Mardi Gras has come and gone. Today some of the revelers will be observing Ash Wednesday.
I walked through the Gaslamp Quarter this morning and saw the remains of Mardi Gras.
Then I spotted smiles and glitter ashes at the Old Town trolley station…
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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!
To read a few philosophical bits of fiction I’ve written, click Short Stories by Richard.
Forgive me for mentioning my writing website Short Stories by Richard again.
Today I sat for several minutes at the Japanese Friendship Garden in Balboa Park gazing out at the Karesansui, or Dry Stone Garden. I must’ve entered a meditative state of mind, because as I viewed the ruggedly beautiful stones and perfectly raked gravel a vision came to me.
In the past I learned the significance of the elements in a Japanese rock garden, so this tiny three sentence story, or poem, which I titled Across the Stone Garden, might not be entirely original or surprising.
But I think it’s a bit magical, and you might like it anyway.
To read it, click here.
Every moment, in the blink of an eye, is lost forever to the past.
My walk this morning through downtown San Diego made me wonder. Without leaving the present, I saw evidence of time’s passage.
In my small field of vision I saw people turning corners.
I saw buildings old and new.
The demolition and the construction.
Things that will be forgotten.
Things that are still remembered.
Many of the things I photographed this morning we’ve observed together in the past. Perhaps a little differently.
So now I offer a few passing images, which are like moments in a dream–or in a life.
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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!
Until yesterday, I didn’t know very much about Lomaland. I knew it was a Theosophical community in Point Loma with several exotic buildings that were located where Point Loma Nazarene University stands today, but that’s about all.
After viewing the San Diego History Center’s current exhibition The Path of the Mystic: Art & Theosophy at Lomaland, and doing a little online research, I now know more about this unique utopian community that made important cultural contributions to San Diego in the first half of the 20th century.
Lomaland was established by Katherine Tingley in 1897. The home of the Universal Brotherhood and Theosophical Society, the community became a haven for learning, culture and social reform. Artists and like-minded individuals from around the world came to Lomaland to lead spiritual, contemplative, idealistic lives.
According to the San Diego History Center website: “Tingley’s progressive Theosophical vision, which placed strong emphasis on cultural pursuits including music, dance, drama, literature and visual art, attracted artists from the United States and abroad. As the community developed, many artists came to live and work at Lomaland, including Marguerite Lemke Barton, Grace “Gay” Betts, Maurice Braun, Benjamin Gordon, Leonard Lester, Marian Plummer Lester, Reginald Willoughby Machell, and Edith White.”
I learned from Wikipedia: “Led by Katherine Tingley, the group came to Point Loma to establish a community that would model the philosophical and humanitarian goals of Theosophy. The “White City” envisioned by Tingley was to be located on the extreme western edge of the North American continent but oriented toward India, the spiritual center of Theosophical beliefs. The blend of new world confidence, Victorian morality, a love of antiquity, and Indian spirituality created a unique community …”
The buildings of Lomaland were completed in 1900, and the Theosophical community flourished in Point Loma until 1942, when it relocated to Covina. The main building and Temple of Peace, which often appear in Theosophical Society artwork, had domes of aquamarine and amethyst colored glass. They could be seen far out to sea, and as far east as Mt. Cuyamaca. They were destroyed by fire in 1952. The Spaulding house today serves as the administration building at Point Loma Nazarene University.
I took a few photos of the exhibition in subdued lighting, but my poor old camera doesn’t capture the full detail and beauty of this artwork.
Many more paintings, historical photographs and other works of unique art in The Path of the Mystic: Art & Theosophy at Lomaland will be on display through April 19, 2020 at the San Diego History Center in Balboa Park.
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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!
My writing website Short Stories by Richard keeps expanding.
This weekend I’ve published two unusual short stories.
Both tiny works of fiction concern the difficulty of caging wild, undefinable things. Things like divine beauty and absolute truth.
Aviary Observations is about art, capturing beauty and our human limitations.
Soul to Soul is about putting into words deeper truths that cannot be adequately expressed.
Both quirky stories contain humor! We’re human after all.
You can click the above links if you’re curious.
I discovered a poem that was written on the sidewalk yesterday. Chalk words express gratitude.
You might enjoy reading this simple, heartfelt poetry:
I fell a far distance –
You caught me many, many
Times – Awoken revived thankful
to be alive – Living is a privilege
Take care – See the life you’ve
been given – Cherish it
It has been nearly three years since I’ve seen the street artist who calls herself Tree. I wonder where she is.
Our lives are all in motion. We tumble along down intersecting sidewalks and Time is our wind.
Like colorful leaves, the small, beautiful works of Tree remain scattered about the world.
I wrote another small story yesterday.
The words came to me in Balboa Park while I listened to my friend Mitchell playing didgeridoo. People walking down El Prado would pause before the strange, resonant instrument. A brave few would dance.
As people came and went, I wondered what effect their movement might have on the planet. Both Mitchell and I are curious about strange, cosmic things.
The title of my short story is Spinning the Earth.
If you like to use your imagination, click here!
An insightful quote by civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. can be seen in North Park. The few words are powerful and true.
This inspiring street art is painted on three sidewalk electrical boxes on 30th Street, just north of Redwood Street.
Only in the darkness can you see the stars.
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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!
Yesterday I published a new work of fiction on my writing website Short Stories by Richard. This morning I made some important changes and now feel satisfied.
The story’s revised title is The Hand of Fate. It’s about things we see and know nothing about.
If you’d like to read the small story, click here.
Cool San Diego Sights! 