Monday Whatnot: Start 'em young....

Jimmie devours her first book.

Yesterday afternoon, I'd been playing around in Goodreads, and while searching for a suitable photo as an avatar, I found this  of one of the twins.  We were at Mission Beach, one of the few places with grass.

Back to Goodreads.  The reason I started an account there, apparently in 2013, was so that I could order books from Logos, the bookstore we love which happens to be in Santa Cruz, nearly 500 miles away.  I could order their used books or at least research them, through Goodreads.  But then the Amazilla Monster sort of sucked up everything.

Disclaimer:  In case Amazon is listening.-- I'm not totally sure that's what really happened but it is awfully late.  And, it's definitely way too late for this old and creaking little gray panther to go pouncing on Googrilla, in order to dumpster dive into trash barrels of proof positive, nor can she go haring off up the evidentiary trails that run back up into the bushlands towards the infamous Amazon's hub at the base of it's legendary octopusal arms.

Then, wow.... just WOW!  I've evidently read 28 books this year so far.  I'll have to add some more that were off the radar but not all read this year.   Most, but not all, of the ones by Farley Mowat were read in years prior to 2016.

My challenge was 12?  Hmmm...  Well, My reading stopped dead for about five months, beginning in March, when I knew there was a hurricane bearing down on the frayed bonnets of my dearly beloved little family.  I'm creeping back into reading again, but with not quite the gusto of former times.

Shattering stuff, and it's not the first one to happen in my intimate circle.  So, I do know the "drill" but getting from THAT to HERE has been harrowing.  There's still a lot of mud and small clumps of regret, and heart pounding angst clinging to my boots from the trek.

HOLD YOUR HATS!  Another 180 degree turn coming up!............screeee!

Last fall....  This beautiful Liquid Amber lost it's battle with the California Drought.

A few weeks ago, it had to be removed by the ground's keeper.  It started it's life in the late 60's as a little seedling, sometime before it was planted a few years later in the grounds when the complex was built.  I took this shot from my sister's back slider,  through the fences and overhangs of another condo.  A sad end for a magnificent tree.

Goodbye Sweet Tree