Ever since childhood, I have loved birds. And I think the feeling is mutual. Once a hummingbird landed on my red shirt and tried to sip nectar from my cheek. Just recently, I had a long and loud conversation with a Stellar’s Jay. So when a reader told me that one of the best birding spots in the country was just south of Oakland, I perked right up.
The Elkhorn Slough doesn’t sound very sexy, but it’s now on my top 10 list of California places to see. And the best way to see it is on the Elkhorn Slough Safari, a two-hour boat trip hosted by Capt. Yohn Gideon, a naturalist, and equipped with binoculars so you can spy on everything from pelicans fishing to otters feasting on juicy innkeeper worms.
It’s the Nature Channel come alive and the subjects seem unaware that a pontoon of wide-eyed Homo sapiens is sleuthing through the slough. If birds of a feather flock together, than this place is like a giant avian festival with a round-the-clock worm and fish buffet.
Never again will I pass by Moss Landing on my way to Monterey. I’m going back to this little fishing village to whale watch, bike ride and study the wildlife. Because the next time a bird calls me, I want to be able to answer.

PET PROTECTION: Thirty bucks doesn’t buy much these days, but it’ll pay for some piece of mind when it comes to your pet. That’s how much Oakland Animal Services charges for inserting a microchip in your cat or dog. The chip is injected with a needle behind the scruff of the neck and yes — some animals freak out. But it takes only five minutes and may someday save their life. If your pet ever gets lost and ends up in a shelter, the chip can be scanned to find the animal’s owner. Kirsten Park with the East Bay SPCA says that’s what happened with the rust-colored retriever they found in their parking lot this summer. When they scanned the dog’s chip, it led them to Matthew Quick of Euclid Avenue, who was ecstatic to get the call.
“And the dog was insanely happy to see him,” says Park, who adds that because collars fall off, microchips are a great way of ensuring that pets always has identification.

THWARTING THIEVES: It’s no secret that cars are constantly being stolen in Oakland. In fact, Robbie Neely with the Montclair Safety Improvement Council says she’s aware of an alarming increase in auto thefts and break-ins in the past 12 months and her group has a solution. The MSIC is selling The Club (the well-known wheel locking device) for $15 dollars.
Pardon my pun but that price is a steal, and Neely says they’ll be selling The Club at the Lion’s Club flea market in Montclair Park this Sunday.
At least one reader says she’ll be locking her steering wheel from now on. Her stolen car was just found last week and a suspect arrested.
“There are always shady characters out late at night around the corner of Park and El Centro,” she writes, and she says at least one of her older neighbors was mugged, recently, in her own front yard.

LUCKY GUY: Does anyone ever win those big chain store contests, with prizes like cars and trips and cash? Just ask hills dad Lynn Beckwith, who without thinking, put in an entry for Comp USA’s free ride contest last month. The drawing was the next day and his co-worker even told him he didn’t have a chance. But one chance is all you need, sometimes, and Beckwith got the call — he’d won the 2005 Honda Element. The irony is, he’s somewhat of a car buff — already owning three vehicles that his wife, Claire Weber, says he washes and waxes each week. If she gets her way, this new “free ride” will turn into some free cash.

WHAT INTERESTS teenage girls? Music and makeup, that’s for sure. Shopping and boys — goes without saying. But Girl Scouts? Now you’re getting into a select group. You see, girls may start out as scouts in grade school, but by high school they’ve lost interest.
That’s why I’m honoring Troop 2399, eight hills sophomores who’ve just earned their Silver award. With leaders Twila Foster and Meredith Forristal, they compiled a guide to Bay Area Girl Scout campsites which details everything from numbers of cabins to cooking facilities. And they did this on top of their homework and sports and church commitments.
Now it’s on to the Gold Award for these girls who’ve been together since kindergarten at Corpus Christi School in Piedmont. And that’s what’s so special. Despite going to different high schools (St. Mary’s, O’Dowd, Miramonte and College Prep), they’ve stayed together to achieve a goal very few Girl Scouts achieve.
Congratulations, girls. In life, as in scouts, I know you’ll “go for the gold.”

