It seems the residents like to decorate with ghosts and gravestones and some bits of blood-like substances. Here's one example.
Those on the sidewalk get a hint of what they will find in this yard because it starts on the sidewalk. Of course, you have to look up before you look down. Little tricker or treaters better watch out. I'm wondering if they will also hear spooky music.
This yard is a bit tamer and exhibits a slightly friendlier looking cemetery. At least the jack o lanterns are smiling!
It seems to be strange not to be with family in someone's home on Easter Sunday, but our extended family extends between Riverside, Fresno, and Tustin, all of which are a long drive from the Central Coast. Still, it just didn't feel right to just go home after church. That would be kind of a letdown. So we drove by Touch of Paso to see how busy the parking lot was and we were lucky. It appears an earlier after church crowd had left and we got in before the second wave got there. The food was tasty and the restaurant was decorated for Easter. I always enjoy it more quiet than crowded.
In spite of staying near home, it was still a day of communicating with family. My husband and I talked for a couple of hours, and my brother called and we must have talked to each other for close to an hour. This has been the first conversation we've had in a long time where we didn't talk politics, but about family. It is a refreshing change. There will always be some sort of politics, but one never knows how long one's family members will still be around. How did you spend Easter Sunday?
I think someone has it in for me. Some person somewhere decreed that yesterday was National Clean Off Your Desk Day. For the average neatnik, that might not be too big a deal. I, however had to work really hard for most of the day to even make a dent. Now some anonymous person somewhere has decreed that January 12 is Work Harder Day. Come on! Don't I get a break after slaving away yesterday? I do.
So I'll show you a person who always had to work harder. He was the employee at the office of one of my doctors who always seemed short-staffed. Whenever I visit the office there is a constantly ringing phone to be answered while someone else waits on hold. Patients need to check in and out. The doctor keeps asking for information from the front desk or one of the medical assistants. It has got to be the busiest office I've ever seen. It's always a madhouse. Did I mention this fellow is no longer there?
I will work hard today. After working so hard at my desk yesterday, I'll have to catch up with my writing and other chores. I know my laundry is calling me. I have some cooking ahead to do, too. In fact, I may actually have to work harder today after all -- just not as hard as yesterday.
As you can see, National Clean Off Your Desk Day is a day they made just for me. I'd much rather be out in the aftermath of the recent rains celebrating another holiday slated for January 11 -- National Step in a
Puddle and Splash Your Friend Day. Friends that want to be splashed by puddle water are rare around here, so I guess I'm stuck cleaning my desk. I have to admit it needs it.
Obviously, it's not a desk I've used lately. My computers are on a different desk where I actually get my work done, but seeing this desk as it is and not being able to find what I need is motivating me. I will celebrate National Clean Off Your Desk Day by cleaning off my desk on January 11.
I'd Rather Photograph Puddles that Splash Someone with Them
Incidentally, if I do see a good puddle, I'd much rather try to get a photo of a good reflection in it than splash a friend. That's what I did with this puddle last week.
What will you do on January 11? Clean off your desk? Splash your friend in a puddle or choose one of the other not so important holidays you can find at a website devoted to announcingall the holidays no one has ever heard of before? As I write this on January 10, I am celebrating National Bittersweet Chocolate Day. Sorry if you missed that.
Whether you need to do some last minute shopping or just need something special for Christmas reading, you can find it at the Paso Robles Library. As you see suggested in this poster on the wall in the library, reading is a great family activity. One can pick out a Christmas story as suggested in the poster and make a tradition of reading it on Christmas Eve. The library has several seasonal displays scattered throughout its reading areas. Please click to enlarge any photo you want to see more clearly.
If you haven't finished your shopping yet, you may find a small gift at the Friends of the Library Gift Shop. Besides all the new items inside the store, there is a wider selection than usual of used books outside the store in the hallway. If you can't find exactly the gift you had in mind, just walk around the corner to Studios on the Park on Pine, across from the park and find something unique. Here are some photos of a selection of their special gift items.
A little past the main door of the library, on the right wall, are the new books. If you won't be visiting family or hosting them and you have some spare time to read, you are sure to find something entertaining on these shelves. I always look here first to see if there is anything new from my favorite authors. Here is a link to my reviews of some of the books for adults I have found there and in other places around the library. The library may not still have all of them.
As I walked toward the stacks, I saw thisdisplay of holiday music, mostly associated with Christmas. This is a good way to supplement your own supply of music for a couple of weeks without having to buy more. It's always nice to have something new to listen to while you sit around the tree or work in the kitchen.
