This morning in the Great Central Valley and more

I had the opportunity to be on the road this morning.  My husband had an early flight and I had to take him to the airport.  When he is in the car with me, we talk and joke and look at birds landing on telephone polls.  Really, he is the one swerving the car and driving somewhat recklessly so he can not only see the bird, but name it.  The drive is short and sometimes sad because I am dropping him off and won't see him for a few days.  After the big hug at the airport, I climb back into the car and put on some cool music or NPR and drive home.  The difference on the way home compared to the way there is that I really observe my surroundings.  The highway between Davis and the airport is open and I can see our little section of the central valley. The air was particularly thick today..so heavy in fact that you could cut it and serve it up with some crackers.  I remember when I worked for the Department of Fish and Game and I was imported from the eastern sierra  to help with  a fish kill in Fresno.  I had really never spent any time in the valley and found it quite oppressive with all the flatness and thick air (and weird smells).  I swore to myself that I would never live in a place like that and yet here I am.  Funny how things work out.

Today on my drive home, I not only saw the thick air,  but also beautiful open fields in varying shades of fall color with grasses waving rhythmically. I  saw the coastal range in the background adding some depth to the picture. I have always been waiting to leave this area because it never has felt like my space.  This morning I felt peaceful and at home.  I am slowly learning to  be less resistant to the things I thought I never would like and view the picture just as it is.  Sometimes it is ugly, but sometimes it is quite beautiful and sometimes it is beautiful in all of it's ugliness.

Lastly, I have to mention a mostly local, healthy food option for breakfast.  I just made my son a yogurt bowl filled with fresh pomegranate seeds, satsuma oranges and frozen blueberries.  I would have added persimmons (skip the blueberries), some flax seeds and some almonds.  I had a piece of millet bread with almond butter, ground flax seeds with fresh pomegranate seeds on it and it was delicious and zippy to look at.

Have a great day!