Los Angeles: Thursday, June 18

My Mom has an incredible green thumb. No foolin’, she could get a toothpick to sprout. This morning, I took a walk around her austere, yet beautiful garden to admire the love and effort she puts into her gardening. It is simply stunning. It’s like Huntington Park has an arboretum and an aviary especially for our family.

See for yourself.

Best of all is that my Dad has become an unofficial helper of my mother’s gardening endeavors. Thanks to an early retirement and his continuing impetus to work, he has landscaped much of the backyard and worked on several bird-keeping and decoration projects that have added to the “urban beauty” of the space.

Sure, it’s not the Huntington Library. It’s so much more than that. It’s been a foreign planet for my Star Wars figs, the jungles of South America for my GI Joes and a quiet hangout for my buddies and me while growing up.

Best of all, it’s now a backyard arboreal playground for my two beautiful children.

Man, I love my Mom’s garden.