Christmas Lights 13

As I have mentioned before, my roommate Luisa and I take walks. With Christmas approaching, we decided to take a couple of our walks near to sunset so we could enjoy the lit up houses. 

One of those walks was nearby. The other required a short drive. I took pictures.

So, today for Thursday 13 (I learned about this meme via Barefoot Susie) I thought I'd share some of those photos with you. In no particular order: 

1. 

Yes, these are palm trees. 

2.  

The tree on the left side does this great light show.

3. 

The Minions are back. (Remember them from the spring? The homeowners had put them away for a while, but now they're back.) 

I got a shot of them in daylight, too.

4. 

Yes, taken during the day. Another decorated palm.

5. 

Because it isn't Christmas without. . . unicorns?

6. 

The reindeer is wearing a mask. Can you see it?

Here, let me give you a closer look (and in daylight).

7. 

It's like a magical lit-up fairy walkway.

8. 

Just a few lights. Subtle, really.

9.

If you've got a tall palm, might as well flaunt it.

10. 

They really went all out. This display also had music. 

This is just below the above image. Those bushes were in these boot thingies.

11. 

Nice and lit up.

12. 

This palm has red lights.

13. 

Several houses along the canals. 

And I still have more pictures, but this'll do. It hasn't been too cold, so walking along in the early evening (5-6ish) has been rather pleasant. I hope you've found nice lights where you are.

And remember. . . 

It's all fun and games until someone roasts your chestnuts.

Cruise of Lights

Yesterday I showed off pics of the Huntington Harbor Boat Parade. The parade opens the Cruise of Lights season, where one can buy a ticket to cruise around the harbor and look at how those who live on the harbor decorated their houses.

Like with the boat parade, I took lots of pics. And like with the boat parade, many of them did not come out very well (moving boat at night--not a surprise). But a few of them are share-worthy...

Interesting eclectic mix

"Happy Holidays" spelled out over a huge distance

Pretty display

I loved the look of this, but this was the best pic I got

Took the prize for "Most Traditional"

Loved all the red on this house

Love the hanging lights on this one

It's probably a good thing that more of the pics didn't come out. I would have been able to post a lot more pics then. And bored you silly.

Holiday Boat Parade

Not last Sunday, but the Sunday before that, they held the annual Huntington Harbor Boat Parade. (Well, it was held Saturday and Sunday, but I went Sunday night.)

I'd never been before, but I'd heard of it. Boat owners decorate their boats with lights and sail (motor?) around the harbor.

We set up in what we figured was plenty of time. We had our picnic and waited. And waited. In the frigid cold (57 degrees!). We were just about to give up (figuring we had the wrong night or they canceled the thing without notice) when the boats finally made it to where we waited.

(According to the map, they were supposed to get to our spot at about 5:30 PM. We saw them at closer to 7 PM.)

I took pictures. Most of them came out blurry. Sad face. (Well, it was nighttime--slower shutter speeds--and the boats were moving. Not a surprise, really.) But I can share a couple of them...

Our view without boats

Sadly, most of the pics came out much more blurry than this

This boat had lots and lots of wings

Party boat

Palm trees seemed to be a bit of a theme

I'm not going to tell you how many pics I took. Let's just say a lot. And these were the best of them.  

Still, it was a fun night, and it was great to see all the decorated boats.