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What’s Hot and Happening this Weekend!

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

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We’ve got some delightful adventures for you and your loved ones to scope out this weekend!

Feeling Festive? Check out Fig Garden Village this weekend.

Saturday & Sunday 1 p.m. til 3 p.m. each day there will be complimentary Horse and Carriage rides and FREE photos with Santa.  Drop off and Pick up location is at Pottery Barn.

Pet Photos with the big man in red this weekend! 
Saturday & Sunday, December 15 & 16 from 11:00am – 4:00pm

Santa and his helpers will be at the Fresno (Blackstone/Ashlan) Petco taking pet photos! The proceeds benefit The Cat House on the Kings Rescue. Click here for the details.

Pet photos with Santa
Sunday December 16th 6-8pm

Sierra Vista Mall will host their pet photo night. Dress your adorable pets up and take a beautiful photo with Santa in front of their stunning holiday display at Center Court inside Sierra Vista Mall. This event is sponsored by Animal Rescue of Fresno. 

Free High Fitness Class!  
Saturday at 11 a.m. 

Synergy Fitness Center:  1021 E. Herndon Ave 

Be sure to wear your ugliest Christmas workout attire and bring a new unwrapped toy or gently used jacket for a FREE High Fitness Class! Get fit and giveback.S

  

Breakfast with Santa on the Lake!

Bring your little ones to Ducey’s on the Lake on Saturday or Sunday mornings in December to meet the white bearded man from the North Pole and his Elf!  Here are the details 

Enjoy a brief visit with Santa, followed by a nice, family breakfast with a view of Bass Lake. Make sure to bring your camera to capture those precious memories! 

Zack’s Brewing Company’s  grand opening event

Live music featuring:

  • Llama Boy from 4-6 pm
  • Bill Clifton’s Chicken & Whiskey Band from 7-10 pm

Food Vendors:

  • Dab Tacos
  • Just the Tip
  • The Rolling Donut
  • Rude Boys Acai’ & more

For more information 

Have fun, Be Merry & Be Safe!

Community Spotlight: MacKenzie Hartung

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

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I’m proud to announce FresYes’s star, MacKenzie Hartung, is shining bright! After saying #YestoFresYes, She received a call from her dear friends (and clients!) Craig and Claire Meredith about wanting to start a philanthropic group in support of a local charity. 


“The premise was simple: gather a group of young professionals for dinner once a month, and add in an element of giving back to every meeting.  Our charity of choice is Terry’s House— a hospitality home for families of critical care patients at Community Regional Medical Center.  Our group is comprised of “millennials” which are broadly known for being the “me-centric” generation.  In hopes to change that narrative, our dinner club was created with a group of like-minded individuals to shift the perception of young people in the community today.”


Terry’s House is growing and changing the world thanks to MacKenzie — check out this news coverage expanding on the home away from home for many:  watch the amazing news coverage here!

Read more about MacKenzie’s adventures on her blog here.

Have a cause or person you want to highlight? Let us know! We say #YestoCommunity at FresYes.

Spotted: Santa! Here’s where to find him…

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Natali Carrera

Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her nine-year-old son, husband of 14 years and bargain hunting at Target. She works full time with ValleyPBS as their Director of Educational Services and is also a freelance writer and YouTube vlogger (as a hobby). She's been told "bubbly" is the best descriptor of her personality, though she wonders if what people really mean is that she talks too much. Natali is a lifelong Fresno resident and Fresno State grad.
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If there are young children in your life, chances are this time of year Santa is a big topic of conversation. If the little ones in your life could use a close encounter with the big guy himself (or some of his merry-making associates) to make their Christmas season extra special, you are in luck!

Fresno has some really special events taking place just for families over the course of the next week, and here at FresYes.com we’ve done the work to list them in one place for your enjoyment – read on for all the details!

Family-Friendly Holiday Events This Week (Featuring Santa!)

