April Showers Nourish Flowers



"April showers bring May flowers" - Thomas Tusser

 

For the past few days L.A. has had mist and rain, when just a few days ago we were turning on the A/C and heading to the beach. Now I'm not one for the rain, but I do enjoy it when I'm home and can snuggle in a blanket with a good book.

 

Since California is in a extensive drought the rain is very welcomed. Plus I love capturing how the flowers look as they lap up the fresh water from the heavens.

First Day of Spring

Flowers equal spring to me, allergies too. But for the first day of spring here are some photos of the beautiful flowers I found at the LA Arboretum where they have an extensive botanical garden. 

Paris and Thanksgiving

 

In the aftermath of the attack on France and around the World on November 13th

I couldn't really peg why the attack on Paris had me so heartbroken, it felt personal despite me being not even a lick of French and living miles away in L.A. The Charlie Hebro attack was just as malicious and daily attacks in Israel are just as heartbreaking to me. Then I figured it out, perhaps the attack on Paris felt too real for me, because I had walked the very streets mentioned on the news and had been to one too many concerts this past year that everything combined just felt slighted in a way that said "it could have been you". 

Paris had been on my mind all week prior to the attack on the 13th, because only 4 years ago I had been finalizing my plans to be in Paris after having a faux thanksgiving with my British friends and classmates in London. I had always wanted to go to Paris and knew that while studying abroad in London it was one of the places I HAD to see before returning home. Luckily I found friends at the university I was studying at who felt the same way and we began planning our trip.

The atmosphere of Paris was just like a regular city upon our arrival via the Chunnel, full of people and noise. But at night the stores and other places would close at dark, and only the restaurants and cafes would be open with the light of the Eiffel Tower shinning brightest in the sky. 

So upon hearing the tragedy on the news and seeing what was done to shatter the normally tranquil atmosphere of Paris, my heart broke. Innocent lives were lost for a hateful purpose, peace was destroyed to spread violence and fear. The fact that I remember my time there so vividly sitting in cafes drinking in the people and city only burned in the idea it could have been you or your friends that where hurt. 

Reality is no place on earth is completely safe from violence, hate or death, true fact is I've been in car accidents, one just outside my own house. But Life is Life and it's still worth living to it's fullest everywhere and anywhere. I still have places to go and people to see, but I'll never forget and will always be thankful for the places I've traveled to and the impact they've had on me as a person. 

Arc de Triumph

Joan of Arc

Notre Dame Cathedral

Louvre 

Pont des Arts Bridge

Oh, To Have A Fall!

This past weekend me and the class I help out in took a field trip to a pumpkin patch. In SoCal Fall is hard to notice since we don't have a weather change. The official day of Fall on the calendar is my birthday September 23rd, but in SoCal it's really marked by the release of the Pumpkin Spice Latte at Starbucks. 

Anyways, the pumpkin patch is one of my favorite places to visit this time of year, because I can pretend it's Fall with out the threat of winter on the horizon. Except for the fact it was blazing hot this past weekend while we were tramping around looking for the perfect pumpkins the field trip was great. The girls had so much fun and I had a blast taking shots of pumpkin after pumpkin. 

If you've never been to a pumpkin patch I'd highly suggest you do. They usually have more attractions than just grabbing a pumpkin and that makes the place worth the money and time. So try to look for a place with not just pumpkins available, see if they have tractor rides or a corn maze too. The corn maze is fun, I just wouldn't venture inside one alone in the dark. 

So have a ball y'all while it's still Fall!

Sky Pics Galore

Living in L.A. you can never really tell what the weather will be like. Generally we count on it being all Sunshine and clear sky, but occasionally we do get bouts of *Dun, Dun, Dun . . . RAIN! We shiver at the thought! Dramatics aside when the atmosphere becomes heavy with a forecast other than just sun the SoCal sky always looks quite beautiful. Sometimes it looks threatening but most of the time we can all just gawk at its brilliant colors and clouds. Oh and perhaps keep our umbrellas on hand just in case the sky does decide to sprinkle on us, we do need the water after all.