2bmaggie

II     

 (Book 2 / Chapter 4)         

 BE GRATEFUL     

  10:30        

          

                                  

MID-MORNING SKY      

                           

           Well God, three chapters down, nine to go.  After this chapter, just like yesterday; I'll take a break and visit Daisy.  But before then, I know in this fourth chapter, among other things; I'm scheduled to learn about World War II.  That Lizard on the wall is now doing some pushups.

           I just thought of that skinny man who pushes his Wheelbarrow up and down the road in front of our house.  At times Daisy and I feel so sorry for him, especially on really hot days; but seeing him makes us feel more appreciative for our lives.  I smell the baby Cholla cactus.

         Mr. Steve thinks the skinny man is "low on money" so is "out looking for" glass, plastic or aluminum to collect and "Cash In."  Daisy told  me he, like Mr. Mark and Karma in Phelan and much of the world; have to live from "day to day."  Thank You God for our lives down here.   

 

"HIGH" DESERT ("SAN GABRIEL" MOUNTAINS BEHIND)

        

            Our boss says at least that skinny man "is not lazy."   I've mentioned his customer back east in New York State named Phillip who's from Wales, where I guess they sometimes call the lazy people as being "Layabouts."  Frida and Diego the Bluebirds just flew bye right now.  

            Mr. Steve's parents, and the Nuns at Saint Ferdinand's too; thought being lazy was bad. Daisy says that's why we have to "Pull our Weight" around here, and I totally agree with her on that.  Heathcliff just now crowed, and I can hear his Hens clucking happily over there.  

           My Spanish Dictionary says "perezoso" means lazy.   Mr. Julio, who does the embroidery on Mr. Steve's, Babette's, Susan and Karin's orders; uses the slang Spanish word "flojo."  Daisy told me Mr. Steve's mom, and that girl Miss Maria; say flojo can also at times mean "loose."   

         

  FANNIE AND FREDDIE

      

                Fannie and Freddie are coming back in from being out there in the eastern desert behind the Sheds.  Because they often talk to each other, I heard them coming before they even got here.  They're both now coasting right over the house, and moving as one toward the southwest.      

           Our boss gives his "Recyclables" to a young girl in "4H" who's raising a Pig.  These days there are more people finding it harder to "Make ends Meet" as they say.  I've mentioned a few times in these first two books how six years ago the American economy went into "Recession."    

           In our garage is a wheelbarrow like the one that skinny man pushes around, and in there are other amazing things; like ropes or chains for instance.   I've noticed Mr. Steve has tools for working in the dirt or cutting some wood.   Oh!  Theodora just ran bye in front of the Sheds.  

     

JACK, MOE, MANNY

     

                  Against the back fence behind Manny, Moe and Jack are piles of chopped wood.   In the living room is a "Fireplace" Mr. Steve never uses, unlike some of our neighbors; whose fires we smell during the cold Winter.  Ugh!  I just remembered how cold it was during the Winter.

           The first time I ever saw our boss using his wheelbarrow I couldn't believe what a simple yet ingenious thing to have thought of.  Yesterday I wrote about those Mirrors in our house.  It's so amazing to think of how smart you'd have to be to invent a miraculous thing like a wheel. 

        I just thought of how the first time Daisy saw herself in a mirror she "Jumped a Mile" as they say.  She jokes she "realized how ugly she is" but, I like how she looks; and can't wait to see what my face looks like.  Mr. Steve told his Niece Stephanie he thinks he's now "very ugly."                     

DESERT SKY                                                       "PHOTONS"    

                                                                                                                                                      ARTWORK BY JFK

    

           Hey God!  Right now in seeing the Sun behind the Sheds I'm kind of having a feeling You might be hopefully looking at me working down here on the Patio.   Oh!  This is a good time to    look up those things called "Photons."  I totally missed that subject on my outline yesterday.        

          Dais and Millie saw a tv show about Albert Einstein, which said in the early 20th century he wrote about photons.  This Encyclopedia says they're, "an elementary particle of the boson      type," or "stuff light is made of" Mr. Steve says.  I smell Bravo Company out in the field.             

         I wrote yesterday how there are those four "Fundamental Forces" of nature, "Gravity," the "Electromagnetic Field," and "Strong" and "Weak Interactive Forces."  A photon, which is the Greek word for "light;" is in the electromagnetic area.   Andy's sniffing the air over there.                                

MAX PLANCK (1858-1947) / ALBERT EINSTEIN (1879-1955)  

PHOTO BY SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY        

         

        The tv show mentioned how Albert Einstein said he "built on" work done by that other German Scientist Max Planck.  Below a picture of them together the caption says how they're    "Theoretical" Physicists.  The tv show talked about photons coming toward us from the Sun.       

          Oh!  I just noticed Helen taking a break from guarding their babies, and standing next to Andy at the entrance to their burrow.  Helen's sniffing the air and I can tell by how she's looking at me she just picked up my scent from over here working on Elvira.  Daffy's quacking.                

          Dais told me our boss's father one time joked about how, "It's a good thing there are such smart people like Einstein around because what they study is so complex someone has to try to    understand it for everyone else."  Boy!  I'm so glad about that too.  Helen went back down.                  

 URIAH HEEP (LEFT)           CHARLES DICKINS                    URIAH HEEP       

ARTWORK  BY FREDERICK BARNARD                                                                                                                                                                                                                

      

           This morning Mr. Steve again played that URIAH HEEP song "Sunrise," and right now it's giving me a happy feeling of Rhêma in just thinking of it.  Besides the great singing, the part I like is the organ.  Mr. Steve told him brother Sam he saw that one URIAH HEEP concert.          

          Dais saw a tv show on Charles Dickens.  It said, in his 1850 book "David Copperfield" a character was named Uriah Heep like the band.  My Encyclopedia uses the words "obsequious"  and "sychophant"  to describe him.  I can really smell Andy over there guarding their hole.          

           My Dictionary says obsequious means, "insincere fawning."  Mr. Steve told Miss Susan at work the Dickens character is now associated with "fake humbleness," or a "phony" person who "pretends to be a humble person;" but is actually a "total hypocrite."  Heathcliff just crowed.            

  "BEWITCHED"  

   

         Daisy says Miss Susan laughed when our boss reminded her of this  1960's tv show called "Bewitched."  I guess it's about a pretty Witch who marries a normal man, and her family does  not like it at all.  They end up having a pretty little girl named "Tabatha" Daisy told me.               

          In the tv show sometimes the husband's boss will tell him how bad and terrible his idea is. But, as soon as the "Client" says he likes the idea; will change his mind and sometimes even take credit for the idea himself.  That's mainly because he was afraid of losing money Dais thinks.       

         Yup!  Daisy was so right!  According to this Dictionary a "sycophant" is, "One who seeks favor by excessively flattering people of wealth, power or influence."  Miss Susan laughed when Mr. Steve said the boss on Bewitched was an example of a person like Dickens' Uriah Heep.                   

            JEFFERSON AIRPLANE                   JACKRABBIT                 ALICE IN WONDERLAND    

PHOTO BY B. KATZUNG

  

         Jack the Jackrabbit flew bye out there in the field behind the Sheds, and for some reason that suddenly reminds me of the "Alice in Wonderland" story.  Daisy told me about that good      1960's JEFFERSON AIRPLANE song about the Alice in Wonderland Rabbit.  I smell Sage.         

         In the Alice in Wonderland story this mean Queen yells, "Off with their head" if she gets mad at you according to Daisy.  She says JEFFERSON AIRPLANE'S song is short but, the girl    Singer is so talented in it.  King Henry VIII of England used to cut people's heads off too.             

          Dais says our boss told Mr. Dave he's played JEFFERSON AIRPLANE'S song, and enjoys using the Snare drum in a military type "Cadence."  Daisy and Millie both thought they should  use that song in a movie or something.  Jack's scent just came floating in over here to me.             

  

TOM PETTY & THE HEARTBREAKERS

PHOTO BY ED CARAEFF

          Dais has told me a few times about that guy Tom Petty's band the HEARTBREAKERS.  They also have an Alice in Wonderland song too she says, and the Video shows this Caterpillar    sitting up on a Mushroom.  A Train whistled faintly way out there in the desert to my left.             

        According to what Daisy says, in the Video Tom Petty plays the part of that guy from the story who used to wear a big huge hat.  But, at the very end of the Video; Alice turns into a cake  and Tom Petty eats part of her.  Ugh!  That would be so painful to be eaten like a cake.                  

         Our boss told Mr. Dave he's seen Tom Petty driving around the San Fernando Valley a few times.  One time it was in Van Nuys, another time they were next to each other at a red light on    "Ventura" Boulevard; so Mr. Steve and Tom Petty just nodded at each other.  I smell Sage.                  

         "BRITELING"              SUSAN CÓRDOVA                  "HEINZ"         

    

          I just glanced up to see Libby walking around in her Corral, and that makes me think about how Mr. Steve's sister Susan's Horses in Connecticut are named "Briteling" and "Heinz."  She sometimes rides them down to the "Long Island Sound."  Heathcliff crowed over there.         

            Dais one time heard our boss and his sister in Connecticut talk on the phone about how, as a girl growing up down there in Sylmar; she had that smart little Pony "Dinky."  They used to enter, and often win; those "Horse Jumping" contests.  A Sparrow carrying a twig ran bye.          

            Oh!  Mentioning Sylmar right now suddenly makes me remember how yesterday I missed writing about a man named Luis J. Rodriguez.  He has a "Book Store" in Sylmar  called "Tia      Chucha's," where Mr. Steve's parents enjoy going to sometimes.  I smell some Penstemon.                                                        

      LUIS J. RODRIGUEZ             

                            

          Mr. Steve's dad described Luis Rodriguez as "accomplished."  In gangs he did bad things but now in gangs, but now "expresses himself" by writing books and poems; which I'll bet his      family is happy he does instead.  Alice Cooper now golfs rather than take drugs and drink.           

         Daisy heard our boss's parents admire how Mr. Luis "Turned his Life Around."  He also took drugs and drank but now doesn't, which he tells the "Inmates" when he goes to Prisons in    trying to help them be better people.  He shows them how writing can make them feel good.         

          I guess, Mr. Luis believes in the "Redemptive Power" of words.  I just now thought about Mr. Hussein's business in Sylmar "Coffee & Cream."   I just glanced up and see this line of Ants marching bye down there on the Patio floor on the other side of Miss Emily's old coffee table.                  

                "COFFE & CREAM"                 

             

          Mr. Steve and his family like going to Coffee & Cream because they enjoy talking to Mr. Hussein.  He knows about history, especially Egypt where he's from.  I've mentioned how he's a    good "Portrait" Artist who did some realistic paintings of Kobe Bryant and Michael Jackson.     

       Daisy heard Mr. Ralph say he also likes going to Mr. Luis's Book Store Tia Chucha's in Sylmar.  This Spanish Dictionary says "Tia" means "Aunt" so, Mr. Luis must've had an Aunt      named "Chucha."  Hearing Dawn barking, and now Blinky too; is making me feel so good.          

      According to what Daisy heard, Mr. Luis goes to prisons and teaches "Inmates" how to "Examine their Lives."  He tells them to "Channel" any bad feelings into "Creative Writing," which "might act as a vent."  Socrates did say how, "The unexamined life is not worth living."                     

LUIS J. RODRIGUEZ WITH WIFE "TRINI"

                           

          Luis Rodriguez's wife of thirty years is "Trini," who Mr. Ralph thinks is a "big help" to him at their Book Store and "Cultural Center."  Both are really proud of being descendants of  "Indigenous" cultures.  Daisy heard Mr. Ralph say one time how they had four kids together.      

          Mr. Steve's dad has talked to Mr. Luis about "Socialism versus Capitalism," and I guess Mr. Luis is "more inclined toward socialism" he says.   Mr. Luis, as a teenager; was in the same   jail as Charles Manson, who I'll learn more about in my books.  Ah!  I smell little Blinky.             

           From what Dais heard Mr. Ralph say, Mr. Luis and his wife Trini are friends of Bruce Springsteen; and know the DOORS Drummer John Densmore too.  They've worked on projects in getting books to poor people all around the world.   I see Andy over there sniffing the air.                             

       WM. E. GLADSTONE         QUEEN VICTORIA          BENJAMIN DISRAELI

                                   (1809-1898)                              (1819-1901)                                  (1804-1881)                                                         

                           

             Dais heard Mr. Luis and his wife's Book Store is on "Gladstone" Avenue in Sylmar.  It's about a mile from Mr. Steve's parent's house.  In these last two books I'll learn about Benjamin    Disraeli and William E. Gladstone; who were 19th century "Political" rivals in England.             

             William Gladstone and Benjamin Disraeli lived during  Queen Victoria's reign.   William Gladstone was from "Liverpool" like the BEATLES.  I've mentioned before how Queen Victoria was born on May 24th, which also happens to be Mr. Steve's parents wedding anniversary.          

             Oh!  I just noticed a Fly hovering near Andy and Helen's burrow.  Boy!  I hope that's not a bad sign that there will be a lot of Flies hanging around here this coming Summer, and I know for sure Daisy would probably say the exact same thing too.  We both really hate all Flies!         

               

THEODORA 

  

         Ah!  Theodora just flew in, landed on the ground in front of Moe; and then ran over and jumped up into her favorite Creosote bush near Jack.   Dais says she can tell Mr. Dave knows a lot about "Creosote" plants.  I smell Theodora and her bush, and also Jack the biggest Shed.       

           This "Pechanga" Indian lady told Mr. Dave "Chaparral" can mean a Creosote plant, or a "landscape" where plants and Animals live.  She said her tribe had a "Trade Route" over to the coast, and call themselves "Payomkawichum" or "People of the West."   Trade is important.        

         I guess, the lady told Mr. Dave Chaparral plants have been used by Indians for "medical purposes."  Theodora jumped down to the ground and, is now running around the northeast      corner of the house to my left; where my collection of chewing things is at.  A Train whistled.       

 

    "BALD" EAGLES       

                                                                                                                                                                           PHOTO BY DAVE SODERSTROM

      

         A while back Daisy heard Mr. Steve talking  with Miss Susan on the phone about "Bald" Eagles.  I guess "Eagles" are sort of like a bigger version of the Hawks who live in Piñon Hills.    Oh my God!  Just as I mention Hawks I see one going to the east holding a dead Mouse.               

         Miss Susan said there are no Eagles around here anymore, but some live in other areas of California.  Eagle couples "Share" time sitting on their eggs she says, until the babies are able to "break out on their own."  Boy!  It would be so great to maybe smell an Eagle someday.                

        Eagle parents, to avoid damaging their eggs; pull in or "retract" their sharp claws when hanging around the nest.  And Miss Susan says they roll all of the eggs around, so the developing baby Eagles inside don't stick onto the shells.  I just now looked up the word "Incubation."             

PHILADELPHIA "EAGLES"

  

            I've mentioned a few times in these first two books how someday I want to watch sports on tv, even though Mr. Steve doesn't really watch much sports anymore.  Dais told me about the  Philadelphia "Eagles" Football team.  Our boss kind of likes the Eagle wings on their helmets.     

            Daisy heard our boss and a Parts Manager talk about the Philadelphia Eagles.  Mr. Steve "Faxed" him line drawings of the Eagles' logos for his sons to color.  The Eagles' primary color    is green, their secondary colors either white or silver.  Blackbeard and Anne are flying bye.           

           Not only does Mr. Steve like how the Eagles' helmets look, he also of course likes the color green because of the Oakland A's.  "But now," he told the Parts Manager; the Eagles and the A's have "shifted" from bright green to a dark "Forest" green.  Mr. Steve prefers bright greens.        

SINGING ROBINS

            Oh!  I knew I heard Cleo and Leo the Robins singing and now see them on a branch of the Mulberry tree.  I'm so tempted to hide my materials and take my first big break now instead of after this fourth chapter.  I can't wait to tell Daisy about Cleo and Leo now being back.             