Nightly from 5-8pm: Zoo Lights at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Come enjoy holiday music, special drinks and snacks and all the glittering lights of the Zoo, decked out for the holidays! Free photos with Santa will be available, too! Tickets for this annual, much-cherished local activity can be purchased online here.

Tuesday, Dec. 11th from 6-10pm: 2nd & Last Christmas Tree Lane Walk-Only Night

Walking Christmas Tree Lane is an annual tradition for many Fresno Families. The second and final night of the year in which the lane will be closed to vehicle traffic will be Tuesday, Dec. 11th. A shuttle is available if you start at Gazebo Gardens if you prefer not to walk the full length of the lane in both directions. You can also start from Fig Garden Village Shopping Center. Whichever way you go, the glittering lane is sure to delight, and you’ll even see the big guy himself near the halfway point of your walk. Need additional info? Click here.

Thursday, Dec. 13th from 4-6pm: Cornerstone Coffee Open House

Santa & his buddy Rudolph will be happy to greet little ones for photo ops while grown-ups enjoy a delicious coffee for a cause. Cornerstone Coffee is located Downtown on the SW corner of Fulton and Stanislaus, and the café provides job training and employment opportunities for women who are part of the programs from Light-House Recovery Program. This event is free, coffee is available for purchase and 100% of funds raised benefit Light-House and their community work.

Thursday, Dec. 13th from 4-7pm: Holiday Extravaganza at Pavilion West Shopping Center

Shoppers can enjoy free food and drink samples, sugar cookie decorating at Boo Boo Bean Bakery, special sales, holiday music and of course a meet and greet and photo session with Santa himself this Thursday night in the Pavilion West Shopping Center on the SW corner of Bullard and West in NW Fresno.

Friday, Dec. 14th from 5:30-8: Ride the Train to the North Pole at Santa’s Sleighland in Playland

This Friday night enjoy unlimited Playland rides a train ride to the North Pole, a visit and photo with Santa and a candy cane all for one price. Tickets are available online (at a discount of $2) or at the gates.

Saturday, Dec. 15th from 11am – 4pm: Free Train Rides and Cookies & Cocoa with Mrs. Claus in Riverpark

Kids can enjoy live music and free train rides around the Riverpark Shopping Center between 11am and 4pm this Saturday, and from 3pm – 6pm kids can enjoy cookies and cocoa with Mrs. Claus. Look for signs and information near the front of Edwards Cinema.  

Saturday, Dec. 15th or Sunday, Dec. 16th from 1pm – 3pm: Free carriage ride and photo with Santa in Fig Garden Village

Families can enjoy a free ride around Fig Garden Village Shopping Center followed by a visit with Santa and free photo by meeting the carriage in front of the big Christmas tree next to Pottery Barn. (Subject to cancelation due to heavy rain, just FYI.)

Date with your Pup? Fresyes, Please!

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Joanne Lui

Joanne Lui is a social media and fashion addict who has lived in Fresno since she was four, and sometimes accidentally says she was born and raised in Fresno. She was actually born in Hong Kong. She loves shopping and the St. Louis Cardinals, and is equally likely to be found in heels or a baseball cap - sometimes both. She blogs about designer bargain hunting and charitable fashion companies at www.shoesoffmyfeet.com
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Lazy Dog Restaurant is a Hit with Humans and Canines Alike.

Many of us treat our dogs like family members. I have seen this firsthand through my dog-sitting business. So it seems like such a pity when you find a good place to eat and can’t share it with your pups, right? The new Lazy Dog Restaurant & Bar totally understands this, which is why they have created one of the most dog-friendly dining experiences I’ve ever seen.

The national chain moved into the space formerly occupied by Elephant Bar at the Villagio Shopping Center several weeks ago. They boast a menu with a wide variety of selections, as well as weekend brunch. But what really sets them apart is a large, semi-enclosed, dog-friendly patio and a menu for canine companions.

