The bell ringer

Every year at Christmas time, the Salvation Army sets up red kettles all around the world to collect donations for the needy. This bell ringer was collecting contributions at the local Stater Brothers store.

“Christmas gift suggestions: to your enemy, forgiveness. To an opponent, tolerance. To a friend, your heart. To a customer, service. To all, charity. To every child, a good example. To yourself, respect.”
~ Oren Arnold

Once a year pleasures

I know it's not an official date on the calendar, but December 1 is that date when you have "permission" to start watching Christmas movies again. (And also singing Christmas carols...) Miracle on 34th Street, The Santa Clause, While You Were Sleeping, and yes, Die Hard, are just a few of the Christmas movies that have made it onto my list in previous years.

A walk around the neighborhood shows me that I'm not the only one. What Christmas movies have you watched so far this month?

Prize-winning Christmas decorations #2

Here is today's offering of a Christmas decoration winner here in Downey. This one is at 8602 Nada Street. It's a corner house and the decorations wrap around the corner, so you get lots of little smiles as you walk along. You should drive over, get out, and see for yourself.



These snowmen were there to greet any visitor and show the award sign.



Just around the corner from them are a couple of gnomes having a discussion about the toys in Mom's garden.



And of course, I smiled when I noticed Snoopy and Woodstock.

Prize-winning Christmas decoration

I ride my bike through this neighborhood each day on my way to work. Because of the early sunsets these days, I was able to see this house all lit up the other day. I came back and took this picture.



Then I went up close to see the individual parts and noticed Snoopy in a sleigh. Any decoration is better with Snoopy included.



Then I saw that I wasn't the only one that came to the conclusion that this was an award-winning display.

Faces on parade

One of the most fun parts of watching a parade is seeing the personalities of the performers. You see such a variety of expressions, from the shy smiles . . . to an almost severe assessment of the crowd . . . to joyful.





"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it."  
~ Greg Anderson

Downey Christmas Parade

Consistent with much of the colorful Mexican heritage that is a part of our local history, we were treated at this year's Christmas parade with traditional dancers.



"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots." 
~ Marcus Garvey

A unique florist shop

More uniqueness...Because A Unique Florist didn't initially have a large refrigeration unit for their flowers, owner Terri Head makes a daily early morning trip to the flower markets in downtown Los Angeles to stock up for the day. A trip to the flower market is a fun outing for anyone who enjoys flowers—if you don't have to do it every day!

Terri also loves cats. She adopted a family of stray cats at her previous location several years ago, and one of them is still with her. This pretty tortoiseshell kitty has her own bed in the window, and only reluctantly interrupted her nap to acknowledge me.

In addition, a large stained glass panel celebrates cats.

From chamber to flowers

While killing time waiting for my car to be washed a couple of weeks ago, I wandered by this relatively new florist shop next to the main post office. When I noticed the name of the business, A Unique Florist, I decided to go in and find out just what is unique about this shop.

Inside, I met proprietor Terri Head. Although her shop is new to this location, Terri has been doing business as a florist in Downey for many years. When her previous landlord decided to go a different direction with the building she was leasing, she found herself unexpectedly required to move by April 1, in the middle of one of her busiest times of the year.

But the move has gone well, and she's enjoying her new location near downtown Downey. One unique thing about her business is the history of her new building—it was the original Downey Chamber of Commerce building, as shown in Larry Latimer's book Downey (Images of America) and also in the Downey Conservancy photo on the counter.