Vernal pools are rare, shallow bodies of water that fill with rain water in the winter, produce wildflowers in the spring, and are dried up by the end of summer. The word “vernal” means spring. The closest vernal pool reservation to Sacramento is at Mather Field off of the Sunrise Boulevard exit on Highway 50. Unlike ponds, which hold water year-round, vernal pools are seasonal and hold water until it evaporates in the summer,  said Volunteer Tour Docent Amanda Schmidt. The water comes from rain, not runoff from a stream or lake, so there are no fish, she added. Vernal pools are able to hold water until the sun dries them up because of the layer of hardpan that lies benath the surface o

Sacramento, CA- All the hard work throughout the year of the Capital Air Show staff began to show it's fruit today as a myriad of aircraft flew in to Mather Field to participate in the fourth annual Sacramento Capital Air Show. Out on the tarmac, barriers and safety fences were being put in place, displays began to take form, the sound system that runs the entire length of the flight line was assembled and pilots took to the air to get a feel for the topography of Sacramento. Tim Baker flies a stunt plane for Geico; he's been passionately flying for them for six to seven years and has done 22 air shows. Not only is Tim the pilot, he is also in charge of the displays. "Geico works me hard