Mini Josie Hides Among Kumquats in Riverside, CA

Today I went with Grace to the California Citrus State Historic Park. She showed me where all the awesome oranges come from. There are so many kinds of citrus here in Riverside that there are little fruit stands and orange groves everywhere near my hosts house. I learned that In 1873, the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent two small Navel orange trees to a woman named Eliza Tibbets here in Riverside, CA. Those trees love the soil and weather conditions here and they produce some very tasty fruit. Everyone loved it and and a great agricultural industry was born in California!

The wagon actually held water and horses used to pull them to water the groves. 

Can you see me hiding up in the tree? The groves smell so good! I wish you could scratch and sniff the computer to smell what I smell! This is not an orange tree. Can you guess what kind of citrus Grace is holding?

These groves go on and on for a long way. Here we are under an orange tree:

I decided to take the kumquat as a souvenir…ok, ok….I took it to eat and refresh me. It's so hot today! It got up to almost 100 but it gets so cold at night. I am sitting on top of a heater. There are heaters all over the groves to help keep the citrus trees from freezing over.

I suddenly feel smaller than ever! These groves seem to go on forever, row after row!

After visiting the California Citrus State Historic Park Grace and I walked up the block from her house with Caroline and Sombrita to her favorite spot in the neighborhood. You can see her whole neighborhood from the top of her hill. We can see her house from here, and the beautiful mountains with snow. She said before I leave we can come up here at night to see all the lights. 

Sombrita sure did like it up on those rocks!

Hi!!!! I made it to the top!

Caroline and I sat in the sun for awhile and soaked up some rays. Grace then decided we needed to go cause it was really windy. I look forward to tomorrow. Grace said I am going to the Mission Inn! I can't wait! I just love historical places!

To see more of Josie’s adventures, click here to view her Travel Log!