Friday, May 17, 2013

Discovering the Los Angeles Arboretum {in Pictures}

When Harrison was a toddler he would regularly ask, “What fun adventure will we do today!?”
No pressure there.

As he got older and our schedules got busier and busier, it became more difficult, eventually he stopped asking; but there’s always room for adventures and I still try to get us out on them as often as possible – luckily he’s still a willing party.

Queen Anne House

One of my favorite childhood memories is visiting the Los Angeles Arboretum during an extended stay in California with my grandmother  (I went in depth about the experience on my blog, A Little White Space).

On a whim one day, I decided it was finally time to take Harrison to the Arboretum; after all I had good intentions of venturing there for years… However the thought of an almost hour-long drive, through the heart of Los Angeles, with a boy who hates being on freeways… well you can get the picture. 

However, I was set on it, I checked their website and saw that their annual Wild West Days was coming up, so I waited a week and off we went. 

Arboretum collage1LA Arboretum

The gardens are beautiful, and peaceful and it took all of one minute for Harrison to take off in several different directions trying to take everything in and choose which path to take first. 

Then we discovered the peacocks.

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Arboretum collage2

And soon after, the huge geese; one of which went charging toward him as we walked through the grass!

LA Arboretumarboretum diptych

Not to mention the giant fish in the lake along with the turtles and ducks…

LA Arboretum

Fish-zilla”, as Harrison referred to them, “I learned about these on the news, the news discovered them and they devour everything, and if you bring them out of the water, they get up and go back into it!!”

LA Arboretum
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…and finally the horses. He loved the horses; if I would have allowed him, he would have sat there all day talking to the horses.

Arboretum
Arboretum collage3

While we walked through the grounds and listening to the birds singing and crickets chirping, Harrison said,  “It’s so quiet and peaceful here, I’m jealous of the people who live here!” 

Arboretum
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Right before we left, Harrison bonded with this little guy.  feeding him and talking to him.

IMG_9874LA Arboretum
Los Angeles Arboretum

We’re definitely going back, Harrison is even willing to brave the L.A. traffic for the peace of the Arboretum.

After all, he’s wants to visit his pet peacock.
Yeah, the one I wouldn’t let him adopt and bring home.

I’m such a mean mom…