Tag: inspiration

A short story about regret and redemption.

I wrote another short story. This one is titled The Firefly.

It’s about regret and redemption.

And hopelessness and release.

And hurt and freedom.

If you’d like to read this small work of fiction, click here.

Creativity and fun at the Little Italy ArtWalk!

Hundreds of artists had their work out on the streets of Little Italy at the 2018 Mission Federal ArtWalk.
Hundreds of artists had their work out on the streets of Little Italy at the 2018 Mission Federal ArtWalk.

Early this afternoon I walked down from Cortez Hill to enjoy the 2018 Mission Federal ArtWalk in Little Italy. What fun!

Hundreds of artists had their colorful work out on display along several Little Italy streets. I enjoyed meandering about and letting my eyes feast on life wherever they happened to turn. I was happy to unexpectedly meet some people that I know. I also grabbed a tasty bratwurst with lots of onions and mustard!

Another perfect day in San Diego! Smiles, warm sunshine, an easy stretch of the legs, plus the treat of fantastic, inspiring art!

A crowd of art aficionados converged on San Diego's Little Italy neighborhood.
A crowd of art aficionados converge on San Diego’s Little Italy neighborhood.
The big annual Mission Federal ArtWalk is a time to relax, enjoy life, and feel creative inspiration.
The big annual Mission Federal ArtWalk is a time to relax, enjoy life, and feel some creative inspiration.
Art, food, friendship and sunshine.
Enjoying art, food and friendship.

Little Italy's new Piazza della Famiglia featured a stage plus cool chalk art, which I'll blog about shortly!
Little Italy’s new Piazza della Famiglia featured a stage plus cool chalk art, which I’ll blog about shortly!
Some of the artists were kicking back and talking to potential buyers. Others were concentrating at a canvas creating new work.
Some of the artists were kicking back and talking to potential buyers. Others were concentrating at a canvas creating new work.
Little Italy, in downtown San Diego, is a lively place where culture thrives.
Little Italy, in downtown San Diego, is a lively place where culture thrives.
This guy broke a string as I walked up. He smiled for the camera anyway!
This guy broke a string as I walked up. He smiled for the camera anyway!
People were invited to work on this interactive mural sponsored by Artist and Craftsman Supply.
People were invited to work on this interactive mural sponsored by Artist and Craftsman Supply.
They also had a table nearby for anybody who'd like to create their own art!
They also had a table nearby for anybody who’d like to create their own art!

More musical entertainment in Piazza Basilone.
More musical entertainment in Piazza Basilone.

Joy and creativity abound at the Mission Federal ArtWalk in Little Italy!
Joy and creativity abound at the Mission Federal ArtWalk in Little Italy!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

More cool art found walking around La Jolla!

Expecting to Fly (for the Zeros), Fred Tomaselli, 2013.
Expecting to Fly (for the Zeros), Fred Tomaselli, 2013.

You might remember I posted photos of street art and many of the Murals of La Jolla a couple years ago. You can see all of that fun artwork by clicking here. Sadly, a couple of those murals no longer exist.

My adventure today included passing by even more public art murals, plus some beautiful and inspirational stuff that I found while journeying down sidewalks.

I snapped a great map and legend of the Murals of La Jolla in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego on Prospect Street, which is undergoing a renovation. To see the location of all the current murals, which include some that I photographed in that earlier blog post, click the map below and it will enlarge.

Map and legend that you can use to locate the many amazing Murals of La Jolla.
Map and legend that you can use to locate the many amazing Murals of La Jolla.
Playing La Jolla (for all it's worth), Terry Allen, 2015.
Playing La Jolla (for all it’s worth), Terry Allen, 2015.
Suns, Victoria Fu and Byron Kim, 2016.
Suns, Victoria Fu and Byron Kim, 2016.
Man, Myth and Magic, Steven Hull, 2017.
Man, Myth and Magic, Steven Hull, 2017.
Art near entrance of Le Chauvinist depicts three kids at the Lincoln Memorial.
Art near entrance of Le Chauvinist depicts three kids at the Lincoln Memorial.
A fish etched in the concrete sidewalk near El Pescador Fish Market!
A fish etched in the concrete sidewalk near El Pescador Fish Market!
Angel wings on a gate.
Angel wings on a gate.
One of the most stunning gates I've ever seen. Golden leaves and blooms seem to grow through it.
One of the most stunning gates I’ve ever seen. Shining golden leaves and blooms seem to grow through it.
By the sidewalk. Joan Goldstein Graf and Alan Goldstein. Their bench.
By the sidewalk… Joan Goldstein Graf and Alan Goldstein. Their bench.
Painted flowers near the roof of Salvage Salon.
Painted flowers near the roof of Salvage Salon.
Come into my garden so my flowers can meet you.
Come into my garden so my flowers can meet you.
A very cool mural in the alley next to the Grater grilled cheese shop in La Jolla.
A very cool mural in the alley next to the Grater grilled cheese shop in La Jolla.
It appears Mona Lisa has a taste for grilled cheese sandwiches!
It appears Mona Lisa has a taste for grilled cheese sandwiches!