‘RAT PACK’ REVIEW: Hills mom and musician Rebecca Faiola says “The Tribute” (playing at the Post Street Theater in San Francisco) is the best impersonation of the “Rat Pack” she’s ever seen. She ought to know, since she and her husband, Frank, have their own Sinatra tribute band that plays parties all over the Oakland hills.
“We were delighted to see this style of music performed ‘live’ with a full orchestra and all four of the ‘Rat Pack’ on stage singing their classic tunes,” she says. Faiola says the singers were spitting images, both visually and vocally, of Frankie and Dino and the boys and she highly recommends the show for a great night out.
Meanwhile, Rebecca and Frank have their own Sinatra gig coming up soon — a fund-raiser for Saint Theresa’s School. You can book them to play your events by calling 510-326-3553.

DEJA VU: If a cat has nine lives, how many lives does a building have? Joe Sullivan may be wondering over at The Book Tree on La Salle Avenue, where cars have smashed into the front of his store twice in three years. Both episodes involved seniors and in the latest accident, a pedestrian was injured on the sidewalk. The car “hit the bricks” back in June, as they say, and cracked the old facade, which will be hard to replace. Still, it could have been worse, and hopefully the driver and the pedestrian have recovered from their injuries.

CRIME WATCH: Despite the police patrols and the $22,000 a year spent for security by Bay Alarm, merchants are still getting robbed in Montclair. Both Movie Express and Noah’s Bagels have been hit at gunpoint this summer, and it’s unnerving to say the least. But thefts have been prevented, too, according to Raimondi’s owner Al Atallah. He says Bay Alarm provides escorts on request after dusk and also checks shop doors to make sure they’re locked. What more can be done? Like a neighborhood watch, maybe the merchants need better communication when they see suspicious activity. It seems to be vital in this place and time.

SWINGING SINGLES: The Oakland A’s bats weren’t the only thing swinging last weekend at the Coliseum. Reader Lynne Orloff Jones tells me Saturday was Yahoo singles night — where the price of admission was “just the ticket” for a new romance. And the pre-game warm-up wasn’t bad, either. It included a free wine reception with a glass and five tastings. Can you say “Yahoo”?

APPARENTLY some of us have too much time on our hands. We saw the new signs for Shepherd Canyon Park and, against our better judgment, followed them. They led us up Escher, a little-used road that winds around and leads — nowhere, really. Certainly not to Shepherd Canyon Park, which is several hundred yards down a very steep hill. So we turned around, puzzled, and went about our business.
But this is where the story gets good. Mike Petouhoff, president of the Shepherd Canyon Homeowners Association, says the city signs aren’t entirely wrong.
“We wanted them to say Shepherd Canyon Resource Conservation Area, he explained, “but they didn’t turn out that way.”
You see, the park is really 34 acres and extends from the soccer field up the hill to Escher Road. The city has been promising to clean up and grade the hillside for years, as part of the park’s master plan to create more trails and usable space.
To their credit, crews did haul a lot of junk out off the hillside in the last couple of years — but now progress seems to be stalled. And as autumn approaches and soccer ramps up, it would be nice to see another alternative for parking — perhaps on Escher with a trail going down to the field. In the coming weeks I’ll find out more and bring it to you.

WOMEN POWER: Picture this. Twelve of Montclair’s best “movers and shakers,” all women, coming together under a full moon to brainstorm for a friend. The meeting was called by local chef and caterer Lisa Lesowitz, who wanted ideas for growing her business — A Chef’s Eye on upper La Salle.
“The universe just started sending me these incredibly accomplished women so I got them all together,” she said, adding they shared tons of ideas over dinner and drinks. Lisa is a great cook (she was the Haas family chef for three years) and I’m sure she put out a super spread the other night. She says the next party she has will be a celebration of the decisions she’s made. I’m hungry just thinking about it.

BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT: Not many folks make their living with a blender. Hills native Scott Gordon is one of them. Just over two years ago he and his wife, Ali, opened Quenchers in Orinda. They wanted to serve something healthy for kids that tasted good, and Montclair already had two smoothie shops. So Ali and Scott, who met at Montara Middle School, headed over the hill and through the woods to 21 Orinda Way. Now local schools are buying their drinks and business is brisk. All in all, it was one smooth move.

