A beautiful native plant garden can be enjoyed at the Sikes Adobe Farmhouse in Escondido. The garden is on the grounds of the historic farmstead, directly next to the San Dieguito River Park’s long Coast to Crest Trail.
I visited the native plant garden during a walk today and took these photographs. I noticed a sign indicating it was an Eagle Scout Service Project, undertaken in 2021 by Matthew VanderVorst of Escondido Troop 668.
It’s late Spring, so many flowers are in bloom. Signs identify the plants, which include Monkey Flower, Deerweed, Bladder Pod, Black Sage, White Sage, California Buckwheat, Shaw’s Agave, Coastal Prickly Pear, and others.
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It’s Memorial Day weekend in San Diego. As one might expect, the crowds in Balboa Park are large. Today the late spring weather was perfect for a sunny Sunday walk through our beautiful park.
As I wandered about, I discovered several signs that Memorial Day has arrived.
In the early afternoon I noticed a huge thirteen star Betsy Ross version of the Flag of the United States was being hung from one of the Spreckels Organ Pavilion’s colonnades. The flag was furnished by the San Diego Chapter SAR (Sons of the American Revolution.)
Unfortunately, wind gusts were creating an insurmountable problem and the flag was taken down before the two o’clock organ concert began. I’ve been informed another attempt to use the flag will be made during the upcoming Independence Day organ concert on Sunday, July 6, 2025.
Dale Sorenson, curator of the Spreckels Organ, was wearing a patriotic red, white and blue tie as he introduced the Sunday afternoon concert. Music selected was appropriate for Memorial Day weekend. There were–count them–five John Philip Sousa marches!
During the United States Armed Forces Medley, San Diego Civic Organist Raúl Prieto Ramírez asked audience members to stand who were Veterans. Those who stood received grateful applause.
Another perfect San Diego day…
Lawn bowlers were active out on Balboa Park’s West Mesa…
The Southern California Plumeria Society had a Cutting Sale inside the Casa del Prado…
Lots of tickets were being sold for the Balboa Park Miniature Railroad!
The San Diego History Center has a pop-up exhibit concerning Memorial Day in San Diego. There are interesting historical photographs to look at, such as:
A couple of cool guys were breakdancing near the Timken Museum of Art!
A Senior Arts Exhibition can be freely enjoyed in Gallery 21 of the Spanish Village Arts Center through June 2, 2025.
Musicians were performing on the grass at one end of the International Cottages…
Memorial Day is the final day of the San Diego International Fringe Festival. One of the festival venues is Balboa Park’s Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater.
A video playing inside the House of USA cottage is about Memorial Day. It honors those in the United States military who made the ultimate sacrifice.
As a writer, I’m very thankful for Liberty, and I have a deep appreciation for those who’ve defended it.
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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 X.
It’s springtime in San Diego, and the Sri Chinmoy Peace Garden in North Park is in full bloom!
Sri Chinmoy was a spiritual leader from India who taught meditation in the United States. What better place to meditate but in a place of tranquil beauty.
The Sri Chimnoy Peace Garden was established in 2013 and includes a statue of the spiritual leader and benches for quiet sitting.
The small garden, located off Adams Avenue just east of Arizona Street, has been maintained by the San Diego Sri Chimnoy Centre, which according to Google is permanently closed. As a sign explains, the natural setting is intended to enhance the beauty of the area and offer the community a place for reflection.
Spring is a time for renewal–perhaps for the soul as well.
Sri Chinmoy – STUDENT OF PEACE – CHAMPION OF THE INDOMITABLE SPIRIT OF MANKIND
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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 X.
Easter Sunday, for many, is a day full of promise, joy, new life.
As I walked through Balboa Park early this afternoon, I could see in many open faces a love of life. Laughter and smiles. Delighting in the sunshine. Soaking in our world’s beauty and the bright colors of spring.
I wandered about without any destination in mind…
A smile and Easter Bunny ears in the Balboa Park Visitors Center.Joyful baile folklórico dancing in the Plaza de Panama.Is there a more wonderful place?Plenty of flowers for a photographic background.The Spring Orchids In The Park Show attracts a big crowd inside the Casa del Prado.A street performer has colorful balloons ready.Mitchell Walker brought three didgeridoos today!Spring has turned the park’s trees bright green.I see golden California poppies along the San Diego Natural History Museum’s new nature trail.Spanish Village is always colorful, no matter the season.Abstract artist Lucas Smith is exhibiting in Gallery 21 through tomorrow.Another weekend in Spanish Village means more live glassblowing!Plenty of color here!The San Diego History Center will soon have the official opening of Taste San Diego: Filipino Culinary Journeys.What spring looks like between Casa de Balboa and the House of Hospitality.A couple of the International Cottages were open on Easter Sunday. This very beautiful pendant is displayed in the House of Korea.Imagination Station is now playing at the Marie Hitchcock Puppet Theater.A prickly pear blooms in the Kate O. Sessions Cactus Garden.Colorful umbrellas provide shade during rehearsal before the Sunday two o’clock organ concert.Talented musicians in a splash of sunshine along El Prado.An artist has captured some of this world’s infinite color.Balboa Park’s thriving rose garden attracts many families on Easter Sunday.
