Barge Canal Access

We stopped to enjoy the peaceful and scenic beauty of the barge canal access on Jefferson Boulevard this afternoon...no sign of any fishermen there today.  The Fish Sniffer says "(Sacramento) Angling pressure has been light in the Sacramento area since the New Year began, with the Port of Sacramento and Sacramento Deepwater Channel offering the top striped bass fishing and the Lower Delta offering the best sturgeon action."

Happy Holidays in Old Sacramento!

Thank you Joan Barber for sharing this photo and family memory. "Despite the heavy rain last Friday, Old Sacramento was hopping with holiday festivities. The magnificent Christmas tree in front of The Delta King changes colors. We enjoyed a lovely evening at the Pilot House celebrating our son's birthday. Merry Christmas! Joan Barber"

What's for lunch?

This is probably my favorite salad...Romaine lettuce, mixed greens, blue cheese, candied walnuts, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries, blackberry, walnut vinaigrette..

At the Finish Line!

West Sacramento was well represented at the Lake of the Pines Annual Triathlon in Auburn yesterday. Congratulations guys!

Ready to shoot!

I tried not to display camera and tripod envy when we passed all these photographers who were all ready to take pix of the fireworks display at the California State Fair....but I was thrilled when my little Canon "point and shoot" camera got the great shot of the fireworks below!

Here is your ♥

Thanks Eve Westvik for sharing this photo she shot during her morning walk along the shoreline in Richmond, CA. The heart sign appears as a symbol in all the major cultural spheres. It also appears with a religious or positive meaning among Christians, Aztecs, Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Jews, Celts, and Taoists. This photo was taken with her lower resolution camera phone .... I think it looks like a water color painting next to the water!

Joe's Giant Orange--Shasta Lake, CA

Thank you Ken Jourdan for sharing these photos of Joe's Giant Orange in Lake Shasta, CA. Joe's is one of the few remaining Giant Orange Stands in California. Per Ken: "The part behind the front door was added a number of years ago and remodeled when Joe bought it. You can see the openings in the Orange where they used to serve out of when it was built. I don't think they have been used since the freeway was put in and it was moved from the corner. (Less that 100yds.) We were told that this was the last one since the one near Chowchilla was hit by the truck; but the web site Weird California shows some others."

K9 Cancer Walk, April 24 at Elk Grove Park

Brenna, a beautiful, much loved rottweiler, died of bone cancer in 2007. Sadly, according to current statistics, one in four dogs will die of cancer as well. To help end this disease, join the second annual Morris Animal Foundation K9 Cancer Walk at Elk Grove Regional Park on April 24. Register on-site or online and learn more. Fee: $35 for adults; $20 for children 10 or younger. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. The Walk begins at 10:00 a.m.

Thanksgiving Surfers on Doran Beach

Surfers were enjoying the beautiful conditions at Doran Beach on Thanksgiving Day but as we watched, the waves were getting so big the surfers were calling it quits. They say this beach is great for beginner surfers and a fairly safe spot. Except for an occasional shark.

Big Dog on Duty at Sonoma Humane Society

The Sonoma Humane Society's big metal dog is great! The public art in the Sonoma area is really fun.

San Francisco: Ferry Building Clock Tower

The clock tower of the Ferry Building stands above the marketplace housing the city’s famed farmers market. During daylight, on every full and half-hour, the clock bell can be heard chiming portions of the Westminster Quarters.

Petting the Manta Ray

The kids were a little hesitant to pet the Manta at Six Flags Park in Vallejo.

Monitor (Water Cannon) at High Hill Ranch

Monitors (water cannons) were used to break down the Sierra Nevada gold-bearing gravel deposits with tremendous volumes of water under high pressure. The environmental results were catastrophic. For more information see this website: Sierra College Press

Opening day of Pheasant Season

The second Saturday of November means it was the first day of pheasant hunting and these hunters were finishing up their day with lunch at Shorties in Clarksburg! Interesting to note there was only one woman in their group. The general statewide season opens on the second Saturday in November and extends for a period of 44 consecutive days (Nov 14 - Dec 27) .

The Yolo Fliers Club

The Yolo Flier's Club: fly in, play a round of golf, eat a bit of lunch then fly out!
The Yolo Flier's Club in Woodland, CA

The Davis Farmers' Market

Be sure and take time to visit the Davis Farmers' Market at Central Park and 3rd Streets in Davis, CA. Open year round, rain or shine, you will find a wide range of fruits and vegetables, including certified organic produce, as well as fresh baked goods.

Market Hours:
Sat: 8-1, year-round
Wed. 4:30-8:30 pm, Mar thru Oct

Winter Market:
Wed. 2-6 pm, Nov to mid-March

The Crush Festival at The Galeria do Vinho

We bottled, corked and labeled our own wine, then joined in the grape stomping contest at the Old Sugar Mill's Crush Festival last weekend. These grapes were grown in West Sacramento and then made into wine by The Carvalho Family. Their Tempranillo is splendid!

Indian Summer -Just enjoying the great weather!

Stephanie and I enjoyed appetizers and beverages on Ernestos patio. The weather has been so great--hard to believe it is almost October!

Meet Me In The Indian Summer (Van Morrison)
Won't you meet me
In the Indian summer
Well before
Those chilly winds do blow
Won't you meet me
In the Indian summer
Take me way back
To what I know

Oh won't you meet me
In the Indian summer
We'll go walking
By the weeping willow tree
Oh won't you meet me
In the Indian summer

Suck the Head and Pinch the Tail

The food and music was great at the Colusa Crawdad Festival last weekend. Ron Bombardier and the Bayou Boys played some great Cajun Music--Ron's 3 years old grandson is already learning to play the Cajun Accordian. Many folks from West Sacramento who used to enjoy going to the Isleton Crawdad Festival were there dancing and enjoying great music.

Bogle Vineyards & Winery

"Bogle Vineyards farms over 1,200 acres of wine grapes in the Delta region. In 1968 the father and son team of Warren and Chris Bogle planted their first 20 acres of wine grapes in Clarksburg. See their website for more of the Bogle Family's Story."

Trivia: We just tried their new release Phantom...it is phantastic!