Grilled Avocadoes.
Everyone’s fine in my in-law’s universe…their house in San Diego apparently survived, although they are not there…they drove 10 hours up Route 5, over to Riverside, and then south again in a giant upside-down horseshoe to get to the palm tree farm in the low desert (all the direct routes east over the mountains were blocked by fires), where they are staying. The second, smaller farm, which is up in the mountains (near Palomar) did burn, however. They lost buildings, vehicles, and their entire crop of avocadoes. Avocado trees take four years to mature—these were old trees that my FIL had severely trimmed back in 2004…we were all waiting for the boon of fruit to come in next year. Now, not so much. They’re charred to the ground, although the palm trees (Queen Palms and King Palms, which do better in mountain climates) seem to have weathered the firestorm. The in-laws have no immediate plans to go back to the coast…all the roads remain closed. They’ll squat on the farm in the desert for a while. At least they had somewhere to go…and somewhere to go back to.
R. is supposed to be back home sometime today.
Charred avocadoes is very very sad-but I am glad everyone is safe. I’m still looking for a relative, but I’m sure he’s ok-just don’t know where he is… ~lmc
Comment by: lisa - 10.25.2007 - 2.12 pm
So glad they are safe!
Comment by: Donna - 10.25.2007 - 2.15 pm
Whew. Glad they’re safe and have a place to return to. Too bad about the avocadoes…the media say the avocado crop is ruined this year.
Comment by: OmegaMom - 10.25.2007 - 3.24 pm
Damn. I just hate to hear those stories. Sorry!
Comment by: christie - 10.25.2007 - 4.00 pm
Avocado trees are funny, aren’t they? We have one that drops a bunch of leaves one year, then pops off a couple weensy fruits another.
Anyway, you, thanks for the update. I’m glad that they found something better than Denny’s and that their home is ok. I’m sure it will be great to have R back home for both you and Ms. Bee. XO
Comment by: wzgirl - 10.25.2007 - 4.00 pm
The title of this post made me hungry - but I’m so glad they’re okay!
Comment by: Maia - 10.25.2007 - 5.02 pm
Thanks for the update. I’m glad they’re safe.
Comment by: Beeb - 10.25.2007 - 8.55 pm
And to think that as a toddler I used the fruit of the avocado tree in the backyard of the house on Honolulu Terrace in Whittier (at the botom of the firebreak road) only to konk my baby sister on the noggin!
Glad to hear everyone’s OK except for the fruit.
Comment by: FDChief - 10.25.2007 - 9.33 pm
Glad they’re okay. Sorry to hear they lost a farm, though. So scary, these fires.
Comment by: Cavatica - 10.26.2007 - 9.01 am
I found my relative this morning-he died a few days before the fire. Old age and all that, not surprising-but the chaos around the fire delayed us finding out. Life is so strange, here I was worrying about him being in the path of the fire… anyway, didn’t want to leave that comment hanging out there. ~lmc
Comment by: lisa - 10.27.2007 - 5.01 pm
Glad to hear that your in-laws survived the fires. Too bad about the avocado trees, though.
Comment by: Mrs Pushy - 10.29.2007 - 10.45 am