Bear’s-Eye View of Alameda for December 31, 2023
My original idea for this annual recap was to call it “The Scents of 2023” and feature all the locations that had the most interesting smells, but my publisher thought it would be better to widen the perspective since only my canine audience would appreciate the information. (Editor’s note: Embedding scents into the internet is strongly discouraged.)
January saw the opening of the Bohol Circle Immigrant Park located at the end of Fifth Street. I had been waiting for months for the fence to come down so that I could scoop the opening of the City’s newest park. On the 21st, I celebrated National Squirrel Appreciation Day by chasing as many as I could find.
In February, the Alameda Fire Department had a big graduation party for the new hires at the Alameda Theatre, and local yards were brimming with color from the winter blooming plants.
March came in like a lion, creating so much storm related damage to the island caused by downed trees. I celebrated K9 Veteran’s Day by sending my human companion to Coast Guard Island to attend the unveiling of the memorial to the dogs that were Semper Paratus (“Always Ready”) and served our country.
The big news in April was the completion of the renovation of the Alameda Animal Shelter with bright new kennels. Another significant opening was Signal Coffee just off Park Street on Central Avenue. Such good pastries. Yum.
As the weather got better, I ventured out to Harbor Bay Isle in May so I could check out Shoreline Park and write the first in the series of explorations of Alameda’s public parks. I visited the Veterans Memorial Park next to recognize the sacrifices Alamedans made for our country.
After months of waiting, CalTrans began the major upgrade of Encinal Avenue in June by grinding off the old asphalt. It was a loud and dusty process. I also got a modelling call to attend a photo shoot for the FAAS Alameda Pet Guide. Photo credit for that shot goes to FAAS staff.
Any July in Alameda is about the 4th of July Parade, and I was there to cover it. Unfortunately, July was also the month my human companion finally made it into the doctor to get his injured knee from the Great Squirrel Chase Incident checked out. The diagnosis was a torn meniscus.
In August, I revisited the new landscaping in front of City Hall to see how it was doing and if any of my canine friends had dropped by to check out all the blooming plants. Judging by the many varied smells, Alameda’s furry friends are enjoying the new landscape as much as I am. The City also launched a new shuttle service to Spirits Alley, which made my human companion very happy.
In September, the Alameda Unified School District announced that Lum School was going to be demolished, and PG&E detected a gas leak in front of my house. I put out a NO SMOKING sign.
October is the best month of the year for me because it starts the Halloween season. My friend LP got me an orange Kong type toy and filled it with crunchy peanut butter, and I made a ghost costume so that nobody would know who I was.
This November, I wanted to celebrate Native American Heritage Month in addition to Thanksgiving, so I visited the sculpture of Ohlone people on Buena Vista Avenue. Local street trees began the transition from the greens of summer to the autumnal colors of fall during the month as well.
For my December gift giving, I put together a basket of toys, treats, and chews for all the dogs in the shelter with the hope that all of them will find their forever homes in 2024. The surprise of the month was the mouse that made its way into the kitchen.
Finally, every year, my human companion collects poinsettias from the community for distribution to families that may not have the resources to celebrate Christmas the following year. If you, a neighbor, a business, or a place of worship has one or more poinsettias to rehome, he will pick them up and get them to the right people. Just send an email with your address to [email protected], text 510-220-1040, or leave a message at 510-865-7369, and be sure to include your address and contact info. He will be picking up the orphans the first week of January.
So, here’s to my last report for 2023. It has been a great year, and I want to thank all my loyal readers for your support over the year by commenting on my posts or clicking “like” on my photos and videos
Mouf, Roving Reporter
Bear’s-Eye View of Alameda
Mouf and his human companion can be reached via [email protected]. Their stories are collected at AlamedaPost.com/Jeff-Cambra/. All photos by Jeff Cambra.