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We were heading west on Hwy 92 around 4 this afternoon, and we were getting close to Skyline, when we noticed a string of parked cars, and then a curious crowd of people looking over the edge into the canyon. Further west, we saw people parked in the lot on Skyline, arms crossed, looking downward.

The “weather & traffic together” channel was on the radio but no news of what must have been a horrific accident. Apparently we arrived just moments after the crash, and we wondered: “Is there a car down there in the canyon? Or maybe something bigger, a trailor? A bus?” We talked about the vehicles but what we really meant was, Who was in the car? Who’s down there? Are they okay?

There were no police or ambulances on the scene yet. But they were on the way; we saw the first ambulance half down the hill near Lombardi Spring. Fifteen minutes later we arrived home and the sirens of fire trucks and police made us wonder again, what had happened on Hwy 92?

Giant Bird of Paradise in my garden reaches for the blue sky.

If you haven’t read it, here’s the link to “The Three Richards,” click here

New to me: Richard’s got a new gypsy wagon.

“Half Moon Bay Californai Retailer Attempts To Build A Merchandising Empire”

“The Buffalo Shirt Company opened its doors sometime in March 1980. It is this reporter’s opinion that the owner

is a little crazy even if he does know good merchandise. The following is an excerpt from an interview I had with the owner not long ago. I had asked him the question, ‘What kind of store is this?’ And following is his answer, but it is so lengthy that I decided to title the answer

“(WHAT IS) AN ANACHRONISM?

“Not long ago, a gentleman was by the store. He looked all through the place, really studied it, kinda like an art student touring the Smithsonian. When he’d finished his tour of the store, he walked up to the divider door, looked into the back where I was working on a new bag design (and try to do it without joining my fingers with stiches) and he asked what I was doing back there. I explained that we make all of our own canvas products. Some right on the premises and others in friends’ homes.

“Ah, a cottage industry,” he remarked, and I agreed. He wondered why I had done it that way instead of going to a big contractor over the hill where I could probably have the made for less. I went on to explain how I and others working with me took pride in making a first quality product. One we could be proud to put our Coastside Creations label on. I also went on to tell him how we guarantee all of our products against ripping out where we had sewn the together and that we were so sure of our quality we made that guaranteed good for a lifetime. He kinda shook his head, curled his lips into a smile and mumbled something that sounded like, ‘that’s anachronistic.’ I wasn’t sure what he said or what it meant if he said what I thought he’s said so I continued to babble on.

Then he asked if we made the other items displayed in the store. I replied that once in a while I would get real ambitious and do some shape designing on a few western hats. But good hats were hard to come by and I didn’t use anything but 5X beaver hats and even when I could get them it takes so long for me to get one designed that I am usually sold out with people waiting. Then I told him that the rest of the items in the store were purchased by me from other manufacturers and we looked all over for the best we could find and that often we were able to offer the item at exceptional prices….”

During Prohibition and afterward, the Half Moon Bay crowd often visited the Purisima House for an evening of drinks and dancing.

(Photo courtesy Spanishtown Historical Society)

(This following document relates to the 1931 consideration of the Cassinelli Ranch, south of Half Moon Bay, as a site for the San Francisco County Jail.)

Notice of Appropriation

John F. Johnston

Dated June 14, 1912

Vol. 1, Water Rights, 62.

RECITES; Notice is hereby given by the undersigned John F. Johnston, that under and pursuant to the provisions of the Civil Code of the State of California, and as provided by law, he intends to, and does hereby,

I. Appropriate and claim the waters flowing, and to flow in that certain creek situated in the County of San Mateo, State of California, and commonly known as and called the “Arroyo Leon”, extending and flowing through the lands of the undersigned hereinafter mentioned, to the extent of 60 miners inches measured under a 4 inch pressure.

II That the purposes for which he so appropriates and claims said water are, for domestic use, the watering of livestock and animals and irrigating the lands hereinafter mentioned, and by and through such irrigation to promote the better raising and increased production of vegetables, grain and fruits.

III That the place of intended use of said water so appropriated and claimed is on those certain pieces or parcels of land situate in the County of San Mateo, State of California, and bounded as follows, to-wit:

1st. Lots Nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6k, 7, 8, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, and 35 of the Johnston Ranch, San Mateo Co., survey by J.J. Cloud Co., Surveyor, April, 1879, and which said map was filed in the office of the recorder of said county of San Mateo, January 25, 1885, and to which reference is hereby made a part hereof for greater certainty.

