Hal and I visited the Capitol Aquarium store in Sacramento and met Sherbert the Red Devil Fish from Central America...the sign said he likes to be "teased"....~Barbara
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Visting Capitol Aquarium
Hal and I visited the Capitol Aquarium store in Sacramento and met Sherbert the Red Devil Fish from Central America...the sign said he likes to be "teased"....~Barbara
Friday, May 30, 2008
Kid Zone
"Kidzone" after school program is sponsored by the West Sacramento Parks and Recreation Department. Kindergarten through 6th grade programs are offered at these school locations:
- Alyce Norman Elementary
- Bryte Elementary
- Elkhorn Village Elementary
- Stonegate Elementary
- Westfield Elementary
- Westmore Oaks Elementary
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Reflections: Our 300th BlogPost
Well....300 posts today and we are still open...thanks to everyone who contributes photos, memories, comments and visits the West Sacramento Photo of the Day. If you look to the bottom of the E you will see the reflection of my camera. This open sign is at the Puerto Azul on West Capitol Avenue. ~ Barbara
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Westbridge Plaza Nearing Completion
The Westbridge Plaza construction is almost complete so we should see some new retail and restaurants opening soon, including a Streets of London Pub.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Digging in Kurt's Garden
The kids had a great time digging in Christy and Kurt's garden using the hoes, rakes, shovels and wheel barrow. We can hardly wait for the bounty of fresh tomatoes, peppers, squash and herbs their garden will produce over the summer! ~Barbara
Monday, May 26, 2008
Memorial Day/Decoration Day: A Day of Remembrance
National Day of Remembrance: Many people observe this holiday by decorating their homes and communities with America Flags, patriotic banners, streamers and red white and blue buntings. Many people visit cemeteries and memorials and places decorations of flowers and flags to honor the memory of our Veteran's service to our Country.
I shot above photos last October when my sister Kathye and I went to Philadelphia for a history tour. The flag is a mural on the side of a building and the photo below is the monument of The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Eternal Flame burning at Washington Square.
Sunday, May 25, 2008
The Crocker Art Museum Expansion Project
The Crocker Art Museum in Sacramento is the longest continuously operating art museum in the West. The Museum was founded in 1885 and remains the leading art institution for the California Capital Region and Central Valley. The new wing, designed by Gwathmey Siegel & Associates Architects of New York, is approximately 125,000 square feet will more than triple the size of the current facility and will be completed in 2010.
Music and Art Trivia: Our family always appreciated fine art but could never afford the luxury of purchasing an original piece. In the 1970's, The Crocker had a rental program and I remember renting a piece of art a month at a time. My favorite was an oil painting of a yellow field of flowers with a blue sky and it cost us about $4.00 a month for the rental fees. We hung it over the piano that was rented from Sherman and Clay Music Store. The lesson to be remembered here is..."If there is a will--there is a way"!! ~Barbara
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Never Mow Your Yard Again!
These West Sacramento residents recently landscaped their front yard and it looks great with the Asian artwork and design elements. Can you tell the grass is "synthetic turf"? ~ Barbara
Friday, May 23, 2008
Night Flyers...
The wind made life miserable for many people in West Sacramento today. But those who waited for it to die-down, enjoyed a perfect evening for Kite-Flying! ~ Barbara
Thursday, May 22, 2008
La Calavera de la Catrina
La Calavera de la Catrina is one of the most popular figures of the Day of the Dead celebrations. This beautiful Catrina doll made it back from Mexico in one piece..It was wrapped very carefully by the shop owner then packed into my luggage during our trip home. ~Barbara
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Human Billboards
Sign-holders are known as human directionals in the advertising industry, or colloquially as sign walkers or sign twirlers. Frequently, they will spin or dance with the promotional sign in order to attract attention. ~ Barbara
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Wash Your Hands Often
This sign was on our cruise ship...yes... we were on vacation last week and it was wonderful! ~ Barbara
Monday, May 19, 2008
Roses on Southport Parkway
Anneke Moresco shot this photo of the beautiful roses blooming on the median of Southport Parkway. Thanks for sharing Anneke. ~Barbara
Sunday, May 18, 2008
Holy Cross Cleanup Day
Saturday cleanup and maintenance day for parents of students enrolled at Holy Cross School. ~Barbara
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Beautiful Home on South River Road
My dream house...wouldn't you love to watch the sun rise on that balcony each morning? ~Debbie
Friday, May 16, 2008
Recycling
Lately, I see more people retrieving the bottles and cans we throw in regular
trash bins. Their industriousness is good for the planet and the pocket. ~ Debbie
Thursday, May 15, 2008
The Recumbent Grin.....
