Teaser Tuesdays

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading.

Here is how it works.
Grab the book you are currently reading (anything at all)
Open the book to any random page.
Share 2 "teaser" sentences from anywhere on the page.
Please Make Sure They Are Not Spoilers!
(Don't Give Too Much Away) Just enough to pique our interest.
List the book and author so other participants can get their hand on it if they choose to read it as well.

For This Week:

For a second, I just sat there, nearly convulsing with fear, my screams little more than rasps. Then that hand wrapped around my leg, cold bone biting in, scraps of ragged cloth brushing my bare skin.

From: The Summoning by Kelley Armstrong

Winner of The Coyote Road: Trickster Tales

I want to thank everyone who signed up for my first giveaway ever. Thank you so much and I promise this was the first of many to come.

Now onto the winner. Drum roll Please.....A Big Congrats for!

Kristen

The winner will have 48 hours to email me the shipping information or a new winner will be picked.

Five Fantasy Questions for 101 Fantasy Books Meme

I found this over on Celia's blog, Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia. This is a 5 question meme that goes along with 101 Best Fantasy Books, which is an event asking everyone to nominate then vote on the best 101 fantasy book of all time.

Since I nominated about a gazillion books I should be answering the questions as well. So here goes nothing.

1. What is your favourite favourite fantasy series?

Wow, I'm not sure I can answer this with just one series. So I think I'm going to go with 7 (if that's OK). In my defense though there are two groups of two series that go together, both groups by the same author (if that made any sense). So I go with:

The Wheel of Time series by Robert Jordan and finished by Brandon Sanderson

The Shannara Trilogy by Terry Brooks

The Belgariad/The Malloreon series by David Eddings

The Elenium/The Tamuli series by David Eddings

The Valdemar books by Mercedes Lackey

2. What is your favourite fantasy character?

A little easier to answer since Vanyel Ashkevron from Mercedes Lackey's Last Herald Mage trilogy would definitely be number one. Though Belgarion and Sparhawk from David Eddings, Rand al'Thor and Moraine Damodred from Robert Jordan, Elena Michaels from Kelley Armstrong, Brin Ohmsford from Terry Brooks, and the entire cast of the still unfinished Exiles Trilogy by Melanie Rawn would be close seconds.

3. What is your favourite fantasy creature?

I'm a big fan of the nonhuman creatures in Mercedes Lackeys books. The Companions, Kyree, Hertasi, Gryphons, Firecats, Dyheli, and Tervardi. These are all sentient races equal to humans.

Other than that I am fascinated with dragons, banshees, vampires, werewolves, and just about everything else.

4. What is your favourite fantasy world?

Mercedes Lackey's Velgarth, J R R Tolkien's Middle Earth, Terry Brooks' The Four Lands, and almost every other land I get to escape into.

5. What is your favourite fantasy “magic” (i.e. The Will and the Word in David Eddings’ Belgariad series)?

The True Source as divided into the female half saidar and the male half saidan, Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time series.

The Return of the Zombie Chickens: Eyes Pecked Out Edition

I got this wonderfully titled award from Grace at Books Like Breathing. I want to thank her for bringing these scary, delightful chickens back into my life. If you have not visited her blog, please do so. She has some wonderful giveaways and reviews for you to peruse.


The blogger who receives this award believes in the Tao of the zombie chicken - excellence, grace and persistence in all situations, even in the midst of a zombie apocalypse. These amazing bloggers regularly produce content so remarkable that their readers would brave a raving pack of zombie chickens just to be able to read their inspiring words. As a recipient of this world-renowned award, you now have the task of passing it on to at least 5 other worthy bloggers. Do not risk the wrath of the zombie chickens by choosing unwisely or not choosing at all.

I chose to pass this along to the following blogs:

Peter at KyusiReader

Nikola at Nikola's Book Blog

Melissa at Melissa's Bookshelf

Melissa at Scuffed Slippers and Wormy Books

Carol at Carol's Notebook

Alexia at Alexia's Books and Such

Please take the time to visit these fantastic blogs.

Hush, Hush by Becca Fitzpatrick

Finally a YA book that burned the images of Bella and Edward out of my mind. Hush, Hush was what I wanted Twilight to be and never was. I couldn't get halfway through Twilight but I read Hush, Hush from cover to cover in record time.