MONTCLAIR MEMORIES: With the passing of the legendary cabaret singer Hildeguard last month, reader Gay Parker remembers when the entertainer came to have dinner with her mother Dottie a number of years back.
“While the leg of lamb was cooking we came into Montclair to go dress shopping on Mountain Boulevard,” she recalls, saying Hildeguard bought a lavender gown and one or two street dresses. “She enjoyed Montclair very much and I’m sure they enjoyed her spending over $1,000,” she says.

E-MAIL BAG: Reader Lin Barron is a little miffed with the city’s landscapers, who he says did a “hack” job on Montclair’s island of native grasses and trees as you enter town.
“Don’t tell me it’s fire prevention,” Barron writes. “The surrounding roadway remains untouched, clogged with dry weeds.”

ANIMAL TALES: Thanks to Anne Nunez who sent me the photo of a prominent Piedmont family out strolling the other day. Mr. and Mrs. Duck (Donald and Daisy) were looking so good in their feathered finery that they literally stopped traffic in the 5600 block of La Salle. It was quite a procession with not one but six little fuzzballs waddling behind.

What kind of person dumps tires and trash — even cars into a watershed? The word “litter bug” isn’t strong enough to describe a scofflaw like this. “Dumper” doesn’t do it either. But whatever you call these folks, they’re living all around us and leaving their junk along Pinehurst Road on the way to Canyon.
You should have seen what crews pulled up last week in an effort to clean up decades of dumping. Over a dozen old cars and hundreds of tires. It was incredibly hard work with workers using cranes and other heavy equipment to hoist the junk up to the road and haul it away. And EBMUD paid plenty to get the job done.
Maybe the canyon will stay clean for a while. And maybe horses will fly, too. One thing’s for sure. Seeing all that trash made me lose a little more faith in people. I think I need an attitude adjustment.

STAYING CALM: If you owned a business, what would you name it? In the case of Eryn Harrison’s new salon, the name is a reflection of her mood. When she opened Calm A Salon at 4315 Piedmont Ave. this summer, her goal was to create an oasis.
“I didn’t want it to be a hustle and bustle salon. Everybody has these crazy busy lives and when you’re in my salon I want you to be calm,” she said. But around Eryn, it’s hard to be anything but calm. She’s sweet and soft-spoken and has lots of friends from her years of styling hair in Montclair.
In fact, leaving the village was one of her biggest fears.
“Working at the Hair Tailor — it was so important to be part of the community,” she said. (Eryn grew up in Montclair and still lives in her family house). But she says her new neighbors have been wonderful and very supportive. In fact, they’re all salon owners who’ve created a little mecca for the body and soul. Good luck in your new location, Eryn. Montclair’s loss is Piedmont Avenue’s gain.

HIGH TIMES: Hills artist Michael Grbich is walking a pretty thin line these days. In fact, it’s a tightrope which he uses for mental stimulation as much as for exercise. And at 73, he’s got some pretty lofty goals, including a lesson next month with Philippe Petit. Petit is the guy who walked a tightrope between New York’s Twin Towers 30 years ago. Grbich won’t be doing any high-wire walking , but you could say he’ll be “learning the ropes” from the expert.

VILLAGE FREEBIES: It seems the Montclair branch library is becoming the place for free books and I don’t mean the ones you check out. Folks have been leaving stacks of paperbacks and periodicals by the front door with increasing regularity. It’s mostly done after hours and librarian Leon Cho says he doesn’t need (or have room) for most of the donations, so he leaves them out there. Eventually they get picked up, either by eager readers or the recycling guy.