             Hey God!  Thank You for how Leo and Cleo's voices are making me feel right now.  I'm so glad it's finally Springtime around here, so the weather will get warmer; and I know for sure  Daisy and our boss feel the same.  Leo and Cleo flew out into the field behind the three Sheds.      

             Thank You Everyone else up there too for helping me be focused so far today.  Daisy was so proud of me last night for being able to work a full twelve hours yesterday, but told me I still    have a lot to do on this huge project.  I'm sort of like Speedy Gonzalez in wanting to run.                       

              ROBIN EGGS                

   

         I've mentioned before how how girl Robins lay sky blue eggs.  Daisy and Millie one time heard Miss Susan say, Robins have short "life spans;" and can have three groups of babies each  year.  At times Cleo and Leo, with other noisy Robins too; "Roost" in the Mulberry trees.             

         For much of the next two what I now know will be long chapters I'm scheduled to learn about those two giant "World" wars, especially World War II.  But I also have to learn and write about a lot of other good things too.  Benjamin the black Cow Bird just went running bye.            

         Hey God!  I know I've said it a few times but, thank You again for having Mr. Steve take me from that field my first owner dumped me out into.  Last night, in looking up at the sky and going over today's long outline; Daisy told me the three of us have a lot to be grateful for.                       

SPEEDY GONZALEZ

PHOTO BY IAN MERRELL

         Oh!  Speedy Gonzalez is over there in the dirt, which reminds of that time the man who visited us said there are two types of "Ground" Squirrels in Piñon Hills.  With Andy looking at    him, Speedy just zipped off and used the right gate slot to go into the desert.  I smell Sage.            

           I guess Speedy, and Andy over there guarding the burrow; are what they call "Antelope" Squirrels.  A much less common type of Ground Squirrel is the "Mojave," which the man said      you rarely see because they stay underground most of the time.  Andy's sniffing the air.                 

         That one man told Mr. Steve there are five types of Antelope Squirrels, and some of their  burrows can be over twenty feet long.  Here in California, there are two main types of "Gray"      Squirrels who live in trees.  One is the "Western" version, the other one is the "Eastern."                    

"EASTERN FOX" SQUIRREL  

PHOTO BY CATHY LORRAINE       

       

         The man said the "Eastern Fox" Squirrel, the "largest Squirrel in North America;" have "bushier tails."  They're not originally from California, but since 1904 have "adapted" and "so multiplied fast."  Mr. Steve thinks he's seen them on the mountain next to "Palm Springs."          

        Most Squirrels have only one "Litter" per year, while Fox Squirrels have two.  They can leap over fifteen feet the man said, "spend a lot of time on the ground;" and have "sharp claws    for tree climbing."  Andy's such a good guard and I'll bet that's one reason Helen likes him.         

       Boy and girl Fox Squirrels look alike, and seem to have more "Whiskers" sticking out of their faces than other Squirrels I guess.  The man told our boss they not only have them on their  cheeks, they also have whiskers above their eyes and nose too.  Andy's now looking at me.                                 

       "EAGLE ROCK," CALIFORNIA       

                            

           Oh!  I forgot to mention this area of Los Angeles called "Eagle Rock."  Boy!  I'm glad I noticed it now instead of having to do it way out of sequence later .  Daisy says our boss and Miss Sandy, and their friends; one time "hiked" up to the top of this trail to see the city below.             

             Dais heard our boss talking to his mom on the phone one time.  He told her Eagle Rock is named for a fifty foot tall stone mountain where, at certain times of day when the shadows  are just right; it looks like the image of an Eagle on the side.  Two of the Pigeons just flew bye.            

           Knowing she likes to bake, Mr. Steve told his mom about a "Bakery" in Eagle Rock that made Italian "Pastries" called "Cannoli."   He, Sandy and their friends ate them.  Dais heard that for a few years Mr. Rick's mom used to have a "Dachshund" Dog named "Cannoli."             

    

 "HILLSIDE STRANGLERS"                              THE "NIGHT STALKER"    

          PHOTO BY KEN HIVELY                                                                                                                        BETTMAN ARCHIVES                    

            I guess some famous "Serial" killers are "associated" with Eagle Rock.  In the 1970's two Cousins, Kenneth Bianchi and Angelo Bono; killed girls; and then in 1985 Richard Ramirez was called the "Night Stalker."  Daisy heard our boss and Mr. Grant talk about them one time.           

          A good tv show Dais saw called Richard Ramirez a "rogue," which my Dictionary says is, "aberrant, dangerous or uncontrollable."  He drew the Devil's "Pentagram" on the palm of    his hand and broke into houses at night Dais says.  Blackbeard and Anne are now flying bye.             

          Were someone like those stranglers or that guy Richard Ramirez ever to try to break into our land Daisy and I would bite them hard.  Sometimes I get a little too protective of Mr. Steve    around strangers, so then have to see how Daisy reacts to them first.  I smell older Juniper.                            

     2014 NISSAN "ROGUE"

               

         According to what Daisy and Millie heard one time, when they were laying in our boss's office; there's a Car called a "Rogue."  One of Mr. Steve's "Nissan" Parts Managers told him it's a small "Sports Utility Vehicle."  I've mentioned before how Nissan is a Japanese company.          

           Dais says the Parts Manager used the words "compact" and "crossover" to describe those Rogue Cars.  He said Rogue's are "assembled" in the State of "Tennessee," and have been out      since 2008.  A small group of what look like Sparrows are now flying over Libby's Corral.             

          Mr. Steve's dad used the term "rogue nations" to  describe "Fascist" Italy and Germany, as well as "Imperial" Japan.  They tried to conquer the world, and "it's a good thing they lost"  World War; or things "might've been different" he thinks.  A Lizard went running bye.                            

         SUSAN, CELINA, GRANDMA CÓRDOVA           POPE JOHN PAUL II                                   TOUR GROUP                                    MR. STEVE'S MOM, FATHER MAHAN                 JUNE, 1985                                    (JERUSALEM, ISRAEL)                                                                 

        PHOTOS BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

             

            One time Dais and Millie heard our boss talking on the phone with his father.   And they talked about how, while they were travelling over in Italy and Israel in 1985; that guy the Night    Stalker Richard Ramirez was back here in California killing some people.  A Crow cawed.           

           Mr. Dave in New Mexico told our boss "Tongvan" Indian women in the Eagle Rock area "figured out" a way to "leech" the poison out of "Acorns" from "Oak" trees.  They then made a kind of bread out of it I guess.  There are two long extending vapor trails up there in the sky.        

            In the living room near the fireplace is a carved lava rock "Grinding" bowl like the ones Tongvan females used to crush acorns into a paste.  There's also a shaped lava rock used for the grinding of the acorns in the bowl.  I can smell Bonnie and Clyde's babies sleeping up there.                                   NEAR VICTORVILLE                            "ROUTE 66"                        "ARROYO SECO" BRIDGE       

                              

        Daisy and Millie heard our boss one time talking with his mom about a bridge in Eagle Rock, which is a section of "Colorado" Boulevard.  Eagle Rock is right in between the cities of "Pasadena" and "Glendale" I guess.  I can see my collection of things to chew on over there.        

          Mr. Steve's friend Miss Helen, who worked with he and Mr. Mark at the "Forum" in the mid-1980's; knew the history of the "Arroyo Seco" bridge.  She and Mr. Steve, on the way to see those U.C.L.A. Football games at the Rose Bowl, drove over it a few times.  Miss Helen died.        

        I mentioned yesterday how Miss Helen owned a house in Glendale.  She said, from 1934 through 1940;  Colorado Boulevard was "part of" that road I wrote about in book one called "Route 66."  Some of the Ducks are quacking and, as usual; Daffy's voice is so distinctive.                  

        HIGH DESERT          "LOS ANGELES" AQUEDUCT             SYLMAR           

                                                

          Miss Helen told Mr. Steve the Arroyo Seco bridge was built in 1912, the year before that man William Mulholland completed his water Aqueduct; which goes by to our north.  I wrote in book one how it goes into Los Angeles down there in Sylmar.  I smell the Twin Joshua trees.        

           I've mentioned how "Ravine" is "Arroyo" in Spanish, "Seco" means "Dry."  In the field I lived in when homeless there were a few areas like that, and Daisy told me when it "rains hard" "Flash Floods" run through them fast.  A place sown in Sylmar is called the "Arroyo Wash."      

        Daisy says that lady Miss Helen who died knew about a school down there in Eagle Rock called "Occidental" College.  One time our boss had a dream where he was driving to a U.C.L.A. game with her.  I've mentioned before how Miss Helen was an "Alumni" and a real "Bruin."                              

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA        

                       

           Mr. Steve one time told a guy from Glendale about Miss Helen.  He said it's "too bad" she  didn't live long enough to see a time when a person who went to Occidental College would be       President of the U.S., like right now.  And he's also the very first "Black" person too.                    

          Daisy saw a Huell Howser segment about Occidental College, and a "News" segment that said President Obama's family Dog is named "Bo."  Boy!  Bo's lucky to have the "White House" to guard.  Our boss was told President Obama admires that guy Reinhold Niebuhr.                        

        Another person who graduated from Occidental College, "Cum Laude" like Mr. Steve's mom; is a good Writer named Pat Morrison.  Mr. Steve says she's always kind of reminded him   of his old of his old girlfriend Harriet.  Both are intelligent according to what Dais heard.                           

PAT MORRISON / STEPHEN HAWKING

                     

             Oh!  A picture shows that girl Pat Morrison with Stephen Hawking.  Dais heard our boss tell Mr. Ralph on the phone one time about articles in the "Los Angels Times" Newspaper she's written over the years.  The four Pigeons are all flying toward the northeast right now.                

           Mr. Ralph says "Pinks Hot Dogs," who I wrote about earlier; named this "Vegetarian" hot dog after Pat Morrison.  Wow!  What an "Honor" it would be to have a Hot Dog named for you.  Boy!  I'd definitely wear a hat like the one Pat Morrison is wearing in the photo.                   

            Dais says Mr. Ralph told our boss how tv shows and movies have been filmed in the Eagle Rock area where Occidental College is located.  One was that tv show Mr. Steve and Harriet used to watch called "Beverly Hills 90210."  The smell of new Spring Mesquite just floated in.                                         

"BEVERLY HILS 90210"      

          

       Yesterday I wrote about how Beverly Hills 90210 filmed scenes at what used to be the "Serra" Memorial Hospital in "Lake View Terrace."  That's where Sandy's mom got her and      Mr. Steve; their first "Real" jobs.  "L.V.T." is near to Sylmar, and right next to "Pacoima."         

       Daisy heard our boss and Sandy, who had to wear a white Nurses uniform; worked at a "Pharmacy."  Mr. Steve was a "Delivery Boy."  When he first moved out here from Milwaukee    Mr. Mark lived in L.V.T. for a while.  A small flock of Birds is flying toward the northeast.            

          Mr. Mark's family now lives in Hawaii, but he lived in L.V.T. when he first met our boss in  1984; when they both worked with Miss Helen for the different sports teams at the Forum.  Two  of the Pigeons are flying over Libby's Corral and moving to the south.  Heathcliff crowed.                           

"JURRASIC PARK"      

        

           Mr. Ralph said parts of that Dinosaur movie called "Jurassic Park" were filmed in Eagle Rock.  I really want to see it someday, mainly because Dais and Millie thought it realistic in how  they showed what Dinosaurs looked like.  Now the other two Pigeons followed the first two.          

         I've mentioned before how in Earth's history there were three "Geologic" periods when Dinosaurs were living, the "Cretaceous," "Jurassic" and "Triassic."  And those millions of years were in the "Mesozoic" era.  Blinky, Dawn and Rosie's scents just came floating in right now.      

           About sixty five million year ago that six mile wide Asteroid flew down from Outer Space and hit Mexico's "Yucatan" peninsula.  That killed off most of the "Reptile" type Dinosaurs.        Boy God!  I'm so glad some of the Bird versions of Dinosaurs survived for us to enjoy.                   

                

"JURASSIC WORLD"    

     

          Daisy and Millie also got to see another Dinosaur movie called "Jurassic World."  In that movie the Dinosaurs were those "Raptors."  Dais says Raptors are like miniature T-Rex's.  But,  unlike those giant T-Rex's; they hunted in packs like Wolves or some types of Sharks.                    

          Our boss says in real life Raptors were were not as big as the ones in the movie.  They were the size of large Turkeys he's read.  But they must've still been dangerous because of their sharp  teeth and claws.  A small flock of Birds is flying toward the east way up there in the sky.                

        According to this Encyclopedia, "Velociraptor" Dinosaurs lived in the Cretaceous period, which was even before the Jurassic era.  It says here "birds of prey," like Hawks and Eagles; are also called Raptors too.  Andy's over there sniffing the air and protecting their burrow.                                     

2014 FORD "RAPTOR"  ("RANGER")    

            

          Dais one time heard our boss talking with Mr. Bob the Parts Manager, who works at that Ford dealership in Missouri.  They discussed how Ford uses the name "Raptor" to describe the "High Performance" versions of their three "Pickup Trucks."  A Train just whistled faintly.         

        According to what Daisy heard,  Ford Raptors have a unique front grille.  Instead of the usual "Oval" logos the name Ford is spelled out in big letters.  Rudy the Roadrunner ran bye in  front of the Sheds and is now going around the northeast corner of the house to my left.                

       When Mr. Steve moved up here in 2005 he told Mr. Bob.  I've mentioned how Mr. Bob is from the "Antelope Valley," and went to the same High School as did Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart.  Mr. Steve's brother Sam's family in "Littlerock" also live near that area too.               

                                  

                 AVRIL LAVIGNE                      

       

            Yesterday I wrote how, in 2005; Mr. Steve took his Nieces Samantha and Cristina to that see that Canadian girl Avril Lavigne do a concert.  A short time later Mr. Steve and that guy Mr. Greg moved him up here from Sylmar.  That was in August and it was really, really hot.                

        That Avril Lavigne concert was at the "Greek Theater."  That's near the "Griffith Park Observatory," where "Laserium" used to do their laser light show.  One time our boss and Mr.    Doug remembered the 1970's when Mr. Steve and Mark Ritter worked for "Laser Images."         

         This Encyclopedia says in 1896 a really rich man named Griffith J. Griffith "donated" the land which is now "Griffith Park."  He paid to build the Greek Theater, and that Observatory    too.   Mr. Steve and his mom went to the "Gene Autry" Museum which is in Griffith Park.                          

          "GREEK THEATER"                        G.H. GRIFFITH            "GRIFFITH PARK OBSERVATORY"

(1850-1919)       

        

        It must be kind of weird to have the same exact first and last name Daisy thinks.  It says here the Observatory Mr. Griffith had built was finished in 1935, the year Mr. Steve's mom was  born; three years after the birth of his father.  Two of the Pigeons flew over Libby's Corral.          

        One time our boss and Mr. Ralph talked about that Observatory.  Daisy heard Mr. Ralph say he read it was the third one built in the country, one of the first to allow "public access;"  a "Condition" Mr. Griffith demanded for giving the land.  The other two Pigeons went bye.            

         There are three "Domes" in the Observatory building, the biggest one in the middle being a "Planetarium;" the smaller ones "house a telescope and solar instruments."  In College I guess  Mr. Steve's mom studied "Greek Revival" and "Art Deco."  Those are the building's styles.              

        "TESLA COIL"                            NIKOLA TESLA (1856-1943) 

       

          Dais says she knows for sure if Millie would've had the chance she would've wanted to go down to the Griffith Park Observatory and see that "Tesla Coil" there.  Me too!  Mr. Steve has    seen it a few times and also those "Meteorite Fragments" nearby in the "Exhibition" area.           

          One time our boss and Miss Susan at work talked about these "Scales" at the Observatory where you can see how much you would weigh on the other Planets.  Mr. Steve jokes with people not to weight themselves on "Jupiter" because it "might be depressing."  Dawn's barking.           

     Mr. Steve and Miss Susan also discussed this swinging "Pendulum" in the Observatory's "Central Atrium," which demonstrates the Earth's "Rotation;" by knocking over one by one a line of these things called "Dowels."   I can smell Blinky and Rosie standing next to Dawn.                  

"REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE"                         "THE TERMINATOR"          

        (1955)                                                                                     (1984)               

   

          Mr. Steve and Miss Harriet met Arnold Schwarzenegger on her writing assignment that one time.  Daisy heard in 1984, the year our boss flunked out of Law School; he was in a Science Fiction movie called "The Terminator."  It was partly filmed at the Observatory I guess.               

         In 1955, the year he died and our boss was born; that guy James Dean was in this movie called "Rebel Without a Cause."  Daisy heard some of the scenes were also filmed outside of the Griffith Park Observatory too.  Oh!  The Dragonfly flew over the house going westward.              

        Someday I want to see that Arnold Schwarzenegger movie, which Dais told me is about a half man half robot called a "Cyborg."   It comes from the future to kill a lady so her son won't    ever be born.  But a really brave Soldier also comes from the future to protect her I guess.              

"LASERIUM"   

    

       One time our boss and Mr. Doug talked about that company in Van Nuys called "Laser Images," which in the 1970's used to do that light show called "Laserium.   I've mentioned a few times before how our boss and Mark Ritter worked there then.   I smell some Mesquite.                

         Max the Hummingbird zoomed bye, but not before checking the feeder I notice; hoping it might have some of that red liquid food in it.  But, too bad it's still empty.  Speedy Gonzalez ran  through the wider right gate slot and, then totally disappeared out into the back desert.                

          Oh!  I just noticed I was supposed to write about this really modern Jet Plane called the "F-22 Raptor."  Mr. Bob in Missouri, who calls them "versatile; knows about them and that          company who make them "Lockheed-Martin."   A Truck went bye out on Primavera Road.                     

 WORLD WAR I AIRPLANES                                   F-22 "RAPTOR"             

                                                                                                                                                                ARTWORK SUPPLIED BY GENERAL MARK KELLEY       

               

         Dais says one time our boss and Mr. Bob talked about the Raptor Jets, which can be used for many purposes; like bombing for instance.  So, that means it went from physically throwing  bombs from primitive World War I Airplanes; to the F-22.  That's what Mr. Bob joked.                

          Mr. Bob described those first "primitive" World War I Airplanes as being "underpowered and under gunned."  Some even had three wings instead of two.  Daisy told me Mr. Bob told our  boss about this new, "even better and more affordable" Plane; called the "F35 Lightning."          

      One time our boss talked on the phone to this guy named "Allen," who rents one of their houses down there in Sylmar.  Dais told me, when it comes to that "Artificial Intelligence" I've    mentioned before; he's so talented.  Two of the Pigeons are now flying over Libby's Corral.          

   MR. ALLEN'S FATHER IN WORLD WAR II

(B-17 / 1944 / 

ARTWORK BY ALLEN HALL

       I guess, Mr. Allen's father was a "Ball Turret Gunner" on one of those "B-17" Bombers during the Second World War.  Mr. Allen, similar to how our boss used to paint black and white prints; "Colorizes" images that are on the "Internet."  Now the other two Pigeons flew bye.        

         Dais says she can tell how our boss thinks Mr. Allen down there in Sylmar, similar to Mr.    Grant; has a lot of skill for working on computers and things like that.  He's also really good at rebuilding many other types of machines too.  I smell Bonnie and Clyde's babies up there.            

       Someday Daisy and I would like to see some Indian petroglyphs like the ones Mark Ritter studied.  He also read about "Geology" so of course was also interested in the subject of  "Rock Formations."  That one lady Sister Wendy is also interested in petroglyphs Dais told me.                                                         

EAGLE-SHAPED ROCK FORMATION        

PHOTO BY MIKE LINDERMAN            

             

          Mr. Steve would like to see a Rock Formation, which Mark Ritter hiked to; near the city of San Diego to our south.  Wow!  I'm looking at a picture of it, and it does look like an Eagle the      way Daisy said.  Samson and Delilah are flying over the Sheds and moving to the north.                

         I've mentioned that place called "Death Valley," located to the northeast of where we live down here in Piñon Hills.  It gets even hotter there than here in the Summer which, at times; is    "Hard to Believe" as they say.  But that's "obviously why it got its name" Daisy told me.              

       One time Mark Ritter got permission to go see petroglyphs in Death Valley.  I guess they were created by "Clovis" type Indians a few thousand years ago.  A Train just whistled faintly      over there to my left out in the northern desert, and for some reason that makes me feel good.      

          

"PETRA" (JORDAN)

          Oh!  I just remembered how yesterday I forgot to write about a place in the country of "Jordan" called "Petra."  Dais says it's an amazing building "carved" right out of the side of a    "Sandstone" mountain, and Mark Ritter had hoped to visit it but died.   A Lizard ran bye.           

            Wow!  This picture shows the "ruins" of Petra, which the caption says was a "Nabatean" city located on "trade routes" during the Greek and then later Roman periods.  For protection    it's hidden "deep in a canyon" so is hard to get to.  Mr. Hussein from Egypt knows about it.         

           I guess Petra's in southwest Jordan, and is called the "Lost City" because in 1812 it was "rediscovered."   That was the same year back here when war broke out between the U.S. and      England.  I smell the clump of Joshua trees over there behind Andy and Helen's burrow.                

"WADI MÛSÂ" ENTRANCE

("PETRA," JORDAN)

         Dais heard our boss tell his mom about Petra, and how Mark Ritter had hoped to visit it but "never made it."  Wow!  A picture shows why it was hidden for so long because in order to    get to it you have to first go through a long "narrow gorge."  Blackbeard and Anne flew bye.       

          I guess, that gorge going into Petra is called "Wadi Mûsâ" in Arabic; which would mean  "Valley of Moses."  Ah!  It's supposedly the place where Moses made water come out of a rock.  I can smell the Mulberry tree and see two little Sparrows sitting on one of its branches.                 

          Mr. Ralph read for a long time some people thought there was a hidden treasure in Petra, and some still do.  Boy!  I wonder if that old rumor is true, because if it is then someone could possibly find it and get rich for life.  We might have that hidden treasure here in Piñon Hills.        

                                      

         THE "ANNUNCIATION"             

                                 

           Ah!  A breeze just blew in Rosemary scent and the chimes hanging from the Patio roof are ringing so, I hope that's either You Blessed Mother; or maybe You Holy Spirit.  It makes me feel calm either way because I don't feel alone.  Heathcliff crowed and his Hens sound happy.              

       Hey Lord!  Blessed Virgin!  St. Joseph!  Did You Guys know what You looked like when living down here in Israel?  Daisy doesn't think there were mirrors back then.  I'm suddenly all of a sudden really curious about what I look like, which makes me want to go in a bathroom.       

      I'd say it's about ten forty five judging by how the shadows are now shorter and slowly moving away from me as the Sun rises over the horizon behind the Sheds.  I'll bet up in the front yard Daisy's laying below our boss's office.  So she can then warn me if he comes outside.                           

DAISY CÓRDOVA      

     

       I'll bet Daisy, as usual; has licked her paws to help her arthritis this morning.  She's so grateful there's such a thing as those "Bufferin" pills our boss puts in her food, and says her feet didn't hurt very much at all yesterday.  An orange boy Finch is chasing a brown girl Wren.          

            Last night after Dinner I again told Dais about my idea for Dog shoes, and how I really do think we could make money if that idea "Went Over."  She joked about making some what are    called "Orthopedic" Dog shoes for herself.  Cher just leapt up onto Moe the middle Shed.             

           Oh!  I wonder if Cats could wear shoes because that would be another huge market too.  I remember that one time Mr. Mike talked about how, many times in history; someone "stumbles" onto a market by total accident."  Cher just now noticed me over here sitting on Elvira.                                

  SAM / YOLANDA (WITH KIDS)                                  "REX"                               

          

        After this chapter, or Part One; I'll visit Daisy.  Yesterday she laid on the cement slab in front of the garage, but mostly below Mr. Steve's office window to see if comes outside.  Rex the Truck is parked next to the driveway, while Theodora the Lincoln Car is inside of the garage.      

          I just thought of how Mr. Steve's brother Sam and his wife Yolanda gave Rex to us.  As I said yesterday, Rex has two gas tanks; and a stick shift up near the steering wheel.  Someday, like Daisy does now, I'll have the courage to ride in a Car; which she says is so interesting.            

         One time our boss's brother Sam told him about "Littlerock," where his family lives.  It's to the northeast of Piñon Hills, and from what Daisy's heard they have that nice house over there with their kids Mathew, Sammy Jr. and Raqquel.  Their two Dogs are named Tito and Ozzy.                                                   

"MONARCH" BUTTERFLY

    

          Oh!  There's that same Monarch Butterfly Daisy and I both saw yesterday a few times.  I wonder if it's a boy or girl Butterfly?  Daisy says one time, when she was still living with her first owners; she saw this big Raven "throw up" and "get really sick" after eating a Butterfly.  

          It's so interesting how in some Birds like Finch's and Bluebirds for example, the boys are colorful in Springtime to attract girls; while other types of Birds look the same year round.  Cher is up on Moe licking her paw and then grooming her head.  Ah!  She's now looking at me.  

         Wow!  Just when I was thinking about colorful Birds I see Finley the boy Finch over there sitting in that same clump of Joshua trees near Libby's Corral.  But still he's alone and not with a girl Finch.  Cher just laid down, and will rest and take a short nap in safety up on Moe.  

                                    

       FINLEY           

               PHOTO BY RON NIEBRUGGE                       

                           

          Finley just zipped away, and that Monarch Butterfly is flying out into the eastern desert behind the Sheds.  I wonder if it's true Butterflies, who symbolize "Life's Changes;" bring good luck?  Daisy and I kind of do want to believe that seeing them does bring us good fortune.    

          I remember the time Miss Susan said in late October Monarch Butterflies "migrate" two thousand miles from Canada all the way down here to our area and northern Mexico.   I feel like writing about Mexico's "Dia de los Muertos" holiday.  That means the "Day of the Dead." 

          My English Dictionary says "Migrate" means; "moving from one region to another."  Miss Susan says Butterflies bright colors warn Lizards and Birds that they taste bad and may even be poisonous.  She mentioned those colorful little Frogs who live down there in South America. 

                                  

SOUTH AMERICAN FROGS

     

           Wow!  A photo shows "turquoise" colored South American Frogs, and the caption says they're "bright color warns predators they're poisonous" to eat.  This one Dictionary says how "Fluorescent" means "producing light." Oh!  No wonder our boss's mom likes turquoise.

           Dais has smelled Frogs but never wanted to lick them.  I've mentioned a few times in the last two days how, Mr. Steve's friend Mark Ritter who died knew about Frogs and other things like that; and told him once how said "Bull" Frogs never need to sleep.  A Train whistled.        

          Mark Ritter said, for thousands of years South American Indians have rubbed their darts, arrowheads and spear blades on Frog backs; to get poison on them.  Then, they hunt Monkeys; or kill enemy Soldiers in war.  Cher just woke up, sat up; and is now yawing over there.                           

                                                          "BRAZILIAN" INDIANS

                                                                                                                                                                            PHOTO BY FIONA WATSON

   

              One time Daisy and Millie heard our boss and Mr. Eber from "Brazil" talk about the people who live in that giant "Amazon" rainforest.  I've mentioned before how in Brazil they speak "Portuguese" not Spanish, but both languages came from "Latin."  I smell Sage.

            I guess, from what Dais says, our boss told Mr. Eber about that blow gun he has in his office.  Right now he doesn't have any bows or arrows but over the years has bought and sold a few sets of them.  Cher just jumped down from Moe, with Andy's watching her closely.     

           As teenagers in the 1970's Mr. Steve and his girlfriend Sandy became pretty good at using bows and arrows in "Target Practice."  And Mr. Steve is pretty accurate when he uses his breath to shoot those darts through his blow gun.  Libby whinnied and that makes me feel good. 

                

   SOUTH AMERICA

                         

             The man on a tv show about Brazilian Indians talked about what are called "Tropical Rain Forests."  I guess they're really important to the whole world's "Climate" and on the show they even called them the "Lungs of the World" Daisy told me.  Libby's scent floated in. 

            Mr. Eber says there are a lot of poor people in South America, and the Amazon rainforest is "getting smaller" so the Native people have less area to hunt and gather.  Brazil, a really poor country; is "cutting down the forests for wood or to raise Cattle.  Andy's looking at me.

           Hey God!  Mr. Dave, who now lives in New Mexico with his wife Julianne; doesn't like it when the "Environment" You gave us is hurt just to make money.  He thinks having "too many" Cars is making Earth's "Climate" change.  Daisy heard he doesn't like "Pollution" or "Smog."                                                                                                            MR. DAVE / MISS JULIANNE

                                

             I just thought of how Mr. Dave's "Hupa" tribe, who call themselves "Natinook-wa" or "People of the place where the trails return;" have been in Northern California since about 1000 A.D.  I've mentioned how people call Mr. Dave "Drummer Dave."  A Train whistled faintly.

            Mr. Dave said you can also spell his tribe "Hoopa."  This Encyclopedia says, the Hupa's had "almost no contact" with Europeans until the "Gold Rush" of 1849; and are one of the few California Native groups "not forced off of their homeland."   Two of the Pigeons flew bye.

            The Hupa's originally "moved into" what is now "Northwestern California" from the north.  Mr. Dave said they "already had their own traditions," but then "adopted things" like "sweat lodges" from Indians already living here.   I can smell some Beavertail cactus.  

                  

                                                                                 "HUPA" WITH SPEAR" (1923)   

              PHOTO BY EDWARD S. CURTIS                       

                                       

             A black and white photograph shows a Hupa man standing on this big rock holding a fishing spear.  The caption says the Hupa have "fished" in the "Klamath" and "Trinity" Rivers for about about "ten centuries."  Daisy and I have both wondered what a sweat lodge is? 

             Mr. Dave, who says Hupa women also figured out how to make Acorn bread; were just one of many Native "Alta" California Indian groups living here when the Spanish came up from Mexico in 1769.   The slight scent of Sage is all of a sudden making me feel so good right now. 

             Ah!  It says here what Daisy heard Mr. Dave tell our boss one time, how Hupa Indians drew those "Petroglyphs" on rocks.  Mr. Steve has told him about Mark Ritter who died, and how they both worked at Laser Images.  Mr. Dave also knows a lot about petroglyphs too.   

    

                                 MISS JULIANNE                                                             MR. DAVE

 

            Daisy says our boss thinks it's interesting how Mr. Dave and Miss Julianne are from out here in California but ended up living back there in "Taos" New Mexico.   Mr. Steve told his mom he understands why because both are "artistic."  Miss Julianne is a good partner.     

          According to what Dais and Millie heard Mr. Dave say, Miss Julianne is a "very talented" maker of "Ceramics."  I remember that night looking at the Moon when Daisy told me ceramics is molding clay to make pots, plates and other things.  Mr. Steve's mom has done that.

         One time Daisy was in our boss's office and heard him talk to Mr. Dave on the phone.  They discussed those "Clovis" type people who, in about 10,000 B.C. after the last "Ice Age;" crossed that "Land Bridge" and came to North America from Siberia.  Libby whinnied over there.  

 

                                      "LING"                                                            "OFI"

           

            I just thought of how, in the Hupa language "Ling" means "Dog;" which is why one of Mr. Dave and Julianne Dogs has that name.  According to what Daisy heard, they also have this other Dog named "Ofi" too.  Libby's pleasant scent just floated in over here from my right.

           Dais says our boss has told Mr. Dave all about his Dog "Lady," and how she lived to be nineteen years old.  If I could ever borrow Mr. Peabody's time machine I would definitely go back to the 1970's and 1980's to smell Lady.  And I know for sure Dais would go with me.

           I've mentioned before how Mr. Dave, like Mark Ritter who died; knows a lot about such things as "Arrowheads."  I'll write more about that over the next two days.   A bright orange boy Finch just flew over the Sheds, and hearing Libby neigh right now is making me feel good.

   

BONES OF ROMEO

            Unlike our boss, who has only played drums in his houses; Mr. Dave's a "real" Drummer and has been in bands who played concerts.  One was that band RECKLESS, like that Korean War Horse I wrote about in book one.  Some Ducks are quacking but Daffy is way louder.

            Like our boss, Mr. Dave enjoys teaching kids to play drums.  He's played drums for this American Indian band called REDBONE, and that Keyboardist Spencer Davis.  The band he's in now is called BONES OF ROMEO, who I guess have a lot of fans back there in Taos.

             Speedy Gonzalez the Squirrel just ran out into the eastern desert behind the Sheds, and he used the right vertical slot on the side of the gate to do it.  It's so amazing how he and Rudy do that while running so fast without hitting their heads on a pipe.  I like hearing Daffy's voice.

        

"MIGRATION" INTO NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA

(c. 10,000 B.C.)

    

             As I wrote in book one, at the end of the last "Ice Age" when the water glaciers melted and exposed that land bridge; the Siberians who came across became those "Clovis" cultures I've written about.  They "Migrated" down into what is now "North" and "South" America.  

               Mr. Dave knows most of the indigenous "Native Indians" in North and South America are Clovis cultures.  But Daisy and Millie heard him say a few times how he thinks, based on their "nautical and navigational skills;" some could be "Polynesian."  A Train just whistled.

           I wrote in book one how Mr. Dave thinks some of the people who live out there on those California "Channel" islands are Polynesian.  He says he once even met a Native couple from "Peru" convinced their ancestors "came from Australia."   I smell the Arborvitae trees.  

                                                      

                                                                      BUDDY GUY

PHOTO BY VAL WILMER             

                

          One time Daisy and Millie were in the house and heard our boss talking on the phone with Mr. Dave back there in New Mexico.  They discussed this really talented "Chicago Style" Blues    Guitarist Buddy Guy, who plays electric guitar.  I guess he's originally from "Louisiana."             

          Mr. Dave thinks that Buddy Guy is "more than just a Blues Musician."  His music also has "elements" of  "Soul," "Jazz" and "Rock" music too.  When Mr. Dave said Buddy Guy at times  seems to make his guitar "talk" or "cry," our boss told him about the idea of "Rhêma."             

       The New Testament Greek word Rhêma is said to be translated as meaning, "The Living Word."  Mr. Steve wants to think, besides simply speech or writing; music at times can give you  the same Rhêma type "inspirational" feeling too.  Libby's scent just floated in from my right.                                  

                    JIMMY PAGE                 JEFF BECK / STEVIE RAY VAUGHN            ERIC CLAPTON

          Dais heard our boss and Mr. Dave discuss how Buddy Guy, in the 1950's, began as one of those "Session" Musicians in Chicago.  He influenced Jimmy Page, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughn too.  Stevie Ray Vaughn "can also make his guitar talk" Daisy told me. 

              I've mentioned how Mr. Steve likes "Three Piece" bands of bass, drums and guitar.  Buddy Guy's band he thinks, inspired 1960's "Power Trio's" like CREAM,  THE JIMMY HENDRIX EXPERIENCE; and ZZ TOP.  That band RUSH is a "Progressive Rock Power Trio." 

          I can't wait for tomorrow, when I'm scheduled to write about the best Guitarists Mr. Steve has seen play in person.  I'm so tempted to do it now but, I'd better just be disciplined and wait until book three.  A little boy Lizard is chasing a girl Lizard around out there in the dirt.  

                 

                                                             LARRY DAVIS (1936-1994)           

                          

           Even though I'll write about Guitarists our boss has seen tomorrow; I'll mention now a Video he and Mr. Dave like.  Daisy says it was of Stevie Ray Vaughn playing "Texas Flood" at a  place called "El Mocombo."  His three piece band is called DOUBLE TROUBLE I guess.             

              My Encyclopedia says, in 1958 when Mr. Steve was three; Texas Flood was written and done by a guy named Larry Davis.  Oh!  I notice how he was born on December the 4th just like our boss's Niece Stephanie.   The four Pigeons are flying over Libby's Corral over there.

             Dais says our boss showed the Stevie Ray Vaughn Video to that kid Jason who's learning to play guitar.  And I guess he was totally "Blown Away" at Stevie Ray Vaughn's skill.  Mr. Dave laughed when Mr. Steve told him how he's shown that Video to a few people over the years.  

           

                         T. BONE WALKER                         JIMI HENDRIX                         STEVIE RAY VAUGHN                                                                           (1910-1975)                            (1942-1970)                               (1954-1990)              

                                                                                                                                        PHOTO BY HENRY DILTZ                                                  PHOTO BY DAVID PLASTIK

              Towards the end of the song Texas Flood Stevie Ray Vaughn, who's a good Singer too Daisy thinks; starts to play his guitar behind his back!  Our boss told Mr. Dave he's been told he does that as a "Tribute" to both T-Bone Walker and Jimi Hendrix.  Daffy's now quacking.

              I guess T-Bone Walker, as a "Gimmick;" also played guitar behind his back too.  Daisy said Jimi Hendrix played with his teeth like T. Bone Walker. Oh!  My Encyclopedia says T-Bone Walker died on March the 16th, which I see is also Mr. Steve's sister Susan's birthday too. 

              Dais says Stevie Ray Vaughn, who died shortly after our boss and Miss Harriet saw him, starts slow on Texas Flood, builds up and at times seems to make his guitar talk and sing.  Daisy told me Mr. Steve's favorite Stevie Ray Vaughn song is "Scuttle Buttin."  I'd like to hear it.

          

STEVIE RAY VAUGHN                                              MR. RICH          

PAINTING BY MICHELLE RAIS        

       

           On Texas Flood Stevie Ray Vaughn does a "Call and Response" between his singing and then his guitar, and Mr. Rich says he has strong hands in "bending" thick strings.  He "catches" notes, does "Hammer On," "Slide" and "Tremolo" techniques.  That means to "Tremble."          

          Mr. Dave joked seeing a "magician" like Stevie Ray Vaughn play might be discouraging for other Guitarists.  To him going from lead to rhythm or rhythm to lead, like on Scuttle Buttin Daisy told me; is "Second Nature."  And he doesn't even have to see the guitar to play it.              

        Stevie Ray Vaughn was like "Miles Davis on guitar" Mr. Dave joked.  Daisy says Miles Davis is a Jazz trumpet player, and I'll find out about him tomorrow in book three when I  learn  about that 1970's "Fusion" type music.   I'll also learn more about other Guitarists then too.                                                                           KING KASUALS                                          JIMI HENDRIX /  BILLY COX                                                                        

       I just thought of Jimi Hendrix.  Dais heard our boss and Mr. Dave talk about how some think his only real friend in life was a guy named Billy Cox.  They met in the military and Billy    Cox played bass.  He was in Jimi Hendrix's very last group called the BAND OF GYPSY'S.         

         After they got out of the military Jimi Hendrix and Billy Cox were "struggling" Musicians in a band called the KING KASUALS.  I've mentioned how Mr. Steve's father thinks if you have one good friend in a lifetime you're lucky.  His best friend was Mr. Garcia, and now Mr. Ivan.      

      Daisy and Millie saw a good tv show about Jimi Hendrix where that guy Billy Cox said he now in later life thinks, "Fate are the cards you're dealt at birth, but destiny is what you do with  those cards."  Dawn's barking.  And I can smell Blinky and Rosie standing right next to her.                                      

             ALEX                                      VAN HALEN                               EDDIE                                 

      

         Our boss told Mr. Rich he saw VAN HALEN's 1984 "Sound Check" at the Forum.  Eddie Van Halen, "Edward" to his family; "Popularized" the "Tapping" technique using two hands on the guitar neck like Stevie Ray Vaughn does on Texas Flood.  Some call Mr. Rich "Richie."           

      I've mentioned before how two of the guys in VAN HALEN are brothers, whose parents moved the family from the "Netherlands" and to "Pasadena" Dais heard.  One time our boss      and Mr. Dave talked about "Alex" Van Halen having four bass drums.  I smell Juniper.                

         Someday I'll see that "El Mocombo" Stevie Ray Vaughn Video playing Texas Flood.  Daisy says when our boss showed it to him Mr. Dave was amazed, especially when he plays behind his  back.  I guess, according to Daisy; he even sings too while playing guitar behind his back.                                                2014 BUICK "ENCORE"     

           

          I remember the warm night last Summer when Dais and I were back here on Elvira and she told about concerts.  She says, if the audience likes how the band did; they won't leave after    the final song and keep on clapping.  So the band comes back out and plays an "Encore."             

           Daisy heard our boss and Miss Susan at work talk about a "Buick" Car called "Encore." Miss Susan says she's been to concerts where the band did so good the audience "demanded" a    second encore.   Two of the Pigeons are flying over Libby's Corral over there to my right.             

         Boy!  Today the air is clear again, which makes me feel really grateful to be back here on the Patio sitting here on you Elvira.  Thank you for being our friend.  Daisy told me again how,    compared to a lot of the first days of Spring in here Piñon Hills; yesterday was so warm.                    

                                  THE "UNIVERSE"                                                 OUR "GALAXY"

     

                  Hey God!  As You know, last night after dinner we came back here and looked up at the amazing night sky You made for us.  Daisy and I talked about things I learned yesterday, and the things I'm finding out about today.  Boy!  It's so great to have her to discuss things with.   

                Daisy and Millie saw that tv show about the Universe's "Fundamental" forces.  It said there are three "Known" forces which "Govern" how things in the world we can see operate.  I Mr. Grant says some Scientists say to divide that third force into two different categories. 

           This  Encyclopedia says the forces are "Gravity," "Electro Magnetism;" and "Nuclear."  But nuclear can be studied in two areas, "Weak" and "Strong."  Oh!  Gravity, which effects the motion of things like the Black Holes, Galaxies, Planets and Moons; is the "weakest" force.

       

                 "BLACK HOLE"                          "EARTH"                        THE "UNIVERSE"                                       

               Dais told me the tv show said gravity also effects all of those man made "Satellites" now going around our Planet.  It says here electro magnetism "directs the behavior of light," and also "governs the motion" of an "electron around an atomic nucleus."  Heathcliff just crowed.   

               Well, it looks Dais was right again!  She said the tv show mentioned how light is actually  an "electromagnetic wave moving through space," and the two nuclear categories of the forces are "really complicated and hard to to understand" she says.  Andy's sniffing the air.

           It says here "strong" nuclear is the "most potent" force in the Universe.  But, as Daisy's joked; "it's a good thing there are people like that guy Einstein around because some things are too hard for most of us to understand.   Some think there may be a fifth fundamental force. 

                                                    

                                                                     "FLINDERS"    

                

               Aha!  I knew I was hearing a "Flicker" Bird, and now see "Flinders" sitting on a branch of the Mulberry tree.  Flicker's say "ki, ki,ki" and that morning Miss Susan described it as being the "squeaky" voice of a "rubber duck."  Daisy and I wonder what kind of Duck that is?

               This is so great seeing and hearing Flinders who Dais says is a type of Woodpecker.  Miss Susan says Flickers are "unusual" in being a "migrating" Woodpecker, and when they fly go up and down like a "Roller Coaster."  Mr. Steve named Flinders after that guy Flinders Petrie.  

                 Mr. Dave says there are Flickers over there in New Mexico too.  Yesterday in book one I mentioned how his Hupa tribe up there in Northern California "Revere" Woodpeckers.  Oh!  I just now looked down and noticed a long line of Ants marching bye along on the Patio floor.

        

ANT HILL  

    

            Flicker Birds, who often eat on the ground; have tongues that stick out to eat Bugs and things like that I notice.  Daisy's seen them licking up Ants from the Anthills around here during Summer.  Flinders, who might be a boy; just flew away and is moving to the northeast.

            Miss Susan jokingly called Flickers "Groundpeckers."  She said how Flickers are the only "known" Woodpeckers who "feed" on the ground, and like all other Woodpeckers; often knock on tree trunks in order to communicate with each other.  Wow!  That's so smart to do.

               I've never seen or heard it but Daisy told me some Flicker Birds pound their beaks on metal things and not just wood.  She and Millie saw a Flicker drumming on one of the fifty five pound drums up there in the front yard.  Mr. Dave said New Mexico Flickers do that too.  

       

FLINDERS PETRIE (1853-1942) WITH WIFE HILDA (1871-1957)

     

               Our Flicker Bird, who we don't know whether is a boy or girl; is named after that guy Sir Flinders Petrie.  I mentioned him and his wife yesterday when I wrote about ancient Egypt, and how he and his wife "Hilda" were "Archaeologists."  Hilda was a really good partner.

            My Encyclopedia say Flinders Petrie was an "Egyptologist" who, with a lot of help from his wife; "pioneered" "Systematic Methodology" and "Preservation of Artifacts" in the field of Archaeology.   That lady Hilda knew a lot about "Geology" from what it says right here.

            I guess Flinders Petrie trusted his wife, and knew how capable she was; so even "put her in charge" of running or "overseeing" some of the "Excavations" in Egypt and Palestine.  There she "directed" Workers who all "trusted and highly respected" her.  Heathcliff crowed.    

                                     

WILL (1885-1981) / ARIEL (1898-1981) DURANT   

         

                Daisy heard Flinders Petrie and his wife were sort of like those two Historians Will and Ariel Durant, who for a lifetime worked together as a good team or "Partnership."  In that way they were just like our boss's mom and dad I guess.  They were good parents too Dais says.

            Our boss told his mom, whose interested in Archaeology; Flinders Petrie's wife helped him as a good Artist too.  He showed her some of that lady Hilda's drawings and she says they're good alright.  Over the years she's also drawn some things for Mr. Steve's father to use.

           Mr. Steve read Will Durant "Willed" himself to die when his wife Ariel died.  A sick lady "Bobby" did that when her healthy husband "Bill" shockingly died.  Mr. Steve, who thinks his parents might do that; did their "Eulogies" a month apart.  Two of the Pigeons just flew bye. 

                      

                      GEORGE CLINTON                                      PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH  BISHOP                                                                                                                                                                             

   

               A group of Finches is flying bye and going in a northeast direction.  Thinking of colorful boy Finches like Finley, and writing about those colorful South American Frogs; makes me think of a Musician Daisy told me about.  The scent of Mesquite came floating in to me over here. 

             Dais saw a tv show about a "Funk" band called PARLIAMENT-FUNKADELIC, who were led by a guy named George Clinton.   I guess he and his band wore really, really colorful clothes.  Mr. Mark over in Hawaii knows a lot about many of George Clinton's different songs.

          According to what the tv show said, George Clinton had this Barber Shop in the State of New Jersey but closed it and went to Detroit to write songs and be in music.  Yesterday I wrote about "Motown" which is a company in that city which makes music.  I can smell Creosote.   

   

                                                          SLY AND THE FAMILY STONE

               Daisy says George Clinton's friend was this other Musician named "Sly" who's band from up in San Francisco was the FAMILY STONE.  I guess Mr. Steve used to plays drums along to their song about dancing.   George Clinton and Sly Stone were big in the 1960's and 1970's.

