Marston House Museum and the Flower Fields in Carlsbad, March 16 - 18

Saturday we decided to stay home and have a relaxing day including a hot tub. We sat outside for most of the afternoon.

Sunday and today's adventure is to go visit the Marsten House Museum and Gardens. At the corner of the Balboa Park. 

Marston House Museum & Gardens

One of California's finest examples of the Arts and Crafts movement, the Marston House was constructed in 1905 for George W. Marston and his wife, Anna Gunn Marston. George Marston is noted for many things but most prominently as a civic leader whose interest and work in historic preservation, conservation and history is well known.

The property was designed and built by the internationally renowned architects William Sterling Hebbard and Irving Gill. Surrounded by five acres of rolling lawns, manicured formal gardens, and rustic canyon gardens, this 8,500 square foot home became a house museum in 1987 after the Marston family gifted it to the City of San Diego for the enjoyment of the public.

George White Marston (October 22, 1850 – May 31, 1946) was an American politician, department store owner, and philanthropist. Marston was involved with establishing Balboa Park, the San Diego Public Library System, and San Diego Presidio Park.

The docent led tour didn't start for 20 minutes, so we wandered on the grounds looking at the gardens first. Unfortunately the roses are not blooming, they will be stunning.

When built, San Diego was fairly desert like and the area around the house just bare dirt.

There are quite a few of these lizards running about.

This rose garden will be amazing in bloom.

Time to tour the inside of the 8500 square foot house. We saw the first and second floors. The docent ane his wife live upstairs in the attic. We also did not see the basement.

Most of the wood in the house is old growth redwood, shipped from Northern California and milled on the property. Just beautiful. They have the original lighting, so everything is cast a little yellow.

The study.

Music room.

Huge hallways

The Study

Really cool Tiffany Lamp.

Living Room

Look at the gorgeous wainscotting with butterfly patches and tiffany lamp

Dining Room

Dining room built in hutch.

Butler's Pantry

Kitchen with gas range.

This is the "servants bell" system where it lights up from any room in the house.

Old type of "Slow Cooker".

Ice Box

Cold room where they can adjust the temperature by opening the louvers more and open the sliding door under the louvers.

Mr. Marston

Mrs. Marston's sitting room.

One of three bathrooms upstairs with the "sitz bath". The tiles up the bath are at a 90 degree angle and curved

Displays with the type of things Mr. Marston sold in his department stores.

Back down the stairs to the front hall.

We spent about an hour inside the house. Time for lunch. We wanted to go to an Irish Pub since it's Saint Patrick's Day. Unfortunately the place we picked was packed with no where to sit. We decided to go back to Ocean Beach, 3 minutes away, and have lunch at Big Barbecue again for their brisket. Yummm. It's located across the street from Hodad's. 

Back home for 2 pm. It's quite windy and the clouds came in, so we sat inside instead of outside.

Monday morning I'd booked tickets online to go see the Carlsbad Ranch's Flower Fields.We arrived early but they let us in anyways. I picked today as it's going to be sunny all morning, Good thing as there were a ton of people that arrived after, includig 2 school groups of young kids.

They dedicate over 50 acres to growing Ranunculus Flowers for production of both cut flowers as well as for the bulbs they produce. Each acre contains 2,000,000 flowers. The type of ranunculus grown on the farm are called Tecolote Giant Ranunculus. Absolutely stunning, These flowers are native to Asia Minor and a member of the buttercup family.

First though we toured their gardens and walked the fields last.

Butterfly Garden

Various stands to serve drinks and food scattered around.

Lots of "picture moments" through the gardens and the fields.

Wagon rides through the fields for $8 per person.

Fairy Garden

They also have a stunning display of orhids. Gorgeous.

Also an interesting display of poinsettias.

Flaming Sphere

Off to the fields. We toured 21of the 50 acres.

There are benches scattered throughout the gardens for photography.

Pacific Ocean in the distance.

After wandering around for about 1.5 hours it's time to go for some lunch. Today about 4500 steps walking the fields up and down. We both felt it in our knees. It's strawberry season, so we picked up some fresh baskets on our way out of the ranch to snack on at home.

Ray chose BJ's Brew Pub, a short way down the street so I could have a beer. Ray ordered a delicious strawberry and coconut non-alcoholic drink. 

Unbelievably, the clouds moved in quickly from the east at 25 mph/40 kph and there was a thunderstorm warning issued as we  left the restaurant and headed for home. Although warm at 72F/ 21C, with the clouds it's really muggy so we opted to sit inside.  Another great day.