Despite living in a big city with one of the best parks around (Golden Gate Park, thank you), San Francisco is still a big city - there’s no escaping that fact. One of my favorite aspects of this unique metropolis is that even though millions of people live in this seven-mile square of land, it doesn’t feel all that “packed”. I’ve visited many a-big city and even when you are in the business district of SF, it still doesn’t feel as congested as, say, New York City or Boston. Keep in mind that I am now comparing a West Coast city to East Coast cities, and that is just not fair - they are truly two separate worlds.

Two weeks ago, I had the pleasure of having my mother in town, visiting from Connecticut. It had been almost a year since I had seen here, so I was quite grateful for her company. Though the first few days of her trip were rainy, one day was impeccably clear. On this beautiful day, we decided to head to the previously mentioned Golden Gate Park; more specifically, to the Conservatory of Flowers. First opened in 1879, this is North America’s oldest existing public conservatory. It does not surprise me that such a unique place was treasured here in SF, and it makes me all the more proud to be here.

While roaming through their beautiful variety of plants, my mind shifted to the idea of just where my passion for nature came from. I believe I have my mom’s side of the family to thank for this gift. My grandmother (my mom’s mom) loved to take her grandkids to the nearby National Parks in Indiana at least once a month. Any vacation that my family took had a connection to nature in some way, whether it is the ocean, forests, or gardens. My mother has a clear love for nature, though I wish that caring extended more into an overall care for the environment. These recollections stand as a strong remind of just how impressionable children are; you have to wait many years before you find out the effect of your words and actions on them.

I’m unsure if it was my mom being there, the beautiful day, the breathtaking plants, or having such great subjects to photograph (another one on my long-standing hobbies); either way, that connection with nature was just what I needed to reignite the spark I have for helping to change the world. Working yourself into a rut is common on our society, but that does not mean we should all follow that path. This disconnection from nature that so many cities and towns have come to establish is exactly part of what is wrong with our country and our world. Thankfully, many in San Francisco know just how important this interaction and absorption of nature is, helping to preserve it amongst office buildings, buses, and restaurants galore. If you live in a city of nothing but concrete, it is so very easy to loose sight of just what is important and what society has imposed upon us.

That’s enough philosophical rambling for one day. As mentioned, I enjoy taking photographs a great deal, especially of nature and food. Below are just a few of the best 67 images that I took while at the Conservatory. If you are so inclined, feel free to explore the rest here.