INVITATION TO A WALK

  Dear Gather Friends,

As I was taking a walk a while ago I thought I would like to share my neighborhood with you all. What started out as a simple enough project turned into about ten days of daily walks with my camera, always alert for things I might not ordinarily notice!

Some of the pictures I took I have already been posting.

Today I want to invite you all to come with me!

Let's start with a quick peek at my balcony:

  It's crowded, so things all grow together and intermingle... You can tell I love sunflowers!

Going outside there is a retaining wall with beautiful red berries growing over it:
It's right by where I park my car, so I get to admire it often!

There are lots of trees on the way: 
 A huge pear tree,

and of course apples are ripe too!  
This is not orchards - just folks who grow stuff in their yard!

They like fancy gates. This is one of my favorites:  

When I pass by, there is usually a kitty taking a rest:  

Sometimes  you have to look sharp to find her!  

  Take a look at these growing out from under a fence! 

The neighboring gate invites a look too: 

And of course there are roses everywhere:  

It's not just nature though: real people live here and they drive all kinds of cars. Beautiful

old cars:

and beautiful new cars! 

 
 and everything in between you can imagine!

There are hedges 

bushes without flowers

 and with, 

 walls that are prettied up,

and several nice playgrounds!  

Walking along, we can see people like flowers!

These grow on a neighbor's balcony: 

 These in the front yard.

So do these! 

 Have a closer look: 

 In some places the sidewalk is set back from the street and there are things growing on both sides! 

Look up at the sky through the leaves of this beauty! 

There is a school too, and this is the back entrance to the parking lot (deserted of course: this is still summer vacation.) 

Another lost ball in the bushes... 

And then we go out  toward the fields:

Along a narrow road:

and are in for a treat: it is a warm day, late afternoon, and there are hot air balloons! This is a bit blurry - but you can still see them! 

The  wheat has been harvested 

and soon the straw will be baled. These are frugal people.

It is getting later, and the sun is low...
 homeward bound.

I hope you enjoyed yourself! I know I have been!

You may ask: is there nothing ugly here?

Of course there is.

But you already know that.

And I choose not to stress it by photographing it. 

I found that nothing is ever ordinary.

It depends on how you look at it.

Wanting to share the beauty, I found it.

For that I thank each one of you: you helped sharpen my eyes!

Cristina

Everything pictured here is within 15 minutes walk of my apartment...