DAILY FRONT PORCH - OAK GLEN , CA - FLOWERS FROM CARRIE'S GARDEN -

I love this scene.  I will be posting more photos from this area that I took last fall - talk about gorgeous colors in the fall.   So... see the house way on the left upper corner - there is a front porch - so this qualifies for the post.  I can't really tell where the front porch is on the lower bigger blue house but I do like where the house is  situated.

Can't resist taking sunset photos this time of year out on the rim.  We usually travel this way when we go over to the next little town which is Blue Jay or Lake Arrowhead.  We were coming back home the other night when I took these.

I always stop a couple houses up from where I live to take these views over the lake. - the sky was such a pretty pink and purple.

This morning I was admiring Carrie's garden, next door.  I'm so thankful for her garden - as I enjoy it so much.  She's been here about 10 years I think so she knows what grows good around here.  She also has the sweetest little dog I've met - it looks like a dog that would bark a lot - but Gigi rarely barks.  I always enjoy Gigi when she is outside with Carrie and visits at the fence line. I didn't get a photo but I will next time.

Happy Monday - ...afternoon.

TODAY'S FRONT PORCH AND LAST NIGHT'S SUNSET PICS

I LOVE this little corner porch/patio on this house in Claremont.  It's hidden away somewhat and I could see myself spending hours out here having my coffee, my laptop sitting on the table, sketchbook near by, sketching birds and truly enjoying this little area.   The house third pic down is just a house a few doors down from the top two photos.

I've jumped in the car for three nights in a row right about sunset and drove up to the 18 - rim of the world hwy to get some sunset pics.  The sky was particularly pink and beautiful last night.

The very bottom photo my dad painted when he was alive and they would stay up in a cabin in Green Valley Lake -way back in the 70's ....   (where we later bought a cabin but sold a few years later) - ...Green Valley Lake isn't that far now from where we live and I enjoy a drive up there every few months.  I just wanted to share his beautiful painting of an area I love.

This is a view of Green Valley Lake - a small lake that we like to walk the path and enjoy the scenery.  Good job Dad!

 I love the way the flowers looked against the rocks - kind of pink all around.

And speaking of flowers - This beauty was across my fence yesterday afternoon and it just looked so pretty.  If you enlarge this pic you can see the insect on the stem.  I didn't see it when I photographed it.

TODAY'S DAILY FRONT PORCH - BEND, OREGON - some birds, AND adorable kids

We have made several trips to Bend, Oregon in the last three years.  I always love to photograph the houses I see on my walks.

Here is a front porch I like.

In the area of Northwest Crossing this neighborhood has many different styles of houses and porches.  I always feel a sense of "home" while walking here - great neighborhoods where all the streets lead to Compass Park - a great place to hang out with the kids and feel their energy.

Well look at this one standing all straight and proud - not my taste but I do love the tree in front and the stone on the front of the  house.  This house is lacking something - ...a big front porch.

 Hope your day is great - see you tomorrow for another episode of "Who is that Lady photographing my House."

..Addendum:  The rest of the post will have to be done later.  Nature is calling and not in the way you might think.    It's a Stellar Jay and it's whole family calling out for their peanuts.  I can only ignore them so long.

SUNSET LAST NIGHT AND DAILY FRONT PORCH

This time of year I usually go over to "Playground" area to get sunset photos. (The name of the street is Playground ...  this isn't a park just a wide open space)   This area, you can see from a few photos down, is an area where the hang-gliders take off from and often we can see them floating in the sky as we are coming home back up the mountain from being down in the valley.

I keep wanting to get there on a day when conditions are right and they are taking off  so I can get pics.

Sunset was gorgeous but I got there pretty late - just got the end of it.

They take off from here and glide down the mountains and I've seen their landing point but never got a photo of it.  It's somewhere down there.

This is a house in Upland we pass, when we do our walk in this area.  I've seen bottle trees before but this is one of the few times I got photographs.

