This is the time of year for you and your family to do a little exploring. Have you ever thought of visiting Calico. It is only a short drive from the freeway. I'm sure that you'll enjoy it. Bring a camera.

V. Sattui Winery

We had visitors from Mexico just last month. While visiting St. Helena we stopped at a winery along the way. We had some wonderful wine and cheese. I will definitely return.

The wine barrel pictured (right) captivated me for a while. I enjoy the decorative nature of wine barrels in stores and and farms. Although I also see them at home and other business, I don't think they show as well.

Day Trip Carson City

My brother and I took a day trip to Carson City Nevada, and we stopped to take this photo of me before getting to Lake Tahoe.

Valentine's Day

We celebrated Valentine's Day by going out to a movie. We had a very good time. We also had a nice dinner at home. Overall, it was wonderful.

Amgen Tour

The Amgen Tour was impressive. There was a lot of enthusiasm in the crowds. The people admired these professional cyclists as the speed through the downtown street around the capitol. The local media reported 75,000 espectators. I was amazed with the organization of the event. I truly recommend that you share this experience in the upcoming days and in future years.

Amgen Tour Stop in Sacramento

Video Slideshow. Note: No Audio Available.

State Capitol

The weather has brought some desperately needed rain to our region. But as you can see, it has also created a nice background for snapshots. This image is of the California State Capitol. Although I come here often, I'm still impressed with the architecture.

Chess Game

Looking foward to a game of chess. Any takers?

Winter Moon

During the last two weeks, the sky has been mostly clear giving me perfect opportunities to take pictures of the moon. Above is only one of many pictures that I've taken. For this shot, I had to use a tripod.

Lake Tahoe

This place continues to fascinate me. If you have an opportunity, go out with family or friends for a nice walk on one of the many campgrounds around the lake. We had a nice family picnic.

Old Sacramento

Left: The Sacramento River. Old Sacramento has been a wonderful place to go out for a walk and relax. I'm enjoying it more with this wonderful weather, chilly at night and warm during the day.

Happy New Year!

Happy 2009! Our best wishes to our family and friends. We look forward to 2009, and we hope that we all come through in what is turning out to be a challenging year.