Jacaranda

It's the time of the Jacarandas in the San Gabriel Valley. Adele at Seeing Sierra Madre has already posted more than one "purple picture" and she has more up her sleeve (or in her camera bag). Everyone in southern California with access to a camera is aiming it at the nearest Jacaranda right about now.

If you don't live around here you might not be familiar with these stunning trees, and I don't use that word lightly ("stunning," not "trees," silly). Click on the links to see how gorgeous the jacarandas are.

They're messy, though. And am I the only one who thinks they stink?

Jacaranda Maxima

Ben and I have been photographing jacarandas. We can't help it.

I found this tree at 300 W. Green Street, just south of the Ralph's parking lot. Well, I didn't find the tree. If you're anywhere in the vicinity of this block of Green you can't miss it. The building behind it is marked "Hall of Administration." It could either be administration for the Ambassador Auditorium or for Marantha High School, both of which are south of (behind) this structure. Ambassador kind of matches it, though.

But back to the tree. Have you downloaded Google Earth? Oh, you should. It's a fun program anyway. I learned my way around Paris with it before I even went there. You can explore the world, or just Pasadena. Check out your house, the mountain trails, or the great aerial view of City Hall. And if you type in the address above (300 W. Green St. Pasadena, CA), you'll see the most prominent feature at that address: the huge, purple jacaranda tree, photographed by satellite.

Eclectic Avenue

Del Mar Blvd. between Lake Avenue and Arroyo Parkway is purple with the bloom of Jacarandas right now. Ben posted a pretty shot at the sky is big in pasadena. I tried to get the effect of the avenue of trees—bright purple along both sides of the road, as far as the eye can see. But you have to stand in the middle and I didn't want to get arrested. (Letty would call me a piker.)

If you're a local, you need to get on your bike or in your car and take a ride down Del Mar—maybe down and back—while the Jacarandas are in bloom.