Mountain Views News, Combined Edition Saturday, April 29, 2023

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Mountain View News Saturday, April 29, 2023 

WALKING SIERRA MADRE - The Social Side

by Deanne Davis

CONGRESSWOMAN JUDY CHU CUTS THE POST OFFICE GARDEN RIBBON

The Congresswoman addresses those attending the ceremony at the new Post Office Garden. After 
17 months of work, the citizen supported drought tolerant native garden is completed. The 
garden is designed by FormLA, who also did the garden at City Hall. The Post Office garden was 
created to be a demonstration garden to encourage the community to conserve water and promote 
sustainable landscaping. Photo & Caption by Bob Spears


“Income tax returns are the most imaginative fiction being written today.” 

Herman Wouk

“This is a question too difficult for a mathematician. It should be asked of a 
philosopher.”

Albert Einstein said when asked about completing his income tax form.

“The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that

 the taxidermist leaves the skin.” Mark Twain

April 18th, just a few days ago has been, in years past, the day when a lot of people 
made themselves crazy suddenly realizing their income taxes needed to be filed by 
midnight. Remember people lining up at the Post Office to be sure to get that April 
15th postmark on their envelope? Thanks to various disaster situations and depending 
on where you are, you might be filing sometime in May or maybe even in October. 
I, personally, was one of those lucky people who had to file on April 18th. And I 
did. And I paid. Boy did I pay! 

The IRS Blues (An original lament by Deanne Davis)

“I’ve got those sad old, bad old

Gotta pay my taxes blues.

The IRS has called me out,

They said, “Girl, don’t bother to cry or pout.

We’re gonna get your very last dime.

And if you think you can fool us and keep some…

Well, you’re gonna do some time.”

I listed my deductions, and all my charities.

IRS just looked and laughed.

They said, “Girl, seriously? Please!

We see you feed the homeless and

Keep some foreign kids afloat.

You’re faithful to that church gig

Send that tithe check in each month.

Folks like you, faithful and true,

Honest to the core, are the backbone of the Nation.

But to us you’re just a bore.

We’re checking out your tax return

With a microscope and fine-toothed comb.

We’re hoping that we’ll find a flaw

And charge you even more.

Penalties, our penalties, we love those little things.

You thought that you had done it right,

Maybe you’d even sleep tonight!

IRS just looks and laughs.

They say, ‘Girl, seriously? Please!

If you think you’re gonna keep a dime,

We’ll take you down in record time.”

Yes, my friends, I’ve got those sad old, bad old,

Gotta pay my taxes blues.

Ohhhh yeah…

And I suspect that you do, too.

Remember Al Capone? Ruthless gangster? He was a bootlegger during Prohibition 
but he concealed his profits from the IRS. When he was captured and put on trial 
for handgun charges, the IRS was able to prosecute him for tax evasion, and in 1931 
he received a sentence of 11 years in jail. He was also charged with $7,692 for court 
costs, fined $50,000 and ended up paying $215,000 and interest on his back taxes. In 
1931 that was REAL money!

I have a notorious tax evader in my very own family: My mother, who one year 
filed a tax return stating she had given thousands of dollars to various charities. She 
hadn’t, of course, and when the IRS audited her and she had to admit she had exaggerated 
a little, they were very kind and said, “Now, Betty, we know you didn’t mean 
to do that and please don’t do it again.” No jail time and believe me, she never did it 
again. Hope you’re enjoying these last days of April, even the drizzle, and the flowers 
all around us are far more beautiful than those 1040 forms and if you haven’t gotten 
all your 1099s together, maybe start. Just saying.

Had a nice note from Bob Spears, who is the head honcho on our Mt. Wilson Trail. 
The picture this week is the beautiful new sign and gates at the start of the Trail, 
courtesy of Leah Davis. Bob told me he had two groups of volunteers show up to 
work on the Trail: The Cal Tech Alpine Club who appeared and went up to Orchard 
Camp to make sure the Trail was wide enough for the race. The second club was the 
Pasadena High School Green Club who worked on the Trail below Orchard Camp. 
These fine folks worked hard and made the Trail safer, flatter and wider.

