Peanuts In My Pocket

I’ve lived in the LA area, right on the border between LA and Orange County, for most of my life. I’ve always thought of San Diego as the perfect spot for a quick getaway. We usually head down around this time to celebrate my wife’s birthday and, since the grandkids came along, to swim. Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate this year. We’ve learned our lesson, early June is often overcast, misty, and cooler than we’d like. This time was no different. Swimming was brief and cold, but we did manage a visit to Balboa Park.

I always bring a camera when I travel. I’m not talking about my iPhone, though it works in a pinch, but one of my nicer cameras. This time I carried a Nikon with a small telephoto lens, hoping to capture birds or other interesting sights as I walked around. I did snap a few shots of birds and turtles, but mostly I just wandered and dodged crowds. I ended up with two photos I really liked, plus one decent bird shot.

One photo, in particular, was a bit of a challenge. I had my grandkids with me, so exploring the area further wasn’t practical. Still, the image I captured managed to convey the scene well enough. I can’t imagine wanting this in my own garden, but maybe a wealthy homeowner would find it appealing.

Later, I came across a homeless man taking a nap. The homeless situation in San Diego is noticeable, though less so in the park itself. This man was lying on the edge of a fountain while at least 75 first-graders played nearby. I don’t photograph kids without permission, but I’m comfortable photographing adults, especially when a picture tells a story. I’m still trying to figure out what story this one tells.

Nearby, a solitary gull paced around, looking for food. It managed to snag a few snacks from passersby before pausing to pose for me. I was pleased to capture that image, especially since I wasn’t sure which gull species it was. Later, I identified it as a Western Gull and logged it in my eBird checklist. It’s only the second one I’ve seen this year; later, at the hotel, I spotted several more.

A quick aside: what’s up with the cost of museum admissions at Balboa Park? I was excited to visit the model train exhibit, figuring it might entertain my grandkids for about 15 minutes, but the price was $25 per adult and $12 for my 13-year-old grandson. Sixty-two dollars for a 15-minute stop is too much. No thanks.

My grandson helped me find one last photo: a pond slider turtle. We counted four in the pond near the botanical garden. San Diego still holds a certain magic for us, and there are areas of the park where I can just sit and read for hours. It’s truly a wonderful place, even if your grandkids have outgrown the miniature railroad and carousel.