By Lynne Miller
ZEN
My Dad’s leather covered portable radio is on the porch playing the background to my summer days. Luke Easter just hit a homerun, and I hear my Dad shout softly, “That’s my boys.” The 6’4” first baseman ran the bases at Lane Field and the Padres, circa 1954, took the lead. That year, with Lefty O’dule as their manager Padres were first place in their league.
My summer days were quiet and I was often alone. I loved to wander the many vacant lots that sat at the top of Santa Cruz Avenue. The lot to the east of our house was owned by a friend. My dad, who was a transplanted Missouri farmer, grew turnips, blackberries, a variety of tomatoes, and corn, not quite as high as an elephant’s eye.
Those slow summer days when there was mostly sunshine, when the ocean turquoise touched blue sky, are part of my OBcean DNA. Bright silent butterflies played with me as the radio announcers play by play droned on and small birds cheered with trills.
House by house empty lots disappeared, but not completely. The single-home zoning allowed small cottages to sit inside of 50’ X 130’ lots. Locals watched as the changes happened naturally. People want to live here. Of course.
By Lynne Miller
ZEN
My Dad’s leather covered portable radio is on the porch playing the background to my summer days. Luke Easter just hit a homerun, and I hear my Dad shout softly, “That’s my boys.” The 6’4” first baseman ran the bases at Lane Field and the Padres, circa 1954, took the lead. That year, with Lefty O’dule as their manager Padres were first place in their league.
My summer days were quiet and I was often alone. I loved to wander the many vacant lots that sat at the top of Santa Cruz Avenue. The lot to the east of our house was owned by a friend. My dad, who was a transplanted Missouri farmer, grew turnips, blackberries, a variety of tomatoes, and corn, not quite as high as an elephant’s eye.
Those slow summer days when there was mostly sunshine, when the ocean turquoise touched blue sky, are part of my OBcean DNA. Bright silent butterflies played with me as the radio announcers play by play droned on and small birds cheered with trills.
House by house empty lots disappeared, but not completely. The single-home zoning allowed small cottages to sit inside of 50’ X 130’ lots. Locals watched as the changes happened naturally. People want to live here. Of course.