Mother's Day Treat: The Olive Garden

A lot of moms enjoy a dinner out at a nice restaurant for our special day.

As for me, the Olive Garden I am referencing isn't a restaurant, it is a feral orchard planted by San Bernardino city founders,

UPDATE: I WAS INCORRECT ABOUT THE FOLLOWING:

Mormon pioneers, circa 1850.

TODAY I FOUND THIS RECORD:

"Their [the Kansas City Real Estate Investment Co.] first farming developments were in the late 1880s when crews planted acres of olive trees. In an Earl Buie column from a May 1962, Sun, in the California Room, Feldheym Library files, remarked that 17 acres of olives from Eureka Stree almost to the foothills were planted by another land developer syndicate, Avery and Little, in the late 1890s." https://www.highlandnews.net/entertainment/how-tierra-de-la-rosa-became-del-rosa/article_60b69024-e9a7-53d8-af3a-1aa690ad9bfc.html

Many of the olive trees are in full bloom. This is the first time I have ever scrutinized these humble flowers, and they are so interesting when viewed with the macro function of my cellphone.

A cluster of tiny, pale buds

A miniature spray of open blossoms

These flowers promise an abundant harvest of wonderful fruit.

You may remember my post from this past fall where we gathered a pailfull of these feral olives and pressed them for oil. https://steemit.com/wildcrafting/@creationofcare/wildcrafting-feral-olives

This year, I want to go about gathering and pressing this amazing free bounty in a more organized way. There is a lot of variation in the fruits of individual trees, and I hope to categorize them for the best oil yield and taste.

Everyone enjoys a trip to The Olive Garden, it is extremely dog-friendly!

What Mother's Day would be complete without a gift of flowers? The olive trees weren't the only things in bloom here in Borea Canyon!

Chaparral Sage with bee

Close up of White Sage blossom

A slope covered in Sunflowers and Morning Glories

Wild Morning Glory

The sand wash was dotted with colorful wildflowers.

A sunny yellow bloom

Elderberry Blooms. I will return this week to collect some for a floral infusion, that Victorian delicacy.

Tree Tobacco, Nicotiana Glauca

This member of the tobacco family is full of a dangerous substance, toxic anabasine, and should only be used under the supervision of an experienced ethnobotanist. Smoking or eating it can prove fatal. However, it is an attractive plant especially when loaded with its tubular yellow flowers.

Nicotiana Glauca blossoms

Tree Tobacco is not the only heavy Medicine plant growing wild here. Yhere are also sprawling Datura vines with their huge, white trumpet flowers. Brisket dove under one in a mad attempt to catch a squirrel.

I adore my handsome dog!

To me, there is no better way to get spoiled than to be accompanied on a walk in the wilds!

Meanwhile, my 18 year old son spent the afternoon working on a tool block for my leather stamps. It is nearly finished, so I will wait to show it off when complete. For now, here he is, saying hi with a chicken!

I hope you enjoyed love and connection on your Mother's Day weekend! Feel free to share in the comments below, I would love to upvote you!

Love,Cat
@creationofcare