A Series of Walks - We Walk In...

 

I looked up  what one would call 'several walks'...is there a Collective Noun for this. I couldn't find one, but I do think there Should be one! "Series" was the best I could do this time around.

Thursday June 26, 2025

A city park day...no photos needed...a place so familiar, but still new things seen - or not seen as the case may be. The week before, we noticed the swallows were gone...we did not spot a one! This week, there was a large group of them, flying higher than we'd seen them before. Why? Did we merely miss them last time?

Recently at each place we walk, we see birds that fly like, appear like swallows...but never spot a nest. Are they swallows or something else? It's a puzzle.

We stroll the path, marveling in how much the cattails grow each week...and trying to track the dragonflies and birds, who's shadows fall at our feet, but their bodies stay hidden in the bright blue sky.

We walk in mystery. 

Friday June 27, 2025

Thistles as far as the eye can see...they rustle loudly in the stiff breeze.

Off a major highway, nature abounds and if walk far enough into the hills, birdsong remains the only sound...

Crows clack and call, leaves rustle and the silent pool of water holds the promise of frogs/toads...who will one days soon sing in unison.

We walk in sound...

Saturday June, 28, 2025

We return to the bridge with more gifts to leave behind. 

Rocks small and large, shiny and interesting and made for wishing.

Another soul has left rocks behind on an entrance bench...lined up and waiting.

We walk with an open heart...

Sunday June 29, 2025

The big hill leads down into the narrow valley. It mocks me, laughing at my current skills...but we walk on and I remain carefully fearless. The golden spread of summer winks at me...it is coming on Fire Season, as they say and these fields know running is not an option. The lazy bumble bee shifts my mindset.

We (I) walk in bravery...

So, today, was a big hill, grand views and lots of rocks kind of day. Another giant Wishing Rock and a Half & Half rock, similar to the one I'd discovered while cleaning at home this week. A cairin and evidence of others who collect and leave treasures trailside (again). It made me smile to be on the receiving end of rock offerings.

We walk in gratitude...

We've discovered this geology channel: Shawn Willsey and have really been enjoying it. All the videos we've seen have been good, but we especially refer back to his Random Roadcuts series. We've learned so much and have been noticing many related learnings while on our walks. *If I said this already, please grant grace for my forgetfulness*

Anyway, we look a little more closely at the rocks, the earth, the history of place these days. This Walker Ranch fireplace was first seen in March 2021 (more info at that link). We spend time with it again today. They raised 12 children in this little valley. Can you imagine that?

We walk in learning...

We walk in beauty...

Each month we choose an old postcard from the collections of us and my parents. We write stories and messages and mail them off to the two little grandchildren. For July, the 5 year old will get the San Francisco homes, which I think look like his magnet tile buildings and the 1 year old will get the Santa Barbara hotel scene, which came from my first childhood vacation. 

I did my 'artists impression' drawings of each one. Gosh it was fun. This is quite a different choice for drawing for me. I made bold decisions as I went. My drawing does not  have to be an exact replica. I can draw more stylized and rather than true to life. I can choose colors as I wish. I can add or subtract items as I like (no people or cars or chairs for me!) The top one is not quite done, as I have yet to figure out how to draw the long view of the city below the houses (space on the right) or what I'd like to add of my own on that side of the page.

PS After going back and forth, I've placed my blog back on public. It is easier and more available to those of you I call friends. I am grateful for your readership and friendship and I am so glad you keep coming here to wander and wonder with me.

What do you walk with? 

 

May you travel well with those you love 

May you make the connections between places

May you try something new

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025

Meaningful Memories

 

Time with my sister...going through old family photos, letters etc. I love her view from her deck, the 'canyon' side of the development. Places to hang out filled with trees and plant life. No hawk this day, but usually there is at least one soaring over the canyon. I could get lost out there.

Down By The Riverside Pete Seeger 7 24 1963

LINK 8:43 minutes

Somewhere in that crowd of campers on the hill (below), is little teeny me...singing my heart out! All of this time that I craved a tangible representation for what is in my heart...all of this time my sister had this old photo in her album. It was tricky getting an image of it here and it is not a great, or even a good photo, as far as quality...but as far as heart, it has it in the billions. 

