After Catalina Island, my Internet became hard to access, so I resorted to my books. I had brought along four different books and I was only half way one of them. Although we did go to some interesting places. I managed to finish Henry James “A portrait of a Lady the night after Catalina Island and Thomas Hardy ‘Far from the Madding Crowd’ before we left Los Angeles.
Eugene seeking shade!
While still in Los Angeles we went to the Runyon Canyon Park, which is an off leash hiking trail. A great places with lots of trails. We went up a very steep one with a lovely look out at the top, overlooking Los Angeles, city and country.
Towards the Hollywood sign
It was a refreshing change that even with the heat and the steep climb, no one left doggy bags littering the path, for possible pick up later!
'Donkey'
My son and his roommate’s Great Dane, ‘Donkey’ plus ‘Eugene’ and I took a walk around Kenneth Hahn Park one afternoon.
Cercis occidentalis
Kenneth Hahn Park is managed by Los Angeles County department of Parks and Recreation, includes large areas of native coastal sage scrub habitat, lawns and landscaped areas, picnic places, a fishing lake, a lotus pond and five miles of trails.
Oil Field
We followed a trail up to the top of the hill, where the view to one side was a large oil field and to the other, a lovely large grassy area where the dogs could release their energy. It was funny to watch this Great Dane run, she is so dainty on her paws, yet she also looks like she has wet her pants!
After we came down from the hill, we took a circular walk around the man made lake with a beautiful Rill running from a waterfall at one end to the fishing lake at the other end and back to the car.
The Rill
Lake
On the last morning, before we left Los Angeles, while taking Eugene for a walk, I took pictures of the flowers around the area where my son lives.
Prickly Pear
Hibiscus
Cecil Brunner Rose
The area, surprisingly, reminded me of when I first arrived in Bellingham. Neat lawns, no fences and everyone you met was open faced and friendly. We were leaving for Death Valley that morning.
We planned a long day of driving with the hopes of seeing some flowers on the way.
We did see a little, mostly yellow, with a few purple. The temperatures were comfortable but the landscape was barren and the living conditions of most places less than subsistence. We spent the night in Beatty, with plans to go to Titus Canyon and Scotty Castle the next day.
The Barren Hills
Unfortunately, we were all suffering from sleep depravation and Eugene was refusing to eat or drink.
Titus Canyon was too much for us that day and as it was Richard’s choice, I forgo Scotty Castle and we headed for Eugene Oregon, the original home of ‘Eugene’ my dog, and where my granddaughter lives with her mother.
The Journey out was tedious, but I had a very good book to read, ‘The Elegance of the Hedgehog’ by Muriel Barberry. I wished that I had brought a dictionary; some of the words….they needed one! I loved it humor, something funny, often cynical, and so real. We stopped just north west of Reno at The Honey Lake Rest Area. Very neat place. Good rest stop too!
View
Zero scape Gardens
We spent the night in Yreka again and the difference in the plant life was remarkable. In just two weeks since we were last there, the plum trees had burst into bloom and the daffodils were delightfully bobbing their heads in the still wintery breeze.
We arrived in Eugene in the early afternoon, after passing through a hail-storm, but the next day was beautiful. It was wonderful to see all the flowers in bloom all through town.
We didn’t visited the Owen Rose garden this time but in summer it is a real lovely place to wander through and smell the roses.
Jane
Harmonious Garden Artistry
Professional Landscape Consulting|photos