I took my infamously ridiculous beagle, Grover, to Lazy Dog last week, and the results were predictably entertaining. As soon as we arrived, he was presented with his own bowl of water. I ordered brown rice & veggies for him, and crispy deviled eggs, bison meatloaf, a PB&J burger (you read that right!), and a chicken salad sandwich with butternut squash soup for my parents and me.

Lazy Dog showed that it’s not just a gimmick with the quality of its food. All of our dishes were delicious. I’ve been waiting for another PB&J burger ever since trying one on Colton’s Social House’s specials menu. The problem was that Grover also knew how yummy our food was, so after wolfing down some veggies so quickly that he choked, he refused to eat his plain, appropriate-for-canine-stomachs brown rice. I was irritated in the way that parents probably feel about their picky human eaters. I PAID FOR THAT RICE, dang it!

“Look,” he told me, “How did you think you were going to get away with feeding me brown rice? I CAN SMELL YOUR MEATLOAF. AND YOU HAVE PEANUT BUTTER UP THERE. And I KNOW there was a hamburger patty and chicken breast on my menu and YOU DIDN’T ORDER IT FOR ME!”

I could see his point. So I threw a couple chunks of meatloaf into his bowl. Which he consumed while avoiding the brown rice still, of course. But I didn’t let him eat off my plate, because of the very important rules.

To keep things safe and fun, there are three rules for pups at Lazy Dog—the “three B’s”: no begging, no barking and no biting.

  • The human and canine menus at Lazy Dog.
  • Tux’s apparently far superior meal of chicken and rice.
  • Grover giving puppy eyes to my dad in hopes for some meatloaf.
  • Our PB&J burger and bison meatloaf.
  • Grover eagerly getting his meal from our waitress, before he realized it was just brown rice.
  • My friend’s dog, Tuxedo, in front of Lazy Dog.

As for the human rules? Dogs must be on a leash and remain on the ground; servers are not allowed to touch your (adorable) pup while working; and canine friends can’t eat off human plates or drink out of glasses.

Some of those rules are naturally confusing for the dogs. As my friend’s dog Tux told me after his recent visit, “The food was deliciously not the food I have at home, so it was really amazing. I ate it ALL. The only con was that the employees were not allowed to pet me, so lots of wasted potential pets at that meal.”

Tux’s owner actually sprung for the chicken breast, so that’s probably why his review of the food was better than Grover’s. As for the petting, it’s obviously for health code reasons that servers can’t touch the dogs. But ours was super friendly and let Grover lick her face while she put her hands behind her back. They all said it’s a little bit of cute torture working at this job.

If you find yourself without a canine, you can still sit in the patio and enjoy all the furry goodness. The atmosphere and bar inside Lazy Dog are also great, and there’s an awesome happy hour that starts at 3 p.m. both inside and out. You can check out their menus on their website.

So get yourself out to Lazy Dog soon! And if you see me and Grover out there, be sure to say hi. I have a feeling we’ll be regulars. And I’ll probably be conned into ordering him the hamburger next time.

What’s Hot and Happening this Weekend!

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

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Christmas is just around the corner and we have all the hot spots up for your consideration… Ho! Ho! Ho! 

FRIDAY

If you haven’t made it to Zoo lights at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, you still have time! This magical winter wonderland runs December 7th-9th, 14th-23rd, and 26th-30th. Festivities begin at 5 p.m. This annual event features miles of holiday magic and beautiful lights, holiday music, live entertainment, holiday eats and beverages for the kiddos and adults!

Find more info on this fabulous event at the link below

ZooLights

Tony-award winning Broadway sensation “The Lion King” brings the savannah to life at the Saroyan Theatre and this is the last weekend to catch it! Enjoy leaping gazelles, stunning visual effects, and Oscar-winning music score! Buy your tickets now by clicking the image 🙂 

Escape the hustle and bustle and take in the spirit of the Holidays this weekend with Horse Drawn Carriage rides. Drop into Kuppa Joy to grab your holiday favorite coffee or Cocoa then head down to 5th street across from Madeleine’s Bridal Boutique to board the beautifully decorated carriages for a scenic ride around Old Town Clovis. This family favorite tradition is FREE and takes place every Saturday and Sunday from 1-4pm, now through December 30th.   

