Sunset sky

I work in Torrance, about 20 miles southwest of Downey. A week or so ago, I went outside to check on something, and I was greeted with this beautiful sky. It took me a minute to notice the moon was there, shining through the clouds. I know I've seen this before, but it made me wonder why I could see the moon while it was still light out.

According to space.com, two things contribute to the moon being visible in daylight. First, it is bright enough that its light penetrates the scattered blue light of the sky. If you're looking at exactly the right spot with a telescope, you can also see the planets Mercury, Venus, and Jupiter in daylight, plus a few of the brightest stars (though few casual observers can actually pull this off). Secondly, the moon must be high enough in the sky to be visible.

I just appreciate the beauty of the sky and the moon.

"I've never seen a moon in the sky that, if it didn't take my breath away, at least misplaced it for a moment." 
~ Colin Farrell

New pathways

In September, I showed you the first signs of change at Furman Park. Then in October, Joan showed you some signs of progress.

And last weekend, much sooner than I ever expected, the completed walking path was dedicated with a fancy ribbon-cutting ceremony and an inaugural walk. Twice around the park is a little over a mile, which is a nice morning walk.

The new path is made of decomposed granite. Since it rained (hard) the morning of the ribbon-cutting, we got to experience firsthand the advantage of decomposed granite. There were no muddy puddles!

More signs of fall

Another sign of fall is the abundance of apples in the stores. Albertson's had 12 varieties on display in the produce department. Some of the usual were there, such as Golden Delicious and Gala. But I also found a new one for me, Cameo. I bought a few last night, and then had one today. Very crisp, juicy, and sweet. I'll buy them again.



And then there were the Santa displays encouraging me to stock up on Christmas-themed cookies.



And of course the discounted Halloween cookies so I could stock up for next year.

Millions saw the apple fall, but Newton was the one who asked why.
~ Bernard Baruch

Signs of fall

I found another view to remind me that it's fall. These gourds are at the local Albertson's grocery store near the butcher shop.

"Autumn wins you best by this its mute appeal to sympathy for its decay."
~ Robert Browning

The morning after

I couldn't resist taking a picture of the mountains this early morning after the storm.  They appear to be so close.  And, with the clouds added in, it made for a dramatic sky.

"The sky is the daily bread of the eyes." 
~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dia de los Muertos Art Festival

Yesterday's second annual Dia de los Muertos Art Festival included a fine art exhibit in the the Downey Theatre’s upstairs art gallery. The exhibit displays the Dia de los Muertos-themed artwork of approximately 25 artists. This exhibit will be on display for the month of November at the Downey Theatre.

About 10,000 people were expected to attend this year's festival. Everywhere I looked, I saw crowds enjoying the great food, amazing art, and live music.

Calacas and calaveras

Today was the annual celebration of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead. "The most familiar symbol of Dia de los Muertos may be the calacas and calaveras (skeletons and skulls), which appear everywhere during the holiday: in candied sweets, as parade masks, as dolls. Calacas and calaveras are almost always portrayed as enjoying life, often in fancy clothes and entertaining situations." (National Geographic)

The picture on the left shows the skull, arms, and handlebars of the 22-foot high sculpture "The Bicycle," by folk artist Martin Sanchez. Like all of Sanchez's work, this skeleton on a bicycle is made of 100% recycled “repurposed” materials, often referred to as “found art.”

Rain makes everything beautiful

I have been looking longingly at my sweaters and scarves, hoping for cooler weather and the chance to wear layers once again. Last night it rained. And, it rained so hard the streets couldn't handle it. It actually looked like some new rivers had formed along Rives Ave.

I like the reflection of the palm trees and the car as I look back toward Firestone.

"Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby."
~ Langston Hughes