Subtle Spaces
The pansies, impatiens, and lobelia we’d recently planted were starting to fill out our front porch window boxes. Our house would again be painted purple, pink and white through late spring and summer. A pot at the back of the porch, neglected through winter, had a telltale sprouting of color in the unusual, alien shape that only fuchsia displays. “Aha!” I thought. “Time to visit an unexplored treasure.” On a winter walk, we had noticed the words “Fuchsia Dell” on a park map. How could we not know there’s a part of Golden Gate Park dedicated to one of my favorite flowers? I imagined the bright, bold colors and fascinating shapes of fuchsia giving us a visual blast. We followed a path from behind the Conservatory of Flowers to a forested, shady section of Golden Gate Park. “Where are the fuchsia?” I asked as we arrived in the general area noted as the Fuchsia Dell. “They’re here,” my older son said. “Just look.” Dotted here and there were a variety of lovely fuchsias, but they were not blazing at us like neon signs. Perhaps this was because it was early in the season. Another possibility: the place I’d imagined was simply more subtle and quiet than I’d expected. Old trees and blossoming bushes welcomed small gatherings on the grass, and lone figures reading on cozy benches. There was no pressing rush of crowds as we stopped to photograph the lovely, less-flashy-than-expected fuchsias. We had stumbled onto a quiet place in the park that was meant to be so, and enjoyed by those who know it’s important to stop and savor peaceful moments. This week’s Hike Notes, Fuchsia Dell-Golden Gate Park, takes readers to a quiet, shady part of Golden Gate Park, where fuchsias bloom from May to late fall. Click Insights/Hike Update News for inspiring reflections. Browse hikes on the main Hikes page or on the Hike Search by Area (was Quick View Hike List) page. Click World Walks to see or share favorite family-friendly walks! Stay in touch with Lisa Louis and HikingAutism via Contact. Check the Home page for the broader background story. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photo galleries at the bottom of each hike page! Please feel free to share, and follow on Twitter at @HikingAutism New this week: Hike Notes 134: Fuchsia Dell-Golden Gate Park
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Lisa LouisSharing insights and hiking highlights (Hikes, Hike Search by Area) from the special needs caregiver front in San Francisco. Archives
November 2024
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