I have the best kiddoes. When my son and daughter-in-law lived in state they, my husband and I and our 2 daughters used to take day hikes together as a family every couple of months throughout Riverside, San Diego and Orange Counties. We had some great adventures together – trails full of discovery, beautiful strange nature and lots of silliness and laughter. Since my son (his sweet wife and our 1st grandson – who has since got a brother) relocated (the US Navy’s pleasure), my two daughters still continue the fun, hiking with us a few time a year. Today, my daughters and I (Hubby home still recovering – so proud of that man’s determination) headed to Irvine to try the trails at San Joaquin Wildlife Sanctuary. Who knew right in the midst of the city you could find such a lovely 3 mile squarish patch jam packed full of various size ponds, amazing birds, plants and wildlife (cool butterfly and humming bird gardens too) and a variety of trails? Despite the early hour and rather constant drizzle, our spirits were not dampened!
Not far into the hike, I noticed many photographers,
nestled in various outlets surrounding the ponds, snapping
pics of the beautiful and varied marsh life. My girls noisily chatted, as I kept shushing
them to take in the beauty of the many different bird songs and noises filling
the air. No matter their ruckus, though – the wildlife
remained abundant and not shy or skittish. We had little cotton tails hippity hop around
every corner. Then, down one long
stretch of trail, came the confident strut of a stately large gray 4 foot plus
resident (could have been a type of Heron) with what looked to be a little
black toupee headdress. He (or she) slowly, calmly and gracefully walked right toward
us, unruffled by our conversations. It
was awesome to see such a large animal so close, though we remained
at a respectful distance. Ducks and geese were plentiful with their
little babies in tow. One duck mother
looked as though she was babysitting a whole community’s progeny as a trail of
some 14 babies followed her out across one pond, no other adult duck in
sight! One little brown bird with orange face came right up to us on the trail with his friendly greeting. Large dark birds perched on tree limbs
in the distance as small lithe gull cousins darted over our path. We came round a curve in the
trail to find a tall shrub bubbling with what seemed like 10 to 12 of the
tiniest dark birds I’ve ever seen, flitting in and out of the branches. It reminded me of a popcorn
machine as they flew up and out and back and forth all in rapid succession of
each other.
We wandered through bizarrely beautiful trees (like something out of Dr. Seuss). Bright green trunks studded with thorns anchored spiraling branches
downy with white seed pods shaped like little hands. Then what seemed like the tallest spreading
tree, ethereal with it's pale pink mini pompoms on tiny sticks, popped up right before us. Mounds of wild raspberry and blackberry bushes
came into view with ripe berries all over them (it may have been ill advised,
but we ate several). Tomato plants with bright red fruit peeked out from amongst the tangle at intervals. The air was magical with scents –
honeysuckle, jasmine and a smell similar to that smell in Disneyland’s Main
Street Candy Shop. Deep magentas, pale
and lacy yellows, bright blues and young bright greens delighted the eye at
each turn. Orange and purple trumpet
varieties of flower and trees laden with deep pink fleshy blossoms were
magically “sugared” by the fine rain mist.
Though fitted with hooded jackets we all got fairly soaked
in the steady light rain. Yet it was a
pleasant temperature and we didn’t mind as we enjoyed the various
portions of the many trails. The
boardwalk took us over water giving an up close view of the “green smoothie-like”
marsh water and clumps of swamp grass.
As we stopped to look at some of the plant life on the trail, Taylor, my
youngest daughter, picked up a long stalk with something like grains at its end. She shook it at her sister, Crissy, who
promptly yelled, “Hey, what’s on that thing? It’s wet; you’re getting in my
mouth!” Taylor laughed and said, “I
think its bird poo”. Then, at her sister’s
face of horror, she began laughing in earnest and back peddling saying it must be mud from
the ground. Her sister’s face did not
register much difference at this revelation. This prompted me to remind Taylor of the time she was around 5 and had run in the house screaming that she was dying. She had been out on our front lawn and saw some toadstools growing and ran in the house screaming and crying that she was dying. When I tried to settle her down and ask her what happened, she said she thought the mushroom was going to kill her. When I asked her if she had eaten the mushroom or put it in her mouth she said, “I don’t know, I don’t know!!” I asked, “How can you not know if you did or did not put it in your mouth?” Turns out, her older brother (7 years her senior) had been out with her when they saw the mushrooms. Knowing that we had warned her many times before never to put them in her mouth – he went the extra “caring-brother-mile” convincing her that just seeing them may put her in danger. It was quite some time we had calming her enough to realize that she had not actually touched or eaten them and was okay. Ahhh, memories. J
What a wonderful way to spend an early Saturday morning. Happy Trails!
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