Hike 2015.099B -- Huntington Library and Gardens, San Marino, CA

Hiked Sunday, December 27. 2 miles. I came here very late on Sunday afternoon, with only about 90 minutes to walk. I'm pretty sure I didn't cover enough ground to make my 3 miles, so I would up not calling this Hike 2015.100. Hike 100 turned out to be a trip to Monrovia Canyon, on New Year's Eve.

I've been a member of the Huntington for a number of years. I visit it more in some years than in others. But, despite those many trips, I almost always find something different to photograph as I walk around the grounds. This day was no exception.

I suppose my favorite shot for the day was the one that leads this post. Candid shot of a couple in the Chinese garden section. The water and the changing seasons that are evidenced by the changing foliage of the trees around the pond make this a favorite location. I also found new ways to frame some of the sights here.

Pretty pleased with this rose shot, too. I also hadn't shot that bowl / fountain, before.

No shots of the Diana sculpture, nor of the "Love" one, though I do like both. But I've done those, before. And the ginkgo, which was so colorful on my last visit, had fallen, by now. So not much seasonal color, already. I will have to think about shadow compositions for a few months, I think. ;D

Between my membership here and the one at the Los Angeles County Arboretum, and nearby Legg Lake, I've got plenty of nearby spots to walk in developed parks. But there are other possibilities now, as well. First, my Arboretum membership will let me visit the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens, in Claremont. Haven't been there, yet. But a definite new places to see and probably walk several laps around to get my steps in, in addition to having a new places to photograph. Probably want to visit there seasonally, too, as I expect it, like the County Arboretum and the Huntington, change greatly with the seasons.

On a somewhat related note, Saturday, January 30 is Museum Free For All Day. Thirty museums in southern California will waive their basic admission fee on that day (or, for a few exceptions, on the 31st). Included among these museums is Descanso Gardens, in La Cañada Flintridge. Never been there, either. and several of the museums participating in Museum Free for All are also free on the first full weekend of each month, with my Bank of America card. Just some reminders of options for cheap or free entertainment.