It was busy year for me in the Sacramento Valley, as I had the privilege to photograph and write about many events and places, as well as meet great people in the area.  The Carr Fire in Redding and the Camp Fire in Paradise impacted us all in the Valley as most residents have connections to those locations. The residents of the Valley have stepped up to help the victims of those fires and lent a helping hand for their recovery from these disasters.  Ken Grossman and the team at Sierra Nevada Brewing have brewed Resilience IPA, with the proceeds of its sale going to the victims of the Camp Fire. It was a special moment when I could be at the brewery as the beer was released to the public.

My 2018 adventures took me to hills of Colusa County, where I visited with Jennifer Diaz and her chickens at Rosita Ranch in Stonyford, where she supplies the area with fresh eggs.  I visited with Bill and Kristin Weller in Princeton, rice farmers that brew beer from their rice crop, including a batch of Resilience. I photographed the Marysville Cattle Drive, led by legendary Sacramento Valley Cowboy Cotton Rosser and his son, Reno.   The centennial celebration of the Arbuckle/College City Fire Department was a reminder of the importance of the volunteer fire departments that protect us. It was fun covering the hardworking bees during almond pollination in spite of getting stung a few times. I also enjoy photographing the various crops in our Valley and those that grow them.

Valley residents do take time to have great festivals and fairs that celebrate the culture and bounty of the area.  I attended Chico’s Snow Goose Festival, Lamb Derby in Willows, Woodland’s Tomato and Honey Festivals, Montague Balloon Festival, Marysville Peach Festival, Capay Almond Festival, Maxwell High School Parade and Rodeo, Winters Salmon Festival and the Glenn, Silver Dollar and Colusa County fairs. These would be just dates on the calendar without all the volunteers making them possible.  I really enjoy attending the Yuba City Sikh Festival and Parade each fall and visiting with people from all over the world.

The common thread of the dozens of places I’ve visited would be the people. We have so many great people here whose love for our region is easy to see.

I’m looking forward to new adventures, blogs and photographs in 2019.  Thanks for riding along with me in 2018 and Happy New Year!