Au Revoir Sacramento

Our favorite place for breakfast.

This is our last day house sitting in Sacramento.  We have had a fun time, visited with friends and family, and tasted some good wines.  We enjoyed staying with Toby and getting better aquainted with Charles and Mary Anne. 

Magnolias were in bloom all over the city.

Donna and Anna came for Bill's birthday.

Wine tasting in Amador with Anna and Lauren.

Otis and Mile came to visit Toby.  They brought Amy and Chris with them.

The squirrel on the high line above the back yard who encourages Toby to exercise.

Ivy and Korie's teenage geese.  What a pair!

Shooting the cannon at Sutter's Fort in downtown Sacramento.

Au Revoir Sacramento!  We will miss you.  Now for the long drive back to Tucson.

Old Town Sacramento

Old Town Sacramento

Many, many years ago when we lived in Sacramento, Old Town was a nice place to go.  Lots of fun bars and restaurants, interspersed with unique shops.  Today it still has the fun bars and restaurants, but the unique shops have become candy stores and tee shirt vendors.  There is still one very nice jewelry store, but that's it.

Fat City restaurant, still an excellent place to eat.

The original train depot for Sacramento.

The main reasons to visit the old town area are the train museum and the Wells Fargo museum, as well as the old restored buildings themselves.  Our personal favorite is the statue of the Pony Express rider.  While this American icon did not really last that long as a way of mail delivery, it is indelibly imprinted into our minds thanks to the movies.  The Pony express was put out of business by the telegraph and the finishing of the trans-continental railroad.  It was fun while it lasted!

The Pony Express rider.  He has a really intense look on his face.

Plaque at base of rider.

Choo-Choo!

The place is full of old engines, all beautifully restored and SHINY!

The Sacramento Railroad Museum is an amazing place.  They have trains from very tiny to one of the biggest steam driven engines made. 

There is one big engine....

after another big engine......

after another!

In addition to engines which pulled the train, there are the cars.  Freight hauler, refrigerated cars, sleepers, dining cars, and even a private cars which belonged to very wealthy people.

The china setting used by the Atchison Topeka and the Santa Fe.

Labels from the fruit shippers who first used the refrigerated cars.  The refrigeration was by large blocks of ice.

Happy Birthday Bill!

Chocolate Decadence from the Freeport Bakery in Sacramento.

He:  I don't want a cake.
She:  I'm going to the bakery, any suggestions?
He:  Something Chocolate and gooey.

I think this met his requirements.  It was a thin cake bottom filled with 3 inched of fudge, iced with ganache, then covered with whipped cream and chocolate swirls.  We could only eat a paper thin slice at a time!

What To Do on a Rainy Day

The view from Convergence Winery

Well, we could sit at home and pout, but that causes wrinkles, so.......we went wine tasting with two beautiful young women.  Ok, we have known them since they were cute little girls, but wow!  They have grown up nicely!

Anna and Lauren

Amador County is now know for it's wineries.  Seems like Californians have decided they can grow grapes anywhere.  So far, so good!  We visited 6 wineries, found very drinkable wines in 5, and in the last one, Cooper, liked every single wine that was served!

Anna, Lauren, Bill and Mary

Bill and I came home with nearly 2 full cases.  Of course, some of the bottles are to be presents for a couple we know who will be celebrating their anniversary very soon.  SHHHHH, don't tell!

Crocker Art Museum

The original Crocker mansion with the first add on to the left.

The new wing of the Crocker Art Museum

This is a do not miss place to see in Sacramento.  It was originally a mansion built by the Crocker Family of early California fame and  more importantly, money.  The mansion has been expanded once with a modern wing, but just last year an new three story addition was opened.  The windows, the lighting, the displays are all excellent.  It is a world class art museum.

Classical statue in the original Mansion.  The woodwork in this building is as wonderful as the art.

The new section has more modern art, some of which is just fun!

We spent a couple of hours looking through the museum.  There were several groups of school children, who seemed to be enjoying themselves.  There was also a tour for "The Red Hat Society".  They were really enjoying themselves!

A few of the ladies from the Red Hat Society tour.

Old Friends

Jim

Mike

Ivy

Chris

Korie

Irma

It isn't often we have a house sit which is near to where we once lived.  Sacramento is that exception.  We lived here 30 years ago.  Our daughter was born here.  While things have changed, most of the streets remain the same.  Although some are now one way!

We have had the fun of catching up with old friends, meeting their children as adults with children, and meeting their all grown up daughter, who just graduated from High School.

Old Friends.