Greetings from South Dakota, where I’m vacationing with my mom, dad and daughter. Three generations– each with their own agenda and me as the “tweener” in the middle. Here’s how the trip has gone so far.
DAY ONE IN CASSVILLE, WIS.: My folks trace dad’s genealogy, I buy some cheese curds and my teen tunes out with her iPod. We all share a room with a really loud air conditioner and there’s a constant cue to the bathroom. Dusk comes and my folks go to bed and we are expected to follow. We toss and turn until midnight, then settle into a deep slumber that is shattered by the rustling of newspapers and a percolating pot of coffee. “Did I wake you?” asks mom in her most surprised voice.
The accommodations are better on days two, three and four. Our condo on the golf course in Galena, Ill. (home of Civil War hero and President Ulysses S. Grant) has two bedrooms and, more important, two baths. Harmony is running high until dinner, when my teen wants Italian and my folks are grossed out by the huge plates of pasta that are brought to the table.
“How can anyone eat all this?” my parents remark. “We’ve lost our appetites!” The enormous portions come up at least 10 more times in conversation before we get the bill. My dad complains of heartburn half the night and we all wake up in our crabby pants the next morning.
DAY FIVE: The dirty clothes are taking over the back seat of my father’s Buick like a growing living organism. It breathes and it’s threatening to consume everything in its path. My teen freaks out and spends the morning in the Laundromat. We arrive in Pierre, S.D., in time for a Buffalo dinner.
DAY SIX: I would kill for some fog. The Midwestern heat is addling my brain and my teenager swears she can’t go outside.
Mom says she’s chilly and adds another layer of clothing. At dinner, my folks ask us how we can eat such spicy food.
“Maybe it’s why you’re always hot,” they remark.
And so the trip goes, with conflict and compromise as we blend the generations. Club Med it’s not. But I wouldn’t trade the laughter and memories for any vacation on earth.

TAKING CHARGE: A few weeks ago, I mentioned a dangerous section of sidewalk in front of the Blockbuster in Montclair. At least two readers reported tripping on the walkway and wanted it fixed. Well, the wheels are in motion and Public Works is addressing the problem.
But there’s more to the story. There’s apparently a city-operated call center now where you can report stuff like this and have someone take action. It’s staffed by Sabrina Jones, who is described as a truly dedicated employee. The number is 510-615-5565. Give it a try and let me know what you think.
“CADDYSHACK”: It’s a blast from the past at Oakland’s Claremont Country Club. Reader Timmy Fanning says he’s earning money for college this summer as a caddy at the venerable Broadway Terrace golf course.
“I carry two bags and make $90 for four hours of exercise,” he said, adding that you don’t even have to be a golfer yourself — you just need a strong back and legs. And it doesn’t hurt to look good in one of those white caddy jumpsuits they wear, either.

HELPING HAND: From Oakland to Africa — A timely gift is on its way to some of the world’s poorest people.
Local author Susan Urquhart-Brown says she’s sending copies of her book “The Accidental Entrepreneur” to fledgling businesswomen in Tanzania, Uganda and Kenya. Susan has seen for herself how hard women are working there to overcome poverty. After her last visit, she said: “I was inspired by the women’s enthusiasm, work ethic, generosity and gratitude and their ability to do so much with so little.”
Susan wrote the book after launching her own business in 1995.

E-MAIL BAG: Reader Chuck Harrison (who was instrumental in getting the drop-off mail boxes at Mountain and Colton) is on another crusade. He wants a crosswalk in front of the Montclair Library.
“Young children are especially vulnerable,” he writes, adding that speeding cars have been an issue on this section of Mountain Boulevard. Then there’s the problem of parking. “While it’s possible to slip into parking behind what I still call The Montclair Women’s Club building at Thornhill, it is far safer to go where there is off-street library parking at the Dimond branch (on Fruitvale Avenue) and at the Rockridge branch (on College Avenue).” Anybody for valet parking?
And speaking of the Oakland libraries, the waiting list to check out the newest Harry Potter book is around 400 people. J.K. Rowling could probably write another book in the time it takes to reach the top of the list. But then again, saving $25 might be worth the wait.