Also, the City dedicated the new drought tolerant native plant garden at the Post 
Office. It was finished earlier than expected and because it was Earth Day, the City 
decided to have the ribbon cutting then. Hope you go by and take a look.

Here are a few fortune cookie words of wisdom to get us past all our income tax 
woes:

• Honesty and kindness will bring prosperity to your family.

• The nice part about being a pessimist is that you are constantly being either 
proven right or pleasantly surprised.

My book page: Amazon.com: Deanne Davis

Where you’ll find the Emma Gainsworth Kindle novelettes, 

Along with other goodies like “A Treasure Map, A Drunken Owl

And 47 Rattlers in A Bag” True Tales of Early California

MUSIC, FOOD, FUN AND ART FOR ALL AGES!

58TH SIERRA MADRE PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNUAL ART FAIR 

The 58th Annual Sierra Madre Art Fair, sponsored by the Friends of the Sierra Madre Library, 
will be held in Memorial Park, 222 West Sierra Madre Blvd., on Saturday, May 6, from 9:30 a.m. 
to 5:00 p.m., and on Sunday, May 7, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Admission is free!

Fifty-eight (58) artists, including 19 newly juried, will display and sell their works of art. Mediums 
include oil paintings, jewelry, watercolors, glass, wood, metal, wearable art, photography, 
pottery, ceramics, mixed media, sculpture and weaving. The Art Fair will be the perfect place to 
buy Mom that wonderful Mother’s Day gift or to buy upcoming graduation and wedding gifts, 
as well as to purchase pieces for your own enjoyment.

Live Music will be featured throughout the weekend in the band shell. In the Band Shell on 
Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – Steve Trovato and Tim Kobza -- guitars and vocals; and 
from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. – Evan Marshall -- mandolin. On Sunday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. – 
Rex Perry – keyboard and vocals; and from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. -- Rick Shea Band – guitar, vocals, 
accordion.

Food vendors will offer a variety of food and drinks. Scheduled to participate are The Tropic 
Truck and The Ice Princess. A new food booth this year is Beyond the Olive (from Pasadena) 
specializing in olive oils, vinegars, dips, sauces and nuts. 

The Friends of the Sierra Madre Library will have a booth selling their popular breads and baked 
goods.

For the children, instructors from the Creative Arts Group have planned a special craft activity 
– learn how to make yarn spinners, using markers or colored pencils add colors to illustrate the 
pre-cut circular disk on both sides then add colored yarn. Be sure to visit our very creative Face 
Painter located in the Southeast section of the park next to CAG. 

Again, this year we will feature a Silent Auction. To date, 25 artists have donated lovely, one-
of-a-kind pieces for the auction, which means you’ll have an opportunity to bid on some really 
beautiful artwork and also support the Library.

All Proceeds from the Art Fair benefit the Sierra Madre Public Library. For more information 
visit our website www.sierramadreartfair.org or call 626-355-7186. We are also on Facebook and 
Instagram. Please Like/Follow us! 

The Friends Of The Sierra Madre Library Invite You To58th Annual 
Sierra Madre 
Art FairSaturday, May 6 – 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 7 – 9:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Featured Artist Suzanne Kustner 
85 Artists • Children’s Activities • Live EntertainmentFood Vendors • Free AdmissionSierra Madre Memorial Park222 West Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, CaliforniaFor event information: 626•355•7186 or www.sierramadreartfair.org 
Instagram @sierramadreartfair • Benefits Sierra Madre Public Library
Mountain Views News 80 W Sierra Madre Blvd. No. 327 Sierra Madre, Ca. 91024 Office: 626.355.2737 Fax: 626.609.3285 Email: editor@mtnviewsnews.com Website: www.mtnviewsnews.com