Friends, local and cyber, made suggestions as to where to look for my Christmas spirit and I tried them all. I played Christmas music, read Christmas stories, gave to charity. I watched Christmas videos, listened to Christmas carolers, viewed Christmas lights in the rain. It was beginning to work. I was starting to feel warm and fuzzy.
Wednesday night, the storm broke. On the suggestion of Pasadena's Public Information Officer Ann Erdman, I drove to upper Hastings Ranch, a Pasadena neighborhood that (surprise!) was once a ranch owned by a family named Hastings. The neighbors there put on a Christmas light show every year. I drove up the hill, as far up as I could go, stopping every so often to take pictures. Then, not quite satisfied, I turned around to head home.
Then I saw the lights of the San Gabriel Valley under the post-storm sky. That was all I needed.
Merry Christmas to all!
27 comments:
Merry Christmas good friend. May this day focused on love remind of all that is good and filled with hope.
Gorgeous! And what I love about living here.
Merry Christmas, Petrea!
Serendipity!!
May your holiday season be filled with much joy and happiness with a great deal of fun and laughter!
Merry Christmas Petrea! Gorgeous photo...
I love the city below and the clouds above. Its amazing the things we get see and get to share with others from a little website.
Glad you found your Christmas mojo, Merry Christmas.
Beautiful shot. Merry Christmas!
Lovely messages all. Thank you! Merry Christmas.
Après le deluge—lumiere.. ("Ullalume, Ullalume …")
Merry Christmas!!!!
It's morning here in America, P. So, Good Morning!
I've always liked that view from Hasting Ranch. Sometimes I will ck it out when transitioning from Sierra Madre back into Pasadena (or Whole Foods). But, the best view from there which I prefer, Christmas lighting time excepted, is during the day.
Have some Merry Christmas Spirits in you today.
I think at the end you felt what I feel when from my hill I see the lights of Jerusalem coming on, over across the valley. I speak to her and tell her of her beauty.
This is a wonderful post.
Have a great day, Petrea.
Merry Christmas Petrea, John and Boz!!!
"I speak to her and tell her of her beauty." Lovely Dina...and Petrea, I immediately thought of you when I read Dina's comment...you're beautiful, girl!!!
Merry Christmas!
Very Nice. We would always put the kids in the car and tour Upper Hastings every Christmas season. Great shot. Happy Christmas to you and John.
Beautiful, indeed.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas Petrea! We drove Hastings Ranch Tuesday night. I'm always taken with the views up there and pulled off of Ranch Top Rd. to see the valley lights. Alas, my pictures came out all dark with no light. But, you've wonderfully captured the view. Thanks!
Just beautiful, Petrea. You captured the magic of the San Gabriel Valley this time of year. I haven't been to that spot so I'll take a drive up there this week, tonight perhaps. Happy Christmas to you!
Marvelous! Have a great holiday :)
What a beautiful photo!
Merry Christmas, Petrea!
Thank you for all your generous, lovely comments and thoughts. We've just come back from a walk in Eaton Canyon. It's a beautiful day!
Eaton Canyon is now one of my favorite places to walk in - and who could have asked for a more beautiful Xmas day? We've toured Hastings Ranch a few times in the past, bumper to bumper traffic circling round the streets, each street with a different theme (Aliens, Snoopy, etc). People tell me that anyone who buys a house there has to agree to light their yard at Xmas. Not sure where you were when you saw that view, but at first I thought you were at the top of Lake.
Our little 19 month old boy is sleeping now, exhausted by the cornucopia of gifts. The turkey will be ready at 5 pm - what a lovely day! Hope yours is just as good.
Such an awesome photo! Glad to hear the weather is better today though and that you had a nice Christmas Canyon hike. (There's a new tradition!) Merry Christmas!
I always did like looking at the Christmas lights. Merry Christmas, Petrea!
nothing quite like being up in Hastings Ranch at night---I spent many a night just looking over the valley---and during the Xmas display there's a certain glow that makes it even better.
thanks for the view! hope y'all had a wonderful holiday.
Bellis, you'll have to take me with you sometime. I'm having trouble finding the uncrowded places at Eaton Canyon.
Raining tonight, Katie, but it should be sunny tomorrow.
Hello Keith, Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Trish. Merry Christmas!
And to all a good night!
I'm happy you decided to check it out, plus you got the bonus photo! Very nice.
Thanks PIO, and thanks for the tip.
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