The Good, the Carlsbad, and the Hubby!
Okay, maybe not my best title. 
The Carlsbad Flower Fields just north of San Diego, CA are a feast for the eyes. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, these 55 or so acres of ranunculus flowers wave gently in the offshore breezes, providing a riot of color for the many visitors who come in to check out the fields. When I win the lottery, I want one of the condos up on the hill. Flowers and water–more than any desert-dweller could hope for!
According to the website, there are 10 million ranunculus plants, with a variety of color and kind. Supposedly, this is the tail end of the season. I can’t imagine what the height of the season looks like.
You seldom see bees around since these flowers are wind-pollinated. I learned that from one of the helpful volunteers. So if we lose all our bees to cell-phone towers or pesticides or chemical additives from China, we may not have fruit, vegies, or honey, but we will have flowers for our graves.
The farm has been in operation for about 80 years, and some smart cookie along the way decided that opening to the public might be a good thing. I’m sure the extra stream of income is helpful to the farmers, but it is a joy maker to the public, as well. Now, if we could just keep the idiots on the designated walkways, it would be perfect. Can you tell I’m a rule person? (And the idiots are neither the hard working pickers nor the hubby–only the ones with cameras. The other ones!)
They sell to both national and international markets. The site is only open to the public March through the middle of May; then, they let the plants die off to harvest the seeds and the bulbs. When I retire, this is what I want to do for a living: pick ranunculus flowers and harvest seeds.
On the grounds are the colorful flower acreage, as well as a garden with a fountain, a children’s playground called Santa’s Workshop (That one seemed a bit odd.), an orchid greenhouse (Don’t know how I missed that one!), a couple of cages with cooing doves and other little tweety birds (to make you feel like you’re in the jungle–well, at least So. Calif.), a sweet pea maze, and a retail nursery. They also give instruction on soil erosion and water conservation.
I am not a paid advertiser, just in case you’re wondering. I saw pictures on Facebook that my youngest son and his girlfriend put up. I didn’t even know the place existed! So my hubby planned this trip for us before they closed for the season so I could give my new camera a fine workout. It was a marine layer kind of day, but the sun peeked through off and on to allow me to get some blue sky and soft white cumulus as a fitting backdrop for the colorful blossoms.
And as an extra bonus, right next door is a yuppy shopping mall with outlet stores and, thankfully, a Hagen Das and a Starbucks for hubby and me–in that order!
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