SOME HOLIDAY SCENES AND A WALK THROUGH A FAVORITE GARDEN STORE

I enjoyed my trip the other day down to Claremont.  Hopefully will go sometime again in January as I know there will still be autumn colors even though winter is here.  

and...if I don't get to the beach area in 2021especially Newport. Laguna and Balboa Island area I'm going to ....  well have to aim for 2022 I guess.   

WHILE IN CLAREMONT YESTERDAY

 I saw this beautiful house.  I love to sketch houses so I'm thinking this might be my next sketch.   Weather remains chilly, breezy and too darn cold to walk near a lake.  

I'm hoping soon for another trip down the mountain to another favorite neighborhood to walk through.

YESTERDAY WENT OFF MOUNTAIN FOR A WARMER WALK THAN HERE IN THE MOUNTAINS

We went to a favorite place and it was in the 70's with a slight cloud cover that made for beautiful skies.  

 Claremont is a small University town and was bursting with fall colors while  the mountains where I live are for the most part through with their vivid colors. 

 I've always made a point to go to Claremont in December, the most beautiful time of the year and the leaf color changes are even still going on in January. 

 We were busy with family for about a week and then the following week I just had no motivation to post but I thought I would put up a photo and it might get me inspired again to pick up more regular posting here. We walked an area around the campus of the Claremont and Pomona Colleges. I love the neighborhoods close to the Universities because they are all mostly historical homes. I'll post more photos later so i have them here on the blog.

WENT TO A FAVORITE TOWN OF MINE YESTERDAY

It's quite a long ways now from the mountains (almost 50 minutes or so) so we don't go there as often as we did when we didn't live in the mountains.  It's always a pleasure to go there - to this University town.  We had to do our monthly shopping and it wasn't too hot yet, so a pleasant day in the 80's.

Anyway I passed by this beauty and of course had to take photos.  I took many yesterday but I'll just post these two today.   What attracts me to this one is the architecture and the entry way outside, the brick steps and then there are those beautiful simple  chair cushions.  I  really want to spend an hour or a year  sitting outside watching the world go by in Claremont, Ca.

THE WEATHER OUTSIDE IS SUNNY

and I could make this post funny.

But...  all I can say is it felt so good to finally get several days of good walking in again.  I've hibernated too long because of cold snowy or windy weather. 

A few days ago we visited a trail/path along a wash/creek as they call it there... that I use to walk on quite often when I lived down from the mountain. 

First photo is a shot off the freeway near an area I use to live in the foothills and Mike and I use to climb all over those hills when we could find a path that wasn't overgrown and hiding snakes.

We definitely need more rain over the rest of winter and spring to really green up those foothills.  In the mountains now where i live the snow has melted and everything is so green and healthy looking (except for the trees with bark beetle disease that are going to be cut down).

This path we are on cuts through a park and then on to a path that takes you farther up the mountain, which we didn't do this time....not in any type of condition to do that yet after sitting around all winter.

Last photo is on the freeway heading back to the mountain range where we live.

FRONT PORCH POST, CLAREMONT, CA

A beauty of a house in Claremont, Ca.  I love walking through these neighborhoods.

I'VE BEEN VISITING AND WALKING THROUGH THIS TOWN FOR ....PROBABLY AT LEAST 30 plus YEARS

At least over the last 10 years whoever lives here has added more and more to her yard art.

This is Claremont, a town which I love and can only dream of living in.  We use to bring the grandkids here often to play at the park. 

It's a town I never get tired of walking through - a University town with a great vibe~~!

And the highlight of the walk was her zebra painted rock~