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This blog now features thousands of photos around San Diego! Are you curious? There’s lots of cool stuff to check out!

Here’s the Cool San Diego Sights main page, where you can read the most current blog posts.  If you’re using a phone or small mobile device, click those three parallel lines up at the top–that opens up my website’s sidebar, where you’ll see the most popular posts, a search box, and more!

To enjoy future posts, you can also “like” Cool San Diego Sights on Facebook or follow me on Twitter.

Create a cool beehouse for your garden!

Anyone can create a cool beehouse for their garden. All you really need is a drill!
Anyone can create a beehouse for their garden. All you really need is a drill!

Before my hike through the Sweetwater Marsh on Saturday, I took a stroll through the Native Pollinator Garden just outside the Living Coast Discovery Center. After reading a variety of informative signs, I paused in the garden to look at some very cool beehouses!

As I read about the beehouses, it occurred to me these would be extremely easy to make.

I took photographs just in case anyone reading this blog would like to make a beehouse for their own garden! Read the captions to learn more about the habits of ground-dwelling solitary bees and the materials you can use to make them a beehouse!

The Native Pollinator Garden at the Living Coast Discovery Center includes some very cool beehouses!
The Native Pollinator Garden just outside the Living Coast Discovery Center includes a couple of very cool beehouses!
Bees are extremely important. More than two thirds of the world's crop species rely on pollinators.
Bees are extremely important. More than two thirds of the world’s crop species rely on pollinators.
A large Feed a Bee Pollinator Habitat in the native garden provides shelter for solitary bees and information for the curious.
A large Feed a Bee Pollinator Habitat in the native garden provides shelter for solitary bees and information for the curious.
The rear of this bee condo! Holes have been drilled in a variety of materials, including logs, lumber and bricks.
The rear of this bee condo! Holes have been drilled in a variety of materials, including logs, lumber and bricks.
Solitary bees don't live in colonies. They often seek out hollows of fallen logs, bark and branches. They make up a majority of the 4000 bee species in the United States.
Solitary bees don’t live in colonies. They often seek out hollows of fallen logs, bark and branches. They make up a majority of the 4000 bee species in the United States.
A close look at the fun beehouse. I think even I could make one of these.
A close look at the fun beehouse. I think even I could make one of these.
Creating various hiding places attracts solitary bees, which can be as small as an eighth of an inch.
Creating various hiding places attracts solitary bees, which can be as small as an eighth of an inch.
Feeling inspired? Handy with a hammer and nails? Make your beehouse into a cool work of art!
Feeling inspired? Handy with a hammer and nails? Fashion your beehouse into a unique work of art!

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

A beautiful walk along Big Laguna Trail.

Stepping from the Penny Pines parking area on Sunrise Highway to the Nobel Canyon trailhead.
Stepping from the Penny Pines parking area on Sunrise Highway to the Nobel Canyon trailhead.

This morning I went on a walk in the Laguna Mountains. The pine-covered Lagunas, about an hour’s drive east of downtown San Diego, reach just over 6000 feet in elevation.

After parking at the Penny Pines area on Sunrise Highway, I began west down the Noble Canyon Trail, then turned south onto Big Laguna Trail.

A morning walk in the mountains is so quiet and beautiful.

Come along with me! In these photos we’ll be heading a couple miles or so to Big Laguna Lake, a temporary body of water that appears in the winter and lingers until summer.

During my walk I saw many broken trees and stumps, victims over the years of bark beetles and periodic wildfires. At first the air was very chilly, but as the sun slowly rose its warmth felt good on my face. I heard plenty of birdsong, knocking woodpeckers, and the soft mountain breeze in branches. I smelled new green grass and the towering pine trees.

