This week's Wednesday Art Outing was delayed until today, Friday, when Rebecca and I decided to take part in Meetup's Plein Air Outing at the Yolo Bypass Wetlands Preserve. I had been to the area before, when I walked the levee. I was not aware that one can drive below the levee along a 5 mile road that loops around the preserve. Exploring is perhaps my favorite pastime, so you can well imagine how exhilarating this event was to me, and I think to Rebecca too. We both vow to return and take our husbands.
We really did park our chairs and paint for a while today. Though I enjoyed doing it, my little landscape water color isn't good enough to show. I think I'll work on another version today for later posting. Hope you enjoy my pictures.
For those of you who don't know about the Yolo Bypass, it is a huge tract, thousands of acres, set aside for the purpose of flood control between Sacramento and West Sacramento on the east, and Woodland and Davis on the west. A few years ago, when flood waters were high, the bypass was opened to protect our cities. At that time the area appeared as a huge lake or ocean. When not flooded, the area is used for growing rice and other crops, and is preserved as wetlands and bird habitat in our area which is a part of the Great Pacific Flyway. Various birds migrate through here at different times of the year. I am keeping my eyes open for pelicans, bats, Sand Hill Cranes....and others.
Here is a link for those of you who are interested in more about the Yolo Bypass:
http://www.yolobasin.org/wildlife.cfm
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