L.A. Arboretum (part 1) ~ Peacocks, Orchids and Crashing Hard Drives

So, I was telling you all how I was going to all these various gardens, and had so much to post, then I disappeared. Well, if you have a Mac, you are familiar with the spinning beach ball of doom. That's what I kept seeing until my computer just wouldn't do anything.

Long story short ... my hard drive crashed. Very disconcerting for someone with 133 GB of photos on their computer. Yes, I was backing up my computer but there is always that question ... Will it work??

Well, it took a while to find out. A new hard drive, updated software and more updates and downloads later ... there they were. My 23, 000 photos. Yes, 23 THOUSAND. Thank God. I mean really. No, that is not in vain. I was praying and praying, and then so grateful!

And here's a little Spring music, to go with the post, by Mozart!

L.A. Arboretum

Back on March 31st, a week after my trip to Descanso Gardens, I made a beeline for the Arboretum. Everything in Los Angeles was blooming so early, I knew I had to get over there. I think it takes about 45 minutes to get there from my place. Anyway, so happy I went over because there was so much in bloom and some things that had already come and gone! (like the wisteria!)

I did a post last spring after a visit with my friend Erin. It was gorgeous that day and the peacocks were doing there whole mating ritual, at the end of the day ... when our camera phones had died! We couldn't believe it! This time I was on a mission to capture these guys. As you can see, mission accomplished!

They are so used to people, you can get very close, and they are so distracted by trying to attract the girls, they just ignore you.

Below, you can see the girls, off to the right, very unimpressed with his display. Poor guy.

They shake and rustle those feathers and their little rear-end, but to no avail. They left him, in the dust, to the camera carrying humans.

They weather was kind of crazy, that day. It was very warm, then quite cool when the clouds went over ... 

One of my favorite places at the arboretum is the Orchid hot house. It's lush and humid, and feels like another world. A very warm tropical world.

'Tis my faith that every flower
Enjoys the air it breathes!
~William Wordsworth

The flower is the poetry of reproduction.

It is an example of the eternal

seductiveness of life.

~Jean Giraudoux

Flowers don't worry about how they're going to boom.

They just open up and turn toward the light

and that makes them beautiful.

~Jim Carrey

Below, the Madagascar Spiny Forest ...

And then ... the beautiful blossoming trees!

The place is separated into different continents, and their varied flora. This visit, I didn't pay too much attention to what was where! I just wanted to enjoy walking around, and eventually find a sketching spot, which I did.! (That will be in a future post.)

More clouds in the distance! This big lawn and fountain are towards the center of the arboretum. A lot of families hang out there. This was a Monday, so it was a pretty calm day.

Not sure if this was in the area of Africa or Australia ...

Every flower 

is a soul blossoming in nature.

~Gerard de Nerval

Like I said, there will be another post with my sketching spot, which I found over by the Queen Anne Cottage.

Happy Mothers Day 

To All the Mothers

And to

All those who mother others!

(Especially mine! :)

With my mom in Positano, 2010

Mama was my greatest teacher, 

a teacher of compassion,

love and fearlessness.

If love is sweet as a flower,

then my mother is that sweet flower of love.

~Stevie Wonder

Blessings and light!