Back in May of 1961, the first time I came to The Hollywood Cemetery, it was kind of tattered looking. I mean, it didn't look like it was very well cared for...The grass in many places looked dry and brown. And I don't recall but a few birds on the Pond....Now.....there are an Amazing number of birds that live here, and the grass everywhere is green and beautiful....And it is quite wonderful.....! The sweet dear little duck above, is a perfect example of what I am talking about......
And here is another very beautiful duck....gliding on the water of the Pond. What changed everything was that The Hollywood Cemetery was bought and the people who bought it really took great care to bring it back to it's 'original' beauty.....And one of the things was to being in all sorts of beautiful lovely birds....!
Look at this BEAUTIFUL Duck, above....His markings are so very artful....Again, as I say over and over and over, you cannot beat the beauty and design of nature....! Incidentally, if you want to see a Map of the Pond Area and some of the people buried there...Click on these words! I would have copied it, but they don't let you!
Here is another view of another part of the Cemetery somewhat to the right of the Pond.......It really is the most peaceful place and a respite from the city. This was late in the afternoon and so the light was quite lovely, adding a kind of glow to all the pictures, which I didn't mind at all.....
These elegant beautiful Birds were walking away from the Pond Area when I photographed them.....There were maybe 15 or 16 all together and some of them had been closer to the water....
Here below is a closer view of this amazing Bird......
And an even closer look, below.......
Their markings and their feathers are so very beautiful. I asked a guard that was locking up the doors to the very large Public Mausoleum that houses hundreds of Crypts, including Valentino's, what these Birds were.....He didn't really seem to know except he said Egyptian....with a rather quizzical look on his face.....I googled this later and it seems they are Wild Geese, most likely from Canada.......They seem pretty tame though I didn't get too close to them. I didn't want to scare them away......
I was fascinated by these amazing Birds and do not recall ever seeing them before.....Back in the day, when I first came to The Hollywood Memorial Cemetery, they had some birds like the Ducks and a some Swan or two, and, I believe, at least one Egret....But, I don't ever remember seeing these darling Wild Geese......
They ended up near the little road that goes behind that big Mausoleum and stopping there for a little snack or two.....
As you can see.....I really really had a great time photographing them. I hope to go back to Hollywood Forever again and get there a little earlier in the day to get more pictures of all the birds and some of the other lovely monuments that represent old Hollywood......There will be one more post from this visit, next time, hopefully........Here is a far away shot of another stained glass window in a different section of The Public Mausoleum.....
The actual Window was washed out by the distance and I had to get in closer to see the lovely colors. This is a rather long large hallway with Crypts lining the marble walls from floor to ceiling....Below, a slightly closer look.....
Again, as in that first Stained Glass Window, you can see the reflection of this window on the walls and the floor......But then I got in closer......
Oops! Surprise! This is another Window, entirely.....! And it is very very beautiful, isn't it? Somehow, I guess I thought I took a closer look at the other window...but, I guess I didn't. I have to go back to Hollywood Forever, very very soon....!
More To Come.........
- had this to say:
They are Canada geese, Naomi. We have so many of them around here that I sometimes wonder if there are any left in Canada!
Your photos, especially the ones of the ducks in the water, are wonderful!- Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 4:29:00 AM PST
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had this to say:
Judy is right. They mate for life and if their mate dies, they do not mate again. They used to be a threatened species in the early sixties, but their population has exploded since then. My guess is they are still scarce in L.A. because their migratory routes tend toward the middle of the country.
Great photos. BTW, is this where Gracie Allen, George Burns' wife is buried?
Cheers.- Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 6:56:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I never thought of a cemetery as beautiful, but your photos showed me otherwise.
And the geese are cute, too!- Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 1:25:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
this is so funny, Naomi, because today I wrote about what a nuisance the Canadian geese are in my area. They take over parks, gold courses and neighborhoods! I love birds but there is not enough room for all of us here!
- Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 1:52:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Oh, how sweet that they mate for life. (I was reading the other comments) We get the Canadian geese briefly at the pond during their migration but none seem to want to live there.
