Just one more reason to slow down and take a walk

Another great reason to slow down and take a walk in our urban landscape: you get to notice all the little things around you. On my way to various parts of the City, I often zoom by in my auto, looking around only to avoid crazy idiotic drivers, pedestrians, and to see the traffic signals. When I'm driving, I miss out on the little things that are so amazing.

So, this past weekend, I took a walk down to Cole Valley, hoping to find some inspiration to punch out a couple of sketches. It's been over a month since my Landscape Graphics class concluded, and I'm not proud to admit that I haven't much kept at it. So, I figured on this beautiful Sunday, I'd take a walk and just get out there. As I reached the intersection of Twin Peaks Blvd and Clarendon Ave, I came across a truly spectacular sight: I saw an urban grove of Garrya elliptica, more commonly known as Coast silk tassel. If you've never seen this species, I think you'll be blown away by its beautiful dangling tassels. In a gentle SF breeze, it's amazing to watch them just sway.

I don't know for how long these trees have been in bloom, but I know that until this past Sunday, I'd never even realized these plants were there! Of course, most of the time I'm at this intersection, I'm going too fast to observe anything that's not also moving. So, I'm grateful that I decided to take a step back, slow my roll, and take the opportunity to take a walk in this wonderful city that I call home. As much as I complain about the abundance of asphalt and concrete in San Francisco, pockets of green treasure are here - we just have to open our eyes to them.

I'd like to share some of my joy with you: