Monday, February 28, 2011

My Town Monday: Snow in San Diego County



Snow! That's the big news in San Diego County!

In Julian, 50 miles or so northeast of my house, they got SIX inches! Julian's about 4,200 feet above sea level.

You may remember a My Town Monday post I did in August about the Pine Hills Egg Ranch? Well, they're located in Ramona, about 30 miles northeast of my house. Ramona is 1,500 feet above sea level and got an inch of snow. The Pine Hills Egg Ranch did a roaring trade yesterday with all the San Diegans who went up to play in the snow.

We'll be back up to the low 70s, even at the beaches, by Friday.

And some fun snow trivia:
-Chionophobia is the fear of snow.
-A snowflake has SIX identical arms.
-The average number of snow-producing storms annually in the USA is 105.
-On Feb 2, 2004, students, parents and teachers from 60 schools in London, Ontario, Canada all lay down in the snow at the same time to make 15,851 snow angels!

Going completely off topic, Mr. Summy and I went to an EXCELLENT play this past weekend: The Crucible. It's put on by Pickwick Players and runs through next weekend. The play was intense; the calibre of acting was incredible; there isn't a bad seat in the house. So, if you're into community theatre, click here for the details.

Please click here for links to more My Town Monday posts. Have a great day!



sources:
http://t-love-pdx.blogspot.com/2008/12/snow-trivia.html
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/weather/2008/11/24/snow-facts-and-trivia-get-in-the-snow
http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/records/amazing_feats/teamwork/most_snow_angels_-_multiple_venue.aspx

Thursday, February 24, 2011

Cover for i so don't do famous!!

I don't think I ever posted this beautiful cover! When I first got it, I was under strict orders not to post it because there was still a chance of changes. But all's a go now. Amazon and b&n beat me to the punch, and already have this cover up.

When does this book come out? MAY 10!!!






Wednesday, February 23, 2011

My Town Monday: Oceanside, CA; Goodbye Baby Chameleons

It's way past Monday, but I've been wanting to share this particular My Town Monday post with you.

So, a couple of Mondays ago, I headed 39 miles up the coast to Oceanside, CA with my friend, Christina, Child #4, and Christina's Child #1 and #2. The sun was shining. The breeze was warm. The sky was clear. But...We did not bring boogie boards. We did not bring sand toys. We did not bring swim suits. (This is sounding very Dr. Seuss-ish.)

Our destination: LLL Reptile and Supply

And the precious cargo in the very back of my car? Two cagefuls of 32 baby veiled chameleons.


Here's a shot of the store from the front door. These people take reptiles seriously. Lots of reptiles. Lots of reptile supplies. Lots of reptile knowlege.

They're checking out our chameleons, making sure they're healthy. According to the manager, our babies are in really really great shape. He said we'd done a super job! And he bought every single one of them. (In case you're wondering, he paid $17/baby).


I cried.


The manager told me to call him whenever I had babies to sell. He asked for my business card because he's always on the lookout for a good CHAMELEON CONNECTION! Apparently, that's me! Ha! Who knew? I will add this to my resume. :)


Everyone's lunch was paid for by the chameleon "earnings". (I use the term loosely. If you add up all the money spent on crickets and lights and cages and vets, well, there was no earnings. But there was a lot of fun and learning.




We did eventually wander down to the beach where I sat on the warm sand and wished I'd kept one female baby.


Here are links to people who posted on time! about their corners of the world. Please check them out.

Jim Winter returns, bearing chili from Delhi Chili in Cincinnati, OH

Travis Erwin ducks, goose poop in Amarillo, Texas.

Reb posts about the West Edmonton Mall where this actually an indoor lagoon!

Clair Dickson posts about ice harvesting in Brighton, Michigan



, your chameleon connection!!


P.S. Because you miss them as much as I, here's one last shot of a baby.

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Guess who's coming to lunch: Patti Abbott

Fellow writer and blogger, Patti Abbott, was recently in town and graciously agreed to meet me for lunch. We got together in La Jolla, and I ate some kind of delicous salad with beets. Beets happen to be one of my favorite foods. Patti happens to be one of my favorite bloggers.

So, all around, it was a good day!

Patti may be back this way next year. I think we should go further afield--to Julian for lunch and a terrific used book store!

Sorry Patti. I know I promised to photoshop us younger, thinner and richer. But....I didn't have time! (Actually, I'm kind of appalled at how tired I look. Perhaps this will spur me onto getting to bed earlier!)

Oh, what did Patti and I talk about, you're wondering? A little of this and a little of that. Patti is one of those very interesting people who knows something (or more) about everything. Which makes her very fun to chat with.

And, now, I'm off to the hairdresser's for a desperately-needed appointment! Have a great day, everyone!


Monday, February 14, 2011

My Town Monday: Celebrating Valentine's Day, Korean-Style

Happy Monday and Happy Valentine's Day!

I had a completely different My Town Monday post scheduled for today. However, when I got up this morning, I found the note below taped to the kitchen door.

A mysterious note from Child #4! What was she up to?

She had quietly gotten up early to make me a special Valentine's Day breakfast! For the non-discerning eye (that would be me at 7 am before my cup of tea!), the vegetable patty is cut in the shape of a heart.

Depending how long or how closely you've followed this blog, you may or may not know that we adopted Child #4 as a baby from Korea. As I stood in the kitchen, munching on my special breakfast and sipping my tea, I wondered what life would've been like on St. Valentine's Day if Child #4 (this child of mine who wrote out her class Valentine's cards a month ago, who dressed in pink and red this morning) were still in Korea.

So, I did a little internet research. It would seem the Koreans borrowed a savvy business idea from the Japanese which is to celebrate two Valentine's Days. In fact, the Koreans took this one step further: they have THREE Valentine's Days!

On February 14 (Valentine's Day), Korean females give chocolates or other small gifts to the significant males in their life.

On March 14 (White Day), Korean males give chocolates or other small gifts to the significant females in their life.

On April 14 (Black Day), friends who don't have a significant other and didn't celebrate Valentine's Day or White Day, get together and eat jajang noodles. These are either black noodles or noodles served with black bean paste. I'm not sure. Anyway, Black Day is not as popular as Valentine's Day and White Day. Hmpf! I can think of several times in my life when I would've been thrilled to celebrate Black Day!

Here is a picture of black noodles (from google images). I have never tried this dish, but now must!

So, Happy Valentine's Day wherever you are! May you receive a treat!

For links to more My Town Monday posts, please pop over to to the official My Town Monday blog.




sources:
http://www.topics-mag.com/internatl/holidays/valentines/celebrating_korea.htm
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932205

Saturday, February 5, 2011

News from the Veiled Chameleon Cage

On Thursday, our femaled veiled laid another THIRTY-SIX eggs! These eggs are mostly likely fertilized. Certainly Fat Letta and Mr. Conehead had enough quality time together to ensure this. Ahem.

The incubators are on my kitchen counter. One incubator has some eggs laid at the beginning of December. I don't believe those eggs are fertilized because I was out of town when the male and female would've needed some together time. And no one in the Summy household thought of this. :)


Here are two of the three deli dishes, each with 12 eggs. The containers of water are to keep everything humid. The temp is set just below 80. The eggs will be in the incubator for 7-9 months.


Here's our postpartum female. Her poor skin is slack and sagging. Ahhh..but others of us can relate to that!


Our postpartum female noshes on a vitamin-dusted cricket.

Take a look at this cageful of babies. Veiled chameleons are actually anti-social, but I had just dumped in a bunch of crickets so they're all hunting.

And in BIG news--I found a buyer for all 32 babies!!! At $17/per baby. I'm making the delivery on Monday. Whoohoo!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

The Book Review Club (February 2011)

Welcome one and all to our Book Review Club's second meeting of 2011! Grab a mug of java, some calorie-free, cyber cookies and make yourself comfortable. There are links to lots of great reviews below! Including a review by Sarah Laurence of our own Ellen Booraem's middle-grade fantasy SMALL PERSONS WITH WINGS!!!


GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS' ROOM by Rose Cooper

Middleschoolers Sofia and her BFF, Nona, want to be popular. Things don't go according to plan, especially when Sofia's mother becomes a substitute teacher at their school. Sofia decides to use her anonymous blog to dish the dirt on the popular girls. From Booklist: "Written as a journal with illustrations and asides, this humorous take on trying to fit in will find wide appeal."


Child #4 is a reluctant reader. Which means her mother is beyond thrilled when a book grabs her ten year old's imagination. Here's how it went down with GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS' ROOM. I hand Child #4 said book. Child #4 flips through a few pages. She flips through a few more pages. She turns the book over and reads the back cover. She sits down and begins to read. And smile. And read. Child #4 read GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS' ROOM in ONE SINGLE DAY! That is not something that happens too often in our little house!


So, what was it my reluctant-reader daughter loved about GOSSIP FROM THE GIRLS' ROOM?

Straight from Child #4's mouth:
"It's funny." "I love the illustrations." (drawn by the talented Rose Cooper, I might add!) "It's as good as DIARY OF A WIMPY KID** and DORK DIARIES, my favorite books."

(**Reviewed recently by our own Scott Parker and Ellen Booraem)

Thanks, Rose! Hurry up and write the sequel!

Now, people, please, please click on the links below. You'll find thoughtful, interesting reviews about a variety of books.

MIDDLE GRADE/YOUNG ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Sarah Laurence: SMALL PERSONS WITH WINGS by Ellen Booraem (middle grade fantasy)

Kaye of the Book Review Forum: THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE by Kate DiCamillo (middle grade)

Stacy Nyikos: MOON OVER MANIFEST by Clare Vanderpool (middle grade, Newbery Winner)


ADULT BOOK REVIEWS

Scott Parker: SKATING AROUND THE LAW by Joelle Charbonneau (mystery)

Staci of Life in the Thumb: THE GIRL IN THE GREEN RAINCOAT by Laura Lippman (mystery)

Linda McLaughlin: DISSOLUTION by CJ Sansom (historical mystery)

Alyssa Goodnight of the Writers' Road Less Traveled: AIRS ABOVE THE GROUND by Mary Stewart (suspense)

Jenn Jilks of My Muskoka: MIDSUMMER NIGHT by Freda Warrington (fantasy)

Sarahlynn of Yeah, but Houdini didn't have these hips: THE SPARROW by Mary Doria Russell (literary science fiction)

Stacy of The Cat's Meow: THE JOKE by Milan Kundera (satire)


NONFICTION REVIEWS

Prairie Rose of Prairie Rose's Garden: THE ZOOKEEPER'S WIFE by Diane Ackerman

Ellen Booraem of Freelance Ne'er-do-well: AT HOME: A SHORT HISTORY OF PRIVATE LIFE by Bill Bryson

Beth Yarnall: JUST KIDS by Patti Smith (memoir)

**Note to Reviewers: Leave a comment or email me if I've made a mistake. For some reason, I had a lot of trouble with blogger this go-around.**