Month: May 2014

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Historical walk at Diestlehorst Bridge reveals our connection to the past

Connections. That’s what looking at history provides. Connections to the past.
We attended the Shasta Historical Society’s walking tour of Diestelhorst Bridge yesterday.
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Below, historian Mike Grifantini offers stories that help connect us all to the Diestelhorst Bridge.
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The story of its origin resonated. The bridge was a project funded by forward thinking Redding civic leaders around a hundred years ago. They commissioned a leading architect of the time for its design, A.V. Spah.
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The civic purpose for the bridge was to drive highway traffic through downtown Redding. If it weren’t for this bridge, traffic would have shifted east via Freebridge, and would have left Redding merchants high and dry.
Evidently, their plan worked. Redding did not dry up and fade away.
Diestelhorst View
I considered the connection to another bridge in Redding, the Sundial. Now celebrating it’s 10th year. A bridge commissioned by visionary civic leaders, and designed by a leading architect. A bridge designed to drive traffic through Redding, rather than around it. Connections.
Diestelhorst Historical trainYou can see the Sundial in the lower corner of the image above. Its angularity seeming to be a reflection of the trestle struts.DiestelhorstForward thinking citizens. Using bridges to drive commerce, and connecting a thriving community. A plan like the bridge itself, having withstood the test of time.
It’s Really Redding.

There’s another historical walk in Redding scheduled for this evening. See what connection you may find.

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Pool party in Redding

Memorial Day Weekend is the traditional kick-off to Summer here in Redding. Here’s a video I did over the weekend with my grandson and his parents in the pool.
Just the thing to get you in the mood for another northstate Summer!


Swimming. It’s Really Redding.

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Your planet, as seen from low orbit -right now

The ISS has HD cameras, and offers a live feed. Here is your planet, below. Press play. Wait a bit. If black, it’s probably night for the ISS. If grey or brown, it’s switching cameras. Be patient. Sunrise comes every 45 minutes for our intrepid crew and station, so check back soon. It’s worth it. Toggle “Best” and “Fullscreen” down at the lower right for the full effect.


Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream
Reflecting on Earth’s surface from space in realtime, it’s always amazing to me just how thin is our atmosphere. Enjoy breathing much? Given our behavior as a species, you’d think it wasn’t all that important to us.

This is a good live feed on which to meditate. It’s Really Redding.

Edit: Here’s some great ambient music with which to view your planet.

Atmospheres 1990 by Craig Padilla and credited to Skip Murphy (me) begins after the excellent John Serrie piece. Very nice compilation. However, I am not part of this piece of music.
“Regarding that track “Atmospheres 1990″: I hadn’t met you yet. That’s a track by me and Bryan Arnold. It was also the first recording of mine that received radio airplay… DJ Ron Dare played that to open his radio show (at KCHO) before he did a big marathon of my music tapes I sent to him.
-Craig”
Funny how stuff gets around on the interwebs.
Tracklist:
0:00 – Jonn Serrie – Starmoods
15:44 – Craig Padilla & Skip Murphy – Atmospheres 1990
26:28 – Sparkle – Over The Horizon
32:20 – Bass’Flo & Ziyal – Looking Back From The Edge Of Time
39:18 – Purl & Sinius – We Don’t Belong Here
48:32 – Purl & Sinius – Blue Water (World Exclusive)
59:26 – LucienMusique – Dreamed Life
1:05:23 – Sean Mackey – New Zealand Sprawl
1:10:26 – Sunlight – The Reborn of Life
1:14:32 – Sparkle – Mountain’s Pray (ft.ECHO)
1:19:50 – Sean Mackey – Roads (ft. Lambert McGaughy)
1:25:11 – Sean Mackey – Mountain Republic (nExow Remix)
1:29:07 – CMA – Without You
1:35:06 – Sparkle – Sunrise
1:40:49 – Jacoo – Desolation
1:44:50 – Kaj – Flashback
1:48:05 – Moseqar – Daydream
1:52:55 – NVprod. – I Miss You
1:55:35 – Sparkle – Memories (ft.Samlion)
2:02:21 – Phaeleh & Clubroot – Unharmed
2:07:40 – CMA ft Sacred – Loose Ends
2:11:30 – Sparkle – Leaving Roads
2:18:38 – Jacoo – A World Of Peace
2:22:03 – Owsey – In A Decade Full Of Dreams
2:29:09 – Ambientsketchbook – Peace
2:33:42 – Ludovico Einaudi – Le Onde (Ellipsis K Remix)
2:37:41 – Ludovico Einaudi – Nuvole bianche
2:43:23 – Dub-Eden – Nord Wind
2:48:21 – Dub-Eden – Source Of Life
2:55:05 – Sparkle – Memories (ft.Samlion) (Ellipsis K Remix)
2:58:08 – Tom Day – Flemington
3:01:55 – Dub-Eden – The Last Of Us
3:07:44 – Elysian – Sent To The Skies

