TRADITION WITH A CAPITAL TREE DEATH LEAVES HOLIDAY HOLE AT LONGTIME FAMILY NURSERY.Byline: TONY CASTRO Staff Writer If she had a Christmas wish that could come true, Carroll Ropp would probably ask for one more holiday season with her twin brother. But Darrell Waldron, who for much of his life was the driving force behind the Sheridan Gardens Nursery and specialty Christmas shop on Hollywood Way in Burbank, died of cancer in June at the age of 62. ``This is our first Christmas since his passing,'' a tearful Ropp said Saturday, ``and I can't help but think of him.'' Trees missing Waldron's presence is being missed by more people than just his family. For the first time in memory, there are no Christmas trees Christmas tree Evergreen tree, usually decorated with lights and ornaments, to celebrate the Christmas season. The use of evergreen trees, wreaths, and garlands as symbols of eternal life was common among the ancient Egyptians, Chinese, and Hebrews. for sale at the nursery -- and the reason is Waldron's death. Several times a week each season, Waldron had been the one who would shop for trees at the area's wholesale lot and then deliver a truckload truck·load n. The quantity that a truck can hold. truckload n → camión m lleno to the family-owned nursery locations in Burbank and Sun Valley. But Waldron's death has left an awkward transition. He had lived the family business, even graduating from Cal Poly Cal Poly may refer to:
Leon Waldron, Forrest's eldest son, established Sheridan Gardens Nursery in 1952, naming it after the Glendale street on which his family lived. They opened their present location in the 1980s. But this Christmas season, more than any in the past, has become a time of reflection for the family involved in the nursery's operation. ``It's been a hard time,'' said Sterling Waldron, 67, who stepped into ownership of the nursery after his brother's death. While the Christmas shop remains one of the best south of the North Pole North Pole, northern end of the earth's axis, lat. 90°N. It is distinguished from the north magnetic pole. U.S. explorer Robert E. Peary is traditionally credited as being the first to reach (1909) the North Pole. In 1926, Richard E. -- set apart on Hollywood Way by a facade of Santa Claus Santa Claus: see Nicholas, Saint. Santa Claus jolly, gift-giving figure who visits children on Christmas Eve. [Christian Tradition: NCE, 1937] See : Christmas Santa Claus and Christmas decorations -- this year the Burbank nursery's loyal tree-buying customers are having to look elsewhere. ``It was all Darrell's idea,'' Ropp said of the Christmas shop and tree sales. Ropp said her twin -- who got involved in the three-generation family business at age 14 -- saw in 1975 that a specialty Christmas shop and tree lot could be one way to boost otherwise lackluster winter months in the nursery trade. On Saturday, that much was obvious at the Christmas shop, which features some of the most unique ornaments, decorations and lighting ideas around. ``It's the first place I come to when I start to decorate for Christmas,'' said Deborah Currin of Burbank, who has been shopping at the nursery for more than a decade. ``They always have inspiring new ideas "New Ideas" is the debut single by Scottish New Wave/Indie Rock act The Dykeenies. It was first released as a Double A-side with "Will It Happen Tonight?" on July 17, 2006. The band also recorded a video for the track. and special gifts.'' On this day, Currin was also shopping for a special ornament ornament, in architecture ornament, in architecture, decorative detail enhancing structures. Structural ornament, an integral part of the framework, includes the shaping and placement of the buttress, cornice, molding, ceiling, and roof and the capital and that she buys every year and for which her four children -- Caroline, 13, Candace, 15, Caitlin, 18, and Jennifer, 26 -- compete by trying to find a pickle- shaped ornament hidden somewhere in their Christmas tree. German tradition ``Whoever finds the pickle pickle, general term for fruits or vegetables preserved in vinegar or brine, usually with spices or sugar or both. Vegetables commonly pickled include the beet, cabbage, cauliflower, cucumber, olive, onion, pepper, and tomato. gets to keep that year's special ornament,'' Currin said. ``It's a German tradition. We're Irish, but we've been keeping this tradition for the last 10 years.'' Who has the most special decorations to date? ``Candace,'' Currin said. ``She's well-ahead.'' As Mom was shopping for decorations, daughter Caitlin was helping sell trees at the First Christian Church First Christian Church can refer to:
Writer-director Jerry Jackson takes time off every December to run the operation, which he said has raised more than $375,000 in the past 25 years. However, the church continues to sell trees considerably cheaper than any lot around. On Saturday, Mark Cave of Studio City bought an 8-foot Noble for $124 -- $25 to $50 less than similar trees in nearby tree lots in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , and upwards of $100 less than in lots in the West Hollywood-Beverly Hills area. ``Nobles hold their needles the longest,'' Jackson kept telling shoppers. ``Douglas firs Douglas fir: see pine. Douglas fir Any of about six species of coniferous evergreen timber trees (see conifer) that make up the genus Pseudotsuga, in the pine family, native to western North America and eastern Asia. are more moderately priced because they grow quicker.'' You won't hear those words anymore at the Sheridan Gardens Nursery, although the distinct cedar smell of Christmas trees lingers in the air from the large wreathes the shop still stocks. Biggest wreath On Saturday, Charlie Rahilly of Toluca Lake had picked out possibly the biggest wreath -- 3feet wide -- on which Ropp, who helps manage the nursery, and Arlene Lewis, who has been running the Christmas store for more than 30 years, put the finishing touches finishing touches finish npl the finishing touches → der letzte Schliff finishing touches npl → ultimi ritocchi mpl with a massive red-and-gold ribbon. ``I've been shopping here for five to 10 years,'' Rahilly said. ``I just like the traditional Christmas stuff they have here. ``When you're here, there's no mistaking that it's Christmas.'' tony.castro(at)dailynews.com (818) 713-3761 CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Susan King Susan King (born December 25, 1956) is a British television presenter who hosted an educational programme named Horses Galore which ran from 1977 to 1980. Before that she had hosted Country Search. She now works for HTV. She was born in Guildford, Surrey, England. of Studio City shops Saturday for a Christmas tree at the First Christian Church of North Hollywood's tree lot, where the nonprofit donates proceeds to children's charities. More than $375,000 has been raised in the past 25 years, and the church sells trees considerably cheaper than other lots. (2) Deborah Currin shops for ornaments at Sheridan Gardens Nursery in Burbank on Saturday. Hans Gutknecht/Staff Photographer |
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