Christmas Day at Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Sacramento, CA 12.25.09

Happy Holidays everyone.

It has been a little while since our last post, and a lot has happened since. Christmas 2009 has come and gone, and while many were spending time with family and loved ones I was fortunate enough to get outside on a beautiful bright sunny day to escape to the Effie Yeaw Nature Center in Sacramento, California.  When I woke up around 7:30am my iPhone read that it was 30-degrees outside and while there was a chill in the air, it had that clean, crisp feeling (one that you dont often get in Southern California.)  After spending the morning with my parents and Melissa and sharing gifts with one another, we had a quick lunch and then I took Melissa out to the Nature Center (where she had never been before) and we got to enjoy the time together without all of the busy traffic and noise customary to Los Angeles.

When we got there, I was telling Melissa how we may see some deer, wild turkey, and various birds in the area but wasn't too sure because it was around 1:30pm and most of the time they are "hiding" until near sunset/dusk.  Sure enough, no more than 5 minutes into our walk down the path, we encounter the wild turkey in the near distance and shortly behind were a small family of deer wandering around.  After the deer crossed through, we proceeded down the path and down to the American River where the cold water from the Sierra Mountains were running downstream and there wasn't a single disturbance.  Off in the distance were a few Mallard Ducks in the river swimming around, and overhead was a hawk circling in the sky apparently hunting something from above.


All said, it was a beautiful day at the Nature Center, the weather just warm enough to not need a jacket and Melissa and I were able to spend some time together doing something completely different without any distractions of a cell phone, computer, internet, traffic, etc.  After our nature walk, it was back to the house to prepare for family to arrive for Christmas dinner and more quality time together as a family.  Good times in deed!!

Happy New Year everyone, please be safe where ever you may be celebrating and ringing in 2010.