There are going to be obvious comparisons between the two books. Girl meets mysterious boy in science class, girl and boy can't help but be attracted to each other, girl discovers boy's secret and is put in danger, and then finally girl and boy accept the inevitable and hookup in a strained platonic way (though the innuendos are flying).

That is were the similarities end. Thankfully Nora is not Bella. She is strong, loud, and doesn't mope around town because she is chronically depressed. Patch is darker and edgier than Edward and seems to be a lot more dangerous. There are no vampires but instead Nephilim and Fallen Angels. Which quite honestly was refreshing. I'm a big vampire fan but there seems to be a over saturation in the marketplace right now, so something a little different was refreshing.

I haven't read a lot of YA in the past but if books like this keep coming out I may be a new convert to the cause.

Synopsis From Back Cover:

Nora Grey is responsible and smart and not inclined to be reckless. Her first mistake was falling for Patch. Patch has a past that could be called anything but harmless. The best thing he ever did was fall for Nora.

After getting paired with Patch in biology, all Nora wants to do is stay away from him, but he always seems to be two steps ahead of her. She can feel his eyes on her even when he is nowhere around. She feels him nearby even when she is alone in her bedroom. And when her attraction can be denied no longer, she learns the secret about who Patch is and what led him to her. Despite all the questions she has about his past, in the end, there may be only one question they can ask each other: How far are you willing to fall?

Another year older ...

Just realized that Yikes passed another milestone recently -- celebrating four fun years blogging! Four years and 2150 posts later, and there is still much more to say.

Regular readers have noticed posting has been a bit light this year, due to a number of circumstances. But, I'm please to report that my sister and I are doing well! Jane -- who reads this so I'd better say lots of nice things -- has done quite well following her quadruple-bypass surgery. She's walking around the block these days, and has met more of our neighbors than I have!

The dogs love having Aunt Janie around. Bart has shed a few pounds from all the ball playing they do in the back yard, and Bella has that contented look that comes from lots of cuddling in the big chair during afternoon naps.

Sam the cat has settled in, and seems to have a slight crush on Bella. He's also getting along well with Bart ... well, until Bart gives him a big kiss ... which always sends him running out of the room!

As we settle into fall I hope to get back to more regular posting. The health care debate has taken on new meaning after the work it has taken to secure the care Jane has needed. We truly do need at LEAST a public option for any change to be considered "reform" -- and I feel even stronger that single-payer is really the best solution.

Thanks to everyone for stopping by!

A Foggy Day in London Town

Actually, at Point Reyes Station and Point Reyes National Seashore, but that's one of my favorite songs--as sung by the great Judy Garland.

Matty and I went to Point Reyes today -- what an amazing place. Sadly, we were socked in by some very thick fog, but I managed to get some decent pics... and two lifers! (possibly three, but I'll need your verdict on that--see later in the post.)

First, the lifers! I have been hoping to see what I call the Elvis of the bird world for some time, and I was not disappointed; check out the stylin' hairdo on this California Quail:Here he is with his little family (most of them--he has another young one farther ahead of him on the path but he was too blurry to make out, so I cropped him out):I like how he's the only one who's hitting the hair product; Mommy and Baby have far to go to get a bouffant like Daddy's. I had to pull a Mary when I saw Daddy posing on the post; I hit the brakes, whipped the car around, drove back at a creeping pace, and snapped his pic. He then fluttered to the ground and called his family together, and they hot-footed it into the thicket of plants there at the roadside, peeping all the while.

Here's lifer #2, which incidentally also merited a hit-the-brakes-and-turn-around maneuver, a Western Grebe!
This was in Tomales Bay, not the ocean. After (ahem) kinda-sorta stopping traffic while executing a U-turn to get us back on our way after getting the pic, Matty informed me that there would be no more Lifer Quick-stops. Good thing we were on the way home at that point!

I also saw this White-crowned Sparrow way up at the top of the cliffs near the lighthouse:And hey--isn't that an egg to his/her left? And a baby to his/her right?! Let me get more of the picture:Wow! I got a lot more there than I thought! Cool! But do you think that the egg will hatch? I mean, that baby looks pretty far along for him to be from the same clutch as the egg, unless the egg is part of a new clutch. We can hope, right? Still very cool!