As I've mentioned before, every day at the end of our camping adventures, we gathered on 'the hill' to sing folk/protest and some camp songs. The counselors played guitars and led us in song. I can still hear the 'knock, knock' on those guitars during "Down by the Riverside". Watching this video from that era, I'm surprised by how stuffy and still so many of these folks looked during parts of it. Some men with their arms crossed across their chests do not look ready for compromise, love and peace! When little me sang, I felt surrounded in camaraderie and love. I sang with wild abandon, or that's how I felt anyway. However, I did notice that many of the video's comments are a pure love fest! (as always, watch on you tube to see comments)

My older sister and me. I believe that the hill behind us is the one that led to the hike to the "waterfall" AKA The Los Angeles Aqueduct. Anyway, I'm pretty sure that is what this is pictured here, maybe my sister can correct me if I'm wrong. And if we don't remember exactly, we will call that memory good enough. Ha.

Below is the Marge Mobile, a station wagon my mom drove to pick up other campers for the day. It broke down often, adding to her stress (I'm sure) and our memories. She even wrote a song parody about it and the busses breaking down: "Breakdown" - sung to the tune of "Downtown". She was great at creating parody songs. That's little me with these two siblings.

We walked around the perimeter of my sister's housing development...canyon views on one side and The Valley on full view on the other side. It was just warming up and way cooler than at my place, so a very nice walk. Lots of trees and flowers to appreciate.

She had an extra camera, no longer in use...so now I have a new one, which is great as my camera has been barely hanging on. I tried playing with it a bit on the walk, but there is going to be a learning curve, even if it is very similar to mine.

The Valley view. It's been a while since I got to see these views. I never tire of them.

Where do you want to visit, that you've not been to in a long time? Where would you visit if you could, a place that no longer exists?

 

May you take in the views in the moment

May you closely inspect your memories

May you travel well, however it is that you travel

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025

Sunday Survival

 I came upon the video here...what a great example of how to be a good human...a good creature (reminding me of this book - please excuse the source in the link. I find they still are a good source for information). I think wow, what a young girl, a family, a community! What if this was our world on a larger scale?

Rare colony of Western painted turtles near Portland | Oregon Field Guide

LINK 6:43 minutes

For the first time in a long time or maybe just very differently, I felt a very strong need to go to the Bridge today. It came on me last night, while thinking about all of the young men and women too (?) I know...those of a certain age...in the confines of a beautiful warm shower, I felt trapped and thought tomorrow I need to, have to go the the Bridge. I needed open air and nature. I told J. that I was walking not for exercise, but for my soul. I'm not quite sure what I meant by that, or rather how to explain here what I meant...but, you get it. I needed out.

So, we did that. We went to the Bridge. It was very quiet for a Sunday. 

88 degrees, breezy.

Lizard count: 20 - the highest count so far

Hawk count: One

I love this view the best. I like the way the river curves and flows and that it looks like there would not ever be another person down there, down by the water...empty. Again today we saw two crows swooping over the water, to land in a nearby tree. They stopped on the bank, getting a drink.

What is left of the latest treasures left behind. There had been 7 or so rocks, now 3 - still one twisted stick and two pieces of pottery gone. I gathered what remained on one post and walked on.

We've been watching Mr. Toad for over a month now. I've not posted every photo, but I've been watching & documenting. Today someone or something had turned it over. The ants had eaten up anything of moisture or density. It now is dry and very light. J. carefully used his cane to relocate it further off the paved trail, so it could rest in more safety and peace. He turned Mr. Toad over and I thought a silent "rest easy" for the rest of its days. RIP Mr Toad.

While on the curve of the trail, a red tail hawk zoomed low over our heads - aiming to land on a small slope right next to us. However it was chased off by a small swallow type bird. It circled back and flew off to land in a big tree. It occurred to me that the many times I have stopped on the trail to look at the trees, they could have held an unseen hawk. This one was so hard to spot, but we finally did so on the return walk. It was such a sudden, surprise encounter!

It was so hard to see on that branch. I wish for a better camera so many times. haha

Do you see it?

We saw such a variety of lizards today...size, coloring etc. One had a 'new tail' and this one I called Lowly Worm 🙂

What  pulls you in? What helps you get out?

 

May you meander when you need to

May you feed on what you need to

May you find a way to travel through

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2025