Vista ranch

My parents owned this 10 acre ranch near Bonsall, CA (near Vista, which is near San Diego) for 10 years while I was growing up as a kid and teenager.  We never had horses on it.  They never bought me a horse.  It was an investment property for them, but, as I said, they did keep it for 10 years.  It was often our weekend getaway.  As a child, I used to wander all over the ranch and then later, after they sold it and kept the 2nd mortgage on it, I rode the horses of the folks who lived there.  I have many, many fond memories of this ranch and whenever we are near San Diego, I drive by it.  Yesterday the sky was gorgeous...lots of clouds and some blue sky.  Isn't it beautiful now?  It was pretty run down when my parents bought it and I remember my dad filling up his trailer with all kinds of trash and going to the dump MANY, MANY times.  The barn had an old tack room and I would go in there and just inhale all the delicious smells!  The barn smelled like hay, too.  I actually stopped there a couple of years ago, introduced myself, and the current owner took me on a tour.  WOW!  They have really updated it.  I'm glad to see the metal roof still there.  My dad put that on the barn because the old wooden roof had too many holes in it and was falling down.  I remember him having a rope around his middle as he sat on the top, pounding in those aluminum sheets.  Yes, there were rattlesnakes all around.  I never ran into one, but Dad would go out, find them, and shoot them (those were the days....so please don't criticize...I didn't kill them)...He didn't want me to run into any of them and I never did, although while riding the family's horses later, I did hear one buzzing near the road a couple of times.  Good thing my horse didn't spook!

The Vista ranch in autumn

Hubby and I drove down to San Juan Capistrano for the night and, of course, I had to drive by the old Vista ranch.  It's a 10 acre ranch located actually near Bonsall, CA.  It's now updated and used as a horse riding and equestrian center (as you can tell from the photos).  Whenever we drive to San Diego, we ALWAYS drive by it and take photos.  My parents owned this ranch for 10 years, while I was a kid and teenager.  We never had horses there.  They never bought me a horse and I didn't rescue my first horse until I was 54 years young!   :-)  The sky was GORGEOUS yesterday, so I took several photos.

Vista ranch and fences~Friday Fences~030212

Whenever we are in the area, I make a point to drive by the red barn of my childhood.  At least it was mine on the weekends.  My parents bought this ranch as an investment and we never had any horses there, but we did spend weekends camping out in the ranch house and I spent weekends exploring the two barns on the property.  The old white barn is long gone, but the beautiful red barn is still there, as magnificent as ever.  The new owners have done a lot to improve the property, including adding a mare motel and lots of training equipment.  I stopped by there one time and met the owner and she took me on a tour.  I never grow tired of seeing this ranch and my mother enjoying driving by it, too.  Friday Fences for March 2, 2012.  To visit Friday Fences, please amble over to:   http://lifeaccordingtojanandjer.blogspot.com/

Red barn, Bonsall, CA~Barn Charm~022812

Hubby and I drove up the Old Mission Road in Bonsall, which is near Fallbrook, CA.  This is wonderful horse country.  This is the ranch my parents owned back in the 1960's and my father actually put the metal roof on it.  I'm glad to see the roof is still there and holding up well.  This is one of the most beautiful barns in Southern California (in my humble opinion)...It is big and roomy and I love the exterior!  Barn Charm for February 28, 2012.  To visit Barn Charm, go to this link:   http://bluffareadaily.blogspot.com/

Luxury barn, Western Sierras~Barn Charm~January 31, 2012

We found this beautifully kept barn on the road while up in the western Sierras last June.  I was going through my archived photos on hubby's laptop since this one is going kaput and I rarely have Internet access on it anymore.  I found a few barn photos that I'll be posting in the next few weeks, so this blog will be up and running again!  Barn Charm for January 31, 2012.  To visit Barn Charm, please follow this link:   http://bluffareadaily.blogspot.com/