Looking for a festive stroll through lights… well, make your way to Cindy Lane aka Candy Cane Lane! Every night is a walk or drive night so you pick your transportation style! Enjoy beautifully decorated homes and cheerful laughter and music every weekend now through December 25th from 6-10pm!  

“FRAGILE (FRA-GEE_LAY) it must be Italian!” Our FRESYES favorite line from ‘A Christmas Story’! A family tradition to watch every year and you can see a live production of this iconic show! Central High School’s Industrial Theatre Company is proud to present ‘A Christmas Story’, based on the beloved holiday movie classic featuring Ralphie Parker and his quest for the ultimate Christmas present. This fun for all ages play is guaranteed to be the highlight of your holiday season: be sure to buy tickets here https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/3816128 and skip the line! Cost is $5 for students and $10 for adults.

SATURDAY

Double header at the Save Mart Center for the Bulldogs! At 4pm the Men’s Basketball team takes on the Long Beach State 49ers. Click for ticket info! https://www1.ticketmaster.com/fresno-state-bulldogs-mens-basketball-vs-long-beach-state-mens-basketball/event/1C00554BA75B81DB  Then at 7pm the Men’s wrestling team takes on No. 8 Minnesota. Ticket info here https://www1.ticketmaster.com/fresno-state-bulldogs-wrestling-vs-minnesota-golden-gopher-wrestling/event/1C0055667EA2322E . Go Dogs!!!

The Downtown Fresno Christmas Parade is at it again in it’s 89th year of festive parades! Join them on December 8th a 1:00 PM on Fulton St. in Fresno, CA. Bring a chair and you favorite snuggle blanket and enjoy a “Future Christmas” themed display of floats!

Head out to Clovis for the Enzo’s Table Food Truck Fair from 10:30am- 2:30pm. This fair is a foodies must! Enjoy delicious eats and experience tantalizing tastes from Ricchiuti Family Farms’ finest. You can’t miss the gathering of your fellow foodies at 1959 N Willow Ave Clovis CA 93691. More info available here https://enzostable.com/events/food-trucks.html

The new DR. SEUSS’ THE GRINCH is playing at Edwards Theater, Riverpark Shopping Center and is sure to please the littles. Get your reserved seating tickets and enjoy a stress-free movie experience! Click the image for more info.  

Want a break from all the Holiday festiveness… Well here is the fix for you! Metallica is rocking the Save Mart Center THIS Sunday, December 9th @ 7:30pm! Tickets are selling fast so hurry and get yours now 

Taking it back to 1945 at the end of the war… families were reunited and cheer filled the air what better way to celebrate than with A Fabulous Forties Christmas Celebration! Kearney Mansion is bringing back the spirit of love and family with their Fabulous Forties Christmas Celebration from  1-4pm. Swing music will delight your heart and get your feet moving while you nibble delicious bites. For more ticket info click the pic!  

Four ways to celebrate the holidays with music

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JoAnn Hallum

Houseplant killing optimist- freelance writer -kid herder

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Holiday music is a great avenue of joy this time of year. As Buddy the Elf says, “The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear!”

Christmas carols and songs are a delightful way to celebrate the season. If you’re not into caroling yourself, there’s plenty of local talent to do it for you (I personally can’t carry a tune so it’s a blessing to my neighbors if I skip it). Mark the month with a live concert (or two) and start a new holiday tradition! Here’s a list of musical events happening this month.

Fresno Community Concert Band’s Winter Magic

celebrate with music

Photo via Fresno Community Concert Band

If you’re into modern classics and tunes from White Christmas, check out the Fresno Community Concert Band’s annual offering, “Winter Magic”, on Sunday, Dec. 2. There are two times to choose from, 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $14 for adults and $7 for children 12 and under. Active military, veterans, and their family are free for the 7 p.m. show (with ID). The concert will be conducted by Sandy Headrick and Bruce Weinberger, and features soprano Hanna York. Grab your tickets here.

