1. San Diego Zoo. What a beautiful place it is. We spent several hours wandering through only a small portion of this splendid place. What were my favorites? Hmmm, that's a hard question. The meerkats were highly amusing. ADHD kitties, always busy, always hyper focused.
This little guy was on sentry duty and took his job very seriously.
The sleepy koalas didn't seem nearly as concerned about security.
2. Wandering around Coronado. We decided that after a long drive into East San Diego County (very mountainous and much hotter than the city of San Diego itself) that a long walk on the cool, coastal Coronado Island would make a nice contrast. The weather at the beach was our typical June Gloom overcast. But in every block and on every street there are unique homes, some small cottages and others gigantic mansions, and all are architecturally interesting.
3. Sunday was The Professor's birthday. I think he spent it just the way he wanted which included a lunch with friends, phone calls from all but one child (and he sent greetings the only way he could--via email), 'Happy Birthday' messages from friends and siblings. We had had a little party in San Diego too, so the celebration lasted more than one day.
4. We also drove over to Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa State Park this week. Nestled in the coastal hills, connected to Point Mugu State Beach and part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, it's the perfect place to walk in the hills and observe the California native landscape. Because we've been researching what California native plants we would like to add to our back garden, seeing many of the plants in their native habitat was helpful in identifying what we'd been reading about in Gardening with a Wild Heart by Judith Larner Lowry.
5. A wonderful part of being a teacher on an academic schedule is, well, the schedule. Summer afternoons this week have been spent dropping by the local library to pick up this or that book to read, then taking our books (and my knitting) and sitting somewhere either at home on our front patio or in a local coffee place to relax and read. Summer doesn't get any better than this!
So that has been Willow's Two Weeks. Traveling, celebrating (I didn't even mention the TWO graduations we attended in Los Angeles), and relaxing. How have you been whiling away the summer days?
14 comments:
Wonderful photos, Willow! Sleepy koalas...so cute... Glad the Professor had a great birthday... Sounds like you're having a sweet summer. :o) ((HUGS))
Glad you are enjoying your slow summer days! Those colors on the houses in San Diego work well in bright sunshine I'm sure. Have a great weekend!!
Never been there but it looks very Spanish ! The koalas are so cute !
Glad you are enjoying a relaxing week after all your travels! Thanks again for the visit-- miss you already. :o)
You've had some great sight-seeing!
A belated Happy Birthday to the Professor! Glad he had a great day.
Happy birthday to the Professor!
We, too, love the San Diego Zoo. We're members, so we stop by whenever we're in the area, and there's always a meerkat guarding the group from the top of that mound :)
I love walking around Coronado, too. So many interesting houses to dream about.
I think I've mentioned before that I think that if there is a California Chamber of Commerce, they need to snatch you up and pay you whatever you ask. You always make me want to go visit the places you write about. I haven't been to San Diego for years, but now I really want to go again. It's just so expensive to stay there. Mmmmmm. My best friend from high school lives right near Old Town, maybe she needs four visitors later this summer!
Beautiful photos! I just love the little koalas. Happy 4th July weekend to you! Ros
Your summer sounds especially lovely! Enjoy the well deserved break between school years.
You have been busy! And i love that you are researching native plants to grow in your own garden, its very important that we keep some of our native species alive and close to home. Although i havent planted any local species yet, i have avoided ripping up our wild flowers or weeds as i know that despite some of the unattractivness or messyness that some bring, they are essential for some of our fauna.
Aqeela x
The Sand Diego Zoo is so much fun! We used to go all the time when we were southern Californians! It sounds like you've had a wonderful couple of weeks, and plenty to celebrate. Happy belated birthday to the Professor, and my apologies for just getting to my FFF visits now! It's been pretty busy, here, too!
-Catherine
Happy belated birthday to your hubby. I love zoos so that would be a definite favorite on my list had I had a chance to visit one! :v)
Hello Dear Willow.... Thank you for stopping by and leaving a comment... it is always good to hear from you.
What lovely slow summer days you've been experiencing. The Zoo looks a great place to visit, I love the cute little koala bear snoozing in the sun and how gorgeous those mansions are, particularly the one in the fist picture with the tall cypress trees each side of that grand entrance, Oh! to have a peek inside... looks very Italian.
Interested to read about your wild flower project. I would dearly love to have enough space to plant a wild flower meadow. A gentleman who owns a lot of land in our village has this magnificent patch, it is exquisite and reminds me so much of the alpine meadows in Switzerland.
Belated birthday wishes to the Professor.
Marion - Wales UK
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