Oh, and to clean up some old business regarding lifers: I'd been seeing what I had presumed were female Western Scrub Jays all over the place around here until I found out that the females of that species look much like the males. The birds I was seeing were robin-sized and -shaped, with a buffy-rufous patch on their heads and their undertail coverts. I finally figured out that I was seeing California Thrashers when I noticed that sharp metallic "CHEEK!" I keep hearing everywhere was coming from these same brown and buffy birds. So that was Lifer #210, and the California Quail and Western Grebe take the official ABA count up to 212! Woo hoo! I will try to get a pic of the Cali Thrasher because they're actually kinda pretty, if a little plain. The one I last saw had his head feathers fluffed up almost like a crest; he must've been pissed off at something (but not me; I kept a respectful distance from him!). I have been focusing so much on the markings and the body that I have completely missed the long decurved bill, but I'll check that out next time (I know just where to go on campus to see lots of them) when I get a photo.

So--we drove along Sir Francis Drake Road, along the peninsula that juts out (and has the lighthouse at its tip), and went all the way to the tip. I wish it hadn't been foggy or it would've looked like this:instead of like this:Can you see the waves hitting the beach down there? Maybe a little? Now imagine it's really windy and the fog is thick like Texas drizzle AND you're only wearing shorts and a t-shirt. Now it's really like you were there with us!

In addition to the above postcard, I also got this cool guide to California coastal birds, which is kinda cartoon-y but very handy and helpful. Here's their Western Grebe:and here's another picture of my Western Grebe:See the similarities? : )

Here are a few photos of what it looks like going out to the tip of the coast and up to the lighthouse, complete with young Tule Elks (I think--or else they're very woolly deer) and dairy cows wandering around all over the place:




Do you see the big brown furry Sea Lions in that last pic? Life mammal! Also saw a couple of gray Harbor Seals too, another life mammal!

Now--here's where I'm wondering if I'm seeing plain old Double-crested Cormorants or Brandt's Cormorants:
Brandt's Cormorants would be lifers, but gees--can YOU tell whether they have that head bump or not? I can't. What do you think?

The Let's Be Friends Award

I received this award from Nikola at Nikola's Book Blog. I am honored and thrilled by this and I would like to thank him for even thinking of me. He has a great blog and I order every single one of you to go right now and pay him a visit.


"Blogs that receive the Let’s Be Friends Award are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers."

I would like to pass this to:

Deb at Bookmagic

Beth at Beth's Book Review Blog

Krista at Life or Something Like It

Michelle at The Book Addict

Oh My Deer (Dear)

Twenty years ago, September 1st 1989 Ray and I said "I Do" and we've certainly written a lot of chapters in the book of love and tolerance. Whether freezing at the top of Jackson Hole, Wyoming (who'd think to pack a parka in July?) or lazing on a beach on Oahu (or Florida, etc...we're beach people at heart) or living through the teen years (and staying sane), we've packed a few laughs and tears into the memoir.

My favorite love stories are Gone With the Wind and The Thorn Birds. For Ray, has Stephen King written any romances? Ray loves fast cars, sports, and roughing it in the outdoors. I like fast cars, reading, movies, and my idea of camping is the Holiday Inn.

This is way too wild for me. Set me down in the middle of Times Square, please. Hook me up with an agent in Manhattan, pretty please.

On paper, Ray and I are total opposites. In reality, it works. It's worked for twenty years, certainly have reason to believe it'll go twenty more. His half of the story is a thriller. My half is humor. So we laugh a lot as we keep turning the pages.

Joanne

Sunday Funnies

Ted Kennedy, Jr's touching tribute

NOW Stands with Dr. Carhart in Nebraska

If you live in, or near, Omaha, Nebraska, you might want to head over to Dr. LeRoy Carhart's clinic today or tomorrow and lend support. NOW President Terry O'Neill is in Nebraska today to send a strong message to the anti-abortion crazies that "The clinics will stay open!"

In the wake of Dr. George Tiller's assassination, Dr. Carhart has announced that he will step up his provision of late term abortion serviced for women in Nebraska and Kansas. In response, Randall Terry, of Operation Rescue, has vowed to close Carhart's clinic the same way his group closed Dr. Tiller's!

If the Department of Homeland Security isn't all over this guy for his direct threat to Carhart, then there is something wrong with our protection from known "terrorists."

Here is the full statement of NOW President Terry O'Neill:

NOW Stands with Dr. Carhart in Nebraska,
Calls for Protection for Clinics Across U.S.

I am proud to stand here today with the heroic Dr. LeRoy Carhart and his brave staff at the Abortion & Contraception Clinic of Nebraska, as well as the other fine feminist leaders who join me in saying: This clinic will stay open!

