A different view

This morning started out sunny and beautiful, and reflections were everywhere. Reflections provide a new perspective on something familiar, and this view of the top portion of the Yosemite Falls is no exception.

But the promised rain did come, and the clouds hovered The misty clouds hovered around the tops and sides of the cliffs, and provided a new perspective of Half Dome.

The thundering falls

It's time for our annual long weekend at Yosemite. But this year is a little bit different. Usually, we go in winter. This is my first time to go in spring. And this is the first weekend where the forecast is for rain every day. We'll see...

Longer days mean that we actually arrived before dark. And the first thing we noticed was how much fuller all the waterfalls are. There are waterfalls where I haven't seen them before. And the river is full. And we can hear Yosemite Falls (above) thundering down to the bottom near the lodge.

A new place

Tokyo Garden is a small Japanese restaurant on Paramount Blvd. in Downey. It's been there for about 20 years, but my friends and I had never tried it out until a week ago. It was so good we went back tonight to celebrate a birthday there, with the Toyota Roll, above.

A hedge of oranges

Downey has a history of being known for growing oranges. By the late 1800s, there were many acres of orange groves covering what was to become Downey.  Although the groves are now gone, many orange trees remain in front and back yards.

We have shared pictures of several of them over the years, but I have never encountered an orange hedge. Whether this is an old or a new orange hedge, clearly it is thriving and continuing the legacy of Downey's orange-growing abilities.

The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body, but the soul.
~ Alfred Austin

Humans of Downey - David

"I have been playing golf for twelve years off and on. I'm just now picking it up again. Some of my friends played and they invited me to join them and I loved the game from the start. I play here at Rio Hondo Golf Club mostly. Sometimes, my friends and I will play at a course in Fountain Valley.

"I love the game because it is relaxing. You must focus on the shot at hand. You're not thinking of work. You're not thinking of all your headaches. Just focus on the ball going forward. Second, I can take the lessons I learn as I play, focus, patience, fair play, discipline, civility, practice to get better, spending quality time with others, enjoying the surroundings, etc., and use them in the rest of my life away from the course. That's the way I see it."
~ David

Humans of Downey - Jose

"The first time I ever played golf was three years ago when I worked at a golf course in North Carolina. I saw the people playing and they looked so relaxed and quiet. The surroundings as you play are so beautiful and peaceful. I thought, 'I want to try this sport.' My friend, Raul, has helped me the most with my game. He's gotten me to grip the clubs correctly. He has also helped me in some of my life's decisions. He's a good friend.

"Most of the time, I play on a course in Azusa but recently I've been playing at the course at Ford Park in Bell Gardens. It's a nice 9 hole/par 3 course. Great for my short game practice."
~ Jose

Finally finishing...

It is finally the time to plant in the medians on Firestone Blvd. As I drove by on Friday, workers were planting and watering the planters. Yay! Soon to be done.

"To everything there is a season and a time for every purpose under heaven."
~ Ecclesiastes 3:1

Sister cities

When I was in fourth grade, Mr. Williams at Spencer V. Williams Elementary School (as it was known back then) taught us Spanish. Being the only one in class who couldn't roll their R's was the start of my lifelong resistance to learning Spanish. But one thing that Mr. Williams taught us that I still remember is that Guadalajara, Mexico, is Downey's sister city.

Downey was the first U.S. city to establish a sister city with Mexico. In the late 1950s, the mayor of Downey attended the International U.S.-Mexico Conference, where he met the mayor of Guadalajara. The two leaders agreed to make a sister city arrangement, which was signed on Aug. 26, 1960.

I thought of that today when I passed the La Chiva Loca restaurant, with its logo "Las Originales De Guadalajara." I still can't roll my R's, but I do love the food.