Back To A Park

 

Brilliant City Park view

Flowers bright against a true blue sky

Shadows laid out upon the emerald foliage

Like clothes without a clothesline

Randy Travis - Point Of Light (Official Music Video)

LINK 3:37 minutes

Jude mentioned 'points of light' and off my mind went! I instantly recalled this song in my head. I read more about it HERE. There was so much I never really knew about this song, some I had forgotten and so many thick memories that will never fade. As a grade-schooler, my daughter sang in the after school chorus. She had an enthusiastic teacher who provided the children with spirit and opportunity. In third grade, she was lucky enough to participate in the recording of this song and a school song that he had written for our school. One of the fathers had a home recording studio, so the 9 selected singers from chorus got to walk the two blocks up the hill and record solos and the chorus of Point of Light. Then they brought the portable recording equipment to the school where the entire student body recorded the chorus and the school song. It was quite the event! Imagine an entire elementary school walking out to the blacktop, each one carrying their own chair, ready to gather, assembly style! Imagine a school full of teachers and other staff trying to keep order all while singing along themselves. It was a moment!

I had so many feelings and memories listening to this song again. Of course those tied to my children's school experience came up quickly. But, I was also in awe at how much our country has changed since Randy's deep voice sang out. With everything that was wrong then (and there was more than enough of that!), it felt like nothing compared to right now. Hard to believe I was almost nostalgic for that time. Until I was reminded who planted the seeds that grew into today. Seeds sitting there like polyps allowed to grow unchecked. I'm ready for that prep jug and the colonoscopy if it would only let us move forward to a better place. 

98 degrees, but better air quality. We went to another park in the Parks Project. We tried to go here once before, but there was a birthday party going on and not one place to park. Today it was pretty quiet...a lone woman at a picnic table, a landscaper on a break, two young moms and a child...a young couple on a blanket on the grass. I marveled at young love, so willingly entwined on such a hot day. We marveled at the expansive views. So many houses and businesses and a couple of schools. 

Turkey vulture circled, close to eye level.

The dry brown hills sat quietly, to hot and still for any more than that.

I could imagine this view at night as many more points of light.

A small bridge over the underbrush, interesting lamp posts, a dirt path - taking us to the edge for yet another view and a bench in the share to enjoy the quiet. Just what was needed today.

Something I've forgotten to share in the last few posts:

I've truly been enjoying the writing of this Substack author. I think you will too. Thanks to Deb and the other source that shared this peaceful place.  The Tokyo Hermit inspires me to slow down and consider more. I'm not 100% comfortable with Substack and when I realized too many were clogging my email, I unsubscribed from several. Now, with just a few that interest me, belong to family members or long time friends, I am much more content. Clutter comes in many forms.

Where can you go for the longview or for a long pause?

 

May you go for a stroll

May you take in the view

May you remember how you love

xo

#goodenough

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026

Nature ~ Arts ~ History

Yesterday held a visit to a new practitioner.  Neck and shoulder needles. We'll see.

On the way to my appointment, a mere two miles away, I saw another large swallowtail butterfly, another large green flying beetle, 2 dragonflies and 2 turkey vultures. I felt so lucky. 

I was looking for an easier, snake free (hopefully) walk in the heat yesterday. There have been two rattle snake bites in this valley within the past couple of weeks. That makes me want to stay on paved or at least, pretty open trails. We've also seen a lot of animal (probably coyote) scat when we have been out, so there is that too.

I'm loving watching how that fallen tree just grows where it fell. There must be some sort of lesson in that. It certainly rings of "don't give up!" It was still and hot at the bridge. Quiet, but the kind of quiet that feels more heavy than peaceful. Heat will do that. Even the animals were tucked away somewhere. However we did hear the call of the Hawk, but never saw it.

Today, sore...acupuncture or pt? Who knows. We decided to return to the Parks Project, looking for another easier, another snake free (hopefully) walk. There have been two rattle snake bites in this valley within the past couple of weeks. That makes me want to stay on paved or at least, pretty open trails. We've also seen a lot of animal (probably coyote) scat when we have been out, so there is that too.

This park has some very old and beautiful oak trees along with the regular park amenities.

This park also has some of the City Public Art - Poetry. I've seen a couple before, years ago. Looking into it today gave me the idea to see more of them, or some of the other Public Art projects, which include murals and sculptures. I'm glad to know this town feels it is important to add art into public spaces.

Santa Clarita sacred river,

Know the spirit of our name,

When winds and fires scorch,

Let us remember

the spring that wells within

~Amy Hough-Dugdale

Who says we don't have seasons?

When the sharp edges of summer

fade and Santa Anas spring forth

and heat-curled leaves fall gold

and cover the earth like snow.

~Jessica Rowe

Like some of the other parks, this one had some interactive musical instruments (bells and drums). Small golden butterflies flitted from flower to flower in the warm sun.