Since the assassination of Dr. George Tiller on May 31, anti-abortion forces have set their sights on Dr. Carhart. Operation Rescue and other opponents of women's reproductive autonomy are descending on this clinic in an attempt to terrorize the workers and their patients, with the ultimate goal of closing down the facility. Because NOW believes that it is every woman's right to have access to the full range of reproductive health care, we are committed to helping defend these courageous providers.

Clinic violence and harassment are domestic terrorism, plain and simple. The hateful rhetoric and attacks have grown bolder this year. As we stand in peaceful support of women's rights in Nebraska, we know that every clinic in the United States is a potential target. I call on the Obama administration to respond to this threat using the strongest means possible, to prosecute the criminals, their funders and their co-conspirators, and to protect every provider, worker and patient across this nation.

Women are counting on us. They must not be denied access to safe, legal abortion — not by harassment or intimidation, not by bullets or bombs. Say it with me: The clinics will stay open!

UPDATE:
Nebraska Attorney General Lambasts Carhart, Supports Aim of Extremist Anti-choicers
This is truly unacceptable behavior by a government official.

.

The Agatha Christie Challenge --- The Murder on the Links

This was my third book in the challenge and not one I had read before. I must say it's not my favorite. I don't know if I could really even explain why I didn't love it. The writing was good the storyline was believable and the characters were well written. I may be that I haven't been feeling well the last few days and that got in the way of my enjoyment of this mystery.

Now I can't say I hated it either. I think I'm more neutral on it than anything else. I was glad that the third book brought Hercule Poirot back into my life. His methods are always a joy to read.

The highlight for me was Hastings meeting his future wife. It is a relationship that is talked about in future books but it wasn't a relationship I had seen from the beginning. For that reason alone I'm glad I read this book. Dulcie "Cinderella" Duveen was a fascinating character and I'm honored to meet her after all these years.

Synopsis From The Back Cover:

"For God's sake, come!" Unfortunately, by the time Hercule Poirot received Monsieur Renauld's urgent plea, the millionaire was already dead--stabbed in the back, lying in a freshly dug grave on the golf course of his adjoining Merlinville estate. There's no lack of suspects: his wife, whose dagger serves as the weapon; his embittered son, who would have killed for independence; and his mistress, who refused to be ignored--and each felt deserving of the dead man's fortune. The police think they've found the culprit. Poirot has his doubts. A second murder proves him right.

Friday Fill-Ins #139

Friday Fill-Ins is a weekly event hosted by Friday_Fill-Ins.

1. He was a blessing that came into my life (my son).

2. The weather starting to cool down is what I look forward to most this time of year.

3. My best friend is someone I could not do without.

4. I have to say I'm a little cranky this morning, to be honest with you.

5. Appearances can be be everything in Hollywood and mean very little in my life.

6. The last person I gave a hug to was my son as I dropped him off at school.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going into work earlier than expected, tomorrow my plans include spending my time at the mall (where I work) and Sunday, I want to fly to Italy for dinner!

The Monster Squad

1987 was my latest stop in my Movies of the 1980s journey. Now I just made the journey part up, but hey it sounds good and since I'm in a 80s type of mood lately, I figure it will work.

I was about 11 years old when this movie came out and I loved every moment of it then and I still love it now. From the opening screen roll (think Star Wars) we know that this movie is going to be both horror as well as comedy.

One Hundred Years Before this Story Begins...It Was A Time Of Darkness In Transylvania...A Time When Dr. Abraham Van Helsing...And A Small Band Of Freedom Fighters...Conspired To Rid The World Of Vampires and Monsters...And To Save Mankind From The Forces of Evil...They Blew It

Of course I don't know what else you would expect from writer/director Fred Dekker. For those of you who have never heard of him, he is also the mastermind behind House, the cult horror movie from the 80s not the obnoxious TV show that's on now.

The basic plot of the movie (I will give the DVD synopsis at the end of this post) is this. Take 4 twelve year old boys, one cigarette smoking junior high kid, and one younger sister and pit them against the monsters of Universal Studios. Make the cigarette smoking, leather jacket wearing junior high kid Ryan Lambert (Kids Incorporated) and you got a hit movie on your hands. Well at least Fred Dekker was hoping for that. The movie didn't do very well at the time but has now become a cult hit world wide with an ever growing audience.

