Out of the garage: Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve

On Sunday my friend B and I ventured out to the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. Because this rain season in Southern California has brought us more of the wet stuff than we have seen in years, ending our seven-year drought, we assumed the poppy fields would be spectacular. There was a nice display but nothing like the blankets of orange we had experienced the last time we visited… back in 2003.

I painted the tile above from photos of that trip and it is still one of my favorites. It greets me when I come in my front door. Of course my late cat, Friday, wasn’t really there but I painted him anyway as my signature!

Nevertheless, we enjoyed the trip. I had Cinnamon Girl, my fifteen-year-old Subaru Outback, tuned up in February and she was raring to take on the 180-mile round trip. I felt a slight hesitancy on the uphill on the way there. But coming back she took those hills at 75 MPH (120 km) without blinking. I know she was happy to get out of the garage and feel the wind whipping around her. I hope she lasts at least another fifteen years!

B and I were also happy to be out of the city and in the open spaces with the wind attempting to blow our hats off.

B mentioned the difference a week makes as last Sunday we were in downtown Los Angeles visiting Little Tokyo. I need to upload that blog post!

The poppy fields were crowded with people. The last half mile was stop and go… worse than traffic on a Friday evening on the 405 freeway! But I was expecting it so I didn’t mind.

Just being able to see for miles with no buildings or cars was worth the trip!

Windmills in the distance providing alternative power sources.

Unfortunately, despite warnings to stay on the paths, we saw too many people trampling the wildflowers to obtain those important selfies. Aaargh…. PEOPLE!!! Evidently the rules don’t apply to everybody. Way to go, parents, training your kids to selfishly satisfy your own desires and spoil the experience for everybody else…

We were glad we made the effort. We rewarded ourselves with dinner at our favorite Thai restaurant back in Culver City!

A great day!

Please click on any image below for slide show.

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One of the benefits of owning a Subaru – Santa Monica Pier and Palisades Park

A couple of weeks ago I took my beloved Cinnamon Girl (otherwise known as a 2002 Subaru Outback) to the dealer for servicing. I always look forward to this as the dealer is located a mere twelve blocks from Ocean Avenue on Santa Monica Boulevard. Then it’s just a short walk south to the Santa Monica Pier.

At this point from Palisades Park (that stretches along Ocean Avenue) you can see the pier in the distance.

Here you can see the erosion over the years of the cliffs overlooking Pacific Coast Highway.

These two photos look on to the park and Ocean Avenue.

The bridge between the two palm trunks is the one I’ll be walking over to get to the beach and pier.

There a lot of steps going down before getting to the actual bridge. My ankles, knees and hips give me trouble walking down stairs… although I can run going up the stairs! Several of my friends can fly down the stairs but have trouble going up.

But considering the friends my age I lost last year I am grateful to be alive and kicking…. especially on such a gorgeous January day!

Looking back from whence I came…

It was pretty clear and I could see all the way out to Point Dume at the end of the Santa Monica Mountain range.

 

This mural is at the stairs going from the beach up to the pier. There is a small aquarium and sea life exhibit which is Heal the Bay’s public marine-education center. I need to pay a visit but it has odd hours and I never seem to be there at the right time. I must schedule a visit soon.

I was there about 9:45am, too early for the tourist crowd. Nice to see so few people around though.

I never get tired of this view. During the summer it isn’t always this clear. Winter is my favorite time in LA.

Route 66 starts in Chicago. I’m happy to live at this end!

Beach, beach, beach and more beach…

This bird is like the gull I photoed on my trip to Catalina Island last year. I wonder if this was the same guy?

I love shadows as much as reflections. Self portraits!

Looking back to downtown Santa Monica.

No swimming? No worries… doesn’t apply to seagulls!

The ocean, the sand, the mountains… it doesn’t get better than this in my book…

Recycling or trash? A difficult decision. Either way I don’t think it’s a good place to look for lunch, fellas!

No, that should read, Please DO feed the birds. Obviously a typographical error!

A great way to pass the day. Certainly better than sitting in an office. I wonder what he’ll have for dinner tonight?

A nautical theme of decoration on the restaurant at the end of the pier.

I am in love with piers. I grew up with piers in England. There is something thrilling about walking out on them and being far out in the ocean. I live within a half hour bus ride of this pier and could not imagine ever living further inland.

I am not a birder. But in all my many years of looking out into the Santa Monica bay I have never ever seen a bird like this in the water. Did it get washed in from some foreign shore in a storm? At least he seemed to be enjoying himself and not concerned at all about being on the shores of Los Angeles.

At this point I received a phone call from my service manager to tell me the bushings needed to be replaced and it would be three o’clock before I could pick up Cinnamon Girl.

Oh, what a tragedy! What could I possibly do for the next four hours on this beautiful day at the beach? Let me think…

All photos and content copyright roslyn m wilkins unless otherwise noted. No commercial usage without express permission. Please feel free to pass along this post via email or social media, but if you wish to use some of our images or text outside of the context of this blog, either give full credit to myself and link to One Good Life in Los Angeles, or contact us for proper usage. Thanks!

 

 

 

Cinnamon Girl rides again

My 2002 Subaru Outback, AKA Cinnamon Girl, was in the hospital for a couple of days for a checkup and some repairs. I’m happy to say she is back on the road again.

We’ve been driving together for thirteen years and I’m hoping to make it to 15, at the very least. Maybe twenty?

I must admit she’s had her share of problems, even though she has low mileage for her age (80,000 miles or 128,750 kilometers) but despite everything I enjoy driving her. She’s more than a car… she is my friend and when we are out together I feel like we are one unit working in unison. When I walk out of the store and there is Cinnamon Girl in the parking lot gleaming in the sunlight, I fall in love all over again!

Don’t tell her, but I’ve looked at other cars to see if there is anything to replace her when the day comes. I’ve been trying to decide if I should put more money into her or shop for a new car. Every time something else goes wrong I say this is the last time! But so far I haven’t found another automobile that measures up. The new Outbacks are gigantic. A couple of years ago I drove one for a week when CG was having major surgery. It was like driving a cruise ship down the street, so that is not for me.

I’ve visited various dealers and talked to the sales people about their Toyotas and Hondas but they just don’t do it for me.

Yesterday I looked at the Subaru Impreza sport and I have to say I could see myself driving it. I don’t need a big car.

So part of the reason I took her in was to have her thoroughly checked over to find out if it looked like there was anything major coming down the pike. The service technician assured me there were no worries with Cinnamon Girl’s engine… it’s in very good condition for the mileage and age of the car. So that’s good news. I have done my best to look after her. He said I should be driving her for many, many, many years to come.

Okay with me. At least until next time I have to drop more $$$$$$… but I also don’t have $25,000 or more in my piggy bank… so I figure for now I will keep patching her up and save the big decision for another day.

All photos and content copyright roslyn m wilkins. Please feel free to pass along this post via email or social media, but if you wish to use some of our images or text outside of the context of this blog, either give full credit to myself and link to One Good Life in Los Angeles, or contact us for proper usage. Thanks!