...From here: Natalie Eslick's Substack 

Around the bend, the dirt path carries us forward...towards views beyond the railroad tracks.

Shadows cast 

by leaves and birds

dance upon

a poet's words

~Kathryn Jennings Fogg

Consider: 

                    Your feet, pens.

Our city, poetry

                     alive.

~Amy Hough-Dugdale

This area holds a lot of history...

This are held the Mitchell family home and the adobe school too. It is now rebuilt over at the Heritage Junction. It was interesting to make these connections.

Visual Diary | Finding My Way Through Watercolour

LINK

“We often forget that WE ARE NATURE. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.”

― Andy Goldsworthy

Heading home, my sore shoulders couldn't stop my sense of humor...how does one use their shoulder to make a turn? Ugh, ugh! lol The following signs were no better, trust me!! haha

What strikes your funny bone?

 

May you be with your making

May you be with nature

May you be with learning 

xo

#goodenough

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026

3 Places and 1 Image

 

On the 14th we went to "The Big Open", which is the name I gave this place that day. The grasses had been mowed and all that was growing around the walnut tree was gone. I love how big this space feels, with its unencumbered sky. For the second time we saw a crow(raven) "bothering" a hawk as they chased through that big sky. I saw this again from the bank parking lot. The hawks are so patient...that is until they've had enough and peck back! A cruddy photo of this (I know) just to mark the moment. 

The hills around here are starting to brown up, even with the fairly recent rain. 

🪶

I came across this video, below, of a place we've been close to...but never walked this trail. I'm not sure if it is too far of a walk for me, but being that it is paved - maybe I can walk some of it? It sure looks pretty.

How to get to Castaic Creek

 LINK 10:07 minutes

Do you see it? Wait, I'll zoom in...

It was the red on its chest that caught my eye. Maybe a male house finch? Sure was pretty, whatever it was.

Anyway, since it has been trickier to get to the bridge, with all of the roadwork, we decided to visit another park. It was #22 in the Parks Project. 

Another lovely open green space, which included two areas for children to climb and play, a basketball court, a beach volleyball court (where a toddler dug in the sand, so sweet), a variety of concrete paths, bathrooms, many benches and lots of white flowers. The slight breeze and the sounds of children playing made me want to sit on a bench for a long, long while. 

There was also a toadstool(?) pushing up, gorgeous big-old trees and some young ones too. There were many young boys on electric bikes, racing around everywhere. 

One of the things I really appreciated about this park were not only the numerous benches, but so many picnic tables and a few BBQ's too!

This cement planter was my curiosity for the day. Why is it shaped like an infinity symbol? Or maybe a figure 8? What was the non-planted side for? Surely it would not be put there to catch pine cones, although it was very good at that - especially since the pine nearby was chock full of cones! Why was it the only one? None of the other young trees had this kind of care or protection. Interesting.

The roses smelled so great and I loved the slight tint of pink to them. I tried out several of the benches. They worked just fine!

This park was a pleasant discovery. I do wish it was more on my side of the valley though.

The price of gas today, at most stations near us, was $6.19!!! We paid less than that yesterday.

Today we were back at city park path. We'd not been here for about 6 weeks. The decomposed granite is a bit tricky in a velcro shoe. haha It was nice to get back though and see how things had changed. All of the growth in the wash was back and water was flowing, gurgling through the tall cattails. The medicine bag I'd planted there was long gone after so much time. Good. There were so many crow(ravens), turkey vultures, hawks and songbirds. Again the crows were pestering like a younger sibling. Scrub Jays were doing the same to a tree sitting hawk. Two hawks circled in unison, 7 plus crows flew in and out of their space. 4 crows flew in formation, like a military exercise and 3 turkey vultures looked for meals together over the houses.

The rock rose was blooming like mad and there was some kind of egg crate on the fence.

🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸 🌸

3 turkey vultures ⬆️

Hawk VS 2 scrub jays - they would not leave that hawk alone! I love how the hawk is ducking, but standing its ground (or treetop, as the case may be). And I finally got a cool photo! Yay! ⬇️

Mentryville drive...today this tree caught my eye. Look at the trunk...super cool. It reminded me of the old fireplace at the Walker Ranch hike from long ago.

I'm still glue booking. I'm also craving weaving, so perhaps I will warp the little loom soon.

I found this image of this young girl in a story about Filipino fishing families scrambling to survive. Something about her really spoke to me. Her expression, the strength in her hands and feet, her skill...something. I don't know how I will use this image. Perhaps I will hang her on the kitchen revolving bulletin board, so I can look some more. I felt very much like Grace in my sudden attachment to this image. Isn't she something?

When or where do you see and feel specific connections?

 

May you visit new places

May you revisit familiar places 

May you see beauty wherever you go

xo

Photos by NAE @pomegranatetrail ©2026