I never knew what there wasn't to like. You have all the classic monsters headed up by Dracula himself. His henchman are non other than The Mummy, The Wolfman, Frankenstein's Monster, The Creature From The Black Lagoon, and of course his Three Brides. Of course, it may not have helped that Universal didn't want anything to do with this movie and did not allow the creators to specifically say that these in fact were those legends of scariness.

Now you may ask how the kids happen to get involved. Well this is what happens. Dracula is looking for an amulet that is a repository for pure good. If he is able to destroy that amulet then the powers of evil will be able to take over the world. One of our young heroes, namely Sean, comes into possession of a diary written by Dr. Van Helsing himself that gives an account of how to turn the amulet into a gate opening up into Limbo. If that gate can be opened by a virgin (of course) then the creature of the night will be sucked in and the day will be saved. You may be thinking to yourself why would a 12 year old even be interested in such a book, especially since it's written in German. Well the simple answer to that is because him and his friends belong to a monster club and have a rather healthy fascination with all things monster. So Sean's mother brings it home to him and the fun wackiness ensues.

Now obviously Dracula can not allow such a thing to happen so he sends Frankenstein to get the book away from the kids. On the way to carry out his mission Frankenstein meets Phoebe (Sean's younger sister) in the exact same manner that he does in the classic Universal movie. Only this time the little girl is spared the dunking in the pond and the two become buddies. If you haven't already guessed Frankenstein helps the kids save the day.

The ensuing battle produces one of the best scenes in the history of movies. This may be a testament to the fact I'm a guy and that I was a kid when I first saw the movie, but this line still cracks me up today. To set it up for you Sean, Horace (another one of the 12 year old that is nicknamed "Fat Kid" even by his friends), and Frankenstein take a field trip to the decrepit old mansion that Dracula is hold up in. You may be thinking to yourself what a stupid idea, which it may have been but how else were they supposed to steal the amulet from Dracula?

Anyway, back to the story, at one point in the mansion they are discovered and set upon by the Wolfman. This is a little of the dialogue that happens between Sean and Horace. If you don't find it as funny as I do blame it on the fact I'm a guy and that it is much funnier in the movie.

Sean: "Kick him in the nards! Kick him in the Nards!"

Horace: "He doesn't have Nards!"

Sean: "Do it! Do it!"

Then we see Horace actually kick him in the aforementioned area and the Wolfman goes to the floor. The look on Horace's face is what makes the next line as funny as it is.

Horace: "Wolfmans got nards."

Sorry, but I can't talk about this movie without that scene. Needless to say in the chaos that takes place next the good guys end up winning and the Monsters lose. You have to hand it to Rudy though. He takes out The Mummy, all three Brides, and the Wolfman. I guess leather jackets really do make you tough.

Here is the synopsis from the back cover of the DVD:

You know who to call when you have ghosts, but who do you call about monsters? Whether it's a bat in your belfry or a mummy in your microwave, THE MONSTER SQUAD ain't afraid of no ghouls!

Count Dracula has until midnight to retrieve an ancient amulet that will give him final control over the delicate balance between good and evil in the world. To help him, the creepy Count calls on some old friends: the weird Wolfman, the grotesque Gill_Man, mildewed Mummy and freaky Frankenstein. as the ghoulish group gets closer to the amulet, it's up to THE MONSTER SQUAD, headquartered in the local tree house, to pool its questionable resources and stop the monster mayhem!

So the moral of this story is threefold. First don't mess with The Monster Squad. Second, there is only one way to kill the Wolfman since dynamite won't work. Third, watch this movie as soon as you can.

The Lemonade Award

I'm so honored that I got this award for the third time this month. I'm feeling really loved right now and since I'm a little under the weather right now this made me feel quite a bit better. Alyssa/Jake/Gregory/Anna over at Teens Read and Write gave me this award and I thank them so much for it. If you have not taken the time to visit their blog, please do so. They have a fresh and new take on all things "books" and their posts are always a joy to read. I also receieved this award from Krista at Life of Something Like it. She has a fascinating blog and is a great artist and writer. Please stop by and check her blog out as well.

The Lemonade Award is a feel good award that shows great attitude or gratitude.

The first blog I'm going to give this to is Cecelia at Adventures of Cecelia Bedelia. Her blog is always a good time and I learn so much about books I've never heard of before.

