These pictures were taken on a field trip this week to Mission San Juan Capistrano — one of the many return trips I’ve taken since my first (4th grade) visit.
Even back in grade school, I felt conflicted about Father Junipero Serra’s work at this and other California missions. I believe the padres meant well, but the laws of unintended consequences played out in some very unhappy ways. Still, most of the 21 missions are quite beautiful. And San Juan Capistrano, it’s said, is the crown jewel of El Camino Real.
1. Ruins of the original stone church, which was destroyed by an earthquake in 1812
2. The Fountain of the Four Evangelists, which once provided fresh water for the entire mission community
3. An evocative statue of Father Junipero Serra ministering to a Native American child
4. Thanks to the efforts of the Gardening Angels, the grounds of the Mission are covered with beautiful flowers, edible fruits and vegetables, and a variety of palm, citrus, pepper, and olive trees.
5. Hmm…How exactly does one start the day in church and end up in jail?
Great pics. I’m so glad you posted them. It’s nice to see so many places I’ve never been. 🙂
It’s a restful place in a beautiful location. If you ever come this way, I’d be happy to play tour guide. 🙂
And by the way, the area’s covered with California poppies, which are the same color as your beautiful icon.
I love to visit the mission in SJC, especially in the spring and summer when the gardens are in bloom. There is something profoundly peaceful about old places of worship, even when they’re swarmed with tourists.
Oh, me too! The flower gardens are absolutely stunning right now. Brilliant colors everywhere. Even so, as you said, the mission grounds are very peaceful.
Love, love, love your icon!!!
Very beautiful! THanks for the tour.
Thank you for coming on the field trip with me. Have you ever been? If not, we need to remedy that ASAP. 🙂
What great timing you have. 🙂 I had never heard of Father Junipero Serra (never learned about him in school over here in eastern North Carolina) until just recently–when I started reading Meg Cabot’s Mediator series, which mentions him a lot. Your pictures have helped make the images in my head of the area and the statue and fountain that Meg Cabot describes a little more fully formed! 🙂
Seriously, JS’s in Meg Cabot’s books? I need to check them out from the library.
(Which books are in the Mediator series? Are there several or just a few?)
Yes, he is! There are six books in the Mediator series. I just finished the first one this morning and he’s mentioned a lot in it. The books in that series are: Shadowland, Ninth Key, Reunion, Darkest Hour, Haunted, and Twilight. They’re my treadmill reading right now. 😀
Beautiful as always M! Thanks for brightening my day. ;o)
Hi Andie! I haven’t seen you much lately. I’m glad you poked your head up on LJ, just in time for our field trip! 🙂
How are things going with your agent/manuscript submissions?
Gorgeous photos, Melodye. I especially loved the fountain and wished I could jump in. Or maybe slowly ease into the cool water so as not to disturb those lily pads…
I wish I could have captured the true color of the lily flowers. And as the sign says in front of the fountain, it’s hard to take a picture that shows the water dripping down from the foliage. Apparently, it’s much easier when the light hits it differently. I guess I’ll have to come back every seasion to check that out!
I wish we could sit on a bench in the shade, talking together or just listening to the gurgling fountains, singing birds, and whispering winds. THAT would be so lovely.
Great photos Melodye! I love the flowers! But don’t get me started on the Missionaries and their practices…I tend to take the Native American views on that.
El Camino Real…huh? My husband played at a nightclub that Webb Pierce owned back in the late 50’s…Gene’s mother had died and he went out to San Jose to meet his dad and his dad’s family…Gene ended up playing guitar up in El Camino Real. The lead guitarist of Webb’s band wanted him to go back with them to Nashville, but after getting a taste of the politics not to mention nearly starving to death on what little money he made, he decided to come back to Vermont.
What a great story! It’s one of those Six Degrees of Separation kind of things…or the prose version of It’s A Small World After All. 🙂
Gene always said that he’d much rather be a big frog in a little pond than a small frog in a big pond…and he did play with Dick Curless when he was on tour and heading back up to his home in Maine.