'K' is for Kennicottii Kid

Taken not in PV, but at The Living Desert Wildlife and Botanical Park in Palm Dessert, CA - this kid-owl was sitting on the volunteer's gloved hand and observing us. He looks like he was putting up with us and waiting to go back to his nap.

"The Western Screech Owl is a small, nocturnal, woodland Owl of western North America and is one of the west's more common Owls at lower elevations. The species name "kennicotti," was created to honour Robert Kennicott, an American explorer and naturalist (1835-1866). Originally, this bird was officially called 'Kennicott's Owl'. " [Ref. Owl Pages_Species=kennicottii]

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Afternoon Promenade at the Promenade

At the PV mall (with the fancy name of the Promenade on the Peninsula.)

Forgotten (Monochrome Monday)

See many more B&W photographs at Aileni's Monochrome Weekend.

Orange you glad for the SUNDAY BRIDGE series?

Our talented and funny blogger friend «Louis» of San Francisco Bay DP has launched the Sunday Bridge Series starting today!

My subtle contribution to the meme is the little bitty view of Vincent Thomas bridge, along with the jumble of cranes from the Port of Los Angeles, that can be seen from Western Avenue just south of PV Drive North. The 'empty' stretch of land is the "Defense Fuel Supply Depot which occupies most of the large parcel of land stretching from North Gaffey Street to Western Avenue, adjacent to the Ponte Vista Property and the LAPD Pistol Range" in San Perdro (ref. NORTHWEST ADVOCATE, the Newsletter of the Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council - Autumn 2009).

Reflecting at the PV Mall

A cheery window display at the Promenade on the Peninsula.

East from Western (SkyWatch Friday)

Sunrise on 16 March 2010, as seen from Western Ave. just South of PV Drive North, looking East, at the eastern edge of Rancho Palos Verdes. The little bitty smokestack is from the Conoco Philips (the old Union 76) Petroleum Los Angeles Refinery along Anaheim St., in Wilmington.

Wishing you a bright SKYWATCH Friday!

Botony Lesson

Sunday morning outing to lower section of Hesse Park (previously shown HERE).
Now the field of green is dotted with blue.
A flycatcher (I believe), sitting pretty.

'J' is for Jet (abc Wednesday)

Airplanes are dear to my heart, having spent nearly 30 years working in the aircraft industry. This photo is from my archives, from a trip taken in February 2009, flying out of the convenient and un-hectic Long Beach Airport. Gotta jet, now.

Join the fun with 'J' at ABC Wednesday.

Thru the Window / At the Window - Malaga Cove Library

Playing with sepia at the library; that's my reflection in the 2nd photo at the old ticket window to the downstairs gallery at the Malaga Cove Library.
I'm also playing with HTML format - trying the 'table' format.

Two Coves and a Bend: Abalone Cove - Sacred Cove - Portuguese Bend

View from the trail starting at the west end of Ocean Terrace Dr. (15 March 2010)

Sacred Cove is actually hidden from view and is right after the near point (Portuguese Point). The trail leads down to Palos Verdes Dr., about 1/2 a mile to the right of Abalone Cove Park. We did not hike down this time...but will soon, although I'm not promising to hike back up.

Silver on Silver

Yesterday was our 25th wedding anniversary and this afternoon we went for dinner at our favorite local restaurant - Admiral Risty - which we also count among the best restaurants we've eaten in. The coastal ocean view this evening, matched our silver anniversary theme.

La Primavera

Celebrating the first day of spring

The View that Sold PV (SkyWatch Friday)

"In 1913 Frank Vanderlip, a wealthy New York banker, purchased 16,000 acres and formed a syndicate of investors interested in developing the land. After several delays, one of which was World War I, the Palos Verdes Project was born.
Most of the Peninsula was farm and ranch land until the early 1920s, when the Project’s planners began to design a new community. Concerned by the rapid growth of Los Angeles just a few miles away, they worked to feature attractive functional structures which celebrated the area’s coastal beauty, as well as roads which adhered closely to the natural formation of the land."
Aerial view of Malaga Cove and the South Bay, 1928 (Palos Verdes Library - Local History)

Then as today, this view served well in attracting new residents to the peninsula. Photographed from the fireroad extension of Paseo del Sol.

A member of the Skywatch community.

Behold Imagination at Work

Saturday afternoon at PV Mall

'I' is for Ireland's Patron Saint (abc Wednesday)

View of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York City from the Top of the Rock.Photo taken in October 2008.Happy St. Patrick's Day to all - O'Tash.
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Chateau MontMer

In France? No, it's an "older" stately mansion in Palos Verdes.

Tidepools (Monochrome Monday)

Tidepools at the cove between Long Point and Point Vicente, 13 March 2010
We parked by the lighthouse and walked on the bluffs to get to the coastal access trail. The faint outline of Catalina Island can be seen in the distance.

View all the contirbutors to Aileni's Monochrome Weekend.

"26 Miles Across the Sea, Santa Catalina is A-waitin' for..."

