Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens, a set on Flickr.

After regrouping from a morning working on the church grounds, the husband, theKid, and I spent some time in Claremont, CA at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Gardens Open House - free to the public (what would have otherwise been $24 for the three of us - with the Inland Empire Photo Meetup.
There is a lot of ground to cover at the Gardens and we only covered half of it. There is a great variety of California native plants there, learning opportunities, aesthetics, and along with the flora and abundance of butterflies and lizards, birds - even a squirrel and languishing cat were spotted. I suspect as the weather warms, the plants in bloom will increase. It was a good way and lovely weather to spend a first day of vacation together.

an awesomely austere new mexican adventure

Ps. 139:17-18 — "How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee."

As the eldest identified in the sand, we "were here!" to be remembered as long as a grain of sand is stationary. This big adventure was the trip to White Sands. Again, there was an aspect of New Mexico here that had just previously eluded me. It was here that the atom bomb was built - Los Alamos. It is here the NRAO Very Large Array, Johnson Space Center, the infamous UFO sghting at Roswell. It is here White Sands - you often hear about missiles being tested. It is here where there is the Carlsbad Caverns, petroglyphs, cliff dwellings, a volcanic past, and the gypsum of White Sands. There was once more not nearly enough time to see all of this, but we did see the majesty of White Sands gypsum.

The plan was to go to Cloudcroft and see the Sunspot Scenic Byway and a view of the Tularosa basin at the National Solar and Apache Point observatories, Trestle vista overlooking the Mexican Canyon, and Tunnel Vista. On the way, you passed a very recent attraction - the Inn of the Mountain Gods casino.

As we proceeded, the GPS seemed to have a penchant for indian reservations and frequently took us upon dirt and little travelled byways through flashflood zones and the like. This was not the road test we had in mind for Rondo. So we didn't expect highway244 to come to end and have to back track, but we did find a lovely little church there.

As we stopped for food, we didn't expect to parallel the highway on another backroad, backtracking once again. While it frustrated me, the navigator, and expended much of our day, we finally made our way to our destination. We cast aside the Tularosa Winery and the Eagle Ranch, only to pass highway 82 which would have taken us directly to Cloudcroft. Those weren't to be part of our day.

But we arrived at White Sands National Monument about 4pm. We drove into a wonderland of whiteness, at first there was plant life, but the deeper we went in, the scarcer it was. We were told not to rely on our sense of the direction or the sun. Gratefully, the GPS was working with us here. There was a stark loveliness here, and austere beauty - a world within a world. They set up an educational area that highlighted the animal and plant life in the area. It demonstrated how they could maximize solar power. It identified the types of munitions from testing fallout that one should leave alone if encountered here. There was also a play area too. Sledding was ideal.




See the album to capture the frontal views!
It was indeed an unusual drive to arrive at this place; but well worth it. Handsdown, we were all in agreement. It did not detract that we sighted the destinations we had missed on the way back. As the skies darkened and we meandered our way back to our place on high, we knew we had had quite a wonderful day. The next day would be Thanksgiving and, well, we were quite thankful. What an awesome God we serve!

the road to Ruidoso

We took off Friday morning hoping to have a couple of hours to spare before the offices of our accommodations closed in New Mexico. It was a pleasant ride - the youngest is a very good road buddy. We had food, we had music, we made restroom and gas stops - and we made away into the southwest - Blythe, Phoenix, Tucson, Las Cruces. I actually did a lot of the Arizona drive.

The scenery was indicative of an imaginative God with lively skies and wonderful mountainscapes and desert vegetation. The youngest can identify cactus. There was a section of mountains that the rock reminded me of "The Never Ending Story" - remember the rock guy - Rock Biter "Where-where-where I come from in the North, we used to have exquisite gourmet rocks. Only now... now, they're all gone." The formations had the same rounded shape. My S-I-L's favorite quote "They look like big, good, strong hands, don't they? I always thought that's what they were". A delightful movie; but I digress.

By Las Cruces, our Garmin was indicating our timing was tight - would we make it before Crown Point Condominiums closed. Oh yeah, we lose an our traveling into Mountain time. The youngest has been very amusing describing my stress as to whether we'd make and his dad trying to reassure me. A half hour away, I called to let them know our predictament; they were willing to make it so we could get a key to our place, even if they closed. However, in fact, we made it with minutes to spare.