This excerpt is from Bicycling Life : "Among recumbent enthusiasts there is something known as the "recumbent grin". You will see it on the face of every new recumbent rider just seconds after they master the steering and balance. You bank into corners like a jet fighter pilot. You are riding low and fast like an Italian roadster on a mountain road. You can stop and rest still sitting on your bike." ~ Debbie
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Silkworms
These silkworms are in my son's Kindergarten class. The students are fascinated by the life cyle and have learned so much with this experiment, including the following poem:What do silkworms do?
Nothing much but chew and chew.
What do silkworms know?
Nothing much but how to grow.
They just eat what very soon
Will help them spin a silk cocoon.
But that is more than I can do
However much I chew and chew.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Sunset in West Sacramento
This beautiful capture of the sun setting in West Sacramento was photographed by Alexis Sanborn, West Sacramento.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Man vs Birds
This light post in the parking lot of one of our local supermarkets has needles installed on top to keep the birds from sitting on it. I wonder where the birds sit since "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot?"~Barbara
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Trinity Presbyterian Church
Trinity Presbyterian Church on the corner of West Acre Road and Park Boulevard has four beautiful stained glass windows designed and executed by Betty Fairbairn Sokolich. Photo by Debbie
Trivia: Reverend Archie Marston was the minister at Trinity Presbyterian for many years. He performed the wedding ceremony when our mom, Shirley married our step-dad Ralph Marston (no relation to Rev. Marston). Several years later he was the minister at my stepbrother and sister in law Beverly and Charles Marston's wedding, and my sister and brother in law, Kathye and Chuck Blessing's wedding. ~Barbara
Trivia: Reverend Archie Marston was the minister at Trinity Presbyterian for many years. He performed the wedding ceremony when our mom, Shirley married our step-dad Ralph Marston (no relation to Rev. Marston). Several years later he was the minister at my stepbrother and sister in law Beverly and Charles Marston's wedding, and my sister and brother in law, Kathye and Chuck Blessing's wedding. ~Barbara
Friday, May 9, 2008
Eppies Sign in West Sacramento
The Eppies Restaurant on West Capitol Avenue at one time was part of a chain of restaurants owned by Eppie Johnson of Sacramento. Eppie's Great Race, the World's Oldest Triathlon was first formed in 1974.~ Barbara
Trivia: "According to SacBee.com, Eppie Johnson and his nephew Richard Bruce are reviving the New Horseshoe Bar Grill in Loomis, scheduled to open by early June. This will be Johnson's first restaurant venture since selling off his Eppie's chain of coffee shops a decade ago."
Thursday, May 8, 2008
A Work of Art: The Sacramento River Water Intake Structure
An enormous silver feather wind sculpture created by Phill Evans, sits on top of the main building of the Sacramento River Water Intake Structure on Jibboom Street, at the Sacramento River.