             One time Dais heard Mr. Steve talking to Mr. Mark about PARLIAMENT'S Bassist named "Bootsy" Collins.  As I've mentioned over the last two days, Mr. Mark is a good Musician; and has a one man band called BLUE TURBAN STONE.  I want to hear his songs someday.

         Mr. Mark likes how George Clinton's "P-FUNK" music "combines" or "blended" Funk like James Brown's with the Hard Rock of Jimi Hendrix, LED ZEPPELIN or CREAM.  Some of the Ducks are quacking but as usual Daffy is way louder.  The late morning air is so clear.

                              

      BABY "GROUND  SQUIRRELS"  

                                                      

            Seeing Andy over there sniffing the air makes me look forward to seeing their babies, when they come up out of their burrow.  I can't wait for that day and I know for sure Daisy is looking forward to that too now.  I'm tempted to take my big break but I'd better wait.    

           I just thought of that time Mr. Steve's Nephew's Sammy Jr., Dalton and Austin visited Piñon Hills and used that blow gun to shoot at a "Bale" of Hay set up with a round target on the front.  I'd like to try that too someday.  A small Sparrow carrying a long twig just ran bye.   

            Mr. Eber, the Bookkeeper from "Brazil" who used to work for the company our boss is still working for; once told our boss about the "Pantanal" area of his country.  My Encyclopedia calls a "large wetland."  I can smell Bonnie and Clyde's babies up there in their nest.

    

   SOUTH AMERICA     

                

       Daisy heard Mr. Eber tell our boss in Portuguese "Pantaño" means "big swampy place," and "Cheia" is what Brazilians call the period when rain stops and the Pantanal is full of water.  This one Portuguese Dictionary says "Baias" means "Pond," while "Capões" is "Forest."            

          I notice Portuguese is kind of like Spanish because when the ancient Romans conquered the area which is now Spain and Portugal they brought in Latin.  On a map you can really see how big Brazil is.  I guess Brazil, since the 16th century; was one of Portugal's best colonies.     

         Mr. Eber told Mr. Steve in Portuguese "mud" is called "lodo," or "barro;" and out in the Pantanal there are "many" types of mud.  I just used my Portuguese Dictionary to look up the words "maiadô," "lama" and "brocotó;" which all mean mud too.  I can smell Mesquite.

                         

       "ANACONDA" SNAKE            

                                             

             Oh my God!  A picture shows a Brazilian "Anaconda" Snake, which is as big as a Boa Constrictor or Burmese Python!  Boy!  I'm glad our Snakes are smaller  Oh!  Just as I'm looking at this photo I see a small Garter Snake now crawling underneath Moe the middle Shed. 

         Tomorrow I'll write about Mark Ritter's "Gila Monster," who ended up living with Mr. Steve for a few years.  I'm tempted to do it now but I'll will wait and do it according to schedule.  Andy just picked up that Garter Snake's scent, but knows Garter Snakes are not a threat. 

         Daisy says Mr. Eber told our boss a "Fazenda" is a big Ranch in Brazil.  A "Poacher" who illegally hunts in the Pantanal is a "Coureiro," and people "kill them if they're caught."  Dais told me one time how "Poaching" means to "hunt things illegally without the right license."                                               

     "RIO DE JANEIRO," BRAZIL       

                                

           I guess, from what Dais heard; Mr. Eber at times "misses" Brazil but it's "hard to make money" there.  He at times dreams of  the Pantanal's "skinny Wolves and colorful Birds."  Our boss told him his parents came to California from New Mexico "because of money" too.               

         Wow Lord!  A picture in my Encyclopedia shows a giant statue of You "overlooking" the Brazilian city of "Rio de Janeiro."  Mr. Eber has been there many times and told Mr. Steve how  it has a lot of really poor people who live there.   I smell the baby Cholla cactus over there.           

           Seeing Blackbeard and Anne Bonny go bye makes me remember the time when they were trying to fly against the wind.  They spread their wings out wide, to let the currents carry them    up and backward to another level; where they could then move forward.  Dawn's barking.                                                       

2014 KIA "RIO"  

     

          Dais heard one of our boss "Kia" customers tell him about a small Car called a "Rio.  Kia is one of the South Korean Car companies, and I guess Rio's come "come in a few body styles;"    and run on "either gas of diesel."  I've mentioned how in Spanish "Rio" means "River."               

        Our boss and Mr. Eber talked about Birds Called "Egrets," and how for part of the year you can see them at a San Fernando Valley Lake called "Balboa Park."  I guess they also have      some Egrets down there in Brazil too.  A small flock of Birds is moving toward the north.              

        A white Egret landed in our two acres once, and Daisy and Millie smelled it before it flew away toward the south.  Miss Susan thinks it might've been "on its way" down to Lake Balboa    and rested in Piñon Hills.  It might've seen the water "reflected" in the Bird Bath she says.                         

  "WHITE"  EGRET                                    "MONARCH" BUTTERFLY 

                                                

           The Butterfly just fluttered bye, which makes me think of how Daisy says Butterflies begin life as a worm called a "Caterpillar."  I looked up the word Caterpillar, which makes me happy I have this Dictionary because it's long and hard to spell correctly.  A Train whistled faintly.    

           What's "even more amazing" about Butterflies Daisy says, is how they "live as babies in "containers" called "Cocoons."  Oh!  There goes Max the Hummingbird but, for the second day in a row; Mr. Steve didn't fill up the Hummingbird feeders with that red liquid.  Too bad!

           This is also the second day in a row that Max isn't with his girlfriend 99.  Daisy noticed it too and thinks she's probably way too busy making their Spring nest for their new babies to live in.  Boy!  How great it must be to have some babies to raise and teach a lot of things to.  

        

     MAX THE HUMMINGBIRD

           PHOTO BY TOM GREY            

                    

         I'll bet Max is hungry!  Miss Susan says Hummingbirds feed on flower "Nectar" but also eat Insects.  This Encyclopedia says Hummingbirds and flowers have one of those "Symbiotic," or "mutually beneficial" relationships I've written about.  I love how Hummingbirds look.

         Hummingbirds drink "nectar" from inside a flower, and as they stick their long beaks way inside that "pollen" gets stuck on their bodies.  So, then when they fly over to the next flower; without without even knowing it they "Fertilize" that flower with pollen.  Dawn's barking.  

        Boy!  Dais is so right in thinking how amazing it is that flowers can make some new babies without even touching each other.  Bees or Hummingbirds get their nectar for energy, while the flowers get to create a new generation.  I just now picked up little Blinky's unique scent.

              

                                                    CHARLES DARWIN(1809-1882)

                            

         Miss Susan thinks symbiotic relationships are examples of that guy Charles Darwin's idea of  "Natural Selection."  I guess some flowers have "Evolved" to "Discourage" nectar feeders. Mr. Steve's mom jokes how colorful flowers "could just be nature's form of advertising."

          Seeing Libby walking around slowly over there in her Corral makes me for some reason think of  Darwin's notion about "Survival of the Fittest."  Even though she's old like Daisy and Rosy, Libby has also survived into older age.  Andy's sniffing the air and looking around.

         Daisy and Millie saw this tv show about these two 1930's era Dancers named Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire.  Dais told me she thought of them one time in seeing Max and 99 dancing and playing the way they sometimes do.   A Lizard is doing pushups over there on the wall.   

    

                  DANCING HUMMINGBIRDS                                  GINGER ROGERS / FRED ASTAIRE (1930's)

                A photo of Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire might be a black and white "Print" which has been "Colored" in the way Mr. Steve and Mr. Allen do.  I guess Fred Astaire "revolutionized" or "pioneered" how "musicals" were "filmed."  Boy!  I do kind of like the shoes they wore.   

               Daisy, knowing I like to dance; told me about this tv show where talented dancing couples compete to "Win the Contest."  Hey!  We should start a school to teach Dogs to dance, so maybe we could make money doing something fun.  There are some thin clouds up in the sky.

           One time as he watered the big Mulberry tree up there in the front yard our boss talked with Mr. Randy about "Lenticular" clouds.  A tv show they saw said some think their shape is kind of like a "Flying Saucer."  I smell Bravo Company out there in the back desert. 

              

 "LENTICULAR" CLOUD                                               MR. RANDY                     

PHOTO BY MARTYN BOSWELL AVIF            

         

                   My Encyclopedia says there are three "types" of Lenticular clouds.  Daisy says a lentil is a food in a kind of long shape.  Mr. Randy joked some Lenticular clouds "really do resemble a flying saucer."  Sometimes there are bright colors around the edges of a Lenticular cloud. 

             The tv show mentioned how Lenticular clouds are "stationary," form mostly in what's called the "Troposphere;" and "form in parallel alignment with the wind's direction."  I guess   Airplane Pilots "avoid" them, but Glider Pilots like them.  Boy!  I love to look at clouds. 

          I suddenly just thought of that food called "Fruit" which, even though she's never eaten any as it's not for us Dogs; Dais says is usually sweet.  One time she heard our boss talking with Mr. Ralph about "Pomegranates."  Seeing those clouds is making me feel so good right now.

               

                                                             "POMEGRANATE"    

                                              PHOTO BY RIDVAN ARDA                                                                                                                      PHOTO BY DAVID GOMEZ                                                                                    

              Dais says our boss told Mr. Ralph of a Magazine article by a Jewish girl who wrote about the "Symbolism" of that fruit Pomegranates.  Boy!  I'm lucky to have this Dictionary because it would be hard to spell Pomegranate.  Daisy would definitely like how Pomegranate's are red.

             I guess the Jewish girl wrote how the Pomegranate, "is considered by many cultures and traditions to be a fertility symbol for life and renewal."  Dais heard our boss tell Mr. Ralph his parents have a Pomegranate tree in their backyard in Sylmar.  I smell Andy over there.

           The girl wrote Pomegranates were "taken" to the "Iberian" Peninsula, where Spain and Portugal are; from "Mesopotamia."  Muslims conquered the peninsula in the 8th century.  Mr. Hussein down in Sylmar told Mr. Steve the Prophet Mohammad "loved" Pomegranates.    

                

         HOMER (c. 8TH-7TH CENTURY B.C.)                    KING SOLOMON ( c. 1011-928 B.C.)

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 ENGRAVING BY GUSTAVE DORE

  

             Dais heard our boss tell Mr. Ralph the Magazine article about Pomegranates was written by this girl named Debbie Wohl Isard.  She said Pomegranates were "mentioned" by that Greek Writer Homer, and before that King Solomon too in Israel.  Two of the Pigeons flew bye. 

         Mr. Steve's mom jokes she likes "drinking" Pomegranate juice, but "not removing all of the seeds;" as I guess Pomegranates have a lot of hard seeds in them.  She's good at doing things  like that from what Dais heard.  Now the other two Pigeons are flying over Libby's Corral.           

       In her Magazine article that girl Miss Debbie "compared" Jewish history to a "many-seeded" Pomegranate.  As I've said before, since ancient times Jew have had a few "Diasporas."  My Greek Dictionary says the word "diaspeirô" can mean to "scatter" or "spread around."            

   QUEEN ISABELLA OF "CASTILLE" (1451-1504)

      Miss Debbie's article said that Pomegranates "appears in Christian artworks," and was "invoked as a symbol of Queen Isabella of Spain."  I just now thought of how, after Miss Harriet broke up with him in 1995; Mr. Steve went out with that one girl "Debra."  Dawn's barking.        

        One time our boss and Mr. Hussein at "Coffee & Cream" talked about the North African Muslim Moors conquering the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th century.  Then, for seven hundred      years; the Spanish and Portuguese fought many wars to kick them out.  I smell Blinky.                 

         I've written about how the "Reconquista," or re-conquest of the Iberian Peninsula; ended at the very end of the 15th century or 1400's.  That's when Queen Isabella and her husband King Ferdinand reunited what is now "Spain."  They "Once and for All" evicted the Moors.                               

      "MIDDLE AGES" JEWISH "EXPULSIONS"

                            

          Once Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand "Unified" Spain, they told Jews and Muslims they either had to "Convert" to Christianity or leave; and some people even wanted to kill them Dais heard.  In Portugal it was the same.  A map shows the Jewish European "expulsions."          

           My Dictionary says "Diaspora" means "any movement or migration of people away from an ancestral homeland."  That's the Jews alright!   Assyrians, Babylonians and later the Romans under Titus; forcibly and violently slaughtered and then "removed" Jews from Israel.                   

           I hear the faint sound of a "Chain Saw" being used by someone way out there to my front, on the other side of Primavera Road.  Bravo Company, who must've been underneath one of the Sheds; are now using the gate slots to go out into the back desert.  I can smell them now.               

                                                                         

                                                                         MR. MIKE

              My boss has a few different types of what they call "Hand" saws but when he needs to cut a tree or something big he hires Mr. Mike to come over and use his chain saw.  I like when that happens because then we can listen to them talk.  At first I was afraid of loud chain saws. 

              One morning, as they loaded Rex the Truck with things to take to the Dump; my boss told Mr. Mike about a Shark that lived millions of years ago at the time of the Dinosaurs.   It's called a "Buzz Saw" Shark because of it's teeth.  Benjamin the Cow Bird just ran bye right now. 

               Wow!  A painting in my Encyclopedia shows a Buzz Saw Shark.  So now I get why my boss told Mr. Mike the lower jaw was a "circular saw blade" to cut through "hard things" like Turtle Shells.  Mr. Steve was told one time how some Scientists think it may not have been a Shark. 

  

                                                             "BUZZ SAW" SHARK

ARTWORK BY RAY TROLL

             The Buzz Saw Shark's scientific name is "Helicoprion" and the caption under the picture says they lived about 290 million years ago in the "Permian" period.  They grew to be forty feet long.  I've mentioned how most Dinosaurs went "Extinct" about 65 million years ago. 

         Buzz Saw Shark's "spiral-toothed" lower jaws are  described here as a "cluster of teeth" called "Tooth Whorls" I guess.  Glancing to my right I can see good old Libby walking slowly around over there in her Corral.  Oh no!  I just now noticed her tail swatting away a Fly!

         Boy!  I wish Molly the Mule was still alive, even though there were more Flies when she was alive.  I just thought of that couple from Barstow, who knew about Donkeys; who came over to out house that time.  We heard them tell our boss about all of those "abandoned" Donkeys.

  

"CALIFORNIA DESERT" DONKEYS

     

              I remember that lady from Barstow saying some people don't like "wild" Donkeys.  They "compete" for the same exact food Bighorn Sheep, Kangaroo Rats and some Lizards need too in order to survive.  Molly had a Donkey father, and a Horse mother.  I smell Libby over there.

            As I mentioned in my first book, Donkeys "Originated" in North Africa but were taken up to Europe.  This one Encyclopedia says since the 16th century, when the Spanish brought the  "Burros" here; they've been doing "arduous labor" in the New World.  Heathcliff crowed.  

           That lady told Mr. Steve some "evil" people kill wild Donkeys, but don't even shoot them "intending to end their lives quickly."   They "purposely only wound" the Donkey so it will have pain as it "dies slowly."  Dais and I both think they should punish any people who do that.  

                  

                                                           19TH CENTURY GOLD "PROSPECTOR" WITH DONKEY

                                                                                                                                    PAINTING BY ALFREDO RODRIGUEZ

                   

          A painting in my Encyclopedia shows a Gold Miner who came to California in 1849 and he has a friendly-looking Donkey with him.  The caption below describes Donkey's as "hardy" and "loyal," but in the 1920's; Cars and Trucks made them "obsolete."  A Crow just cawed.

          I guess, people "ditched" the Donkeys to "fend for themselves or die;" but they "surprised everyone and survived" the lady's husband said.  In fact" they even "multiplied like Rabbits" he joked.  On that one morning I remember Miss Susan saying "Donkeys built America."  

         The couple from Barstow noticed our graveyard, he saying "billions of people and animals have died and no one will ever know they existed so at least your dogs have marked graves."  I hope to be buried in that graveyard and so does Daisy too.   Frida and Diego went flying bye.

