Radiant Respite .. Rancho La Puerta

Improbable but true to its 70-year history, the destination spa/retreat,

Rancho La Puerta evolved from an unembellished adobe hut.

One day I plan to visit!

To chill.. to tune out.. to leave my computer in quiet mode - a well-deserved  respite for me & my machine.

Rancho La Puerta engaged in organic gardening methods before the practice was popular. 

The nearby 6-acre organic farm, Rancho Tres Estrellas provides the fresh produce served to guests,

in beautifully presented repasts to entice all the senses.

Sustainability and conservation are high on the list of the Rancho's guiding principles, 

as they were in the beginning: In the 1940s, 

when founders Edmond and Deborah Szekely brought their vision for a 'health camp' to Baja California.

La Cocina - Photos courtesy, Rancho La Puerta

For now, I'm dreaming. 

Imagining the clear, brisk air surrounding Mount Kuchumaa, the peak spanning the Tecate border,

connecting the U.S. to Mexico while overlooking the 3,000-acre valley setting of Rancho La Puerta.

The Rancho - basking in the mountain's splendor.

A recent video narrated by Deborah Szekely chronicles Rancho La Puerta's development over 7 decades. 

A place where Aldous Huxley and like-minded notables were drawn to the writings and philosophy 

of the late Edmond Szekely. 

Look for the Video icon when clicking on the link below, to hear Deborah reveal the remarkable history of:

Rancho La Puerta

Garden Idyll in Italy .. Sermoneta Overlooking Ninfa

Highlights from my garden idyll in Italy appeared on Bay Area Tendrils in 2009 

Villa Lante

Hadrian's Villa

and the Sacred Wood of Bomarzo

however ... to write about Ninfa is another story.

With a history spanning the first century and extending to a uniquely vibrant landscape of the present day,

the magical setting of Ninfa exacts a thoughtfully rendered chronicle.

And so, I shall be offering glimpses of the setting and its rich history.

Hotel Principe Serrone - Sermoneta, Italy 

Protected by Copyscape: © Alice Joyce

Sermoneta 

A delightfully out-of-the-way Medieval hill town: the nearest train station is in the city of Latina,

capital of the province of Lazio; some 40 miles south of Roma. 

Gazing out from my window at Hotel Principe Serrone, 

I could see Ninfa's ancient towers in the valley beyond.

Link to:

Part II - Enchanting Ninfa

Samuel Taylor State Park, Marin County

Indian paintbrush / Castilleja affinis

One of the wildflowers found growing in Samuel Taylor State Park.

Taylor State Park - located 15 miles west of San Rafael off Highway 101 -

Central San Rafael exit, not far from San Francisco.

Taylor State Park became lost in the glow of 

yesterday's anniversary post.

Approach the park along Sir Francis Drake, driving through groves of towering redwoods

that embrace sections of the roadway.

Listed on the California State Parks website, the park encompasses hiking, biking & nature trails, places to picnic, and campsites.

Celebrating! Garden Tendrils Reaching Out from the Bay Area

In Celebration: 1 Year since I began sending out these tendrils...

 - short features and photos - reaching out into cyberspace to connect with readers worldwide. 

What an incredible journey! 

One that has given rise to countless friendships and connections in the virtual world, 

and under fortunate circumstances... every so often, in real life.

((In truth, I've just checked the date of my first 'Insomnia' post.

Apparently life has been so hectic - with much on my plate, so to speak,

that yesterday, in fact, heralded the Blogiversary of Bay Area Tendrils.

... aka Bay Area Tendrils Garden Travel ))

Thank you, T., for appreciating my passion for the art of the garden,

and for accompanying me on too-many-to-count short trips and lengthy sojourns.

Your love of birding and nature enhances my days.