EVERY TOWN has its characters. Some sip coffee in the same spot each day, chatting and laughing as the fog swirls outside the window. Others walk — and walk — as if driven by a purpose we can’t comprehend. And then there are those just doing their job, day after day, but with a spark that ignites a smile from everyone who passes by.
This is the story of Morris Hogg. For 36 years, he’s been ringing up groceries — 29 of them in Montclair at Lucky and now Albertson’s. He’ll be retiring in the fall, and reader Yvonne Byron thought it would be fun to interview him for this column. Here’s what she wrote:
Morris was born and raised in Oakland. He graduated from Castlemont High and went two years to the College of Alameda.
Things have not always been easy for Morris. His wife died five years ago of cancer and he has had two strokes (thankfully, he has totally recovered). Through all this, he never seemed to lose his cheerfulness. “It takes a lot to make me mad,” he says.
Morris has met a lot of luminaries at the store — author Maya Angelou, actor Denzel Washington and sports figures too numerous to mention. He has enjoyed working in this community, getting to know customers and trading recipes. But he’s looking forward to fishing in the Delta, playing Dominoes, visiting his time-share in Las Vegas and, of course, spending more time with his three daughters and five grandkids.
Why did Yvonne take the time to talk with Morris for this column?
“It takes a village to make a pleasant life,” she said, “and he’s been part of my life.”
Next time you’re shopping — wish Morris well.

E-MAIL BAG: Speaking of retirement, reader Dan Melvin says a popular Montclair AC Transit driver is about to retire.
“Tom has been driving the 59/59A line for the past several years and, prior to that, drove the 64 line (which used to connect the Cal campus with the Merritt College campus). He is one of the most personable, professional and courteous drivers I’ve met in my 35 years of riding buses on the AC system, and — most remarkably — he is on schedule 98 percent of the time!”

VOICE-MAIL BAG: A flurry of phone calls and e-mails has come in since my column on the weed-covered lot next to the Skyline fire station. The city reacted with lightning speed (yes, it’s true!) after it was brought to the attention of Councilwoman Jean Quan’s office.
Now readers want to know when other problems will be fixed.
“The fire hydrants on Skyline between Joaquin Miller and Ascot are completely engulfed in weeds,” said one caller.
Jeanine Fetterly said the sign at Swainland and Broadway Terrace is on the wrong side of the road and hidden by a tree.
Kathryn Sawyer wrote that there are many city-owned properties with high weeds, including a lot at Colton and Arrowhead. And Charles Bret said there’s a blind curve at Broadway Terrace and Capricorn where a stop sign is needed. In response, I’ve forwarded these complaints on to Quan’s staff and will let you know what I hear.

MANY APOLOGIES: When writing recently about the Joaquin Miller Elementary School T-shirt collection that was made into a quilt, I mistakenly spelled the creator’s name wrong. Congratulations again to Carolyn Heywood and happy retirement!

WHEN PEOPLE TALK, do politicians listen? In some cases, no. But this a success story of a “grassroots effort” to get the grass (OK, weeds) trimmed back on one of our city-owned lots.
Not long ago, neighbor Joel Markowitz mentioned in an e-mail that there was a dangerous situation on a blind curve at Skyline and Manzanita drives.
“Would you know whom to contact at the city to get them to cut back all the weeds?” he wrote.
I forwarded the e-mail to Richard Cowan with Councilwoman Jean Quan’s staff, and he put me in touch with Deputy Fire Chief James Williams.
“The lot in question should be cleared by June 9,” Williams responded, adding, “Thanks for bringing this matter to our attention.”
And so it was done. The guys came in and wacked the weeds and the once junglelike lot is now “sporting” a trim new look. A crew cut.
So once again, the words ring true. It really does take a village.

E-MAIL BAG: Many pardons for forgetting the space between blue and bird in last week’s item about the Scrub Jays and the Pussycat. While Scrub Jays are blue, “they are not bluebirds,” says reader Larry Jacobs. “A bluebird would/could never harass a cat because they are way too small and skittish to hang around any mammal.”

FLIGHT PATTERNS: Speaking of flying critters, Martha Bauman has a regular butterfly house in her hills yard. Hundreds of Monarchs are sipping the nectar and flitting about in a big, white-flowered tree that’s in full bloom right now. By the way, this connection with the animal kingdom seems to run in Martha’s family. She reports that her sister-in-law once had a brood of birds nesting in her front door wreath.