Joyeux Noel by Soli Deo Gloria Women’s Chorale 

celebrate with music

Ready to dig deep into local talent? On Friday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. at University Presbyterian Church, you can catch the sounds of Soli Deo Gloria Women’s Chorale. Soli Deo Gloria is a non-profit featuring a chorale of women who sing at the highest level of skill. This concert will feature songs written specifically for their group, “Christmas Visions,” composed by E.J. Hinojosa, as well as traditional Christmas carols. This group is conducted by Dr. Julie Carter and will feature Dr. Walter Saul as accompanist. Tickets are $15 for adults, $10 for students. You can purchase them online here in advance or plan on spending $20 at the door.

Holiday Concert from Fresno State Choirs and Music Department

celebrate with music

Fa-la-la! On Sunday, Dec. 9, head to the Fresno State Concert Hall at 2:30 p.m. to enjoy the sounds of The Fresno State Chamber Singers, Concert Choir and the University Singers. The show will feature traditional holiday music and carols. Dr. Cari Earnheart is the Director of Choral Activities, Dr. Emily Mason is the Director of University Singers, and Dr. Shing-Ming Liao is the collaborative pianist. You can purchase tickets here. General admission is $12, senior tickets are $8, and students are $5 so it’s budget-friendly event!

Mozart + Mahler Concert by Youth Orchestras Fresno

Another impressive concert is taking place Sunday, Dec. 9, with The Mozart and Mahler Concert by Youth Orchestras of Fresno. It’s true, the songs aren’t specifically seasonal, but this concert is for such a great organization, I’m including it. (I’ve discussed the Youth Orchestras Fresno here if you need a re-cap.) The concert will take place at Shaghoian Concert Hall at 4 p.m. and features favorites such as Mahler’s Symphony No. 1, the Titan and Mozart’s Abduction form the Seraglio (and more!).This concert is a $10 donation, but anyone can attend if price is an issue. You can reserve seats in advance here. The Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Youth Philharmonic Orchestra is conducted by Dr. Thomas Loewenheim and the Youth Chamber Orchestra is conducted by Adam Elmore.

….

Do local concerts add to your Christmas cheer or are you just discovering the deep wells of talent in Fresno? Tell me what your favorite musical traditions are in the comments below!

Seriously, what’s up with all these geese?

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Jason Farris

Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES

Latest posts by Jason Farris (see all)

 

If you live near a park or ponding basin, you’ve seen them.

Geese. Dozens and dozens of large, black-headed geese gathered together in flocks, looking like menacing avian armies.

For years, I’d seen these giant birds around Fresno, most notably at Woodward and Roeding parks, but it wasn’t until I moved to northwest Fresno that I really become aware of them.

I’d hear them coming long before I saw them, their distinctive honking signaling their impending arrival. And I saw the evidence of them—usually splattered across my car windshield or against the side of the house.

“Seriously, what’s up with all these geese?” I’d wonder.

They didn’t bother me. I like birds. National Geographic declared 2018 the “Year of the Bird” and after driving by countless elementary schools and parks and seeing waves of geese covering the grounds, I tend to agree.

But I still wanted to know why there were so many of these large birds flying over my house all day. Where do they come from and where are they going? So I contacted the Fresno Audubon Society for some answers.

all these geese

Cars pass by along Alluvial Ave. as a flock of geese do geese things

Fresno Audubon provides the goods on geese 

Robert Snow is the president of Fresno Audubon Society, and a board member of California Audubon, which is part of the National Audubon Society. Audubon is unique in having hundreds of independent 501c3 chapters separate from the National Audubon Society—the Fresno chapter has about 350 members. 

Dr. Snow joined the Fresno Audubon Society after his retirement in 2011. He has a PhD in Zoology, and has been interested in birds since receiving a copy of John Audubon’s Birds of America as a child. If anyone could tell me about the gads of geese, it’s him.
 
