California Poppy Festival in Lancaster April 24 -25, 2010

In the spring time after the winter rains, the California poppy blossoms in fields, meadows, and most place where there's a temperate climate and mellow weather. The bright orange flower is a treat to see when it grows in patches or roadside grasses. It is even more of a delight to celebrate the blossoming of the poppy in a city celebration that the City of Lancaster hosts annually. Celebrating the State Flower of the State of California, and one of its native habitats--Lancaster, come join the fun!

Lancaster prides itself in providing fertile ground for an abundance of poppy crops. The California Poppy Festival comes from a proud tradition--Lancaster once co-sponsored Wildflower Information Center, which welcomed thousands of visitors who flocked to the Antelope Valley to view the flowers in the spring at the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve. Since the Golden California Poppy blooms each year around the time that Earth Day occurs, Lancaster in 1970 held its first California Poppy Festival, in honor or Earth Day and its principles.

Continuing the proud tradition, Lancaster invites the public to celebrate its spring bounty of flowers, food, festivities, and fun, in a celebration that includes elements such as an art show, carnival, concerts with great bands, and lots of activities for the kids.
(info from http://www.beachcalifornia.com/)
California Poppy Festival  website: http://poppyfestival.com/

New Begining

Congrats Thom and Vanessa!

An excerpt from "The Prophet" by Khalil Gabran:

You were born together, and together you shall be forevermore.

You shall be together when the white wings of death scatter your days.

Ay, you shall be together even in the silent memory of God.

But let there be spaces in your togetherness,

And let the winds of heavens dance between you.

Love one another, but make not a bond of love:

Let it rather be a moving sea between the shores of your souls.

Fill each other's cup but drink not from one cup.

Give one another of your bread but eat not from the same loaf.

Sing and dance together and be joyous, but let each one of you be alone,

Even as the strings of a lute are alone though they quiver with the same music.

Give your hearts, but not into each other's keeping.

For only the hand of Life can contain your hearts.

And stand together yet not too near together:

For the pillars of the temple stand apart,

And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow.

International Pillow Fight Day in Los Angeles 2010

On Saturday April 3, 2010 hundreds of cities around the world, from Stockholm to Shanghai were participating in International Pillow Fight Day.


Los Angeles hosted this event at the Pershing Square in the heart of Los Angeles' downtown. Tons of people used their pillows to have fun. The best and most appropriate question... you may ask, "Why a pillow fight?" Well, we say, "Why not?" Can you think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon in LA?... ☻ Of course, you can! But, what the heck!


As the appointed time of 3 p.m. approached, the waves of fighters streamed into the square from every direction.


It was such a unique experience when people of different lifestyles and believes joined a peaceful fight. Some folks came prepared: pajamas, a surgical mask, glasses and helmet.


The Los Angeles Times wrote, "The loosely coordinated events were part of the so-called urban playground movement and promoted by Newmindspace, http://newmindspace.com a public art group based in New York and Toronto. The project is intended to show how social media can be used to organize people to embrace urban public settings."


We are happy to know that one of the few rules in pillow fighting - do not hit person with the camera. Well, most folks were rule-abiding citizens. As for some... We will respond back to them next year without cameras in our hands. We survived so we can share our memories with all of you. ☺☻☺


Fight! Fight! Fight! Until the feathers fly away!