I love how ducks and geese follow in lines behind each other. It seems clever for a bird to do that!- Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 4:27:00 PM PST
- had this to say:
Lovely Naomi! I think those birds have all found their paradise! They are so pretty! The stained glass is so pretty too. I love any stained glass.
I'm okay here! Just been busy with Phil a lot lately!- Thursday, November 20, 2008 at 8:52:00 PM PST
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Kenju was wondering if there are any Canada Geese left in Canada.... YES!!! Hundreds and hundreds, thousands, manay many thousands, hundreds of thousands, very messy, noisy, greedy nuisances.... but very elegant and rather lovely too.
Many of them do not migrate south for the winter, but stay in and around Lake Ontario, expecially near the power station where the water stays warmer.
Just before I left canada to come on holiday to Florida, I passed a farmers corn field near my home where there must have been a minimum of 4000 geese feeding on leftover corn.- Friday, November 21, 2008 at 5:02:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Hi Naomi. Thanks for the interesting post. Take care and have a great weekend.
- Friday, November 21, 2008 at 5:28:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I am just tickled that you got out on an enjoyable excursion!!!!!
- Friday, November 21, 2008 at 6:32:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Beautiful Canadian geese photos, Naomi! You have been an expertise in photograph birds! I think that the birds loves you so much!
Many hugs!- Friday, November 21, 2008 at 6:43:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Your pictures of the ducks and geese are beautiful, Naomi.
You have such talent and skill at capturing beauty - be it in flowers, bees, hummingbirds, cactus, the parties at your home with your friends' happy faces. and even at cemetaries.
The stained glass window is really lovely and such a fitting place to bring light/color/beauty into a crypt. One's memorial should not just be sad, or ponderous, but also a place to coommune with those loved and left behind. Why not with something that makes your eyes happy as that window does ?
Cemetaries give me a sense of peace... The grounds/grass/markers being well-taken care of almost makes me feel as though those who are 'living there' are proud of it too...
Hope that you have a good Friday :)
Loving Annie- Friday, November 21, 2008 at 10:10:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Alright Naomi, how much time do you spend at the cemetary? I would think that you would want to avoid that place at your stage in life...lol.
- Friday, November 21, 2008 at 2:20:00 PM PST
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Hollywood Forever indeed and then some. Nice pix, kid.
- Friday, November 21, 2008 at 7:27:00 PM PST
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An interesting variety of ducks and geese. Looks like a lovely area there.
- Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 12:16:00 AM PST
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Somehow it seems very appropriate to see the cemetery in the glow of the late afternoon sun. It certainly is more attractive that most cemeteries and the birds are the piece de resistance. I imagine they found it for themselves so there is probably no limit to the variety of birds you could get there. How great to have it within reach.
- Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 2:27:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
I have just read both posts on this beautiful cemetary. The photos really show what a peaceful place it is. It must be an oasis of calm in a city like LA!
I love your photos of the birds. The ducks appear to be Mallards (the male has the green head whiel the female is all brown) and the geese are indeed wild Canada Geese. We have them here in the UK, in fact some fly over my house regularly and we had some with cygnets on the pond at work this year! I had to kind of smile as it seemed that you were following the geese around to get the photos and I could just imagine it, LoL!
Thanks for the virtual tour. I hope there is more!- Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 11:11:00 AM PST
- had this to say:
Thank you for your kind comments on my blog, Naomi, and I'm si glad you enjoyed my bird release pictures. You are a sweet and gentle lady !
- Saturday, November 22, 2008 at 6:50:00 PM PST
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had this to say:
Beautiful set of photos again Naomi but the picture of the stained window took my breathe away
- Sunday, November 23, 2008 at 6:28:00 PM PST
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had this to say:
The ducks and geese are just gorgeous. I really love those stained glass windows. You did a great job of capturing all of it for us. I truly feel like I was there.
Terri
http://www.islandwriter.net- Monday, November 24, 2008 at 7:11:00 AM PST
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