Barb's barn~Barn Charm~102411

This beautiful WOOD barn belongs to my friend, Barb.  Barb lives in Pinyon, which is halfway between our home in the desert and the mountains where I board my horses.  She has 3 horses, a turkey, several goats, and 4 dogs (all from the streets near her school).  She also has 3 chickens and I'm absolutely in LOVE with one of them!  Hehehehe....Barb, I didn't STEAL your chicken!  I always have fun visiting her and her animals and she occasionally comes and helps me with Scout (who she is absolutely in LOVE with)...she wants to adopt her own mustang someday!  Anyway, she's been my friend now for over 15 years, ever since we both taught together many, many, many years ago!  I always enjoy stopping by her place on my way to the horses.  She and I can get into a LOT of trouble!  Barn Charm for October 24, 2011. Please go here for Barn Charm:  http://bluffareadaily.blogspot.com/2011/10/barn-charm-56.html

Nevada barn~Barn Charm~101811

This barn, complete with hay in the loft, was found in Gardnerville, NV when hubby and I drove to the Sierra in September. I like its simplicity...a barn, some hay, and weeds...Barn Charm for October 18, 2011.

Ramona barn~Barn Charm~100411

This barn and windmill can be found in Ramona, CA, which is only an hour away from where I board my horses.  We traveled through Ramona on our way to San Diego a couple of weekends ago.  This is fairly typical of the modern, newer barns in our area.  Old barns are hard to find here in Southern California because there just aren't that many still standing.  Barn Charm for October 4, 2011. To visit Barn Charm, please go to:  http://bluffareadaily.blogspot.com/

Oak Grove, CA barn~Barn Charm~092711

I've posted about this barn before, but it is such a unique, old barn that when hubby and I drove by it this past weekend, I had to stop and take new photos of it.  Last time we were there, it was full of cows!  There was one bawling in it and a couple more around the back.  I'm not sure how much longer it will be around, so I'm glad we stopped by it and took some pics!  Barn Charm for September 27, 2011. This barn is on Highway 78, just a few miles east of Aguanga, CA, but west of Warner Springs, CA. To visit Barn Charm, please go to:  http://bluffareadaily.blogspot.com/

Red barn near Red Mountain, AZ~ABC Wednesday 111710 and Barn Charm 121410

I stopped this RED barn near (of course...) Red Mountain. Red Mountain is near Flagstaff, AZ. I stopped, jumped out of the car, and took these photos. It was windy that day and cold! I wish I'd had the time to get a closer look, but maybe I can on our next trip! ABC Wednesday for November 17, 2010. I also just discovered "Barn Charm" and I've posted it there, too. To visit Barn Charm, please visit: http://bluffareadaily.blogspot.com/2010/12/week-11-name-change-barn-charm.html

Scenic Sunday~Flag on Barn 091910

this past summer, when hubby and I drove to Medford, Oregon, we saw this barn painted with an American flag and eagle and slogan. It wasn't quite all the way to Medford, but was slightly to the south. Of course, I had to stop and photograph it! Scenic Sunday for September 19, 2010.

Medford, OR barn~Scenic Sunday, Sunday Stills Challenge 080110

Hubby and I saw this scenic barn and graffiti when we pulled off near Medford, OR to take photos of another barn. We hadn't seen this one from the highway, but saw it as we were leaving the side road. I can't even imagine how long or how dangerous it was to do this! Scenic Sunday and Sunday Stills Challenge for 080110.

"B" is for Barn~ABC Wednesday 072810

Hubby and I drove to Julian, CA last weekend just to get out of the desert heat and I saw this renovated BARN. Of course, I had to get out and take photos. I wasn't sure if it was open for business (it was a restaurant/bar), but it was closed and deserted...sigh...what an incredible place! Look at the doors and windows! I wonder what it was like as part of a ranch? ABC Wednesday for July 28, 2010.

Red barn door~Window Views and Doors, Too 072210

I was intrigued by these handles on a red barn in the Dry Creek Valley of northern California. Actually, they were at one of the wineries there! Aren't they cute? Window Views and Doors, Too for July 22, 2010. For other participants, please visit: http://windowviews2.blogspot.com/

Barn mailbox~Outdoor Wednesday 072110

Hubby and I found this cute barn mailbox outside of Medford, Oregon, on our last vacation. Of course, I spotted it out of the corner of my eye and did a u-turn to go back and take a picture. The photo isn't edited or cropped. This was "straight out of the camera". Outdoor Wednesday for July 21, 2010. For other participants, please visit: http://asoutherndaydreamer.blogspot.com/

Framing a photo~old barn~Sunday Stills Challenge 070410

This is the barn over at the old Bayley house, in Pilot Hill, CA. While the house needs restoration, the barn is in good shape. The community has several fundraisers here at the barn and we just missed the one last month. It was early afternoon when we arrived here and the sunlight was very bright, so I framed this shot with one of the trees on the property. Sunday Stills Challenge for July 4, 2010.

