Archive for August, 2011

Shipley Nature Center Outing

Aug 21st, 11 / 18 Comments

Last Saturday, our group explored Huntington Beach, in Orange County.  Our first stop was the Shipley Nature Center.  We were 15 minutes late (yes, traffic), I did not find anyone in the parking lot.  Zee and I went the other way, towards the lake.

I always ask myself, why are barns painted red?

It was a little bit gloomy even at 10 a.m.  I wonder what the latest scoop and gossip for the day is?  Were they talking about a celebrity wedding happening today at Montecito?

Chain links tell us to keep off the grass and wildflowers.

Finally, we saw a group with cameras heading towards the Nature Center.  The skies cleared up and it was getting warm.

There were a few monarchs, so fleeting and not easy to photograph.

One section of the garden were some succulents

This flower’s striking fucshia color stands out among the succulents

Along side the trails, we saw yellow flowers crawling and a small squash

Next stop, Bolsa Chica Wetlands, for some birding.   Here’s a preview.

This post is linked to:
Barn Charm
hosted by Trish

Beach, Huntington Beach, Nature Center, Shipley Nature Center

Hiking at Rancho Sierra Vista – Satwiwa

Aug 7th, 11 / 18 Comments

Rancho Sierra Vista lies on the western edge of Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. This site was home to the Chumash, Spanish Rancho El Conejo, and modern ranching and farming operations.

We started our hike at 8:30 in the morning of Saturday. Driving to Newbury Park, we were met with low fog on the road. We got tho the parking lot, and the fog was still visible.

The trail to the Satwiwa Cultural Center was an easy one and a half mile.  But we hiked a little further and saw an old windmill.  I calculated,  it was a little over  3 miles.

We proceed to the winding trail to the top where you can see Boney Mountain.

Along the way, we saw a lake covered with tall grasses and can be seen at the top.  As we climb a little further, fog was still visible.

These steps were a little bit hard on my knees, but I managed.

Surprisingly, I still saw some wildflowers!

This post is linked to

That’s My World

Klaus, Sandy, Wren, and Sylvia

Click HERE to see what’s happening in all parts of the world!

Meme, National Park Service, Rancho Sierra Vista, That's My World Tuesday

Lakeside Reflection and the Egret

Aug 5th, 11 / 16 Comments

This post is linked to Weekend Reflections
hosted by
James of Something Sighted

Click badge to see more reflection shots.

A place where you find solace and beauty

Red, white and blue
patriotic colors

Every which way, I follow her

The Japanese Garden
Van Nuys, CA
Closed on Saturdays

Gardens, Japanese Gardens, Meme, Weekend Reflections

4 Mile Hike and Star Gazing at Mt. Pinos

Aug 4th, 11 / 25 Comments

Our Skywatch® Team:

Klaus, Sandy, Wren, and Sylvia

Click here to see skies from all over the world

Mt. Pinos is located in the Los Padres National Forest and is the tallest mountain within the San Emigdio Mountain range.  It is of the larger Transverse Ranges, a portion of the California Coast Ranges. Sometimes it is mistakenly grouped with the Tehachapi Mountains. It is the highest point in Ventura County at 8,831 feet.

This was my first hike in two months after I hurt and feel on my left knee at the lobby of our office building after a little rain in the morning.

We started the hike at about 4:30 in the afternoon last Saturday.  Earlier that afternoon, there was hail, thunder and lightning.

Later in the afternoon, the sun came out, the dark clouds cleared the way, and we were hoping that they would totally clear the skies for our star gazing potluck.

Slowly but surely, I was the last hiker to reached the top of Mt. Pinos.  As I approached the clearing, the group was coming back.  We had a group picture taken before heading back to the base.

Bless our food, o Lord.
everything was delicious!
my homemade shrimp and chicken glass noodles was a hit. :D
not to mention, my spicy meatballs! :oops:

Photo by That John Guy

Mount Pinos is considered to be one of the best star gazing locations in California.  This is so because of its dark skies, extremely low light pollution, and frequent clear skies. It is a favorite place for amateur astronomers. The usual viewing area is in the large parking area (Chula Vista) surrounded by tall pines located about 1.4 miles east of the actual Mt. Pinos peak.

Photo by Irina

We will go again by end of the month for another hike and star gazing.  Hopefully I will be able to take more photos of the heavenly skies!

Hiking, Mt Pinos, SkyWatch Friday, Star Gazing
Copy Protected by Chetans WP-Copyprotect.