Soup Supper at Lema Ranch for LWV

We attended the League of Women Voters Soup Supper at Lema Ranch. I sat for soup with Redding Mayor, Patrick Jones. He’s a very dedicated public servant, and I came away impressed.
ErinandMayor
Above, LWV member Erin Murphy and Redding Mayor Patrick Jones. Along with great homeade food in a matchless setting, we listened to a presentation by the State Auditor’s office about the upcoming legislative redistricting. There’s more about that, and how you can be involved at this article I wrote at A News Cafe.
MaryStegallSeen above, Mary Stegall of the Redding City Council, getting some soup. You can learn more about the Redding LWV at their online newsletter The Voter. Also, come on over and become a friend of the League at their Facebook Group. Their mission of non-partisan voter education continues.

Gently weeps for guitar

Ran across this bit of poignant humanity on Craigslist. Would you be willing to sell Rick his guitar back?
Redding ca guitar ad
Sometimes a guitar is just a guitar…

Pilgrim Congregational Church and Frank Lloyd Wright

The Pilgrim Congregational Church in Redding is a unique and significant building. It was designed in 1958 by world famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
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If it is true that architecture reflects the people that produce it, their life, faith, hopes and fears, the following comments will be helpful for the architect’s preparation.

There followed a description of Our Faith, Our Heritage, and Our Cultural Crisis and Position in Time. Some of the significant items were these: We believe that creative architecture will make people aware of the resources of our Christian faith. Men thirst for God and are particularly desperate in our time. For many people God is transcendent and distant. Our building ought then to reflect the intimacy and eminence of God as well as his majesty. Man, if we correctly evaluate his predicament, feels incomplete, fragmentary, and anxious. Our church ought then to enhance his desire for wholeness, and develop his capacity to fulfill his divine destiny and confirm his nature as a potential child of God.”

It’s a lovely paragraph. So interesting, that phrase “particularly desperate in our time.” 1958 seems rather idyllic when compared to 2010, but such is the nature of our perception of the present. When the resulting architecture is viewed in the context of the congregation’s stated intention, it truly is inspirational. You can read more about the present day Pilgrim Congregation here.
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The church building is an understated testament as to how great architecture can capture nobility and yet remain humble. The angularity, the natural stone in concrete, the low slung ship-like main structure suspended beneath bone white cantilevered ribs, all of it integrates the intention of the architect and the Redding congregation.
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When I used to work in Chicago and New York, I saw many examples of Frank Lloyd Wright’s work and influence. We are graced to have this particularly spiritual example in our community. You can read more about his designs for sacred spaces here, and find a site devoted to art of Frank Lloyd Wright at the link.
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The existing church is only 20% of the original intended structure. How can we complete the vision?
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The newer Sundial Bridge has become the architectural symbol of Redding. It’s a bold piece of soaring bravado. I think this church captures a more representational expression of our community and setting. I could take pictures of this all day long. It’s Really Redding.

Aren't the wheels supposed to be on the bottom?

This view greeted drivers on north Lake Blvd today.
Upside down trailer in Redding ca
I’m guessing what must have happened was that the tongue came off the ball. Then the rig flipped, but was held on the tow vehicle by the safety chain, and drug to the side. I’m sure that was an “Oh sh**!” moment.
Upside down trailer in Redding ca
It’s Really Redding.

Fatboys BBQ in Redding

Fatboys barbeque in Redding ca
Fatboy’s Rotisserie in Redding is on Twin View Blvd. They have a great selection of barbeque and more, and 12 beers on tap.
Fatboys barbeque in Redding ca
The food is tasty and served in very generous portions. The pulled pork is my favorite. You can add all kinds of condiments to suit your taste.
Fatboys barbeque in Redding ca
They have a meeting room area too, as seen below, with a flat screen TV. Barbeque and beer. What’s not to like?

Fatboys barbeque in Redding ca

Fatboys Rotisserie and Sandwiches 829 Twin View Blvd Redding, CA 96003 (530) 244-7754 It’s Really Redding.

Beermaking in Redding

A News Cafe ran the 3rd and final installment of my Homebrew series of articles. In case you missed it over there, you can link to it at the image below.

Filling bottles with homemade beer in Redding
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And no, it has not been tested yet. We have a few more weeks in bottle before sampling. Darn it.

Is it cold where you live today?

We’re having a cold day here in Redding too. The high is only supposed to get to be around 58f. Brr. That seems about average here in January.

Redding ca weather

Of course, 58f might seem absolutely tropical if you live elsewhere.
Redding ca weather

In my prior life as a corporate manager at Bell & Howell, and then Kodak, I had employees in places like Montana and Colorado. Our headquarters was in Chicago, and also Rochester NY. I had to visit all these eskimo villages periodically on business travel. Often in Winter. Usually in Winter, or so it seemed. I remember some cold days and nights where the temperatures were completely insane, and exposure could quickly be fatal. Every night I would get home and thank God I found Energy Pro Heating & Cooling to install a new state of the art furnace in my cozy home. When it drops well below ZERO for days on end, you might as well be another planet. People get a lot more serious. Always, the best part of any business trip was the return to Redding. Then you hear locals complain about it being 50f. Brr! We all need to take care of ourselves and our loved ones this winter. Stubbornly refusing to get your furnace fixed is not the way to do that! I urge you to go to Buric Heating and Air Conditioning to ensure your house is a regulated temperature throughout the coldest months of the year.

Anyway, sorry for you eskimos huddling in the blue and purple zones. I remember what life was like there in Winter for you guys. Be careful. I remember some of you bragged about your hardy resilience in the face of adversity. If you tire of that teeth chattering bravado, click here.

Also, sorry if this post seems smug. It’s more like grateful. Our thanks also to Weather Undergound for the visual reminder, it’s Really Redding.

Happy New Year! From Really Redding. Our site is re-launched

Last year was, uh, interesting. Time for a new one. Today we wish you a Happy New Year.

Today we are re-launching our main real estate website, RedHotHomes.com It was sort-of cutting edge back in the day (like last year), but was starting to look a bit stale.
Some of it needs more work, but what doesn’t? Click on the image to take a peek. And thanks to all our viewers last year. May the next year and decade see all your real estate dreams realized.
RedHotHomes.com real estate site in Redding