Field Trip of the Week: Santa Barbara Mission

While the older kids attended a conference in Santa Barbara,  E-R,  I-E, and I enjoyed a beautiful afternoon at the Santa Barbara Mission.  We took the self-guided tour that leads through the grounds and interior of parts of the mission. 

Right after entering and paying for our tour, we walked through a dark narrow hallway to head outside.        Worn in a way telling the history of the many people who have walked through the mission, the tiles in the dark hallway leading to the beginning of the tour was my favorite part of the tour.   I imagine those tiles were made by the local Chumash Indians with nothing much more than mud and fire.    Hopefully, the legacy I leave behind will last as long and guide as many people. 

Those tiles lead us outside to a beautiful courtyard.   The first room along the corridor of the courtyard had a movie showing a brief history of the mission.   What I found most interesting about his mission is its continued use throughout the last 225 years.    It is to this day being used as an active church and community gathering place.  

After watching the movie, we walked through the chapel to the cemetery.   Many notable Santa Barbarians have been buried there.   The most interesting "resident" of the cemetery is

This is the woman depicted in one of our favorite books : Island of the Blue Dolphin by Scott ODell.  Seeing her plaque (her actually spot of burial has been lost to history) helped us realize this story was based on a real person.   Later on in the tour we were able to see some of the belongings she left the island with---a basket and some shells.   This awesome fig tree was in the center of the cemetery. 

This tree is believed to be about 180 years old.   What I wouldn't give to have this "climbing" tree in my backyard!

The interior part of the mission had a lot of neat displays.   Including music from the early history of the mission.

Much of it written in Latin.   It was fun to pick out the words we knew.   The musical notation was very different than what we use today.   I'm wondering when the musical form we use today came about.   Uuummmm, sounds like something we need to research!  

Of course the tour ended in the gift shop!    Lots of neat mission related stuff as well as not so mission related stuff!   

All in all, we really enjoyed the tour.  Most of all  I enjoyed spending time with just my littles

(who aren't so little anymore)!  

  

We've decided next we need to visit the local mission right in the town we live in.  

What field trips have you taken recently?

Be sure to see lots of neat field trip at the Field Trip Hop!  

Education Update April 5--9, 2010

Spring Break!   That's what we did this week.  A dear friend of A-M visited us from Saint Louis, MO.   We fit quite a lot into the week.   On Tuesday after picking up AT from the airport, we drove up the coast stopping at the beach along the way.   AT had never been to the beach (except Coney Island--which lets just say is not a true beach experience) and loved it, but walked away with out a love of sand!  

Later on Tuesday afternoon, a few of A-M's and N's friends came over to welcome AT.  They played ninja, went to the park and played capture the flag, and then came back to eat.   Fun was had by all.

Wednesday we trekked to the Ronald Reagan Library.  

I was a bit appalled at the slanted view of history presented at the library, but it sparked a good bit of conversation.   We all enjoyed the tour of Airforce One and the miniature white house.  

Thursday we lazied about in the morning before visiting Chucky
Cheese and heading to the beach again.  

Friday we drove to a Solvang.  Solvang is a Dannish town with beautiful buildings and wonderful pastries! 

  After chosing pastries for everyone, we heading to a waterfall we had on our list to hike to for quite a while!  

After a short hike, we turned the corner and AAAAHHHHHHHHH!   It was worth the drive!

Next we headed over to La Purissima Mission.   It was perfect day for the tour.   The kids got to ring the bells--always a highlight of the tour. 

These bars where on the windows of the mission to keep grizzly bears out!  I think I'm really thankful for the time I live in.

This is a soldier's quarter.  His world is hanging above his bed.  Note his gun--it didn't work in the damp CA coastly weather.   Instead the weapon of choice was:

A Lance. 

A nest of baby great-horned owls are current residents of the mission.

We also got to wash our hands using the blossoms of one of the native plants growing at the mission.

We also visited the turkeys.  The tom is always ready to defend his hens.

One of AT's goals during his week in CA was to climb a palm tree.  I didn't think it was possible but our expert tree climber proved us wrong!

At this point AT was yelling--hurry up and taking picture!  So not all the way to the top, but quite a good showing I would say!

We had a great week.  I'm glad our guest came to visit.  It was wonderful visiting with him and it forced us to get out and do all the things one puts off doing for more mundane everyday things!