We can’t take full credit for rescuing Baxter.  All of that should go to Stray Cat Alliance.  Here’s Baxter’s story:

He and five other cats were going to be killed at the Orange County shelter for merely being exposed to mange.  Yes, you read that correctly.  He didn’t have mange (and even if he did, it is totally treatable and easily cured), he was exposed to mange.  That is death sentence for cats and dogs in shelters across this nation.  Thankfully,  Stray Cat Alliance swooped in and pulled Baxter out of the shelter with only moments to spare.  The other five cats were rescued as well.  Unfortunately, one cat was killed by the shelter before it was able to be saved.  ~RIP little guy.  I’m sorry that humans can be so cruel ~

I had just recently begun volunteering with Stray Cat Alliance when Baxter’s story come through my email.  I love all cats, but I REALLY love black cats!  I couldn’t resist and jumped at the chance to help Baxter in any way.  We weren’t ready to foster, so I helped Baxter and Stray Cat Alliance by picking Baxter up from the vet after he got neutered and transporting him to his temporary foster home.  I stayed a while there with him to help him get settled in and then left him in the hands of his temporary foster mom.  A few days later, he moved to a more permanent foster home.

Within two weeks, he was adopted into his forever home, thanks to Stray Cat Alliance.  Here is the description of his new life…

“Baxter is happy in his new forever home and everyone just loves him! On his first day there he explored the whole house and made himself right at home. He loves playing with toys, especially the feather on a string attached to a stick — he runs really fast and does somersaults trying to catch it and makes his new mommy & daddy laugh. And they said he’s really snuggly too and has been friendly to everyone he’s met, including his new sister Chloe. This is Baxter laying on his daddy’s stomach while watching birds out the window. This little boy was only hours from being killed at the shelter…”

Like Stray Cat Alliance on FB

Follow Stray Cat Alliance on Twitter

Go to the Stray Cat Alliance site to sign up to be a volunteer.

Many residents of Southern California have orange trees in their yards.  They are as common as Maple trees in Vermont.  Our oranges are usually ready to pick in December.  After picking our oranges, we soaked them in vinegar water in the sink and scrubbed them with a sponge.  Since we harvested an entire tree full of oranges, we will have have enough to eat as fresh produce, share with neighbors and make orange-cranberry muffins!  Here is a guide to learn how to grow your own orange trees.

]]> http://www.raisingcalifornia.net/when-to-harvest-oranges-in-sunny-southern-california/feed/ 0 http://www.raisingcalifornia.net/our-family-rules/ http://www.raisingcalifornia.net/our-family-rules/#comments Mon, 03 Dec 2012 08:16:24 +0000 L.A. Mama http://www.raisingcalifornia.net/?p=1377

I don’t usually buy art at Bed Bath & Beyond, but when I saw this plaque, I could not stop myself from buying it because these are OUR family rules…to a tee!  There are only two rules missing and those are: treat others in the way you would like to be treated and keep your hands to yourself unless you’re giving hugs or affection.  If these rules describe your family, you can find quite a bit of similar plaques and wall art at Amazon.  I love knowing that Tennessee and California will see these rules many times a day every day!

]]> http://www.raisingcalifornia.net/our-family-rules/feed/ 0 http://www.raisingcalifornia.net/eco-friendly-gift-wrapping/ http://www.raisingcalifornia.net/eco-friendly-gift-wrapping/#comments Sun, 02 Dec 2012 23:20:00 +0000 L.A. Mama http://174.120.127.90/~raising/?p=174
California turned FOUR yesterday, so we had a party for him at our house. When we received the gifts that we had ordered from Amazon.com, we noticed that we had TONS and TONS of paper that had been used as packaging. There was literally so much paper that I could not see the living room floor (see pic below).We decided to use this paper as gift wrapping instead of buying wrapping paper that is made from newly chopped down trees. It is very difficult to find recycled wrapping paper, but why buy it when you can recycle your own! We wrapped his gifts, then we all added our own personal art as decorations (see pic below).
Other eco-friendly party ideas that we included were:Using California’s previous drawings as decorations on the walls.
Using his newborn picture as a centerpiece on the table.
Using organic ingredients to make his cake.
Recycling and/or reusing any and all packing materials leftover from the party.

*We thought by using his own drawings and his newborn picture AND adding our own personal touches to his gifts, that this party was a true celebration of HIM and his beautiful soul.

