Marching Along

Towards March

Bug Drinks Margarita

Flowers in February, how nice. In all the pictures of blossoms that I’ve been taking, I have only photographed one wild bee. The ornamental fruit trees should be humming with the sound of busy honey bees.

North Market street blossoms

I have been asked to sign various petitions that use words and language that order the official receiving it to take action.

I have been replying with my own message saying these petitions are unlikely to be effective because they demand that “so and so” do something.

Maybe I am old-fashioned. I believe that addressing others with respect will more likely get “them” to consider the stated concerns. More flies with honey is a time tested strategy.

Dancing Zombie Palm Tree

A wildfire jumped North Market Street a few years ago, leaving several palm trees burning like big tiki torches until they were reduced to blackened posts.

Last Wednesday I was at A-1 Smog on North Market street. I used the smog testing time to walk around and take some pictures.

I was delighted to see that the palm trees had come back to life and appeared to be dancing to Zombie Reggae.

Vultures were overhead watching zombie palms dancing below

With all the preponderance of important news stories, I would think that a responsible news outlet would be filled with information that matters. Nope.

Instead of actual news, they fill radio, TV, internet and printed media with the latest speculations and paid advertising about presidential primaries for the July conventions where the 2 parties will choose who their candidates will be in the November election.

Pink blossoms along North Market street

Yesterday I went to the Redding library to return and get some books. I checked out 3 books to get me through the weekend. One of them was a new Alex Cross detective adventure by James Patterson.

What an amazing writer. I am happy to be one of the millions of readers who cannot put his books down until he has finished telling his story.

Sunset through the trees

Most all of James Patterson’s Alex Cross stories take over my world for a few hours until I run out of book. (That would have been about 2am)

Today’s Video;

The More You Know

Full Hunger Moon

And Assorted Delights

Full Hunger Moon - Lumix FZ70

I just realized that I have been neglecting this blog. Not as much as I have neglected to post anything new on some other sites and blogs that I set up over the years. I just haven’t posted anything for a week here at Phil’s Place and it’s about time I fixed that oversight.

So, without further ado,...

Hunger Moonrise - Lumix FZ70

Tonight as I was wheeling equipment from the Monday Jamboree musicfest across the parking lot, I looked eastward and noticed the moon was rising. I had the Lumix FZ70 in the car and a tripod in the trunk, so I quickly stuck the camera on the tripod and began shooting.

Daffodil in Dottie’s garden - Nikon D3300

Earlier in the day I was experimenting with the Nikon D3300 and the 70-300mm manual focus zoom lens. The experiment consisted of an ISO setting of 800 to allow fast shutter speeds to counteract shaky hand held blurry images.

Mount Shasta - Nikon D3300

For the most part, it was a successful experiment as long as there was bright sunlight. That’s good to know for those times when there’s no time to set up a tripod.

With the FZ70, thanks to the stabilizer, handheld shots are usually good even at 1200mm zoom. With either camera the results are improved with a tripod and image stabilization turned off.

Mount Shasta - Lumix FZ70

Over the weekend there were opportunities to take a few pictures of the trees blooming throughout Redding.

Delightful magnolia - Nikon D3300 (18-55mm lens)

Sundial gnomon, Mount Shasta, Sequoia School blossoms - Nikon D3300 (70-300mm lens)

There’s more….yay!

Treetop blossom above my balcony - Nikon D3300 (70-300mm lens)

Meanwhile appearing with the Full Hunger Moon; Jupiter!

Moon with lens flare and Jupiter - Nikon D3300 (70-300mm lens)

I was astonished as I took a closer look…

Lens flare moon reflection over Jupiter and one of its moons

What a wonderful world

Full Hunger Moonrise - Lumix FZ70

Today’s Video;

The Full Hunger Moon is also the Full Snow Moon

Bloomin' Tuesday

In February

Magnolias started blooming this week

So many things to love about living here in Redding at the Treehouse Apartments. Today was no exception.

Volunteer daffodil alongside building A

Today I exchanged smiles and good wishes with friends, neighbors and shopkeepers. I even shared courteous pleasantries with a couple of disembodied voices over the phone.

Blossoms on ornamental fruit tree outside the office

Everywhere I look spring seems to be starting early. No wonder smiles come easily.

Magnolia blossoms

Been wearing sandals and short sleeves this week. Pants, too. Simple pleasures.

A transplanted Christmas poinsettia lives on

We have enjoyed a few days of sunshine, clouds and sometimes gray skies. These conditions and warm temperatures have started trees blossoming, animals getting frisky, and flowers popping up all over. Rain is expected to return Wednesday night.

Mourning dove

Some birds, like the mourning doves, have returned to the Treehouse to nest, mate and likely raise some little birds in the process.

