A Secondhand Fourth

I don't mean that headline to read as snide. Actually, it's a tribute to the Salvation Army Thrift Store, by this time the only department store that remains in our downtown. Not only did the store have a great selection of patriotic tschokes, but its windows were thoroughly decked out for the holiday.

Above, picnic gear; below, a patriotic touch added to the flamingo wheelbarrow always outside the Sal's antique boutique.

Inside the store, a variety of flags -- and a themed tshirt or two.

Neat cup, candle holder and big bread basket.

Plus a rather sober-sided, British-looking Uncle Sam.

Finally, my special pot for the Fourth -- red/white dianthus, white alyssum and blue lobelia with white eyes. Now I'm going to watch the fireworks at the resort/casino out my front windows. I hope you all had a wonderful Fourth!

Cool Links: Warren of Touch Wind came up from Tucson to visit Prescott recently and did three posts about our town you should see, especially the creekside dragon (scroll down). For a very different series of posts, visit Wasilla Alaska by 300, where photo-journalist Bill Hess details a Nalukatak (successful whale hunting celebration) in a 10-part series with wonderful pictures. Closer to home, Always an Adventure is a family blog that also includes posts about gold prospecting in the Bradshaws. And Susie of Arabia, currently on vacation in Arizona, has recovered her driving muscles and thrown off the black abaya for the duration. This just in: Rich has posted a bunch of pictures of the Fourth of July parade and Meggie has pictures of several English owls.

I'm Dreaming of a Brass Christmas

I'm not given to tears. Not very often. But boy, they came this evening. There's nothing that says "Merry Christmas!!!" to me more than a Salvation Army brass band. Takes me back to my younger years in Chicago where the Sal played in the snow on street corners and more than one office party giver begged the horns to play for his crowd.

Reminds me, too, of the years I did highbrow-ish movies with different partners. In particular, the classic version of Shaw's Major Barbara, with Wendy Hiller playing the title role. Such enthusiasm and joy! I really hadn't expected a Salvation Army brass band here in Prescott.

This was just a very small portion of the annual Acker Musical Showcase held tonight in Prescott, featuring all manner of performers playing in different downtown business locations. I've got a cameraload of pictures & will do my own showcasing of the amazingly varied performers tomorrow or the day after.

Tonight, I'm just letting the nostalgia wash over me!

Aided by folks walking the streets in costume...

Some streets were closed off for the crowds and for such characters as the well lit gent below...

There was yet one more brass group to finish the night with a flourish -- a quartet playing Christmas carols. Three tubas, yet. Sigh! How time passes.

Walking Downtown

Yesterday was a beautiful, crisp (but not cold) October day. Perfect for a walk down to the Sal to buy a couple of items for Mom's Halloween costume. The official fall colors post is already on line, but I couldn't resist this tree collection. The reds are actually berries on a prolific pyracantha; in a couple of months, I know where to find hungry robins hanging out!

Along the way, I tried a short little street that I hadn't visited in years. And was rewarded with this mailbox set! The word cute is in order here.

And this curious Halloween display. Didn't have time to read the epitaphs on the painted stones, as I was being razzed by a couple of the denizens out having a smoke.

It also seemed like a good day to photograph this office building that is peopled primarily by medic types. The colors always catch my eye: mildew (upper) and mushroom (lower & woodwork.) My apologies -- these are good subdued earthy colors that meld well into a nicely landscaped background -- nonetheless, my descriptions stand -- mildew and mushroom.

Wonder how long this admonition has been cast in cement. Nice touch: the hand and paw prints. Note to the folks who are all up tight about the Liquor Barn moving across the street a few feet closer to the middle school -- this inscription is yet closer.

What must visitors from other countries think when they try to understand some of our standard civic abbreviations? Whenever I first see this sign, my two years of high school Latin pop into my mind and ped = foot, which is close! Then there's that intrusion of the religious X for cross into a paid-by-taxes sign. Tsk! Tsk!

Nearly to my goal. The corner of Montezuma and Goodwin is Candidate Central. Oh yes, propositions, too. The only problem with this colorful ephemera is that faded signs will remain after their purpose is long forgotten. A suggestion for the petition passers -- how about promoting a law, with teeth, fining every politician for every day that his signs are standing after election day.


Finally, the Sal thrift store. Home of yesterday's meticuously hand-crocheted projects...

...a good computer department (already including one machine running XP)

and yesterday's hot gizmo fads. This is the place to buy your next food processor ... bread baker ... crock pot ... air freshener ... toaster oven ... whatever. I love the place, but sometimes looking at the cast offs makes me kinda sad for the short life of stuff.