The Conejo Valley Guide "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, highlights of local things to do, compilations and other items. Focus is on information relevant to Ventura County and surrounding areas, including Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Malibu, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Somis, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Barbara and Moorpark.
The Conejo Valley Guide® "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, local things to do, holiday event compilations, announcements and more.
It’s been raining almost nonstop throughout Ventura County since last Thursday through today, Super Bowl Sunday and anticipated for another day or two. When there’s rain, there’s a rainbow awaiting. Here are some beauties.
Long-time resident and artist Linda Dark enjoys capturing local Camarillo scenes in oil paint.
Built in 1892, the Camarillo Ranch House is a grand, three-story, 15-room home built by Adolfo Camarillo in the Queen Anne Victorian style. It was named to the National Register of Historic Places in February 2003. Dark captures this local icon on a partly cloudy day.
I had taken this photo of the Camarillo Ranch House, independent of Linda, on another, conveniently partially-cloudy day.
To reach Linda, contact us.
The roadrunner is a chaparral bird that is a member of the cuckoo (Cuculidae) family of birds. They are found in the southwest U.S. and Mexico. These non-migratory birds live in mountainous shrubland, which is why you may seen them from time to time here in the Conejo Valley. These are great birds to have around, dining on insects (including tarantulas), snails, lizards and even rattlesnakes (because of their quickness, roadrunners are one of the few animals that dine on rattlesnakes).
Seen above is some brief footage of a roadrunner seen yesterday on Tarantula Hill and some other footage from Rancho Sierra Vista from last year.
The coast was clear tonight as we viewed several of the Channel Islands from the Rancho Potrero Open Space this final Friday of January 2019. Perhaps the coast IS clear now that the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history ended today, January 25th. Or perhaps not. We will monitor the situation from one of our many perches with a view here in the beautiful Conejo Valley.
The Santa Barbara Mission was established on the Feast of Saint Barbara, December 4, 1786 and was the 10th of 21 California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans. The Mission continues to be the chief cultural and historic landmark in the city of Santa Barbara. Home to a community of Franciscan friars, the Mission also has a retreat center with guest rooms, conference rooms, a fully equipped commercial kitchen and dining room, a beautiful church with a large and active parish, a museum and gift shop, a cemetery and mausoleum and ten acres of beautifully landscaped gardens.
The Santa Barbara Mission in July 2013
Old Mission Church, Santa Barbara (1876), by Carleton Watkins, via Wikimedia Commons
Mission Santa Barbara is California Historical Landmark No. 309. According to the California State Parks Office of Historic Preservation website: Portions of five units of its extensive waterworks, built by Indian labor and preserved in this part, are a filter house, Spanish gristmill, sections of aqueducts, and two reservoirs, the larger of which, built in 1806, is used today as part of the city water system. The fountain and lavadero are nearby, in front of the mission, and a dam built in 1807 is located in the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden, one and one-half miles up Mission Canyon. Only ruins remain of the mission's pottery kiln, guard house, and tanning vats.
The Mission, located at 2201 Laguna Street, is open daily from 9am to 5pm. Admission for self-guided tours as of January 2019 is $9 for adults (18-64) $7 for seniors (65+) and active military (with ID) and $4 for youth ages 5-17. Parking is free.
Docent-led tours (approximately 60 minutes) on most Mondays through Fridays at 11 am and Saturdays at 10:30 am. Cost for docent-led tours is $13 adults, $11 seniors, active military and $8 for youth ages 5-17. Visit www.santabarbaramission.org or call 805.682.4713 to learn more.
We know the Woolsey Fire tore through Malibu Creek State Park last month and we also read news reports that the MASH set was “destroyed” by the fire.
NOT SO!
The park reopened to the public on December 18th and today, December 22nd, I was able to make my way down Crags Road from the MCSP parking lot to check things out.
Greening up nicely in Malibu Creek State Park after some recent rains, roughly six weeks after the Woolsey Fire devastated the area on is way to Malibu.
There were hundreds of charred trees on the way to the MASH site, along with plenty of downed trees and rocks on the path. The hike is not for everyone, especially at this early stage. And there are few points where the path is not particularly clear - unless you already know the way there from prior visits.
But when I got there, to my pleasant surprise, pretty much all of the MASH set items that were previously there were still there, looking pretty much the same. The exception to that is that the iconic M*A*S*H signpost was a bit hard to read. The sign was still there though, apparently unharmed. It may be in need of some refurbishment, however.
As you can see, getting to the MASH site has some challenges resulting from the Woolsey Fire and subsequent rainstorms. Best to wear very solid hiking shoes and stay on the path as best you can.
Alan Alda discusses the final episode of MASH and talks about the fire that raged through Malibu Creek State Park at the time. The final episode was actually filmed before the fire came through.
‘Twas another beautiful evening in the Conejo Valley tonight, Friday, the 14th of December. Here are some shots of what the orange glowing sunset looked like from the Potrero Ridge Trail in Newbury Park.
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
Conejo Valley Guide® covers thousands of events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County, California and surrounding areas.
Conejo Valley Guide is a participant in certain affiliate programs. These affiliate advertising programs are designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to the respective websites. Some links on the site may be affiliate links. We get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking one of these links on our site. Learn more at paidforadvertising.com.
