Tag: trees

Sunrise photos from Marston Point.

I captured these sunrise photos early yesterday, while walking through Balboa Park’s Marston Point. I was on my way to watch the start of the Thanksgiving 5K charity “Run For Hope.”

Marston Point lies at the southwest corner of Balboa Park, at the south end of the West Mesa. When there are low broken clouds to the east, the sun rising beyond the trees and distant mountains can be very dramatic.

As you can see, airplanes descending at sunrise toward San Diego International Airport are an additional cool sight!

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Sea Level sculpture at Coronado Boathouse.

Is that a kelp forest growing in Glorietta Bay Park, in front of City of Coronado Club Room and Boathouse? No! It’s an Urban Tree!

Sea Level, a mostly copper sculpture created by City College student Kim Ogburn for the 2010 Urban Trees exhibition along San Diego’s Embarcadero, depicts a kelp forest and the native marine life it sustains. Colorful fish swim beneath the imagined water; birds thrive on the surface above. Read an article concerning this amazing artwork’s creation here.

Sea Level was installed in front of the Boathouse at 1985 Strand Way in 2012. It is part of the City of Coronado Public Art Collection. I happened upon it during my latest walk in Coronado.

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If you’d like to see San Diego through my lens, find the “Follow” box in the sidebar to receive new posts in your email, or bookmark coolsandiegosights.com and swing on by occasionally!

(If you’re viewing Cool San Diego Sights on a phone, you can open my website’s sidebar by tapping those three parallel lines at the top of the page.)

San Diego Bonsai Club show in Balboa Park!

The San Diego Bonsai Club hosted their fall show this weekend in Balboa Park. Amazing works of living, growing art filled long tables in Casa del Prado’s Room 101.

Members of the club presented their bonsai for public viewing, and everyone was invited to learn about the unique art form from experts and make purchases of plants.

When I visit these shows, the beauty and wisdom makes an enduring impression.

What did I learn? Working with bonsai takes patience. Make a mistake–clip where you shouldn’t have–and your error isn’t fatal. Simply put your bonsai aside for a time and let it grow.

Then revisit it. You’ll find a newly grown living thing, ready again to be sculpted into a wild-seeming, aesthetically pleasing object of beauty.

That would seem to be good advice for other types of artistic creation.

Seriously frustrated with a painting or written manuscript? Put it aside, let it live for a time in your subconscious.

New perspectives and ideas will grow in your mind. Then train and prune your creation again.

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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.

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Quetzalcoatl tree stump in Barrio Logan!

People heading down National Avenue in Barrio Logan might be stunned to see this amazing work of art in the parking lot of Barrett Engineered Pumps. It’s an old tree stump carved into the likeness of mythical Quetzalcoatl!

The sculpted wooden Quetzalcoatl (an important deity in Aztec culture whose name translates to Feathered Serpent) was created by Cesar Castañeda. You can watch a YouTube video that follows the artist’s five month project back in 2012. The documentary is titled The Rise of Quetzalcoatl. Find it by clicking here!

Quetzalcoatl was carved by hand from an enormous stump that was salvaged from a fallen tree. The tree had fallen in Balboa Park beside State Route 163.

(I once observed a tall eucalyptus tumbling onto the 163 during a violent wind storm years ago. It seemed to descend in slow motion, narrowly missing an oncoming car. I wonder if this was the same tree?)

I learned from a friendly worker at Barrett Engineered Pumps, where Quetzalcoatl now resides on a trailer, that this very cool sculpture is for sale! I didn’t ask the price, but if you’re interested you should probably swing by and check it out!

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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.

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Blue Star Memorial By-Way marker in Lakeside.

Sharp-eyed people walking through Lindo Lake County Park in Lakeside might notice an old marker in the grass, on the south side of the lake, not far from a large shelter structure. A close examination reveals that it is a Blue Star Memorial By-Way marker, placed by the Lakeside Garden Club. It is dedicated to the Armed Forces of the United States of America.

The marker was placed here almost 40 years ago. This Facebook post recalls: Fourth of July 1986, the Blue Star By‑Way Memorial Marker and star pine were dedicated in Lindo Park, Lakeside, California as part of the opening ceremonies of the Centennial Celebration of Lakeside. As the red, white and blue balloons were released into the sky at the end of the dedication. I think we all felt pride in a job “Well done”.

