Rancho Los Alamitos...

Historic Ranch and Gardens in Long Beach.  The family home is now a museum on the seven and a half acre grounds donated to the City of Long Beach by the heirs of the property's most famous owner, Fred Bixby.

 The Magnolia and Palm trees in the front yard are magnificent.

 Tennis anyone?

 The formal gardens - a series of "rooms".

The cactus and succulent garden is huge, and should be glorious soon when the plants bloom.

 The barns are still home to vintage equipment, plus chickens, ducks, rabbits, sheep, and two Shire horses, the breed once raised on the ranch by Bixby.

Murals on the walls and floors in the Visitors' Center.  We look forward to returning here in December for one of the ranch's holiday events.

The colors of the setting sun...

 ...are particularly lovely this time of year.  What better way to get some practice with a new camera than to take pictures of the sun's late afternoon ebb, as seen through the trees and vines of our little patio?

Also seen last night in our patio garden...

 A few of the succulents are beginning to flower.

The camellia is now blooming like crazy!

This tomato plant just doesn't want to give up!  The last piece of fruit hangs now from a broken branch.  (Silly plant is still getting buds - but this WILL be the last because there are plans to start winter greens in that pot very soon.)  This plant came advertised as a Plum tomato, but the fruit has all been very plum shaped, but cherry sized. Oh well - they all tasted good!

Adding just a bit of cheer...

...to an autumn evening are these two new battery operated "candles", sitting on either side of Mr. Fox on the mantel.  What we didn't know when we bought them was that they have a five hour time setting.  And, not only do they turn off in five hours, they also turn themselves back on in another nineteen!

Decorating with pumpkins...

 Doesn't have to mean Jack-O-Lanterns!  On the post in front - a multi-colored, purely ornamental variety.  The blue green beauties on the front steps ARE edible, and are supposed to make great pumpkin bread.  Hmmmm.....

Back to The Aquarium of the Pacific...

 A very hot (in the 90's at 10:00 a.m.) Monday morning in November seemed the perfect day to go see the new Penguin Habitat at the Aquarium in Long Beach.  Turns out it was hotter than we expected even there, cutting today's visit a bit short.  But, we enjoyed watching the penguins swimming in their new home.  Just a few new pictures. We've posted lots of them from there before!

Silvery anchovies and brightly colored underwater wonders.

 The new Penguin Habitat.  We hoped that they'd tire of swimming and go up on land for more photos.  No such luck.