My lucky son took these photos on his flight over Catalina Island today. (I had so stay home so it was just him and his flight instructor viewing this amazing scenery.)

Looking NW, past the Isthmus toward the northern tip

"Twenty- six miles across the sea
Santa Catalina is a-waitin' for me
Santa Catalina, the island of romance, romance, romance, romance

Water all around it everywhere
Tropical trees and the salty air
But for me the thing that's a-waitin' there-romance..." 26 Miles by The Four Preps, recorded in 1958

The Isthmus of Santa Catalina (with the white Bird Rock).

The cliffs on the "hidden side", the coast not facing the mainland.

On the Rocks

Fishing at twighlight at Bluff Cove

Play Misty for Me (SkyWatch Friday)

Palos Verdes gets a lot of coastal mist, much like Northern California coastline. This shot is looking North from the Trump National (previously Ocean Trails) golf course.

A member of the Skywatch community.

Blog Day: The Tenin Technique

Today is the 5th Anniversary Tribute to Eric of Paris Daily Photo from fellow CDPBloggers, who are trying to imitate his technique of taking superb photos from a different point-of-view.

When I started this blog almost 2 years ago, after having first discovered Jazzy's Tuzla Daily Photo (my home town in Bosnia), then Eric's PDP and CDP. At first I thought mostly about the creative venue CDP offered... and then realized what I've really gained is the wonderful friendships and connections I've made thru this community.

Thank you, Eric!

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants

'H' is for Headland (abc Wednesday)

Headland (noun) - a point of land, usually high and with a sheer drop, extending out into a body of water; a promontory.

View from Rancho Palos Verdes City Hall, across the Santa Monica or South Bay.
RAT (Right After Torrance) Beach, Palos Verdes Estates
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Color on the Road

This van door brightened my commute home the other day.

Fountain of Youth - Malaga Cove Library

These are photos from July of 2008, taken during the summer concerts in the park next to the historic Malaga Cove Library and grounds, while the fountain was under restoration. The water is flowing again, but I wanted to share these BEFORE photos first.

Above Malaga Cove Plaza

By chance, I discovered a new walk today, which hugs the hillside looking toward LA basin, and is a old road which was orginally an extention of Paseo Del Sol that now serves as a fire road. In this view, in the center is the charming 1920's Malaga Cove Plaza (with the Neptune statue) surrounded by residential and business buildings. The cluster of buildings of Downtown Los Angeles can me just barely made out on top left.

Here is a link to what the grounds looked like in 1924, probably from almost the same spot.Cleared area for Malaga Cove Plaza (Palos Verdes Library - Local History)

Harden Gatehouse Gate at Portuguese Point

The gate.
The threshold: "PRIVATE PROPERTY - PERMISSION TO PASS OVER REVOCABLE AT ANY TIME"

The lovely plaque by the Historical Society - artist unknown

"HARDEN GATEHOUSE - PORTUGUESE POINT: Edward Walker Harden married Ruth Isabel Vanderlip in 1908, in Chicago. They built the gatehouse, as it stands today, in 1926. Gordon Kaufmann was the architect and the Olmsted brothers designed the landscapint. The imposing structure is of Tuscan design. The planned villa was not built due to the 1929 stock market disaster. 1.94 acres remain and command one of the most beutiful ocean views on the pneinsula. Dedicated as an historical site. This, the 18th day of August 1990 (Rancho de los Verdes Historical Society)"

In this 1955 photograph, the Gatehouse can be located at the very left edge, about two-thirds down: Aerial view of Abalone Cove and Portuguese Bend, Rancho Palos Verdes (The Palos Verdes Library - Local History Collection)

A nice place in PV Estates

Palos Verdes Estates Planning Commision requires tile roofs. House sizes are optional.
The view is across the Santa Monica Bay.

Water Spray - Mosaic by Elizabeth Garrison & Victor Henderson

Artists: Elizabeth Garrison and Victor Henderson

Location: Los Angeles Fire Department FIRE STATION NO. 5

8900 South Emerson Avenue (just north of LAX)

Los Angeles, CA 90045

The mosaic is a compliment to the artists' truly amazing mural Earth, Water, Fire, Air. If you are in the area of LA Airport, the side trip to see their work is definitely worth it. For a virtual visit of their studio, click here Pasadena adjacent.com - Studio Visit III-Interiority.

'G' is for Green, Green Grass near Home & Gander too (abc Wednesday)

The fields are green right now (and maybe for a couple of more months) along the meandering path of the lower section of Fred Hesse Jr. Community Park.
(As a kid, I used to love to listen to my mom's 45 record with Tom Jones singing the 'near' title song.)

An older photo of Canada Geese, Branta canadensis at Harbor Lake - April 2009

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A Young Dancer ... or Two?

Dance School in Rolling Hills Estates, February 2010

Theme Day: Passageway (Monochrome Monday)

On Via Corta in Palos Verdes Estates - February 2010

The street is one of the oldest on the PV peninsula, on the west side of Malaga Cove Plaza.
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Click HERE for more Aileni's Monochrome Weekly shots.