Storm watch

There's a Storm tonight in the Claudia Frometa campaign headquarters in downtown Downey. Storm the German shepherd, that is. He and Claudia's husband Nolveris Frometa were manning the office when I walked by on my evening walk. Storm, with his wagging tail, was very welcoming.

Keeping hydrated

On my walk around the weekly farmer's market, I noticed lots of people stopping for a break of one kind or another. Jason and Vanessa were enjoying their drinks in the shade while giving their pit bulls Cora and Spartacus a water break.

Cora is friendly and playful and enjoyed my head scratches. Spartacus, a little bit older and a little more reserved, just kept a close eye on me. 

Caring hands

Yesterday I talked about the dexterity of hands. Hands can do so many different kinds of work. Hands can also communicate emotions. A pat on the back can be a great encouragement. A shaking fist in your face can be intimidating. In this shot, Joseph's hands are showing Odie support and affection. Odie responded with calmness and gratitude. Our hands are very powerful. We can build up or tear down. The choice is ours.

"You can always tell about somebody by the way they put their hands on an animal." 
~ Betty White

Humans of Downey/New Orleans - Michael

"I am the same as everyone else because I want to get along with everyone else. I see everyone as people and I want them to see me as people.

"I'm unique in that I have always been a hard worker. It started with how my parents raised me. I never missed a day of work. When I played sports in school, I played my best or I didn't play. When I graduated and went out into the world to work, I did my best or I didn't do it.

"My mom was a hard worker. I grew up on a farm and my mom was always working until the job was done. If the weather was harsh or she had an ache or two, she still finished the job. She taught me to give it my all."


~ Michael

(Posted by Pam on Steve's behalf.)

Two cool cats...um...dogs

I'm on vacation this week traveling across the United States on Hwy 10. We are going all the way to Florida, but we have stopped in New Orleans to see some sights. We came across these two classy-looking dogs in a square in front of the St. Louis Cathedral.

Their names are Chase and Cody. Chase is 9 months and Cody is 9 years. They are owned by Michael and Sue from Iowa. They spend the winter in New Orleans each year. Cody is a registered therapy dog. Michael takes him to the local Children's Hospital to be with the children.

(Posted by Pam on Steve's behalf.)

What the dog sells

Who can resist a cute doggy face? Whether it's Goofy on top of the gelato at Stonewood Center, or just a kid's ride with a goofy blue dog, images of dogs help sell products. (Remember Subaru's "Dog tested. Dog approved." marketing campaign from a few years ago?)

Humans of Downey - Shannon

"I am the same as everyone else in that community is very important to me. I'm involved in school. I'm involved in sports. I play catcher on our school's softball team. I'm the same as all my teammates. We bond as a team not only in practices but by having social times together away from the field.

"I'm different from others because I'm not a follower. Two of my friends and I were supposed to go to the mall but one of them said she was going to the park and smoke weed. I told my other friend that if she wanted to go with her that was her choice but I was going to the mall like we said. My convictions are important to me and if I have to be alone while standing for those convictions then so be it.

"My uncle had a dog, Emma, she's a pit bull. When I was younger, she was very protective. I lived at my grandma's and if any of the kids would yell at me she would bark at them and protect me."

~ Shannon

Humans of Downey - Joshua

Continuing with the theme of "dogs," I visited the Lazy Dog restaurant in Downey. It has a welcoming policy to dogs and their owners. They both can eat out on the patio. There I met Joshua, Shannon, and Bullet. Shannon will be my post for tomorrow.

"I'm still in high school and I'm just like everybody else there. I'm just doing what I need to do to graduate and then get a job. I'm trying to make these school days the best they can be. I show up and I study enough to get by.

"When I was about 15, my grandpa passed away. He was my best friend and it was hard getting through not having him around any more. I have this tattoo that says Grandpa Jim on my arm. To get through my grief, I was doing a few things I shouldn't have been doing. Then I met Shannon. She helped me focus on what I need to do in life to get back on track. That sets me apart from others. Not everyone has someone come alongside them to help them stay focused.

"Recently, I wanted a dog and in particular I wanted a pit bull. It didn't work out though, so Shannon surprised me with this German Shepherd/Boxer mix puppy. I fell in love with him the first time I saw him. We call him Bullet."

~ Joshua

As sick as a dog...doggy paddle...one sick puppy...you choose!

