Calabasas homeowner turns yard into weekly works of art




HEART TO HEART—Above, Rita Stout displays the flags of nations in the shape of a heart. At right, the yard art features smiley-face balls.

HEART TO HEART—Above, Rita Stout displays the flags of nations in the shape of a heart. At right, the yard art features smiley-face balls.

There’s been no shortage of advice on how to keep spirits up during the coronavirus pandemic. One Calabasas resident found her joy in making others happy.

Since March, Rita Stout has been decorating her yard in a themed weekly display of vibrancy and color. She’s put up pink flamingos, beach balls, neon hats and pinwheels, among other ornaments.

“I put up pink flamingos the first time. A lady was passing by and said I’d made her day, which made my day,” Stout said. “I said, ‘You know what, I want to make everyone’s day.’ That’s how it started. Every weekend I put up something different.”

Stout said that as the weeks went by, her yard became something of a destination for passersby. Residents out walking would stop and wander through the yard, and Stout said it’s common to see a car pull up and a family pile out to take photos of their children before leaving.

Whereas some might feel squeamish about strangers wandering around their front yard, Stout welcomes the visitors.

Courtesy photos

Courtesy photos

She orders the decorations from Amazon, which she spends time perusing in search of new themes for the coming weeks. Her husband, Jonathan, said he’s not sure how much they’ve spent on the decorations.

“We know the Amazon delivery people’s first names now,” Jonathan Stout said. “She’s put at least six hours into each one of these things. She really enjoys it though.”

Once the supplies are delivered, Rita Stout spends several hours decorating the yard—arranging the items and taping them to stakes so the wind doesn’t blow them away.

“I’ve got blisters on my fingers from putting up the hats. Yesterday was a little intense because I had to attach the hats to something I could put in the ground. I had a plastic straw to put the stick inside, then tape it, press it into the ground,” Stout said. “It looks easy but it’s not. You have to make sure the sprinklers don’t damage it, that the wind doesn’t blow it off, all kinds of things.”

Stout said she had some concerns about the homeowners association taking issue with the bright and ever-changing displays, but no one has complained, and her work has become popular in the neighborhood.

Heath Finn, who lives across Normans Way, said he appreciates the work Stout has been putting into livening up the neighborhood.

“So much is negative right now, and that’s what I appreciate more than anything about what she’s doing there. One person’s little effort to make a positive difference in other people’s lives,” Finn said. “I think she’s doing that.”

Stout said she plans to keep decorating for the foreseeable future. Once she decides to call it quits, she’s going to mix and match the items from the various themes she’s celebrated to create a new look for her yard and then give away the remaining decorations to anyone who wants them.

She said that’s really the only way to go because the family doesn’t have room for it all.

“ We’ll probably have to get a storage unit soon,” Stout said.

Follow Ian Bradley on Twitter @Ian_ reports