We love to support local small businesses when we get the chance to do so!  The Good Pizza in the communities of Westchester and Playa del Rey in Los Angeles makes it easy to support local small businesses because their pizza is so yummy, so healthy and can be personalized to meet each person’s unique needs and  interests.

They have a smorgasbord of toppings, including our favorite…FRIES!!   Fries on pizza?  YES, please…we LOVE it!  In addition to offering many toppings and combinations, the guys that work at The Good Pizza are incredibly nice and personable.  They are also very knowledgeable about vegetarian and vegan diets.  When I called to order a pizza and told them that I was vegan, they explained to me that their crust did not contain butter, but was made with olive oil instead and that they would gladly make me a cheeseless pizza. They didn’t make me feel like a crazy person for not wanting cheese on  my pizza either; they were totally understanding and supportive!

If you’re in Los Angeles and are looking for an incredible pizza experience, check out The Good Pizza and forget those national chains who don’t care about their employees or their customers!  Check out The Good Pizza and download their menu today!

Every year during the holiday season, we are bombarded by the newest tech gadgets, the latest, greatest big screen TVs (many of which have been banned in California by the way), more obnoxious lead ridden plastic toys and everything else to distract us from what the holiday season should be about.  What is that, you say?  LOVE, KINDNESS and COMPASSION.  So, I went on a search for gifts that pay it forward.  I have compiled some of my favorite choices for conscientious gift giving below (not listed in order of importance):

1) Give the Gift of Nature
Adopt an Acre
Plant a Tree
Adopt a Coral Reef
Give Carbon Offsets
OR  Choose from a large selection of gifts that benefit nature at The Nature Conservancy

2) Adopt an Endangered Animal
Choose from an assortment of 100 different animals For just $50 you will receive:

• Soft plush version of your adopted animal wrapped in a cloth WWF gift bag
• 5″ x 7″ formal adoption certificate
• 5″ x 7″ full-color photo of your species
• Species spotlight card, full of fascinating information about the animal
• FREE priority shipping
• Personalized acknowledgment letter to your gift recipient. See sample letter.

If you provide an email address for the gift recipient, they will also receive the following Bonus Online Premiums:

• Printable, personalized adoption certificate for the species adopted
• Computer desktop images of the adopted animal
• Instant messenger icons of the adopted animal

Become a member of the Adoption of the Month Club You or the lucky recipient will receive a different plush every month for the next 12 months, while your gift helps protect animals and preserve habitats around the world.

3) Adopt a Cat or Dog
Save an animal from being killed at your local animal shelter. Adopt a cat or dog and give them the gift of LIFE while giving other members of your family a friend for life! To locate an animal shelter near you click here —- > Locate an Animal Shelter

4) Buy gifts that benefit Breast Cancer Research, Child Health, Rainforest Preservation and much more at The Hunger, Breast Cancer, Child Health, Literacy, Rainforest & Animal Rescue Site

5) Volunteer anywhere… Click here to find a volunteer opportunity that is just right for you!

6) Give the Gift of Charity
Looking for that perfect holiday gift?  Go with a Good Card! The Good Card is a gift card with stored value that can be redeemed as a donation to any of more than 1.8 million charities. Click here to give the Good Card — >The GOOD Gift Card

7)   Feed the Hungry
Click here to locate a food bank near you to drop off groceries.
Donate to Feeding America Every dollar buys 9 pounds of food, every five dollars buys 10 bags of holiday groceries!

8)   Give of Yourself

Give Blood! Why is your blood needed? The blood supply needs to be continually replenished. Only 38% of Americans are  eligible to donate blood and out of those only 8% actually do. That amounts to only about 3 out of every 10 people. Your donations make a difference! Click here to find a blood drive near you.

Give Hair!   Go to Locks of Love dot com to find out how you can donate your own hair to return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children.

Give Organs!
Each organ and tissue donor saves or improves the lives of as many as 50 people. Giving the “Gift of Life” may lighten the grief of the donor’s own family. Many donor families say that knowing other lives have been saved helps them cope with their tragic loss.

9) Donate Toys to Underprivileged and/or Sick Children

Click this link to find a Children’s hospital near you.

Click this link to find a Toys for Tots donation drive near you.

10)  Smile at someone.  Say kind words.  Do nice things for people.  Treat others the way you would like to be treated.  Walk a mile in another person’s shoes.  Be patient with others.  Love.

