Purple power

I always love when the jacaranda trees are in bloom. They look so glorious. They are this big, purple explosion of color. I find myself turning down 5th  St. or Harper Ave.in Orange Estates, just to see the colors. Today, as we walked to Furman Park, I couldn't resist snapping a picture of the color and the shadows.

Of course, as much as I love the incredible purple color, I am thankful I do not have any of these trees close to my house. As you can see, this homeowner is raking the blossoms off her grass, which I have on good authority she does often!

"Trees are the earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven."
~ Rabindranath Tagore

A patch of color

Even in the bleakest landscapes, you can often find a patch of color. This bougainvillea reaching over the ugly block wall fence stood out as a little patch of beauty. Even the hazy color of the sky as I walked along the railroad tracks seemed to soften my dreary surroundings.

"Colors are the smiles of nature."
~ Leigh Hunt

It's bloomin' Spring!

Spring is my favorite time of the year. I like looking for blossoms and color. From this cactus bloom that I happened upon, to the weeds "blooming" in the riverbed, Spring is here!

“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
~ Rainer Maria Rilke

House of color

I love color! I drove past this house and was drawn to the colors. It is so appealing!

The colors of Christmas

It is December, so it is the season of Christmas. I was drawn to this red bush, lit up with Christmas lights. It was so festive and yet so every day. It seemed like the best way to show off the beautiful Christmas colors....


“Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful.”
~ Norman Vincent Peale

Shorter days

It seems like overnight, the trees in Downey have begun to change color. This stand of trees lines the center island of Paramount Blvd.  I don't know how long I have driven past them as they were starting to change colors, but all of a sudden I noticed it this week—an explosion of color.

The shorter days and longer, colder nights of the fall season contribute to the leaves changing colors.

"Fall, leaves, fall; die, flowers, away;
Lengthen night and shorten day;
Every leaf speaks bliss to me
Fluttering from the autumn tree." 
~ Emily Bronte, Fall leaves, fall

Bright new colors

The medical building across the street from PIH Health Hospital on Brookshire Avenue is getting a facelift. They have torn out all the trees that lined the front of the building so it's just dirt for now. I'm not sure what will be planted in their place. I'll do another post when that has been completed.

They are also painting the outside of the building a very beautiful and clean looking blue and white. You should drive by sometime and see the progress.

The poetry of color

I noticed this house as I was out on a drive the other day. I wonder what happened that caused this house to be painted half one color and half the other. Was it a disagreement between spouses? Was it a creative endeavor? Did they have a limited amount of different colored paint? Either way, it is a fun look! I thought of it as the stop and go house since the colors were red and green. But then, I realized that it is really a vibrant expression of who lives here.

"Painting is silent poetry, and poetry is painting that speaks." 
~ Plutarch

Autumn flowers

On Tuesday, Joan posted about fall colors. When I read the post, I thought of fall colors slightly differently. Southern California has a multitude of flowering plants that bloom specifically in autumn.


This house is adorned with them and is a pleasant treat during these cold days.

Did you see something beautiful today? Something you might not see if you lived outside of southern California?

Autumn flowers

I love this time of year. It is starting to get cooler out...and the trees have started to turn color. This evening I passed these trees that were alive with golds and reds in the light of the setting sun.

"Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower."
~ Albert Camus

In a good light

I noticed these new lights at Stonewood Center a week or two ago. They are so fun! They are made of plastic and twisted together and seem to give off a glow. It would sure be a great way to add some funky color to your room.

Rainbow blessing

It had been a long day at work. When I have those days, I often come home and spend some time outside in the yard, just puttering around to relax.

As I was watering some plants with the hose, I realized that the combination of the water and the angle of the sun caused this beautiful little rainbow for me. It was a fun blessing for my afternoon and a good reminder of the beauty that is often around us if we have the eyes to "see" it.

"May the warm winds of heaven blow softly upon your house.
May the Great Spirit bless all who enter there.
May your moccasins make happy tracks in many snows,
and may the rainbow always touch your shoulder."
~ American Indian Cherokee Blessing

The colors of light

Light makes such a difference in photography. Sometimes you plan well, sometimes you just get lucky.

We are staying in a 15th century house in the historic, walled section of the medieval town of Dinan. Two houses down, at the end of our street, is the Basilica of Saint Sauveur, which was founded in 1112 by Riwallon Rufas (upon his return from the first crusade).

Yesterday, we visited the church as the sun was low in the sky. It was the perfect time for a visit. The colors of the stained glass windows spread all around the church, giving it a brilliant, sparkly glow. It was stunning.

"May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out."
~ J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring

Ah, winter...

January and February really are our winter months in Downey. It starts to really cool down to a chilling 47-55 degrees (Fahrenheit) and you can see the mountains from the streets on a clear day. Even the leaves on the trees decide to dress their part for this season. Some even fall off completely!

A painted lady

According to Wikipedia, "painted ladies" is a term used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details. The term is typically used for the rows of Victorian houses in San Francisco, but has also been applied to neighborhoods in Baltimore, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Cincinnati.

And Downey?

We don't have many actual Victorian houses in Downey. But this recently painted home made me think of the painted ladies. There are three colors (four if you count the rich red of the bricks). And the colors enhance the nooks and crannies (and blend nicely with the lush landscaping).

Saffron sky

Sunset is my favorite time of day.

“Bursts of gold on lavender melting into saffron. It's the time of day when the sky looks like it has been spray-painted by a graffiti artist.”
― Mia Kirshner, I Live Here

True colors

I noticed this flag on a house this morning and it got me to thinking about what it means to each of us. It's a symbol of freedom for all Americans. Displaying it demonstrates support for our nation and our troops. I was reminded that I have so many choices and so much freedom that I don't want to take for granted.

"And I'm proud to be an American,
where at least I know I'm free.
And I won't forget the men who died,
who gave that right to me."
~Lee Greenwood

Sunset

Tonight I had a hard time concentrating on the road as I was driving home because the sunset was so beautiful and full of colors. Unfortunately, that meant I drove kind of like a crazy person to get home in time to try and capture it. By the time I grabbed my camera and got back outside, there was very little light. I took this picture quickly and truth be told it is not crisp. But, it is still pretty with the silhouettes of the trees backlit with the colors of the setting sun...a beautiful end of day.

Splash of colors

In front of City Hall.

"It was one of those perfect English autumnal days which occur more frequently in memory than in life." ~P.D. James