The Retreat in Progress

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

Blue Eyes

I'm entering this picture of my youngest son Brady in the I Heart Faces Photo Challenge this week.  The theme is raise your hands. He's a great model.





Sunday, October 9, 2011

La Jolla


From Old Town San Diego I took bus 30 to La Jolla.  I mainly wanted to go to La Jolla to get some photographs of the sea lions but couldn't get any good photos of them.  I did get some good photos of the beautiful waves crashing up on the rocks and even snuck into a professional photo shoot of a bride and groom.
































Old Town San Diego


Old Town San Diego was the birthplace of California.  Today Old Town boasts a vareity of history, shopping, and dining.




 















Sunday, October 2, 2011

Let's Go to San Diego

I had a Southwest Arilines reward ticket that was going to expire on October 5, 2011 and I didn't want it to go to waste, so I booked a quick trip to San Diego, California.  I was only in San Diego a day and a half so I had to make the most of it while I was there.  The weather was great....highs in the upper 70s and lows in the mid 60s.  I walked almost eveywhere and the dogs are barking.  Now I need to recover from my vacation.

Grab your peanuts and a complimentary beverage and come with me on my quick trip to sunny California.




I stayed in  a Bed and Breakfast in the Hillcrest neighborhood where quaint, colorful bungalows are around every corner and tropical plants and flowers are pentiful.




Hillcrest House Bed and Breakfast




This is where I had my morning coffee and my evening glass of wine.




University Avenue - plenty of restaurants, shops, outside seating, sunshine, and flowers around every corner.





These tropical trees with the beautiful orange flowers are everywhere.






Now, let's turn on 6th Avenue and head down to Balboa Park. 

The buildings are a work of art themselves.















The Botaniacal Building






























The Sculputure Garden







You don't even have to be in a specified garden to see beautiful flowers.  Here are some of the flowers I took photos of that were just along the way.














It's time for lunch at El Prado. I simply love all the open air dining in San Diego!







Roots of a tree in Palm Canyon.  Doesn't this look like something from Jurassic Park?











Friendly Parrots









Desert Garden

















Rose Garden


























I'm entering this photo in the Gardening Gone Wild Picture This Photo Contest for October.  This month's theme is Fill the Frame.  I think this beautiful rose certainly fills the frame.


The next stop is Old Town San Diego, so rest your feet for a bit and we'll get on Bus 10 to go to Old Town.