DEDICATION.

The best way I can think to describe the neighborhood volunteers that came out today is pure dedication. Six total and three stayed to the bitter end.

A giant Thanks goes to Joyce, Kevin and Denise. Thanks for being there for the medians.

It really turned out to be a lovely day overall. DPW was out and did the lane closure by 9am, and soon after the volunteers started arriving. Kevin was first as usual- excellent commitment.

People worked hard, on hands and knees, clearing, cleaning and making the medians very beautiful and uncovering some nice plants. Each person had their own technique and  their own way to deal withe the plethora of weeds and roots.

We saved the CA poppy as best we could (although I am pleased to say it is really filling itself in nicely as it does) and some of the miner's lettuce too. (Claytonia perfoliata)

I am so pleased.

I think now, if the DPW Landscape Architects are thinking for the future, they will see that it really is good idea to run strips of landscape cloth on each side of the narrow medians and add gravel to crate a weed deterrent mainly, but at the same time create a consistent look when they do this at Diamond and Bosworth.

Wish me luck.

I have learned, that unfortunately, all I can do is ask. They do what they want in the end and on their own time schedule. I became overwhelmed and still have not shaken the sensation.

I know I must sound bitter or something, but between dealing with the MTA, DPW and other third party contractors at the Diamond and Bosworth intersection and now SO many weeds and the hard working but light crew from the Clean & Green Crew (usually 6, but 3 today) I got overwhelmed...

With the amount of work a project this size actually needs, it got to me I guess. Ah, I complain. But the real story is how much the volunteers did out there today. One picture I made the mistake of not taking, was the pile of greenways scooped up and loaded off to the side for the DPW pick up. It was about 30 bags total. Lots and lots of weeds. 

I end with a sort of not dramatic enough for how hard we worked, before and after picture.

Maybe it is dramatic after all- can you see the Agave parryi in the weedy picture? it's there...