Wandering on a Summer Afternoon
“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.” - John Lubbock
Pasadena is really a wanderer’s paradise regardless of season. It’s a good thing that it’s so close to home that it satisfies the itch to wander, gives me some exercise and helps me write all about it. The perfect trifecta.
Today started with a stop at Gamble House home of David and Mary Gamble of the Procter and Gamble known for creating the soap that floats, Ivory Soap. The architecture is distinct with sleeping porches, overhanging eaves and a plethora of plants growing what appears like almost out of the house.
Tours are available and I absolutely could not believe that it was sold out for the time that I arrived. Clearly a weekday afternoon is no deterrent to folks wandering around. The interior is also quite distinct but not wanting to wait around I resolved to return another day with a ticket bought in advance to see the interior.
The gardens drowsed in the summer heat with fountains adding the tinkling sound of water. As the docent told me, it’s one big garden and you can walk around and over the grass through the porches.
Since I didn’t get a tour, I can’t tell you if these plants trained this way are meaningful, but I found it very interesting and something worthy of sharing.
On the back of the house was a second fountain with gentle bubbling water and lotus flowers blooming.
I left Gamble House for more wandering around the neighborhoods of Pasadena. I ended up at Merritt House, which is now closed to the public, but it put me back in the mental frame of feeling like I was wandering in Europe and looking into a hidden garden.
Avoiding the no trespassing signs and locked gates I wandered around the back where I could find a bench on the green and admire the hidden nooks and cranny’s that were visible from my vantage point.
The Ambassador Gardens which I had originally come in search off were pretty but not as impressive as I was led to believe. Also, the pool was dry and devoid of water.
Merritt Mansion was renowned for its beautiful formal Italian garden which is now hidden away behind locked gates. These urns bursting with flowers provided both a hint of what they hid as well as a privacy fence.
This entire area is full of apartments, and I ran into a local who was walking by. She told me that this area had been open to the public until a couple of years ago but no more.
Around the corner was a waterfall and a stream that with running water that warbled and gurgled and skipped over the stones in its path.
What a tempting sight on a warm summer afternoon. I resisted kicking off my sandals and wading into the water even though there were no signs forbidding it.
As I headed to my last stop of the day which despite all the information I had about it being open was closed. However, I ended up on Arroyo Drive and under the 101 freeway and satisfied my urge to get a picture of the Pasadena Ninth Circuit court which started its life as a resort.
At the park right under Colorado Boulevard Bridge children were coming in for a picnic or just to play. Alas! my day and wandering were done, and I was ready to head back home and call it a success.