Tag Archives: exploring

Poetry Day 8

An Architectural Learning Walk

Sometimes I’m surprised at what interests me. With my camera in my hand, I find myself drawn to shapes and angles, light and shadows, things that shine and things that crumble, the cute and the hideous… Contradictions make for interesting photographs.

I mentioned earlier this week that I had gone exploring in the Los Angeles area on Monday with my son. We headed into the hills in search of the Ennis House, a residence designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. This house is made of “textile blocks”–intricate patterns pressed into the concrete. The concrete has deteriorated over time (it was built in 1924), putting the building in danger. Since being purchased a few years ago by billionaire Ron Burkle, it is now being restored to its original state.

This is a huge place and has a history of being used by the film industry as a setting for movies, Blade Runner is one example. I can only imagine what the view must be from the interior of the house from its perch on the side of the hill above downtown Los Angeles.

In our climb up to the house, we noticed other interesting architecture in the neighborhood. After parking and walking around, we examined the interesting collection of eclectic design built into the hillside.

This one that juts out at an angle also sports an interesting screen along the bottom.

The one right next door seemed to built on stilts, lifting the living quarters up high enough to catch the view below.

If you asked me last week if I was interested in architecture, I might have said no. But after my day exploring through photography, I found myself looking up information about the Ennis House and interested in finding out more about other architectural styles.

This happens in my classroom too. Once students engage in learning about something…especially in an active, student-centered way, their interest is piqued and they can’t wait to learn more. They seem to notice the new information everywhere and make connections well beyond the classroom walls.

What new interests have you found recently? What inspires your learning?

Exploring: A Family Trait

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Yesterday’s holiday offered me the opportunity to do some exploring…with my son. Now that my children are grown, married, and living in cities away from me, I treasure the time we get to spend together in any configurations of our family.

So yesterday morning, with a day off from work, I got into my car and headed up the freeway to Los Angeles to spend the day exploring with my son. In many ways, he is my inspiration for taking photographs. He has fancy cameras and takes amazing photos. I use my phone and continue to learn. And he is quite the cheerleader for my growing skills and like me, enjoys looking for interesting photo opportunities.

Los Angeles has its downside: most notably, traffic! But it is rich in interesting history, eclectic neighborhoods, memorable landmarks, and famous people along with a beautiful natural environment. So after an amazingly quick commute in light traffic from my home to his, we set off for a day of exploring and picture taking.

We spent the morning at the La Brea Tar Pits (can you believe neither of us had even been…even though we both grew up in Southern CA?), the Page Museum, and the sculpture gardens at LACMA. Then after lunch, we decided to drive the surface streets of the greater Hollywood area as we ventured off to find the Ennis House, one of Frank Lloyd Wright’s architectural gems. (More about that later this week!)

And in the process of driving up the narrow, winding streets of the hillside above the greater LA area, we found so much more than Frank Lloyd Wright’s treasure.

We found a place to park on the steep streets of an obviously exclusive neighborhood and set off on foot with lenses in hand. As we walked, I found myself searching for a space where I could see the view beyond us. I did sneak this view through the opening in a fence.

But I wanted more. A side road beckoned with what looked like ruins of some sort. A closer look revealed stairs leading to a door…to something that is no longer there.

But when I turned around…the view I was looking for revealed itself! I’ve written before at how hard it is to capture distant landscapes with my iPhone (but it never keeps me from trying!). With a little help from post production, I did manage to create a photo that gives a glimpse of what I was able to see!

I love that I could see the Los Angeles skyline in the distance. And you can see what a beautiful sunny day we were experiencing (it was easily 80 degrees at its peak).

And best of all, Nick and I had a wonderful day together exploring his city through our lenses. The fun thing is that we don’t have to do something “special,” just spending time exploring and talking and being together was enough. I can’t wait to see all the photos he took…and you’ll get to see some of the other photos I took later this week.

What traits do you share in your family? How do you enjoy spending time together?

Close to Home: Adventures with My Sister

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I just got back from a whirlwind trip to Boston–an interesting town that I only got a tiny taste of because of the demands of the conference schedule and my own travel constraints. I’ve been to Boston before and hope to go back before too long just to explore and revel in all there is to see and do!

And my sister arrived here in San Diego Saturday for a short visit to my parents (who live near me), so we made plans for a little adventure to the zoo today. My sister consistently visits twice a year, in the summer and at Christmas, usually with her family. So this unexpected, solo, pre-Thanksgiving visit is a treat! And although we invited our parents to come along with us today, when they declined we had a great time exploring, chatting, remembering…just the two of us.

Unlike Boston, San Diego is a place I know well–sometimes so well that I take it for granted. Today was a perfect November day. It was mild and sunny, perfect for walking and talking. Kristie and I grew up in this town and have been to the zoo more times than we can count. We remember the days when the zoo was always free for kids 16 and under…and spent many a day exploring the zoo without an adult in sight.

And although the zoo has continued to expand and evolve, much remains the same. We followed familiar paths and enjoyed watching the animals lounging and playing the early morning sun.

And when I caught a glimpse of the historic bridge from afar, I wanted to find a place where I could take a photo. So we tried to remember a place where the bridge was visible…and as we walked down the path, Kristie found that perfect spot where we could see it through the leaves.

I love the way this landmark is framed by the oranges, reds, greens and browns of autumn in San Diego.

We headed from the zoo to lunch at El Indio’s, my sister’s favorite Mexican restaurant and then off to the beach. Even though I live near the beach, I can’t go there often enough…and for my sister who no longer lives near the beach, an opportunity to smell the briny air, feel the sea breezes, and walk on the sand is a welcome treat.

We left our sweatshirts in the car and walked along the shoreline to the pier and back. It was so clear we could see far off into the distance…breathtaking! (Even when I see these views regularly!)

And then off we went to the glider port–a place we don’t remember going to as children, but a place with views that are amazing. We rumbled down the dirt road to the dirt parking lot, which was surprisingly full for a Monday afternoon. My sister called me optimistic as I navigated toward the end of the lot where we wanted to be…and she saw the perfect spot for us to park, just a few steps from the pathway to the cliff’s edge.

And although there were no gliders in sight today, we could see the pier where we had just walked. We looked over the steep cliffs and noticed erosive handiwork of the wind and water. The ocean sparkled and gleamed a brilliant blue in the November sun and we watched surfers hike up from the steep path to the beach…and walked partially down it ourselves for a closer view of the beach below.

We spent a few minutes watching someone get a hang gliding lesson, holding tightly to the giant parachute as he learned to control its movements.

It was a wonderful day to spend together, exploring this place that we know so well and yet has so many more experiences and secrets to discover. This is the place where we spent our childhood together and as adults have to steal away time from our families and work to share time and space and memories.

So many people have been expressing their gratitude during the month of November. During this week of Thanksgiving, I am thankful to have spent time with my sister on an adventure, close to home.