Pumpkin Smile

So...may the great pumpkin bring you all the sweet treats your heart desires during Halloween, Samhain, Pooky Nights and Dia De Los Muertos.

Trivia: I shot this photo while in Philadelphia last year. The front steps of the row houses in the city were rich with Halloween and Harvest decorations!

Professor Minerva McGonigal: Your Daily Photo-Blogger in Costume

Professor Minerva McGonigal (also know as Barbara Smith) of Hogwart's School of Witchcraft and Wizardry wishes you a SPOOKY, SCARY, CANDY-FILLED, KID-FRIENDLY, HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Up on the roof~wasn't that a great song?

This construction worker was spotted walking on a roof in the port area.

Building industry safety tips for metal roof walkers: " Care must always be taken when walking on the roof because metal surfaces can become slippery when wet or covered with foreign materials. For safety precautions, there should be no walking on a metal roof at these times. Also, due to the powerful reflective properties, metal roofs can become very, very hot on a bright summer day....make sure you have someone nearby to assist just in case."

Skeleton Jack

The latest rage in the under 12 set is this skeleton sweat shirt. Here is Jack modeling his.

Training Law Dogs-WSK9 Training Facility

Training Law Dogs for the WSPD is done at theWSK9 Training Facility. WSK9 is a non profit organization for the K9 officers of the West Sacramento Police Department. According to the organizations website: "The West Sacramento K-9 team conduct weekly maintenance training every Wednesday. We are always looking for new challenging buildings or outdoor facilities for our training."

Starbucks Pumpkin "Bearista"

Thank you to Miss Neva May for the Pumpkin "Bearista" -a special Halloween treat for our grandaughter.

The Nugget Pumpkin

The Nugget Market has a great display of Pumpkins for the season--including their clever carved logo pumpkin.

Tres fantasmas

The week of Halloween, Samhain, Pooky Nights and Dia De Los Muertos has officially arrived in West Sacramento--Better Beware!

Reflection on the New CalSTRS Building

Florene shot this photo of a webcam that was televising a shot of the CalSTRS Building. She said she was intrigued by the way the City of Sacramento Skyscape was reflected on the building's mirrored tiles. It is really a beautiful building. Thanks Florene!

Two Rivers Hard Cider-Yummy!

This Two Rivers Cider Company truck was spotted in West Sacramento recently. Hopefully
their product will be available at some of our local pubs and bottle shops this fall. Chris
Macias has a great article in The Sacrameno Bee about Two Rivers Cider Company:
For hard cider fans, the glass is half-full

Located in Sacramento, their website states "By using only the freshest apples milled
locally in Apple Hill, California and NO additional sugars or concentrates, we’ve produced
a one-of a-kind Cider that is perfect for all occasions."

Port of Sacramento Entry Gate

The front entry gate to the Port of Sacramento.

Taco Bell on Harbor Boulevard

The Taco Bell/Pizza Hut on Harbor Boulevard has finished the remodel and it looks great.

A Sunny day at the RiverWalk

Enjoying a beautiful afternoon at the RiverWalk along the banks of the Sacramento River. ~Photo by Debbie

Goodbye to 7 Eleven's Gas Pumps and Signage

The 7-Eleven on Jefferson Blvd: Gone are days of making a quick stop to buy gas....
Sorry to see the pumps are gone now--maybe they just weren't able to compete
on the high price of gas anymore.

River City Car Wash On Harbor Blvd.

The River City Car Wash is West Sacramento’s only fully automated conveyor car wash, with the finest state of the art equipment to give your vehicle a clean and safe wash in less than 5 minutes. I stopped by there recently and can highly recommend the quality of the wash.

Waste Management Pickup

Weekly pickup of our garbage, green waste and recycling bins is a huge responsibility and the citizens of West Sacramento really appreciate the diligence of our Waste Management Company-- rain or shine and always on time!

The Cable Crossing Sign

 Photo is of the sign at the edge of the River Walk Park designating the location of the Pacific Telephone Co. Cable Crossing in the Sacramento River. This sign has been there for years...I don't know the history, but Pacific Telephone is no more.

The Elegant Egret!

Our duck pond invites many species of fowl and one of the most elegant is a vising Egret!

Testing our fire hydrants~

The West Sacramento Department of Public Works routinely schedules the fire-fighters to flush and test the fire hydrants and last week they were in our neighborhood.

Patio Dining at The Club Pheasant

This photo of the Club Pheasant patio dining area was taken in the early AM before they were open for business--

Our family loves meeting at "the club" and many special occasions have been celebrated there over the years including weddings, reunions, birthdays, anniversaries and funerals! The patio is a great addition and we have a special memory there as it was the night of our planning to travel to Guatemala to meet our special girl!

Oak Tree in the Road

This beautiful old oak tree at Lisbon and Todhunter is a north side landmark.
At one time the street dead-ended at the tree...and now the City has created a nice
"island mini-park" that enables thru-traffic.

Phil Tulga: " Music Through the Curriculum"

The Westmore Oaks PTA sponsored a workshop by Phil Tulga-a member of the Jazz Studies faculty at CSUS.

During the "Math Science and Sound"workshop, students (and their parents) learned about the science of sound, made several musical instruments, then played them together in an exciting orchestral production. See this YouTube video for a highlight of the event.

