Category: Redding

Yum! One of my favorite things. A feast for all the senses.

Erin appeared in her first ever fashion show last weekend, at a charity event for House of Hope. That organization helps local underprivileged women prepare for job interviews with business appropriate outfits and more.

I think Erin looked terrific. It was an all volunteer effort. Most of these photos were taken by Karry (her mom). Erin said she was very nervous on the catwalk. The show was very well attended. We heard that about 300 people showed up and ticket sales were very good. I understand the sponsors thought up this idea and pulled it all off in just 4 weeks. What a fun event, and all for a worthy cause.

This winged orange critter took roost nearby to me yesterday. It appears to be smiling.

I searched Dragonfly Symbolism on Google, and got 377,000 hits.

This one’s appropriate:

Living fossils, dragonflies are part of the most ancient group of insects on this planet. They were soaring through the air and lived on earth for a staggering three hundred million years. Compared to humans, they are very old indeed. We have only been around for about 2 million years. Insects were the first creatures in the world to fly. Dragonflies were flying in steamy prehistoric forest long before the dinosaurs appeared. We know about these ancient dragonflies through fossils. Back then, dragonflies were much larger and had wingspans of 80 cm (31.5 inches) and were the largest insects known. Today, dragonflies are smaller, with wingspans up to 14 cm (5.5 in).

Over the centuries, people thought about dragonflies in many ways. In ancient times, Japanese farmers believed the dragonfly was the spirit of the rice plant. Dragonflies were a welcome sign of a good rice harvest. Dragonflies were also believed to bring good luck in battle. About 1600 years ago, the dragonfly was the symbol of a great Japanese warrior clan. The dragonfly later became one of the emblems of the emperor. An old name for Japan – Akitsu-shimu – means Dragonfly Island. The dragonfly is praised in many Japanese poems and songs.

The Mimbres people of the American southwest painted the dragonfly on ceremonial pottery as a symbol of life.

The Zuni tell an ancient story of a magic dragonfly made from corn and straw. It came to life in a time of drought and famine, became a messenger to the gods, and helped save the people. But not everyone has liked dragonflies.

In Great Britain, they were once considered evil and dangerous. Because people saw them darting at horses, the dragonflies were called “horse-stingers.” They didn’t realize the dragonflies were snatching horseflies, the real “horse-stingers.”

Written by Amanda D., Lindsay T., Chelsea E. and Ben R. & compiled by the Twin Groves Virtual Wetlands Preserve Team.

Best wishes for the future (smile)

Apparently those Cottonwood trees have been having sex again. Evidence of their reproductive zeal was scattered about this river trail in drifts and dunes.

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?

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.

There is something utterly visceral about watching two jet powered cars race. You have to be there to feel it. Last night, these two “cars” spooled up, and took off down the track at over 200 mph. Afterwards, there was a moment of stunned silence in the crowd, like we all couldn’t believe what we just saw and felt. Then, an exhilarated cheer, almost in unison. We all turned and looked at one another as if to confirm “Did you see/feel that too?” I was laughing so hard. What sort of looney-tunes do you have to be to strap yourself onto a ROCKET, and then race somebody?

You think your job is tough. The two track workers you can just see, crouched toward the left of this shot, are literally sandwiched between two plasma plumes of death!