A Visit to Boyce Thompson Arboretum and the Picket Post Mansion

We took a trip to the Boyce Thompson Arboretum yesterday. I absolutely love the arboretum. It's huge, and there's so much to explore. Yesterday, we went to take a look at the Picket Post Mansion, which is a house (really, more like a compound) built by Boyce Thompson in the 1920s. The house was recently reacquired by the Arboretum, in 2008, and they want to renovate it over the next decade or so.

There's just something about walking the trails at the Arboretum that I love. It's very calming and there is always something new.










The view from the eagle's nest at the top of the house, which is built on top of volcanic rock.








Can you spot the whiptail lizard?

Here's the view from below the house.


And from a suspension bridge further on the trail - the house is just a speck in the distance.





We finished off the day by buying some chocolate mint at the gift shop/nursery. What a great place...