Going green

This vine-covered house made me wonder if the owners started with just a few plants here and there and then one day looked up and realized the entire front was covered. Either way, the result was beautiful.

"It's not easy being green."
 ~ Kermit the Frog

Irish you were beer

We might not turn Downey Avenue green like the Chicago River, but there are still plenty of St. Patrick's Day celebrations going on in downtown Downey this evening. The biggest one appeared to be at Bastards BBQ, where signs of Irish green were everywhere.

Did you know, according to Wikipedia, that Saint Patrick's Day is celebrated in more countries than any other national festival? Even though less than 5% of California's population is of Irish ancestry, you'll see celebrations and reminders everywhere. And 83% of us wear green—or risk getting pinched!

Ireland - Enniskerry

I was looking for some red doors to show you like Pam did earlier this week but this picture just took my breath away as it took me back to our visit to Powerscourt Estates in Enniskerry, Ireland. One of the reason I wanted to go to Ireland was to see for myself if the pictures that showed how green it is were true. Having seen it in real life, it's true.

A little further down the path through the estate we came across this pond. You can see the estate in the background. Wait till you see the flowers I post tomorrow.

Now sweetly lies old Ireland
Emerald green beyond the foam,
Awakening sweet memories,
Calling the heart back home.
~ Irish proverb

The color of winter

In cold climates, winter is a mix of whites and grays, and green is the color of spring. But in southern California, winter means rain. With rain, the hills burst into bright green. Lush grass sprouts in abundance as the hills drink up all that water, knowing they will turn back to brown in a few short months.

A painted lady

According to Wikipedia, "painted ladies" is a term used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details. The term is typically used for the rows of Victorian houses in San Francisco, but has also been applied to neighborhoods in Baltimore, St. Louis, New Orleans, and Cincinnati.

And Downey?

We don't have many actual Victorian houses in Downey. But this recently painted home made me think of the painted ladies. There are three colors (four if you count the rich red of the bricks). And the colors enhance the nooks and crannies (and blend nicely with the lush landscaping).

An explosion of color

I must confess that I'm not the most observant fish in the sea. So it shouldn't come as a surprise to me that something that I noticed for the first time a couple of weeks ago at a local McDonald's turns out to be a trend that started at least a year ago.

I'm talking about neon-colored rims on bikes. Once I noticed the first one, I started seeing them all over. Neon shades of green, orange, yellow, pink—you name it, they're out there.

When did you start noticing them?

Keep Downey beautiful

This morning as we were finishing a walk around Furman Park, we came upon a group of students who were working on the planters along the entrance of the park. They were volunteers to help "Keep Downey Beautiful."

For me, it was one of those moments when I realized that I had looked at the previous planters and thought they were ugly and dated, but did nothing to change it. Well, thanks to this group of volunteers, a local Downey resident, and a grant from Lowes, we have a welcome change and some beautiful, drought-tolerant plants. THANKS for working to make our city beautiful!

Dinwiddie back door

Joan and I took a walk this afternoon down the railroad tracks behind Dinwiddie Street, then back up Dinwiddie itself. Dinwiddie is an unusual sort of neighborhood. All of the lots are several hundred feet deep, but very narrow. Some of the houses on the street were built in the early 1900s, some in the early 2000s.

Now I have too many pictures for a single day, so I guess this is the start of a Dinwiddie series. I like the look of this run-down door set against the bright yellow house.

All worn out

I'm accustomed to seeing gatherings of classic cars in Downey. The cars are well cared for, shiny in the extreme. This '53 Chevy, on the other hand, looks and probably feels her age. I hope someone is going to take care of her and get her all spiffed up and ready for a night out on the town.