Sunday Hike through Harding Canyon

Though it was admittedly difficult to wake up to the alarm on a Sunday morning, our brisk hike with friends was super-refreshing and well worth the grogginess! We started our hike down by the Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary, then followed the trail as it wound upstream.  

We admired the fog as its tendrils crept through the crevices in the hillside.

A cloudy, moonless night had allowed dew to settle delicately on a spiders' web.

Spring had sprung! Pristine wildflowers were blooming all around us.

Purple bells-- these were our favorite!

The trail was shaded by old live oaks.

Courtney rescued a friendly salamander from the footpath!

More wildflowers... they were everywhere!

Midmorning sunshine was quite warm as we headed back. 

I would certainly recommend this trail-- it's not too difficult, but all the creek crossings keep things interesting and fun. I would also recommend Googling "poison oak" before hiking anywhere in OC, just so you know what it looks like! We saw lots of wildlife-- birds, rabbits, squirrels, salamanders, and geckos were all out to play, and I hear they become even bolder as the weather warms up! What a great way to start a Sunday morning.

Now, for the next trail: does anyone have a suggestion of where we should hike next?

A Weekend in Joshua Tree

Last weekend was the most peaceful, relaxing weekend I've spent in quite a while! We drove out to the desert and camped in Joshua Tree National Park. Once your eyes adjust to the barren starkness of the landscape, all of the interesting beauty this place has to offer really comes alive. We set up camp at Jumbo Rocks, an area of the park known for its-- you guessed it-- jumbo-sized rocks. After an afternoon of playing on giant outcroppings of stone, we started up a campfire and took in the luminous night sky... three-quarter moon, shooting stars, the works! Following an admittedly troubled night of sleep (we made sure to drink a bit more wine the next night), we grabbed the trail mix and went on a fantastic hike through Lost Horse Valley, the fabled land of horse thieves and gun-slinging cowboys. What a nice walk-- early spring in the desert means wildflowers are just starting to bloom and the weather is breezy, mild and not too desert-like. The landscape was so picturesque, the photos look like they could be paintings! I'd recommend this experience to anyone--  It was immensely refreshing to be so far away from my iPhone for a couple days! Some memorable photos from the trip:

A Sunday in Malibu

Spent a beautiful Sunday in Malibu with my brand new hubby Jed, a few weekends ago now. After a walk around the Getty Villa, we made it to the city's farmer's market just before closing, and we were so glad we did!  We didn't see the throngs of celebrities that are said to frequent the market, but we did feast on gluten-free banana pancakes and some beautiful organic strawberries. Then we headed to the hills for a late-afternoon hike around Escondido Falls. This is a great trail-- I definitely recommend it! It was the perfect time of day to go, too. There was a cool evening breeze but you could still feel a pleasant heat rising up from the earth. Such a pretty place!