Mormon Battalion Visitors Center revamped

As we pulled into the back parking lot of the San Diego Mormon Battalion Historic Site, we knew we were in the same location as the old Visitor's Center, but that was all that was the same. We found ourselves at what resembled an old Spanish style hacienda.

This was the only empty parking lot in the area as Old Town San Diego was in the midst of Cinco de Mayo celebrations.

We continued our walk past the southeast corner of the new building.

And on toward the entrance.

Glen's 4 great grandfather, Ebenezer Brown, marched with the Battalion so it seemed appropriate for Glen to stand next to the memorial statue.

This long front porch goes north again.

It leads to this replica of a covered wagon.

There are also rocking chairs to rest in before reaching the main entrance.

Once inside there is an excellent tour which is very engaging for all ages. We soon found ourselves at Fort Leavenworth mustering out for the long march. We would send our $42 clothing allowance money home to our families.

To identify ourselves as soldiers of the US Army, however, we would receive several other items.

Glen was picked to demonstrate those items as well as how they should be worn.

It was important that he not forget his hardtack to eat nor his scriptures to help feed the spirit.

These sister missionaries from Utah divide their time between this location, their area, and the San Diego Temple.

The young man you see through the window is Zemira Palmer, son of Phoebe Draper Palmer Brown and stepson of Ebenezer Brown. Phoebe and her son made the trek west with Ebenezer, Phoebe as a laundress and Zemira as an aide to the officers. The new media presentations use an actor portraying Zemira as the main narrator.

For more information on these three go here and here and here.

The only other people on our tour were an extended family from Toronto, Canada.

After Fort Leavenworth, we found ourselves around the campfire as we journeyed on to Santa Fe, through Arizona and Yuma before finally arriving in San Diego on January 29, 1847. For more information about the Mormon Battalion go here.

The tour ended in a room with exhibits of actual items used by battalion members and computers where one could easily look up information on the different companies as well as individual biographies which could then be sent to you via email.

Once outside again, there was a great hands on area for children. They could pan for gold, make bricks, and do other chores.

This view from the tower looked northwest over Old Town.

Heritage Park which is located just south of the Mormon Battalion site was developed for historic homes and buildings of San Diego which were moved here safe keeping.

We walked up the hill to a restaurant across from this historic Jewish synagogue.

The Acapulco Mexican Restaurant & Cantina was a good refreshment stop and the food was delicious.

After a great brunch, we traveled back east towards home. Glen decided a good way to bookend our day would be a visit to the new Mormon Battalion Memorial in Yuma.

It is part of the new Wetlands Park being developed by the city of Yuma along the Colorado River. It also has a great imaginative playground (including a castle) for children who might need to get their wiggles out on the way to or from San Diego.

I took a picture of this plaque for Lowell (Company of Edward Bunker.)

Here is a link to another of Glen's ancestors who marched with the Mormon Battalion. It also includes the story about the Spanish land grant on the Pacific Ocean that Glen loves to tell.

Welcome to the Encinitas Garden Tour on Crest Drive

Two years ago we celebrated our 34th anniversary by going to the Encinitas Garden Tour at Cardiff by the Sea. We enjoyed it so much that we decided to go again for our 36th, this time held on Crest Drive in Encinitas.

Once again we boarded double decker buses at Mira Costa College on Manchester Avenue, but this time we traveled north to Santa Fe then climbed west to Crest Drive.

Houses began to be built on large lots on Crest Drive in the early 1940's mostly as summer retreats for those from the Los Angeles area.

Crest Drive runs along the crest of the hill and homes built on either side had views with lots running downhill. The first three pictures are at the top of the lot nearest the road. Glen is now at the back of the lot with views to the east.

The next few homes have gardens designed by Debora Carl.

Her signature gardens are made up of colorful, textural low-water plants which are perfectly suited to Southern California's Mediterranean climate.

Once again looking east.

An inner courtyard.

With Glen's beloved snake grass on the sunny west side of the same wall.

To reach this property, we had to walk down a very steep drive. The original lot had been subdivided into several smaller lots with homes.

The home on tour was at the bottom. My calves are still feeling it!

It was a property with concessions to kids; basketball standard on the front leveled out parking pad, swing in a tree, and the boys' club house up the hill with a lookout. Notice the found objects in the boys' garden.

