What a beautiful park on a mountainside in the Cleveland National Forest, although desert-like, about 18 miles east of Temecula and 26 miles southeast of Hemet. We plan to stay at least a week, maybe two and we are pencilled in for three. We will be very sorry to leave this very friendly park that has so many activities, they cannot all be done. Root beer floats and free ice cream can't be beat! The hikes are wonderful and the scenery...a million dollar view! Stay tuned for more!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Jojoba Hills, Aguanga, CA
What a beautiful park on a mountainside in the Cleveland National Forest, although desert-like, about 18 miles east of Temecula and 26 miles southeast of Hemet. We plan to stay at least a week, maybe two and we are pencilled in for three. We will be very sorry to leave this very friendly park that has so many activities, they cannot all be done. Root beer floats and free ice cream can't be beat! The hikes are wonderful and the scenery...a million dollar view! Stay tuned for more!
Monday, January 25, 2010
Lady Sascha
January 18, 1994 - January 23rd, 2010
It has been a very "blue" weekend in the Southwood household. You see, our beloved 16 year old mini-schnauzer, Sascha aka "Baby Girl" or "Sasch" crossed the "Rainbow Bridge". What a difficult decision and what a void! Our thanks to a local veterinarian in Hemet, Gentle Bob, who so sensitively and humanely carried out our wishes! Caper is very sad.
We love and miss you, Baby Girl!
Master, It's Time
Master, dear Master, the old dog said,
My road has come to an end.
No more can I ramble and roam by your side
Your loved and trusted friend.
My eyes, once filled with joy of life,
Are dimmed with age and pain.
The walks we shared by field and stream
Must wait for another day.
You cared for me with all your heart,
And I gave you my all.
But now, beloved master,
Another Master calls.
I know you hate to let me go
But my love is yours to keep
The time has come, my dearest friend,
When I must go to sleep.
Your kindness made my life a joy,
And you love me, this I know,
Show me your love one final time
And gently let me go.
Master, my beloved friend,
As we say our last good-bye,
Know that I will be waiting
For you, on the other side.
Then we will ramble the woods again,
Walk the fields when the leaves begin to fall,
I'll be sitting right here by the golden gates,
Waiting for your call.
Author: Jean Dokken
Sunday, January 24, 2010
Lake Elsinore and San Diego
The waterfront and Port of San Diego provides a walking boardwalk to many cafes and trendy shops as well as the many memorials to the US Marines. The USS Midway, an aircraft carrier deployed during Viet Nam and Persian Gulf Wars, now a museum, is docked here; many vintage aircraft from the time are on board and tours can be taken daily. Another return visit!
The weather was sunny and very comfortable, and as I am told, this is quite usual for San Diego. We took a bus tour to acquaint ourselves with the "must see" of this beautiful city. The waterfront, the Gas Lamp Quarter, Balboa Park, the famous Victorian landmark Hotel del Coronado, La Jolla and the sea lions at the Seven Caves, Mount Soldad, a tribute to the men and women who have served their country and historic Old Town were sights along the way.
In the ten minutes allowed, we were able to find the tributes to Presidents Ford and Reagan; apparently, service survivors can place a plaque as a tribute so couples can be found on many of the plaques.
"The Pink Moment"
Monday, January 18, 2010
Arroyo Grande, Santa Paula and Ojai
These three beauties admired themselves in Bill's shiny chrome at Ventura Ranch KOA, Santa Paula; there are about two dozen peacocks that roam the property. We wondered if they would roost atop the truck for the night, but they instead settled for the nearby split rail fence. They are beautiful until they open their beaks; how can anything so beautiful make such a raucous racket?
While here, we took a side trip to charming Ojai (pronounced oh-high), named by the Chumash Indians to mean "'Valley of the Moon", a haven for artists, musicians and health enthusiasts. After the village was left in ashes from the fire of 1917, Edward D Libby, a wealthy glass manufacturer, designed, financed and undertook to rebuild the town in keeping with its former Spanish heritage. This is the pergola entrance to Libby's Bowl, a park in the centre of town that hosts Music and Arts' festivals. Another quaint and charming
mountain village with shops (Bloomingdale prices) and cafes. At sunset, the nearby mountains take on a pinkish-purple hue, known as the "Pink Moment". Jerry Bruckheimer, Johnny and June Carter Cash, Julie Andrews and Reese Witherspoon among others have been or are residents of Ojai. The town's premier icon, the bell tower, houses the Post Office.
![](file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/BRENDA%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.png)
![](file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/BRENDA%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png)
![](file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/BRENDA%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-2.png)
Monday, January 11, 2010
Flowers and Sunsets
Winter sunsets over the Pacific are glorious! We walked to the nearby pier in Pacifica to watch the skilled surfers, to listen to the crashing waves on the shoreline rocks, to feel the salt spray and to capture the sun as it was setting. Beautiful!
Colourful cyclamen are planted,
Believe it or not, this clivi
was photographed
in the Alcatraz gardens.
I am told that the prison
guard wives, the only
women on Alcatraz, and inmate
prisoners, tended the garden; most
of the plantings remain today, spilling
over walls and down slopes. Amazing!
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
More Sights of San Francisco
As we passed through these Pagoda style gates of Chinatown, our senses were quickly tempted by the sights and aromas of ethnic cuisine and colourful lights. We were fortunate to meet a local businessman of a nearby ginseng and herb pharmacy who directed us to an excellent Chinese restaurant, Christmas Eve. A turine of wonton soup, homemade spring rolls and four dishes satisfied our healthy appetites with some to take home. Excellent!
"I've left my ♥ ♪♫♪♫ in San Francisco ♪♫♪♫ ♥! "
Friday, January 1, 2010
The Sights of San Francisco
Known as "The Living Roof", this is atop the recently renovated California Academy of Science that houses many wonderful exhibits of aquariums, a planetarium, an enclosed rainforest and an African exhibit with delightful penguins. The glass domes on the roof open and close as the inside environment requires. A mini working weather station is positioned on one corner of the roof. Brightly coloured fish of pink, red and blue among coral, an albino alligator, a macaw and the entertaining penguins, each in their own environment complete the exhibit. A two day hop-on, hop-off tour of twenty-one stops in San Fran enabled us to take advantage of these sights in and near Golden Gate Park.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)