Colors of August from the High Desert

I spent a couple of hours earlier this month at my favorite regional park, Rancho San Rafael. We used to live just on the other side of that ridge and I have many wonderful memories of this park, as I mentioned about a month ago when I spent a half hour here. This is Peavine Creek, a natural creek that is damned here as flood control.

Though it's late morning and quite warm, I've decided to walk through the arbor-
etum, which has developed substantially in the years I've come through. This area is the latest to be planted and was formerly a dry cow field in summer.
Much of the gardens are plants, that while agreeable to this climate, have been intro-
duced. This old willow growing along the banks of the creek is native and part of the original cattle ranch.
The creek has been harnessed here to create a waterfall and reflecting pond. This area is popular for weddings and the income is always welcome in a county park. I sat on a bench across from it to eat my sandwich and enjoy the songs of cascading water.
I used to visit this garden on my lunch hours a lot after we moved to this house, trying to get an idea of what plants were native and what would thrive. I figured that if the rabbits didn't eat the plants in this garden, then they wouldn't eat them at our house. I was partly right.
Just across the pathway from this sign is another one of my favorite benches. A sign identifies it as the Gladys Rowley Memorial Wisteria Garden. You can imagine how lovely this is in spring, but I especially like is the bench tucked in on the other side of the wisteria vines.
I brought my drop spindle as I needed to pass some time. I had left Ian at the radiolo-
gists for some tests. He's had some earlier and I had stayed in the waiting room.
This garden is only 7 minutes away and a much better waiting place. I was alone except for a young woman reading in a seating area maybe 100 feet from me. The arboretum is filled with seating areas. I'm sure we allhave our favorites. I do. The time went quickly and before I knew it, it was time to pick Ian up.
I took this photo on my way back to the car, which is where the student had her books all spread out. I'll bet there are at least a hundred seating areas throughout. I'm always happy to be here - tax dollars well spent in my opinion.

The test results are back and Ian has been given the all clear. He'd had two bouts of heat exhaustion two weeks apart and was excruciatingly slow to recover. The doctor wanted to rule out the potential of two carcinogenic tumors that mimic his symptoms. He's still trying to get his sea legs under him, but getting better every day.

Check out Colors of the Month from all over the world at Sue's blog, Life Looms Large.