Sometimes I need to let my lungs expand into wider spaces than city streets can hold, let my eyes rest on something other than what they see day in and day out, and give my ears some alone time.Vasquez Rocks is named for Tiburcio Vasquez, a nineteenth-century outlaw who used the rocks as a hideout and even reportedly passed through Pasadena. The park was a good place for eyes and lungs and legs to go do something different yesterday.
John and I ate a picnic among the rocks, climbed into the wind and wore ourselves out.
Today's my birthday. I'm living the life I love. What good fortune I have to be grateful for!
44 comments:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR PETREA!!
A day out by that very singular rock, with your loved one, is a great way to begin your new year of life.
Many (more) blessings to you!
Happy Birthday, Petrea!!! And I'm so thrilled for you, to be living and loving as you imagined. Here's to countless more picnics and days of contented exhaustion!
hippo birdie 2 ewes
Happy Birthday, Petra! Wish you all the best!
Beautiful photo.
I meant Petrea, sorry...
Happy Birthday from Stuttgart, Petrea. It's a great philosophy to living your life you love. It's simple, it's OK. I wish all the best. Many thanks for your fantastic posts. It is my sincere hope that you will be ours for a very long time ;)
Yay it's your Birthday!! I hope you have a delightful day surrounded by people you love (I include Boz in that category), doing whatever gives you joy. Your trip to Vasquez Rocks sounds (and looks) hard to beat, but I bet you'll find a way.
Hey, happy birthday Petrea! Hope you have a special day planned (or that someone else has one planned for you).
As a non-native, you may not know that Vasquez Rocks have a long and honorable history as a filming location for countless cheesy science fiction epics, and not a few bad westerns as well. They can be seen as a geological cliche at this point. But actually seeing the place transcends all that silliness--they are pretty amazing. You have a list of vital things to see in SoCal? You can check that one off the list.
Happy Birthday to one of the finest ladies in blogland. You have not squandered your God given talents. Brain power and beauty mixed with compassion is your friend. You have made your life, community, and planet a better place. I salute you. Im honored to call you a friend. Enjoy your special day.
Stunning photo! It looks like a really nice place to get out and enjoy an out of the ordinary day.
And have a wonderful and happy birthday, Petrea!
Happy Birthday, KIddo. Best day to you and your loved ones.
Re: Tiburcio Vasquez
"Early residents of Pasadena like Hiram Reid, at some length in his History of Pasadena, describe him as being very polite. To quote him; “as Vasquez drew near he called out…and told them who he was; and one of his men who could speak English well introduced him assuring them that he was ‘a perfect gentleman!"’
Sometimes a bandit, sometimes outside the law.
Hope you have a wonderful day! Salud, and heartfelt wishes for happiness for you and your family on a wonderful day!
Vasquez Rocks always makes me think of Star Trek, but yes, I have had fun taking the kids up there. The rocks are beautiful and mysterious and majestic all at the same time.
Happy Birthday from La Dena D'Alta. Got some big plans?
It does take YEARS (and years) to make one of You.
Happy BDay, PDP1
Petrea, you are one of the most genuine people to ever set foot in this world. Congrats on your new milestone, and may you have many more adventures!
Happy Birthday, fabulous, wonderful you!!! May this year bring new adventures with more vistas to explore, photograph and ponder. Lovelovelove to you on this special day, Petrea! And like Hiker, I want to know if you have big plans for today?
Thank you all for your kindnesses. Responses to individuals will make this too long and gushy. I should sleep in on my birthday more often!
Anonymous GB: thank ewe.
Dirk: I've been in Pasadena for just short of 5 years, but in the LA area for 21. I like your phrase "the place transcends all that silliness." I hope people will click on the link and read about it.
Latino Heritage is to modest to tell you she's quoting herself in the book, "Latinos in Pasadena." Vasquez was expensively educated and spoke both Spanish and English fluently.
I think I'll print out some of the things you've said and save them to read on days when I'm not feeling my best.
