Journal of the Traveling Squid in Palm Springs
Ranked #3,314 in Squidoo Community, #245,025 overall
Squidoo's Giant Squid Visits Palm Springs CA
The Journal of the Traveling Squid, by Squidoo Lensmaster JaguarJulie, is modeled after the "Traveling Pants". I never heard of the traveling pants, but I did get a chance to participate in JaguarJulies's Traveling Squid Adventure. This project now has 2 journals and 2 Giant Squid t-shirts traveling...one is currently still in the UK, and one is traveling around the US.
This is the adventure the Giant T-shirt went on in the desert communities by Palm Springs, CA.
Learn a little more about the Desert, Squid Fears, and Palm Springs.
A Visit to the Living Desert and Botanical Gardens
Palm Desert, CA
Today the Giant Squid went to the Living Desert. What a day for a Squid to be in the desert, it was 104 degrees (40 c). In the parking lot we saw (the Squid and I) a truck with the tailgate opened. Inside was a cage with a Golden Eagle. Golden Eagles are mostly found in the Western States of the US, Mexico, Canada, and Alaska. Apparently this Eagle was found on one of the local Indian Reservations with an injured wing. They thought it had been shot, and brought it to the Living Deserts Wildlife Hospital to be examined.
After thanking them for the information we headed off to find the Hospital. We had to stop a few times because of the heat, and we watched the birds in the Aviary. They were all rescued, and couldn't be returned to the wild. One of them knew just what to do on a hot day.....he was sitting in the water, and it was hard to keep the Traveling Squid out of the water too.
We finally made it to the Wildlife Hospital, and the Eagle was already there, being examined. I was in awe that they had large glass windows so you could watch procedures they do on the animals, and there was my Eagle, getting checked out. Oh, but the Squid didn't like it, as Eagles are natural predators to many things, including squid.
Since our Giant Squid had only been to Hollywood he hadn't seen any birds of Prey and I tried to calm the Squid by telling him that Golden Eagles only eat ground squirrels, hares, rabbits, and small rodents. Bald Eagles and Steller's Sea Eagle (found in Russia and Japan) eat Squid, but he was having no part of it, so we had to cut our visit to the Wildlife Hospital short.
Giant Squid poses for a Picture in the Wildlife Hospital
What do you think he wanted to say?
The Wildlife Hospital has separate rooms for small and large animals. This room is for the larger animals. They give them check-ups here, cut nails, draw blood, and do x-rays when needed. The X-rays you see in the picture were of a Desert Tortoise that swallowed a nail, and was pregnant. Our Squid didn't like it here, because of the Eagle and the Video machines where you could watch previous videos of exams on the various wild animals.
What do you think our Giant Squid wanted to say?
Off to the Amphibian Exibition
Squids should feel comfortable here
We left the Wildlife Hospital and went over to the nice, air conditioned Amphibian Exhibition. Wow, neither of us had ever seen a blue frog before, or a yellow one for that matter. We were enjoying watching the frogs (yes they are live ones), and cooling down, well, all until the Squid saw a snake. Then he wanted to leave again. But we didn't leave until he got a lesson in Amphibians
A Squid is a Cephalopod, but we don't have any of these in the California Desert, so he was off to learn about Amphibians instead. A little diversity couldn't hurt.
Amphibian Lesson for our Giant Squid
Trying to Beat the Heat
Squids need water, especially in the Desert
Out of the air conditioning, and back into the heat. We had to keep finding water as Squids can't survive over an hour without being in water. Have you ever tried to find water in the Desert? Thank Goodness we were at the Living Desert as they had several small ponds, and a natural Oasis where the underground water rises up to form natural pools. You can easily find them, as there are trees and green growth near an Oasis.
We found some water, but this little guy didn't want to share, so off we went again!
Southern California Deserts
What does a Desert have that a Squid has never seen
When I think of the Desert the first picture I have in my mind is cactus. Our Southern California Deserts have a variety of Cacti. Joshua Tree National Park is full of Joshua and have Cholla, Yucca,and other varieties of cactus. The Anza-Borrego Mountains are also a good place to see our desert cactus. The Mojave Desert in San Bernardino County is the largest desert area of Southern California. It was too hot to take our Traveling Squid out to the Mojave Nature Preserve, but it is beautiful with all the varieties of cacti.
The Palm Springs area is home to the Cahuilla Indians, and they collected the fruit of the Beavertail Cactus, and water from the Barrel Cactus for food and medicinal purposes.
Our Squid wasn't too impressed, so once again we headed out.
Giant Squid is introduced to Desert Cactus
Traveling Squid goes on a Tour of Palm Springs
Hollywood makes movies, but the big Stars lived here
After leaving the Living Desert we headed back to Palm Springs. Palm Springs was originally inhabited by the Cahuilla Indians of the Agua Caliente tribe. They own a checkerboard portion of Palm Springs (every other 10 acre parcel was given to them by the Government, and the Railroad owned the other parcels). Palm Springs became a stop on the Bradshaw Stage Coach Line between Prescott, Arizona and Los Angeles in the latter part of the 1800's, then the railroad came, and it's growth has continued ever since. The Hollywood stars really transformed this small village into a vibrant community.
