Meanwhile, I struggled for exactly the right BB gun hint. It had to be firm, but subtle........

"Flick says he saw some grizzly bears near Pulaski's candy store!"

They looked at me as if I had lobsters crawling out of my ears.

A Christmas Story, 1983.


The poinsettia in the front yard is beautiful this year, Heidi. Daron took some pictures for you.

With its beautiful, red, star-shape petals, the poinsettia is a popular flower in the United States. Poinsettias (Euphorbia pulchenima) are native to southern Mexico and Guatemala where they grow as a large shrub or small tree. They first were brought to the United States in 1825 by Joel Poinsett (hence the common name) who was our first ambassador to Mexico. In the early 20th century, the Ecke family of southern California became associated with the outdoor production of poinsettias for use as a landscape plant (in frost-free areas) and as a cut flower.


Please be sure to note and tell your friends that poinsettias are not poisonous. Extensive laboratory testing and university research have concluded that poinsettias are not poisonous. However, this does not imply that they are edible. In addition, some people develop a skin rash if exposed to the white, milky sap of poinsettias.


The legend of the poinsettia comes from Mexico. Pepita, a poor Mexican girl had no gift to present the Christ Child at Christmas Eve Services. As Pepita walked slowly to the chapel with her cousin Pedro, her heart was filled with sadness rather than joy.

"I am sure, Pepita, that even the most humble gift, if given in love, will be acceptable in His eyes," said Pedro consolingly.


Not knowing what else to do, Pepita knelt by the roadside and gathered a handful of common weeds, fashioning them into a small bouquet. Looking at the scraggly bunch of weeds, she felt more saddened and embarrassed than ever by the humbleness of her offering. She fought back a tear as she entered the small village chapel.


As she approached the altar, she remembered Pedro's kind words. She felt her spirit lift as she knelt to lay the bouquet at the foot of the nativity scene. Suddenly, the bouquet of weeds burst into blooms of brilliant red, and all who saw them were certain that they had witnessed a Christmas miracle right before their eyes.


From that day on, the bright red flowers were known as the Flores de Noche Buena, or Flowers of the Holy Night, for they bloomed each year during the Christmas season.

The Photographer