If you have children, you won't want to miss getting a special holiday story to read to them while they wait for Santa to arrive. Here is what was on display less than a week ago. I'm sure more books have come and gone from it since then. Be sure to click if you want to see the titles more clearly.
The City Daily Photo monthly theme for December is "Shop Window." I decided to post one from a couple of years ago that shows our city cares about those less fortunate. This one is advertising the Toy Bank which gives free donated toys to needy children for Christmas.
Barbara Radisavljeivc, Paso Robles, USA
The theme, though, reminds me of some of the shop windows I saw when I was a little girl when the big department stores were downtown instead of in malls. In those days, a trip downtown was like visiting a wonderland. For me in those days downtown meant downtown Long Beach, California. The department store was Buffum's, although it was not the only store with the magic window displays.
A Christmas window back then was an extravaganza. There were moving toys everywhere. Maybe Santa could be seen in his workshop with busy elves packing toys while Rudolph and the other reindeer waited to depart. There were toy trains circling around the North Pole. Now some 65 years later, it's hard to remember the details. I had no camera back then. Just picture the decorated house that wins all the community awards for its display, and then imagine it in a store window.
I don't see those kinds of displays today. Maybe I just don't live in a place where stores still go all out in wanting to attract window shoppers with children. Maybe the malls ruined the tradition. Perhaps it's different in other states or other countries.
Do department stores in your community have magical displays in December to attract shoppers? Or just merchandise? Can you remember a really magnificent Christmas window display ? I'll be looking through the other photos on this theme from bloggers around the world.
Meanwhile, maybe this will be the year you bring the magic of a model train into your home to circle the tree. Some of these can actually go around the standing part of your tree, instead of just on the ground. Be sure to get enough track if you have a large tree. Some on-site reviews feature videos.
As Halloween approaches, we can expect to see some more clever decorating around people's homes in Paso Robles. This exterior light caught my attention last Halloween when I was walking precincts before the election. It was the first time I'd seen a light wearing a mask.
My neighbors in the Riverbank tract really like to decorate their yards for holidays. As I was looking at my picture files from past years, I came across these creatively decorated yards. I thought I'd share them with you.
Graveyards are a popular theme, as are jack-o-lanterns, of course. And it's hard to escape the ghosts.
There are also plenty of witches. I liked this one climbing a tree.
One of my favorite ghosts is hiding in the flowers. This is one of my favorite houses in the neighborhood all year round because of the wonderful flowers. Something is always in bloom. These are, of course, October flowers.
As I drove home from a dentist appointment today, three days after the Fourth of July, I was struck by several remaining displays of the colors after the holiday. I'm not sure if these houses always display the flag or the decorations or if they were just up for Independence Day.
I loved seeing this Victorian house, so typical of many in this section of downtown Paso Robles. This one is on Olive. Many of the homes were flying flags.
This one may have been decorated just for the Fourth. The actual flags on the other houses may fly every day, as several in my own neighborhood do.
You can enlarge any photo by clicking on it.
Have you ever decorated for Independence Day? Amazon has some interesting decorations if you want to get a head start for next year. I rather like this one.
In my opinion, if you aren't spending the Fourth of July afternoon with your extended family or at a city park with your kids, the place to be is Sculpterra Winery, surrounded by trees, vineyards, sculpture, and neighbors. It a place for those who want an adult celebration without the sack races and egg throwing. You will hear music and inspiring patriotic speeches from community leaders. There is food and drink. There is also the opportunity to relax and converse with your neighbors and friends.
Independence Day at Sculpterra, 2014
This photo came from the 2014 party. We also attended in 2013 and 2016. We are very thankful that Dr. Warren Frankel has invited the community to come and celebrate what is special about the United States of America even as we thoughtfully consider what we can do to preserve a heritage which many people today aren't even aware of. The party is usually from noon to four on July 4. If you're not busy, come. Just bring yourself, maybe a friend, your sunscreen, and your American spirit.
Before my Christian brothers and sisters get upset thinking I'm trying to take the name of Christ out of Christmas, I would refer you to the origins of Xmas as explained in Wikipedia.
Xmas is a sort of shorthand using the X, which is the first letter of the Greek word for Christ as a symbol for the name of Christ and so it means Christ Mass, which in common usage we have shortened to Christmas. I have used the shortened term here for obvious reasons. I didn't want to talk about where to get an X-ray in the North County, even though I have been X-rayed several times in the past year and even have photos of my X-rays to prove it.
