A Cool Walk on the Not-So-Wild Side

I so enjoy the mornings here in my neighborhood.  The heat keeps most of us indoors during the majority of the day, but the the mornings are BEAUTIFUL!  When we chose our home I had no idea of the hidden treasures right around the corner but now, they have become part of my life.  We call it the gully, not sure what the real locals call it but it is part of Barrett Park (24535 Las Brisas RD, Murrieta Ca 92562) and if you Google it, you will see the aerial view that shows you how lush it is, even in this mid-July heat!  There are all types of wildlife out there from rabbits, lizards and right now there are frogs and tadpoles in the little creek.  Okay, there are black birds and red ants too but they are certainly overshadowed by the other "friends" out there.

Often, I like to walk by myself.  It gives me time to think, prepare my mind for the day and listen to my favorite songs.  Yesterday, my girl joined me and we had so much fun.  We put on our shoes and grabbed the camera and out we went.  (I think that grabbing a camera, always makes you look at things in a different way and see things you maybe wouldn't normally see.)

There is an opening to the gully right by my home, lucky me!  There is even a small playground for little guys under seven I would say, and a picnic table. There are trash cans and doggie duty bags too!  The trail is extremely well maintained; Love that!  It takes me by some running water that at this time of the year has just enough water to be a breeding ground for tadpoles. 

If you have kids and want a nice, cool place outdoors to take your gang, it is here.  My kids are older but still love the thought of catching frogs and seeing all the different stages (http://www.frog-life-cycle.com/) of metamorphosis.  We always let the frogs go and never disturb a tadpole . . . really, they will survive the best in this environment, not in your fish tank.

Then we walk through the wooded area, poke around at fallen logs and under rocks, climb and peek under bushes for signs of life and often are greeted by bugs, lizards and the occasional snake.  All in good fun - stay away from the snake!

Gorgeous hearty flowers are sprinkled here and there just for color and for nectar for the birds, I imagine.

I was so surprised to see sunflowers out in the middle of the barren spots.  A special treat for those of us who love them so! 

There were wildflowers everywhere.  They also do best when enjoyed in their own environments.  They die immediately when picked, so keep them there!

Glad we had our camera so we could snap a few shots of the loveliness and share with you.  The entire walk could take 20 minutes or a couple of hours. 

We end or begin our walk at Barrett park.  It has some of the most beautiful shade trees ever and it was actually cold under there.

It is a perfect place to read a book or cool down after a walk, or even have a snack.  Just thought you would want to know.

Once again, thank you Murrieta for constantly giving back to me and the community.