This weekend I walked a little around La Mesa. I hadn’t been out that way since January of last year.
My heart was warmed to see many messages of love and optimism decorating the chain link fence surrounding property that was destroyed during the late May riot, which was fueled by the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis that same month.
The community–mostly young people–produced idealistic artwork full of hope. I saw the heartfelt desire for equality, peace, understanding, and the end of racism. Love and kindness were in most of the messages.
The result of arson during a riot in La Mesa, California.Unity in the community.Positive messages of love and equality on a fence in La Mesa.Paintings donated by Pink Rose Cafe with support of the La Mesa community.Love sees no color. End racism.Hopeful images painted by a young person.We are all under the same sun.All we need is love.Strong. Hope. Heartbeat. Heartfelt.A wise quote about improving the world from Dr. Seuss.Step into the daylight.Be positive.Let us embrace all the colors.Artwork along the fence represents the optimism of La Mesa residents.Together friends.La Mesa kids stand for change, unity, hope, love.There can be miracles when you believe. Though hope is frail, it’s hard to kill.What I’m looking for is not out there, it is in me.Do justice. Walk humbly.We’re in this together.A hopeful vision.Fight for what’s right.Be kind.More heartfelt sentiments along the fence.Be you. Shine bright.Be the change.Love and respect for your neighbor.We can’t help everyone, but everyone can help someone.Listen.Grow through what you go through.Love one another.Fine artwork full of humanity.Make the world a better place.Love wins.Peace and love. Love will win.When you focus on good, the good gets better.Shine like stars.Wisdom from Martin Luther King, Jr. Hate cannot drive out hate–only love can.Love not hate makes America great.Peace. Love. Hope.Believe there is good.Kindness is the sunshine in which everything and everyone can grow.Kindness matters.All black lives matter.The dove of peace.Love. United we stand.Love grows here.
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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!
Dr. Jim Knott helps to tend the beautiful San Diego Memorial Plumeria Garden.
There’s a garden in Balboa Park that very few people know about. I happened upon the garden today, and was told it’s called the San Diego Memorial Plumeria Garden. You can find it inside the Balboa Park Horseshoe Club.
Some members of the Southern California Plumeria Society (known for their popular plant sales in Balboa Park) have created this garden and lovingly maintain it.
Dr. Jim Knott told me a little about the garden, and showed me three rows of plumerias bordering the outdoor horseshoe pits. I was told the first plumeria was planted in 2008. He’d like to see the garden flourish and assume greater prominence. It’s a wonderful project!
Next time you walk through the southwest corner of Balboa Park, and you pass the Balboa Park Horseshoe Club, look over the fence. You’ll see the San Diego Memorial Plumeria Garden!
UPDATE!
I received a comment with additional information about the history of these plumerias:
“…My name is Robert Chubinsky, I put them there. I was President of Balboa Park Horseshoe Club for a while and planted them starting in 2012. I grew them on my patio in South Mission Beach. My patio was getting crowded, I had over 40 plants many too big for my patio and started planting them. It was my legacy to the park. All that was there before were weeds and dirt with no blocks. I had the outer bank built with the landscape blocks to give an outside border and filled it with dirt and planted the trees…”
Plumeria flowers are beloved by many.Stones at the San Diego Memorial Plumeria Garden remember loved ones.A small plumeria nursery at the Balboa Park Horseshoe Club.A labor of love.
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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!
Many windows are boarded up in downtown San Diego against the possibility of more looting and destruction. This moment in history is tumultuous, uncertain.
As I walked through the city this morning I noticed that many of the boards have been spray painted by street artists. I was happy to discover that most of the artwork conveys positive, powerful messages.
Celebrating life, renewal, love.
Butterflies take flight.Peace in the heart.San Diego vida.A flowery Volkswagen Hippie Van recalls the 1960’s.Black is beautiful.Unity through inspiration.A heart is possible with hands of all colors.
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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!
I’ve photographed many monuments that remember those who’ve fallen in war.
At the Veterans Memorial in Vista, California, the powerful monument to one particular soldier can easily bring you to tears.
Please look at the following images, read the two random letters that I photographed leading to the sculpture, then the plaque that describes the life and death of a young person who simply wanted to serve. Click those photos and they will enlarge for easier reading.
Veterans Memorial Park was created by the Pinamonti family to honor Ernie, son and brother, who was killed in the Vietnam War.
Sculpture at Veterans Memorial, by artist Rip Caswell, 2016.
Dear Family, Today we are starting our first day of training…Mail call is the best part of the day and I really look forward to it…I miss everyone a great deal and I read the letters over and over. Sincerely, ErnieDear Ernie…If there is anything you need, just ask and we will send it to you…Remember to write every couple days so I don’t worry about you. Be good and take care of yourself. I miss you. Love, Mother
Flag flies above Veterans Memorial Park in Vista, California.On May 15, 1969, our family was forever changed by the knock on the front door that brought news that our 19 year old brother, Ernie, had died of wounds received while assisting a fellow soldier…
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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 photographs.
In the city of Vista many hearts are locked together.
A double heart-shaped sculpture on Main Street titled Love Locks invites residents to permanently attach a padlock. Each lock symbolizes an unbreakable bond of love.
Love Locks was created by artists Rick Randall and Jaydon Sterling Randall in 2016.
People have added hundreds of unique locks to the two joined hearts.
Each lock has its own story.
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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!
The 11th Annual Red Shoe Day is almost here! But this year it will be different. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the gathering of donations for Ronald McDonald House in San Diego will be entirely online!
Instead of plunking your spare change into a big red Ronald McDonald shoe held by a volunteer at a busy intersection, there’s going to be a virtual Red Shoe Day on June 4, 2020 that everyone can safely take part in and share online with others!
Ronald McDonald House Charities of San Diego, according to their mission statement: provides a “home-away-from-home” for families with children being treated for serious, often life-threatening conditions at local hospitals.
Put yourself in the shoes of a family with a seriously ill child and imagine how important this would be. You could spend much more time with your child as they undergo super scary medical treatment at a big, scary hospital. Read more about what Ronald McDonald House Charities does here.
And here is what you can do!
Click here and join this year’s virtual Red Shoe Day!
Recruit friends, coworkers and family members! Form a winning team!
Look at all the smiling volunteers I photographed in past years, before the coronavirus pandemic…
Click here to join Red Shoe Day and make a huge difference in people’s lives!
Cool San Diego Sights! 