Sally at the Sacramento Public Library did a great job organizing the kickoff event for the summer reading program. The Friends of the Library provided the funding.
Deno from the Natomas Farm.
The trick roper was a big hit.
And now, everyone is ready to begin their summer reading!
Tree Tour at McKinley Park
This tour was led by Anne Fenkner, an arborist with the Sacramento Tree Foundation.
There was quite a large group.
Sidewalk rerouted to accomodate the tree.
The rows of palms were planted in the 1930s and lined the trolley tracks up to the turn-around.
Phyllis and I both thought this tour was excellent.
Project Ride Smart
Oh my goodness, it’s been HOT! Nevertheless, we persevere with our last day of street rides. Teaching at Regency Park has been so wonderful. The school climate, fifth grade teaching staff, working with Elle = “I love my job!”
And I got another surprise from a former student. Heather Long from Westside School, is now a parent at Regency Park. She married another former student Nathan Anderson.
CBET at Woodlake
CBET at Woodlake ended on May 19. My students told me the principal was reitiring and a surprise had been planned by the parents to say goodbye. They wanted me to come to the celebration. There was no way I was not going to be there. I couldn’t stay long, I had to get to Regency Park for Project Ride Smart.
The principal, Doretha Hayes – I first knew her as a teacher in RLUSD long long ago, time passed, Doretha became a principal, I retired, 11 years went by, and I happened to be teaching CBET the year she retired and was invited by “mis estudianates” to be a part of the event. Wow.
Project Ride Smart
If there’s a bicycle education program to emulate in the Sacramento region, it’s Project Ride Smart for 5th graders in the North Natomas Transportation Management District. For those of you familiar with Rio Linda, this area is just west of the E Levee Road, sort of the backyard of where I grew up on W 6th St, now it’s all subdivision housing, but they do have some very cool things happening. Regency Park School is part of NNTMA and the only school in Twin Rivers USD to benefit from this excellent program. It was developed and promoted by Mellissa Meng about 5 years ago. Here, she stepped in on Day 1 to introduce the course. Every 5th grader had the opportunity to participate. Bicycles were provided. There was about 3 hours of classroom instruction, 3 hours of blacktop drills, 3 hours of on-street riding, and 1-hour follow-up/debriefing. This is an intense course and one reason why blogging gaps happen to me. 
L-R: Matthew and Elle. Elle is my co-LCI lead teaching partner this time. This is her website http://www.tinyhelmetsbigbikes.com/ 
Matthew is working toward achieving his LCI status by practice teaching with us. Matthew’s story is incredible. He was struck from behind in 2011 while riding his bike on Elkhorn Blvd. He generously shares his story to encourage everyone to wear a helmet. His brain injury left him without emotions and without the sense of taste.
Memorial Day
This is the official holiday. And extra day for play? At Justin’s, it an extra day for work.
Hello, neighbor.
From the Sewing Cave
In between everything else, I’ve managed to complete a few projects. A handbag/backpack for Thais’ birthday on the 17th
using Carolyn Friedlander’s Architextures and Botanics fabrics.
A few zippered pouches from the scraps.
And a baby quilt for Mike (Dick’s son) and Nicole in Colorado who are expecting their first baby in June. The center panel is Alexander Henry’s ABC With Me. Thais helped pick out the coordinating fabrics, I came up with the quilt design.
Rice farming in E Nicolaus
The planting season is coming to an end. This crop duster was planting one of the last fields very close to Justin’s house. 
Standing in Justin’s driveway.
Once seeded, the sprout must reach above the surface within 3 days, so the water isn’t very deep right now, maybe 1-3 inches. As the rice grows, water is added to the field.
Sacramento Valley Equestrian Patrol
Many events take place at the Dry Creek Ranch House. Today, the first gathering of the season for the Sacramento Valley Equestrian Patrol. Center is event organizer Barbara Longo, right is Candace Taylor. Far left, so sorry, this reporter did not get your name.
After a 2-hour ride, the next step was to check your poker hand
then have a good meal.
Deadheading roses
Today I learned that I merely deadhead roses at the Dry Creek Ranch House – I remove the dead or nearly-faded blossoms. Someone else on the team is the artist. I think it’s Emmie, surely it’s not me. 
arletelouise 