Christmas is more fun. The City of Paso Robles has its own big celebration in the park for the lighting of the Christmas Tree and the singing of carols. I have never been able to attend that.
In my own neighborhood, the Riverbank tract, the neighbors decorate their homes in some creative ways. The nativity photo at the top, taken in 2014, comes from a home on Sandbar Court that has had a spectacular display every year I can remember. In 2010 I even made a video of it, since it was full of movement and music. It has gotten even better since I made this. I just haven't made any more videos since 2010.
As far as I'm concerned, the most wonderful Paso Robles Christmas party is the Vine Street Victorian Showcase. It's the ultimate block party, except that it occupies several blocks which are closed to motor vehicles during the few hours of fun after dark. All the Victorian houses are decorated with lights. The community participates in a big way with singers, dancers, story tellers, and free hot chocolate, coffee, popcorn, and other treats offered to those walking by.
Visitors can hear almost any music style, but I tend to pay the most attention to the traditional carolers. People walk along until they find a performance or activity they want to stop and listen to, watch, or participate in. There is a snow slide, a Grinch House, and the biggest attraction -- the house of Ebeneezer Scrooge. He comes out and interacts with the crowd as they try to change his mind about Christmas. On each block, there are several different points of interest. It's a Christmas smorgasbord of sights and sounds.
In 2013 I took my video camera and tried to pick up the highlights -- the parade warm-up, the display of the Morning Star Youth Ranch (this links to a professional video on the ranch's work with rescued horses and troubled youth), Scrooge interacting with the crowd, the Grinch, and some great choral music. Here's my video.
If you ever come to Paso Robles during the Christmas season, you won't want to miss the Vine Street Victorian Showcase. It will entertain you whether you prefer to write Christmas or Xmas.
Today is Memorial Day here in the United States. It's a day not only to remember well-known fallen heroes, but also to remember every man and woman not so well known who made the ultimate sacrifice. Each of them left a hole in this world and in the worlds of those who loved them. Whether you attend a formal Memorial Day Service or not, pause in your day to remember those who fought and died so that you could continue to live a life with liberty to make your own decisions, worship as you wish, and speak freely about what's important to you.
For me it will be a time to pause and pray that these men and women, especially those who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan, will not have died in vain. It's a time to pray for those who lead this country, that they may be wise enough to accept good advice and to tell good advice from bad advice, and that they may be brave enough to do what is right instead of what is politically expedient. I will pray for those who serve today and tomorrow, that they may not be treated as pawns in an international chess game, but that our leaders will care as much about them as they do about their own children and act accordingly.
The Flanders poppy in my photo blooms each year before Memorial Day and reminds me of this very fitting poem written by John McCrae, published after World War II, now in the public domain.
In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the
crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The
larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns
below.
We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn,
saw sunset glow, Loved and were loved, and now we lie In
Flanders fields.
Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you
from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it
high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep,
though poppies grow In Flanders fields.
Remember Those Who Gave All and Thank Those Who Still Serve
One thing I love about my county is the opportunity to see local artists exhibiting their work in multiple places. One annual exhibit happens at Templeton City Park on the Saturday before Mother's Day every year. By that time the weather is nice and people are often looking for just the right Mother's Day gift. They know they will see many one-of-a kind items. The man in the picture to the left has probably seen a lot by now and is trying to decide if he should buy here or at another booth. This booth is Barry's Woodturning. To see more detail, click to enlarge a photo.
All kinds of artists come to exhibit. We see photographers and painters. People bring what they have created from glass,old flatware, old wine barrels, and any number of other inventive materials. There is always lots of handmade jewelry, as well. This booth features recycled metal objects. Things made from old flatware are very popular and were seen at more than one booth.
Besides the art exhibits, which I've barely introduced here, there is music on the stage and face painting and art activities for children. There is also wine tasting for the adults who want to relax and recover from all that "window" shopping. In the photo below you can see two of my winery neighbors exhibiting their wares.
These photos came from Day in the Shade 2012, but many of the same exhibitors come each year. If you'd like a more comprehensive tour of this event, I made one for Day in the Shade 2011 that give you a better idea of what there is to see, Besides the photos you will see a video of Dan Shattuck's very crowded booth of recycled flatware products, and an interview with glass artist Rachel Tamagni.
