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

The end of summer

Tonight was Halloween.

I thought it would be interesting to consult Wikipedia on the history of the the celebration. The origins of Halloween have been linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain, which comes from the Old Irish for "Summer's end." It was celebrated in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. It marked the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter (or the darker half of the year). It involved people going house-to-house in costume (or in disguise), usually reciting verses or songs in exchange for food.

This house was ready for trick-or-treaters, but I think I might be too afraid to approach it after dark.

"At first cock-crow the ghosts must go Back to their quiet graves below." 
~ Theodosia Garrison

Sunrise, sunset

This was our sunrise this morning and it looks like there is a sunrise over the upcoming Promenade at Downey. The workers are starting to lay underground stuff for the street that will be going through the property from Lakewood Blvd. over to Bellflower Blvd. That's the Kaiser Permanente Hospital in the background.



Sorry for the chain link fence. I couldn't get my camera high enough to see over it.



This was our sunset tonight. They say a storm is coming through tomorrow or Saturday.



The sunset was Definitely fiery red tonight.

The serenity of nature

We visited Los Amigos Country Club today to practice our putting. I think golf courses are some of the most beautiful places in the city, any city. This is the first tee box and fairway. The tee box is lined on both sides with purple morning glories and the fairway is lined with tall trees.

Another part of golf I love is even if you don't hit your ball down the fairway all the way to the green, which is a good thing, you still get to enjoy the serenity of nature.

And if you're playing with a foursome, you get to smell the flowers and look down the fairway for several minutes. What a massage of the soul.