Still Up In the Air

Photo above - Though Scotch Brooms stand out in the background a soft, purple flowered shrub dominates the left, lower corner of the above photo.

 

We're still winding our way along the curving Maricopa highway, making our way up the Topa Topa mountains above Ojai, California.  My last post featured the bright yellow to yellow orange, Scotch Brooms, this post will feature purple and blue/purple wildflowers.  Unfortunately I'm not knowledgeable about their names and even though my sister told me what many were called, I confess that I quickly forgot their names.  So if you know any of their names please feel free to let me know in a comment.

 

 

 

Photos below are of the one purple plant that I'm familiar with: the Lupine.

 

 

 

The photos that follow are of some sweet little purple wildflowers and some flowers that are more of a blue color.  Both are very pretty and I've no idea what they are called, I should have written their names down when Camille told me but just like spare batteries for my camera, I did not have pen, pencil or paper on hand.

 

Twists and Turns

photo above - the two lane Maricopa highway leading up through the mountains from Ojai California to Taft. It was a crystal clear day and the yellow blossoms of the Scotch Brooms looked sharp and brilliant against the green mountains and bright blue sky - a perfect day for a drive.

 

As I mentioned in the last post, the batteries in my camera died, we were a good 30 miles away from town and I hadn't brought spare batteries with me.  However my sister, Camille, volunteered to take some photos with her smartphone and then email me the pictures. So following are some of the pictures she so graciously took for me.  Thank you Cami.  :)

 

The Maricopa highway twists and turns through beautiful, rugged mountains.  Scotch Brooms bloomed along side of the paved road, making me feel like we were a bridal procession cruising down a flower bedecked isle.  The Scotch Broom is considered a weed and seems to prefer the disturbed soil near the edge of the roadsides.

 

 

 

Photo above - Managed to find a blooming yucca that was close enough to the road to get a good shot of.

Photo below - Saw this unusually flat boulder and had to get a photo of it.

Photo below - Had to get a shot of the looming mountains and the valley below. 

To fully appreciate this vista I encourage you to click on the photo to view it more closely.

Hidden Falls

photo above - Mountain ravine with waterfall.

 



Remember that trip my hubby and I took back in July ?  I must confess that I still have pictures from that trip.  You see when John and I were driving down from Albany California to Ojai, we took the Maricopa Highway and California was fresh and alive from summer rains.  The mountains were covered in green foliage and flowers bloomed everywhere, it was a veritable Eden.   Oh how I longed to tell my hubby to stop the car so I could whip out my camera and take pictures.  John on the other hand was in no mood to stop the car on that curving, 2 lane mountain road, so I sat in silence.

Later, while visiting my sister Camille, she asked if there was anything we wanted to do or any place we wanted to go.  I mentioned the flowers that I saw along the Maricopa highway and how I would have loved to have taken some photos.  Now I should mention that  Camille loves to drive so she happily volunteered to drive us up through the local mountains in order for me to take some photos. 
It must have been some 20 miles or so before we got into the proper elevation where the flora was thick and colorful.  Camille stopped the car at a lovely little waterfall and I took out my little, old point and click camera . . . the one held together with a stripe of blue painter's tape.  As I pressed the on button the camera lens extended with a soft whine and then whined again as it retracted. . . and then nothing.  The batteries were dead , and I didn't bring spare batteries and it was at least 30 miles back to the town of Ojai.  Fortunately Camille had her phone with her so she kindly snapped all of the photos of the Maricopa highway flowers.

photos above and below - little waterfall

 



Traveling Once Again -

Back in 2009 my hubby and I took a trip out to the West Coast of sunny California, to visit with my sisters Camille and Norma.  It's been a long while since I've seen them so we've planned another trip for this May.   I will be gone from my blog as I'll have no way to connect to the Internet. 

On our last trip my hubs brought his laptop but now he has a new laptop and he says it is too heavy to carry around the way he did with his old laptop.  TRANSLATION: "No I don't want to lug around my laptop so you can spend your evenings blogging."  :D

The photo above was taken back in 2009, it is a picture of my sister, Camille's citrus grove with the Ojai Valley mountains in the background.

2009 Photo above - Camille's citrus grove from a distance.

2009 Photo below - My hubby and my sister Camille.

Our journey now begins - I'll miss you - till I return I'm

Wishing you all well and much happiness.  :)

Ojai...Beautiful Ojai

Basically our flight from Florida to California was uneventful, no flight cancellations, we weren't bumped because of flight overbooking, no delayed flights. For the most part we were on schedule and on time, however by the time we reached Ojai, California it was after dark so no photos were taken that day. These following photos were taken the morning of Sept. 11th, on Camille's, my sister, farm.