                    

             OUR GRAVEYARD                         "MOLLY" ("LIBBY" IN BACKGROUND)

         

              Daisy, like the man from Barstow; also thinks Millie, Blackie and Lucy are lucky to have marked graves.  And, if we're lucky she says; we'll be buried in our little graveyard too.  You can tell our boss misses Molly the Mule, and Dais and I really miss her totally unique scent too.   

            I remember that night when Molly was kicking the fence at the back of the Corral along Primavera Road, sending out a message to that Mountain Lion walking back there.  I sure wish we could smell Molly just one more time.  I smell Bravo Company out there in the desert.

               All of a sudden I just thought of that really good song about the sleeping African Lion by that singing band the TOKENS.  I heard it that one time but look forward to someday hearing it on our boss's Stereo in his bedroom.  A little Sparrow with a twig in its mouth just ran bye.

  

                    SOLOMON LINDA                     LION FAMILY                         THE TOKENS

     

                I've only heard a few songs but so far one I really like is the TOKENS' "The Lion Sleeps Tonight."   Over the years Mr. Steve has played it for people just to see their reaction.  Most of the time they're always very surprised by the creative singing patterns in it Daisy told me.

            As I wrote yesterday, The Lion Sleeps Tonight was originally an African Folk song written by that guy Solomon Linda, but in the early 1960's the TOKENS "Americanized" it.  Boy!  Too bad Solomon Linda died poor, never knowing his his song was a success.  Dawn's barking.

            Daisy says our boss played The Lion Sleeps Tonight loud for Jason, who noticed how the TOKENS "used their voices as musical instruments."  I really like that one girl who's singing in certain parts of the song.  Mr. Dave joked the harmonies on that song are like the BEE GEES.     

                                                                    MID MORNING SKY                       

              

               Hey God!   I feel so good right now in feeling the Sun's warmth coming down here to me sitting on Elvira.  It makes me think of how lucky the three of us are living in Piñon Hills, with a home and enough food and water.  Andy's over there sniffing the air in protecting the burrow.

           That one couple from Barstow, in addition to knowing a lot about Donkeys and things like that, seemed to have studied Mountain Lions too.  The lady also said how her daughter wants to someday be one of those "Veterinarians" I've mentioned before.   Andy's looking at me.     

          Oh!  Mentioning that couple makes me remember how this morning, when I wrote about those guys Simon Rodia and Ed Leedskainin; I forgot to write about Elmer Long.  He lives out in the desert up there north of us between Barstow and Las Vegas.  I smell some Creosote.

                

ELMER LONG ("BOTTLE RANCH")     

        

           Mr. Randy visited "Bottle Ranch," which was built by that man Elmer Long; who lives in the desert with his wife of forty years.  Mr. Elmer, all by himself over many years; made metal      sculptures and used colored bottles to decorate his two acres.  We live on two acres too.                 

          Daisy heard Mr. Elmer also used things like his mom's old mirrors, rifles mounted up on metal poles; to make art.  You could tell Mr. Randy was really impressed by the Bottle Ranch.  I  guess the words "eclectic" and "idiosyncratic" have been used to describe Elmer Long.                

        From what Mr. Randy said, Mr. Elmer worked at this "Cement Plant" near his property, and was able pay for three sons to go to College.  Now it's just he and his wife "Linda" who live  out there on his land.  There are some puffy clouds up there in the beautiful high blue sky.                     

ED LEESKAININ                                               SIMON RODIA      

  (1886-1951)                                                                                   (c.1879-1965)    

   

         Boy!  Mr. Elmer sounds a lot like those other guys Ed Leeskainin who built the "Coral Castle" in Florida, and Simon Rodia who spent all those years constructing his "Watts Towers"  in Los Angeles near where Mr. Chris grew up.  Dawn's barking.  I smell Blinky next to her.          

       Mr. Steve told his mom about Elmer Long, and she totally understands his "impulse to create" saying; "At least he's not lazy." Mr. Randy said he "doesn't care" a lot about money and believes in that idea I've written about "Art for art's Sake."  Andy has such a unique scent.          

          Hey God!  I guess that guy Mr. Elmer's wife says her husband used to be "easy to anger," with a "bad temper;" but now "channels his aggression" into his art.  Mr. Steve's mom liked it    when she was told about Elmer Long and thinks he was smart to do that.  I really agree!               

                     

                  "SERGEANT PEPPER"                                  HITLER ALMOST ON ALBUM COVER     

    

           I just thought of that one BEATLES album which shows them in front of a "Collage" of people, one being that guy Simon Rodia; who built those Watts Towers.  I mentioned earlier how originally an image of Adolph Hitler was intended to be in the collage.  A Train just whistled.       

      One time our boss told Mr. Chris, who grew up in "South Central" L.A. and got us our blankets; Elmer Long sounds more like Simon Rodia than than Ed Leeskainin.  Mr. Randy said  there's "no charge" for going through the Bottle Ranch.  I smell the baby Cholla cactus.               

          According to what Mr. Randy said that time, Mr. Elmer was in the "Marines" just like Mr. Steve's father.  Hey Lord!  I guess he and his wife help the poor like You said to do.  It would be    really great to maybe someday go visit their Bottle Ranch and see how it smells and looks.                                            

                                                                                      "ROUTE 66" HIGHWAY

     

                  Mr. Randy noticed Mr. Elmer knows about the history of that Highway "Route 66" I've written about.  He told an older  lady visiting his Bottle Ranch a few things about it.   Theodora just now ran around the northeast corner of the house to my left at the far end of the Patio.   

            Theodora knows Mr. Steve puts out food and water for the Birds, Squirrels and Rabbits who live here.  I mentioned yesterday how at first he hung the Hummingbird feeders outside his office window in the front of the house.  I think I can smell a new Spring Marigold plant. 

           Male Hummingbirds like Max , though small; can be aggressive and will fight way bigger Birds.  But Mr. Steve moved their glass feeders back here to the Patio "eliminates that problem" Mr. Steve told his mom.  Having them here is great because Daisy and I like Hummingbirds.  

            

VIEW FROM MR. STEVE'S OFFICE WINDOW     

                

             I'm thinking about the area in front of Mr. Steve's office window.  Two Feeders are filled with Bird seed are hanging from a dead tree, while seeds mixed with "Chicken "Scratch" for the Quail is spread on the ground.   Our boss also fills up the cement Bird Bath with water too.    

             Fannie and Freddie, with what looks from down here like a dead Gopher hanging from Freddie's mouth; are flying over top of the house going west.  They had been out in the eastern desert behind the Sheds.  Taking in full breaths of fresh air through both nostrils is so great!

             Crows sometimes land on the Bird Bath up there in the front yard.  They're smart and Daisy and I have both seen them dip or soak Mice, Gophers or Lizards in the water; to make it easier to eat or shred into smaller pieces.  A Car or Truck went bye on on Primavera Road.

      

DEVO 

 

                 Oh!  The wind just blew a tiny tumbleweed rolling bye and for some reason that suddenly makes me think of DEVO'S good song about the snowball.  I've mentioned a few times in these first two books about how DEVO are originally from the Sate of "Ohio."  Heathcliff crowed.

            The dust raised by that Car or Truck out there on the dirt road is still lingering over the desert behind the Sheds.  For some reason that reminds me of another time when we saw dust floating back there.  Ah!  What a coincidence that now I'm also hearing a Train whistle too.        

            What the heck!  Seeing the rolling tumbleweed going bye makes me think of that one old 1950's Blues song called "Rollin' Stone."  I'm actually not really scheduled to write about it until tomorrow in my third book but, I just suddenly sort of feel like mentioning it now as well.

                        

                                                       MUDDY WATERS( 1915-1983)   

            

                I've mentioned a few times how Dais and Millie saw that good tv show about the history of Blues music.   This Encyclopedia has a picture of that man Muddy Waters who, the caption says; is the one who did that song about the rolling stone.  I really do like the hat he used to wear.

          From what Dais saw on the tv show, and says here too; Muddy Waters was originally from the State of "Mississippi."  But he's now "known" for, or "associated with;" electric Blues music made up in the city of Chicago.   Theodora went running bye with a big Bug in her mouth.

          In the picture Muddy Waters looks like a really friendly person.  The caption says he, who influenced so many himself; was "influenced" by that guy Sun House who I mentioned before.  The guys in the ROLLING STONES obviously really liked the music he made in the 1950's. 

  

                 ROLLING STONES                                                              BOB DYLAN

    

                  It's interesting how the ROLLING STONES were named after Muddy Waters' song.  And, during the same early 1960's period, that guy Bob Dylan wrote a good song called "Like a Rolling Stone."  Donald and Daisy are quacking over there, which makes me feel good.

             Daisy heard Mr. Steve and him mom remembering how, as a nine year old kid; he for some reason memorized the lyrics to Bob Dylan's song Like a Rolling Stone.  As a kid she was able to memorized Longfellow's poem "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere."  I smell Sage.

            One time our boss recited for his Aunt "Nellie" in New Mexico the Bob Dylan lyrics, as his song played on the Radio; which impressed her that he had taken the time to do that.  Oh!  I wonder if I could memorize The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere?  It would impress our boss.    

  

                                                   MR. RALPH                                      MR. RALPH / SON RORY

      

             Daisy says one time she and Millie heard our boss talking on the phone with Mr. Ralph about him memorizing the lyrics to Bob Dylan's song Like a Rolling Stone.  Mr. Ralph thought that was kind of funny and said he did things like that as a kid too.   Heathcliff crowed.

           Ugh!  I just thought of that time when the wind blew in that really big tumbleweed.  Dais thought it was so funny when it seemed to be chasing me as I frantically tried to escape from it, it running as fast as I could.  It even seemed to change direction with me as I sprinted along.

           Boy!  It's a good thing I'm such a fast runner, because I was finally able to outrun that big tumbleweed; and I'm good at dodging things too.   I easily get away from Daisy when she tries to herd me into corners.  She said there's a dirt road named "Tumbleweed" near "Victorville." 

    

                                                                  "TUMBLEWEED"   

             

               Thinking about how really cold the winds were sometimes this Winter makes me suddenly shiver.  As I've said a few times already in these first two books, at times it snows  around here and the freezing cold wind comes down off of those San Gabriel mountains.  I smell Sage. 

                Daisy and I feel sorry for that homeless man Mr. Mark and his Yorkie Dog Karman when it's really cold or hot around here.  But Mr. Steve told his mom on the phone one time how Mr. Mark's skin looks like leather.  Mr. Steve's mom used the word "survivor" to describe him.

              A man at the Sylmar Library told our boss he thinks Muddy Waters' old song about the rolling stone might be about one of those homeless "Drifters."  Boy!  I don't think I'd like to be a drifter.  Mr. Steve's mom's Uncle James was a "Hobo" during the 1930's Great Depression. 

        

                                                                                            MR. MARK / KARMA  

   

                  I've mentioned how Mr. Mark sometimes sings while listening to that small "Transistor" Radio.  Some think him crazy but once you get to know him you realize he's pretty smart from what Dais heard.  Even girls at the "Stater Brothers" store like him and little Karma too.

                 Daisy heard our boss tell his dad about Mark and Karma.   His father says when he and his brothers and sisters were growing up in back there in "Jarales" there was this short, stocky little man named Severito Padilla.  Frida and Diego the Bluebirds just went flying bye.

           "Severito" walked around Jarales but, in his case; he had a few Dogs instead of just one like Mr. Mark's Karma.  And those Dogs followed him around wherever he went.  Because he'd been very sick as a baby, people thought Severito had some "Mental Problems" Dais says.  

             

                                                                                "JARALES" (NEW MEXICO)

PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

   

                  I guess, because everyone in Jarales knew Severito, they were more tolerant when he did unusual things like saying, "Lo mas yo y tu savenos."  That means "Only you and I know."  He and all his Dogs at times would even walk into people's houses or the Church during Mass.

                 Mr. Steve's father laughs when he remembers that guy Severito.  I've mentioned how, in Spanish if you say "ito" or "ita" at the end of a word or name; that means "small."  But Daisy says, even though he was small, Mr. Steve's dad says Mr. Severito was "very, very strong."

           Hey!  In some ways that guy Severito is a good example of "Comedy and Tragedy" being "Interrelated."  And, he was sort of like that ancient Greek Philosopher "Diogenes" who was a homeless "Cynic" in the City-State of "Athens."  And Dogs followed him all around too.

       

                                                                                  DIOGENES (c.412-323 B.C.)

PAINTING BY JEAN-LEON GEROME                                                                                                    PAINTING BY THOMAS CHRISTIAN WINK 

     

                Diogenes and his Dogs lived in this big clay pot in Athens, according to the tv show Daisy saw.  My Encyclopedia says he "criticized the cultural social values and institutions" of Athens so was later "made a slave and exiled to Corinth."  I smell Blinky standing next to Dawn.

               The tv show said one time Alexander the Great wanted to meet Diogenes, and asked him if there was anything he could do for him.  Diogenes said, "Yes, stand out of my Sun."  Daisy says that means he told a powerful King to "get out of the way of the sunlight he was blocking."

           I guess Alexander the Great wasn't mad at Diogenes but, that other guy Plato was when his lectures were interrupted by Diogenes.  It says here in Corinth Diogenes' teachings, through his Student named "Crates;" ended up later becoming "Stoicism."   Little Blinky's brave!

  

ALICE IN CHAINS

 

                 Daisy saw a Video by a 1990's "Grunge" Rock band ALICE INCHAINS about a man who lived in a box.  She thinks the song might be about a homeless person and the band's name could come from that girl Alice in Wonderland.  Flinders the Flicker Bird just flew bye.

            Mr. Steve has only heard that one song by ALICE IN CHAINS, but likes the singing and grinding music at the beginning.  He and Mr. Rich talked on the phone about how one of those "Talk Boxes" I wrote about yesterday is used.  The Video looks like "Sepia" tones he says.

            I guess, down in San Fernando and Sylmar; there's a guy named "John" who's like that guy Severito in New Mexico.  My boss told Mr. Dave about some of the funny things he's done over the years.  The community is also more patient with him because he's "a little slow." 

      

                   MACLAY BOULEVARD        SAN FERNANDO              ELKS LODGE                          

              People in San Fernando have "Contrived" jobs for that guy Mr. John to do.  Given a nice badge, he was the "Security" at the "Elk's Lodge;" where Ritchie Valens played.   Our boss told Miss Babette if a Southern lady says "Bless his Heart;" that means you're not very smart.

          Mr. John also wore his badge as Security at the "Knights of Columbus, so when Mr. Steve worked on "Bingo" nights he was "On Duty."  John demanded to "Escort" each old lady, like Grandma Trujillo; from their Car and into the hall.  He got upset if someone else did it.

         One time John caught a kid stealing a pencil from a store owned by Mr. Steve's father's best friend Bill Garcia.  I mentioned how Bill Garcia's funeral was at "Santa Rosa" church in in San Fernando, on he same day O..J. Simpson was "Acquited of Murder."  Heathcliff crowed.  

       

     MIKE ANTONOVICH / MR. STEVE'S FATHER (1985)

PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA

              The L.A. "Supervisor" Mike Antonovich, who Mr. Garcia had worked for; said his main "Eulogy" at Santa Rosa.  That was 1995, and when Mr. Steve and hid dad walked into the house his mom told them about the O.J. Simpson verdict.  Mr. Steve's father misses Mr. Garcia.

             Mike Antonovich was was also the person who helped appoint Mr. Steve's father as the L.A. "Grand Jury Foreman in 1985.  Later, all that controversy happened because Mr. Steve's father recommended they reopen the Marilyn Monroe case.  Donald and Daisy are quacking.

             When that guy John caught the kid stealing Mr. Garcia patted him on the back and told him, "Good job John, so now I want you to get a rope and we'll give you the honor of hanging him."  John turned white and almost fainted.  But then Mr. Garcia said he was kidding.     

