Springtime Redding weather leads inevitably to thoughts of camping trips and starry nights. I ran across this webcam for Lassen Park that reminds us that the high country is still in late Winter at this point. Very pretty, nonetheless. Here’s the link the Lassen Park Webcam, so you can witness Northern Sierra Spring as it unfolds daily.
Starry skies and snowy peaks. It’s ReallyRedding.
Merle Haggard documentary gets a thumbs up
Palo Cedro resident Merle Haggard is the subject of this PBS documentary, available here. Below is an excerpt, but it leads you to the full version. Well worth your time.
Watch the full episode. See more American Masters.
Hag Fans are legion around here, but I admit I never got it. I first learned of Merle in the “Okie From Muskogee” years, which arguably isn’t his best work. Although he’s been a Shasta County local for a long time now, his music seems reflective of a style that was popularized elsewhere. This documentary changed my opinion, and gave me a new appreciation for Merle and his body of work. I intended to watch just a bit of it, but I found myself unable to stop until it ended. Kudos to the filmmaker, and to PBS for posting it. It’s given me a new-found appreciation that I never knew I could have in not only his line of work but the making of the documentary itself. I’m sure a lot of blood, sweat and tears have gone into this project, even the small things like using this DCP tool to edit the entirety of the film, as well as creating the sequence of ads that go before it. They should seriously think about showcasing it in small cinemas all over the country. It was that inspiring. You challenged my opinion, and expanded my appreciation for an artist with whom I had little familiarity. And a full blogger hat tip to Marc Beauchamp, who brought this film to my attention.
New old music – Snowfall
Redding artist Craig Padilla and I recorded this electro-ambient piece in 1994, or earlier, according to the sound file. It remained unfinished and “in the can” since then. More a sketch than anything else. I stumbled across it looking through some old material. Barely remembered. And wondered why it remains more or less unreleased. It’s a pleasant sketch, elaborated on today to just about 7 minutes. See what you think. Enjoy the snow on this sunny May day.
Snowfall by SkipMurphy
Electro-Ambient music from the ’90s. It’s the indigenous music of ReallyRedding.
May Day images in Redding 2011
This season has proven to be an extraordinary Spring, with an abundance of wildflowers, water in creeks, and birds in the trees. It was a wet end to Winter, but a magic May Day ensues.
Popped my head over the bridge, and spotted these two enjoying the sun by the river.
That reminded me of this image from Redding long ago.
Awesome Predator guards west Redding gate
The Japanese look pretty happy about High Speed Rail
Cat floormat
Music and Passion
Happy Cows
Happy cattle, anyway.
Well presumably happy, standing there in a meadow of flowers, one achingly beautiful Spring day in Shasta County. Surrounded by bright green oaks and a fabric of clouds, they cluster for company.
I was reminded of a saying by a cattleman I know. “We provide a good life for them, followed by one bad day.” Something like that. This looks like a good day…
Fence to keep me from wandering over to join them in the meadow, to stand and gaze at the rolling waves of golden flowers. Wildflowers, it’s Really Redding.
Jetcar blast video from last night’s Kool April Drags
Watch the guy in the middle get literally blasted by the jetwash last night. This is a video I took at the Kool April Drags event at the Redding Dragstrip. Interesting to see the car nearest the camera pulling up to the line with it’s brakes on, and yet still moving forward. Watch the middle guy’s hat. Big fun! They’re doing it again tonight. More at ReddingDragstrip.net