Santa Barbara Botanic Garden

The Santa Barbara Botanic Garden was not as beautiful as I expected and not as accessible as I had hoped.  There are 78 acres of gardens, but very few plants were flowering and many looked very dry or even dying.  This is probably the wrong time of year for the best viewing and I think they are short-staffed.  One can't expect a garden to always be perfect, I tell myself.  However, many of the trails involved very steep slopes and, as we were told, rough terrain.  So, we walked through the upper area and called it a day.  There were some very interesting and beautiful areas, though.  See for yourself:

These Jumping Chollas look like cartoon animals to me.

Giant Redwood trees in the background - young ones, probably only a few hundred years old. 

A "Beaker" cactus for you, Meghan. 

This is a very old Giant Sequoia.

It was a baby in 1150 AD.  Think about it.

After that, we walked Ledbetter Beach in Santa Barbara and watched the para-boarders sailing across the water.  I had never seen para-boarders and it was fascinating to see them wade out with those huge sails and get up on their boards.  I still can't quite understand how they get to a standing position, even after watching them do it.

This parasurfer was a real veteran.  Watch him take off.

Then, we cruised through Santa Barbara.  I loved the whole feel of the place, probably because it was too expensive for me.  The buildings, the sculptures, the rental bikes, the wharf, and even the marina.

I love the dolphin sculpture behind the tiled sign.

And on the way "home" to our AirBnb, we drove through this valley.  It epitomizes the California countryside for me.

Tomorrow, we leave for Monterey, CA and hope to at least go down to Carmel and see Point Lobos.  Then, we'll continue to head north.  

Santa Fe, Again - I love this place!

Today, it was Santa Fe - one more time.  We had to browse the artisans again in the colonnade at Santa Fe Plaza and we bought a few things this time.  Shhh!  Don't tell our kids!

The Santa Fe Public Library in downtown was on my list because, of course, I cannot seem to pass a library in my travels.  This is an addiction that I am going to have to get under control.  Who know where it will lead?

The Children's Room at the public library.

This was a surprise discovery, but it made us feel a little more at home.

Last, we visited the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum and it was incredible.  Here are some of my favorites.

No. 22 - Special, 1916/1917 and Anything, 1916.  I'm a sucker for bold color; I admit it.

Pond in the Woods, 1922

Inside the Tent, 1916 - this is photographed at an angle because of the glass reflection. It reminds me of my children.

Blue II, 1916 - still looks like a fetus ultrasound to me.

Pedernal, 1941/1942 - apparently one of her favorite places.

The two white sculptures were O'Keeffe's.  The other two are the  animal horns she sculpted from.

Green and White, 1957/1958 and Machu Picchu I, 1957

Couldn't resist.  This is a photo of O'Keeffe's Chow dog.  Reminds me of our Ginger.

Untitled (Tent at night), 1916.  She was a student at UVA, Charlottesville in 1916.

Then, we struck out for Gallup, New Mexico because Steve was enthralled with it.  Now that we are here in Gallup, it doesn't seem quite as interesting, except for the fact that it is situated on the old Route 66 which we plan to follow back across Arizona into California.  What I like is that it is farther north of the 116 degree heat of mid to southern Arizona.

Here are a few shots of that leg of the journey.  First, please look closely at the "empty" stretch of land in the next two photos.  Notice the dark green low tree/bushes randomly set about the scene?  I've been looking at these bushes for a long time and they remind of Monty Python every single time.  Remember Monty Python and the Holy Grail, when the opposing knights attacking the castle hide behind "shrubs" and keep hop/creeping forward?  These shrubs do not look real and they give me a slightly creepy feeling.  Can't you see them moving?  If not, "you mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberry."

Then, there was the Continental Divide and the beginning of Route 66, all in the same 200 feet.  I mean... what's up with that?

My guess is that this is the beginning of what's left of Rte 66.

Then, there were the train shots against the Red Rock landscape that Steve kept asking me to take.  They were taken with an iPhone 6s with the window rolled down in a car that was going about 75 mph.   I love this camera!

This is the caboose after several flat cars.

Tomorrow, we are skipping the Grand Canyon and streaking straight across Arizona to Kingman for the night.  Then, Wednesday we plan to streak again across California to get to the good part - the beaches, of course.  My wounded toe is still sore, but the scabs gone and it's almost ready for saltwater, the feel of gently lapping waves, and long walks on the sand.  Bring it on!