Nov 6, 2008

Why you might not want to live in California!

PhotoStory Friday
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

I have friends who say that they would never move to California.  Why?  Because they would worry about earthquakes.

Earthquakes don't really worry me, but they did when I was a child. Does anyone remember the scene in the 1978 Superman movie when Lois Lane got swallowed up by a massive earthquake?

I was eleven at the time and for years after seeing that movie I lived in fear that the inactive fault that ran near our home would break open and eat us alive.

I'm still living in Southern California and not only has our state not fallen into the ocean (another childhood fear), but I haven't been swallowed up by a giant crack in the earth.

My girls have experienced a few earthquakes, but they do not worry about them either. My California kids have a new concern. That concern is of wildfires.


I took this picture of the sun setting during the wildfires we had last year. Isn't it amazing how something so destructive can create something so beautiful?

40 comments:

Liz {Learning To Juggle} said...

That picture is absolutely amazing. I can't imagine what it must be like during the wildfires!!

Lori of I'm no super Mom said...

The picture is beautiful, but it is sad that there is such devastation to go along with it.

Rhonda said...

fantastic photograph but yeah, I remember seeing the fires on the news (and breathing the dirty air blown over here to my state afterwards) and worrying so much for the families in danger. It's just so frightening and devastating when so much land and homes are devoured by the fires. :(

Oh and I'm scared of earthquakes, hurricans, fires, floods, etc. I live in Az so we've been pretty safe. I'd be TERRIFIED to live in a place where any of these commonly occur.

Chris said...

The picture is gorgeous. We get the fires here too, but not so close to our homes. We are waiting for the BIG QUAKE here, that could happen anytime in the next hundred years. Give me an earthquake zone over a hurricane zone, any day.

♥ Becky ♥ said...

I've lived in No Ca my whole life minus 3 yrs in WA. But I would never trade this for any hurricane, tornado or snow blizzard.
I'm far enough up No where we don't feel the earthquakes, but I did feel the one in 1989 during the world series. But only a little. I do still have that fear though that CA will one day be its own island. :-)

♥ Becky ♥ said...

And by the way, the picture is amazing. To bad it was created by devastation.

Vanessa said...

Amazing photo! A few years ago the fires were so close, that when we woke up in the morning the entire sky was one giant cloud of red. It was very scary! I was in a Target for the last earthquake, my first earthquake in a public place! The way people reacted scared me more than anything else. :)

Sandra said...

I am born and raised her in Calif.

I ADORE this state. I have traveled all over the world... and we have it all!

Earthquakes scare me... but tornadoes and hurricanes scare me more.

Did you know you and I live only 1 hour from each other?

Naturally Caffeinated Family said...

Wow, it is beautiful, but so terrible too. I used to be scared of volcanos, we haven't lived near any, but I was scared of them, ha!

Cecily R said...

That shot is STUNNING. Wow. What a capture in the middle of all that destruction.

We live on a fault line too and I have really clear memories of earthquake drills in elementary school. I don't think my kids have ever done one. I wonder what's changed...

earthlingorgeous said...

Awesome shot! Yeah it's kinda amazing how something destructive can also be beautiful!

Earth

tiarastantrums said...

gorgeous - I so want to live in CA - when I was in my early 20's I wanted to just pack up and move there - but I couldn't talk ANY of my friends to go with me and I wasn't QUITE brave enough to have a go on my own. I wish I would have!! Because my heart still pines for CA - my hubs will NEVER move there (yes, the earthquakes)

Jo-Jo said...

I remember watching s NBC special movie (remember those?) and it was called the BIG ONE! I slept with a bag packed under my bed in case of an earthquake for months! (And I live in WV!)

Anonymous said...

That is a beautiful picture. It is unfortunate that it's caused by something so awful!

Lorina said...

Great Pic! My husband is from LA.. and wants to move back. I just don't want to deal with the crowds! haha.. I am pretty sure we will get there eventually.

Melissa said...

