Catching the Magic

Travels in New Zealand and beyond, going back to 2003!

Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Blasts from the past
  • Country Kids
  • Motherhood
  • Poetry
    • 2011 Poetry
    • 2012 Poetry
    • 2013 Poetry
    • 2014 Poetry
    • 2015 Poetry
    • 2016 Poetry
    • 2017-2018 Poetry
  • Travel
    • Auckland
    • Fiordland
    • Kapiti Coast
    • Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough & Canterbury
    • Otago, Queenstown, Wanaka & Southern Lakes
    • Taupo, Rotorua & Tongariro National Park
    • Wairarapa
    • Byron Bay and the Gold Coast (2005 and 2016)
    • Californian Adventures, 2013-14
    • Canada, Dec. 2018
    • Cook Islands
    • Copenhagen, July & August 2014
    • Japan
    • Singapore
    • Sydney
    • UK Visits from 2014 to 2022
    • England via Santa Barbara & San Francisco, 2012
    • England via San Francisco – July 2007
    • NZ to UK, with our 9 month old, 2004
  • Running
  • Special Days
Menu

Miss 3 & I visit The Mission in Santa Barbara, California

Posted on February 2, 2014August 22, 2014 by BritMumInNZ

Weekends are my golden time with my youngest daughter. During the week, Monday to Friday, I have to please all three daughters single-handedly (and Miss 8 and 10 rarely have the same desire to do the same outdoor activities & excursions as their younger sister). So it was that Miss 3 and I awoke with a plan this Saturday morning. A plan to explore ‘The Mission’ in Santa Barbara.

The Mission in Santa Barbara, California

As well as to make the most of our time to stop at a passing beach if we so pleased…

Miramar Beach, Santa Barbara

and run on the grass if the fancy took us…

The Mission, Santa Barbara

The Mission in Santa Barbara was established on the Feast of Saint Barbara, December 4, 1786 and was the tenth of twenty-one California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans.

The Mission Santa Barbara

When I’d attempted to visit The Mission with all my daughters, earlier in the week, it was very short-lived due to my two older children finding the smell instantly overwhelming. My younger daughter and I couldn’t smell anything, but the older two insisted on there being a strong smell of pigs and we had to race through, with me promising my Miss 3 we’d return together for a one-on-one visit. It wasn’t till I got home and read more about the history of The Mission that I realised how startling my older daughter’s reaction to The Mission was –

‘The Franciscans taught the Indians agriculture.  The principal products of the field were wheat, barley, corn, beans, and peas.  Orange and olive trees were planted, and grapevines were cultivated.  In 1807, an Indian dam was built to bring water to the mission via an aqueduct.  Mission Santa Barbara also had cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, mules, and horses in great number.  In 1809, there were 5,200 head of cattle and in 1803 11,221 head of sheep.’ (Our History, Old Mission Santa Barbara)

So, perhaps my older daughters had some sensory, historical link back in time! Whatever it was, they both said they’d never go back. Thankfully, Miss 3 wasn’t at all perturbed and I was delighted to return to explore the beautiful church and grounds.

Church of the Mission Santa Barbara

Church of the Mission Santa Barbara

Mission Santa Barbara

Miss 3 was very much in awe of the building and the incredible cacti in the grounds!

The grounds of the Mission Santa Barbara

The Mission Santa Barbara

A lovely visit, second time around, with a willing explorer (who had no weird sense of strange smells from hundreds of years ago!).

______________________________

Linking up with the wonderful Coombe Mill, Country Kids, linky –
where this week they have been involved with the RSPB’s ‘Big Garden Bird Watch Day’.

Country Kids from Coombe Mill Family Farm Holidays Cornwall

Related posts

  • Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington | Where history & coastal reserve meetJanuary 27, 2016 Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington | Where history & coastal reserve meet
  • Kiwi Kids Hit the Beach in Santa Barbara!August 31, 2014 Kiwi Kids Hit the Beach in Santa Barbara!
  • June 27, 2014 Parenting Moments to Love – whilst we lay low between travel adventures!
  • Things I’m Loving May 23, 2014 Things I’m Loving
  • Country Kids – more like ‘Spy Kids’!!!April 27, 2014 Country Kids – more like ‘Spy Kids’!!!
  • April 18, 2014 Country Kids | Active snapshots from our week
Category: Adventures Californian Adventures 2013-2014

Post navigation

← Things I’m Loving on the crazy home front
An English Wedding & a reunion of old friends (Part 2 of my trip to the UK) →
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
  • Pinterest

Archives

Recent Posts

  • A holiday in paradise – ten blissful days in Rarotonga, in the beautiful Cook Islands. August 8, 2023
  • Marlborough Food & Wine Festival Birthday Celebration August 7, 2023
  • A few running events to kick off the year & a sub-4 PB at the Rotorua Marathon! May 10, 2023
  • Auckland mid-week break away for Harry Styles! April 4, 2023
  • Celebrating a Birthday with a Meerkat Encounter! March 30, 2023
  • Summer holiday in Rotorua & Taupo March 29, 2023
  • Christmas and a Birthday in Wellington January 12, 2023
  • Summer highlights from the Wairarapa January 8, 2023
  • A long weekend with friends near Goat Island Marine Reserve January 6, 2023
  • It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas – southern hemisphere style! December 23, 2022
  • Wellington Lantern Festival – in the spring rain December 18, 2022
  • Toast Martinborough – Wine and Food Festival December 16, 2022

Things I Write About

Art (100) autumn (42) Baking (37) beach (67) Birthday (51) birthday party (31) breastfeeding (29) cafes (46) christmas (70) Country Kids (59) family (115) family time (57) featured (34) friends (38) Garden (43) holiday (36) Holidays (131) Lyall Bay (47) Lyrical Sunday (68) milestones (62) motherhood (37) New Zealand (38) parenting (36) photography (39) poem (69) poetry (92) running (57) Santa Barbara (32) school (75) school holidays (49) seasons (45) Silent Sunday (51) sisters (29) sleep (35) spring (38) summer (60) swimming (28) the gallery (62) Things I'm Loving (118) UK (30) Walks (47) weather (34) Wellington (137) winter (42) writing (50)

Poetry

Follow Sarah's board Poetry by Sarah Lee on Pinterest.
20 Of The Best Expat Blogs To Follow In 2017

Related posts

  • Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington | Where history & coastal reserve meetJanuary 27, 2016 Oruaiti Reserve, Wellington | Where history & coastal reserve meet
  • Kiwi Kids Hit the Beach in Santa Barbara!August 31, 2014 Kiwi Kids Hit the Beach in Santa Barbara!
  • June 27, 2014 Parenting Moments to Love – whilst we lay low between travel adventures!
  • Things I’m Loving May 23, 2014 Things I’m Loving
  • Country Kids – more like ‘Spy Kids’!!!April 27, 2014 Country Kids – more like ‘Spy Kids’!!!
  • April 18, 2014 Country Kids | Active snapshots from our week
© 2023 Catching the Magic | Powered by Minimalist Blog WordPress Theme