SueBee Arts

I spontaneously took a drive to Oak Glen, up the mountainside from Yucaipa today. Having been there for the first time last fall when the trees were red and orange, I was curious what springtime would be like. Well, it was gorgeous! Green, lush, baby apples on the trees, birds and insects in abundance. As […]

Absolutely worn out from the triple digit temperatures and smoke in the air from numerous recent horrible fires in San Diego County, just south of us, I was drawn to the coast yesterday afternoon, and Sherman Library and Gardens in Corona del Mar. It was the perfect decision. I felt the cool ocean breeze as […]

Hoping to make our blog more informative, we’ve added a new page called Places. It’s a work in progress of Places We’ve Been and Recommend, taken directly from our blog posts, by month. We hope you’ll find it a useful reference whether you’re a Southern California visitor, or resident. September 2013 is up, and all other months will be added […]

I made the traffic-free 25 minute drive to Balboa Island late yesterday afternoon; the beach was calling me! I parked at a shopping center on Bayside Drive at Jamboree, and walked over the bridge onto the island. I always find that’s the best solution to the crowds and lack of parking spots on the island […]

Nothing like discovering new hiking trails, especially when they’re only 5 miles from home 🙂 Cam and I explored and took pictures at Laguna Lake in Fullerton. The length of the hike was just right, the weather couldn’t have been more perfect, and the scenery was very pretty. And for perfect timing, an Equestrian competition was […]

While visiting the Heritage Museum in Santa Ana, I overheard the tour guide talking about Walt Disney’s original garage studio, located in Garden Grove, being open for tours that day. As quite the Disney fan, I couldn’t resist! And talk about lucky timing…tours are only offered the 1st and 3rd Sunday of the month! So, […]

I took my mom on a drive south along the coast yesterday, ending up in Carlsbad at The Flower Fields. The weather was fantastic, quintessential Southern California all the way! Below are a few sights from the day. Did I ever mention that I love the variety this part of the world has to offer?!! Here […]

All Aboard! It’s time to see the trains, tenderly put out to pasture at Travel Town in Griffith Park. Last Sunday, I spent a few hours wandering around there. My previous article showcased the vehicles on display, while this one features many of the trains. It’s a fun place to visit for all ages; entry and […]

This past Sunday morning, I headed up the 5 freeway from northern Orange County toward Los Angeles. My spontaneous destinations for the day were Travel Town in Griffith Park, followed by the Cherry Blossom Festival at Descanso Gardens in La Canada (future article). My last visit to Travel Town was a few decades ago when I […]

Irvine Lake is an absolutely stunning new discovery I made this past weekend. My article “Bird Gathering” featured the many cranes and pelicans I saw there. However, the lake is also home to camping and fishing! It was fun watching kids and adults fishing out of a watering hole…seeing the boats docked on the lake, […]

Went out ‘n about exploring this past weekend, in search of new places to snap pics! Came across Irvine Lake in Santiago Canyon…wow! Gorgeous blue lake surrounded by hills and marsh-like grasses. Absolutely stunning! And the most mind-boggling thing about the whole place, is the number of white and grey cranes just hanging out in […]

Oftentimes it’s the smallest of details making the difference between a picture with no story and one with. I’ve noticed since really jumping into photography with both feet, and particularly since having this blog, I seek out the scenes that make a story. They abound, and yet many walk on by without noticing. I’m thankful […]

I was out and about in the Pasadena/Arcadia area recently, taking pics, and came across this group of men lawn bowling. They were so serious and intent on their game that naturally, they were the perfect photo subjects! Of course, the guy’s stars and stripes hat was an added bonus!! 🙂 ~Kat (pics by Kat)

Who knew? Not me! Knew what, you ask? That a society exists for mushrooms! I’d never even heard the word mycology (the study of mushrooms and fungi) in my life. A recent visit to the L.A. County Arboretum, though, coincided with an exhibition sponsored by the Los Angeles Mycological Society. I arrived late in the day, […]

This is the second part of my previous article introducing the El Dorado Nature Center in Long Beach. I visited there this past Saturday and really enjoyed myself. It’s a beautiful place to spend some time outdoors, take a walk, use your camera!  ~SueBee (photos by SueBee)

While growing weary of packing boxes for an upcoming move, I decided fresh air was in order. Following a recent recommendation of my oldest daughter, Angelika, I drove to the El Dorado Nature Center, just off the 605 freeway in Long Beach. My visit there was just what the doctor (me) ordered! It’s impossible to […]

Stopping to photograph a very colorful shop in downtown L.A.’s Chinatown brought a surprise bonus when these three guys walked by. While briefly trying to guess which (if any) cartoon characters they might be (?), I spent more time imagining claustrophobia and inability to breathe while being inside those tight, stifling, suffocating costumes. Actually the […]

Went camping in Big Bear with Cam and his wonderful family a little while back…what a fantastic trip, and an absolutely stunning place to camp! We stayed at Hanna Flats Campground, right in the middle of the forest…massive trees surrounding us, and tons of hiking trails to explore. I couldn’t help taking several pics of […]

Kat and I took a late afternoon bike ride last year, along the Santa Ana River Trail, entering at about Mile 22 from Yorba Regional Park. Altogether the Trail runs about 30 miles from the Pacific Ocean in Newport Beach to the Orange/Riverside County line. We didn’t go far; the bike was a recent purchase […]

People get their day on, one way or the other, as seen at Santa Monica Beach this past Sunday. From one end of life’s spectrum to the other, some wide awake and happily active, others avoiding morning at all costs. I saw joy, I saw sorrow. A morning at the beach in Southern California. This […]