My eyes noted many signs of early spring.

Part of a posted Map of Laguna Mountain Recreation Area. Big Laguna Lake forms during rainy season in Laguna Meadow.
Part of a posted Map of Laguna Mountain Recreation Area. Big Laguna Lake forms during rainy season in Laguna Meadow.
Horses share the path with hikers and mountain bikers.
Horses sometimes share the trail with hikers and mountain bikers.
Many fallen tree limbs and trunks were along the trail. Victims of wildfires, beetles, and violent mountain storms.
Many fallen tree limbs and trunks were along the trail. Victims of wildfires, beetles, and violent mountain storms.
We've turned left onto Big Laguna Trail. Many of the hiking trails on Mount Laguna connect to the famous Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada.
We’ve turned left onto Big Laguna Trail. Many of the hiking trails on Mount Laguna connect to the famous Pacific Crest Trail, which stretches from Mexico to Canada.
A swinging gate on the trail. Sometimes cattle are herded up in these mountains.
A swinging gate on the trail. Sometimes cattle are herded up in these mountains.
A beautiful early morning. The sun is still low and obscured by clouds and hills.
A beautiful early morning. The sun is still low and obscured by clouds and hills.
I saw a few small flowers along the trail scattered by spring's fingers.
I saw a few small flowers along the trail scattered by spring’s fingers.
Jumbled sawn trunks often appear like abstract works of art.
The jumbled broken trunks often appeared like abstract works of art.
Inner beauty exposed.
Inner beauty exposed.
Wild, delicate beauty.
Wild and delicate.

Moving forward.
Moving forward.
A tale of many seasons.
A tale of many seasons.
Winter's remnant.
Winter’s remnant.
Many elements.
Many elements.
About to enter the edge of Laguna Meadow.
I’m about to enter the edge of Laguna Meadow. Around here a small group of Red-winged Blackbirds were jumping about tree branches and cheerfully talking to each other.

Some collected rain and snowmelt have formed a small green pond.
Some collected rain and snowmelt have formed a small green pond in the meadow.

I spy Big Laguna Lake ahead.
I spy Big Laguna Lake ahead.
Turning my camera to the right, looking backward a bit.
Turning my camera to the right, looking backward a bit.

A friendly mountain biker approaches.
A friendly mountain biker approaches.
Like a silver dream on the mountain.
Like a silver dream on the mountain.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!

You can easily explore Cool San Diego Sights by using the search box on my blog’s sidebar. Or click a tag! There are thousands upon thousands of photos for you to enjoy!

A very brief story about life and memory.

Please forgive me. I’ve written another short story and now I’m going to tell you about it.

This brief work of fiction is titled Another Page. It’s all about life and memory. And those shining, magical things that fill one’s life and memory.

That ephemeral brightness.

You will probably recognize the central character. There’s a very good chance you know that person intimately.

To read the story, click here.

Art in Bloom at Japanese Friendship Garden.

You might have noticed I personally love the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park. It’s so peaceful and beautiful. The garden always refreshes my mind and sparks my creativity. It’s one of my favorite spots to write short stories. (I hope to have a new one finished soon!)

When I learned a new cultural exhibition would open today in the garden’s handsome Inamori Pavilion, I knew at once that I had to check it out. The exhibition is called Art in Bloom – Floral Art of Japan.

The diverse pieces of artwork on display feature exquisite flower designs. By reading several signs in the exhibit, I learned about the symbolism of certain flowers in Japan. For example, I learned the camelia represents spring.

After feasting my eyes on the Art in Bloom exhibit, I walked up a winding path through the Lower Garden and carefully searched the grove of Japanese cherry trees for spring blossoms. None yet! One of the knowledgeable master gardeners informed me we have several weeks to go!

(Don’t forget to attend the certain-to-be-amazing 2018 Cherry Blossom Festival. This year it will be held on March 9 through March 11.)

Here’s a pic taken outside the Inamori Pavilion, followed by photos of a few works of the floral art inside…

Flowers at the Japanese Friendship Garden near the Inamori Pavilion, where the Art in Bloom exhibition is located.
Flowers at the Japanese Friendship Garden near the Inamori Pavilion, where the Art in Bloom exhibition is located.

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I live in downtown San Diego and love to walk around with my camera! You can follow Cool San Diego Sights via Facebook or Twitter!