Yes, that is totally amazing!! I hope you didn't get any damage from those fires....?

magpie said...

wow- that picture is just a stunner. it really is amazing how many fires you guys have had- it always makes our news here.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous picture, but devistating all at the same time.

Brandy said...

What an amazing photo! I would have never guessed that was a picture of a sunsetting over a wild fire if you hadnt told me!

MamaGeek @ Works For Us said...

Your last paragraph summed it up exactly. That photo is pure perfection! Wowza.

Anonymous said...

why are you still blogging at midnight?!?

Michelle said...

In the 6 years that we lived in SoCal, there was one earthquake and 3 wildfires (one of them followed by a landslide).

Now, I live in Missouri, and unbeknownst to most people here, this area lies on one of the biggest inactive fault lines in the US. We've lived here for 8 years and have already had 2 earthquakes.

Carissa(GoodnCrazy) said...

Wow. Nuff said. Destructive wow. Nuff said. OR-ANGE! Nuff said.

k. done now.

A Crafty Mom said...

Amazing. That is just so powerful and captivating. I adore the colours, it's just so fantastic.

Mc Allen said...

your right,It is to bad it causes so much devestation.. Thanks for the pic its truely beautiful!! LA

Pecos Blue said...

It is lovely there. I lived there a long time and did not worry about earthquakes like i do tornados : )

Maki said...

Wow!! Gorgeous photo although it was indeed destructive.

I grew up in Tokyo up until 15 where earthquakes happen all the time. Then moved to Hawaii where there is almost no activity. A few years ago though we had a huge earthquakes which scared a hell ou of me and a lot of people. I thought I am used to ground shaking, nut I was wrong:)

I love California!

Mammatalk said...

I grew up in LA, too and I had that same fear of being swallowed up. Did you watch that same Dr. George Fishbeck special? So scary!

Haven't visited your blog in awhile. Glad I found you again! :-)

Krystyn @ Really, Are You Serious? said...

Wow! That is amazing!

Lindsay said...

Oh, that would scare me, too! I can't imagine living in the constant (and valid) fear of my house burning during part of the year.

And you're right, that is a beautiful picture! Too bad the expense it came at.

Judy said...

Hi Michelle,
Wildfires are intense. We've had a few by the coast this year (I live north of you) and the air has been like daggers for the eyeballs. Pretty sunsets though. Earthquakes are another story. Never know when. No warning. No idea how severe. Just remember (speaking as an old seismologist) do not sleep with anything that can crush your skull over your bed. Put out fires first. And stay away from down lines. Also broken glass is always an issue, so have a pair of sneakers by the bed to put on before exploring the damage.
Thanks for visiting my blog. See you next PSF!

KATE said...

I grew up in San Jose, so I totally remember that child induced fear of being swallowed by an earthquake. Then I experienced one and realized it was no big deal.

I do love that shot, it's gorgeous. In an eerie way.

Tiffany said...

I am a so cal native too. Was in Northridge for the quake of 94.... I HATE earthquakes.

Where are you? I am in Temecula... we are putting together a SITS get together for So Cal members!

Casey's trio said...

Beautiful picture. I'm in Northern CA and the wildfires have certainly been more of a threat in this state then earthquakes have been.

Emily said...

Love the picture! It is crazy how life and the world works.... Glad you stopped bye my blog.. love yours! it is darling!

angie said...

Here in Arkansas, the worry is tornadoes. I guess every state has something like that.

Gorgeous photo, but yeah, it's hard to appreciate because of the circumstances.

Christina Lee said...

that picture is sooooo hauntingly beautiful! what irony!

Claremont First Ward said...

The picture is absolutely amazing. Those wildfires are expected each year when the Santa Ana's start blowing, but the destruction they wreak is still a surprise. Remember the Whittier quake in 86 or the Northridge one in the 90's? Scary stuff.

Leah said...

My Husband is from Los Angeles. Great place to visit, but I'm happy over here on the East Coast. Your ocean is too cold! :)

Holly said...

That is a freaky-cool picture.

Here in Florida, we worry about hurricanes. But thankfully, we can track them and know when they're coming.

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