After our steep climb out, the next house was the home of the garden designer Debora Carl. Her side yard was a "white garden." I loved the hanging blooms on this tree of which there were several.

Once again, there was an abundance of succulents including this wall garden.

It was located next to the entryway of an amazing kitchen. All the windows and entrances were totally retractable making a true indoor/outdoor space.

Outside the house was a walkway to the garden designer's studio.

Her husband had designed a veggie garden impervious to critters.

There were a wide variety of plants.

Their gardens were expansive and pathways wound back and forth down the hill. At the bottom there was a bocce ball court. Glen looks like he could be in Italy.

At the west end of the court was a fountain made from an old watering trough. The wall that Glen is sitting on, which also is surrounding the fountain, is built of broken concrete.

The next home was built of railroad ties back in the 1940's. Its garden, too, wound it's way down the hillside and was filled with color. Originally the backyard had been an avocado and citrus orchard and these branches are from one of the surviving avocado trees.

There were nasturtiums which had reseeded themselves down the hills on many of the properties.

The owner is an art therapist and this is the view east from her studio located about halfway down the lot.

This is the labyrinth planted as a community project several years ago as viewed from the studio deck.

Nearing the end of Crest Drive, there was a mid-century home with views east.

And also south. In the middle of this picture is Interstate 5 snaking down the far hill.

To the right of the artist, the owners had a netted enclosure with a PVC pipe frame. Inside were several homemade "grow boxes" built of plastic tubes.


Reminded me of my "Earthboxes" at home, which by the way are doing well. We are eating cucumbers, tomatoes, and Anaheim peppers. Green beans, carrots, summer squash, and bell peppers to come. Thanks to David and girls for watering my garden while we were in California.

There were not as many homes open for viewing down the west side of the street.

This owners of this lot were working on a newer garden. They had rebuilt the house, trying to stay true to an earlier home. There was a new fruit orchard and a community garden.

In the garage, I met this author, just 11 years old. I am holding the book I purchased for TJ and Heather to read. The retired elementary school librarian just couldn't resist.

They were also raising chickens.

I loved this backyard designed for a family. It had an outdoor kitchen and dining space, fire pit, sand volley ball court, in ground trampoline, and a pool with a long slide coming down the hill.

Next to the pool was an outdoor living room. If you look carefully, you can spot the owner and his daughter serenading the garden tour members. This dining area had a view to the west of the ocean.

The artists living in this home also had a view of the ocean.

And our friend, Woody, sitting in the front driveway.

We enjoyed our five hour garden tour and our lunch of grilled basalmic artichokes and chicken skewers at the garden festival in the orchard next to the first house. We are still recovering from our sunburns, sore calves, and my blisters because I wore the cute shoes instead of my tennis shoes. Will we go again? Most likely.

Oh, and we also ate at Pelly's again. You must try it. It's hiding in a strip mall south of Poinsettia Lane just west of the 5 in Carlsbad. You can tell the locals love it because it is always busy. So good! And don't pass up the Boston clam chowder.

Life's a Beach

We traveled to San Diego for an anniversary celebration trip. It had been over a year since we had enjoyed "some ocean." We both love the ocean!

My first view of the ocean was as a new teenager. I traveled by bus across the Arizona desert with a Pop Warner football team as a cheerleader to Chula Vista where the team played a California team. My host family was wonderful and made sure that I saw the ocean and experienced going to the beach for the first time. It was love at first sight!

Glen's family moved to Southern California when he was a young child and he grew up on the beach. His dad would drop the kids off on his way to work at TRW in the summer and then pick them up on his way home.

We made it in time to see the sun go down. The pelicans seemed to be on the move. Over the three days we saw them flying in flocks both north and south.

We were staying in La Jolla (thank you David for setting this up with your FIL) and took these pictures at the park just a short walk away.

We drove further north where we watched the sun sink into the ocean.

It always amazes me how it disappears in just seconds.

Glen felt so at home and not just because of the ocean. The house we were staying in was built around 1955, the same time period that Glen's parents built their house in Hawthorne. He really did feel like he had "gone home."

The weather was beautiful, clear, and sunny. The beaches were full on Saturday with not even a place to park. The cove walking distance from the house to the south was filled with surfers. From the comments we heard it sounded like these were the first warm sunny beach days of the year. Lucky San Diegans!