Mark Your Calendar for Demonstration Garden Events at COC

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hands wearing gardening gloves planting flowers

Join the Master Gardeners at the County Operations Center Demonstration Garden for monthly gardening and sustainability talks on the first Wednesday of every month from noon to 12:30 p.m. and enjoy some of the seasonal harvest available.

Feb. 1 - Microgreens

Join Master Gardener Dawn Standke as she shows you how to grow tasty microgreens in a matter of days with just a few items from your kitchen, potting soil and seeds. Microgreens are easy to grow and are fun for kids to watch and learn from. You can harvest microgreens when they are 3 to 4 inches tall. Sprinkle them on salad, add them to a sandwich, or blend in a smoothie.

March 1 - Pollinators

Experts DeLayne Harmon and Marsha Cook will teach you about our local pollinator population and the plants we can incorporate to help them flourish. From bees to butterflies and the plants themselves, they will cover all your questions. And they’ll offer planting suggestions to help creatures great and small.

April 5 - Friendly Inclusive Gardening

Join Master Gardener Stephen Cantú as he shows you how gardening is inclusive, friendly, and accessible for all ages and abilities.

May 3 - Summer Container Gardening

Get your hands dirty planting your own summer container garden. Master Gardener Heather Holland will give you all the water-saving tips to keep your plants thriving through the hot season.

June 7 - Trees

Trees are “AC” and can shade your home, reducing the need to crank that electricity. Learn about trees that grow well in San Diego region and determine where a tree will grow best in your yard.

The Demonstration Garden is the courtyard outside 5520 Overland Ave., San Diego.

What is Lunar New Year?

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The County Administration Center was lit in Celebration of Lunar New Year on Sunday.

In celebration of Lunar New Year, the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees (APACE) shared the following message:

The Lunar New Year is based on the Chinese lunar calendar, which corresponds with the phases of the moon. According to this lunar calendar, Lunar New Year begins on the first day of the first lunar month. This year, Lunar New Year falls on Jan. 22 and is observed for 15 days, meaning it will run through Feb. 5. 

New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day are traditionally celebrated with family and can include religious ceremonies honoring ancestors. 

On New Year’s Day, family members receive red envelopes with money that symbolize good wishes and luck for the year ahead. 

In addition, the holiday is celebrated with fireworks, lion dances, colorful lanterns and by eating what are considered auspicious foods like fish, dumplings, noodles, glutinous rice balls, spring rolls, rice cakes, rice cake soup and tangerines.

Origins

The origins of Lunar New Year are thousands of years old and are steeped in legend. One legend is that thousands of years ago a monster named Nian (year) would attack villagers at the beginning of each year.

Because the monster feared loud noises, bright lights and the color red, red paper decorations were pasted on doors, lanterns were burned all night and firecrackers were lit to keep him away.

Who celebrates it?

Today, Lunar New Year is celebrated in China, Vietnam, South Korea, Taiwan, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Brunei, Thailand, Cambodia and other countries. Lunar New Year goes by many names including, Chinese New Year, Spring Festival, Chūnjié (in Mandarin), Seollal (in Korean) and Tết (Vietnamese).

Year of the Water Rabbit

2023 is the Year of the Rabbit, or more specifically the Water Rabbit. People born in these years (1927, 1939, 1951, 1963, 1975, 1987, 1999, 2011, 2023) are believed to be vigilant, witty, quick-minded and ingenious. Lucky numbers for rabbits are: 3, 4 and 6. Lucky colors are pink, red, purple and blue. And lucky days are the 26th, 27th and 29th. The year 2023 is predicted to be a year of hope. The luckiest Chinese zodiac signs this year are oxen, tigers and snakes.

Upcoming Events (free to public)

  • San Diego Tết Festival in Mira Mesa:
    Jan. 27 at 5-10 p.m., Jan. 28 at 11 a.m.-10 p.m., and Jan. 29 at 11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Mira Mesa Community Park, 8575 New Salem St. This three-day celebration will have a night market, lion dancing, cultural village, food vendors, beer garden, live entertainment, carnival rides, contests, games, prizes and more.

  • Celebrate Lunar New Year at the Poway Library:
    Jan. 28, 1:30-3:30 p.m. at 13137 Poway Rd. Enjoy fun for the whole family with balloon animals, crafts and entertainment. A special Lion Dancers performance will begin at 3pm.

  • Crafting Culture: Traditions of the Chinese Lunar New Year at College-Rolando Library:
    Jan. 28, 1-2:30 p.m. at 6600 Montezuma Rd. Presented by the San Diego Chinese Historical Museum. Learn the tale of how the Chinese zodiac came to be. We will also discuss the Chinese tradition of having a New Year’s Eve dinner, placing a couplet at the door, using firecrackers, and saying auspicious phrases during the Chinese New Year period.  

  • San Diego Chinese New Year Fair at Gaslamp Quarter:
    Feb 4-5 at 428 Third Ave. A two-day event celebrating the Lunar New Year, showcasing exciting performances, Asian Art and culture, an array of delicious Chinese and Asian food, and much more. 

Resources

254 County Employees Volunteered for Homeless Count

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A big shout out to the 254 County employees that helped in the annual Point-in-Time homeless count in the early morning hours Thursday.

The Point-in-Time Count is spearheaded by the Regional Task Force on the Homeless and provides a one-day snapshot of people living on the streets or in short-term shelters.

The results are used to apply for federal and state funding to help homeless people and find solutions on how to best serve this vulnerable population.

This year, about 1,456 people volunteered for the count. Volunteers gathered in different locations throughout the region where they are separated into teams, and they walk or drive the streets, parks, beaches and valleys looking for people who are experiencing homelessness.

Share your photos from the event. Email them to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. A gallery will post here.

Structural Racism Explained

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By the Office of Equity and Racial Justice

When community and County representatives co-created the mission statement for the Office of Equity and Racial Justice, they were intentional about the role of the office in ushering structural and systemic change. But what is structural racism, and how does it differ from systemic racism? The above video from the Othering & Belonging Institute at UC Berkeley provides a definition and explanation of what these terms mean and how they might show up in everyday actions.

APACE Releases Statement on Monterey Park Tragedy

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As we mark the Lunar New Year and its celebration of new beginnings, it is hard to ignore or leave some things in the past. Among them is the tragic events that took place in Los Angeles County during Lunar New Year celebrations over the weekend. With those tragedies in mind, the Asian Pacific Alliance of County Employees (APACE) shared the following statement from the San Diego API Coalition in solidarity with the Asian and Pacific Islander community.

“As more details unfold, the San Diego API Coalition and its coalition members are devastated to hear of yet another mass shooting in and around Asian-American neighborhoods, businesses, and celebrations on the eve of Lunar New Year in Monterey Park. Our hearts and condolences go out to the victims and families of those lost and we wish those injured a speedy recovery.

We stand united with our community and our right to celebrate our holidays and culture without fear. We encourage Asian and Pacific Islander community members to continue to celebrate one of our most important holidays. We call on our region’s leaders and San Diegans to celebrate, uplift, and stand united with the Asian and Pacific Islander community.”

Lovely Lake Views

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boats at a dock with mountains in the distance

Park Maintenance Worker Omar Torres snapped a photo of a peaceful sunset at Lake Morena County Park in Campo.

Share your fabulous photos! If you see a coworker getting the job done, a beautiful sunset over your office or a wonderful County program being offered—snap a pic and submit it to communications@sdcounty.ca.gov. Be sure to include information about the photo and your name. One image will be posted to InSite every week and may be shared on social media.

See more of Your View photos.