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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 X.
You can tell Spring has arrived in and around Seaport Village!
During my walk today, as I enjoyed the warm San Diego sunshine, I found bright flowers, colorful kites flying above Embarcadero Marina Park North, and a huge yellow duck!
I asked a shopkeeper why a giant inflatable duckie has appeared in Seaport Village. She just assumed it was the time of year. Makes sense to me!
I looked for ducklings in the Seaport Village pond, but didn’t find any. I did observe a duck taking a springtime nap.
Shorts and other beach attire have appeared outside shop doors…
Bird poop must be periodically cleaned off Morning, a sculpture created by renowned San Diego artist Donal Hord. Seagulls like perching on the head. (Imagine how the droppings appear. Yuck.)
The Beach Bunny Kite Festival will be taking place at Seaport Village this Saturday, April 12, 2025, from 1 to 4 pm. (I wonder–is the Beach Bunny a friend of Surfing Santa?)
Today was the perfect day to go fly a kite…or many kites!
You know it’s Spring if the American Academy of Neurology is in town for their big convention. Seaport Village, the San Diego Convention Center, and the surrounding area was swarming with attendees.
You can always count on Alamo Flags to have seasonal banners outside on display! Easter Sunday is less than two weeks away.
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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 X.
The arrival of Spring has brought even more color to the Casa de Estudillo. I visited the restored adobe today in Old Town San Diego State Historic Park. The trees and grass are green with our recent rains, and many flowers are blooming!
I was told that back in the 19th century, when generations of Estudillos lived in the adobe, the central “courtyard” would have appeared quite different. It would have been entirely packed dirt, with no decorative fountain. There would have been a few fruit trees, vegetables and herbs, and chickens running about.
In 1906, John D. Spreckels acquired the remarkable old Mexican casa and turned it into a tourist attraction, calling it the marriage place of popular fictional character Ramona. The courtyard was planted with greenery and flowers.
It retains a garden appearance today.
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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 X.
You can tell it’s Spring in National City, because the orchard behind the Stein Family Farm is becoming ever more colorful. Many of the fruit trees–from plums to apricots to pears–are beginning to blossom!
During my walk through the South Bay today, I was intercepted by historian and Stein Family Farm caretaker Christopher Pro. He remembered that I had blogged about the historic farm a couple years ago after he gave me an incredible tour. See all of those photographs by clicking here. (You might recall, they have many farm animals, which kids love!)
The farm, located in the middle of urban National City, continues to educate students on field trips, host meetings of local clubs and organizations, and offer their picturesque venue for weddings and other special occasions. The farm is open free to the public on Saturdays from 10 am to 2 pm.
If you’ve never toured the Stein Farm, this coming Saturday, March 29, 2025 would be the perfect time! A bunch of plein air painters will be present and doing their thing! On top of that, Christopher, who is an ardent art collector, will be displaying pieces from his collection!
Another perfect Sunday in San Diego. Another amazing ikebana Japanese flower arrangement show in Balboa Park!
The 57th Annual Spring Exhibition “Nature in Balance” by Ikebana International San Diego Chapter #119 was held this weekend in Balboa Park’s Casa del Prado. Even though I’ve been to many of these shows, I couldn’t resist walking into Room 101 to experience exquisite beauty that never grows old.
I’ve said it before. Every single ikebana flower arrangement is a visual poem.
If you didn’t make the show this year, go to the organization’s website and see what free exhibitions are coming up. Or become a member!
Here are a few photos…
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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 X.
The Japanese cherry trees are in bloom on San Diego’s Shelter Island around the Japanese Friendship Bell!
Beautiful pink cherry blossoms now surround the traditional bronze bell, forged in Japan and given to San Diego in 1958 by its Sister City Yokohama.
The Sakura Grove (sakura in Japanese means a flowering cherry tree) was planted during the Japan-U.S. Nationwide Centennial Cherry Blossom Tree Planting in 2012. A nearby plaque explains the grove is a living symbol of friendship between the people of Japan and San Diego.
In 2022, I experienced the sublime ringing of the almost two and a half ton Japanese Friendship Bell. That doesn’t happen very often. If you’d like to read about the bell ringing and see those photographs, click here.
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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 X.
It’s the first morning of Spring. As the sun rose over the mountains east of San Diego, the Inez Grant Parker Memorial Rose Garden in Balboa Park awakened.
The few rose blooms that have already opened caught the early light and became even more beautiful.
I was there to take capture a bit of the transformation.
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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 X.
Cool San Diego Sights! 