I spent the day at the Huntington Library, Art Collections and Botanical Gardens. WOW! 120 acres, 15,000 plant varieties, 36,000 works of art, 9 million library items. Described as a visual and intellectual feast, the Huntington comprises one of the world’s greatest research libraries, a spectacular collection of European and American art, and renowned botanical gardens, that are home to both exotic and native plants. I spent over an hour walking thru the succulents and desert gardens, photographing half the plants I saw; then the lily ponds; the tropical and subtropical gardens; the herb and Shakespeare gardens; and eventually the flowering camellias.
Eventually I made it to the art galleries. The European collection is housed in the magnificent Huntington mansion. The two most famous pieces are “Pinkie” and the “Blue Boy.” The American collection includes pieces from the 1690s to 1950s, and was less interesting. I was also getting tired and hungry. Back outside, rain was imminent so I decided to skip the library and head to the cafe for a very late lunch. Their gift shop alone is worth the visit— I ended up with a small book for Lizzie and a new umbrella for me.
Coming back to Joyce and Eric’s was less tedious — either the traffic wasn’t as bad or I’m just getting used to driving 10 mph on the freeways. Dinner out with Joyce gave us both a chance to talk more and share stories. Snow and rain are forecast for Joshua Tree tomorrow so Joyce and Eric invited me to spend another night and leave Friday instead.
What I learned today: 1. Thanks to my WCC classes last year, I actually know how to use my big camera’s different settings now, adjusting for light and aperture; and 2. There are more kinds of succulents than I could ever imagine.
