Last Thursday (July 2), we took some time out to visit the Huntington Gardens and Library, making use of their 1st Thursday of the Month Free Day. These Free Days are becoming more and more important as the Huntington will raise its Adult admission to $15 starting July 6th.

The main purpose of the visit, beyond our usual wandering of the gardens, was to pay a visit to the new Helen and Peter Bing Children’s Garden. This interactive space has 9 areas designed especially for kids. Everything is hands-on and interactive, including a Fog Grotto, Prism Tunnel and a Magnetic Sand play area. The last one was a big hit with all the kids.

The garden is using a temporary entrance and the surrounding buildings and landscaping are still in progress, but it was a fun time for all. Since the garden onlyt opened about 2 weeks ago, there were large crowds on the Children's Garden, but they seem to ebb and flow throughout the day.

While we were there, I shot a few photos to illustrate the gardens and some of the flowers found there. Click on the pictures above to see a complete gallery from our visit.

Career-Op: Abandonment Issues
by Douglas E. Welch, ComputorEdge Magazine

It happened again – this time to a close friend. After he worked with a computer consultant for several months, the person just disappeared. My friend’s phone calls are not returned and it appears the person who set up his entire office, has fallen off the edge of the Earth – and taken my friend’s passwords with him. As a computer consultant, and a conscientious one at that, it drives me crazy. Sure, I can pick up extra work from grateful computer orphans happy to have someone to help them out. Still, I often have to work long and hard to deal with their issues of abandonment and how it reflects on my work. If you take on the mantle of a computer support person, especially if you are working as a freelancer, you have certain responsibilities to your clients and those consultants that might travel in your wake. Don’t hamper your high-tech career by abandoning your clients whenever the whim strikes you.

Just in time for some July 4th Fun, here is Digital FireworX Screensaver - 2.6, a realistic fireworks screen saver for Apple Mac OS X.

Via VersionTracker: Mac OS X

Summer Sessions 2004
Date: Saturday July 10, 2004, 6 pm
Location: Museum Courtyard
Admission: Free

The Summer Sessions return with the finest world music has to offer! All concerts are free with no reservations required and take place at 6 p.m. in the Museum Courtyard and Garden Terrace.

Viva Americana! - The Summer Sessions kick off with a blend of Calexico's Latin-based Americana and the 7-piece Mariachi Luz de Luna for a performance of traditional and original material. Also exploring the variations of Latin rhythms and influence will be DJ Sloe-Poke and Los Abandoned.

The MoreStuff4Less Bargain Blog points out a coupon available at Target.com good for 25 FREE digital prints.

If you have some digital photos you would like to get printed on real photo paper, this might be the deal for you.

Last Saturday, we took advantage of the monthly Adventure Pass Free Day to visit the Angeles National Forest and reconnoiter some of the campgrounds there for a future trip.

We haven’t been into the San Gabriel Mountains for along time, despite the fact that we volunteered at the Chilao Visitor Center for 8-9 years in the time before Joseph arrived.

Despite having been away for a long time, things were much as we remembered them. Although, I must say, despite the Adventure Pass program, which is supposed to fund maintenance and improvements, the forest still seem to be lacking care and attention.

The Chilao Visitor Center was closed on a Saturday, when many people would have liked to tour its displays. The only major sign for Buckhorn Campground was missing, causing us to spend almost 30 minutes driving back and forth trying to find the entrance. Campgrounds no longer have permanent camp hosts, who kept an eye over each campground loop and, as a probable result, bathrooms were un-maintained and contained no supplies.

Despite these issues, though, we had a good time. Returning from our campground check we stopped at Red Box Station, 14 miles north of La Cańada Flintridge at the base of the road to Mount Wilson. This is now a information center and museum (Haramokngna) dedicated to the Native Americans that once roamed the mountains. They have a series of events each month including flute players and hands-on crafts. You can call Valena Dismukes at 323-295-9133 or email Kat at catcalls@aol.com for more information. They don’t yet have a presence on the Web.

The next event is a Soapstone Carving Workshop with Ted Garcia on July 18, 2004.

“Ted is an artist, storyteller and Chumash cultural educator. You will learn how to see and feel the spirit of the stone, and using files, rasps, awls and sandpaper you will be able to make a one-of-a-kind creation from the natural world – bear, dolphin, turtle, or ??? Cost: $15 + materials”

They have events set for each month, so call or email for on-going information. I will try and post upcoming events in my WelchEvents Mailing list and here, as well.

After this we drove down to Switzer’s Picnic are for a short hike to the falls. While there was little water in the creek at this time of year, the canyon is beautiful and cool, even on a warm day. The presence of water, though, brings forth and abundance of poison oak, too. If you ever wanted a perfect example of poison oak to show your friends or children, this is the perfect place. Luckily, most of the poison oak is well clear of the path and avoidable, if you know how to identify it.

Click on any picture to see a gallery of photos from our walk.

Etymologic, the toughest word game on the web.

From my friend, Jo Ann, over at Goosing Your Muse