The second blog I want to pass this award to is Carolyn at Book Chick City. This blog is a blast to read and she is one of the nicest bloggers I have come across.

Please take the time to visit these blogs if you have not. They are a wonderful experience.

Word Verification Balderdash

Word Verification Balderdash is a weekly meme hosted by Sheila at One Person's Journey Through A World Of Books.

Here is what you do. You write down all the word verifications you come across as you are posting comments on other peoples blogs. You then play Balderdash with them. Now for those of you who don't know how to play, you take a made up word and come up with a authentic sounding definition for it. Do this for a week and then post your best ones every Thursday.

Here are mine for this week.

Alikisca: Large breed of dog used by shepherds in the Kisca Mountains.

Unter: The sound you make when clearing your throat.

Blenit: Coarse fabric made from knitting together minuscule strips of old, blue denim.

Weadwee: Small, spiny plants that are so invasive that they keep coming back no matter how many times you use a weed whacker on them.

Ovessess: The brief period of time that takes place after you stop obsessing over something and right before you start that crazy obsession all over again.

Toolin' around town

Today, I had some job interview-y type stuff to do, AND I had to stay away from the house all day because they were putting new sealcoat on our road, so I played vagabond all day and just whiled away the hours until my temp-service interview by looking around. First, I drove out to some vineyards and got some nice shots in the morning mist:



After driving around for a while, I decided to go to the public library and do some research. I found Ken Kaufman's big ol' bird guide and flipped around, looking at the different migratory patterns and times out here in the west. I've been spending a lot of time reading lately (as I've been in airports and stuff), and I'm learning that the bird population out here is much different than it is back east. For instance, if all these Western field guides are to be believed, did you know that these common Eastern birds are rare and/or non-existent out west?
Northern Cardinal
Common Grackle
Blue Jay
Field Sparrow
Chimney Swift
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Yellow-bellied Sapsucker
Eastern Wood Pewee
Tufted Titmouse
Black-capped Chickadee
Eastern Bluebird
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Indigo Bunting

I know I've been hearing what sounds like a Northern Cardinal's warning "chink!" but I think it must be something else, because there's been neither crest nor feather of a NoCard out here. But I will have plenty to look as the year progresses:
Western Scrub Jay (they're everywhere)
Acorn Woodpecker
Varied Thrush
Western Wood Pewee
Chestnut-backed Chickadee
Western Bluebird
California Thrasher
Oregon Junco
Lazuli Bunting
Bullock's Oriole

So there's that. I also checked into what sparrows I might see during the "winter" here (when it's like forty -- brrrr!) and found a nice list with some real surprises for an Eastern birder:
Lark Sparrow--how about that crazy face pattern?
Sage Sparrow
Lincoln's Sparrow
Golden-crowned Sparrow--golden!

I also had to look up the meaning of Western terms like "chaparral" and "desert wash." Interesting. Sounds like I'll be doing a lot of hiking in the drier areas around here. There are lots of trails and stuff to explore.

After driving around the vineyards for a while, I went to Santa Rosa to look around. First stop, childhood hero Luther Burbank's house. If you don't know what Luther Burbank did, shame on you! He's the father of hybridization, grafting bits of one kind of tree onto another, etc. He loved Santa Rosa, thinking it was the best place for growing plants year-round. (gotta agree with him there, so far) Here are some pics from his home and gardens. The actual house:Very tiny, no? They had four acres but his wife had to sell some and now there's only 1.6 acres left. It's still pretty impressive, though--I would LOVE to live among so many winding garden paths and plants:


He did a lot of work with fruits and other food plants, including the strawberries and quince shown here.

He also had a lovely rose garden with several hybrids he created:



My mom would love this place; so many flowers! He had herb gardens, cutting gardens, food gardens--you name it, the guy messed with it, always with the aim of improving the sweetness of the berry or the beauty of the flower. There's something a little vain and presumptuous about "improving" the works of Nature, but the guy's heart was in the right place.

This seat was carved out of Burbank's favorite tree, a giant Cedar of Lebanon that he grew from a seed and near which he wished to buried. The tree had to be cut down in 1989 because it had root disease, but a local craftsman carved this beautiful two-seat throne out of a big piece of the tree; the seat is now in the front yard of the house: I sat in it and was completely comfortable, cool breezes blowing on me, relaxing in Nature.

Finally, I took the scenic route home and shot this pic of the mountain that I can see out my bedroom window:Man, I love this place.