Mission - San Rafael Arcángel

CALIFORNIA REGISTRER HISTORICAL LANDMARK #220

Located in San Rafael, Mission San Rafael Arcángel was established in 1817 as a sanitarium for those affected by the inclement San Francisco weather.  In 1822 it became a full fledged mission. 

The original 1817 chapel has been replaced with a replica which serves the community in the area along with a newer church built in 1919.

My sister, brother-in-law and I visited on a beautiful November morning.  Unfortunately the gift shop wasn't open and there was no museum, so it was just a quick chapel view.

Mission San Rafael Arcángel

History of San Rafael Arcángel

Mission San Rafael Arcángel - Wikipedia

Morro Bay State Park

After visiting Estero Bluffs State Park in January we drove around and ended up at Morro Bay State Park.  

The towers of the decommissioned Nuclear  Power Plant stand at the entrance to the park.  There is a great walkway, benches and artwork making this one of the more developed parks in the area  

Morro Bay State Park

MorroBay.org

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NMP = Gettysburg

Greg's great grandfather William Osborn Chapman fought at Gettysburg so a tirip to see the battlefield was on our bucketlist for a long time.  In 2005 we finally made it.  After stopping at the visitor center we hired a car tour guide (he hopped into our car) and got an individualized tour that included the exact spots including this railroad cut where the 95th NY fought.

NHP - Gettysburg National Military Park

Gettysburg Address

Soldiers and Sailors Database

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Love Song and Love Bugs

 Just in time for Valentines I finished a quilt I've been working on for about six months.  I kept coming up with new ideas and ripping out the old.  It does have a love song.  

 

In an effort to use up the stash, I created love bugs for everyone this Valentines Day.

Mission - San Buenaventura

CALIFORNIA REGISTRER HISTORICAL LANDMARK #310

This mission, known as the Mission by the Sea is located in Ventura was founded on Easter Sunday, March 31, 1782. It was the ninth and last mission consecrated by Saint Junipero Serra. It was named in honor of Saint Bonaventure  a Cardinal and Doctor of the church who lived from 1221 to 1274. I haven't managed to get there myself but William and his brother John recently visited and sent me some pictures

San Buenaventura Mission

Estero Bluffs State Park

A trip to San Luis Obispo provided a chance to visit Estero Bluffs State Park.  Heavy rains had left the area green and muddy but we found a less trampled patch and were able to see the beauty of the area.

Estero Bluffs State Park

Estero Bluffs SP - Outdoor Project

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CSHP - Sutter's Fort and California State Indian Museum

There were many visits through the years, the first probably in the early sixties.  

About 1980 I took a group of campfire girls up for a visit.  They camped out overnight in Maura’s backyard.  

In September 2022 the California State Parks Foundation hosted an Insider Tour of both the Fort and the Museum.  During the presentations the Park Service revealed the changing focus of the historic park.  It will no longer be a tribute to Sutter, but rather an exploration of the history of the fort, with the history of the indigenous people that were uprooted in the area and those forced to work for Sutter told in the best way possible.  It is a daunting task to undertake the changes.  But I find it very exciting that the real tale will hopefully be told and the revisionist history of the last century be exposed for what it is.  I hope that the park will get the support it needs from all the citizens of California.  I was particularly impressed by the programing for 4th graders that has been converted and keeps improving to meet the new goals.  I was really impressed by the cooperation of the park staff, the Friends of Sutter's Fort and the indigenous community and their careful steps to do it right.

I hadn't visited the State Indian Museum, which is located next to the Fort, before.  It is a very small museum with just a few exhibits but according to the volunteer who not only told the stories of some of the displays, but also played his pipe for us, it is a gathering place for Indians no matter where there native roots lie.  The state has recently decided to fund an Indian Heritage Center in Sacramento, so that will be something to visit in the future.

Sutter's Fort State Historic Park

Friends of Sutter’s Fort

Sutter’s Fort - Wikipedia

California State Indian Museum

California Indian Heritage Center Foundation

Trail Posts: A Literary Exploration of California's State Parks Read a selection from Frédérik-Louis Sauser's (Blaise Cendrars) novel Gold:the Marvellous History of General John Augustus Sutter

 

NHP - Minuteman Missle

 Another stop on our 2014 Lewis and Clark tour again in the middle of nowhere.  It is definitely worth a stop to get a feel for this part of our history.

Minuteman Missile National Historic Park

 

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My House

 

Another 48 x 60 quilt, this one started with a kit to make the house panel.  Right away I changed it because the kit had raw edges zig zagged on.  Instead I hand sewed the houses, changing them as I went and added different shapes to the trees and added some bushes.  Left over material went into the border around the houses.

I couldn't figure out where I would hang it though so I kept going with material from my stash and it became a quilt.