We were using a timeshare with a full kitchen - so along with clothes, I packed a lot of things I preferred not to buy like seasonings, condiments, etc. You buy those things and you come back with double your need. Also while those places provide things like dish soap and stuff - usually more is needed, so I brought that too. So the Rondo (our car), same name as the Celtics basketball player, was packed to the gills with all the creature comforts of home - I even had a candle. I like places to have a familiar pleasant smell, so I bring my own. Didn't use it this time though, the clean fresh, woodsy air seem to more than suffice. I keep a bag with such things as these for when ever the ocassion arises - its filled with samples of things, like ketchup packets, lotion, aspirin, antacid, tissue - you name it. We unloaded Rondo and settled in for a night's sleep at Crown Point, Ruidoso, NM - our home away from home for the week to come - leaving most of the unrefrigerated fully unpacking for the next day.

a rainy december's day lilies wont to play

I planted these lilies after the service Resurrection Day. I was surprised to see them already in bloom; but come to find out - they're not early; they're a mite bit late! This was a favorite flower of my mom's.

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these._{Matt 6:28,29}

Think it's time for me to sit down and watch that movie; mom loved Sidney Poitier too. She passed away not two years ago around this time; it's funny the things that come to mind. Interesting that they should bloom now and fade around her birthday after the reprisal of Spring.

How does my garden grow?

I don't know about silver bells, cockle shells, and pretty maids, but how about these specimens. I am certainly no green thumb, but over time I have a few plants I'm proud of.

The first is my newest addition this spring. Hanging my head, I have to admit that she replaces a beautiful yellow hibiscus my dear neighbor and friend (we yell across the street to each other 'hey baby'!) gave me and it died of thirst due to neglect in my care; I was so ashamed! I should have removed it from the container and planted it in the ground.

I also have a favored orange variety - I believe the 'desert wind' (now isn't that an awesome name) that is particularly lovely, however not in bloom at the time of taking these pictures. I picked up these specimens at Trader Joes - they have a wonderful assortment of flowers and they deliver too!

Then I have my roses. This velvety orange rose I found at a nursery not far from the house. My guess is it is like the bright fire rose - A modern climber ... blooms of orange vermillion ... foliage is tough and large ... a real powerhouse of a plant. Coral or orange roses denote enthusiasm and desire. Check the link for meanings designated to the color of other roses like the pink variety below.

One of the things I like to do when I have time is support the local nurseries. While I also look in Home Depot and Target and even the floral department of Stater Bros., my favorite places to wander are Trader Joes' during the week and these local nurseries who have a far more varied selection, better than comparable prices and guess what - no sales tax. There are several in the Riverside/San Bernardino areas. I've used one just up the street. There's one in Riverside where I acquired a nice white star jasmine plant, now located under my front window so its lovely scent can come wafting through on summer breezes.

This bud, which came from another nearby nursery, becomes this georgeous bloom. I believe it is the ‘Kordes Magenta’ - a moderately vigorous shrub bearing flowers of an unusual shade of lilac-pink to mauve with a good fragrance. I also have a regal violet variety I'll share next time, also acquired nearby.

I have a favorite quote from the movie made of Alice Walker's 'The Color Purple' -

Shug: I think it pisses God off when you walk by the color purple in a field and don't notice it. More than anything God love admiration.
Celie: You saying God is vain?
Shug: No, not vain, just wanting to share a good thing. I think it pisses God off when you walk by the colour purple in a field and don't notice it.
Celie: You saying it just wanna be loved like it say in the bible?
Shug: Yeah, Celie. Everything wanna be loved. Us sing and dance, and holla just wanting to be loved. Look at them trees. Notice how the trees do everything people do to get attention... except walk?
[they laugh]
Shug: Oh, yeah, this field feels like singing!

In fact, as I recollect, in Terry McMillan's novel 'Waiting to Exhale', Savannah reveals her favorite colors are red, orange, and magenta - I so agree! In the movie, you see the ladies walking out of church, each wearing one of these colors while the fourth wears white - which is an exquisite bloom, itself.

I would not be so bold to say I'm a gardener, and I hate (while at times oddly therapuetic) weeding - its existence and removal). Upon reflection, while it's to our own therapuetic value, weeding is probably not a favorite activity of God's either. I boldy do say God has allowed me a little beauty in the garden of my corner of the earth!