Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens

I haven't posted to this blog in a while. Though I've taken tons of photos I haven't been able to do much visiting so I thought it only fair that I didn't post and draw comments and visits that I didn't have time to return. But I've missed posting my photos and I've got to do this for me so... I'm back and hope I find time to return any comments and visits that I get. These are from my visit to the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens in Claremont, California.

Mellow Yellow Monday/Today's Flowers

I haven't been able to do much meme-ing lately. I've missed Mellow Yellow Mondays. I'm home waiting to get my garage door fixed so I've got a chance to catch some yellow this morning.


If I've got this right, this is a Fremotrodendron, also called Ken Taylor and California Glory. I've only seen these a couple of places. These photos were taken at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanical Gardens. It's a huge place but not very visible from the streets as the entrance is almost tucked away behind Claremont College.




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Weekend Reflections #31

My first Weekend Reflections post. I hope I have the time to do this each week and I hope this is enough of a reflection for this theme.



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Spring Is In The Air

I love Spring. Everything just comes to life, the weather is perfect, everything is green and beautiful. What a perfect time of the year. These were taken at one of my favorite spots, Descanso Gardens in La Canada/Flintridge, California. One of the things I love about this places is that the life there is seasonal and there is always something new to see.

I love this photo above because of the shadows created by the shade of the trees. Isn't it beautiful - the light and contrasts against all of the pretty green grass and leaves?

My World Tuesday - Photo Tour/The Giraffes

My world right now is still focused on my trip to the San Diego Wild Animal Park last week. I had such a great time, just me and my camera that I'm still reeling from all of the photos I took and at how beautiful the who park was. I can't wait to go back and would love to before summer sets in and the heat starts turning everything brown.


On my way back from training in San Diego, I stopped at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I actually splurged and took the photo tour. I thought it would feel a little like being on safari. It was great but it really wasn't worth the $90 they charge. That's too much for what you get. I don't regret doing it but I don't think I would do it again. Entirely too much money.

Anyhoo, it was still cool to get a closer look at the animals and it was an amazing experience to watch the giraffes come right up to the truck and stick their heads in looking for the leaves they would be fed. If you've got the money to "splurge" I would recommend it just for the experience. Still, they really need to drop that price.

My hat's off to the tour guide. She was full of interesting information about the animals and the park. Can't wait to post more of my photos from my trip to SDWAP and this photo tour.

Nesting Season

I hope you won't get sick of my San Diego Wild Animal Park photos. It was such a joy to shoot photos there, especially of the birds. I believe they're so used to people they're not flightly and fidgety. It's actually pretty easy to believe that some of them are hams and actually enjoy having their photo taken.

Its nesting season. Most of the birds were paired up and building nests.

Butterflies - SDWAP

These are butterflies from the butterfly exhibit at the San Diego Wild Animal Park. I can't get over how many photos I took and not just of the butterflies. Personally, I can't wait to go back again. I could stay there all day...

NATURE'S ABSTRACTS

By the way, my SkyWatch post is below this one.

I took these a while back but I think I only posted one of them. Sometimes it's the not so pretty things that when you look at it the right perspective, can actually be quite beautiful. I really like these and I love the colors. Just some nasty moss around the edge of the lake near the fishing pier... but it sure made for some interesting photos.

I'm Back!

Well, I'm back and hoping to see how long I can keep this current. I started work in July and I've been hard pressed to get out, take pictures and keep things current on this blog. I really miss sharing my photos here when I finally get a chance to take them. Let's see... what should I post?

I went to Descanso Gardens. At this time of the year there's not much in bloom but I always seem to find something to take photos of there. No roses but plenty of camellias so I could get my favorite fallen camellias in the water shots.

This is the rose garden now - really drab with all of the bushes cut back. Even the trees look threadbare and yet it's still pretty to me.

There were a few birds flittering about but not quite as many as I usually see.


As for the photo below, well.... this is why I think flies are just nasty!

Today's Flowers - One Year Anniversary

Congratulation to the Today's Flowers team on a wonderful year of flowers from all over the world!

My new job and travel time doesn't give me much time to blog and visit everyone. I really miss it. So, I was determined to spend some time blogging. I feel like it's been so long I can't even remember which days I'm supposed to do which memes. I think I've got this one right. We'll soon find out.


I don't know what this little flower is. It was growing in a pot in my sister's back yard and the flower was probably no bigger than my thumbnail but I thought it was really pretty.



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