Swimming

Since I'm staying in one place (Redding) for awhile, I decided to take up swimming. Never been much of a swimmer and haven't been in the water since diving the Great Barrier Reef August 2013. Although I love the beach, I've never been entirely comfortable in the water; my technique is terrible which leads to a lot of wasted energy and ultimately frustration. I've been thinking about (haven't decided yet:) doing a triathlon in 2016 so thought it'd be a good time to take a lesson at the YMCA. 

My instructor confirmed my technique sucked:) and gave me some good pointers and drills to work on this week. She also gave me a link (see below) to the most graceful freestyle swimmer I've ever seen; not that I'm an expert but he seems to expend a lot less energy than I do. I'm working on drills this week and have another lesson; my instructor says there is hope and I hope she is right:)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJpFVvho0o4&sns=em

Book Review - Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë

Decided to read Wuthering Heights again. I was struck by this sad story; couldn't help thinking of what a different world it would be if we as individuals spent less time focused on ourselves and more time being nice to others.

Book Review - The Untethered Soul by Michael A. Singer

The Untethered Soul the journey beyond yourself by Michael A. Singer is good book about consciousness. There is a lot to absorb so I'll probably read it again to fully appreciate. It is a bit redundant in parts but this helps to drive home key points to readers like me who sometimes gloss over text:). I thought the book might include a few methods for awakening but this doesn't detract from the book's value. The more I read, the more I learn about awakening and becoming fully conscious; it is a journey:)

McCloud, CA

Drove to McCloud today via I-5; about an hour north of Redding. The sign says population of 1600 and the elevation is a bit over 3,000 feet. It is a densely wooded area and appears to be mostly pine trees. A very nice woman at the museum gave me a brief history lesson on the town; used to be a timber town until the 1960s when the timber industry died out; starting the town's decline. A nice town to visit but no industry to support a vibrant community; too bad, seems like a very nice town.

Downtown Historic McCloud.

Great museum!

Not sure of the name but they sold sweets, coffee/tea

Pear tart a la mode.

Several inns and B&Bs in and around town.

Mt. Shasta in the background.

Mt. Shasta.

McConnell Arboretum and Gardens in Redding

In the morning I biked to the Sundial Bridge and along the Sacramento River; the route took me past the local arboretum so I decided to return this afternoon to check it out. A beautiful arboretum bordered by the Sacramento River and the Sundial Bridge; the cloudy afternoon produced great light for photos.

The Sundial Bridge from below.

One of many trails in the Arboretum.

Sundial Bridge.

Thanks to Readers

A quick note of thanks to all readers of this blog; I appreciate your comments and emails! When I started this journey, friends and colleagues asked me to keep them informed of my travels and provide photos; someone suggested a blog might be the easiest way to keep everyone informed. It does this but it also enables and encourages me to share my thoughts on a wide range of subjects. Thinking out loud in front of an audience takes getting used to but it also helps me go beyond those boundaries that can limit personal growth.

Sundial Bridge

Near my campground, I found a new trail connection to the Sacramento River Trail! Rode my bike there today and then onto the trail. Redding has a treasure trove of trails I didn't expect!

Sundial Bridge over the Sacramento River.

Sunday Turtle Bay Farmers Market

Turtle Bay is a park area in Redding, California and is the location of a small Farmers Market Sunday mornings. Only about a half dozen vendor booths, including eggs, produce, and pies. I bought a small strawberry-rhubarb pie, organic tomatoes, and fresh eggs. I didn't really need the eggs (or the pie:) but bought a dozen anyway because the woman selling them was so nice and convinced me they were less than one week old. We talked awhile and I was impressed by the care she took in cleaning the eggs; she told me she sold so many eggs they don't last more than 1 week.

Redding has Farmers Markets on Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday - bliss!

Rising Way Range from Whitmore, CA selling chicken eggs.

Organic produce where I bought tomatoes and a cantelope.

Caretaker Opportunity

A previous post describes my decision to use www.caretakerjobs.com to search for caretaker jobs; it still seems like a good decision; this post reflects my current thinking as I weigh a potential opportunity. As readers know, I don't need a job; however, feeling useful is something that is important to me, as are several other factors (see below). Of course it would have to be the right property/estate in a desirable location and my skill set would need to align with the estate owner's needs.  My current thoughts as I think this through...

How would a caretaker position benefit me?
1. Provide a home base; stability.
2. The right accommodations could allow me to get my art and fine furniture out of storage.
3. Opportunity to feel useful.
4. Opportunity to garden; something I've missed.

How would hiring me benefit the estate owner?
1. Proven manager supported by credible references is a low risk hire.
2. Single, non-smoking, fit gentleman with a positive attitude gets the job done with a smile:)
3. Supervisor, management, and contractor experience enables significant responsibility.
4. Knowledge of environment and energy markets helps ensure compliance and sustainability.

 River in Redding; where I thought about this blog post today.

Saturday Farmers Market - Redding

Another Saturday, another Farmers Market! One of the best things about visiting 9 states in the past 6 months is the FM experience; rarely a week goes by that I don't visit a FM. While many have similar vendors, I also observe regional diversity.

Redding's FM is smaller than I anticipated but is the earliest (starts 7:30am) I've encountered - maybe its too early for the farmers:). In addition to the standard produce booths, I was surprised by the number of booths selling plants. Only one of the produce booths was certified organic; I bought heirloom tomatoes ($3/lb). From others, I bought:

• Kalamata Olive sourdough bread - yum!
• Goat cheese
• Organic handmade soap
• Spinach-Eggplant Bread (Indian)

Bonus - this FM is held at Redding's City Hall where there is a sculpture park!

Kalamata Olive Sourdough from Nathan's Sourdough.

Organic tomatoes from Churn Creek Meadow Organic Farm.

Spinach-Eggplant Bread from Guzzetti's (Indian).

Goat cheese from North Valley Handcrafted Farmstead.

Organic soap from Clear Creek Soap Co.

Saturday Farmers Market.

Guzzetti's.

Plants.

Redding Sacramento River Trail

In Redding, CA for a week or so. No smoke from fires and high temperatures are forecast to decline after this weekend so I'm looking forward to enjoying the area. From my campground, I biked to the wide and paved Sacramento River Trail.  Will explore more of the Redding area in the coming days.

Sacramento River.

Wide, paved trails.

Arcata and Eureka

My southern migration takes me to the Arcata and Eureka, CA area. Arcata is a small (about 15,000) college town dominated by Humboldt State University. Eureka is a larger (about 30,000) town about 7 miles south. Didn't spend much time here but the towns ha a good vibe; lots of young people.

The deserted Arcata beach on a cloudy day.

Humboldt State University in Arcata.

Baked goods in the Cafe Brio on the square in Arcata.

Arcata plaza (the square).