DAILY FRONT PORCH ONTARIO, CA - A VIDEO THAT IS SHORT AND AWESOME & ZEBRAS

I saw this video over at Linda's Peaceful Place and wanted it here - It's only about a minute and a half  long but combined with the music - this is guaranteed to make any soul happy.  I hope u have a minute to watch it - you'll be glad u did.  And it's like you are right there if you watch it FULL screen.  And my photos are much  better if you click to enlarge them.

While walking one day in Ontario, California  (another place where I lived from 1976 to 1984) I came across this house on a walk.  I found it unique and loved the landscaping.   Obviously I wanted every angle - sometimes I walk along and click without even stopping.  I should mention - I never stay still when taking a photo of a house - they are always pretty much action shots - me being the action.  That way sometimes I feel I can go unnoticed because I'm really not obviously focusing on their house...if that makes sense.  

and as always there is usually an animal involved in my photos on any given day - animal or bird.

She was in the next house down the street - what a cutie.

And since these were taken that same day we went to the fair about five years ago - I always wanted them on my blog but I don't think I ever posted them.

We were walking along in the garden and tropical and wild animal section of the LA County fair when I saw this set up.  Wow, did this catch my eye.  The reason I'm posting fair stuff (which I will for a few days in my next posts) is because I'm excited about the Fair starting on September 4.  I go to the fair mainly for the gardens and animals.  I do look through some exhibits but they are usually hot and crowded if they are in buildings.  I like to stay outside.  There was a long period of time we didn't go - mainly when the kids were little - but after they grew up Mike and I would go and enjoy ourselves.  We only missed one year in the last ten years - that being last year.

DAILY FRONT PORCH - RATHER LATE - DUE TO "STUFF"

When walking Claremont - I'm always intrigued by this house - I mean really intrigued - I want to walk back through their driveway and see what kind of yard art is back there.

Off the topic of this house - Dewena asked in a comment if I ever get asked by people why I am taking photos of their house.  In all the years I have walked neighborhoods and took photos (since about 2004 to 2005)   there have been only two times it has happened - and they both happened in the last six months up in the mountains where I live - but on the other side of the lake and up a hill.  One guy came out as I was photographing his beautiful garden in front and asked me why.  I said I love flowers, gardens and beautiful houses and I thought his was.  Well, he didn't yell or scream at me...he wasn't overly friendly, ...but then not unfriendly either.  I turned to go and said have a nice day and I think he said something along the same line.

I think people in small towns especially mountain towns are somewhat different in that they look out for each other and themselves.  Knowing that he didn't really like me doing that I won't go by his house again with my camera.

Another time was just down the street and around the corner - some guy yelled out (I didn't see him outside or I wouldn't have photogaphed his place)  "hey why are you photographing my place."  I just said "uh....well.......gee I don't know - I don't even like it"...

Naw - not really - I said something similar about photographing and drawing cabins and then hurried on my way - I hardly looked him in the eyes.  I won't make that mistake again.  I don't blame people for wanting to know the reason someone is taking photos of their places.  I try to photograph houses usually...that look like no one is home or near a window.  If I see someone outside I hold my camera at waist level and use the LCD screen instead of the viewfinder so they really never know what I am doing.  Another way I do it is have Mike drive and I take photos while he drives - it's kind of like a getaway car. lol

Here is the front of the house and I know there is a front porch in there somewhere.

I love when cats sit in windows and talk about us humans as we walk by - I'm sure if they could speak my language - they would be asking me why I take photos of their window.

All this cat wanted was to be petted.  He followed us until Mike reached down and scratched his ears.

Uh... do my ears again.

Another cat below  who looks out for people with cameras.

Damn - he saw me.

and before I sold my house - where I raised a family - hosted weddings in the yard, and watched my niece as a bride walk up the steps of the bridge and over to the gazebo  to get married....I would sit on my own front porch and take photos of the birds ALL of the time.  This is where I really got into bird watching.  These are two of my favorite from way back when (about 2006)...

Hope your Sunday has been wonderful.  See ya tomorrow.