The Good Life ~ Sacramento
Exploring a City with a Small-Town Feel and World of PotentialArchive for Seasons
Fall Rest, Renewal & Re-Charge Ahead
ooh, ahh!
Fall signals physical and mental preparation for the hibernation period ahead. But it can also awaken the desire to explore what’s happening around us ~ as the holidays begin and our surroundings get more festive, Mother Nature morphs before our eyes, and the galaxy above softens with a smoky haze.
Lose yourself in the awe just enough to be present in the moment, seeing the luminous hues on the leaves and hearing the scattering of fallen ones; smelling the burning away of summer days and rejoicing in the coming wonders of winter.
Don’t let the subtle magic of the seasons escape you. Hit a pumpkin patch, corn maze or haunted house. Steal one last outdoor meal or browse an outdoor mall, partake in a seasonal activity for the whole family or find a cozy café where you can watch the weather roll on by.
‘Tis the season where the darkness is a welcome friend and upon which the colors of fall burst before our eyes.
Happy Autumn, Everyone!
Spring Awakening
Take a different route to work today
My chimes are spiraling frantically in the wild wind this morning. I watch the young green leaves outside my window waving enthusiastically to me, and notice they have replaced most of the buttery blossoms I so loved for so brief a time. The sky is glazed with white and gray wisps of moisture, but there is no rain in sight.
The first strong wind of a new season always brings with it turbulent potential, a bit like being on a plane that bounces and rocks just enough to bring you fully to the present moment.
Excitement is by nature a neutral thing – not positive or negative, or both positive and negative. And sometimes this conundrum, the unknown, and the unsettling they bring awaken us just enough to be somewhat suspiciously and playfully on guard.
Let the spring-like energies of Mother Nature enliven you this week, and try a new approach to something.
Food & Wine, Song & Dance, Earth & Sky
Weather and Wine… For wine growers, the two are inextricably (and sometimes excruciatingly) mixed. For wine enthusiasts, there is an anticipatory pairing between the two, paying attention to harvest, crush time and release dates. And for humble wine lovers? Well, it all depends.
For me, I have tendencies when it comes to wine and weather, being more likely to drink reds when the weather is cold and whites when it is warm. It’s not rocket science, but neither is it foolproof. This winter, for instance, I’ve been drinking more whites than reds… as if my palate is as confused as our weather patterns.
But regardless the season, there’s always good news ahead for wine lovers. And since Spring has officially just sprung, what better way to celebrate its arrival than with good wine, food, music and the great outdoors?!
Spring Fling, a Picnic in Clarksburg Weekend Wine Tasting Event, will be under way the first weekend in April. Less than a nickel and dime away from Sacramento, Clarksburg is actually the closest wine region to the river city, but that by no means makes it any less significant. An undeniably beautiful area with a hefty handful of reputable wineries, Clarksburg is home to Bogle Vineyards, Heringer Estates and Carvalho Family Wines to mention just a few. There will actually be twelve wineries in attendance and over 50 wines available for sipping.
So bring a picnic and blanket or take advantage of the food vendors when you get there. Tickets are a steal at just $12.
Saturday and Sunday, April 2 and 3rd, 11AM-5PM
Brought to you by the Clarksburg Wine Growers Association: http://www.clarksburgwinegrowers.org
The Psychology of Procrastination
I sit and stare out my lofty windows to see a thin layer of wispy clouds traversing the sky and perky white blossoms bobbing amidst nubile little green leaves. Am I uninspired to write today? Or just inspired by something I haven’t yet identified…
It can be difficult to transition from a weekend of leisure and freedom to a week of deadlines and regimented productivity, and yet we often have to force ourselves to do so. What I’d really like right now is to meet a friend for a hot cup of something at a cozy corner café, talk about whatever moves us, and watch the world go by outside ~ knowing we will eventually catch up with it.
Some people understand – and accept – the rhythms of our lives, flowing with them faithfully and managing not to freak out. I’m still learning to hold on loosely to my own expectations, learning to trust my own moods and follow where they lead. But getting a slow start when we feel we should be hitting the pavement running always causes a little bit of angst in me where the shin splints should be.
So I’m having a philosophical Monday morning so far… things always level out somehow. I’ll probably be making major headway on my projects this afternoon, making up for my laissez-faire morning two or three-fold. And I will eventually get back to that feeling of productivity that makes me so proud and appeases the do-gooder in me. But for now – no sense staring at a bunch of foreign symbols that I can’t compute when there are dishes in the sink that, frankly, seem much more appealing at the moment.
2011: Finely Tuned
The fog has set in, although I barely notice it. It’s hard to believe it will last for long, considering we just had a string of sunny, 60-something-degree days – and let’s be honest – the seasons aren’t what they used to be.
I guess the sunshine is still with me, however, burning off the fog in my mind. And it is certainly symbolic too, as the 28 days of 2011 thus far have been unusually energizing for this typically hibernation-induced time of year. At least for me. If feels like an especially brand new year, and I am awakened in the middle of the night by thoughts of potential for my life to come.
How can I help the environment more?
What talents can I utilize to help others?
What are my greatest accomplishment desires?
Where might I be wasting time or energy?
Sometimes, at a new beginning, the rush to cement our goals in reality creates an inflexibility that causes the pressure to build and the intrinsic interest in something to wane. And not knowing precisely what I want my future to look like, I don’t feel the need to force it. Maybe I am comforted by the stirrings I feel within, knowing that if I at least pay attention and remain open, my particular path will continue to unfold, just as it always has.
And maybe, this particular period of my life will be even more significant than the last, because that’s how it feels…. But for now, while my eyes are weary and my passions are nesting, I’m going back to bed to get some more rest.
Tomorrow’s another big day.
There is something special about Sacramento; the rich land upon which it was built, the rivers that flow through, the bounty around it and the people who make the Sacramento area their home.
Life is good in California’s Capital City for many reasons, including climate and geography, community and amenities, nature and wildlife, and so much more. It’s hard to imagine a warmer feeling than a sunshine-drenched morning here, an easier feeling than a refreshing post-rain spring day, or a more engaging experience than a night on the town with friends or family.
There’s truly something here for everyone and every mood, for Sacramento is a shifting entity itself, with four distinct but relatively mild seasons, diverse neighborhoods and people, a ripening food and restaurant scene, year-round events and outdoor fun, and daytime and night-time adventures. Its magic is a blend of history and tradition, vision and reinvention. And there’s so much pleasure to be had here – with family and friends, food and wine, adventures and experiences – that they’re likely to create the kind of fond memories that might seem so familiar… but aren’t quite like any other.