If you allowed your kids to see the movie 2012 (or if they snuck in without your permission), the five minute excerpt below is just a taste of what they might have absorbed into their impressionable minds while munching on popcorn and twizzlers. The clip below shows the total destruction of Los Angeles. Click on it to watch, but make sure the kids are out of the room because it is ridiculously scary.

In addition to the movie 2012 causing a stir, The History Channel should be renamed “The Hysteria Channel” for airing various programs regarding 2012 being the “end times” and “doomsday” while blatantly misleading their viewers to believe that several cultures and sources have predicted the world will end in 2012.  Because the culture of fear has seemed to drown out the voice of reason, I decided to post information for parents on how to talk about all this scary stuff with their kids.

Let’s start out with a little background info:
First of all, let me assure you that I know what I am talking about.  I have been researching the Mayan calendar for the past 10 years.  Am I an expert who has written a book?  No, but I have been blessed with impeccable intuition and good, solid common sense.  The Mayan calendar is circular as shown in the image above.  There is no beginning and no end (did ya get that??? -  NO END).  The Mayans believed in a series of cycles, therefore they apparently believed (based upon astronomical observations and complex mathematics) that the end of the final cycle will occur on December 21, 2012.  This is Winter Solstice; it happens every year.  Winter Solstice represents the exact day and time when the days will become longer and the promise of rebirth in the Spring.

What happens when a cycle ends?  It starts all over again from the beginning.  That is what we can expect from December 21, 2012.  A new beginning to a new cycle.  A transformation.  Some say this will be a cosmic and/or spiritual transformation.  The important thing to know is that the Mayans did not leave us any warnings of any kind because they did not see this as the end of the world.  As a matter of fact, the Mayans still exist today and they refute the notion that the world will end on December 21, 2012.  Read this link to learn more about what the Mayans have to say about 2012—> Mayans Say the World will NOT End in 2012 Top experts in the field of Anthropology have indicated that the Mayans didn’t predict the end of the world at all and even predicted events that are to occur for the next 400 million years!  Read about it here —> Mayans Never Predicted the End of the World

Here’s what to tell your kids:

Age birth to 4
Just tell them that 2012 is a big number.

Age 5 – 8
Tell them that a lot of people think something is going to happen then, but they are wrong.  Make sure that your kids know that you are confident about this and assure them that everything will be fine.  Tell them that kids will be talking about it more and more as the year approaches, but it is just because it is on TV all the time.  Open the door to communication about this subject because they will hear about it from their friends at school eventually.

Age 9 – 13
Tell them that the Mayan calendar is circular and has no end and that 2012 is just the end of a cycle.  Make sure that they understand that people are making a big deal about this because of books, movies, TV and stuff they read on the internet.  If they ask about catastrophes, tell them that there have always been earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados, tsunamis etc and there might be more because of Global Warming, but even the best Global Warming scientists have not predicted the end of the world.  Once again, keep that door to communication open about this subject.  Kids have lots of questions and incredible insight that needs to be expressed openly and freely.

Age 14+
Communicate with them as young adults.  Don’t patronize them or condescend.  Show them that you are confident in your beliefs by planning for the future.  Ask them to help you plan a New Year’s Eve party for the year 2012 or some other event past December 21, 2012.  Tell them everything in this  post and incorporate the following talking points.  Show them the links if they are interested.

1.  The Mayans did NOT predict the end of the world in 2012.
As a matter of fact, their hieroglyphs show that the Earth and humanity was still alive and well in the year 3772 as noted in the article mentioned above.  Link —>The Mayans Say the World Won’t End in 2012

2.  Nostradamus did NOT predict the end of the world in 2012.
As a matter of fact, Nostradamus continued to make prophecies about humanity well into the year 4000.
Link —>Nostradamus Made Predictions from the Mid 1500′s to the year 4000

3.  The Bible did NOT predict the end of the world in 2012.
As a matter of fact, the Bible states that no one knows the precise date and time the world will end, not even Jesus.  Mathew 24:35-36 “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.”

