New roots planted in Bluebird Canyon

Reporting from Bluebird Canyon:

Unbowed by an unexpected rain and four years removed from being displaced by the Bluebird Canyon slide, Jim Moore and John Gustafson will be going home soon. Their groundbreaking ceremony was celebrated Saturday.

More than 50 friends, family members, and supporters were on hand to see the first shovelful of soil symbolically removed for the start of construction.

The hosts offered heartfelt appreciation for all in attendance and praised the efforts of Councilwoman Elizabeth Pearson, who was mayor at the time of the disaster and led the citywide rebuilding efforts.

Laguna architect Horst Noppenberger also received thanks for his pro bono design of Jim and John’s new home. Unable to attend, Bob Burnham, Monica Tuchscher and City Manager Ken Frank were deservedly recognized for their leadership.

Native sycamores, planted a year ago and thriving, and giant boulders, uncovered by the massive slope and watercourse repair, have already lent a pastoral sense to the landscape, which I had the honor to design. To ensure that the construction would proceed smoothly, the property was blessed by a Celtic house prayer, cleansed with sea salt and followed with the burning of sage.

I recollected that my revered Obachan, a devout Buddhist, threw salt over her shoulder after a funeral to ward off any evil spirits that may have followed her home. The celebrants also used salt to purify Jim and John’s property. My initial hesitancy to recommend this ritual was unfounded, as the celebrants were careful not to scatter salt on the sycamore roots, which might create excessive salinity in the surrounding soil.

Bundled sage was burned along the periphery of the property. Sage smoke is reputed to be effective in clearing away negativity. The sage bearers enthusiastically waved the smoke away from themselves to ensure that any remaining negativity was carried away.

Nineteen days and four years later, the journey of Jim and John had transitioned from despair to hope and anticipation. Soon, the property will be graded and the process of building a new home will proceed, under the capable direction of local builder, Robin Young.

As noted by Pearson, it was her profound wish that we would all return in a year’s time, to celebrate Jim and John’s open house at their beloved Bluebird Haven. See you next time.

 STEVE KAWARATANI is happily married to award winning writer Catharine Cooper, and has two cats and five dogs. He can be reached at (949) 497-8168, or e-mail to [email protected].