[We awoke New Year’s Day to the black swans swimming by on Lake San Marcos.]

[And white swans were noshing at our dock . . .]

[And they were joined by their coot and mallard friends.]

[And hummingbirds were breakfasting as well . . .]

[On the street where we lived.  Everyday it was a challenge to find it again through the windy, multiple turns neighborhood we were in.]

[But at least our yard didn’t require mowing.]

[By now you know it’s the supervisor’s birthday!  So, what to do?  Well, since The Biddies are avid gardeners, the San Diego Botanic Garden sounded like the place to go.  With a few stops along the way.  Like here in downtown Encinitas.  And though we were at the E Street Café, we found no sign of the E Street Band . . .]

[Or of Bruce Springsteen, for that matter.]

[Downtown Encinitas (about 30 miles north of San Diego) – I know this because that’s what the sign says.]

[And here we are at the San Diego Botanic Garden . . . in Encinitas.]

[It’s located on a hilly 37 acres with 4 miles of trails.  And we did them all.]

[A lot of the photos will be presented sans commentary.  Mostly because this happened so long ago now, I’ve forgotten any information I may have learned at the time.  But photos are generally self-descriptive (or worth a thousand words, or something to that effect).]

[And we’re off, and trying to avoid the attack of the giant ladybugs.]

[We brought lunch and were looking for a place to picnic.]

[So why not dine with Santa?]

[Somewhere on the road to getting here, Tom Tom led us astray – but at least we found a Subway.]

[With their “we hear everything” ears of women, The Biddies were able to discover the waterfall.]

[In our traveling vernacular, these we some big-ass leaves!]

[A really tall tree.]

[The Biddies are trying to decide if these will work in Zone 5.]

[Let’s go to the lookout tower and . . .  look out!]

[Torrey pines . . . ]

[See, I told ya.]

[The Biddies . . . looking out.]

[Torrey pines . . . the world famous Torrey Pines golf course would be to the left (south) of here about 30 miles in La Jolla (we’ll get to it later).]

[Leaving lookout tower . . . ]

[Capturing the supervisor in action!  😉   ]

[Finally – a mariachi band!]

[This is artificial turf.  They can’t grow real grass here.  They get no rain.]

[The Biddies take a load off.]

[Many sculptures to peruse as well . . . ]

[The lookout tower is now well above us we trek through the children’s garden – also highly recommended.]

[The Biddies are thinking it’s about time to wrap this up.]

[Is it time for a nap?]

[A switchback to gaze upon the children’s garden from above.]

[Showing extreme derring-do, the supervisor traverses a cargo net bridge.]

[You’re not getting me out there!  You can say ‘hi’ to the condor sculpture all by yourself!]

[Hanky-panky in the Garden?]

[We leave them to their wooing.]

[The Biddies bid adios from the Garden!  A wonderful place to spend several hours if you’re in the San Diego area.   🙂  ]

Editor’s note to the snowbirds:  We had another wind chill warning from last night until noon today.  Most days our high temperatures are still below zero.  And there is no end in sight.  But at least we have water.  Rita is still in California where they’re facing all manner of drought related crises.  She did report that San Marcos did get a half inch of rain recently, but they have a long way to go.

Curmudgeon quote of the post:  The male is a domestic animal which, if treated with firmness and kindness, can be trained to do most things.  ~  Jilly Cooper  [Editor’s reponse:  I am very good with garbage.]