Tag: outdoors

Hidden public art in Mission Hills!

There’s an installation of public art in Mission Hills that’s easily overlooked. The art is titled Guard Posts. Redwood posts wrapped with copper stand at the side of the road where Goldfinch Street turns west and becomes Lewis Street. Engraved in copper are words that describe the canyon beyond the guard posts.

Why do I call this public art hidden? Not only are the posts inconspicuous from a distance, but some of the art is actually hidden in the branches of nearby vegetation.

Local artists Richard Keely and Maidie Morris finished the Guard Posts in 1994. You can see how time and weather have altered the artwork–made the copper appear more natural.

Most of the words atop these posts were contributed by members of the Mission Hills community. I did my best to transcribe…

HAWKS AND FALCONS FLYING OVER AT VARIOUS TIMES OF THE DAY, THE CANYONS ARE AN UNBELIEVABLE ECOLOGICAL SYSTEM ON THEIR OWN… MISSION HILLS RESIDENT

WE HEARD OF PEOPLE LIVING DOWN IN THIS CANYON… MISSION HILLS RESIDENT

IN THE SPRING EVERY SIDE OF THE CANYON IS SO DIFERENT. JUST LIKE A PALETTE. MISSION HILLS RESIDENT

CANYONS, WHERE THEY SLIP APART LIKE FINGERS, ACT JUST LIKE A CHIMNEY. WE DON’T WANT TO… CANYON FIRE EVER (I can’t make out some of the words. If you know the full text, please leave a comment!)

CANYONS…WELL. AS A PET SHOP OWNER I CAN SAY THERE’S A LOT OF WILD LIFE DOWN IN THE CANYONS… FOX. SKUNKS. LITTLE CREATURES

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A fun Garden Show at the County Fair!

This year the theme at the San Diego County Fair is Get Out There! Throughout the Del Mar Fairgrounds visitors encounter displays that celebrate recreation in the Great Outdoors.

This theme works perfectly with one of the most popular attractions at the San Diego County Fair: the outdoor Paul Ecke Jr. Garden Show!

Gardening clubs, local students and civic organizations have created their own themed landscape displays. In the spirit of Get Out There, many of the small gardens that I saw during my visit include camping tents and lawn chairs, nestled among native Southern California plants. There is also a fun potted garden competition.

I also found a gigantic animatronic snail. And model trains running through a representation of Yellowstone National Park. And a display that pays tribute to Route 66. And there are old wagons filled with flowers. And a plant sale. And art, too!

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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Fun photos at Encinitas Community Park!

I walked though Encinitas Community Park today. It was my first ever visit.

I was surprised at how large and how wonderful this park is! There’s a big skatepark (called Poods Park), a big, colorful children’s playground, multiple sports fields (that can be seen from Interstate 5 just south of Santa Fe Drive), long meandering pathways, and flowers and picnic benches shaded by trees.

Lots of people were out this morning walking dogs.

Enjoy my photos…

Beautiful sign welcomes the public to Encinitas Community Park.

A big, wonderful, shaded playground.

Put your head in the lion’s mouth to get a drink of water.

More fun tomorrow!

Flowers by a soccer field.

Heading down landscaped paths feels like a nature walk.

Dogs like walking here, too!

A fun smiley on a gate.

Your laugh will forever be in our hearts.

Guys fly radio controlled airplanes at a ballfield.

Performing a trick at the Encinitas skate park.

Best friends.

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I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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A sunny walk in La Jolla’s Kellogg Park.

During my last visit to La Jolla Shores, I enjoyed a walk through Kellogg Park.

Several interesting sights met my eyes as I wandered about the beachside park on another sunny San Diego day!

At the south entrance to Kellogg Park, there’s an unusual table-like sculpture.

I believe the octopus and compass design represents the organization Friends of La Jolla Shores.

Nearby, an octopus welcomes visitors to The Map of the Grand Canyons of La Jolla, which is located in a plaza located between the grassy park and the beach’s boardwalk, Walter Munk Way.

The following photo shows a bit of the beautiful map. I once blogged about the map, its artwork and meaning here. There’s a cool interactive website that describes the marine animals in the map here.

Entering wide grassy Kellogg Park from the south. Benches face a tall flagpole.

Another beautiful day in paradise.

Facing the flagpole from its north side.

There’s an old plaque at the base of the flagpole.

Kellogg Park, a gift to the people of San Diego from Florence Scripps Kellogg and the City of San Diego. Dedicated to the memory of Frederick William Kellogg. June 1951.

Palm trees and the nearby playground.

Gazing out toward the ocean and the La Jolla Shores boardwalk.

Picnic benches and green grass.

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Walking along Salt Marsh Bird View Trail.

A short, easy side trail can be enjoyed north of the San Dieguito Lagoon near Del Mar. It’s called the Salt Marsh Bird View Trail.

Those who journey through the San Dieguito River Park along the Coast to Crest Trail might see signs indicating either end of the Salt Marsh Bird View Trail. (No bicycles or horses are allowed on it.)

During my own leisurely walk heading east, I saw one of these signs just beyond the San Dieguito River Park Lagoon Ranger Station, which is located off San Andres Drive and Via de la Valle.