Old shed windows, Bishop, CA~~Windows and Doors, Too! May 20, 2010

When we visit Bishop, CA, we like to take a side road which is outside of town. There are several ranches along this road and this old shed was on one of them. I love these old buildings, wherever they are. Windows and Doors, Too for May 20, 2010.

Barn near Bishop, CA~Sunday Stills Challenge 051010

This barn is outside of Bishop, CA. Hubby and I pulled off on this side road on our way home in February, during the Presidents' Day 4-day holiday. There were many mules out in the field and we decided they were probably wintering down in Bishop, from the higher elevations. Just look at all the snow on the mountains! BRRRrrrrrrrrr!!!!! Sunday Stills Challenge for May 10, 2010.

Circles~Brenda's Photo Challenge 050810

This wheel and the nearby halters are at Shiloh Horse Rescue in Sandy Valley, CA. Hubby and I went there last weekend for a mustang training clinic. We enjoyed our morning at Shiloh Horse Rescue and viewing all its animal inhabitants! Brenda's Photo Challenge for May 1, 2010.

Red barn~Sunday Stills Challenge 042510

This is the barn from my childhood. My parents bought this 10 acre ranch when I was about 8 years old and kept it for about 8 years. They bought it as an investment and never had horses there. Instead, it was their weekend getaway from the chaos of Los Angeles. We went down there almost every weekend. I remember the barn roof when they bought it. It was full of holes. There were owls in the barn! My father decided to install an aluminum roof on it (I guess that was his project). I'll always remember when he and my uncle were on top of that barn, pounding in the nails to hold the aluminum panels, perched up there with a rope tied around their waists in case they fell. Yes, my dad and uncle reroofed that entire barn!!! I would go off exploring the 10 acres and sometimes more. At that time, during the 1960's, there were only a couple other ranches on the road. There was a ranch right across the street and I became friends with the young man who lived there with his parents. His grandfather also lived on his own house on their spread. I used to hike in the hills and my dad would find rattlesnakes all the time (there was a reservoir at the top of the hill), and I heard many of them in the bushes. Finally, when my parents sold the ranch, but kept the second trust deed, I would go riding in those hills bareback, borrowing a horse, and hear the rattlesnakes, or the horses would! The hills were crawling with them at that time. Now, those same hills are developed (or over-developed.) This ranch is in Vista, California, not too far from Camp Pendleton and on some afternoons, we could hear the goings-on at the Marine base. Because it is close to the ocean, the fog would roll in sometimes and I remember how the clouds would hug the hills until about 10:00 a.m. During the summers, however, it could be quite warm (not HOT, like our desert, but "warm") and on those lazy days, sometimes I would just read a book. There was another white barn higher up on the property, but it was pretty run down and I didn't like to poke around in it alone. This red barn has been refurnished. The original tack room is gone and the inside has been redone. But, the aluminum roof that my father put on it so many years ago remains intact. I used to roam around this barn, as a kid, and smell the tack room smells, sniff the odor of long-gone hay, and try to imagine that someday I would have my own horse. Now, as an adult, I have 5 horses of my own, but no barn to put them in! Ahhhh.....someday! Of course, I would love to have a barn modeled after this one, the barn of my youth, but I don't think that will ever be possible! I hope you have enjoyed this tour of the red barn! Sunday Stills Challenge for April 25, 2010. By the way, there aren't many barns left like this one in Southern California, especially this size! It is indeed a unique barn! My quest, in this blog, has been to discover those barns. If anyone can point me in the direction of another one, please let me know! If you wish to know where this barn is, please email me. And yes, it is now a working equestrian training center.