4.  The Hopi did NOT predict the end of the world in 2012.  Period. Their prediction is vague and ambiguous and gives no dates or years.  Link —>The Hopi Prophecy

5.  Scientists did NOT predict the end of the world in 2012.  They have predicted strong solar flare activity that actually began this year which is not unusual since solar flares go through an 11 year cycle of being “quiet” then becoming “active”.  Enhanced activity means satellites and even power grids on Earth are at risk of electrical malfunction.  While blackouts are a possible scenario, they are hardly the apocalyptic end of the world. Link—>Solar Flares

6.  The I Ching did NOT predict the end of the world in 2012.  This widely accepted notion was “invented” by two brothers on an acid trip in the 70′s.  Link —>The Invisible Landscape: Mind, Hallucinogens, and the I Ching

By the way, California is not going to fall into the ocean, so Maynard James Keenan of the band Tool (I am a HUGE fan by the way and I have seen them three times in concert) will not get his wish in 2012.  We won’t have to “learn to swim” just yet as suggested in the song Aenima.  Links —>Aenima Lyrics (Warning: Explicit) Listen to Aenima (Warning: Explicit)

Keep on keeping on.

It is important for all residents of Los Angeles to be prepared for a tsunami if they spend any amount of time near the coast. A major aspect of being prepared is to know the warning signs of a tsunami.

WARNING SIGNS OF AN IMPENDING TSUNAMI

An earthquake
An unusual rapid receding of the ocean
Receding of the ocean/tide that seems unusually far so that it exposes the sea floor
Ocean tides that surge inland
A loud roaring coming from the ocean (some have said that it sounds like a freight train)

Tsunamis are caused by earthquakes, landslides, volcanic eruptions and meteor impacts, which are extremely rare. There are two types of tsunamis, local and Pacific-wide tsunamis. Local tsunamis can be caused by an earthquake near the coast or offshore and landslides. Pacific-wide tsunamis originate elsewhere. If Los Angeles were to have a local tsunami, the first wave could hit within 10 minutes, with little or no time for officials to issue a warning. That is why it is very important to know the warning signs of a tsunami and get to higher ground immediately. Pacific-wide tsunamis reach the coast of California within at least an hour, which gives ample time to issue a warning and evacuations.

Recent studies,cited by National Geographic, have shown that California is more prone to tsunamis than previously thought. According to Costas Synolakis, the director of Tsunami Research Center at the University of Southern California, “…even moderate earthquakes near the coast can generate large tsunamis by generating submarine landslides.” He also notes that this type of tsunami is capable of generating waves as high as 40 feet tall, which is similar to the waves that swallowed Japan on March 11th, 2011. CNN reported that some of these waves went 6 miles inland.

The inundation maps for Los Angeles included in the brochures/PDF files do not take into account the possibility of waves reaching 6 miles inland. Since much of L.A. is situated on slightly higher elevations than the areas noted in the brochure and maps, it is understandable that the waves wouldn’t reach many areas even on the coast. However, one thing that hasn’t been addressed is the fact that the Los Angeles River and Ballona Creek both lead to the ocean. My research (as noted below) indicates that these waterways, that are lined with concrete, could act as a channel for waves to surge throughout other parts of L.A.

Los Angeles County Coastal Monitoring Network : “Tsunamis can be amplified by bays, harbors, lagoons, or rivers and flood control channels, which can funnel the water and send it further inland. Stay away from rivers, flood control channels, harbors, marinas, and bays that can funnel the water from tsunamis”
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: “Stay away from rivers and streams that lead to the ocean as you would stay away from the beach and ocean if there is a tsunami”
Red Cross: “Tsunamis can travel upstream in coastal estuaries and rivers, with damaging waves extending farther inland than the immediate coast”

The Los Angeles River (images below) twists and turns through Los Angeles and spans more than 51 miles. The following communities within Los Angeles, sit on the banks of the Los Angeles River:
*Canoga Park
* Reseda
* Van Nuys
* Sherman Oaks
* Studio City
* Universal City
* Toluca Lake
* Burbank
* Glendale
* Los Feliz
* Atwater Village
* Elysian Valley
* Glassell Park
* Cypress Park
* Chinatown
* Lincoln Heights
* Boyle Heights
* Vernon
* East Los Angeles
* South Central Los Angeles
* Maywood
* Commerce
* Bell
* Bell Gardens
* Cudahy
* South Gate
* Lynwood
* Paramount
* Compton
* Long Beach

Ballona Creek spans nine miles across the southwestern portion of L.A. through the neighborhoods of Culver City, Mar Vista, Del Rey, Marina Del Rey, Playa Vista and Baldwin Hills. It ends at Marina del Rey in the Santa Monica Bay portion of the Pacific Ocean. Below is a picture of Ballona Creek. On the left are the back yards of residents who live the community of Culver City, on the right is the lower portion of Mar Vista, showing Mar Vista Gardens. If you click on this picture to enlarge it, you will see the Pacific Ocean at the top.

