When
I was in school we learned a song, “When the swallows come back to
Capistrano...” a love song made popular in 1940. It sounded so romantic.
"Terry,
let's take a trip to San Juan Capistrano,” I said as we studied the
map of southern California. "It's the place the cliff swallows come back to,
and it doesn't look that far."
On
our time off between projects, we did just that. To get there we
took a winding road, reminiscent of our New Denver days, through the
Santa Ana Mountains, ending up at the Mission, one of 21 in what
later became Orange County. Terry climbs a boulder to take a picture
of the only natural lake in southern California.
The
Catholic mission was founded in 1776, where three streams converged,
by Father Junipero Serro, and the city of San Juan Capistrano grew up
around it. It had been an area populated by the Acjachemen band of
native Americans, and the priests sought to evangelize them.
At
the gate we were given audio devices which gave us a dramatized
account of the history of the mission.
Terry
confirmed that the sound was clear and he could hear the words well. We had to
move away from the groups of school children, although on the whole
they were quiet and respectful, listening to the docents interpreting
history on their level.
The
Mission is laid out in a quadrangle, with the ruins of the original
Great Stone Church off on the side. Built in 1797, it collapsed in
an earthquake in 1812, killing 40 people.
Some of it has been
restored, and a section of adobe wall has been covered in plaster to
further preserve it.
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| Crack caused by earthquake |
Guy
wired attempt to protect a wall.
Four
large bells survived the collapse, two of them cracked.
The bells
have been placed in a bell wall, said to be one of the most
picturesque sites in California. The two large ones on the right are
recast replicas; the original bells shown above, hang in the quadrangle.
Did you know that bells have a language all their own? When a man died, it was the two large bells that were rung, for women, it was the smaller bells. Different sounds rang out for the deaths of men, women, and children. An ancient means of disseminating news!
Did you know that bells have a language all their own? When a man died, it was the two large bells that were rung, for women, it was the smaller bells. Different sounds rang out for the deaths of men, women, and children. An ancient means of disseminating news!
The
archways (seen on the right of the white wall ruins, five photos up) formed a convenient nesting spot for the swallows each year.
The numbers of returning swallows has dwindled over the years, due to
urbanization They still return over 2000 miles in the spring from
their wintering spot in Goya, Argentina, on or around St. Joseph's
Day on March 19. The parade and festivities held on that day
probably scare them off as well!
The
latest attempt to lure them back involves a couple of artificial
archways, on wheels yet, with rows of moulded plastic nests nestled
along their curves. Their success has yet to be demonstrated!
Despite the fact that it wasn't March 19th, or that the swallows would probably build their nests on higher places, it was peaceful to stroll the grounds, enjoy the flowers, and contemplate an era gone by.
Despite the fact that it wasn't March 19th, or that the swallows would probably build their nests on higher places, it was peaceful to stroll the grounds, enjoy the flowers, and contemplate an era gone by.
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| Yucca plant |
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| Water lilies in the fountain |
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| Koi in the fountain |
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| When I was a child, I thought the phrase "milkweed down" referred to a direction. This is the first time I've actually seen the milkweed plant, and Monarch butterflies hovering nearby. |
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The crumbling wall from the back
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...the
swallow builds her nest and raises her young at a place near your
altar, O Lord...! Ps. 84:4
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