28 Days of Pico — Day 12: Botanical Gardens

June 16, 2026  ·  by Stooge

Day 12.

This one is called Botanical Gardens.

Pico had been flying for a long time. Past the Hotel Del, past the lighthouse, past the California Building with its pigeons and its dome. He was tired. He was lost. And then he found the gardens.

Balboa Park’s Botanical Building is one of the largest lath structures in the world — a wooden cathedral filled with ferns and orchids and the kind of humid, green silence that makes a parrot feel, for the first time in hours, like he might be somewhere safe.

Pico landed inside and did not move for a while.

He listened to the water dripping from the ferns. He watched the light filter through the lath slats in long, warm stripes. He breathed. For the first time since the dragon, since the crows, since the whole misadventure began — he was still.

Not home. But close to something like it.

This is one of the quieter pieces in the collection. No drama, no chase. Just a tired bird in a beautiful room, catching his breath.

The Kickstarter is live through July 5th. The Launch Collection — limited edition fine art prints, including this one. Only available through the campaign.

Back the campaign on Kickstarter →

Come back tomorrow for Day 13.

— Stooge