Photo above and below...Views from second story of Camille's house overlooking her tangerine orchard. The California foothills and mountains grace the skyline in the background.

Photos below...More of Camille's tangerine orchard. The trees are presently laden with small green fruit that will ripen to a bright shiny orange later in the winter...a truly lovely sight to see.

Camille's home is a lovely Californian Mission style house, that fits in perfectly with the surrounding area.

Photo below...The mission style front door that welcomes one to Camille's home. A lemon tree and a pepper bush decorate the entrance way at the left of picture. I love this photo!

More orchard fills the front of Camille's farm. Photo below...One of the many fig trees that Camille planted.

Photo below...Marabout fig, origin Algeria.

Photo below...Pumpkin "Jack O' Lantern"...Halloween's is just around the corner.

Photo below...Small orchard of Sprite Cherry Plums.

photo below...The Sprite Cherry plums give way to a grove of Arctic Star Nectarine trees (the ones with thicker trunks).

Photo below...One of several squash vines, this one is a Golden Hubbard winter squash.

photo below...Pixie Tangerine tree with ripe fruit...now try to imagine the whole tangerine grove laden with ripe fruit. An amazing vista !

Photo below...The loggia at the front of Camille's house is accented by a small Pendolino Olive tree. This particular olive is used for the making of olive oil . Someday, when Camille has the time, she wants to refinish the old patio, bistro table and chairs.

The Ojai Valley has long been a rich, fertile valley that nourishes many orchards from avocados to citrus and walnuts. With its mild climate, rolling foothills and surrounding mountains it has a decidedly Mediterranean feel. A true farmer's delight and gardener's heaven.

A Journey Awaits

Above photo...This summer we haven't seen too many days like this one, had to take a photo of it. Some rainless days and sunshine will certainly help dry out our mud puddles.

Just 6 days left until we leave the state of Florida and fly out to the western shores of California. In my mind southern California will always be my home and in particular the area around Ventura County. This area is blessed with Pacific beaches and views of mountain ranges. However it is 20 miles inland from the coastal city of Ventura that my heart truly rests. A picturesque mountain valley town called Ojai (pronounced; Oh Hi ), a name taken from a once indigenous Indian tribe meaning "Birds Nest" because of the way the area is nested and sheltered within rolling hills and low mountain ranges.
There is something spiritual about the Ojai Valley, so much so that it became the home of a religious cult called the "Moonies", or Harri Krishna. Ojai has also been likened to Santa Fe, New Mexico for its spiritual and magnetic energies. Perhaps this is why I am always drawn to this past childhood haunt of mine and no matter how long I am away, my return makes me feel like I am once again back home.

A change of scenery should be most welcome, but this trip is not one I'm relishing to take. This trip, unfortunately, is not solely for pleasure. Yes there will be those visits with family that I'm looking forward to, such as the time we'll be spending in Ojai, with my sister Camille. Camille owns a 9 acre organic farm and though this is extremely interesting I will not dwell on that.

Next we will head north to the San Francisco area and have a short stay with my baby sister, Norma. From north California we'll drive up through beautiful mountainous terrain into Oregon and witness marvelous forest of firs, massive sequoias and ponderosa pines. Some of you may recall the old TV show "Bonanza", the Cartwright clan lived on the Ponderosa Ranch...named for these magnificant pines that grow in the southwestern states. As we approach the high dessert area of interior Oregon, the ponderosa pine forest gives way to drier vistas and juniper trees.

It is here, in Bend, that our true mission awaits. There, in a small cemetery, rests a pewter colored urn, a burial urn which contains the remains of dear sweet Vada, my husband's mother. John and I always felt badly that Vada was alone and so far away, our visits to her resting place were few and there was no one else who came to pay their respect or to bring her flowers. So about 4 years ago we made the decision that we would relocate her ashes to Kansas and lay her to rest alongside her dearly beloved first husband. Yes 4 years ago, it was a vow we made and intended to keep and are at last following through on our promise.

One might wonder why she is being placed by her first and not her second mate ? Believe me there is a deep and very sordid tale as to why we would choose to do this. Perhaps if I get enough bravado, or have a glass or two (or three) of wine, I'll write about it in my blog...someday...but not now. Back when I wrote about "Lost Causes" there were comments about how forgiving I was and what a good person I am, how nice it was of me to not be bitter and to put the past behind me. It is said that time heals all wounds, but this is one episode in my life that I doubt there will ever be enough time to heal and my bitterness runs far too deep. The hurt is like an ugly scar that will never go away and the pain too intense for me to ever forget, let alone forgive. Even now as I write this the memories flood my thoughts, there's a tightening through my chest and my eyes well up with tears. No, definitely not today !

More, hopefully, to follow...