours, and much more.

#10 negative - helicopters

august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

here is the first negative about pasadena...

#10 negative - helicopters

i'm sure there is a good reason for having noisy flying machines buzzing overhead...  news, traffic, and police all use them i'm sure.  but for the amount of noise they create, and the time of day they fly (usually late in the evening), they are certainly one thing i will not miss about this city.

august theme day: post card worthy/#20 - the san gabriel mountains

this is a special theme day for me.  on the first of every month, city daily photographers from around the world post an image on the same theme.  but this is my last theme day (by the way, you can see every theme day i've participated in here).


august will be the last month of the sky is big in pasadena.  

i have accepted a position at salford mennonite church in harleysville, pennsylvania.  we will be moving in september, so august will be my farewell month to the city of pasadena.  when we moved here from virginia i posted a list of the ten things i would miss most about harrisonburg.  i figured that would be a good way to end our time here, so each day i will be doing one final rundown of life in this great city.  i have prepared two lists - ten things i won't be sad to leave behind, and twenty of my absolute favorite things about pasadena.  i am going to start with ten positives and ten negatives, alternating back and forth each day.  concluding with my top ten things about life in pasadena.

today kicks things off with...

#20 - the san gabriel mountains

backdrop to many of my photos throughout the four years of this blog, it is hard to argue with their inclusion on my list of favorite things about pasadena.  we enjoyed hiking in these mountains, we enjoyed biking in these mountains, and we enjoyed simply having them in the background of our lives here.


as i mentioned before, people from all over the blogosphere are working with today's theme.  click here to view thumbnails for all participants

here's a treat!

a tasty photo from old town pasadena's favorite frozen yogurt joint, 21 choices.

i have something big planned for tomorrow, and for all of august.  but for now, i know what you are all waiting for - the answer to thursday's trivia contest!

there were only six correct answerers who submitted "memorial park".  i'm not sure if that is because only six people were interested in prize i was offering, or if the question was just too hard for many of my readers who don't live in pasadena.  either way, a random number was selected by random.org...

 
and since timmy was the first person with the correct answer, he wins the copy of helen of pasadena!  congrats mr. tim.  i hope you enjoy.  for those who missed out, you can still buy a copy for yourself at your local bookstore, or by visiting the online monster linked below...

Aussie Rules Football

when some friends asked if i wanted to go watch some australian ex-pats play one of their national games, i had little idea what to expect.  my only contact with australian football had been a few highlights on tv.

we made the trip to a sports park in encino and were pleasantly surprised at how accessible the game was to watch - even for a newbie.  we watched the los angeles dragons defeat the san diego lions.

certainly something that i never thought i'd do, but we had a great time.

pasadena palmed sky

quintessential photo for this blog.

more skywatch friday photos from around the globe can be found at this link.

contest time!

okay people, here is how this thing is going to work.  we have an extra copy of the lovely novel "helen of pasadena", set in (you guessed it) the city of pasadena.  if you would like to own this book, simply leave a comment on this blog entry with your answer to the following question...

in which pasadena park is this pint-sized train depot located?

if you need a refresher on the pasadena parks, you can check out my park series from last year.  the winner will be chosen at random from those who post the correct answer.  i will announce the winner on sunday's blog post.

eastward on colorado blvd

more of green street

frozen yogurt with which toppings?

summer is here.  time to head on down to cherry on top for some self-serve frozen yogurt with the toppings of your choice.

at the corner of green street and lake

enjoy your summer sunday!

hangin' with dave

skywatching fireworks

this is a photo from our recent trip back east.  our visit included a ballgame with some people to celebrate a family birthday.  the game even included some post-game fireworks, hence today's photo.

more skywatch friday photos from around the world can be found right here.