bright and early friday morning my husband said to me, "get out of work, let's go look for wildflowers". so i did :) we headed towards figueroa mountain...
~ for lindsey ~
we hiked up grass hill, which even though it was a six mile round trip, i'm sure it was five miles up and only one down, it was steep! i have to remind myself that even though beauty is all around us, sometimes you have to work really hard for it.
while many other wildflower searchers drove up the more common figueroa mountain road, we hiked up the hill to the left, grass mountain . we saw, fairy forests and bubbling creeks, velvet green meadows dotted with ancient oaks. and we saw flowers. gorgeous wildflowers with names like owls clover and shooting stars, chocolate lilies and indian paintbrush, shiny yellow buttercups, fiddleneck and fillaree and the truly gorgeous combination of purple sky lupine and the california poppy.
when we stopped i took some photos and then just sat on this steep windy hillside, in a field of waving poppies, while the scent of purple lupines wafted all around me, carried on the sunny breeze. and it was so quiet. and i was so happy.
i hope you've enjoyed.
♥ lori
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a special note: happy 19th birthday monday lindsey! the last photo of the blooming pear blossom tree is for you. i hope you have a wonderful day in provo, i'll be thinking of you, with love,
lori
What a wonderful way to spend time with someone you love.
ReplyDeleteI love flowers :) and I have thoroughly enjoyed all of these.
love to you lori
and happy chocolate munching season. xxx Robyn
Gorgeous photos, gorgeous day and two gorgeous people.
ReplyDeleteI love the way you live your life.
xxlove mexx
Ah...........so beautiful.Thanks for doing all the hiking, so I could just sit! :D xx♥
ReplyDeleteSo glad you took the day off and shared your photos with us!
ReplyDeleteOh so gorgeous ... you are giving me spring envy. I love the blossoms and I swear I can smell the perfumed breezes. What a perfect way to spend a day!
ReplyDeleteoh, the pear blossom tree looks simply gorgeous! i would like to have one of those in my backyard this time of year. beautiful!
ReplyDeleteoh man that was beautiful - so fresh and bright - thank you thank you xxxV
ReplyDeleteI had never been given such a perfumy, colorful and love filled bouquet of wildflowers before, thank you!!
ReplyDeleteI hope you and Chuck and the kids have a wonderful Happy Easter.
All my love,
Lola xx
What beautiful flowers. I could smell their fragrance from here.
ReplyDeleteAnd as for the blue sky and sunshine that is definately something I'm looking forward to. Although that said I did have a coffee on my walk yesterday sitting on a grassy knoll in the hills when the sky was that colour for a few moments.
xx
Stolen days are wonderful
ReplyDeleteMy Word the flowers are so beautiful!!! Hey man, you and Chuck have to be here in September for the West Coast / Namaqualand Flowers - the most spectacular wildflower show in the world I'm told.
I'll join you --- in fact get to Joburg and I'll take you there!!
xxx
Breathtaking photos - thank you so much for sharing this beautiful experience with us! I feel like I, too, was sitting on that hill!
ReplyDeleteMy brother also sent me wildflower pictures from Cayucos area - just lovely!
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day
OH MY GOSH! YESSS! I enjoyed your photo series very much, you are so fortunate to be able to see all those wonderful colors on easter!
ReplyDeleteHere it's still only brown and grey, no grass, leaves or wildflowers yet.
We had sun yesterday afternoon and we could play some outside with the kids, but today it's 2 Degrees Celsius and it's raining!
We are spending our Easter Sunday afternoon in front of the fire place.
Thank you though for posting and sharing those gorgeous pictures!!!
Happy Easter!
:))
Lori, you have to just love a husband that says let's go out to look for wildflowers!! I was in Santa Barbara, recently-briefly passing through and thought of you. It was that gorgeous weekend a few weeks ago, went for a walk back behind the rose garden near where friends live in an old Spanish style-large adobe house. It was magical.
ReplyDeleteMy son is 19 this week too-another thing we share.
Hugs, Romney
Lori..this was wonderful...i used to drive figueroa mountain to go leave messages on michael jackson's gate... kind of embarassed to admit that one...i made my friend, julie go with me...poor julie :-( what a trooper....
ReplyDeletei love it there too...
stopping by to wish you and your family and owen a Happy Easter...
sending love, my sweet friend,
Kary
well! my heart is now full.
ReplyDeletei think you have to love a guy who wants to spend his time searching for flowers.
you have every terrain, lori, don't you? the ocean, the mountains, the meadows...
but i still think you should see the leaves in new england come autumn. (hope floats!)
another beautiful heavenly photo journey, my dear friend
love
kj
Oh wow ! Thank you for sharing your magical day with us. The photos are incredible and so lovely.
ReplyDeleteOh, Lori, you cannot know how much I needed this post! Colorful and sweet smelling, it doesn't get any better than that. I love April on the coast!
ReplyDeleteWalks together, flower sniffing together, sharing a plain ole sandwich together...wonderful to come along on your walk with you.
