On a Mission

While in California, we visited my brother and his family. The kiddos enjoyed playing with their young cousin, Beckett, and visiting with their aunt and uncle. They enjoyed running in the yard, picking fresh cucumbers and tomatoes from the garden and teaching Beckett all kinds of new tricks. My brother prepared a delicious spread, and we talked for quite awhile. Of course, I forgot the camera, but hopefully my wonderful sister in law will share some with us.

While visiting, my brother shared with us his interest in the San Juan Capistrano Mission. He encouraged us to visit the mission and even gave us guest passes. A few days later, we set out to find the mission and explore the grounds.

As part of our admission, we received audio guides. After paying for an additional child's guide, we began to look around the old mission. Dave was fascinated by a tree near the entrance. He called the kids over to take a look. The tree had huge spines coming out of the bark. We agreed that it was quite a tree and definitely not ideal for climbing. 

 The grounds of the mission are beautiful. The lush landscaping was blooming. We spent quite a bit of time marveling at all the color and smelling blossoms. A lot of the blooms lacked a pleasant scent, so we hypothesized that they attracted pollinators with color.

 The history of the mission was explained on the audio devices. Eamon and Aine eagerly listened to the recordings and tried to find each of the spots listed. The visit led to much exploration of religion, early settlers, exploration and architecture. In all, it was an interesting visit. We want to thank Uncle Petey for the recommendation and guest passes.