Miss 3 & I visit The Mission in Santa Barbara, California

Weekends are my golden time with my youngest daughter. During the week, Monday to Friday, I have to please all three daughters single-handedly (and Miss 8 and 10 rarely have the same desire to do the same outdoor activities & excursions as their younger sister). So it was that Miss 3 and I awoke with a plan this Saturday morning. A plan to explore ‘The Mission’ in Santa Barbara.

As well as to make the most of our time to stop at a passing beach if we so pleased…

and run on the grass if the fancy took us…

The Mission in Santa Barbara was established on the Feast of Saint Barbara, December 4, 1786 and was the tenth of twenty-one California Missions to be founded by the Spanish Franciscans.

When I’d attempted to visit The Mission with all my daughters, earlier in the week, it was very short-lived due to my two older children finding the smell instantly overwhelming. My younger daughter and I couldn’t smell anything, but the older two insisted on there being a strong smell of pigs and we had to race through, with me promising my Miss 3 we’d return together for a one-on-one visit. It wasn’t till I got home and read more about the history of The Mission that I realised how startling my older daughter’s reaction to The Mission was –

‘The Franciscans taught the Indians agriculture. The principal products of the field were wheat, barley, corn, beans, and peas. Orange and olive trees were planted, and grapevines were cultivated. In 1807, an Indian dam was built to bring water to the mission via an aqueduct. Mission Santa Barbara also had cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, mules, and horses in great number. In 1809, there were 5,200 head of cattle and in 1803 11,221 head of sheep.’ (Our History, Old Mission Santa Barbara)

So, perhaps my older daughters had some sensory, historical link back in time! Whatever it was, they both said they’d never go back. Thankfully, Miss 3 wasn’t at all perturbed and I was delighted to return to explore the beautiful church and grounds.