Okay not something you see everyday just driving around Redding, presumably. A skeleton pirate on his way to the lake.
Arrr! What happened to my feet?
Baby Black Phoebe has no safety net
We hope you join us today, and pause to remember those who sacrificed all for freedom.
I have a shot of a fledgling Black Phoebe from the nest under my shed’s eave.
The baby’s parents work all day, from sunup to sundown. They have no Social Security, or insurance, or police. No bailouts or or safety nets of any kind. Underneath the nest, neighborhood cats wander by and pretend to be casual. It’s a poignant lesson in self-reliance and family.
Video artist/musician worth your view
Dog days of summer come early this year
A lifetime in 42 seconds
Be sure to let this ‘buffer’ some before watching. Hit play, then pause for a bit.
Last Day Dream from Chris Milk on Vimeo.
It’s a brilliant work of film maker art. I celebrate the artist, Chris Milk. Kudos, sir.
Seeing it for the first time yesterday, it has proven almost too poignant for words. The recent death of Adam Martinez has been in my thoughts.
I knew Adam. Last year I showed him some homes, and helped him write an offer on one in east Redding. It was an unsuccessful bid, and he lost the house to another person. We learned later the winning offer had actually been for less money than Adam’s offer. Adam was very disappointed, and we drifted apart. You write a lot of home purchase offers as an agent, and sometimes they are unsuccessful. There can be any number of reasons. Some fail inexplicably, and others for reasons that become clear only in hindsight. Some lost transactions you forget and move on, but this particular offer has played over and over in my head since then, with a great many what-ifs. Now probably more so.
Erin was acquainted with the young man that struck Adam at the nightclub. A single blow to the head. We see where it’s being investigated as a homicide now. All in a very short instant….a moment that effectively shattered two young lives.
May God bless you Adam. My most heartfelt condolences to your family and friends.
Breakfast with the Brewers, and 10,000 of their closest friends
It’s always nice to be a big name-dropper on your blog. Today I crashed the Brewer’s place for breakfast. They had like 10,000 guests.
Notice how pleased Steve is to see me and my camera? Hi Steve! Whatcha havin? (BTW Steve’s thinking of using me in one of his books…crime novels need victims, you know)
Kelly took some shots too. There were a lot of people there. Hi everyone! Welcome to Redding. Let’s eat!
Erin’s got a plateful.
These are some hard working cowboys. All for charity. Our thanks go to everyone involved.
This kid was really cute.
A tip of the hat to this longtime Redding tradition. The Asphalt Cowboy’s Pancake Breakfast. A true Redding original. See you again next year!
I heard you! Shame on you for saying that. No, I did not find my cowboy hat in a dumpster.
More inevitable cat photos
Mr. and Mrs. Black Phoebe eat flies and have babies
An outdoor speaker under the pool shed eaves in our backyard has proven to be suitable housing for a family of Black Phoebes.
I put a small videocamera on a stick and gently shoved it in the eaves to see if I could see what was happening in the nest, a la Turtle Bay eagle cam. Last week there were a few eggs, and yesterday there were a couple of pink blurs with yellow beaks. It’s too close for my cheapo videocamera to really make much out, but in any event, there’s obviously a family here.
The Black Phoebes are a species in the family “Tyrant Flycatcher.” That’s something they do well.
Every so often, they fly off in a loop, to catch flying bugs I can’t even see. I tried to get an action shot, but good luck on that. They’re fast! These still shots will have to do.
Apparently, they like streams and ponds, but evidently they think our swimming pool is just fine too. Thanks to Karry for identifying the species for me.
Greeters Meeting at Win River is never a gamble. It's sure to be great.
Win River provides a lavish meeting area for the Chamber of Commerce weekly Greeters Meeting.
Their breakfasts are always good.
Especially fun is that their staff and management applaud you as you arrive. Sounds hokey maybe, but I must admit having professional people applaud at your arrival is an instant ego booster. It’s a nice touch, and typical of the thoughtfulness of Win River’s staff. A great way to start the day.
