Bakersfield, my hometown

I recently spent nearly two weeks in my hometown.  It is so different than where I live now.  Some of my blog friends wanted to see pictures of the vacation, sew . . . here goes.  I will share some pictures of my hometown today and a few more pictures of the buildings later this week.

I am from the San Joaquin Valley in California, from the oil and agriculture belt of the southern valley. There is water that is piped in from the Kern River that feeds fields of cotton, grapes, orange trees and almond trees.  But most of the surrounding area is dry. My dad worked for a company that supported the oil industry, so although the oil wells are ugly, they were responsible for our support during my upbringing. The country side is not the most beautiful, and not many landscape plants like this area.

View from Panorama Drive Bluff Park

 

painting in the local airport


Palm trees are everywhere,  these tall ones were recently trimmed.  Other common flora in the area, that we don't have in the PNW, is Crepe Myrtle trees, as shown here in the foreground. In the background, over the top of the building, is a Eucalyptus tree, also common.   They love the dry warm weather. Most of the year is filled with these blue skies, little rain, and summer temps are normally triple digit range. (See why I am so happy to now live in the Pacific Northwest?!)

Several smaller palms were in bloom, as can be seen in the second picture 

Along many of the freeways, you will see Oleander shrubs that also thrive in the climate. They usually display in white, pink or magenta flowers.

dry dead blossoms cover the soil below the shrub

I haven't lived in my hometown for over 25 years!  

It was a nice visit!  How long since you have been home?