<

I'm not sure what this dog was doing in the gutter, but he did not look good. I came across him on a walk recently and it was such an odd sight, I had to take his picture. There are a lot of dog phrases that could relate to this image and I had a tough time deciding which to use, so I kind of used them all. I guess I could end this with "Let sleeping dogs lie..." He is definitely not a lucky dog.

Okay, I'm going to stop now.

Dogs of Downey - Bailey and Nala

This week at Downey Daily, we're going to the dogs. I stopped by the dog park at Rio San Gabriel Park this evening and was rewarded with the sight of my favorite breed, a couple of Siberian Huskies.

Bailey, a 7-year-old black-and-white, and her daughter Nala belong to Lorenzo, who lives nearby. Both dogs were having a blast playing with the other dogs at the park.

Dogs of Downey - Jackson

Last weekend's International Food and Music Festival was a dog-friendly place. This is Jackson, a soft-coated Wheaten Terrier. Huh, you say? According to Wikipedia, "the Soft-coated Wheaten Terrier is a pure breed terrier originating from Ireland. . . . Wheatens are generally friendly and playful, and tend to get along well with children and other dogs." This was definitely true of Jackson. He is very friendly, but calm enough to sit and enjoy the crowds with his owners.

Is Lazy Dog for the dogs?

You bet! With their dog-friendly patio and their special doggie menu, dogs get a warm welcome at the Lazy Dog restaurant in the Promenade.

One of the doggie rules is "no begging." Of course, no one said, "no  looking intently, longingly, and silently into your master's eyes." Because even though these pups had food of their own, everyone knows that what's on the table is way better than what's under it.

Dogs of Downey - Chico

We've been posting our Downey pictures for a little over 6 years now and I have to admit, sometimes I struggle to come up with new material. However, one of the blogs I have followed on and off for quite some time gave me inspiration—Rivera Dogs. So, as I meet some of the interesting dogs in Downey, I will share them and give you a little introduction.

This cute boy was hanging out last Wednesday night at Furman Park. He was clearly enjoying the orchestra providing our weekly "Concerts in the Park." I believe his name was Chico (unfortunately my phone—where I made all my notes about my new little friend—took a swim), so I hope I'm remembering correctly.

He is about 4 years old and was adopted from SEAACA. He is obviously pampered and if you attend the Wednesday night concert next week, I'm sure you will find him chillin' between his owners on the "lawn."

Forever home

This little fellow (the puppy, not the boy) found his new forever home today, courtesy of Cathey's K9 Rescue and PetSmart.

Cathey's K9 Rescue has been finding forever homes for lost, surrendered, or abandoned dogs since 2003. Since that time, they've found new homes for over 30,000 dogs.

Humans of Downey - Erika

"I think the one thing I don't do enough of is reading. If I could read more, I would read Paulo Pueliu poetry.

"Once I was running down the San Gabriel riverbed and a dog came running after me. I was so scared that I stopped and the dog caught up to me. Just then, a neighbor came out and stopped the dog from biting me. She is my hero. She didn't even give me her name."
~ Erika

Teamwork

I have a fondness for Siberian Huskies. So I was excited to see nearly enough huskies at the David R. Gafin Dog Park (at Rio San Gabriel Park) to make a sled team!

"You're not fat, you're just a little husky!"

One out of every three

About 36% of the US population owns one or more dogs. That's more than one out of every three households. But a walk along the riverbed will definitely skew your impression, where it seems that every backyard has its dog (or dogs) on guard. Some, like this pair, are curious and appear friendly. Others, like a German Shepherd with a loud and constant bark, were intimidating (even if his tail was wagging).

Patience

I've shown you a lot of the historical "now and then" shots from the downtown historical walk a couple of weeks ago. This is my last picture from that walk, and it's not at all historical.

This fluffy dog, who looks like he can hardly see through all that hair in his face, is patiently waiting, outside of the Hall of Fame Market and Deli, for his owner to return.

With a little help

I've been thinking a lot lately about getting old. It's hard when you can't get around like you used to. This scene, which passed by so quickly I almost didn't catch it, epitomizes what I think we all hope for when the time comes—to be surrounded by family and friends who step in to help when our bodies fail.

"I get by with a little help from my friends."
~ Billy Shears

Horse power

The Rio San Gabriel riverbed gets a fair amount of traffic, despite not being very scenic. I like seeing the horses, they always look a little regal to me. And, of course, there are always dogs to get their daily exercise too.

"It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must know how to fall."
~ Mexican Proverb