OUTDOOR OFFERING: One of my favorite authors, whose novels are often set in the Oakland hills, has an outdoor reading in Larkspur next week. Jessica Barksdale Inclan and acclaimed writers Kim Addonizio and Susan Browne will be sharing their work under the Redwoods at the Lark Creek Inn, June 22nd. It’s part of the popular restaurant’s monthly outdoor dinner series and it’s free to the public. For more information, call 415-924-7766.

WAITING PATIENTLY: From the “get a life file” — I’m still waiting for the high chairs to return to the Montclair Starbucks. Manager Mike Knutsen says he’s looking for seats that meet the company’s safety and budget concerns, but high chairs are a low priority compared to things like ordering coffee and hiring employees. Still, it’s a shame to spoil the view from the best picture window in town. High up you get the low-down on life in the village with a front-row seat to everything from dog fights to traffic altercations.

AND FINALLY: The Town Crier would like to report a theft. It’s not a big-ticket item but a small piece of metal marking an Oakland hills street. Someone has stolen Uranus off its sign post at the intersection with Broadway Terrace. Perhaps it was a prankster or maybe even an astronomy buff. I can only report one thing with certainty. Uranus is missing and police don’t know where on Earth to look for it.

I LOVE being shuttled around in a golf cart. It makes me feel so — important. So it was great fun motoring through the new children’s section of the Oakland Zoo the other night.
Zoo Director Dr. Joel Parrott was giving a sneak preview of a place kids are sure to love when it opens June 25. Bats and bunnies and bugs (oh my) will be living it up in their new digs. There’ll be pigs and goats and gaters too — along with a few dozen Orb Weavers (spiders with the world’s largest webs). The new Valley Children’s Zoo has been a long time coming. We dreamed about it way back in the ’80s, when I was on the board of directors. Soon it’ll be finished. And all those animals will be joined by something even stranger. A swarm of Homo sapiens.

ANIMAL TALES: I’ve heard of the owl and the pussycat — but this is ridiculous. Hills couple Tina and Bill Panzer say their cat was being bothered last month by a couple of plucky bluebirds.
“Whenever we let Jessie out, no matter which exit from our house she used, the two Scrub Jays would instantly appear and follow her around squawking nonstop.”
Tina says this went on until one day they left the door open and one of the jays flew into the house.
“It was quite a scene, the bird flying around the room, Jessie chasing it and my husband and I chasing them both,” she writes. The bird and the pussycat were rounded up and sent to their respective corners, so to speak. And that bout apparently settled the score. The jays haven’t been back since.

THAT STINGS: Swimmers at the Hills pool were stunned, last week, to see a swarm of bees passing directly overhead. Someone must have disrupted their hive in the regional park nearby because they were angry and on the move.
Meanwhile, a vector control guy was down in the Glenview district removing a hive, bare-handed, from a Bottlebrush Bush in front of the Diggery Inn. Folks say he climbed right up and took care of business, ignoring the swarm that’s been bugging folks for weeks.

COMING TOGETHER: Reader Heidi Beck tells me she had a sweet reunion last week with a woman she hasn’t heard from in ages.
“She called me to say ‘congratulations’ after reading about me in your column,” she said. I had featured 82-year-old Heidi, last Friday, in a story about her daily swim at dawn. All that exercise and she still has the energy for her volunteer job at Children’s Hospital!

AUTHOR, AUTHOR: Seems like the timing is right for a book on boxing, and that’s just what hills sportswriter Dave Newhouse has finished. A labor of love, Dave spent years traveling the country and interviewing some of boxing’s biggest names.
And what does he think about the blockbuster movie “Cinderella Man”?
“Wonderful movie but a little sappy,” according to Newhouse, who says it falls short of a classic because of actress Renee Zellewegger’s locker room speech before the big fight.

THUMBS UP: Hills equestrian Joan Van Horn doesn’t let a little thing like a thumb bring her down.
In fact, after losing her digit in a horse trailer accident, she had the surgeon transplant her big toe on her hand. It was a pretty close match, actually, and after eight hours of surgery she was so grateful she threw a “coming out” party to celebrate. Pardon the pun, but after all Joan’s been through — you really have to “hand” it to her. What a good sport.