                         

                                                                                     NEW MEXICO "RETABLOS"

ARTWORK BY CATHERINE ROBLES SHAW

   

                   Ah!  I smell Rosemary Blessed Mother, and that makes me think about how back there in New Mexico; some Artists make things called "Retablos."  Daisy heard our boss and Mr. Dave talk about them on the phone.  I guess Retablos usually have Christian themes and images.

                My Encyclopedia says a Retablo is a "form of religious expression" where the Artist first "carves" an image on wood and then paints it.  Oh!  That sounds like it would be so much fun to do!  Speedy Gonzalez just whizzed bye in front of the three Sheds so now only dust is left.   

                Since 1598, when the Spanish showed up; traditions were brought to New Mexico and one was called "Devotional" art which is what Retablos are.   Mr. Steve's mom said some make them sculptures out of "Tin."  Blessed Virgin, I have a feeling many Retablos were made for You.

                                   

                              JIMI HENDRIX                                           ROBIN TROWER

                                                              PHOTO BY HENRY DILTZ

  

                  I just thought of the big picture of Jimi Hendrix at "Woodstock."  It was given to Mr. Steve by his Niece Stephanie's boyfriend Mr. Rich, and was "Framed and Matted" by that man Mr. Oimette; who until he died lived in Wrightwood.  It's hanging in our boss's bedroom.

                 Dais says one time she heard Mr. Steve tell Mr. Dave he thinks, if Jimi Hendrix had not died in 1970; he "might've" eventually gone back to playing Hard Rock in the style of that one  English Guitarist Robin Trower.   Hearing Libby whinny is making me feel good right now.

             From what Daisy told me when we were putting together my long outlines, our boss has Robin Trower's 1974 album "Bridge of Sighs."  He and Mr. Dave have both at times tried to play the songs on that album.  Daisy says she and Millie liked their good song about an Eagle.  

         

                     PROCOL HARUM                                            MR. PHILLIP                              

         

             Daisy heard Mr. Phillip one time he liked PROCOL HARUM, the band Robin Trower was in for a while, before he had his own band.  Our boss has their album about a Dog made of salt Dais told me.  Fannie and Freddie, talking to each other; are flying bye moving to the east.

         From what Daisy heard Mr. Phillip say, PROCOL HARUM "don't sound anything like" what Robin Trower did on Bridge of Sighs.  I guess, they once played their songs with this big Classical Music Orchestra.  Their song about a Spanish Conquistador is good Dais says.

             Mr. Mark in Hawaii likes Bridge of Sighs, especially the Jimi Hendrix influence.  When it came out Mr. Steve was going to Valley Junior College, Miss Sandy in the 11th Grade at Sylmar High.  Daisy told me on Bridge of Sighs there's a good song called "Too Rolling Stoned."  

                                    

                          "VENICE," ITALY                             SAMANTHA / MISS PEGGY                                       

                            

                Through her school where Miss Peggy was the Principal, Mr. Steve's Niece Samantha went to the Italian city of "Venice."  Daisy one time heard she and our boss talk on the phone about Robin Trower's album Bridge of Sighs.  Mr. Steve took Miss Peggy to her Prom.  

                 Looking at pictures of Venice, which began in the 6th century A.D. when people were hiding from that guy Attila's Huns; I see what Dais meant.  It's a unique city in not having roads but only "Canals" with Boats on them.  Samson and Delilah are flying over Libby's Corral.    

             Dais told me, to get around in Venice; you hire guys to row you in "Gondola" Boats.  A few years ago a lady, who bought and sold some things from him; told our boss there are now girl Gondola drivers too.  She said, in order to do that job; you have to have "strong arms."  

           

                                                           "PONTE DEI SOSPIRI"

                                                                 ("BRIDGE OF SIGHS")

       

                  Mr. Steve and Samantha talked about Robin Trower's album, which is named for a bridge in Venice.  Daisy was right, and I see from the picture; the Bridge of Sighs is more of an "elevated enclosed arched hallway."  It goes across from one side of the canal to the other.

                  It says here that 19th century English Writer Lord Byron gave the bridge in Italy it's name, the "Ponte dei Sospiri" in Italian.  Mr. Ralph read the bridge connected jails, and all the prisoners could see outside as they were marched across the canal below.  Heathcliff crowed.

               At the time she went to Venice I guess Samantha didn't know about the Bridge of Sighs and doesn't remember her group seeing it.  Daisy heard her boyfriend Mr. Rick also likes that Robin Trower album.  There are some long thin clouds way up there in the high blue sky. 

                                                                                                                                                             ROXY MUSIC                                                             MARILLION                                                                                                                                            PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA 

                                                                              

               Mr. Steve told Samantha that band ROXY MUSIC, and this other English band called MARILLION who he and Harriet once saw; "referred" to the Bridge of Sighs in songs.  I just thought of how ROXY MUSIC'S song "Virginia Plain" is kind of like my theme song.

               I guess one time Mr. Steve was told by an older lady from Italy how young married couples often kiss under the Bridge of Sighs for good luck.  And that's kind of "Ironic" because all those prisoners in Venice had to go across it all the time.   Benjamin the Cow Bird just flew bye.

               As I've mentioned before, in the 1980's and early 1990's; Mr. Steve made extra money as a Photographer and his brother Rock in Texas does that now.  So they've worked at weddings and things like that.  Some couples come here to take pictures on those "Mormon Rocks."

                   

                     RODERICK "ROCKY" CÓRDOVA                         ROCK / JUDY 

                  When Mr. Steve and his brother Rock in Texas used to work together he did the "Still" photography while his brother Rock "Videotaped" the events.  That guy Mr. Vic sometimes also videotaped things our boss took pictures of.  I can smell the baby Cholla cactus over there.   

            Daisy says at times our boss and his brother worked separately and one time a customer "Sued" Mr. Steve's brother.  So they went onto that tv show "People's Court."   Mr. Steve sister Susan in Connecticut once won a case on the People's Court.  A Train whistled faintly.

          Mr. Steve's brother was the "Defendant" on People's Court, while his sister was what they call the "Plaintiff;" so was the one doing the suing.  Both "easily" won their cases because they were "organized and prepared" our boss believes.  Well, it's back to the name "Rolling Stone."

                                                    

                                                   "ROLLING STONE" MAGAZINE

  

              Boy!  I guess Muddy Water's song was so popular that, in the 1960's; they even named this Magazine after it.  Daisy told me our boss still has a few past issues, or "Editions;" of "Rolling Stone" Magazine.  Two Crows are really yelling at each other, maybe fighting over a girl.  

              Oh!  I just thought of something.  Instead of waiting until tomorrow in my third book to write about a Writer named Hunter S. Thompson, I can do it now.  I guess he's partially famous for some of the things he wrote for Rolling Stone Magazine.  Ah!  The air's clear right now!

              Daisy heard our boss tell his friend Rick on the phone one time about that Writer Hunter Thompson, and how his style is now called "Gonzo" journalism.  But I guess, according to what Mr. Steve heard; Hunter Thompson "partied" way too much.  Leo and Cleo flew bye.

         

        HUNTER S. THOMPSON (1937-2005)                              "DIRTY HARRY"

                  PHOTO BY MICHAEL OCHS                                                                                                                                                                                                  

     

            I guess Hunter Thompson was in the U.S. Air Force for a while.  This picture shows him aiming one of those big .44 caliber "Magnum" handguns just like the one Clint Eastwood used in the movie I mentioned in book one.  The caption says that gun is one of those "Revolvers."

           Dais heard our boss tell Mr. Rick how a character in the "Doonesbury" comics was based on Hunter Thompson, and a movie was even made about him too.  Boy!  It would be so great to actually have a movie made about you.  Frida and Diego are flying bye going to the north.

           My Latin Dictionary says the word "magnum" means "great," so Daisy was right when she guessed it really just means big in size.  The caption below the Hunter Thompson photo says his handgun is a "Model 29" six shot "Smith and Wesson." It's "Barrel" is eight inches long. 

20214 CASE "IH MAGNUM" 200  (340 MFWD) TRACTOR 

                 Daisy says one of our boss's customers told him how there have been a lot of Cars called "Magnum."  A company from Wisconsin now builds "Tractors" with that name, as has Dodge and Chrysler too in the past.  A Train just whistled faintly way out there in the desert.

             Chevrolet, and European companies like Renault have vehicles called Magnum, and the Parts Manager said the Japanese company Mitsubishi used that name.  Dais says our neighbor has a gun just like the one Clint Eastwood and Hunter Thompson used.  I smell Sage. 

            Oh!  My Encyclopedia says in 1965 that guy Carey McWilliams, who I mentioned in book one; hired Hunter Thompson to write an article about that Motorcycle club the "Hells Angels."  Mr. Steve read it.  In 1965 our boss was ten years old and in 5th Grade at St. Ferdinand's.

s_angels.jpg” style=”width: 360px; height: 325px;” />             

                          "HELLS ANGELS"                                                 GRATEFUL DEAD

          

                   It says here in 1965 that guy Carey McWilliams, who himself was a good Writer too; was the "Editor" of a Magazine called the "Nation."  This is interesting.  In 1965 Hunter Thompson, while in San Francisco; lived near that one Hippie band called the GRATEFUL DEAD.   

             I guess, in 1967 Hunter Thompson wrote an actual book about the Hells Angels and Mr. Steve read it too.  I'll bet he did such a good job on the Magazine article someone then hired him to do a longer book.  The scent of the two Twin Joshua's just came blowing in on a breeze.

          Oh!  This is a good place to talk about a 1930's Oklahoma Policeman "Jelly" Bryce.  I was supposed to write about him yesterday.  Dais says a tv show called him a "quick shot," or "fast draw."  That just means he could pull his handgun out and shoot it really really fast.   

                                               

JACOB ALDOLPHUS BRYCE (1906-1974)     

              

                  My Encyclopedia shows Jelly Bryce, who was famous for using a handgun; holding one of those "Thompson" machine guns.  I guess in those days a man who "dressed well" was called a "Jelly Bean."  Theodora just flew bye right now and is now going out into the back desert.

            Before dying; a criminal said to Jelly Bryce "I can't believe a Jelly Bean killed me."  Jelly Bryce was like Annie Oakley who shot coins out of the air, and like Wild Bill Hickock believed in that one old saying, "He who shoots first shoots last."  I wonder what a Jelly Bean is? 

            All of a sudden I just thought about those scary "Tornado's."  In Oklahoma, where that guy Jelly Bryce was from; they have huge ones from what Daisy's heard.  Back in Texas, where Mr. Steve's brother Rock lives with Rocky Jr. and Jacob live; they have big tornado's too.    

                 

OKLAHOMA "TORNADO" (1898)

      

                I'm looking at that one "Composite" picture I wrote about in book one.  It's actually two photos combined into one, the way people do now by using computers.  The photo was made two years before the 20th century started, and the caption says it shows a tornado in Oklahoma.

           My Encyclopedia says most tornado's happen to the east of the "Rocky" mountains but, if "circumstances are right;" can happen anywhere.  The three States where most tornado's occur are Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas.  The tornado in the "Wizard of Oz" happened in Kansas. 

           Dais one time heard a kid, who wants to be a "Meteorologist;" explain to our boss what tornado's are.  He said, "If inside of a storm horizontal wind runs into a strong vertical updraft, it gets pushed upward into a spinning current of air."  Two of the Pigeons are flying bye.

        

TORNADO DAMAGE

(OKLAHOMA / 2013)

PHOTO BY GENE BLEVINS

                 According to what Daisy heard that one kid say, "Once the updraft starts pushing the horizontal wind upward, it funnels that wind into a fast rotating cylinder.  That cylinder starts to narrow, gets stretched out; and starts going faster and faster."  Frida and Diego flew bye.

            Last May Daisy one time watched the News with Mr. Steve, and it showed the damage a really powerful tornado did in Oklahoma.  Buildings were knocked down, Cars thrown around like they were really light; and even piled up on each other.  I can smell Andy over there.  

            I just thought of that tv show Daisy and Millie saw about the Dancers in "Turkey" called "Whirling Dervishes"  The spin around like a tornado in their dancing and it's totally amazing Daisy thinks.  Hey God!  Maybe part of it is they're trying to connect with You up there.

                                                                                                                           

                                        RUMI (1207-1273)                                  "WHIRLING DERVISHES"    

       PAINTING DEAGOSTINI                                                                                                 PHOTO BY GURCAN OZTURK      

        

                I'm not really scheduled to write about those spinning Dancers right now but, I just feel like mentioning them.  Miss Babette's father told Mr. Steve's parents about them one time when they met at "Yum Yum's" donut shop in Sylmar.  He seemed to be very impressed by them.  

          My Encyclopedia says that Islam "Sufi" Poet "Rumi," who I mentioned yesterday in book one; liked those Whirling Dervish Dancers.  Daisy told me they wear a round "Skirt" like a girl would wear, so when they get going dancing it really looks good.  Andy's looking at me.

          The man on the tv show said those Dancers begin slowly like that GENESIS song "Musical Box."  They spin in a "Counter Clockwise" direction and gradually, also like in Musical Box; gain momentum and then amaze you.  Mr. Steve says he would get too "dizzy" doing it.  

           

 "HAGIA SOPHIA" (ISTANBUL / FOERMERLY "CONSTANTINOPLE"))       

          

            Dais says the tv show mentioned how, some of those Whirling Dervish Dancers are in that  Turkish city of "Istanbul;" where the "Hagia Sophia" is located.  Hey God!  Mr. Steve's father thinks dancing that way is probably kind of like a "meditation" or "prayer."  I smell Sage.

           Hey Lord!  As You know, Miss Babette's family is "Greek Orthodox" Christian; and Miss Babette's father noticed how during Whirling dance they recite that book the "Quran."  Robert Trujillo of METALLICA can spin around with his bass like a Whirling Dervish Dais say.

          Mr. Steve's father thinks those Whirling Dervish Dancers probably get "mesmerized" or "hypnotized" when they spin around fast.  Each dance lasts about ten minutes from what Miss Babette's father said.  That band SYSTEM OF A DOWN have albums with those titles. 

      

WHIRLING DERVISHES

      

              Mr. Dave says one of his old Motorcycle Shop customers in "New Jersey" told him about a band from there called the WHIRLING DERVISHES.  They came out in the 1980's he said, and used the word "alternative" to describe them.   I see an extending vapor trail up in the sky.

         Our boss told Mr. Rich down there in Sylmar Mr. Dave's customer said that WHIRLING DERVISHES were kind of "dark pop."  Mr. Rich is also from New Jersey and played guitar in that band DRAGPIPE.  The WHIRLING DERVISHES liked ROXY MUSIC Daisy heard.  

           Later this afternoon Daisy has me scheduled to find out about things that live in water.  A Shark on my outline is called a "Spinner" and Daisy says one of Mr. Steve's customers in Florida talked with him about them.  Oh well!  I might as well write about Spinner Sharks now. 

    

                                    "SPINNER" SHARK                                 "GREAT WHITE" SHARK

     

                 Mr. Steve and that one Parts Manager back there in Florida talked about how all those Spinner Sharks swim through a school of Fish.  Then, they suddenly go upward and bite a Fish as they jump or spin out of the water.  All four of the Pigeons are flying toward the east.

            My Encyclopedia says Spinner Sharks, one of the "Requiem" Sharks; can grow to be ten feet long.  They're fast swimmers I guess, who generally prefer "shallow warm tropical" water; and will eat almost anything.  Libby's scent just came floating in from over in her Corral.

           One time our boss and Mr. Dave talked about Sharks who leap or jump out of the water. Using that technique as part of a "Feeding Strategy" might just be another example of Charles Darwin's idea about "Evolution" through "Natural Selection."  That's what our boss thinks. 

