Cousin Kathy (Dunne Gagne McManamy), from Springfield and now Plum Island, joined me for several days this week and it was a wonderful pleasure to spend time with her and show her some of the sights in sunny San Diego.
She had time to avoid my patented San-Diego-County-in-A-Day Tour, which can be difficult for all but the most hearty. Then again, she saw much more, as we expanded the range of possibilities in three days of serious touring.
Here’s an album of photos from Day One of her visit, which started in La Jolla.
Lunch at Herringbone, featuring 100+-year-old olive trees.
Geisel Library at UC San Diego, named after Theodore Geisel, native of Springfield. Shot also includes house that fell from space, imbedding into the building in rear. Uh, it’s an “art” installation.
Puff fish are another motif at Herringbone.
The design district in Solana Beach
At the end of a busy day in the Larry Kenah commemorative chair at Stone Brewery & Bistro, Escondido.
Day Two was spent at the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park. There will be another gallery of zoo pics. These include Kathy.
Riding the aerial tram above San Diego Zoo, with the Museum of Man at Balboa Park in the distance.
Her second visit to the Old Globe. Her first was to the first.
By the reflecting pool, Balboa Park.
Finishing up the evening at In-n-Out.
Day Three, to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Borrego Springs, Salton Sea, and Julian.
In the park, above Borrego Springs.
Getting close to one of the prehistoric inhabitants. . . . It’s also an art thing.
Venturing out on the “beach” to reach the sea.
The surface was “tentative.”
Ooops! One leg down to the knee.
She got out relatively easily, but had to work to get her flip-flop.
Mud bath, just like Calistoga!
Finishing the labyrinth at the Borrego Springs Episcopal Church, in 101-degree heat.
I joined some folks Wednesday morning for a two-hour walk in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. We were there to see something that had not been in the desert for a number of years and that would soon be gone — wildflowers. It was a lesson in how briefly some things in nature can be around and in the value of the difference beauty can make in small amounts and often subtle ways.
The day was unusual weatherwise — cloudy and relatively cool (75-80). Great weather for a walk in the desert, and the morning clouds made for a beautiful introduction to Borrego Valley.
The walk was in Little Surprise Canyon, a quite easy and short hike. But we took our time as our guide would stop and point out different flora. At the risk of brevity (something I don’t usually suffer from), here is a gallery of photos of some of the flowers and other vegetation. (Click thumbnails to enlarge. Identification of plants was aided by friends at Anza Borrego Foundation, but any errors are mine alone [and I know nothing about desert plants].)
Little Gold Poppy
Arizona Lupine
Desert Stars
Ghost Flowers
Wild Heliotrope, maybe Phacelia
Ocotillo
Chuparosa — a hummingbird fave
Brittlebush
Brittlebush
Lavender
Little Gold Poppy
Barrel Cactus
Barrel Cactus
According to our guide, the Little Surprise Canyon has the name because it keeps on going, surprisingly long.
Of course, wildflowers are throughout the desert, thanks to a fortunate combination of longer daylight and rain. Some of the more “verdant” spots I saw were on the ride back up the mountains that form a western border to the valley.
Those of you who’ve been to the desert, at least with me, have seen much more muted colors than even these. This is pretty spectacular in desert terms.
Much of the vegetation will succumb to lack of moisture and heat. Many of them are sprouting now from seeds dropped by ancestors years ago in their brief time abloom. In the usual way nature works, however, they also supply food for other life forms, including the very numerous sphinx moth caterpillars.
These guys — voracious and tireless — can wipe out wide areas of plants quickly.
And, as we say farewell to Borrego Valley (I always remember how many of the old Disney nature films would conclude :)), a parting view.
