Not very far from the heart of California’s San Joaquin Valley and a little more than a stone’s throw from the Sierra Nevada Mountains that line the eastern parts of the state is a paradisiacal piece of land. Even in the middle of CA’s hot, dry summers, when the landscape turns tan from the aridity, this place retains its greenery. Here you’ll see some farmland, a walnut orchard, a vineyard, and large ponds adorned with lotuses and water lilies. You’ll hear a cluck-cluck here and a moo-moo there and you’ll hear them goats too — all these creatures coexisting in this bucolic land, oblivious of the many fishes that call those ponds home. And we got to spend some time in idyllic Sanger countryside for a few days and weren’t they rejuvenating!
They were the most refreshing few days in a long, long time. The year and a half that led up to these few August days (pun intended) were totally under the control of covid19 and not only had we been living a life different from what we thought normal, but we hadn’t been able to travel *properly.
Our most welcome break began when we drove off the asphalt and onto some unpaved, bumpy roads that ran through a rustic landscape that was bathed in soft, evening light.
We watched the twilight skies and said hello to a gecko on the porch of the little farmhouse that would be our home for the next few days. Even the mosquitos came out to say they hellos and give us a few pecks. Ah! Country life, how I’ve missed you!
We don’t even live in the city anymore. The suburban area we call home is also surrounded by some farms and rolling hills but in the summer and fall, you miss the greenery (and every now and then, there’s the smell of the smoke from the fires that have sadly become a part of Californian Summers. I love my fairly close-knit community with friendly faces and houses that obey a grey-brown-beige color palette for my normal, everyday life. But I love my breaks in the mountains, seaside, and countryside, too)
There’s nothing like waking up in the countryside, looking out the window and seeing vast stretches of rich green. There’s nothing like poultry ‘good morning greetings,’ and morning tea on a porch overlooking rustic landscapes kissed in a sunshiny glow.
There’s nothing like a few slow, almost lazy days, walking through orchards, getting your feet all muddy, picking some grapes, kids getting to pet some goats’ kids, trying to learn how to fish and then letting your catch go, and all of that.
Thank you Sanger countryside for recharging us just before the start of the school year/a new year of my life. (It was our sole trip of the summer/my birthday trip. 😉 )
This was one of the most refreshing trips we’d gone on for a long time, now. (During our stay we also got to visit Kings Canyon National Park. And as usual, I got my high from the drive and the sights but I feel we should spend some time in the countryside a little more often.) What’s your story? Did you get to take a break from the stay-at-home year-and-a-half that taught us so much? What’s your kind of vacation? Do you like your breaks in the countryside? Any rustic destinations you would highly recommend?
Places to visit near here
Sequoia National Park, California
Kings Canyon National Park, CA
Yosemite
Linking to —
Our World
&
My Corner of the World
For pictures from the road, Like/Follow Tipsy From The TRIP on Facebook.
Come, Trip with us. 😉 😉
A wonderful experience for the kids. I would enjoy a trip to a farm. It would bring back my childhood memories playing with the piglets, chickens and ducks in my mom’s little farm.
Oh yes! It was a wonderful experience.
I’m sure. And I’m glad this post brought back some memories for you. 🙂
Have a lovely week, Nancy. 🙂
That twilight sky filled me with awe and wonder. It must have been a magical moment. Spending time on a farm with children must have been lots of fun.
That is true. That rust-colored sky set the mood for the evening.
Oh yes! A lot of fun. 🙂
The twilight sky is beautiful! Thanks for your blog visit.
Yeah–a different kind of twilight sky, I thought. 🙂
Thank YOU, Sharon. 🙂
Looks like a lot of fun and such wonderful experience too! Love the twilight sky.
-Soma
A very beautiful few days, indeed. 🙂
Thank you, Soma. 🙂
I have never heard of this place before, but that only means there’s so much to be explored in this part of this huge state.
It’s a little town near Fresno, M. I can PM you the name of the farm if you guys want to go unwind there.
True, there’s so much to see in this big, wonderful state of ours. <3
Fascinating place and wonderful photos! Wow! Xo
Living in the moment,
A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)
🙂
Thank you, Carol. 🙂
It’s always fun to take kids ‘back’ to different lifestyles. I know they enjoyed it a lot!
Thanks for sharing your link at ‘My Corner of the World’ this week!
It’s interesting to re-look at things thru’ their eye, too. 😁
Oh! they sure did. 🙂
Thank you so much for hosting, Betty. 🙂
This looks like a great place to getaway. California is truly one of the most diverse states in the US.
Absolutely a great place for a getaway and maybe we should do this a little more. Oh yes! CA seems to have it all. ❤️
Thank you for stopping by, Alan. 🙂
That’s a pretty countryside. Nice frames, D!
Alle? The time spent there was so refreshing.
Hey, Thanks, Nomad. 🙂
Beautiful place, Amazing pics
What a wonderful trip! You made even the mosquito pricks likable. Lovely photos and loved the video with the flying birds.
That it was.
It’s weird — the things we get nostalgic about — sometimes even when they’re not exactly pleasant. 😁
Thank you, Shiju.
You and your camera would have found a lot more there. 🙂
Beautifully captured ambiance.
Thank you, Magiceye.
Have a lovely weekend. 🙂