Labor Day Weekend

On Friday, I started the weekend by going to Mission Beach with my daughter and her children.  My daughter spotted a parking space on Mission Boulevard.  Finding a spot there was quite a coup.  For a Labor Day weekend, there weren't many people on the beach.  We had expected larger crowds.  More people did start coming around 3:00pm.  We enjoyed romping in the waves with the children.  The six year old was a little wary of the waves, but still had a good time.  My daughter spread a blanket and placed an umbrella in the middle.  After a while, we returned to sit on the blanket to eat a snack, while the six year old played in the sand along side.  Before I knew it, I was shooing flies with large wings.  At first, my daughter said there is nothing there, but then she did see them.  Since I was the only person they were landing on, I suspect that it was probably my pomegranate and mango soap that attracted them.  Lesson learned.  I didn't bring my camera so I missed the opportunity for photos of some Whimbrels, pecking through the sand.  After two hours, we left the beach, having thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon. 

On Saturday, after my grandson's soccer scrimmage, we left for Los Angeles to visit the cousins.  We enjoyed spotting the "monster" in the clouds as we traveled north up the "5".  Traffic wasn't bad at all, except for the toll booth area.   My daughter was wondering why the cars paying the toll were held up.  Then, we noticed that the toll for the "73" had risen to $5.75.  Some of the drivers were probably unprepared for the rise in the cost, slowing everyone down.  The visit with the cousins was, of course, very enjoyable as it always is.

We returned on Sunday morning with some sporadic tie ups.  My daughter chose to skip the toll and bypass the "73".  I dislike driving the 405 all the way to where it joins the "5".  The traffic at that point can be an absolute "bear", at least in my opinion.  I do not enjoy bumper-to-bumper traffic.  This morning, however, we didn't have any problem.  That afternoon, I went with a friend for a late lunch at Sammy's Woodfired Pizza at Liberty Station in Point Loma to celebrate our birthdays.  The atmosphere at this restaurant is always enjoyable.  We both ordered from the "Tapas" section of the menu.  I ordered a the "crab and shrimp with flat bread" (I highly recommend this) and Marge chose the "Oak roasted asparagus with prosciutto."   I tasted one of spears....very tasty.  Since we were celebrating our birthdays, the waiter offered us a special desert.  We both declined.  It would have tasted great, but common sense won out.  We still shared in laughter and I did a lot more talking than my friend.  She's a great listener.   It was another great day.

Yesterday, I went to Balboa Park to see if there were any migrating butterflies.  A young man attending one of the bird tours at the Famosa Slough last spring spoke glowingly about many butterflies in the Rose Garden.  There were no butterflies, but many rose bushes in this garden.  My photos don't do them justice.  One variety of rose was prettier than the other.

Balboa Park Rose Garden

After looking at the roses, I walked to Balboa Park's Koi Pond.  It is located by the Botanical Building and is a favorite of many.   As I left the Park, I noticed a number of children in the Bea Evenson Fountain.  It was very hot yesterday.
                                                                                                                                                                                                     

Bea Evenson Fountain

                                                                                                    
 On my way home, I went to the Famosa Slough, where I saw the Osprey perched on the telephone pole.  Several times in the past two weeks, I've seen a "host" of sparrows.  Actually, I've been unable to discern exactly what amount of sparrows constitutes a "host."  All summer, I would hear them in the bushes and if they were not in bushes they would quickly get into one as I came near.  This made it quite difficult to see what kind of sparrow it was.   Now, they are collectively out in the open which makes me think that they are preparing to migrate.  Visiting Balboa Park and the Famosa Slough was a perfect way to finish my Labor Day weekend.

Please feel free to share a

comment

Check out my other photos

Check out The Book of Micah 

Amtrak Trip

As I promised on my blog of August 3, I finally made the trip to Los Angeles.

This past weekend I visited my son, his wife and two children, ages 5 and 8.  I rode Amtrak from San Diego to Union Station in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon.  When I arrived there, I went to the bus area and boarded a “Fly Away” bus to Los Angeles Airport (LAX).  I travel this way so that the family doesn’t have to get stuck in Downtown Los Angeles traffic, which can be a bear.  It is much easier to pick me up at the airport.  I purchased my Business Class ticket and boarded the 1:25 pm train and arrived at LAX around 5pm.  I ride Business Class because it gives me a reserved seat for an extra $15.  I remember being on a train to Los Angeles once, when some people had to stand.  Those seats are difficult to hold onto to prevent falling.  So, as a plus, I’ve enjoyed the special treatment given in Business Class.

