Issue link: https://imageup.uberflip.com/i/1378711
By Pamela Rutherford, Resident Hi, my name is Luna Dakota. I'm a chihuahua/ cairn terrier mix and as of January 2021 I'm two years old. Yep, I'm in my terrible two's, but I make up for in cuteness, don't 'cha think? I love playing with tennis balls and chasing squirrels and birds. Mom says I'm really good at catching my tennis ball, but for some reason she's thankful I'm terrible at catching squirrels and birds. Dang they're fast! Mom and I moved here in June 2020. This was my first move and all I can say is I never want to do that again. Mom agrees! I love my back yard. I can run, play and roll around. It's a lot of fun! I live on what mom calls the Paseo, so I get to say hello to all our neighbors. I've met some really nice four-legged friends through the fence. One human even gave me treats! I liked that a lot. Mom's met a lot of nice two-legged friends too. We're both very happy here! Bye for now, see you on the Paseo. Pet of the Month Interview A Shameless Plug By Clare Mendez, Resident The Oak Glen Apple Blossom Festival was not on our plans for the weekend of April 17 and 18, but when we sat down to watch the morning news and saw the advertisement for the festival, I said, "Change of plans, honey. We're going to the Oak Glen." It had all the hallmarks of a fun day trip. It was close by, easy to get to, and outdoors. Plus, I was curious to see the aftermath of the wildfires last year (or was it the year before? 2020 is a blur.) The directions are simple, go north on Sanderson for 27 miles. After you pass through Cherry Valley you begin to see some of the burn areas. It is such a shame to see the skeletons of trees that have suffered a fire. At this time I was not sure what to expect when we reached the festival, but when we arrived I was not shocked. I was disappointed. Do you see the picture of the apple trees attached? They are not burned, but they are not in bloom either. I was hoping to see pale pink blossoms on every tree and smell the sweet fragrance in the air, but there was none of that. And, of course, it is not the right season to taste the fresh, crisp apples, but here we were. At least there were some poppies, other floral bushes, and hummingbirds to liven up the views. It is like writing articles for a magazine. It is impossible to know what will come in a month or more, so plans must be made (and articles written). Perhaps the locals were anticipating warmer weather and more blooms on the trees, but the show must go on. There were several live bands to liven up the atmosphere and vendors selling colorful goods. They even had a petting zoo for little kiddos. We visited the booths, played some games, ate the food, and watched some performances before heading home a bit disappointed. Alas, I knew the Edward-Dean Museum and Gardens in Cherry Valley had a beautiful rose garden and knowing the roses around our neighborhood are in bloom, we decided to take a look there on the way home. To our surprise, that too was not in bloom yet. Seems we had a mild winter but the flowers are still slow to open up. Next month will be a perfect time for this trip. We made a mental note to return in May. Although the Apple Blossom Festival is only one weekend a year, the festivities go on every weekend. And the rose garden, well, it will look magnificent in June. While you are there at the Edward- Dean Museum and Gardens, be sure to tour the museum too. It is an eclectic collection of 16th – 19th century decorative art. Oak Glen Apple Blossom Festival By Theresa Rossetti, Resident I hope many if not all of you are enjoying the Pet of the Month articles we have featured this year. We still have openings for our October, November and December issues. If you are even mildly interested in having your pet, whatever species, included this year, why not think about sending us some information and a photo of him/ her/it? If you are, please submit to Teri Collett for inclusion to our list. As an FYI, the Communications Committee has open positions available. If you might be interested, consider filling out a Volunteer Form and submitting it to Teri. We'd be delighted to have you! 12 SOLERA DIAMOND VALLEY | JUNE 2021