The most eventful week in the history of Moon Canyon
Last week Friends of Moon Canyon hosted not one but two events!
On Thursday, around 25 people gathered in Michele's beautiful home to learn about the history of Mt. Washington. Guests filed in, sharing warm introductions and enjoying a beautiful spread of cold drinks and charcuterie graciously procured by Michele. The night would have been perfect with the beautiful view of the sunset and wonderful feeling of getting to know your neighbors, but this evening's events were just getting started!
This large group of neighbors crowded into the TV room, some on chairs and couches, some on the floor and one on an exercise bike. All had their attention on the guest speaker. Peter McNulty, engineer by day and historian by night, shared an in-depth and eloquent history of Mt. Washington. McNulty told his historical account starting millions of years ago, before Mt. Washington was even above water. He expertly transported us to the period when only Native Americans lived in Mt. Washington- the Tongva people. He described Spanish exploration and land disputes in this region, introducing us to the namesakes of our street names- Verdugo and San Rafael. He brought us all the way into the present, highlighting famous architecture that still stands today.
Anyone in the audience could tell that McNulty had put countless hours of time and care into building this account. McNulty wasn't just making google searches, he was reading archives and scoured the internet for the best quality pictures and most accurate information. Read a summary of the presentation, written by McNulty himself on the blog's home page!
The attendees then screened a short documentary about Egon Winkens' Gaspard House in Mt. Washington. The artfully shot documentary featured Mt. Washington's very own Dr. Donald Gaspard. Born in Mt. Washington as one of the neighborhood's earliest residents, Dr. Gaspard shared about what it was like building that house and living in it. Watch the entire short documentary here.
The night ended in a reminder to come to the event the following day. Embraces were shared, along with promises to "see you tomorrow."
The Friends of Moon Canyon got ready for the Tacos and Planting party to be held Friday night. Jesse and Michele got over 52 plants to home in Moon Canyon. DJ Selektra (Brianna) set up her turntables, the taco vendors their griddle, and fruit vendor her cart. I ran back and fourth between the canyon and my house, grabbing tables and turning on hoses and opening gates.
Guests began to arrive, bringing plates for a zero waste event and shovels to dig with. Over 50 people came! Every single one helped, some towing even more plants for the canyon. Participants dug holes, watering and gently placing future oaks into the ground. People young and old came. A gaggle of kids and a grandfather pushed load after load of mulch down the hill. Each person worked with diligence and care.
The community came together to invest in its own future. As global temperatures rise, these plants will provide shade for picnics. As carbon dioxide levels increase, these plants will sequester it. As fire becomes more of a risk, these plants will slow it down. This event was not just a birthday party for Jessie: it was an act of collective resilience.
We enjoyed tacos and fresh fruit as the sun went down, listening to Bri and Graham's beats. The sun set and the landscape had transformed. Before that day there had been under 10 native plants from FMC growing in the canyon, in just 4 8x8 plots. By the end of that day there were over 52 hyperlocal, straight-species plants in the canyon with mulch covering the belly of the canyon.
Toward the end of the night, it was time for a speech. Jessie's dad Peter stood at the top of the canyon, looking at his daughter in admiration. Through her generosity and determination, she'd brought the community together to do something truly remarkable.
"Jessie has a saying," he started, "that the best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, and the second best time is to plant it today. And that's what we're doing. So let's all come back here in 20 years and look at the work [we've done]. It'll be great. Jessie, happy birthday, darling!"
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