The Daily Dig

I am lucky enough to live within walking distance to Griffith Park, the largest municipal park with an urban wilderness in the United States. I can always count on Griffith Park whenever I need to stretch my legs and unwind or take in a dazzling sunset. On a recent hike with my friend Charlie, we started to notice cool seed pods and cones on the earth's floor. Picking them up off the ground made them even more interesting. The shape, color and texture made each pod an original work of art. To most people the seed pods look like crispy dead vegetation, but I thought they were beautiful and full of life. I decided to bring a collection of the pods home with me. A natural find that might otherwise go unnoticed on the parks floor, would eventually make nature-inspired arrangements for my home.

The seed pod of the Yucca

The Magnolias strange cone

I scoured the cupboards in my apartment looking for interesting vessels to display my finds and then decided simple white plates, bowls, and trays were the perfect accompaniment for my collection. I placed one bowl on my nightstand and another on my coffee table. Whenever I see the pods it reminds me that the natural world is preparing for a season of rest and recuperation. Celebrate nature's "letting go" by gathering it's small treasures and bringing them inside to admire their beauty.

White plates are a perfect backdrop for pods

The Bur is just as pretty dead as it was when it was alive

(Above) The green Jacaranda seed pod (Below) The opened remains of a dead Jacaranda seed pod