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Salt and Savour bring the flavor

Here’s a new locavore treat. Salt and Savour make sauerkraut in Dunsmuir. I bought a jar recently. The first application that came to mind was a kraut hotdog.
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I know I was thinking of that flaccid, pale, and vinegar driven sauerkraut. But oh no, no. This is nothing like that.
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“Subtle,” says the delightful Karry. Agreed. There is a lot going on in this kraut, but it doesn’t hammer your taste buds. Instead, imagine cut grass or a street after a rainstorm. The tangy caraway blend seen here has a nice veggie crunch in each bite. Surprising.
Salt and Savor3Sauerkraut also goes really well with a pastrami on swirl rye. And hey, guacamole. It seems this jar won’t last long.

The health benefits of naturally fermented sauerkraut are well documented. Nevermind that. It tastes good. I’ve heard their product is now available in Redding at the Farmers Market on Saturday, behind city hall. Salt and Savour are on Facebook too, so give ’em a Like. Highly recommended local food.

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Shooting Stars in a meadow

Captured these images from a meadow off Mt Eddy, about an hour’s drive north of Redding. Very pretty.
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wildflower4 From Wikipedia, “Dodecatheon is a genus of herbaceous flowering plants in the family Primulaceae. The species have basal clumps of leaves and nodding flowers that are produced at the top of tall stems rising from where the leaves join the crown. The genus is largely confined to North America and part of northeastern Siberia. Common names include shooting star, American cowslip, mosquito bills, mad violets, and sailor caps.”

Mad Violets. They’re Really Redding.

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Redding Rodeo this weekend!

Actually, we celebrate rodeo all week long in Redding with many civic events that culminate in the evening show at the rodeo grounds. Here are a few images I captured at the 2012 event to get you fired up for this year’s spectacle. It’s a unique tradition here.
Redding RodeoRedding rodeo 2012 images by Skip MurphyRedding rodeo 2012 images by Skip MurphyRedding rodeo images by Skip Murphy 2012Redding rodeo 2012 images by Skip MurphyRedding rodeo 2012 images by Skip Murphy
Our longtime rodeo tradition keep on going. It’s Really Redding.

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A few images of Family Bicycling Day 2014 in Redding

We spent much of yesterday enjoying a street in Redding with only bikes and people in it. Family Bicycling Day brought to you by Shasta Living Streets. The weather was perfect. Here are a few images.
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Bikes, old and new were seen. Love the patina on this one, below.BikeDay8
And this new eliptical bike, below. Really an interesting way to ride.Eliptical bike
Talon with his Grandpa Dave Rader. Rader Traffic Control provided the street closure.Dave and TalonErin and Talon on bike 600px Genes Burger and family 600 pxAbove, we stop for a burger and fries at Gene’s. Hey, want to see more pictures of my grandkid? Thank you Rader Excavating and Shasta Living Streets for a Really Redding day. Okay one more with his dad.
Aaron and Talon on bike day 600px

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Head over to the Parkview neighborhood today for Family Bicycling Day

Re-posting something from last year. You should head over to Parkview today May 4 2014, and enjoy this event!
Bike day

“Come out, play, ride, skate, and dance. Meet your neighbors, have a picnic, and explore new corners of our beautiful city.

TODAY a stretch of the city is transformed into a car-free zone for Sunday enjoyment. This will allow area residents to learn about places and neighborhood attractions previously unexplored. It will give people a way to see their neighborhood from a new perspective. Families will enjoy a safe space to gather, play, ride a bike, dance and engage. Some people will ride a bicycle for the first time. Others will discover they can hula.

If you drive in, you will find parking in the lots to the north of City Hall. Or you can park on Park Marina Drive and ride your bicycle or walk the short distance to Parkview Avenue.”

From last year’s 2013 event:
We really enjoyed pedaling around the Park Marina area with no cars around today, courtesy of ShastaLivingStreets.org and Rader Traffic Control. The neighborhood presents an entirely different perspective by bike.
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Getting a cheeseburger at Fallis Around Town in Redding
Getting a cheeseburger at Fallis Around Town in Redding

As amazing as it was out there, it’s truly bittersweet. Both Erin and I spent our morning ride describing to one another how lovely it would be if Park Marina instead was lined with shops and restaurants facing the river. And if it incorporated bikes and walking, all the time. Woe tom.Ok on th would be out every day enjoying our short urban waterfront. Our hidden jewel. Maybee saddle and startling again was good to see people riding bikes from the bistro to the sports bar for a pint. So beautiful. So pleasant. Just nice.
I’ve written about this subject before, here. There is a Park Marina vision. I didn’t make this up.
For now, I’m just sorry about it. Just moping about a vision unrealized, on the one day a year you can almost taste it. Just for a day.
We now return you to your previously scheduled automotive purgatory.
ParkMarina2013