We started this week still at our UU friends’ farm, where we walked their 10 acres, seeing their land and improvements. Beautiful! We finished the day with dinner at a Mexican restaurant.
The next morning, on our drive south, I marveled at blooming red bud trees, mustard fields, leafing trees…
Loren and I splurged on an overnight at Mercey Hot Springs. Located several miles into mid-California desolation, it is where the valley was alive in carpets of “goldfields” – which I learned are Asthenia, thanks to our dear Godson identifying them! Once there we soaked in individual hot tubs, cooked noodle soup on our single burner campstove, and were serenaded by joyful song birds. Then we went for a beer with Dona, a camp host, at nearby Panoche Inn’s Lost Bikers’ Saloon. On returning we had another soak, then were lulled to sleep in our van by frogs and occasional hooting of long eared owls.
In the morning we had a soak, ate breakfast at our camp picnic table, which was complemented by a gift jar of homemade jam from our San Jose neighbor, yum! Then we walked around the property – it was too windy to play their disc golf course, had one last soak, and ate our picnic lunch. A memorable 24 hour respite!
That evening we enjoyed a dinner out with Loren’s dear college friend. We visited with her and her daughter and their foster dogs, then camped overnight in their driveway.
I loved the inspirational message on her kitchen wall:
“If music be the food of Love, play on.” Shakespeare
Loren and I took a Bikram yoga class before a delightful visit to catch up and savor lunch with my wonderful cousins in Monterey. That night Loren and I camped at Lake Casitas further south. In addition to inclement weather, we arrived too late and left too early to play disc golf at the Coyote Point Disc Golf Course.
It was a short drive from there to go to visit Reagan’s Presidential Library in Simi Valley.
We had a lovely dinner and overnight with more UU friends and their cute dog, in the guest room of their new home in Encino! The next day Loren, our friend and I had an inspiring time at the Getty Center in the Los Angeles hills. Our choice was to see Nixon’s library as was our original plan or spend the day with our friend, we chose our frie!
Now we are staying with our dear UU friend in Orange County, where we are reminiscing and honoring her wonderful husband who died over a year ago after celebrating his 80th birthday. We all miss him!
Journey Toward Wholeness 