Saturday, December 17, 2011

Merry Christmas From Balboa Park




          The Botanical Building and lily pond in Balboa Park, San Diego is iconic and reportedly it is the most photographed building in the park.  The wood lath structure was built in 1915 and holds more than 2100 plants.


          Today is just about one week before Christmas. The Angel's Trumpet is blooming like crazy


and the usual display of green palms, ferns, cycads and orchids inside the building is decked with red poinsettias.  Today is also a relatively chilly day and our typically blue sky has given way to clouds. There was even a slight mist on my windshield. 


This might be about the closest we get to winter weather in the world's finest city. True, the high temperature this afternoon was 62 degrees, but with the wind it felt more like 52 degrees. The low today was 43 degrees.

                     

          But that's a good thing when you live in a city where it mostly feels like perpetual Spring. Walking through the park with a chill in the air, the aroma of coffee from the cart smells better than usual and the spicy chai tea latte tastes better.


          So it's okay with me if the gray skies stay for a while, the temperature dips and the palm trees sway.  It is finally starting to feel a little bit like Christmas!

                             Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!