Desert Holiday

Over the holidays, we took a quick trip to Southern California to visit friends and family. It was a treat to visit in the fall, since I typically visit Palm Springs, the desert, and the mountains in the spring.

My husband and I stayed for a few days near Tustin to visit an old college chum and his wife. We had a great time visiting old haunts, and eating marvelous food. I enjoyed seeing some of the landscaping near our hotel.

These clipped hedges provide interesting texture

I love the way the leafy shadows play over the white walls

We joined my folks from Alaska and my Aunt from the Bay Area to celebrate Thanksgiving in Hemet.  We also did a little exploring. We had a fine picnic at the Andreas Oasis near Palm Springs, and enjoyed seeing a little bit of fall color in the wild grape and deciduous trees.

The wild grape leaves were turning yellow in the palm oasis

We drove around Palm Springs looking for midcentury architecture using a map purchased at the Visitor Center. I love the clean lines of the modern architecture (now over 50 years old), which seems to fit perfectly into the desert landscape.

We came upon this innovative art while looking for midcentury architecture

We also took the tram up Mount San Jacinto. The car revolves, so you get a view of the cliff as well as the valley below. The view from the top is spectacular. Our big coats and the warmth of the visitor center felt great, since the temperature was significantly cooler on the mountain compared with the valley floor.

The tram revolves, giving you a 360 degree view up the mountainside

We had beautiful views from the mountain top

We visited Los Rios Farms to pick up some apple turnovers and oatmeal cookies. They sell many varieties of apples, many of which are heirloom. The fall colors were stunning.

It was snowing at Los Rios Farms when I visited in the spring!

Whitewater Preserve had some fall colors also. We spent quite a bit of time admiring the landscaping around the Visitor Center. They have extended the path, and added informative labels to identify some of the native plants and trees.

The park and trout farm at Whitewater Preserve are beautifully landscaped

Hard to beat the clear air and bright fall sun at Whitewater

The trip made my husband and I nostalgic for the years we lived in Southern California, but we were glad to get back to our place in the San Francisco Bay Area. Home sweet home!