This delightful collection of more than 75 of Janice Kelley’s first person narratives and stunning photography spans 18 months to present both awe inspiring views and whimsical accounts of the wildlife and other activities she experiences during morning visits to Fair Oaks Bridge. The collection begins with the fall salmon run of 2016, describes the 2017 winter floods and impact of wildlife and the river corridor all the way through spring, highlights the August solar eclipse, a second fall salmon run and ends in February 2018 after a mild winter.

Brief descriptions of the settings where Fair Oaks Bridge is located are featured in the beginning of the book. Fair Oaks Village is the vibrant center of the Fair Oaks community. Fair Oaks Bluff is preserved open space atop a series of steep cliffs offering panormic views formed by eroosion over time by the American River flows. Fair Oaks Bridge History describes it signficance to the area’s early agricultural roots. Fair Oaks Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in September 2006. American River Parkway is a 23-mile long greenbelt with a bicycle and pedestrian trail that encases the Lower American River as it winds through suburban Sacramento communities.

Mornings on are a peaceful and magical time on the American River at Fair Oaks Bridge. Winter fog blankets the landscape and rolls slowly downriver floating above the surface of the water. Stunning sunrises paint clouds in deep pinks and orange long before the sun is visible over distant trees. Resident waterfowl engage in early morning rituals, dunking, patrolling, snapping at bugs and cleaning their feathers to prepare for the new day. A dozen pigeons fly over three times before landing on the bridge frame or walking the deck as they search for food.

Janice takes the time to slow down and catch the moods and rhythms of American River Parkway inhabitants and muses on their interactions. Her queries and ponderings on the ways of river life give one pause to take a deeper look at life and explore its subtleties. One can easily be drawn in by her reflections as they offer a soothing yet intimate look at the river - a natural gem and identity of the Sacramento region. Bruce Forman, Naturalist, Sacramento.