West Sacramento Fire Station 45 Open House Today

All members of our community are invited to attend the West Sacramento Fire Department, Station 45, open house on Saturday October 11, 2008 from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM. The new "state of art" station is located at 2040 Lake Washington Boulevard in the south area of town.

McGruff the Crime Dog

McGruff the Crime Dog pays a visit to the Community Day Parade in West Sacramento!

Community Day Parade: James Marshall Preschool Float

The theme for the parade this year was "the great outdoors." In our opinion, the most creative float in the whole parade, the James Marshall Parent Participation Preschool float showcased the theme perfectly!

Robynn Goodell Fundraiser at Dave's Pumpkin Patch

Dave's Pumpkin Patch along with 105.1 KNCI will be hosting a fundraiser on October 14, 2008, for Robynn Goodell and her courageous fight against cancer. Dave's Pumpkin Patch will donate 10% of all gross purchases at the pumpkin patch (excluding food) to Robynn and her family. We hope you can come be a part of this special day for Robynn. Details below:

When: Tuesday, October 14th*
*Pat and Tom from 105.1 KNCI's morning show will be broadcasting live from the patch from 5 am- 10am and giving away prizes, so be sure to listen or come by!

Time: 5 am until CLOSING at 7pm

How you can help: Come by the pumpkin patch and either purchase something from the patch or just donate to the "Jar of Strength" for Robynn; encourage businesses, family or friends to donate or come to the patch that day and lastly, make sure to listen to our favorite radio station, 105.1 KNCI!

For more information on the amazing Robynn and her battle against cancer, you can go to her blog:
http://robynnsbattle.blogspot.com/

Club West Cheerleaders

The Club West Cheerleaders performing at the Community Day Parade.

CLUB WEST is an after school teen program for students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade and has been providing programming in West Sacramento since 1991. Through out the year CLUB WEST sponsors monthly dances, and trips which include: Disneyland, Magic Mountain, Knott's Berry Farm, Six Flags Marine World, Roller and Ice Skating, San Francisco, Sunsplash Water Park, movie nights, and more, also provided are leadership conferences, craft club, Club West Committee, Cheerleading, Mentoring, Summer Teen Camp, Club Live, daily snack bar, game room, tournaments, extended hours on minimum days, phones, use of computers for homework, and more.

Community Day Parade Color Guard

The American Legion Color Guard signaled the beginning of the Community Day Parade last weekend in West Sacramento.

Trivia:

West Sac to cheer diversity with Community Pride Day

Published on October 4, 2002, Sacramento Bee

** To celebrate its ethnic and cultural diversity, West Sacramento is throwing a big party Saturday in River Walk Park.

Combining the annual Community Day Parade and the city's first Neighbors Fair, the all-day event has been designated Community Pride Day. "Our community is like a quilt, a lot of pieces in a very colorful quilt," said Denice Edgar, president of the Chamber of Commerce.

Measure K Tax Dollars at Work

Fifteenth Street in West Sacramento is getting new gutters and sidewalks funded by Measure K Tax Dollars.

An Explanation of Measures J and K
In November 2002, West Sacramento voters approved two measures relating to an increase in the sales tax. Measure K increased the sales tax by a ½ cent of every taxable sales dollar. Measure J asked whether the additional tax proceeds should fund the repair and maintenance of city streets, new parks and community facilities, library services, after school programs, childcare and senior facilities, expanded police and fire protection, and reductions in utility bills and property tax assessments. Measure J was an advisory measure that described the City Council’s conceptual plan on how the money should be spent, and Measure K was the measure that actually implemented the sales tax increase.

Register Here to Vote!

Working to register voters outside Raley's Market in West Sacramento this week, in 90 degree heat, is community activist Prof. Joachim Goldsmith.

Goldsmith is Professor Emeritus of Criminal Justice at California State University Sacramento, and is an alumni of the University of California, Davis School of Law. ~Barbara

Shoeshine Boy at the Silver Legacy in Reno

I have heard the inside of a banana peel can also be used to effectively shine shoes.

Underdog was the alter-identity of Shoeshine Boy. When he heard Polly's singing plea of "Oh where, oh where has my Underdog gone?", "humble, lovable" Shoeshine Boy would slip into a phone booth and emerge as the champion of justice.

Trivia:I asked Tom if he could remember the last time he had a shoeshine. He said that when he was in the Navy they used to get their shoes-shined regularly in the Orient....but he thinks the last time was at Harv's Car Wash in Sacramento...nowdays he hardly ever has on shoes that need shining..mostly wearing his sandals or tennies.

A Majestic Display

The sky was majestic this morning with bursts of sunbeams through the clouds. I feel it was a reminder that we not should let the bad news of the financial markets take away from the promise that each new day brings!

October 2008 Theme Day: Lines

Debbie shot this photo of "shoefiti" (shoes slung over a power line)! Some call shoe-slinging folk art..others will tell you it has to do with the human need for self expression.

The Urban Dictionary defines "shoefiti" as "the artistic expression of slinging shoes tied together by their laces over power lines. Generally photographs are taken of the shoefito for distribution among fellow "artists" as well as the general public."

The City Daily Photo Bloggers Theme for October 1, 2008 is "Lines".

Click here to view thumbnails for all participants for this these day!