Cows eyed us incredulously, stood ankle-deep in the irrigation pond and nestled down in circular beds of purple Douglas Iris.

We admired the blue lupine and talked in hushed voices as we watched a gopher popping his head in-and-out of a hole a few feet away.

Along the way, we stopped to pick up bits of trash and discovered some golden mushrooms growing in the cow patties. These must be magical mushrooms!