The Prehistoric Gardens on the US101 between Gold Beach and Port Orford was first established as a tourist attraction in 1955 when 23 life size dinosaurs were sculpted and then homed in the most beautiful ancient woodland. 

It was a misty morning when we arrived and there was not another soul in sight as we were greeted by a huge T-Rex in the car park. Nestled in a valley pocket and protected from the elements, the vast ecosystem of temperate rainforest appears to flourish in a tropical, prehistoric fashion.

The garden itself was made up of huge ancient trees, many over 300 years old, with an undergrowth of lush ferns, moss covered rocks, common skunk cabbage with the most enormous leaves, and prehistoric algae clinging on for dear life wherever it could find purchase. The early morning light lazily blinked its way through the mist and the trees.

A gentle walk around the hushed garden was magical. It cast its morning spell over us as we wandered through the garden to find one colorful dinosaur after another. It was glorious. I can't quite express how lovely and perfect this mystical morning stroll around the Prehistoric Garden was for us all. 

William Randolph Hearst the newspaper and magazine publishing tycoon first began building his 'Ranch on the Hill' overlooking the bay of San Simeon back in 1919.  Once built,  the family named their ranch "La Cuesta Encantada,"  Spanish for 'The Enchanted Hill,' as it was often shrouded in a mist, giving it an air of mystery and enchantment. The name 'Hearst Castle' came much later.

Together with Julia Morgan, an esteemed architect determined to be the best in the world at that time, Hearst created a stunning home that played host to some of the richest and most famous people of the day; Winston Churchill, Calvin Coolidge, Charles Lindbergh, Walt Disney, Greta Garbo, Charlie Chaplin, Cary Grant and the list goes on. You can just imagine them relaxing in the opulent castle. 

We were fortunate with the weather and had a memorable day admiring the pools, fountains, pavilions, patios, Spanish inspired twin towers, statues, artwork and the breath taking architecture. How did they manage to get all the building materials up the steep 5 mile long drive way?

Our favorites were the swimming pools; the outdoor Neptune Pool and the indoor Roman Pool with its extravagant gold embossed tiles. We took the Grand Rooms tour but we would love to return to do more of the tours on offer.

Visiting the Forestiere Underground Gardens in Fresno, California, may be the closest I will ever get to visiting a hobbit-hole.

In 1901, a young immigrant farmer from Sicily named Baldassare Forestiere traveled from Italy to America to make his fortune. After arriving in New York City, he spent some time working underground on building the New York subway system, mostly to escape the cold, wet weather that did not favorably compare with the warm Mediterranean weather with which he had grown up. He then spent some time in the Boston area, farming the land and honing his skills. It did not take him long to decide to head west to sunnier climes carrying his dreams to successfully grow a variety of citrus fruits in California.

He landed in Fresno.

With money cobbled together from his previous jobs, instead of lodgings, he bought a large plot of land. By day he worked as a farmer in the scorching summer heat and by night he began to dig, at first simply to create somewhere to rest, out of the sun.

Using only hand tools; a pick, a shovel and a wheelbarrow, he began to make a home for himself underground. He dug through the hardpan to create the most beautiful rooms, patios, grottos, garden courts, fish ponds and meeting spaces, all with Italian flair. Without a plan or formal education, Forestiere built arches, roofs and walls with stonework reminiscent of Catholic Chapels, nooks for religious statuary, benches for prayer, and at the heart of it all, he included the most incredible raised beds from which his beloved citrus trees grew. Of course he grew oranges, lemons and grapefruit but he also grew more unusual varieties like kumquats, loquats, jujubes, carob, quince, and dates as well as wine and table grapes. Experimenting with hybrids he even grew a tree that bore both oranges and lemons from the same bough of the same tree. 

By the time he was 44 years old Baldassare Forestiere had excavated and planted over 10 acres.

By hand!

The beauty, fragrance and energy of the place was incredible. Palpable. Magical.

Perhaps Bilbo Baggins and Baldassare Forestiere shared a distant hobbit ancestor. Belladonna Took has an Italian ring to it, right? I choose to believe Baldy Forestiere enjoyed a comfortable second breakfast just like Bilbo and they certainly shared a love for travel and unexpected adventures.

In 1979, the Forestiere Underground Garden was designated a California Historic Landmark and it is also listed on the National Register of Historic Sites. 

My dear friend, fellow Rowdy Mama, award winning YA author, and the American half of a Japanese American family, Sara Fujimura has recently moved to Illinois and I miss her dearly.

As we wandered around the beautiful and well tended Shin Zen Japanese Friendship Garden in Fresno, my thoughts wandered to my sweet friend and the next chapter of her life. With the blossoms of Spring still on the trees speaking of new beginnings and affirming life itself, I sent her silent prayers and best wishes.

It was all peaceful and zen until Henry inadvertently scared a passing Canadian Goose and we had to quickly scarper as it leapt out of the water to chase us down. Lots of laughter!