The Los Angeles River and Ballona Creek were both lined in concrete and channelized after the Los Angeles Flood of 1938. After four days of rain fell on Los Angeles in February and March of 1938, 5601 homes were destroyed, 1500 homes were damaged, 115 people were killed and 800 cars were stranded. Although measures were taken in an effort to prevent flooding through channelization, these waterways flooded the city of Los Angeles again in 1969, 1980, 1983, 1992 and 1994 (read more about the Los Angeles Flood of 1938). Could a 40 ft wave traveling with great force and speed be funneled through these channelized waterways? If so, the loss of human life and devastation would be tremendous! Please take a moment to look at the photographs of the Los Angeles River and Ballona Creek above to judge for yourself as to how many lives would be in jeopardy (click on each to view larger). Los Angelenos need to prepare for this possible scenario. Go to ReadyLA.org to learn more about how to prepare for tsunamis, earthquakes and flash floods and build a disaster preparedness kit.

Sources:
CNN coverage of Japan Earthquake and Tsunami
City of Los Angeles Emergency Management Department Tsunami Brochure
Los Angeles County Coastal Monitoring Network: Safety Preparedness – Tsunami
L.A.Times: California Tsunami Could Come with No Warning
National Geographic Tsunami Facts: How They Form, Warning Signs and Safety Tips
Nationl Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration: Tsunami What Should You Do
Red Cross: Tsunamis
Suburban Emergency Management Project: Los Angeles Basin’s 1938 Catastrophic Flood Event

A couple of weeks ago, I was watching an episode of John Edward Crossing Over. There was a man lamenting over the passing of his wife. He described her as an “amazing woman”. Then he went on to say, she did everything…she cooked and cleaned and made everything perfect. “I miss her so much because now I have to do all of these things by myself and I don’t know how I am going to get by.” WHAT??? First of all, I was struck by the disbelief that his own fear of having to take care of himself superseded his grief of losing his wife and the mother of his child. Unbelievable.

My boys want to learn to cook. They think it is fun. They love helping me with the more complex recipes and love to cook all by themselves also. Tennessee (age 10) makes his own grilled cheese and cheese quesadillas. He also uses the microwave to make his oatmeal in the morning. He also makes many things that don’t require the stove on his own. He serves himself his own cereal, makes PB & J sandwiches and PB & Honey sandwiches. He helps with baking cookies, muffins, cake etc. California (age 4) loves to cook also. He also helps with the more complex recipes and baking.

Below are some photos of Tennessee and California in the kitchen:

Tennessee and California are vegetarians.  If your children are vegetarians, you might want to start them out cooking with this cookbook—–> Kids Can Cook: Vegetarian Recipes

We had the privilege of meeting a turkey a few years ago at the Gentle Barn (which was located in Tarzana, CA at the time).  He was such a sweet, gentle bird.  He followed us around and loved to be petted.  Our experience with Tommy (the turkey) mirrors that of Erik Marcus, the author of Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating.  He noted that, “Turkeys remember your face and they will sit closer to you with each day you revisit. Come back day after day and, before long, a few birds will pick you out as their favorite and they will come running up to you whenever you arrive.”  To read more interesting facts about turkeys click here —>The Hidden Lives of Turkeys

Tennessee really loved going to the Gentle Barn to hang out with Tommy, who is pictured above.  Unfortunately, Tommy is no longer with us (read his life story here), but the Gentle Barn has rescued four more turkeys who can be adopted this Thanksgiving.  We are vegetarians, so we never eat turkey, but we thought we would go a step further this year and adopt a turkey for Thanksgiving.  If you would like to adopt a turkey this Thanksgiving, there are several organizations who have turkey adoptions this year. The following links will take you straight to the adoption of the turkey of your choice.

Gentle Barn $7.00 per month

Farm Sanctuary $30

World Animal Foundation $35

Animal Acres $15

If you would like to learn more about turkey farms click here —> Turkey Farms

Click here to read about our last family Vegetarian Thanksgiving.