We have some bananas today... (SkyWatch Friday)

On the south side of Palos Verdes, on a small hill, sandwiched between Gaffey St. and the busy 110 freeway, is a quiet sanctuary of San Pedro Gardens where small parcels are leased to those interested in cultivating a bit of land. I met a man, who had mostly fruit trees including a big avocado and a few vegetables, who said he just liked coming there to be out in the open air.

My mother-in-law kept a small vegetable garden like that when they moved into a retirement community with no yard.

Do you have a vegetable garden or fruit trees? What do you grow?

Hello kitty

A resident at San Pedro Gardens.

Front Gardens of the Shriver Home



 An architectural treasure in Rancho Palos Verdes, behind the gates of Portuguese Bend community.

Idyllic Hideaway

I think it must be an artist's studio. A lovely place to be creative, don't you think?

Sunny Side Up

From the San Juan Capistrano Mission garden, 17 May 2005

It's been gloomy in Palos Verdes (either very foggy or overcast) so I needed a bit of sunshine. Wanda of water colors by wanda blog  reminded me of the 4th grade Mission project done in California schools. The 4th graders build a mission model and if possible, visit a local mission. My son's school was lucky to take a trip to the beautiful San Jaun Capistrano Mission when the gardens were in full bloom. That was 5 years ago!

A Prickly Situation?

At the Huntington Cactus Gardens, San Marino, CA, from last Thursday's outing.

I bet the wonderful photographer & dear blogger friend from Birmingham, Alabama DP has a matching photo.

May Theme Day: Statues

In a secret garden of a 1930's home in Miraleste, one of the four early developments in Palos Verdes, on the east side of the peninsula, facing LA Harbor and San Pedro.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants for City Daily Photo Theme Day.

The Entrance to Huntington Library & Gardens (SkyWatch Friday)

Visiting and photographing with friends at the Huntington.

Sunny side up...with an ant

I cannot resist taking photos of sunflowers of any kind. This one is from a bunch busting out of the fence around Madrona Marsh, by the busy Sepulveda Blvd. in Torrance, CA (which is adjacent to PV.) Now I got to figure out what to do with a couple of dozen shots of these and other sunflowers.

Color at South Coast Botanical Gardens

Anther photo from last Sunday's workshop with nature photographer George Lepp. He liked this shot but thought it could use a point of interest. The bees just didn't go for this flower. I thought it was a calla lily, but now I don't think so. I know that Pasadena Adjacent, Lori Lynn of San Pedro Daily Photo, and Altadena Hiker will be able to tell me the name of the flower.

Sunday in the Park with George ... Lepp

The flowers are a composite of three handheld shots merged together.

George Lepp, the nature photographer extrordinaire, is demonstrating his panoramic technique.

Green Hummer

According to hummingbirds.net, Anna's Hummingbird (Calypte anna) is the most common hummingbird in southern California, and one of only three species that are permanent residents of the US or Canada.With average weight of 4 to 4.3 g, Anna's is the largest hummingbird seen on the west coast. This one is most likely a juvenile.

The shot was a very lucky one because, somehow, my camera setting was on ISO 1600 when the hummingbird appeared. Unfortunately, it took me a few days to figure out why most of my pictures were coming out so washed out.