I've landed in California after another 2 years in Africa and, once again, I find there are so many things to love.  For starters, I love the city of Pasadena, Southern California's only "real" city, if you ask me.  It's old enough to have a little history.  Pasadena has real trees with old roots and a spectacular city hall.  I love the affordable dining-out in this state, the crazy way the mountains almost touch the sea, the sense that anything can happen.  I love that people buy flowers and eat fruit and want to be informed, concerned and relevant.  

I tiptoe into the my areas of concern because I really don't want to sound as if I'm judging.  I just can't help being surprised by certain things during this month that we've been back.  So let's call this my short list of surprises.