My fav place...

My Favorite Things, Julie Andrews

What are your favorite places? Things? We all have them. I can name mine on one hand. My grandmother's Santa Clara garden, my uncle's sister Dorthea's rambling estate in Colefax, my Godmother's (who also happened to be my great aunt) Mountain View home. My very favorite place of all is the Santa Clara Carmelite Monestery. What do they have in common? Aesthetic beauty, love and tranquility. 
The Carmelite Monestery has always been my fav place to go on walks.  Aunt Bette, gram and I would stroll through the grounds when I was very small. Then when I went to Jr. High, we didn't have middle schools then, the Monestery was next door, cloistered behind strawberry pink stucco walls. The high tower bell would ring out when the nuns were in need of food.  The grounds occupy a square city block and have two gated entrances. Click on pics to enlarge.

Jack London wrote Call of the Wild, in a pink colored ranch styled bungalow on the grounds while staying as a guest of his friend, a judge (click on above plaque to read), The next owner a US senator's sister was a Carmelite nun. When the Senator died he bequethed the grounds to the Carmelites.
When David, Tara and Amanda were small they would walk the grounds with me after they woke from their afternoon naps. When ALL of us went to Santa Cruz in 2010 we showed the grounds to Erin, Jeff, Sam and the grandchildren. We walked through the grounds, taking pictures... thought I would share this special place with you. Enjoy!

                                                               Carmelite Monestery, Santa Clara.