First of all, what kind of goose is this?
 
The geese are Canada Geese. This species used to regularly overwinter in our area, then return north to the Arctic to breed. Over the years, however, they developed a taste for living around people. Now they breed locally and populate ponding basins and golf courses or wherever they can find grass to eat.
 
Where are they going?
 
They fly between local [grassy] areas in large flocks in a distinctive V-pattern, a type of flight that keeps geese together over their usually long migrations.
 
And the honking? What’s up with that?
 
The honking is thought to be a means of communicating that helps them fly in the V-formation. That formation is very efficient, meaning it uses less energy. If the V breaks down, they need to work harder to fly.
…
 

all these geese

Just a typical goose-y day at Railroad Park

Although we see the Canada Goose year-round here in the Central Valley, you’ll probably see a bunch more of them now that it’s nearing winter. Fun fact: according to the Audubon field guide, the birds may mate for life, and both parents tend to the young. 
 
The geese are definitely a sight to behold, especially in that V-formation. Next time you’re near a park, especially in the evening, keep an ear out for their distinctive honk and you just may catch them flying overhead. (Seriously, though, try not to get directly under them. I speak from experience.)

Grab your Santa gear! Here’s your FresYes guide to December races

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Sarah Soghomonian

TV Producer and fan of all things fabulous.Bulldog Born, Bulldog Bred!

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Combining fitness with festive holiday cheer—that’s the theme of the December race calendar. As always, FresYes is here with your monthly local race guide. So grab those running shoes and burn those holiday calories!

San Joaquin River Trail 50K & 100K

Date: Saturday, Dec. 1

Location: Friant, CA

Cost: 50K is $115. The 100K is $145. Registration ends Nov. 27.

Sign-up

This trail run, put on by San Joaquin Running, attracts racers from all over California. It’s very intense and designed for advanced runners. The course takes runners around Millerton Lake and along the San Joaquin River. There’s dirt, rocks, hills, tree roots, and lots of natural obstacles. There’s also a 5,500-foot elevation gain in the 50K race and 12,000-foot elevation gain in the 100K. Participants will receive a finisher’s medal and swag.

guide to December races 2018

Tulare FFA Tinsel 5k & 1-Mile Walk/Run

Date: Saturday, Dec. 1

Location: Tulare, CA

Cost: $25

Sign-up

This holiday-themed run takes place at the Tulare Outlet Center. Racers are asked to bring a new, unwrapped present to donate to the Salvation Army in Tulare County.

Jingle Bell Run Toys for Tots 5K Run & 2-Mile Walk/Run

Date: Saturday, Dec. 8

Location: Christmas Tree Lane in Fresno

Cost: $35. Price increases Dec. 1.

Sign-up

More than 3,000 people take part in this annual run benefiting Toys for Tots. Runners receive a Christmas-themed sweatshirt and jingle bells for their shoes. There will be post-race snacks like Christmas cookies and hot chocolate. Participants are asked to bring an unwrapped toy. Those that do will receive a Santa hat. This is the final run in the Holiday Run Series.

guide to December races

Photo via Jingle Bell Run

Rockin’ Rudolph 5k Walk/Run & Kids’ Fun Run

Date: Sunday, Dec. 9

Location: Hanford, CA

Cost: Adults’ race is $30. Kids’ (12 & under) is $15.

Sign-up

This race benefits Adventist Health Central Valley Network and Hospice Services. Participants are asked to dress in festive holiday gear. Finisher’s medals will be handed out.

guide to December races 2018

Visalia Jingle Bell Run for Toys for Tots 5K Walk/Run & 2-Mile Walk

Date: Sunday, Dec. 9

Location: Mooney Park in Visalia, CA

Cost: $30

Sign-up

Participants are asked to bring an unwrapped toy for Toys for Tots. Those that do will receive a Santa hat. All participants will receive a sweatshirt, jingle bells and Christmas-themed cookie. The 5K portion is timed, the 2-mile is not.