Wanna go for a walk with me? You should know: I'm no power walker. Especially up hills. I'll have to stop and catch my breath. A lot. You'll get impatient. Bring your camera, it'll give you something to do.
Let's head down the hill and turn left on the busy street. Look at all the other people out walking! Look at those people standing at the bus stop arguing! Look at that woman herding all her kids down the sidewalk! Look at that woman in the red sunglasses and neon shoes! Oh, that's me…
Did you know there was going to be this much to SEE? This many things blooming? This much sunshine? Little plastic horses?
Quick LOOK UP! It's a large flock of red-headed parrots swooping over our heads! Let's cross the street and watch them in that tree over there. Wow. They're so big. And cute. And loud. It's parrot paradise. I bet you didn't know that parts of LA are home to flocks of wild parrots. You can read about them HERE.
Don't stand DIRECTLY under the tree! Told you.
Are you getting lots of ideas for your garden?
Okay, time to go left again and head up into some hills. The views will be worth it. I might need a push.
I'm just gonna sit on this little wall and catch my breath for a minute. Or two. You go on ahead. I'll catch up.
I always wanted a pink camelia tree in my front yard. You too?
Time to climb back up the hill towards home. Whew. I'm totally exhausted, but also feeling a bit euphoric. There's a combination of rainbows, kittens, and strawberry sundaes blooming in my heart. Let's make some peace signs and go stand on the corner!
Okay. maybe next time.
Lovely walk, thank you. I can smell it and it is good. Your pictures make me able to smell the California of it all. I miss warm when I am up here in Portlandia (the land of permanent winter). I should be down there in a couple of weeks. I can hardly wait.
I am loving these walks around your amazing city.
Compared to midwestern suburbia, what you see around you is exotic, indeed.
Thank you for taking us with you.
That was fun, Mary Ann. And, um…did you realize that you just wrote a children’s book there? Bet they would love it….
Love your tours, local vistas and comments. No, I didn’t know about the parrots and the neon shoes! Nothing here to show you, just grey and blechh.
Dear Mary Ann–Oooooo– we are in about 6 feet of snow here in CT. Those walk-abouts are so wonderful–thank you…dreaming of Spring….julierose
i’ve been in most of the last two weeks with the cold from hell and this is exactly the walk i needed and boy do i wish i could walk out the door into l.a. sunshine rather than freezing, dirty, slushy nyc.
AND PARROTS!
Love that hot geranium against the blue sky! Thanks for taking me along on your walking route 🙂
oh thanks, i needed that. after two storms in 5 days it’s nice to know that someone is enjoying sunshine and flowers, sigh………. and i love, love, love, LOVE that geranium pic.
Love to look at what you are seeing…Not fond of hills unless I’m in a car but I did enjoy these virtual ones with you.
NY still has snow on the ground from Dec 26th–yesssss, last year, which is starting to disappear now that it is a bit warmer. But, no, another storm is looming, so I tell you all that TO THANK YOU FOR THE REMINDER THAT SOMEWHERE, THERE ARE FLOWERS BLOOMING AND SUN SHINING.
…that was lovely! …thoroughly enjoyed it! Looked thru your Istanbul photos on flikr yesterday and so want to go there. Between your descriptions on your blog, the trave journal and the photos I am in love. Happy Monday!
what a fun walk! 🙂 thanks for letting us tag along. it was lovely! 🙂
I love you, Mary Ann. you are just too cool!
Ok, got my camera and I’m huffing and puffing alongside you, or maybe I’m lagging behind a little. Wow, so much sunshine! And flowers! Over here where I am, it’s white on white, with a smattering of mud. But there’s a little tiny parrot living inside my house. Do you still have those taco trucks in the winter?
Hi Miss Mary Ann, so nice to see sunshine on a Sunday. If you have a chance, go visit the Seattle Times. They had two lovely articles about Paris today in the travel section.
Thanks for the walk, I enjoyed it. Glad you warned me about the parrots.
Yet another gorgeous post -you really spoil us! And I bet you didn’t know we have flocks of wild parrots in London too, mostly on Hampstead Heath – very bizarre. Bright green and very noisy.
I want to see those neon shoes…
Love, love, love going on these walkabouts with you… and so glad you stopped for a breather so I could catch up. Love parrots…did not know you had wild parrots in LA. I have wild birds of all descriptions visiting my back yard and spend hours enjoying their company. Rainbow lorrikeets, sulphur crested cockatoos, galahs, corellas both long and short beak variety,kookaburras, peewees,wattle birds and rozellas to name but a few. Feel free to visit my back yard some day here in Australia. You are welcome any time!
Thanks for the awesome SUNNY pix from around LA. I’m here in gloomy, gray, cold, snowy Ohio…and love taking these walks around southern CA with you! Thanks for the little dose of sunshine…and I’ll be right there with you with my Peace sign anyday!
xo
Debbie
===^..^===
Oh, what a lovely walk! I DID have a camelia tree when I was a little girl. We’d pull the buds off and throw them at each other! Good memories…