ReplyDeleteI had to come back again for another wander up and over the hills.
ReplyDeleteIt's beautiful here :) xxx
Beautiful!
ReplyDeletei planted three shades of purple pansies today, lori. in front of the big rock with the number 9 on it, to the right of the driveway, in front of the garden.
ReplyDeleteand i thought, 'oh! i'll take a picture to show lori!"
♥
Thanks, lori! Beautiful wildflowers. I would love to see those for myself. I would love to go hiking with you and hannah soon! I feel honored to be mentioned in my favorite blog! :) I miss you!!
ReplyDeleteLove, lindsey
dear robyn,
ReplyDeletethank you, i am really glad. i am also glad the bunny missed our house this year, less chocolate = good thing. :)
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dear michelle,
i'm very touched by your sweet words. we are very grateful. nothings perfect of course, but there's alot to be thankful for.
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dear natsy,
you wouldn't even have realized you were hiking(kind of), it was just so pretty.
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dear tina,
thank you, LOVE to take a day off once in awhile!
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dear lyn,
is there still snow where you live? i hope spring and the flowers come soon to you. till then please come back here and enjoy these!
dear kavita,
ReplyDeleteme too!!
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dear val,
your welcome! it's spring!
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dear lola,
my favorite thing about easter now, the annual trek to figueroa mountain. i'm so glad you enjoyed.
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dear mandy,
will there be flowers in your hills too? your walk looked lovely. glad you had a great day!
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dear janet,
i've seen photos. what a dream that would be. can you imagine? chuck will want to go, now will we be able to?? crossing fingers!
dear judy,
ReplyDeleteyour so welcome! i'm really glad you enjoyed, it is my pleasure!
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dear mim,
oh i LOVE cayucos, i'll be going up there in a couple weeks, i'll look for flowers up there! thank you for telling me.
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dear hbfg,
thank you so much, i really appreciate your kind words. i hope things warm up there for you soon, but i do envy your cold and spending time in front of the fire.
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dear romney,
i remember that weekend, i was in a sundress all day. i'm so glad things are going so well for you. i think about you often. happy birthday to your child ♥
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dear kary,
i had to smile, i remember passing his gate and seeing all the fans and paparazzi around. maybe you were there! thank you for the easter wishes, i hope you and your husband had a lovely day!
dear kj,
ReplyDeletethank you very much, such a sweet compliment, makes me smile!
i am sure we would love the east coast, i think you never know!
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dear sally,
oh thank you, i am so glad you enjoyed!
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dear nancy,
i just came from your place, and now i see what you mean, still snowing! oh my. it is so beautiful there though. please come here for your virtual flower fix when you need it!
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dear teri,
it is so romantic and lovely, thank you for saying that. i'm so glad you came along and enjoyed.
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thanks robyn ♥
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thank you diana!
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kj, ah, so great! i love planting day! can't wait to see the photos!
Lindsey!
ReplyDeleteHappy Birthday honey! i miss you too. summer will be here before you know it. i wonder if you'll be lifeguarding this year? chuck needs help you know? :)
XXX
beeeeautiful wildflowers! happy spring to you all. x
ReplyDeleteyes it will be! i can't wait. And YES of course i will be guarding this summer! It's almost all i think about! Me and hannah ruling the beach. hahaha I can't wait to be back on the beach with junior guards and back in the tower, so tell Chuck I am up for lots of hours:)
ReplyDelete-lindsey
So nice and peaceful. I have a husband who loves taking walks and appreciating nature too. And it's the best. Especially when there is silence and just peace.
ReplyDeleteDearest Lori Ann,
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness, Jeff and I were JUST trying to figure out how to get to Figueroa Mountain this spring. I first went there with an Audubon group in 1970 something and my son Noah, who was just a little guy, was the first one to find a chocolate lily or fritillary. I was so proud of him.
Yes, it is heartbreakingly gorgeous. I love it there. And the scent of lupines is like sipping honey. Wonderful.
Let's keep in touch and maybe before we leave for Maine you could journey up here for a "Girl's Day.
Love,
Sharon Lovejoy
Hands down you take the loveliest, most breathtaking, inspiring nature photos. I want to leap from my office and run through fields when I visit your blog! :)
ReplyDeletemelissa,
ReplyDeletethank you! it is much appreciated!
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haha! great! happy birthday!!!
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momnewhere,
thank you for coming by and sharing, i am so glad you did!
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dear sharon,
that is a lovely idea, i'll definetly do that! and thank you for sharing the story about your son, what a great memory!
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dear tracy,
your a sweetie. thank you for the lovely compliment, it means alot to me! hope your healing well, ouch.
I came here and I got surprised for the wonderful time you had taking all these photographs!! Thank you for sharing all the beauty that surrounds you . Since it´s almost Autumn down here, I´ll keep them in my mind ... the colors, the fresh air, the scent of them.
ReplyDeletedear mina,
ReplyDeletei'm so glad you enjoyed these flowers! i wish i could add the smell also, it's amazing, thank you for the kind words!