A male cat, no doubt attracted by the perfume d’amour of a hot feline female, has been enthusiastically belting out love songs below my window these past few nights.

Tuesday breakfast

A good breakfast with nutritious, digestible, mostly fresh, real food is how I like to start my day. I try to eat non processed, organic foods.

When you read or hear someone saying there is no difference between organic and commercially grown produce they are lying.

Commercial produce is coated with pesticides. Organic is pesticide free.

Tuesday’s breakfast preparation

If you are choosing apples, for instance, pick them up and smell them before putting them in your basket. Choose the ones that smell good enough to eat.

Little daffodil in Dottie’s garden

After a little practice, you can decide between fruit that smells like an old gas can, or organic fruit that smells and tastes like it is supposed to.

Daffodil in front of Alder Street neighbor’s house

Today’s Video;

Brotherly Love

Nice Week In Redding

I Have Pictures

Colorful driveway rose

A high pressure ridge is blocking the series of pacific storms that brought welcome rain to California recently and we have enjoyed sunny 70 degree weather as a result. The conveyor belt of rain storms got redirected up to the north west at least until the high pressure ridge breaks down next week around the 17th.

Yellow sidewalk rose

There is snow on some of the mountains. The views are spectacular between clouds that fly overhead.

West view from the Treehouse

I enjoy all the moods and seasonal changes that Mount Shasta displays. The magical majestic mountain changes appearance continuously throughout each day. I must have taken thousands of pictures of Shasta over the years and even though some were taken seconds apart they show some differences.

Thursday afternoon Shasta

I got a nice picture of breakfast this week. I like to photograph what I eat. Sometimes it looks as good as it tasted and felt. Natural food makes me and my resident microbes happy.

Cereal, nuts, raisins and banana in there, too

There are more pictures, (many more), from this week, but I would just like to close with this one of tonight’s moon.

Friday night moon and traveling clouds

Today’s Video;

I saw this band on the Daily Show and loved them

Good Music For My Soul

Sunny Days

Chase The Blues Away

Fresh pie helps, too

Even a happy guy can start feeling down when the sun ain’t around

That bridge reminds me of someone...

Makin’ silly pictures, baking apple pies and sighing sighs

Lassen Friday evening

Friday ends with clearing skies

Is this mustard?

A tiny flower can be found if one just tries

Maya cactus at the Arboretum

Saturday morning sunshine and the sound of ravens gets me to set my sleep aside

and take the Nikon for a ride...just to see what I may spy

Iris at the arboretum

Further on up path, hiding in the tall grass a bit of color catches my eye

”It’s an iris”, I softly cry (don’t want to freak out the people walking by)

Sundial gnomon looms in the background

It was the arboretum where I found my way

as I wandered

on this sunny Redding day

Today’s Video;

Feeling Good Feels Good

The Election Is 9 Months Away

That’s When You Vote

Bare oak tickles cloud

I’ve been watching some people who are closely following the never ending debates on TV to see “who wins”. They will pay more attention to talk radio and cable TV news over the next 9 months than they did their wife during her pregnancies.

Advertising revenue is the reason for corporate broadcast debates of the primary candidates, but actual presidential candidates won’t be known until July after the political party conventions.

Shy yellow bird

After 30 years of brainwashing by talk radio and cable news, (Fox news, I am referring to you), the careful cultivation of zombie followers has reached critical mass.

The Right Wing faithful are primed and ready to proudly vote for the corporate takeover of the United States of America.

Hello to you, too

You know who they are. They fly flags on homemade flagpoles, flags on their trucks and lots of little flags glued on sticks to prove their allegiance and patriotism.

Mix that with bibles and crosses and you have an army of determined ignorance, self righteously participating in redefining the U. S. Constitution.

My friend flicker

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross."

“In a nutshell, fascism is basically an authoritarian government for corporations, by corporations. Extreme nationalism, the loss of individual liberties, and collectivism that benefits corporations rather than people.” - Flag Wrapped Fascism

Treehouse trees are budding

Tonight was the Iowa caucus to garner delegates from the state for the national convention. The media promotes the importance of this small, mostly white state caucus because it boosts their sales. 

Bernie and Hillary got close to equal amounts of delegates. 

One of the morally bankrupt right wing nuts got a few more delegates than the other republican lunatics. He thinks he has won the presidency.

On to New Hampshire, another primarily white, small state.

Monday morning moon

Just as import, tomorrow is groundhog day. They should figure out a way to have Punxsutawney Phil predict the presidential elections as well as the weather. That would generate more viewers and be just about as reliable as the Iowa caucus in determining the outcome of November 2016 elections.

Today’s Video;

Corporate Morality