Country Home, Escondido

Today, I squeezed out the last remaining hours of my three-day weekend and seized the opportunity to wish a friend a belated happy birthday. The couple recently bought a beautiful home in Escondido, so this was also my chance to take a look at their new place. 

The views are breathtaking and very much worth the drive, approximately 30 miles northeast of central San Diego. The farthest mountain, the blue one in the background, is part of the Cuyamaca Mountains. It is home to the Cuyamaca forest and to a little town called Julian, famous for its apple trees and apple pies. We weren't sure what the mountains in the foreground are called. The flowers are a kind of poppy. Little yellow birds alighted on the flowers, but much too quickly for me to grab the camera. 

Dozens of elated swallows circled high up in the sky overhead, singing and chirping vociferously. 

Escondido can become very hot in the summer, but it was a very pleasant day and perfect in the shade. A cool breeze played through the trees and through the open doors of the house. 

Shade under sprawling green trees, and more shade under the dramatic awning. Wind chimes played gracefully in the breeze, as well. 

The property is a nature-lover's dream, with abundant fruit trees and various flowers and plants. This is a picture of mustard flowers. There were orange, grapefruit, apple, avocado, and loquat trees, grapevines, macadamia trees. . . you name it, it was there. 

Avocado

Macadamia

Grapevines

Loquats

 I can't remember half the names of the different trees, but the majority need to be watered regularly. Only the palm trees can survive without extra watering in this more arid climate. 

The plant in the foreground is the agave plant. Indian tribeswomen used to chew this plant and mix it with their saliva to begin a fermentation process in the making of pulque. It would then be offered to the men of the tribe. John Steinbeck's The Pearl, set in La Paz, Mexico, describes the character Kino drinking this beverage, but the agave plant is also made into a kind of syrup that can be used to sweeten desserts, such as homemade ice cream. 

I am convinced that all my future dwellings must provide a connection to the earth, generous natural light, and if possible, a fantastic view. 

 Every room in the house has several windows, some even have a second row of windows closer to the ceiling to let in additional light. The result is an airy, light atmosphere inside the home. 

A Santa Fe- style home, with solid wood doors. The clay lion's head is from Mexico and over 100 years old. The home is built from stone, wood, tile, and clay materials, resulting in a very earthy, warm, and inviting space.