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It's February already! Time is f lying. May you have a very happy Valentine's Day! The Travel Club is busy planning day trips to parts of Southern California. Places we would like to visit and hope you will also. If there is a place you would like to visit or experience, please feel free to contact us (ohcctravelclub2025@gmail.com) with your suggestions. Here are our upcoming trips: Feb. 19 - We will head to beautiful Balboa Park for a wonderful Architectural Tour focusing on the Spanish style buildings from the 1915-1917 Panama California Exposition. This will include the recently renovated Lily Pond and Botanical Garden. Following a lunch at Old Town Mexican Café, you may wander around Old Town checking out some of the many historical buildings including the "haunted" Whaley House. March 19 - Save the Date. A trip to Temecula's Old Town followed by a tour and tasting at the Cougar Winery. Details to follow. April 29 - Save the Date. Cheer on your favorite team when the San Diego Padres take on the Chicago Cubs during an afternoon baseball game at Petco Park. Details to follow. July 4 - Celebrate America's 250th Birthday on the Hornblower Cruise to view the Spectacular Big Bay Boom. Hearty Appetizers are included with a no host bar. This sold-out last year so get your checks in early. Aug. 4 - Join us for a Travel Club Favorite, Pageant of the Masters. The theme this year is e Greatest of All Time. This will feature living recreations of legendary artworks by artists like Vermeer, Van Gogh, da Vinci, Monet, Renoir, Norman Rockwell and Picasso. Frequently people on a trip need to cancel. Many people on our wait lists actually have had the opportunity to go on our trips. To be placed on the waitlist or to register for any of our trips, leave a check made out to the OH Travel Club, in the Travel Club envelope at the Clubhouse Front Desk. Add $5 to the price if you are not a member of the Club. You will receive an email confirming your registration. We certainly hope you will join us on one of our trips! Written by Amy Blount and approved by the Travel Club Board. Your OH Travel Club Board, Adele, Lynn, Amy, Jeannine and Callie | OHCC LIVING | FEBRUARY 2026 | 29 Travel Club Do Dues Day was a wonderful success! We were thrilled to see so many familiar faces return and delighted to welcome new friends who share our love for Monarchs and other pollinators. Together, we continue our mission to protect and support the beautiful Monarch butterf ly. At the heart of our efforts is the garden — our most important responsibility and our biggest challenge. Keeping it healthy and thriving takes dedication, teamwork, and a mix of garden gurus, helping hands, and occasional professional expertise. This is the most difficult time of year for our garden. While we always want it to look beautiful, our friend milkweed presents a seasonal challenge. As part of fall and winter care, the milkweed has been cut back. Beneath the surface, however, its rhizomes continue to grow — sending out underground horizontal stems and roots that must not be disturbed. Since the garden's inception, milkweed has spread throughout the sanctuary (Which is a very good thing!). But this success creates a new question: Where can we plant additional nectar plants without disrupting the most important plant of all for the monarchs - the existing milkweed? That is our current dilemma, and why we are proceeding with care and seeking expert guidance. We are fortunate to have an experienced and skilled gardener who has generously offered her knowledge to assist with planning and execution. We are also grateful to Ruth Schafer, who has built a small but dedicated team of gardeners working hard to keep the sanctuary in tip-top condition. That said, we truly need more volunteers. Whether you can give an hour a week, an hour a month, or help out on our larger planting days, every contribution makes a difference. We are grateful for every minute you can give — and so are the Monarchs. Looking ahead to 2026, we are planning several enjoyable events. There will be no fundraising, as funds from our last fundraiser will fully support the garden and allow for a few small events and special surprises. If you missed joining the SMB Club at Do Dues Day, it's not too late. Annual dues are $15, and checks may be left at the front desk. We would love to have you join us as we continue growing a garden — and a community — that gives Monarchs a fighting chance. Written by Rona Cole Save the monarch butterfly Inspiration Hill As we walk the trail at Inspiration Hill, we are always impressed by the varied community inspirations as expressed on the Donor Bricks. The trail begins by honoring our pioneer OHCC Founders, and continues with those who so bravely served us. There are bricks honoring family members, beloved pets, and favorite universities. What is your inspiration? The HOA continues to take orders for your own personalized bricks. Fill out an order form at the HOA office, and include a check for $75. Your inspiration brick will help line the trail to the top of the hill!