I like to sit upstairs.  As I was trying to carry my suitcase up the stairs, a young man, who seemed to come out of nowhere, offered to take my bag up for me.  When I reached the seat, I decided to ride the wave, so to speak, and asked him to put the suitcase up in the overhead.  Since I sat one seat behind him and his friend, I heard that they were in the entertainment field.  The same young man carried my bag to the platform in Los Angeles.   As they were departing the train, I asked him the name of his group.  He responded, “Manufactured Superstars.”  I really appreciate that he stepped up to the plate, offering to help me.  I hope he is blessed for his kindness.

At LAX, my son timed his arrival to match my bus.  Because of security concerns, a car just can’t wait at a loading area.  As the bus was entering the airport, he called me on the phone to ask where the bus was and what kind of a bus it was.  He managed to be just ahead of the bus, so there was no waiting on my part, or his.  With an uneventful, yet pleasant trip, the transition was smooth and I joined the family.

On Sunday, my son drove me directly to Union Station in Downtown Los Angeles.  He expected light traffic.  However, it was bumper to bumper so I missed the 2:00 pm departure.  It wasn't much of a wait since the next train was scheduled at 3:00 pm.  The Business Class section was practically empty and had only five adults and four children.  Since I didn’t bring a book, I had two hours and forty-five minutes on my hands to notice the people on this trip, as well as Friday’s trip.  One of the passengers mentioned, in my hearing, that he and his 3 year old daughter ride the train many weekends.  This little lady with bouncing brown curls seemed right at home in the train traveling the aisle at will.  The other children were three teenagers (two boys and a girl, aged thirteen).  They also seemed right at home on the train.  Unfortunately, they had been visiting their father in Manhattan Beach and were returning home to their mother in Solana Beach….a distance of approximately one hundred miles.  Apparently, they do this quite often.  The boys acted like eight year olds, as she did her homework.  While they seemed to be weathering their situation, it still seemed like a tough life.

The ride was quiet.  When we reached the beach area, I lamented not bringing my camera because the train windows were clean.  The only drawback to the ride was that we stopped five times to let trains coming north go through.  At different points on the trip to San Diego, south of Solana Beach, there is only one track.  I believe San Diego is the seventh largest city in the United States so you would think they would improve the tracks.  I guess Amtrak’s ridership between San Diego and Los Angeles just isn’t large enough.

Even with the inconveniences, the trip was worth it.  I had a wonderful time with the family.

Check out my photos at:
http://www.shutterfly.com/pro/PhotosbyCathi/Scenery  

Beautiful Snow-capped Mountains

During the first week in January, I made two trips to Corona, CA near Riverside (about 50 miles west of Los Angeles). I was so taken with the snow-capped San Bernardino Mountains, I had to take some photos. I just couldn't get a great one. The best views were always while driving where there wasn't a place to legally pull over to the side of the road.

On New Year's Day, we traveled to the Los Angeles area. My son and daughter-in-law took us to a Korean BBQ restaurant, Shilla, in Gardena, CA. I enjoyed the experience. The barbecue was within the table near the end. The waitress came every so often to turn the meat. My daughter-in-law chose the dishes for us. Along with the beef and pork, we enjoyed soup, salad, rice, and some small side dishes. Since this was the first time for me, I sampled a little from each dish. I don't remember the names, except the kelp and sardines. The sardines were too dry for me, but I did like the kelp. Also, as my granddaughter nimbly used her chopsticks, I made a concerted yet feeble attempt....maybe next time. The meal was leisurely, and as I said before, was enjoyable.

Yesterday, we joined them again for dinner at Benihana's in Torrence, CA to celebrate my daughter-in-law's birthday. We all enjoyed watching the chef perform some tricks as he deftly prepared our meal, which was delicious. Again, I had the opportunity to use chopsticks. The restaurant supplied specially constructed chopsticks for children. So, my daughter-in-law requested extra ones for adult guests who needed them. I managed to eat the fried rice without dropping too much as well as dip the shrimp and chicken in the sauces. I enjoyed the chicken and shrimp and had a taste of the green tea ice cream. It was interesting, but my old favorite, chocolate, was my choice. It was so nice to join the family in their celebration.