Murals and More, Los Angeles

These pictures are already 8 days old. When I go on a photo-intensive trip, it takes a while to catch up on posting pictures.

After I spent a couple of days with Marie, we met up with Frank and his sister at The Last Bookstore in L.A. Marie had to go to work the next day and I spent the remainder of my time in California with Frank and Deborah.

Downtown Los Angeles is a busy place! There are plenty of murals, perhaps because the mild weather means people spend a lot of time outdoors.

Sharing with Monday Murals and Mosaic Monday

Not all of the city is pretty. Actually, most of it isn't, at least to my eyes. We even saw a couple of blocks where tents filled the sidewalks, sheltering people who cannot afford apartments.

Light and Shade at Wayfarers

Wayfarers Chapel was designed by architect Lloyd Wright, son of Frank Lloyd Wright. Not only is the chapel stunning, the grounds are delightfully landscaped. Since this is Southern California, there are flowers and greenery everywhere. There are spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean far below. 

Sharing with Shadow Shot Sunday 

and Seasons

Wayfarers in Monochrome

Wayfarers Chapel, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

I've posted pictures before of this beautiful chapel previously. It's one of Frank's favorite places.

California Critters

I didn't take many animal pictures during our short visit to California, but here's what I do have. I'm sharing them with Eileen's critter linkup and Anni's Bird Depot.

The cute white dog lives with Frank's sister. His name is Bobby.

There are two huskies in the next picture. It's easy to miss the sleeping one.

More Pictures from Mt. Wilson

Yesterday I posted pictures of Mount Wilson Observatory in California. The location is named for Benjamin Wilson, who built a trail to the top in 1864. He was seeking wood for wine casks but the trees did not prove suitable and the trail was mostly abandoned for over a decade. The mountains there are rugged but eventually citizens of nearby Pasadena started exploring them. In the 1880's, an observatory was built on Wilson's Peak but was abandoned due to harsh weather and the isolation of the site.

In 1903, astronomer George Hale chose the site for a new observatory due to the excellent view of the skies there. He secured funding from local philanthropists and the Carnegie Institution.

You can read more about the history on mtwilson.edu.

Marie and I enjoyed our visit there. It was a beautiful day. I wound up walking more than I intended and got sore feet, but it was still a great experience.

Linkup note: My Town Shoot Out has changed its schedule; check it out! I'm also sharing this post with Skywatch Friday and Weekend Green.

Haramokngna Indian Cultural Center

Big Tujunga Canyon Road

A Visit to Mount Wilson Observatory

On Saturday Marie and I drove up the Angeles Crest Highway to Mount Wilson Observatory. It's a scenic drive up a winding road.

Sharing with Fences and Signs, Signs

 I was pleased that my National Parks pass gave us free parking.

There are many communications towers up there. I was surprised to read that your remote car opener may not work very well because of radio interference. You can work around this by holding it over the left rear window (on a car) or front window (truck).

There are six telescopes on Mt. Wilson connected by light tubes. You can read about this remarkable technology on the observatory website.

I have a few more pictures that I'll put in the next post. 

Marie at Home

California Skies and Icons

I spent the weekend with my younger daughter, Marie. I only see her a few times a year because she lives on the West Coast.

This Bob's Big Boy restaurant is one of the few still around. Built in 1949, it has a state historical site designation!

On Saturday we drove up the Angeles Crest Highway and down through the Tunjunga Canyon Road. That wasn't our planned route back but the road was blocked by an accident and emergency equipment so traffic was re-routed.

Big Tujunga Dam

Since I'm joining Tom's Tuesday Treasures today, I'll show another treasure: the iconic Hollywood sign. Other tourists were taking pictures too, of course. The glamour of the Hollywood idea inspires people to pose.

Farms Along Smith Creek

Near New Market, Virginia.

Not Quite Downtown Winchester

Located in the northern Shenandoah Valley, Winchester has a population of over 27,000 people. However, there are still farms and orchards within the city.

There are some large churches including this one on Middle Road.

We have a membership in the Museum of the Shenandoah Valley. Last weekend we went to an outdoor concert there. The band was the AlterEagles, and they do a close imitation of The Eagles. The five remaining photos in this post are from that event.