As the trail’s name suggests, those who move along it can observe many birds in the nearby lagoon and its marshy vegetation.

This trail also passes the beautiful Birdwing Open Air Classroom, which I blogged about here. A short path leads up to Birdwing. There hikers will find a shady place to rest and feel alive, surrounded by nature.

Well, here are my photographs. Enjoy!

Over 200 bird species have been observed at the San Dieguito Lagoon.

Its various habitats include fresh water marshes, salt marshes, riparian forests, upland coastal sage scrub and chaparral plant communities.

Four endangered bird species that inhabit this lagoon are the Belding’s subspecies of Savannah Sparrow, Ridgway’s Rail, California Gnatcatcher, and California Least Tern.

Volunteer birders conduct monthly surveys at San Dieguito Lagoon. Learn more about that here!

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

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The beautiful Birdwing Open Air Classroom.

Beside the San Dieguito Lagoon wetland, near the west end of the San Dieguito River Park, you’ll find a beautiful outdoor space where one can learn about nature and soak in its goodness.

The shady, airy Birdwing Open Air Classroom was dedicated in 2014. It does indeed look a bit like a bird’s wing in flight!

Birdwing may be used as a trailside classroom by teachers, scientists and park rangers. It is also a place for walkers and hikers to relax and gaze out the nearby lagoon.

A short looping path and bridge near the structure passes through yellow bush sunflowers and other native plants. From that path I observed an osprey flying high in the sky–too small for a sharp photograph with my little camera.

The Birdwing Open Air Classroom can be accessed from the Coast to Crest Trail perhaps a quarter mile east of San Andres Drive and the ranger station.

You can learn more about the Birdwing Open Air Classroom here.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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!

Hidden paradise above a Del Mar beach!

Those who visit Dog Beach (also known as North Beach) in Del Mar might wonder about some wooden stairs. They climb up the sandstone bluffs to the north. I ascended them the other day and discovered a hidden paradise!

A sign near the foot of the steps indicates the area above is the James G. Scripps Bluff Preserve. Those who explore the preserve are asked to stay on the paths and carry out trash.

During my adventure, I noticed some of the bottom steps are broken, so one must take care not to stumble.

Here’s a series of photographs that I took as I ascended into the preserve. One can gaze south down upon Dog Beach and east to the Del Mar Racetrack and beyond.

Once I reached the top of the main path, an amazing field of early March flowers and wide views of the Pacific Ocean awaited me.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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!

Kids art at Algo Bueno in Chula Vista!

Check out all the fun art on a wall at Algo Bueno in Chula Vista! The artwork was painted by local kids!

I was walking around yesterday when I saw this colorful wall at 354 Church Avenue where Algo Bueno (Something Good), an outdoor eatery, is located. The area was fenced off, so I took zoom photos and sharpened them.

This great art was designed and created by students from Chula Vista Learning Community Charter Middle School.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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!

San Diego Bird Festival 2023 this weekend!

Looking for a fun adventure this weekend? Do you love the great outdoors? Do you love birds?

The San Diego Bird Festival 2023 has kicked off at Marina Village Conference Center and continues through the weekend!

The annual event is presented by the San Diego Audubon Society. The public is invited to attend a variety of educational lectures at Marina Village and bird-watching activities around the city.

The cool thing is many of the activities on Saturday and Sunday are free, including outdoor birding adventures along the San Diego River and at Santee Lakes!

Never gone birding before? Don’t know much about it? That’s fine! Bird lovers are a friendly, knowledgeable bunch and very welcoming. I happened to meet a few of them this morning during my quiet walk through Marina Village about an hour before the day’s activities began in earnest.

The San Diego Bird Festival also has a bookstore with every sort of bird-related resource one could ever need. And for those who are curious, there are displays of binoculars and other gear. There’s also an auction that features some very cool collectible items!

Who are those bicyclists I photographed? They were just setting off for a ride along the San Diego River. I wonder how many birds they identified?

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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!

Kumeyaay history by the Sweetwater River.

The Marina Gateway in National City contains a small cluster of buildings located at the intersection of Bay Marina Drive and Marina Way. On the south side of the Marina Gateway parking lot, a walkway and outdoor plaza overlook Paradise Creek. The creek flows through a marsh into nearby Sweetwater River. Two signs at the edge of Paradise Marsh concern the history of the Native American Kumeyaay.

The Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation owns property at the Marina Gateway, and I believe this plaza was built since my last visit almost seven years ago. The same plant and wildlife information signs remain, but, if I recall correctly, back then there was no plaza and the overlook was less developed.

One sign I didn’t spot years ago features a topographical map showing Kumeyaay ancestral village sites within 1000 feet of the Sweetwater River. It also describes how the Kumeyaay would move up and down the river as they traveled between desert, mountain, and coast.

The Kumeyaay people lived here for thousands of years, long before European explorers and settlers arrived. It is their ancestral homeland–a place of comfort, beauty, and enjoyment, a place that honors our past and that will be enjoyed by future generations.

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Thanks for visiting Cool San Diego Sights!

I post new blogs pretty often. If you like discovering new things, bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

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!