365/Day 118

The “Purple Splendor” of Jacarandas! ~~

I absolutely love Jacarandas. They are stunning when they bloom, and Los Angeles is full of them. Some people, especially those who live around Jacarandas, cannot stand them. They complain the flowers make a mess on sidewalks, streets, yards and patios and are an actual hazard. I understand their frustration because our Rosewood is equally messy. It blooms in June/July and its tiny yellow flowers are impossible to deal with. But we manage. Anyway, since I love Jacarandas, I tried to catch them in Beverly Hills where some streets are lined up with hundreds of trees, making what they call a “purple splendor.” Unfortunately, most trees were flowerless. They’ve either fallen or have yet to bloom… I’ll continue to look for that “purple splendor” but, in the meantime, here is a taste of LA’s Jacarandas._DSC0442_edited-1

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365/Day 117

Sad ~~

This is not a happy post. I couldn’t bring myself to take any photos today while there is so much tragedy happening in the world. All my thoughts have been with the victims of the devastating earthquake in Nepal, and with the people of Baltimore, Maryland, for all the violence going on in the city, stemming from the death of a young African-American man in the hands of police. I don’t know what to say, except that I wish we lived in a safer, fairer world…

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Weekly Photo Challenge: Motion

The Daily Post’s photo challenge this week asks us to share our photographs that have captured motion.

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Biker. Venice Beach, Los Angeles, CA

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Swimming duckling. Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA.

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Surfers. Venice Beach, Los Angeles, CA.

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Water fall. Getty Center, Los Angeles, CA.

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Brazilian capoeira dancers. Venice Carnival Parade. Venice Beach, Los Angeles, CA.

Travel Theme: Trees

Happy Arbor Day! It seems very fitting that Ailsa, at Where’s My Backpack, chose Trees as this week’s travel theme. Here are some of my favorite trees.

1. Lantern-adorned tree. Venice Canals, Venice Beach. Los Angeles, CA._DSC0299-1_edited-1

2. Giant Fig Tree. Almost 100 years old, its house is a park in Beverly Hills, CA.DSC_0433_edited-1

3. Umbrella Tree, Ravello, Italy._DSC0294_edited-1

4. Australian Tea Tree. One of my favorites at Palisades Park, Santa Monica, CA._DSC1207_edited-1

5. Rosewood Tree. This huge beauty from S. Africa lives in our backyard here in LA, dwarfing everything around it.DSC_0197_edited-1