We all scream for...

What's the best way to celebrate a warm summer evening? (The temperature is still in the 80s.) Your favorite flavor of ice cream at 31 Flavors, of course!

They're baaack!

I had an encounter with these circles a few years ago and did a post on them then (a little tongue in cheek). When I saw them this time, I thought it might be time to share the crop circle image again. I also recently saw a series of them both at intersections on Smallwood and on Rives.

Obviously, the comparison to crop circles is still valid. I would love to think that some cereologist could offer an interesting explanation. (Did you know that a cereologist is a person who studies crop circles?)

The direction of light

My friends and I recently watched a photography video about how the direction of light has an impact on the picture you take. The speaker concluded with a reminder to change the direction, to always turn around to see what lies in the other direction. I was reminded of this tonight when, at the same moment, the setting sun lit up the moon in one direction and the sky and clouds in the other.

Humans of Downey - Michael

"For our 4th of July tradition, we have always celebrated it with a block party. I’ve lived in that neighborhood all my life and only one year, the year we went and celebrated it at the beach, did we not celebrate it with a block party. The neighbors were really upset with us that year.

"Another year, my cousin thought a mortar firework was a smoke bomb. He thought it would be a great prank to light it and toss it over by me. I saw it coming out of the corner of my eye. I turned just as it exploded and shot around the room. Luckily, it didn’t do any damage in the house. But he was certainly embarrassed. Being family, we did allow him back into the house."

~ Michael

Humans of Downey - Gilbert

"My grandmother came here first and then my mother followed. I was born here and lived my first years in West Los Angeles. Our 4th of July celebrations centered around family, food, and fireworks. Our family loved to celebrate the freedoms of our country. We celebrated with the community of our block. We shared barbecue hamburgers and hot dogs, corn on the cob, potato salad. Then we would set off our collection of fireworks. We kids would run and jump over the fountains of sparks. No one ever got hurt.

"One 4th of July I spent the whole evening at the hospital because of my daughter. I was in charge of setting off the fireworks in the street. So, I had a punk that I was using to light the fuses and I was keeping it in my mouth sideways. It looked like a rose in my mouth. My 4-year-old daughter came running out to be with me as I was getting another firework ready to light. I was kneeling down and as she called my name, I turned around and the lighted punk stabbed her in the corner of her eye. At that point, 4th of July was over.

"We poured water on her face to stop the burning and then took her to the hospital. After many hours, they patched her eye and sent us home. She couldn't sleep during the night so we took her back to the hospital. They found and removed the tip of the punk that was still in the corner of her eye. She recovered completely. But for several years I refused to have anything to do with fireworks. We still had the barbecues but the only fireworks we saw were at the Queen Mary. Finally I relented and we had fireworks at the house. But only after a 30-minute talk with my children concerning the dangers of fireworks and the rules they had to follow to stay outside. I put a strip of caution tape they were not allowed past. Each year I give that speech, put up that tape and remind them of how easy serious accidents can happen in dangerous circumstances. Most of the day is filled with fun, eating, and community. The fireworks part of the celebration, though, is no longer the joy of watching the pretty colors and hearing the pops. Now, it's filled with stress of watching to make sure no kids get too close to harm."

~ Gilbert

PS Gilbert works at Avenue Press and was kind enough to take time out to talk with me. Stop in and have a chat some time to get to know him better.

Happy Independence Day!

Tonight a small group of us headed to the Stonewood parking lot to watch the firework show at Downey High. We were joined by tons of people doing the same thing. It was a great show.

The thing that seemed so different this 4th of July was the overwhelming sounds of fireworks exploding all around us that seemed to be everywhere in the city. The rumblings started before it grew dark. It actually sounded as if war were raging all around. It is now after 10 pm and I am still surrounded by the sounds.

Curious, I looked at the City of Downey website to see if something had changed this year. What I found was that nothing has changed and the City of Downey has a “zero tolerance” for illegal fireworks, but allows for the sale and use of legal fireworks, identifiable by the California Fire Marshal’s “Safe and Sane” seal. Any firework that launches into the air, propels across the ground, or explodes, is illegal to sell or possess and can result in fines and/or arrest. I'm not sure too many people read this. From my street, there were tons of fireworks launching into the air. The whole city seemed to be engulfed in explosions of fireworks and the inescapable smoke that follows. Hopefully, no one got hurt in the process of the celebration.

Hospital history

Going to the hospital is never fun, but one benefit of going to PIH in Downey is the opportunity to view the historical pictures of Downey that line the halls. I think this picture of the original Downey Community Hospital, located on 5th Street, is especially interesting, since it is both the predecessor of PIH and the hospital where I was born.

Little birdie

Today as I was working in my yard, I spotted an unusual bird's nest in my tree. Birds' nests are always a wonder to me. This one is made up of a little of this and a little of that. And, somehow all those pieces of thread, sticks, and heaven knows what else have been woven into this safe little sac-like home suspended from branches in my tree.

As I was snooping, I looked over and realized there was a little bird sitting on the edge of my umbrella watching me peek through the branches of the tree. All of a sudden I felt a little like I was intruding. Maybe it was her nest? I never found out, but on the chance it was hers, I climbed down and walked away.

"may my heart always be open to little birds who are the secrets of living" 
~ e e cummings