A circular plaque on the floor under the rotunda reads: “Tracing rivers to their fountains makes the most charming of travels. As the life blood of the landscapes, the best of wilderness comes to their banks, and not one dull passage is found in all their eventful histories.” John Muir
"Eight pumps inside the 12,000-square-foot building divert up to 160 million gallons of water a day to the Sacramento Water District...this new intake structure replaced a nearby 1924 treatment plant. All of the artworks reference the allure of the water, and the vistas from atop this 40-foot-high perch are remarkable." ~ Barbara
A circular plaque on the floor under the rotunda reads: “Tracing rivers to their fountains makes the most charming of travels. As the life blood of the landscapes, the best of wilderness comes to their banks, and not one dull passage is found in all their eventful histories.” John Muir
"Eight pumps inside the 12,000-square-foot building divert up to 160 million gallons of water a day to the Sacramento Water District...this new intake structure replaced a nearby 1924 treatment plant. All of the artworks reference the allure of the water, and the vistas from atop this 40-foot-high perch are remarkable." ~ Barbara
Wednesday, May 7, 2008
Evening Time in the Neighborhood
This is our neighbor Bill Kobasic. He knows I took his photo but he doesn't know that it will be on my blog. But I just want to say how terrific he is! Last summer we put up our new good neighbor fence and he did all the work digging posts, sawing and hammering. We are really lucky to have such a great friend in our neighborhood.~Barbara
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Rock Climbing Wall at Bryte Park
Kids got a chance to test out their skills on the 24 foot tall rock climbing wall provided by Climb On at the Arbor Day Celebration last weekend. ~ Barbara
Monday, May 5, 2008
The Good Humor Man
Can you remember when you were a kid and you had to decide what kind of ice cream you wanted-- It is hard when there are so many choices?~ Barbara
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Mayor Cabaldon Receives the Tree City USA Award
On behalf of the City of West Sacramento, Mayor Christopher Cabaldon was presented with the Tree City USA Award by John Melvin, Urban Forester for Northern California, at the Arbor Day Celebration held on Saturday May 3, 2008 at Bryte Park.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
Thursday Night Classics
These classic cars are on their way to Whitey's Jolly Kone for their Thursday Night Gig. When I was a teenager there was a car club in West Sacramento called the Challengers. The guys all had cool hot rods that had a sign in their back window that said "Challengers"-- it was the time of American Graffiti.
~ Barbara
Cathy writes:
"When I was in high school Mike Zimmerman was the president of the Challengers. I remember going to a dance that was held at the El Rancho Hotel put on by the Challengers and Ray Peterson was there singing Corina, Corina. I was real shy then and he came up to me while singing and asked me to dance with him, of course I froze and clung to my chair."
Friday, May 2, 2008
May 3rd is the West Sacramento Arbor Day Celebration
On Saturday, May 3, 2008 Noon to 2:00 PM,the City of West Sacramento invites the community to "Celebrate the 3rd annual Arbor Day" at Bryte Park. Program includes a tree planting, an Arbor Day Proclamation and presentation of the Tree City USA Award to the city of West Sacramento by John Melvin, Urban Forester for Northern California. The event includes free tree seedlings, information booths, live music, banner painting, food and a climbing wall!
~Barbara
Thursday, May 1, 2008
West Sacramento Veterans Of Foreign War
This photo of a photo is of some of our West Sacramento Veterans of Foreign Wars.
Photo of a photo is of some of our West Sacramento Veterans of Foreign Wars who were also original members of the VFW Post 8762.Front Row: Doug Draper, Robert Lukins, Walter Nichols, Walter Wittkop, Ken MacClain, John Sweeney, Earl Bartley, Al Manzitto. Rear Row: Charles James, Roy McKinnon, Cliff Sigler, Arthur Kurth, Bill Haskins, Jack Langford, Ray Smith, George Newhall, Kile Chisholm, Edmond Bartkowski.
For more photos of the old photos from the VFW old days see here: VFW Albums
Notice there are 48 Stars on the flag in this photo, yet Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959. The caption on the photo is clearly marked that is was shot in 1961 to honor the gentlemen with 15 year pins. I'm almost certain this patriotic organization would not have used an obsolete flag? Or is the date on the photo wrong...who can solve this mystery?
Photo of a photo is of some of our West Sacramento Veterans of Foreign Wars who were also original members of the VFW Post 8762.Front Row: Doug Draper, Robert Lukins, Walter Nichols, Walter Wittkop, Ken MacClain, John Sweeney, Earl Bartley, Al Manzitto. Rear Row: Charles James, Roy McKinnon, Cliff Sigler, Arthur Kurth, Bill Haskins, Jack Langford, Ray Smith, George Newhall, Kile Chisholm, Edmond Bartkowski.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Trivia: Many of these fellows had children that I grew up with in West Sacramento..In fact I am married to Earl Bartley's son Thomas.For more photos of the old photos from the VFW old days see here: VFW Albums
Notice there are 48 Stars on the flag in this photo, yet Alaska and Hawaii became states in 1959. The caption on the photo is clearly marked that is was shot in 1961 to honor the gentlemen with 15 year pins. I'm almost certain this patriotic organization would not have used an obsolete flag? Or is the date on the photo wrong...who can solve this mystery?