Warning - this is a long blog entry - sorry but so many pictures I had a hard time editing today!

Shasta State Historic Park                                                                                 This is basically ruins and some restored buildings from 1861. There is one of the oldest Masonic lodges in California as well as a  Courthouse with original jail and gallows.

 There was a group of grade 3 students touring when we were there so we sort of joined their class and learned some really interesting bits of history from this area.  Many people were tricked into coming to California in the 1800's to strike it rich from the gold.  There is a lot of information on a man who was a slave in eastern US who was sent to California to strike it rich and give his "owner" money to buy his freedom.  His owner was not very honourable and sold him to another owner after taking all his money. He went to California a second time and the new owner did allow him to buy freedom for him and his family . They came to California again and he struck it rich a third time, this time using his money to build a school so that all could have free education.

the displays were amazing as well as the 400 pieces of artwork from the era as well.









The museum also had a lot of hands on displays like this one about gold

 The gold miners took in the gold and sold it, this display shows what an ounce of gold would buy in 2000.

This is what an ounce of gold would buy in 1850.













The justice system was very strict. There were serious consequences for any type of crime.  One of the punishments for smaller crimes was to cut off their ear so they were marked forever.

 Off of this room were the 2 tiny jail cells which held sometimes 18 prisoners.  Absolutely no comfort here.

There were lots of these ruins from the different businesses.  The town lost all its buildings twice in a fires in the 1800's so they decided to go with all brick which is still partly standing.










We went back to Redding and checked out the Sundial bridge, Turtle Bay and the Sacramento River National Recreational Trail.  Oh, I loved, loved, loved this!

It is a glass-decked pedestrian bridge.  It is the largest working sundial in the US.  The 210 foot pylon leans due north and functions as the gnomon of a sundial. It casts a giant shadow on a dial plate on the north end.  Underneath is the Sacramento River (where salmon spawn I might add).  There were fishermen wading in the water down below as well as the biggest Canada geese I have ever seen.

After we crossed the bridge we came to an arboretum and botanical garden.  The gardens were divided into sections featuring plants from all over the WORLD.  I could have stayed there forever.  Other than the fact that acorns were falling everywhere and from really high up and we were a little worried about getting conked on the head.  After about 2 minutes, I did not care what conked me on the head.  The plants and flowers and trees and birds and butterflies - OMG!  Needless to say, someone who shall remain nameless  (er, DON ) did not appreciate this nearly as much as I did.  I was sorta freaking out, like I always do when I see birds and stuff, and darting helter skelter to look under bushes and up the trees and what not.  He could be found sitting on a bench texting his friend Earl about how much fun he was having  (NOT),
I even saw some hummingbirds and butterflies - and I found me some fun kids who wanted to see the frogs as much as I did!

how adorable is that, the one in the water is giving the other one a push on the lily pad.









Following are pictures of the neatest plants ever!

 this is a monkey puzzle tree from Chili

 monkey puzzle branches close up

 Don't have a clue what this is - but jeepers I love these kinds of plants.

Look out - these little devils are falling like flies.  Look like cigars a little.

 There were so many kinds of ornamental grasses.  It seems  I also have a thing for all types of grasses.

 Bamboo - oh yeah that's right!

 Can you believe how huge this plant is?  - also for evidence that he was texting his friend

 I like this because it's pretty and because its called Bears Britches.

 this one is Euphorbia and it is so beautiful

Whitest mushroom EVER!













We ended our afternoon with a bike ride along the Sacramento River.  I saw some pelicans and some cormorants (I think they were anyway - have to take the binoculars on the bike at all times from now on)
Then we went and had a low cal lunch/supper at Jack in the box.
What a fun day!
Oh one more thing . . .
This is a black walnut tree that is right across the street from our motorhome

 This is one of the black walnuts on the ground.  They have a sort of peel on them and inside is a layer of . . .  well yukky black stuff and the walnut is inside.  Some of the ones on the tree are starting to look like walnuts.

Does my grass look big in this???