Finding Friendlier Wildlife

          Our next adventure is a very short drive down the highway to The Arboretum on June 28th, .  I heard that our region is supposedly under a heat wave warning, but I can't figure out what that means.  Every time I check the weather it is in the upper 80s or low 90s.  When is this heat wave going to hit?  Does it somehow skip our little town?  Are they wrong and the heat wave won't come?  Silly me, how was I supposed to know that in SoCal 90s are considered a heat wave?  At home right now they are getting mid 90 degree days and haven't had rain in a while.  To me, that's summer.  Sure 90 degree days aren't the typical summer weather but it happens often enough that it isn't a massive surprise.  As a kid it seemed like it was always super hot when we wanted to play outside, and the only time we would allow ourselves to be kept indoors was if the heat was over 100.

          Apparently my tolerance for heat has changed since I've grown, and I'd rather not go out if the temperature is in the upper 80s.  However, I'm in California.  Everyone says the heat out here is different, it's a "dry heat" or something, which makes it sound like it should be more bearable.  So when the temperature is supposed to be in the low to mid 90s I say sure, let's spend a few hours outside looking at exotic plant life.

Ha. Ha. Ha.

          As the housekeeper and I discuss the following Monday: heat is heat.  It's the same wherever you go and it doesn't feel any better just because people call it a "dry heat."

          We leave for the arboretum after lunch and the sunscreen accidentally remains on the table with our plates.  The first thing I notice, though, is the beautiful peacock roaming freely outside the grounds beside some large, pink flowers.  The first thing D notices are two lizards, one sunbathing on a palm tree trunk and the other running through the grass away from us.  We try to get as close to these animals as we can without them running away before we realize we really should head inside and see what we'll be paying for rather than spending all our time near the parking lot.

          We buy our tickets and head in.  Peacocks are calling from several directions.  Just how many are there in here; why don't they leave?  Peacocks can fly, and one is outside the grounds so I'm guessing the others can get out, too.  We begin our world plant tour by heading through Africa and Australia.  The plants are grouped by appearance and we explore the spiny area which offers no shade but plenty of horror movie inspirations.  Now we notice how miserable the heat is, and the sun makes it all the worse.  Without sunscreen I foresee my turning into a lobster by tonight.

          Sadly the heat and sun act as accelerant for our feet and we speed through the beautiful flowers and plants in search of our next shady reprieve.  The greenhouse full of orchids is also full of humidity that the fans blow over my  head but D is tall enough to enjoy the breeze.  We don't spend much time in the greenhouses or anywhere, but I am obligated to stop just long enough to get a few photos.  I don't think D would let me leave without plenty of pictures.

There are so many minnows in these ponds. I wonder if the turtles eat them.

          The strange thing about my body is that I seem to be intolerant to my own sweat.  I break out in small itchy hives everywhere I sweat and scratching only turns them into large, unbearable welts.  I learned quickly to leave them alone until I can shower the sweat away.  I've told D about this but today is the first time he sees for himself.  Thankfully he takes pity on me and understands when I don't want to hold his hand and I definitely don't want to be touched.  He even lets me set the pace and asks before taking routes that could extend the trip.  We are here to see as much as we can, so I make sure not to let the itchies prevent us from seeing too much.

          D's favorite spots are the ponds full of turtles and large fish.  Thankfully the biggest one is near a shady area so we pause to enjoy the shade, breeze, and animals.  A bee is stuck in the water and several minnows are trying to get it.  A turtle swims toward us along with some large fish.  We wonder if people sometimes feed them and that is why they don't seem scared of us.  There are more turtles in a pond that can be seen from a yin-yang patio, and some ducks and large fish in a pond across from a waterfall.  I can certainly see that this place would make an ideal wedding venue.  All the photo ops!  I'd just look for a cooler day.

          I love the waterfall, too, but I am amazed when I spot some huge, vertical lines I've only seen in other people's photos: bamboo.  I don't know what it is about bamboo that I find so magnetic but it draws me right in.  Despite the uncomfortable heat we take time to enjoy this amazing plant.  It comes in many varieties, too!  As we continue around the last circle I grabbed shots of the different kinds of bamboo.  We hold hands happily as we head for the exit and on the ride home I dream of a cool shower.  After the itchies are gone I see that I got lucky and only the tops of my shoulders are red.

          That night D introduces me to the Magic Shell ice cream topping and that makes all the cares of they day melt away as the chocolate syrup solidifies on my Triple Play ice cream.  Saturday is a lazy day since D has a video chat meeting.  We go out to lunch at Olive Garden and enjoy unlimited soup, salad and bread sticks.  Their chicken and gnocchi soup is the best.  Sunday will be our next day of adventure and we'll be off to see a completely different variety of wildlife.