This guy appeared at my back fence.
These two were not far behind.
Hummingbird poses
This little guy (or gal) sat still long enough for me to get in a few shots.
It saw me, but didn’t seem to care much. They seem to me to have quite complex behavior, especially considering how small they are, and how small their brains must be, they seem proportionally brilliant.
I caught one image as it was about to fly off, and thought that was a lucky shot.
Really Red Planet magic
So we have these two robots exploring another planet and one of them comes across this big rock lying exposed on a flat plain. Further examination reveals the rock to be a meteor made of iron. There it sits, perched rather improbably. What happened to the crater it must have left when it hit? Did it blow away, leaving only the meteor? It’s genuinely mysterious.
Okay this is not Really Redding, per se. But this is something we did. Are doing. This is happening today. We Reddingites, we Californians got together to send robots to another planet. Try saying it out loud. “We flew these robots to a distant Red Planet, and they wander around looking at stuff, and taking pictures for us.” Words fail, really. It’s amazing and awesome when you think about it. Which is probably not often.
Not often enough. It is still thrilling to me to be part of a species that explores places, and builds elaborate devices out of nothing but curiosity. We humans spend a lot of time talking about the mundane, but magic goes on all around us every day.
This robotic mission to Mars is one of the most magical things ever to consider and learn from. It stands as a complete highlight moment of our entire civilization. Click HERE for more. There is a lot of drama there, even if it’s couched in science terms at JPL. See what’s happening with the other robot. It’s drama and magic. Mostly it goes on unnoticed by the many, like so much of the magic in our lives….
Redding’s fire based economy
We have had economic change over the years, just like everywhere. Our area was once mining based, and then railroad based, and then logging based. Today we are more or less medical services, and retail-based. Except for the substantial part that is government-based. And a big part of that has become the fire-camp based economy.
To those who criticize the Stillwater Industrial Park, I ask: what’s your plan to provide jobs in the Northstate? The fire-camp based economy seems like a bit of a dead-end road. We’ve seen dead-end economic plans here before…
Kilarc reservoir is on the endangered list
We stopped in over at Kilarc Reservoir in eastern Shasta County for a look. It’s nice to get up out of the valley heat.
It’s a lovely picnic area and lake, maintained by PG&E, who run the electrical generation facility there. PG&E wants to abandon the project, which is one of the oldest in the county. They would demolish the reservoir, power house, and the dam on Cow Creek that feeds it.
The plan strikes us as a bit sad. This has to be one of the cleanest possible ways to make electricity. It’s been here for years, and seems to have had proportionally small impact. No hydropower comes without cost, but some projects seem to have reasonable cost/benefits, especially when already in place. Imagine the power replaced with a coal fired plant, and it offers some perspective.
On the way home, we stopped at a high country ranch we know. The owner let us pick some fruit. These apples are from trees more than 100 years old. Still productive. The people who planted that orchard 100 years ago are the same people who thought electricity made from falling water would be nice. 100 years later, they are still right about both.
Last week of freedom for kids, back to school next week
Some teachers are going back to school this week, and the kids start next week. Summer went by fast. It always does….
There’s lots for kids to do all summer here. The Aquatic Center is a great place to spend a day. We’re lucky to have it. Redding is such an idyllic place to live if you are a kid, or just a kid at heart. Sorry about that approaching school thing, kids! (and teachers!)
A short trip to Hell can be heavenly
Bumpass Hell in nearby Lassen Park is just a short hike off the main highway. Fleeing the hot summer days in the valley below can lead to a different kind of heat. Geothermal.
The trail leads to a magical part of the Caldera of long vanished Mt Tehama. Walking in, we met people from Belgium, Germany, Australia, and Japan. We are reminded this is a world class hike, so near to home. Bumpass Hell is named after a man who was burned walking where he shouldn’t. Hell, indeed, Mr. Bumpass.
Fumarole vents and boiling water are evidence that you are near the powerful forces deep in the earth. Sulfurous gases vent with a roar.
It’s beautiful and sort of terrifying all at once.
This bird didn’t seem to mind any of it. Did life itself spring from primeval cauldrons like these?
A trip to the Farmer's Market leaves Karry speechless.
Today’s sojourn to Redding’s Certified Organic Farmers Market next to our City Hall was fruitful in several ways. Here is some of our haul. I love those Thai Peppers, but a few go a long way. These few yellow onions represent the last of the Walla Walla onion season, we’re told.
We needed some Olive Oil, so we stopped at the Olinda Ridge guy’s booth. He insisted we try several varieties from tiny cups on bits of bread. To tell the truth, a lot of the subtlety was lost on me. Grassy, buttery, whatever. Its all good. We liked the idea of the Pomegranate Vinegar. A couple of funny parts: One variety of oil he said was Doni Greenberg’s favorite, and he asked if I’d heard of her. In fact I have. Who knew she was endorsing olive oil?
At one point, he turned to Karry and asked, “ So what do you think of that variety?” A bit of silence ensued. I looked at her face and realized she had swallowed it wrong or something, and temporarily couldn’t speak. That’s when 30+ years of marriage kicked in.
“That works great. I’ll take a half gallon of whatever she had.” 😉
