Blossoms, Beach Boys & Baseball

“Spring won’t let me stay in this house any longer! I must get out and breathe the air deeply again.”( Gustav Mahler)

It’s no coincidence that Ruth and I normally begin our road trips during the burgeoning optimism of spring. For it makes good sense for us then to drive mindfully into those vast expanses of western lands of America that offer so many opportunities to feel free and easy amid less populated conditions. So 2023 would be no exception as an early flight to Anaheim, California would mark the the beginning point of our latest road trip itinerary in a long distance circular fashion.

So you might wish to know what kinds of spring inspirations would most interest us in this suburban Orange County locale somewhat distant from traffic congested downtown Los Angeles. While there’s of course nearby Disneyland mania which hordes of tourists enjoy from this Anaheim location each day, some alternative sites of spring optimistic interest would take precedence over Mickey Mouse and friends amusement during this three day stay.

Some of you might have read in the news recently about the unusually colorful spring flower blooms in California caused by heavy rains that’s happened in the region recently. So we’d been fortunate in this regard to take a short drive to Chino Hills State Park with its heavy concentrations of poppy field blooms and other flora along quiet walking trails located a relatively short distance from our Anaheim motel.

Then of course we looked forward to the first weeks of Major League Baseball now to occupy our interest in this region with Los Angeles Angels games in town. For taking in a game or two could slow down our normal pace  and allow us to settle into the informal friendliness of “America’s Past Time” at an affordable ticket price with a free parking pass to go with it. Most definitely, a smile would also register on my face on any such chosen baseball night while watching marquee players like Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani perform hitting with notable brilliance and ease.

With Spring’s arrival in Southern California, there also seemed to be a pleasant anticipation of those casual summer beach days we once enjoyed as a teenagers. So my wife, in particular, longed to feel the iconic musical legacy of The Beach Boys when visiting Southern California on this occasion. But we did not actually need to take that long drive east to the Pacific beachfront to feel their 1960s historic vibe when we discovered that the historic statue landmark marking the home site where they grew up and formed their band lie a mere thirty minute drive away from us in more suburban Hawthorne city limit environs.

We’ll be heading north of Los Angeles next to the serene hills of Thousand Oaks, California. As the NFL Draft take place this weekend. So I’ll be pausing my writing for a few days to find out who my two favorite teams, the Cleveland Browns and Miami Dolphins select to further each of these teams chances for a Super Bowl run. Enjoy my latest photos.