The big plans were yesterday because of scheduling. Today I'm going to follow my nose where it leads me, which is just plain luxury.
Joyeux Anniversaire mon chère amie! May you continue to live the life you love. We are all fortunate to have you in our lives.
V
PS there's champagne and vodka flowing over at Shell's place. Hurry over! :)
This milestone is precious, as one toddles along, a birthday is renewal time.
New everything.
Best to you and I echo all the comments above. Thank you, Ms. P.
Happy Birthday Petrea!!! Sounds like a wonderful day! And the precursor of a wonderful year for you!!!
Happy Birthday
Love among the rocks (and those are some big rocks). Most spectacular. I hope you caught the wildflower show while you were out that way.
Enjoy your day with many more to follow. Good health and good cheer.
Merci Virginia, I did stop at Shell's. Woohoo!
Thank you, Mr. PJ, how sweet.
Thanks, Chieftess! Now I have a real face to go with the profile shot (a close resemblance).
PA, thank you. We did see loads of lovely wildflowers along the roads. This is the time to see them and they're showing off.
I think your early birthday celebration sounds perfect. I love picnics in exotic places.
Happiest of birthdays to you, Petrea.
Happy Birthday - thank *you* for the gift of sharing your facility with language, your eye for beauty, and your heart of abundance. May your nose lead you to all sorts of fragrant adventures today and every day.
You are the birthday girl. Happy birthday to you.
Happy Birthday kiddo! To a great year ahead--
Happy Birthday, and Happy all the rest of the year too! That is a stunning photo! It looks like wet mud at the seaside, petrified in an instant. I must go back there, especially if there are wild flowers out. Was there once when they were filming. As we were walking along one of the upper rocks, the crew yelled at us to hide, so we lay on the ground behind a boulder just as 5 attack helicopters flew low overhead. Turns out they were filming Blackhawk Down. Scarey.
Feliz Cumpleanos, Petrea. Hope you have a great day, and year ahead of you.
Thanks, everyone. Gee, I'd have more birthdays if I thought I could get myself more compliments without getting more years on me. Funny story, Bellis. I guess there's been a lot of both kinds of shooting at Vasquez Rocks.
Hi dbdubya, welcome.
I wasn’t aware of your birthday yesterday, but of course I wish you had a happy one and a cake.
I jump in, to have an open channel here to comment Bellis on AH: I agree on the gun issue, it should not be allowed to wear a gun and especially not unsecured!
But how to avoid with no laws against.
I hope I'm not disturbing anything.
That wasn't me.
gb
What a romantic spot to have a picnic! Happy Birthday to you.
Happy Birthday, Petrea! That looks like a great way to celebrate.
Okay, anonymous Anomymous.
Anon GB: Don't worry, I think I'd know you anywhere.
Thank you, Cali and Keith. It was a great place to celebrate. We continued today in favorite Pasadena spots old and new. More tomorrow.
I hope you've had an excellent birthday! And it's wonderful that life is giving you such goodness.
A toast to a great year -- and many more happy birthdays! :)
Happy Birthday! It is amazing to say that you are living a life you love. Here's many more awesome days. (Vasquez Rocks is amazing!)
Glad you're enjoying your birthday—gratitude is one thing you never ever want to lose!
Happy, Happy Birthday!!!!
More thank-yous!
Amy, I thought of you at Vasquez Rocks.
Alexa, best photo I've seen of you yet. Lovely.
Yes, yes, I think gratitude brings good things. It works for me, anyway.
Grand Birthversary Ms. P!
You dined on an alien world - Captain Kirk and company scrambled among those rocks many times, as did other's I'm sure!
So did Fred Flinstone, Ted.
Happy birthday, Petrea.
So did just about everybody, dbdubya.
Here ya go, Ted: Vasquez Rocks' showbiz resume.
Strangely enough, I felt very much at home there. I think some landscapes are more natural for humans than the ones we've built for ourselves.
Thank you, bandit.
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