Avila Beach

Avila Beach is a wonderful little beach town about 100 miles north of Los Angeles, where we stayed for a week. We found a beautiful bay where bootleggers dropped their liquor during Prohibition, thus called Pirates Cove. Seals made their home on the rocks and it was so funny to listen to their grunts and see how they sprawled over rocks in the sun. The area was typical Mediterranean California with spreading oaks, tall wind blown pines, flowers and the ever present poison oak, which I accidentally discovered the hard way. The kids on Pismo Beach were so proud of their sand sculptures. We then moved to the Los Angeles area where the flowers were so amazing! I’ve included a few of them from the National Forest and also from the gardens in town. I have no idea what they are. However, the most beautiful purple tree graces every boulevard and my relatives tell me it is a Jackaranda. The flowers drop off and mess up the yards then the leaves sprout later. Beautiful!