Earlier rain has given way to a gentle dusting of snow, making it a perfect day to stay in and plan upcoming travels.
Category: Living
Cherry blossom time at Himeji Castle
The cherry blossoms have opened at Himeji Castle, Japan, prompting an update to our LEGO model today. When I visited exactly a year ago, the blossoms were late, allowing me to experience the castle without the usual crowds.
Dates from Coachella Valley
We have a small box of Coachella Valley dates. Today we snacked on a couple, but we’re reserving most for date ice cream and other goodies. Almost all dates grown in the US are from the Coachella Valley, with seeds originally brought from the Middle East.
Swapping spring and fall trips
Today we flew back and are getting reacquainted with home. “Now, where are the cutting boards?” The next trip was to be to Italy with family but we just learned my SiL busted a knee, so we’re rescheduling to the fall. That was an opportunity to move my fall solo Japan trip. It’ll be too cold to start in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, so while I was flying to Minneapolis, I changed the start city to subtropical Fukuoka, Kyushu, leaving in 12 days.
Funding beautiful homes, one dress at a time
On our walk, Desert House, commissioned from architect Richard Neutra in 1946 by department store magnate Edgar J. Kaufmann. The LA Times lists it as one of the ten most important homes in the LA area (stretching it geographically). Kaufmann also commissioned Fallingwater from Frank Lloyd Wright, now a UNESCO World Heritage site. While Desert House was being built, Kaufmann stayed in the much more modest Villa Hermosa, where we’re staying.
How we got our bikes: the kindness of strangers on Reddit
Took the bike for a final spin while Dwight cycled to the pool for laps. Renting bikes is expensive–it would’ve been cheaper to buy bikes–so I posted a call for help on Reddit and received many helpful responses. One person offered to lend us his two Treks for a reasonable fee. After checking his previous posts and seeing his good karma rating, we agreed. The proceeds went to his wife’s nursing education fund.
City Gardener gathering content at Moorten Botanical Garden
Cycled down to Moorten Botanical Garden, a family-owned institution since 1938. Their extensive collection showcases plants from deserts worldwide. Dwight’s City Gardener Blog will likely feature some of his photos along with background information. Click through for the link.
Hockney and a museum visitor
At the Palm Springs Art Museum, walked around a retrospective of David Hockney prints. In this gallery, I caught an actual gallery patron (with hat), seated, looking at individual flower prints Hockney created on an iPad. On the opposite wall, a wall-sized print depicts the artist (with cap), seated, looking at the same flower prints.
Mastering the South Lykken Trail
Another hike on the South Lykken Trail. This will probably be our final foray into the mountains around Palm Springs this trip, with highs in the 90s forecast for the next few days. On the day we leave, the forecast high is 97° compared to a sunny 54° back home in Minneapolis.
‘Adobe Oasis’–3D-printed art installation
On today’s random bike ride, I stumbled upon this adobe art installation, part of this year’s Desert X exhibition. Interestingly, although mud is an ancient building material, this exhibit was created using a modern method: 3D printing. While adobe is a durable material in desert climates, with examples of buildings lasting millennia, this particular structure is temporary and will be removed in May.