Balboa Park, San Diego, CA

The Prado by night, Balboa Park, San Diego, California.  It was pretty quiet except for a few of us taking pictures and a pair of ducks gracefully swimming in the lily pond.

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.

Yellow Water Lily

Yellow Water Lily, Reflecting Pool, Balboa Park. There was thousands of dollars of damage done to the lilies/lily boxes in the reflecting pool caused by a rogue late night party in the park but, after some donations of new lilies and a lot of work, the reflecting pool is back and better than ever!

The Western Bluebirds are Moving to Town!

Western Bluebird (Sialia mexicana), one of a pair of Western Bluebirds living in a large Ficas macrophylla in Balboa Park (talk about adaptation to foreign introductions!). Perhaps the fig berries or the plentiful tree cavities among the ficus roots proved to be an enticing home. Perhaps the insects attracted by the fallen fig berries were the main feature.  In either case, these beatiful birds of the foothills normally nest in tree cavities made by woodpeckers; in pre-human Southern California, they were therefore restricted to the foothills where the arid sage scrub gave way to pine forest. However, the extensive planting of large trees in urban areas has resulted in an urban migration of these beautiful birds. You can attract them to your yard by providing bluebird nestboxes and a source of water. Berry-bearing bushes/trees such as Toyon berries help too.

Casa Del Prado by Night

Casa Del Prado by Night, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. The Prado is so alive with lights and reflections by night! A picture taker's paradise.

Happy New Year!

As we reflect back on 2011, some of you no doubt have fond memories; others would rather forget 2011; most of us have both. Regardless, here's to wishing you all a happy, healthy and successful 2012!

The California Bell Tower in the Setting Sun

The California Bell Tower, Balboa Park, in the Setting Sun.

Casa Del Prado by Night

Casa Del Prado, Balboa Park, California. The lights of Casa Del Prado reflecting into the tranquil, dark, nighttime waters of the Balboa Arboretum pool.

Yellow Water Lilly

Yellow water lilly in the setting sun, Balboa Park, California.

Lotus Blossom

Lotus Blossom in the pond in front of the Aboretum, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. They don't bloom for long but they are certainly dramatic while they last.

The Chinese Goddess of Mercy, Kwan Yin was said to have descended in a lotus blossom, as she came to relieve suffering. Kwan Yin is often seen with a water jar in her right hand and a willow branch in her left. Her crown may often have the figure of the Amitabha Buddha, her teacher before she reached nirvana.

Spanish Village Art Galleries

Spanish Village Art Galleries, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. I really enjoyed how they painted the tiles in the Spanish Village in Balboa Park. It is totally cheerful and really livens the place up, easily complementing the myriad hues of the paintings, art glass, pottery and sculpture!

Amazing Facades at the Casa Del Prado

Close-up of the facade over the Casa Del Prado Theater, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. The Prado was built for the World Fair; however, it's amazing buildings with their intricate and fragile facades have managed to survive the test of time.

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.

Architectural Gems

Casa Del Prado, Balboa Park, San Diego, California. The Casa Del Prado has its origins in the buildings built in Balboa Park for the 1915 Panama-California Exposition. The walls of the buildings from the 1915 Panama-California Exposition are largely finished in amazingly detailed sculptures and lined with sandstone colonades. It is a unique mix of new world architecture and old world detail in a style referred to as Spanish-Colonial Revival. Ironically, when built, they were intended to be temporary. Since then, much rebuilding, repurposing and repair has managed to keep these buildings with us, now, nearly 100 years later. If you're interested in the history of the Expo buildings, click here.

Purple Water Lillies

Purple Water Lillies, Balboa Park, San Diego. Water lillies open for the day and then close each evening.

San Diego Aerial

Here's a picture of San Diego from the airplane window. The large green block in the center is Balboa Park and the San Diego Zoo. As opposed to LA, you can tell that San Diego is anything BUT flat. In fact, you can see the green tendrils of the finger canyons all over the city which, by the way, was build on a large natural plateau which has eroded into valleys and canyons. I also suspect that the sandy, rocky soil resulted from ocean sediment that has been forced upwards as the Pacific Plate slowly moves up the continental plate.

Foutain Muse

Cold, damp and drizzly in Arlington. Miss that San Diego weather already. The people in class are, for the most part, very nice and class has been fascinating. I'll pop up a picture or two when I get back.

The Muse was from Balboa park on Saturday. The sun was just right to get a few shadows on there. Hope you like him.

Demons and Ghosts

I really like the way the lighting puts up shadows like ghosts as the man looks into his reflection in the bowl. Playing with multiple directed lights provides some very unique effects.