My wonderful front porch

The weather has been almost perfect in Los Angeles recently. As a matter of fact, it has been perfect. Not too hot, not too cold, temperatures in the 70′s, sunny skies-it doesn’t get much better than this when it comes to winter. When I talk to family and friends back in Alabama, I almost feel bad telling them how beautiful it is here because I know they are battling extremely cold weather.  Well, not too bad!

I’m so fortunate to be living in such a beautiful place.  No wonder millions of people are crammed onto the southern California coast, because this area of the world is truly beautiful.

Being unemployed, I try to keep myself on a schedule, so I have some semblance of structure in my life. One of the things I try to do everyday is go for a walk in my neighborhood. Sometimes, I go alone or sometimes with my friend, Maddy. I love my neighborhood. It’s so diverse and interesting. It’s just the right mixture of all different kinds of people. I also love where I live. It’s my little corner of paradise. Sometimes I take my laptop onto my front porch and work, take in the fresh air, and watch the people walking by.

My time outdoors each day is one of my greatest little luxuries. It doesn’t cost a thing and it makes me feel engergized and inspired. It’s easy to fall prey to worrying about the future and what’s in store for me. Being outdoors and taking in the great beauty around me keeps me centered and in the “now”.

Each season has its own beauty and I love each one for different reasons, but fall will always have a special place in my heart. Maybe it’s because it brings back memories of going back to school, new clothes, new books, and new beginnings of every kind imaginable. Or maybe it’s because fall is a prelude to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas, which are my favorite holidays of the year.

Fall has definitely arrived in Southern California and the weather has been especially perfect this past week. Many people may not picture Los Angeles as a place with distinctive seasons, but we do have our own unique version of each season and fall is no exception. I have been taking advantage of the outdoors quite a bit this past week and I feel all the richer for it.

David and I spent a spectacular day at the beach on Sunday. We had brunch at The Rose Café and then walked on the beach. The wind was blowing wildly and the waves were going crazy. As we stared out into the beautiful blue water, I felt lucky to live in such a beautiful place. I went to the beach again today with my friend Maddy. It was another gorgeous day. We walked for hours and took in all the beauty around us. We laughed when the force of the waves came crashing in around our feet and tried to knock us down. Afterwards, we had pizza and coffee.

Nature never disappoints, no matter what the season. She always has something to offer and she doesn’t charge a dime. No one can buy her off. No one can claim her all to themselves. She belongs to all of us.