All Saints Day Is Now March 19th - Someone Alert the Pope

Miss smarty-know-it-all strikes again. I was lucky enough to score a ride to the Mission at San Juan Cap(istrano). LOVE IT. It was a beautiful day and as I walked into the Mission there was a young docent at the table telling how the swallows returning to SJC is celebrated every year on All Saints Day on March 19. Oh really? So here is how this went:

Me: What calendar has All Saints on March 19?
Her: The Catholic Church
Me: Uhuh. All Saints is November 1st. March 19 is St, Joseph's Day (not said: 2 days after St Pat's - who doesn't know that - duh!)
Her: No, it is All Saints Day
Me: No it is not. There is much I don't know, but I know that.
Her: All Saints Day is March 19.
End of discussion; me smug in the knowledge that I was right, her glaring at me as I walked away.

And to be sure that she did not plunge civilization into a anarchistic free for all, I made sure to tell her supervisor. Oooops, this 20 year old was the supervisor. So I mentioned it to an older, wiser looking man who may have been security and he said "All Saints isn't March 19". "Yeah, no shit." So we had a meeting of the minds and I could continue correcting facts wherever I could with other innocents. And one wonders why I do not have more friends.

And btw, the swallows seem to be avoiding San Juan Cap like the plague. There are some old nests there but I think it is too crowded for them. Too much city has sprung up perhaps. Or maybe they are confused about when they are supposed to be there anymore. I do know that east of there in the quiet country estates of De Luz there are swallows nests on all of the houses and they seem pretty content there.

SJC has some beautiful gardens and the timing was perfect for viewing.

More gardens

The Big W

I love the Mission with their arches and stone. Truly calming.

I am not kidding about the arches; I really like them

Gorgeous

The all important center of any Mission - the koi pond

These guys were huge - giant catfish huge

See: this one is as big as a palm tree

The bells that were recovered from the earthquake of 1812 that destroyed the church

The oldest building in California. The construction started in 1776. The house I grew up in was already 36 years old by then! Maybe the previous picture explains that - that plus no house building people here.