explore.

i went exploring today.

there is a lot down the street behind where i live... a creepy lot surrounded by pavement and cookie-cutter apartment buildings, this is about seven acres of nothing but dirt and tumbleweeds. the house that once stood there (the house that we would drive around at night in high school and freak ourselves out coming up with reasons why it was so weird) was torn down a couple of years ago, and the old hangman's noose that used to dangle from its dead tree has since come down as well. i've always wanted to go up there, so today i did.

i wish i knew the story of that place. looking down at a pile of faded playskool toys, a flattened can of scrubbing bubbles, a weathered CD, i couldn't help but wonder what sort of strange circumstances have left this seven acres of rubble sitting there for so long in the middle of america's most premium (that's for you chris and carrie) real estate. wading through the tumbleweeds i was intrigued to find multiple pieces of old wood and iron farming equipment, now weathered beyond recognition, mingled with more animal tracks than i could count, and i found myself wishing heartily that i knew the difference between a gopher hole and a snake hole.

i continued along the ridge behind the apartment buildings neighboring the empty lot and was surprised when the view took my breath away. following an irrigation pipe i was using as a trail, i was even more surprised to come upon two jr. high aged girls who had created a little hide-away up on these grown-over hill, complete with rope swing and cheetoe bags.

it put me in a fantastic mood. i've always assumed every inch of southern california (or at least south orange county) was planned, paved, and purposeful. it was a joy to discover an unintentional smack of land. i hope to explore more such areas before the summer is out...