The plant life is different here, too. I have seen no St. Augustine grass. Instead the grass has very thin blades, but grows very thick in the yards. It looks more like shag carpet than grass, and in the neighborhood where we live, the homeowners keep it meticulously groomed. I have even noticed that some of them mow over the yard two times, going in two different directions diagonally, creating a checkerboard pattern.
There are a lot of trees, shrubs, and flowers that are unfamiliar to me. And along our walking path, I have noted a tendency toward well tended yards. Many gardeners have topiary trees and layered plantings in their flower beds. Everything is mulched, and any areas of the ground not covered by plantings or beds or grass, are covered by pale green moss.
Most of the houses are built of wood, with very few brick ones. There are a few Spanish style houses (they seem to have perhaps crept up the coast from California...), but for the most part, the homes lean more toward the Victorian era in style, with a few more modern ranch homes scattered in the mix.
When we get to the park, I often sit on a bench while David takes off around the walking trail there. I like my walking in smaller doses, so this works out well for us. Even though there are lots of walkers, more with dogs than without, lots of joggers and bicycle riders, it is surprising quiet at the park. There seems always to be a breeze, and one can choose whether to sit in the sun or in the shade. And much of the shade is created by staggering large trees! It is hard to gain visual perspective from this photo, but I would estimate that many of the trees are at least 10 or 12 stories tall.
Well, I have gotten my walk in for the day, I have worked on my blog, and I am about to go cook lunch. Of course, the reason I am so productive is that I have several commissioned paintings to work on and I am putting that off until later this afternoon...
I will close today with this: