The California True Colors Garden and Learning Center in Thousand Oaks

The California True Colors Garden and Learning Center in front of the Goebel Senior Adult Center in Thousand Oaks is a cooperative project with the University of California Master Gardener Program, Calleguas Muncipal Water District, Conejo Recreation and Park District and the City of Thousand Oaks.

The Garden, located at 1385 East Janss Road in Thousand Oaks, is adjacent to the Thousand Oaks Library and surrounded by plenty of parking. It was established in 2011 to provide the public with examples of plants and practices to conserve water, reduce maintenance and pollution, while offering beauty and a habitat for wildlife.

The mission of the University of California Master Gardener Program is “To extend research based knowledge and information on home horticulture, pest management, and sustainable landscape practices to the residents of California and be guided by our core values and strategic initiatives." Learn more about the Ventura County Master Gardeners Program at ucanr.edu/sites/VCMG.

The Garden contains plenty of California "all star" plants that are well suited to our dry environment. You will find truly "water-wise" plants, grasses and trees here. It is also a training ground for the Master Gardener program. Go check it out next time you're over there!

The Historic Elizabeth Bard Memorial Building in Downtown Ventura

Elizabeth Bard Memorial Building in Downtown Ventura is on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Elizabeth Bard Memorial Building is located at Fir and Poli Streets in Ventura. Built in 1901, it operated as the Elizabeth Bard Memorial Hospital for 30 years. This building, listed as a Ventura Historic Landmark and added to the coveted National Register of Historic Places in 1977, is a Mission Revival structure featuring covered terraces and a covered porch with a three-story bell tower at the southeast corner.

In 1932 the building was sold to the County of Ventura and was used as county offices and as a detention facility. Eventually it fell into disrepair and was sold to private investors in 1982, after which it was extensively renovated...but the external facades were preserved.

Now it is home to a variety of businesses. Yours truly worked in this building for about a year many years ago. Great location! Close to the Ventura Botantical Gardens Trail, which is making a comeback from the Thomas Fire of 2017.

While the building is not open to the general public (unless you are visiting one of the businesses located in it), it is worth admiring this beautiful and historic part of Ventura County.

Elizabeth Bard Memorial Hospital in 1910.

Point Mugu Missile Park in Port Hueneme

Naval Base Ventura County hosts "Missile Park" at the juncture of Wood Road and Naval Air Road in Port Hueneme. It is roughly 20 miles from central Thousand Oaks. Take the 101 west to Lewis Road south, then left on Wood Road until it ends at Missile Park. You can't miss it!

While it is called a park, Missile Park is primarily an interesting display of various aircraft and missiles that have been tested at the Naval Base since World War II.

Aircraft on display include an F-14 Tomcat and an F-4 Phantom II. The Phantom II was a two seat, tandem, twin-engine, all weather, long range supersonic jet interceptor fighter that was in service from 1960 to 1996. The Tomcat is a supersonic, two seat, twin-engine fighter craft. The F-14A on display was the 24th F-14 Tomcat manufactured by Grumman Aerospace Corporation and was last flown in January 1993. It belongs to the National Museum of Naval Aviation and is on permanent display at Missile Park.

There is quite a wide array missiles on display at the park, including an AMRAAM missile, Regulus submarine-launched missile, Sidewinder missile, the Loon missile (an American copy of the German V-1), the BQM-34S "Firebee" Aerial Target, the Polaris ballistic missile, Petrel torpedo, Harpoon missile, Phoenix air-to-air missile, Bullpup air-to-surface missile and others.

There is a small parking area at Missile Park, a picnic bench, trash receptacles, but nothing else, other than the displays. No restrooms. Open daily from sunrise to sunset. 

Encounter with Three Deer in Thousand Oaks in August

Had a brief, peaceful encounter recently with these three deer in the Rancho Sierra Vista open space in Newbury Park this morning. I would stand there and stare back for hours if I could, but I had to move along. Hoping for their continued survival as we forged our way through an extreme mid-August heatwave during the COVID-19 pandemic. It's the little things like this that help keep my spirits up through these challenging times.

Positive and Uplifting Thoughts From Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Followers During the Pandemic

Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters just reached its 5th anniversary at 111 N. Reino Road, Newbury Park (Trader Joe's/CVS plaza). If you're looking for an independent, local family-owned coffee and bake shop, this is the place for you! ragamuffinroasters.com.

We’ve been hosting daily gift card drawings for local Conejo Valley eateries on the Conejo Valley Guide Facebook Page since July 23rd. These drawings have been made possible thanks to donations from several hundred individuals and businesses at bit.ly/CVGFund (credit cards) and paypal.me/ConejoValleyGuide.

In a recent drawing, we asked folks to enter by adding a positive and/or uplifting comment to the post. Here’s a compilation of some of those comments.

• “Do small things with great love.” - Mother Theresa

• Choose to be kind over being right and you will be right all the time.

• After every storm a rainbow appears.

• Remember that time heals all, and if we all stick together we will be okay!

• A smile is a curve that can set things straight.

• No matter how hard the past, you can always begin again.

• Whatever you decide to do, make sure it makes you happy.

• “You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.”

• Enjoy the time you have, with the people you have it with!! Family, whether blood or not, is everything!

• Find the good, and share it with others.

• Be so happy that, when other people look at you, they become happy too.

• All it can take is a smile to change someone’s whole day.

• Tough times don’t last but tough people do.

• Be kind. You don't know what people are going through. Wish them well

• When words are both true and kind, they can change the world!

• Find something positive in each and every day.

• Find time to do something nice for someone today.

• “I don’t think of all the misery, but of all the beauty that still remains” - Anne Frank

• When you can’t control what’s happening, challenge yourself to control the way you respond,

• “If it was easy, then everyone would do it!”

• “Kindness costs nothing, yet it is the most precious gift.”

• Smile with your eyes. You can do it. You may not think people will notice, but they do.

• May you see sunshine where others see shadows, and opportunities where others see obstacles.

• To quote Dory, “Just keep swimming.”

• Stars shine brightest in the dark.

• Be positive and thankful for all that you have.

• May your WiFi be as strong as your coffee!

• Sprinkle kindness like it's confetti.

• Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits put together that will overwhelm the world.

• The sun will come out tomorrow.

• As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate.—Albert Schweitzer

• Be yourself and the right people will love the real you.

• Always believe something wonderful is about to happen.

Sweet Arleen's in the Westlake Plaza at 960 S. Westlake Blvd, Ste 4 is named after its original owner, Arleen Scavon, but is now owned by Chef Julia San Bartolome. They worked together to win the Food Network Cupcake Wars three times. Walk into this shop and you'll be mesmerized by the cupcakes on display. sweetarleens.com

Ventura and Oxnard Historical Pictures, Courtesy of the U.C. Cooperative Extension

The University of California Cooperative Extension brings research-based information to Californians.  It is an educational outreach program, that, with the help of thousands of volunteers, assists with nutrition and 4-H youth development programs, agriculture, horticulture, natural resources, gardening and other areas.  For more information, visit http://ceventura.ucdavis.edu.

Through the UCCE website I came across this really neat slideshow with historical pictures of Ventura and Oxnard from mid to late 1800s to the early 1900s.  The slideshow was originally created in 1963.  There are interesting and informative descriptions with each photo.  Many thanks to Steve Griffin of the U.C. Cooperative Extension in Ventura who patched the original pictures and descriptions together to make this available to the public.

Historic Japanese Cemetery in Oxnard is Ventura County Historical Landmark No. 18

Located at the east corner of Etting and Pleasant Valley Roads in Oxnard (between Rose and Rice Avenues) is the Historic Japanese Cemetery, circa 1908. The site was designated Ventura County Historical Landmark No. 17 in June 1971.

From time to time I drive by this awkwardly situated cemetery, a narrow sliver sandwiched between the hustle and bustle of Pleasant Valley Road and a mobile home park to the north and a residential area to the south.

NOTE: The cemetery was vandalized on 6/19/17. The Ventura County Japanese American Citizens League is leading the effort to restore the cemetery. Learn more at venturacountyjacl.weebly.com/cemetery-restoration.html.

According to the Ventura County Cultural Heritage Board, the Japanese Cemetery was given by the Masonic Lodge to the Japanese community at a time when the Japanese were not permitted to own land in California. The larger Masonic cemetery lies to the east of the Japanese plot. The markers are wooden boards on which inscriptions in Japanese are printed. The last burials were around 1960.

The site has been cleaned up in recent years by the Ventura County Japanese American Citizens League.