2nd. And after such use, first, and on said first described parcel of land, then any remainder of said water to be so used on that certain tract of land bounded on the north by the lands of Antone S. Cardoza; on the east by the said Arroyo Leon and the lands of the undersigned John F. Johnston, on the South by the County road from Higgins to the main county road from Half Moon Bay to Purissima, and on the West by said main county raid from Half Moon Bay to Purissima.

IV. That the means by which he intends to divert and appropriate said water of and from said creek is by a dam made, placed and maintained across said creek and a flume extending into the water above such dam, and thence through and across said dam and down the course of said creek on to the lands where said water is to be used as hereinbefore set forth, and that the size of such flume is and will be 12 inches in width and 11 inches in height or depth, and that said dam will be so made and placed across said creek at a point 960 feet distant, running and measured down and along the center of the channel of said creek, from that certain point where the dividing line between lots Nos. 28 and 29 as laid down and delineated on said map, intersects the center line of said creek (said lot No. 28 being known as the Pimental Tract and said lot No. 29 being the property of the undersigned.

Signed John F. Johnston

Acknowledged at the County of San Mateo, State of California, June 14, 1912 by John F. Johnston, before Lee T. Rose, Notary Public in and for the County of San Mateo, State of California.

But I picked up this beautiful pink rose bush.

Blue Sky Farms Nursery on Highway 1 in Miramar is open. I watched the rustic building go up, as all of you did, too, The cafe inside will be serving soon, give it two or so more weeks. Owners Sally and Ken Coverdell are waiting for someone very special to prepare the menu items. Wait ’til you see the appliances….big shiny new refrigerator and stove. Classy. Everything is first rate.

Outside there’s a nice selection of plants, many of them California natives, but Sally Coverdell is not a “purist,” so there’s a choice of other flowers. When I visited, there were blueberries, almost ripe enough to pick.

———

Here’s the true story by Coastside Photographer Michael Wong, Spring Mountain Gallery

In the year 1959, my family moved to Pacifica, CA., from San Francisco. All of a sudden, I was in peaceful Westview School. Up until then I had to fight to survive in the tough city. That year in second grade, I met a cute little girl named Deborah Hagler. We were immediate friends.

They sent me away to a new school for third grade, but in forth I was back. Debbie and I were kind of an item even at that tender age.

Debbie and her sister Laurie were artists in many ways. Debbie would have kids standing over her shoulders to watch her draw; her specialty was horses. I can remember the teachers would send them from classroom to classroom so that they could perform their singing and ukulele act: “We Ain’t Got a Barrel of Money”. They harmonized beautifully, and I was spellbound.

In one incident, I asked Debbie to please draw a horse for my wall.

Debbie drew a stick figure, and threw it at me. I laughed it off, but was puzzled. 36 years later, I would find out her reason. My whole childhood world would change drastically in the fifth grade. My Mom and Dad announced that we were moving. We packed up and I said goodbye to friends, teachers and to little Debbie Hagler.

Life wasn’t too bad at the south side of Pacifica. It was more of a surfer, coast part of town. I made friends, as all children do. Attended Terra Nova High School, and graduated in 1970. I won’t go into all that I’ve done with my life because that’s not what this story is about. Fast forward to the year 2000, 30 year class reunion coming up. As I logged into classmates.com, I couldn’t believe how many of my old classmates were writing online. It was unbelievable, almost a timeless world where we felt like teenagers again, writing stories and reuniting. The class reunion was a two-day success, including about 10 teachers. We had a blast, and a lot of it was planned through classmates.com.

Then the reunion was over, all that could be written on classmates was posted. Bored, I jumped over to our rival school, Oceana. As I read their posts I ran into a topic: “Westview Kids”. As I scrolled down, there was a class photo from my 4th grade class, my very young smiling face was something that I hadn’t seen for decades.

Who the hell posted this? Scrolling down I saw that it was Deborah Hagler. Almost 40 years had past, seeing her name gave me an exciting, wonderful feeling. I wrote to her through the message boards. She replied by telling me: “You were my very first boyfriend”. Since this was a public message board, we quickly went to private email.

Many emails and phone calls later, we made a date to meet in person. Our first meeting since we were very young children, it was as if we had never parted. We were instantly close….very close!! Oh, of course the question came up about the stick figure horse. It turns out that she was very upset (at 9 years old), because I had turned my attention to another girl in class.

Well, I have my horse drawing on our wall, and I have the bride that I was meant to be with all my life. Debbie and I were wed on January 9, 2002. For many pictures and stories about our life together, check out debwong.com