Many people live there year round now, but there are a lot of "snow birds," people spending Winters in the warm desert instead of their colder home towns. Some of the most notable Palm Springs area residents were President Gerald Ford, Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Mary Pickford, and Liberace
It was In the 1920's that the first Hollywood Stars migrated from Hollywood to Palm Springs; Al Jolson, William Powell, and Rudolf Valentino being among them. Later more stars came to live or just play in what at the time was a real Desert Oasis. Notable Stars like Elizabeth Taylor, Dinah Shore (a yearly Golf tournament was named after her), Sony Bono ( of Sonny and Cher who many years later became Mayor), Elvis Presley, and many many more.
The Palm Springs Walk of Stars has 300 Stars along Palm Canyon Drive. And our Squid went to visit a lot of them. Most people only think of the Stars in Hollywood, but the list of stars in Palm Springs is very impressive. Just look at who our Giant Squid found.
And after he was happy with his Star find, we went off in search of the Charity we wanted to donate to.
Two Stars Together
Squidoo donates to Charities-looking for one in the Palm Springs area
Giant Squid finds his Charity
Our Squid was cool and happy as we went off in search of our Charity to donate to. I already knew of several good ones, but nothing jumped out at me, or our Giant Squid. We kept driving, and made a U-turn at Frank Sinatra drive and went to what I thought was an AIDS Memorial. It turned out to be a Cancer Survivors Park. There were little tidbits of info dotted throughout the small park with a reflection pool, waterfall off the mountain, and various statues. The peace and calm of the Park was only overshadowed by what it all meant.
We had found our Charity!
Squids love Technology- New way to Donate to American Cancer Society
With over 8,000,000 people affected by Cancer this is the Charity that we want to donate to as part of the Journal of the Traveling Squid. I had cancer in my 20's, my Grandmother died of cancer, and many people I know have it. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a perfect time to donate before anyone you know needs the help.
Wow, I am always amazed at how fast technology moves. There are new Apps for I-Phones all the time, but this one is for all phones. You can make a $5 donation here with just a text message.
You can text a general donation, or have your donation go to a specific cause:
Relay For Life - Text RELAY to 20222
Making Strides Against Breast Cancer - Text HOPE to 20222
Coaches vs. Cancer - Text COACH to 20222
The American Cancer Society is the nationwide, community-based, voluntary health organization dedicated to eliminating cancer as a major health problem by preventing cancer, saving lives, and diminishing suffering from cancer, through research, education, advocacy, and service. (from their Mission Statement)
Donations help ensure there are More Survivors
Read more of the Traveling Squid
The Traveling Squid both in the USA and now in Australia
JaguarJulie, is the brain behind this Project. But it really doesn't seem like a project as it is a lot of fun. I took a whole day to travel with the Giant Squid T-shirt, something I hadn't done in a long time. What a wonderful day as I felt I had the whole Squidoo Community with me :)
Read Julie's Original Lens here, and Kim's on The Giant Squid in Hollywood. Susanna has also hosted the Squid in Australia.You can see how fun this is.
What do you think about the Giant Squids Adventure
The Journal of the Traveling Squid had quite an adventure in Palm Springs. Did you enjoy the trip with him? Leave any comments here.
-
Reply
-
crosscreations
Nov 16, 2011 @ 12:03 pm | delete
- KimG just told me about this lens, since she recently visited a similar project I started recently not even really aware of this one at first. Mine's been going on only a week and WOW! wildly popular! angel blessed 16 times! I'll send you a link on private msg to the squidoo world tour, you are featured there among other traveling squids, Kathy.
-
-
Reply
-
Heather426
Feb 3, 2011 @ 9:00 pm | delete
- Love it Kathy! Palm Springs is looking good:)
-
-
Reply
-
purplelady
Feb 3, 2011 @ 5:50 pm | delete
- A very fun adventure; I was glad I got the chance to explore the Palm Springs area through the eyes of the Giant Squid. Thanks for taking us along.
-
-
Reply
-
poddys
Feb 3, 2011 @ 3:07 pm | delete
- Great lens. Debbie and I were some of the first people to take the Traveling Squid with us here in the UK. It's great to see it still moving around.
-
-
Reply
-
kiwisoutback
Jan 11, 2010 @ 8:00 am | delete
- I visit Palm Springs/Palm Desert almost every year. All of these landmarks I know pretty well, like the Cancer Survivors Park in Rancho Mirage, the Living Desert... it's one of my favorite spots to vacation. I'm lensrolling this to my Coachella Valley lenses!
-
- Load More
by KathyMcGraw
Now that I am a Giant 100 I am proud that Jaguar Julie picked me as one of the hosts for the Traveling Squid. We enjoyed our Palm Springs visit.
Veteran...
more »
- 160 featured lenses
- Top lens » Smurfs Birthday Party Planning Ideas
- This lens »
Won purple star
Explore related pages
- Fresh Produce : Hawaiian-Style Clothing Fresh Produce : Hawaiian-Style Clothing
- The Journal of the Traveling Squid The Journal of the Traveling Squid
- Jams World : Hawaiian-Style Clothing Jams World : Hawaiian-Style Clothing
- Seven Bridges : Southeastern City Seven Bridges : Southeastern City
- Shands Bridge : Over the St. Johns Shands Bridge : Over the St. Johns
- Hart Bridge : Jacksonville, FL Hart Bridge : Jacksonville, FL
