Observation: Watching the dusk prevail....

Pink eastern sky at dusk, viewed from the hillock of Mission San Diego complex....

The  bustling city of La Mesa...the houses nestled atop the hill, in a wavy pattern offer a quite spectacular picture...

The distant blue hills curtained by the drooping branches of California pepper.........

Joy: My small doses of inspiration!!.......

There so many filthy things going on in this world, but why should we let them bug us, when we are blessed with serene beauties  to counter all sorts of negativity and fill our souls with peace....I feel, its a great blessing to be able to see beauty in things surrounding us..

These pictures below comprise some motivation for my walk, day after day, sun or rain...

Noticing their seasonal change fills me with joy and inspiration...

The wall of bougainvillea..with their brilliance they are bound to attract the attention of any onlooker....I wonder, how incomplete South California floral palette would have been without them!!

The magnolia leaves naturally have the coppery shade...yet the setting sun accentuates it with another layer of gold..

This intrepid little guy stuck to the hibiscus twig, as I clicked away...

Not sure if the Santa Ana wind has anything to do with the skyscape but the diffused clouds looked pretty!

Its definitely the peak bloom time for the tangerine cape honey suckles...

This luscious, pink dragon fruit dangles from one of the many California pepper trees in Mission San Diego...

Jacaranda show.......

Ornamental plum.......

Rose galore.....

Pool-ful of lilies......

Aloe blooms......

Profuse wild mustard blooms........

this hibiscus...

..big leaves of Empress tree..

.....pretty agapanthus.........

.......daylily bud...

........patch of blooming clovers

The old mulberry tree, laden with bountiful berries..no wonder, birds flock here...

Lily of the Nile bud about to unfurl...

Tiny olive drupes....

Palm panicle...

Inky blue sky...a storm is brewing up...

Southern magnolia..........

* Appreciate and bask in the splendor in your vicinity...derive happiness and inspiration from them..

  To end this post, nothing but one quote comes to my mind...."happiness is like good health, you don't notice it until its gone"..so true, applicable to everybody...

Place: Night photography at Mission San Diego...

I frequent the Mission San Diego and take many pictures of its serene surroundings...but, I had never tried my hands at night photography there..I did yesterday...the result, as you can see is decent....

The illuminated facade....

The ivory-whites statues...

 The grotto....

The bough of bougainvillea...

Place: In and around San Diego....

I love exploring nearby places...and San Diego offers ample opportunities for this longing...it has a diverse set of places to unwind and soak in the serenity...

Here, I am on the grassy bank of Lake Poway....

Here, by the reed edge of Lake Jennings...

Closer home, its Mary's grotto in Mission San Diego...great place to contemplate and find peace..

Victorian village, Heritage park, Old Town...........

Seaport village, by the "Unconditional surrender statue".........

Atop Mount Soledad....

San Diego safari.......

Mission trails regional park.......

Lake Murray.......

Julian...famous for apple orchards...

Season: Enjoying San Diego rain...

As far as I know, San Diego doesn't receive much rain, like most of South California...
So, when does, its kind of celebration for people like me..It was early October when we had this shower..To make most of it, I ventured out with camera and umbrella in tow....
Mission San Diego was my destination......
View from the premises of the mission..

Soaked statue of Father Junipero Serra .....

The Mission facade with a backdrop of overcast sky...

The garden adjoining Mother Mary's grotto....

Distant houses veiled my moisture-laden clouds....

On my way back home, saw the fleet of cars with headlights on...

I thoroughly enjoyed the rain and returned home happy and energized, just like the beaming vegetation...