Mallard Mom and Three Little Ducklings Out for a Stroll

Mallard Mom and Three Little Ducklings Out for a Stroll

Red-eared Slider Taking a Lily Break

Red-eared slider, Trachemys scripta elegans, taking a lily break at the reflecting pond in Balboa Park. While native to the Southern United States, these adorable little turtles have become naturalized in many areas, such as California, where they are crowding out the native western pond turtle.

Balboa Arboretum

Balboa Arboretum, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. They have a huge, I mean gigantic, lath house in Balboa Park. I've seen glass conservatories that are pretty large such as the one at the Huntington Botanical Gardens but, generally, you don't see huge lath structures. It's probably because they are a bit fragile and difficult to maintain. I have no idea how they managed to restore this lath house but it is a wonderful place full of huge ferns, colorful orchids, dainty begonias and trickling waterfalls. The ferns in the picture are probably around 20 ft. tall.