I noticed that earlier this year, when I spotted the marker, a new tree had been planted near it. Was this the location of the star pine? Anyone who knows more about this history, please leave a comment!

What is a Blue Star Memorial By-Way? Check out this Wikipedia page for an explanation.

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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.

Feel free to share!

Orchard blooms at Stein Farm in National City!

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!

Check out the Stein Family Farm website 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.

Feel free to share!

Cherry blossoms bloom around Japanese Friendship Bell!

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.

Feel free to share!

Bringing a Survival Piece to life in La Jolla!

Why are there 12 hexagonal planters containing citrus trees in front of the La Jolla Historical Society‘s Wisteria Cottage? That’s what I wondered when I paid a visit to the society’s museum yesterday, to view their new exhibition about the history of surfing in La Jolla. (I’ll be blogging about that shortly.)

It turns out the dozen redwood planters with citrus trees is a 2024 project titled Exterior Orchard, A Conversation with Survival Piece V. The uniquely designed orchard examines the necessity of ecologically focused and sustainable food systems in a future where farming practices may become obsolete.

The installation was inspired by the La Jolla Historical Society’s recent exhibition Helen and Newton Harrison: California Work. The Harrisons, founding members of the Visual Arts Department at UC San Diego, were visionary thinkers and designers who developed fascinating Ecological Art. They created plans for a Portable Orchard such as this in 1972.

The hexagonal redwood planters were built by students from High Tech High Mesa. The trees and planters, I was told, can be adopted. Funds raised will help support the La Jolla Historical Society’s work.

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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.

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Photographs of past storms in San Diego!

In September, 2014, a powerful microburst struck Mission Valley, destroying many trees along the San Diego River.

San Diego’s first real winter storm of 2025 has arrived. A whole lot of rain is anticipated, especially tomorrow evening.

Storms in Southern California are usually big news. Our climate is naturally arid, so we could always use the precipitation. But there can be destructive flooding. That’s what happens when people live in what is essentially a desert.

It can be hard to remember that places now lush with landscaping and trees supported mostly sagebrush before human development.

Cool San Diego Sights is now almost 12 years old. I’ve had many opportunities to take photographs during stormy weather.

These are a few of my most dramatic photos.

In February, 2016, very high winds drove boats into the rocks along San Diego’s Embarcadero.
In February, 2019, a big storm left debris under the Los Peñasquitos Lagoon bridge at Torrey Pines State Beach.
In January, 2024, Mission Center Road became flooded near the San Diego River. Cars were stranded.
In Februrary, 2019, Dan Plante of KUSI News was reporting at a flooded Mission Center Road.
In February, 2024, guys from The Weather Channel were reporting from a flooded Fashion Valley Road.
In January, 2016, cars were flooded in the lower level of the Fashion Valley shopping mall parking garage.
In January, 2018, I spotted many umbrellas during rain in downtown San Diego.
In January, 2018, cleanup at the Omni San Diego Hotel was required after a storm.
In January, 2021, extremely high winds bent palm trees in downtown San Diego.
In February, 2020, dark clouds over the ocean beyond Pacific Beach’s Crystal Pier portended a storm.
In October, 2021, dark clouds hovered over Balboa Park as a storm gathered.
In October, 2021, rain fell heavily at the Spreckels Organ Pavilion, while a small audience on the dry stage listened to an organ concert and distant lightning.

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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.

Thank you for sharing!

A unique Valentine’s Tree decorated with Love!

Have you ever heard of a Valentine’s Tree?

A unique Valentine’s Tree greets customers inside Valentine’s Mexican Food in downtown San Diego!

At first glance one might assume it’s a Christmas Tree, but decorated entirely with red tinsel, ribbons, crafted roses and glittering ornaments. With a closer look the truth is revealed. The tree is wrapped with Love!

Valentine’s Day is next Friday. It appears that Valentine’s Mexican Food is ready!

(Their Enchiladas Rancheras are super yummy. Now I’m hungry!)

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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.

Thank you for sharing!