Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1921-01-20
delightful things to do in this land of
sunshine that letters seem crowded


sunshine that letters seem crowded
Iout.
| We reached here July 2Sth, quite
the most unfavorable time to see the
Imost of the state. Sacramento valley
that has been so beautiful in April
now looked hot, dry and desolate. AS
we were passing thro l could see that
the family spirits were decidedly low
cred. At San Francisco the cold
winds revived them some what as we
donned our heaviest coats and then
took shelter inside the ferry as we
watched Golden Gate thro the Win
dow. We had not gone far down the
Peninsula before we became conscious
of that indescribable feeling in the air
that is characteristic of Santa Clara
valley and few other parts of Cali
! fornia. Stanford Professors claim
that between San Mateo and San
Jose is the most equable climate in
| the world. | can't vouch for that but
the Paulus family call it mighty fine.
| Nearly everyone we meet says Don't
you love it here? We all do" Every
thing has gone SO smoothly and happi-
| ly for us that it seems like a charming
fairy story. In fact we cali it heaven
right here. We escape the cold and
fog of San Francisco and the summer
heat Of San Jose. We find that I
chose our home in April even better
than | knew as nice surprises bob up.
1t was such fun to pick roses and
smilax in our own yard for Christmas
and If we want snow we have only
to make a little trip into the Santa
Crug Mountains We haven't vet.
Palo Alto itself is quite ideal, so
clean, quiet and beautiful and vet
with all the advantages of a large
city. Stanford is a source of continu-
al joy, offering more good things than
we have time to attend But we have
eternity to enjoy them, having decided
to stay forever. One lady who has
lived in Boston and New York says
the advantages are greater here than
in the East
Words seem fiat and insiped when
one tries to describe nice new homes
in lovely Santa Clara valley. One
exhausts his supply of superlatives
and then dosen't seem to have said
anything, and then realizes that prob
ably nobody will believe even that.
0 yes, I'll soon be "native daughter"
We have almost every kind of tree
and shrub here from the fir tree of the
north to the palms of TIE tropics.
Stanford Campus has an arboretum
of 5000 acres to which every cline
has contributed. One gets acquainted
easily because in very sociable sort
Of way each tree announces its name
and habitat by means of metal plate
tackled on it. So every little while
when on hike one of US dashes aside
to make his bow to some new friend.
We people do the same thing at our
social gatherings at the Community
House.. e., we pin our name and
state on our gowns. Palo Alto is
very cosmopolitan.
But speaking of trees there are
many of kind known as the tree of
Heaven that comes from China. It
has clusters of red and yellow berries
that makes the whole tree look like
a mass of bloom. That tree has shed
it's leaves now as also the fruit trees
and white oaks, but there are so many
glorious great live oaks, green bridges,
grass, ETC., that it looks more like
June than January-to US. Our front
yard has wealth of yellow an orange
marigolds. English voilets are in
bloom. Our hydrangea that was full
of blossoms when we came has still
some big pink flowers. We are eager
ly watching some round white buds on
a brilliant myrtle green bush. Our
vegetable man, Casalegno, says it is
Camellia. | came near pulling up
some plants for weeds that soon came
out as great yellow chrysanthemums.
Speaking of Casalegno, his truck is
as interesting as his name. The mar
velous vegetables and fruits exceed
my fondest hopes for goodness both
to look at and taste. The tomatoes,
peaches, grapes are worthy place in
the land of promise. MIR. Paulus says
he has eaten more of them than in all
his life before. | haven't mentioned
the delicious strawberries that ripen
from May to December and oh joy!
the Prunei If there is anything
"gooder" than Santa Clara prune
right off the tree, I'd like to know it.
It would take volumes to tell of all
the good things that have come to US.
I'd love to tell you of thrilling talk
by Count Ilya Tolstoi we heard today.
1t was a Sermon on "Resist not Evil'
and love as the only solution for world
troubles.
One thing that will interest many
of you | must tell. There is an eE-
hibit in Stanford Art Gallery of de-
signs from American Art school, it
says. We were delighted to see de-
signs by Manon Mathews, Harry
Starks and Carl Hannaman taken
|