                               

"BLACK TIP REEF"SHARK       

            

                Daisy says she and Millie heard our boss talking to Mr. Mark about how Spinner Sharks look like bigger versions of "Black Tip" reef Sharks in Hawaii.  But Mr. Steve told him, Spinner Shark's "Dorsal" fin is "shaped differently" and "set further back."  Dawn's barking.

           This Encyclopedia says what our boss told Mr. Mark, how "generally" Spinner Sharks are not a "threat to people."  Their teeth have "evolved to grasp slippery Fish" and not so much for powerful biting.  Bravo Company is now going bye out there in the field behind the Sheds. 

               Out there on Primavera Road a Motorcycle just zoomed bye.   I heard it coming from far away and now the sound is starting to fade, but I can see the cloud of dust it left floating up into the air.  Boy!  How was anyone even able to invent such an amazing thing like a Motorcycle? 

                                         

                                               DAVIE ALLAN AND THE ARROWS  

                  

               I'll write more about that Hell's Angels Motorcycle group tomorrow.  I guess, from what Dais told me; our boss likes the "Fuzz" guitar music by a band called DAVIE ALLEN AND THE ARROWS.  They played the "Soundtrack" music for some of the 1960's "Biker" movies. 

           When those Biker movies came out, as they did with "2001 A Space Odyssey;" Mr. Steve  and his friends snuck in to see them.  Had their parents known they were seeing an "R" rated, or "Restricted" movie; they would not have liked it at all.  Samson and Delilah flew bye.

               Daisy says Hunter Thompson, like Van Gogh and Hitler; killed himself with a hand gun., Ernest Hemingway and NIRVANA'S Kurt Cobaine used shotguns to commit suicide.  Mr. Steve thinks it's "selfish" to kill yourself by "creating a big bloody mess for others to clean up."

                

      FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT(1882-1945)                            HUNTER S. THOMPSON

               

                I notice how, in a picture of that guy Hunter Thompson; he smoked cigarettes at the end of a tube just like President Roosevelt used to do.  Yesterday I wrote how our boss and Miss Sandy smoked, only out of curiosity; for about a month.  Neither one thought it was that great.

              When Mr. Steve told his dad Hunter Thompson may've used that long-barreled .45 caliber magnum to kill himself his response was, "What a mess."  I mentioned yesterday how Mr. Steve has guns in our house, including that "Shotgun."  Smelling Mesquite makes me feel good.

           Mr. Dave heard Hunter Thompson was in the Air Force, and began as a "Sports Writer" but eventually mainly covered "Politics."  Oh!  He was supposed to "cover" that Muhammad Ali versus George Foreman fight over in Africa.  But he was too drunk to even write anything.

                                                            

                                                                                    BRIAN JONES (1942-1969)

        

               Oh!  I just noticed that I forgot to write about how it was Brian Jones who named that one  band the ROLLING STONES.  I missed it on my outline but mentioning Hunter Thompson makes think of Brian Jones.  Andy's over there sniffing the air, and I can now smell him.

          Mr. Rich, who likes the ROLLING STONES; thinks Brian Jones drank and took too many drugs.  Brian Jones named the ROLLING STONES after that Muddy Waters' song.  Toward the end of his life, like Hunter Thompson; he was "unpredictable, erratic and unreliable" too.  

          Brian Jones, who started the ROLLING STONES; later drowned in his swimming pool.  "Negotiating" the ROLLING STONES first concert on the phone, the "Promoter" asked the band's name.  They didn't have one yet so Brian Jones had to "Think Fast" as they say.  

       

                     BRIAN JONES (1942-1969)                             MUDDY WATERS' ALBUM

      

               Dais says, when the Promoter asked the band's name, Brian Jones glanced down and saw this one Muddy Waters' album "Rollin' Stone" so, in the "Spur of the Moment" as they say; the  "ROLLING STONES" were born.  A small Wren carrying a twig in its mouth just ran bye.

              Mr. Rich read Brian Jones was the "original leader" of the ROLLING STONES, being the one who "recruited" the members in 1962.  I guess he was a good Blues Guitarist, especially in using one of those "Slides" I've written about.  Libby's scent just came floating in to me.

          According to what Daisy heard our boss say, Brian Jones not only played guitar and sang on some songs; he also played keyboards, saxophone and harmonica too.  And, he could play the  drums; as well as the Indian sitar which I've mentioned before.  Heathcliff crowed over there.  

  

                                                   JIMI HENDRIX EXPERIENCE

           Someday I'll be able to hear Jimi Hendrix's version of Bob Dylan's song "All Along the Watchtower."  Daisy heard the guy on a tv show say Brian Jones played on the beginning of that song.  Our boss told Mr. Dave his favorite Jimi Hendrix song is "The Wind Cries Mary."

              Over the next two days I'm scheduled to learn more about the ROLLING STONES as well as Jimi Hendrix too.  All of a sudden I just thought about movies with that guy Clint Eastwood in them, which Mr. Steve likes a lot.  I smell Bravo Company out there behind the Sheds.

          I can't wait to someday see a "Western" movie like the ones Daisy's told me about.  In my third book she has me scheduled to learn a lot more about them but, I can mention a few things today too.  Fannie and Freddie are flying bye talking to each other as they move to the east.

                                       

                                                      THE "DOLLAR" TRILOGY 

                                                                                    

              Oh what the heck!  Even though Clint Eastwood is mainly in my book three outline, I just kind of feel like mentioning those three 1960's "Spaghetti" Western movies; called his "Dollars Trilogy."  I think both of my nostrils just smelled what might be brand new Spring Sage. 

               One of those three movies is called "The Good, The Bad and the Ugly," and it has a song with that that name in it.  A Video of a full orchestra with a male and female choir was made of that song.  A girl even uses her voice as a musical instrument and whistles too Daisy says. 

          In the Video the "Danish National Symphony," performing the song The Good, The Bad and the Ugly; use bass, drums and guitar with the orchestra and choirs.  There are good horns and strings used.  I want to hear that song someday because Dais told me about the flutes.  

  

METALLICA   

           

          One time Mr. Dave told our boss how METALLICA, who are from here in California; play part of a song called "Ecstasy of Gold" before concerts.  It's also from the movie The Good, The Bad and the Ugly, and has a really talented girl lead Singer in it.  A Train whistled faintly.      

               I guess, Mr. Dave and our boss like the subtle use of a "High Hat" on The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.  They both chuckled and were amused when on the Video they saw a guy playing two wooden "Slap Sticks" on one section.  A flock of Birds is flying toward the northeast.

          Dais told me Mr. Dave and our boss talked about how, on the Video of the Danish National Symphony; the song The Good, The Bad and the Ugly is "combined" with Ecstasy of Gold.  She says behind the orchestra and choirs is a big picture of Clint Eastwood.  I smell Mesquite. 

     

SERGIO LEONE (1929-1989)    

         

                 One time Daisy heard our boss and Mr. Dave in New Mexico talk about that Italian man named Sergio Leone.  I guess, he "Directed" the three Clint Eastwood movies; and is the reason why they're called "Spaghetti" Westerns.  Frida and Diego are flying over Libby's Corral.

            Mr. Dave knew about that guy Sergio Leone, who died at age sixty I guess.   Dais heard our boss say his two favorite "movie opening scenes" are "2001 A Space Odyssey;" and 1968's "Once Upon a Time in the West."  Sergio Leone Directed that last movie too Daisy told me.

            For the first ten minutes of Once upon a Time in the West there's no talking at all Daisy told me.  Mr. Steve likes how Sergio Leone uses extreme "Close Ups" of people's eyes, and how he "frames" his "Wide Angle" shots.  A Train whistled faintly as it went bye over to my left.

        

"ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST " (1968)  

        

                  I guess, Once Upon a Time in the West came out in 1968; like 2001 A Space Odyssey.   It begins when three killers, on a really hot day; wait for a Train to arrive so they can kill a man on it.  Daisy says he ends up playing a harmonica before killing them instead.  I smell Sage.

            While the three mean-looking guys wait at the Train Station sweating like crazy the only sounds in the opening scene are creaking wood as the men walk around, water dripping; a wind mill blade turning.  A pesky Fly bothers one of the men too.   Daisy and I hate all Flies! 

                When the Train finally does come in Daisy told me, the three killers at first think the man they're supposed to kill isn't on that Train after all.  But then, the Train leaves; and you see the man on the other side of the railroad tracks playing a harmonica.  Heathcliff just crowed.   

                                   

CLIMAX OF OPENING SCENE

    

                 Daisy says in that Sergio Leone movie the three men start to pull out their guns to shoot the man.  But, unfortunately for them; he's way too fast for them and kills all of them with three bullets.  Mr. Dave thinks the opening scene from Once Upon a Time in the West is so good.

            Mr. Dave read, had he not died Sergio Leone was thinking of making a movie about the World War II "Siege" of Leningrad; which I'll find more about later.  He was also considering making "Don Quixote" into a movie.  I guess he wanted to remake "Gone With the Wind." 

            Sergio Leone worked on two movies Mr. Steve likes, "Ben Hur" and "Quo Vadis."  Hey Lord!  Daisy heard Quo vadis?, "Where are You going" in Latin;  is what St. Peter asked You when trying to escape from that Roman Emperor Nero who wanted to kill him.  I like Sage.   

                           

                                                                   "DIRTY HARRY"   

                      

              Daisy told me Clint Eastwood is famous for being in Western movies but she and Millie one time saw another movie where he was a "Detective" up there in San Francisco.  And like Hunter Thompson in real life, he used that big Magnum.  I guess our boss's dad has fired a ".45." 

          I sure hope Mr. Steve plays that song The Good, the Bad and the Ugly on his Boombox this year when he comes out here to do yardwork.  Dais says it's a great song that has everything in it, like horns, strings and other musical instruments too.  I smell Dawn, Blinky and Rosie.

          According to Daisy, in that song The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, one the girl Singer kind of "sounds like a talking Coyote."  It's "unique" and there's a section where, like the guy in that Dutch band FOCUS; she whistles instead of singing.  That girl "is so talented" Dais says.  

                       

                                                                       "AWEN"

                                

              This morning I wrote about the concept of "Awen" and in both of my books I've at times referred to how, in the Bible; "Rhêma" is Greek for; "The Living Word."  Mr. Steve thinks both concepts can, at times; be applied to music.  And Dais and I now want to agree with that too. 

            Dais, like I did with GENESIS'S song "Musical Box;" had almost a "Spiritual" feeling in hearing the singing and music in that song The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.  The singing is so  amazing and so are the horns and musical instruments too.  I smell some Spring Juniper.  

            I'll bet Daisy, like myself; is up there wondering when we'll get our first snack of the day.  A Train just whistled faintly over there to my left, or north.  For some reason hearing that Train is now making me think of all those good Western movies Daisy is so lucky to have seen. 

   

                                                      "THE GREAT TRAIN ROBBERY"

               Oh what the heck!  Even though the subject of the history of "Western" movies isn't on my outline until tomorrow, I kind of feel like learning about it now too.  The very first "Movie" was that Western called "The Great Train Robbery."  Heathcliff is now crowing over there.

          As I've mentioned, for about the first thirty years of making movie's there was no sound in them.  And, beginning with The Great Train Robbery until today; there have always been some Western films and tv shows I guess.  Frida and Diego the Bluebirds just went flying bye.

              I just thought of how those "Inventors" Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla were "Rivals" when it came to their competing systems for generating electricity.   And, Thomas Edison was the one who first created a "Motion Picture" camera.  The slight scent of Mesquite just blew in. 

                                      

              THOMAS EDISON (1847-1931)                    NIKOLA TESLA (1856-1943)

                 

           Oh!  What a coincidence that, just as I mention Nikola Tesla who should I see?  All four of the Pigeons just flew back in from the desert and went over top of the house moving west.  I've mentioned before how Nikola Tesla really liked to feed and also take good care of Pigeons.

              As I wrote this morning, Nikola Tesla was born on July the 10th which is the day after our boss's birthday.  Daisy and I wondered last night if Mr. Steve is going to do anything this year on July 9th.  "Maybe not" Dais thinks, as he now "prefers to just work like any other day." 

          My Encyclopedia says, even in the first "Westerns" like The Great Train Robbery; the four "elements" of the "genre" were established.  "Outdoor Settings," the "Good Guys" versus "Bad Guys," "Shootouts" and "Trains."  Ah!  A Train just whistled over there to my left.  

                                                          WILLIAM S. HART (1864-1946)                               TOM MIX (1880-1940)                         

       

               Daisy and Millie saw one of those "Documentary" movies that dealt with the history of "Western-themed" movies.  Two Actors who were in those "Silent" movies were William S. Hart and Tom Mix.  Libby's over there now walking around slowly near the back of her Corral. 

                To the north of Sylmar, where Mr. Steve and his brothers and sisters grew up; is this town called "Saugus."  A house there is where that guy William S. Hart lived, but it's been converted into a good museum.  Seeing Libby right now is for some reason making me feel good.    

                I guess Mr. Steve and Miss Sandy and later Miss Harriet too, visited the William S. Hart museum; as did our boss's mom's Girl Scout troops on some Field Trips.  Mr. Rick built his two story house near the William S. Hart museum.  Boy!  I really like how Cowboy hats look.  

                                              

            "STAGECOACH"               WIZARD OF OZ         GONE WITH THE WIND             

(1939)    

                

             As I mentioned yesterday, the first movie with a "Soundtrack" was in 1929; or year the "Stock Market" crashed.  It says here during the 1930's Great Depression "cheap low budget"    or "formulaic" Western movies were made.  John Wayne was in many of those "B" movies.         

          In 1939, the year World War II began; this "bigger budget" John Wayne movie called "Stagecoach" was made.  In that same year "Gone With the Wind," and the "Wizard of Oz;"      were "released."  A long line of red Ants are marching bye down there on the Patio floor.              

            Mr. Steve's dad was seven in 1939, his mom only four years old.  Anyway, I'll come back to learning about the subject of Western movies over the next two days.  I'll bet Daisy is up there wondering how things are going back here, which I'll tell her about after this fourth chapter.                                              

      SAINT CATHERINE TEKAKWITHA (1656-1680)   

                     

          For some reason, all of a sudden I just thought of that one Native-American girl named St. Catherine "Tekakwitha."  I wrote before how she was a 17th century "Convert" to Catholicism.      My Encyclopedia says her mom was "Algonguin," the wife of a "Mohawk" Warrior Chief.      

       I mentioned in book one how, at age fourteen back in 1949; Mr. Steve's mom's Girl Scout Troop visited "Montreal" up there in Canada.  They went to that one Church named after "St.    Catherine," who became the Troop's "Patron" Saint.  Donald and Daisy are quacking.                 

         St. Catherine, whose parents died of "Smallpox" when she was four; was born in New York State.  She herself survived, but with a "permanently scarred face and damaged eyesight."  Her  Mohawk name "Kateri Tekakwitha" can mean "Feels Her Way" or "Bumps into Things."          

                                                                                                   MR. STEVE'S PARENTS                                  MISS EMILY                              

                                           

                 I just thought of how it was on April the 8th of 1949 that Mr. Steve's mom first met his father, but only a year later the Korean War broke out; and he "Volunteered" to go fight.   I've mentioned how Miss Emily's birthday is April 9th.   Our boss's parents are together for life.         

         Miss Emily in "Astrology" is what they call an "Aries," whose symbol is one of those Rams; while Mr. Steve is a "Cancer."  Boy!  I sure wish I knew what "Sign" I am because then    maybe we could understand me a little better.  I'd also like to know what Daisy's sign is too.         

              Daisy and I both think it's so amazing how our boss's parents are still together after fifty eight years.  They help each other but that doesn't mean they always agree on everything, and at times have to "Agree to Disagree" as they say.  Blackbeard and Anne Bonny just flew bye.                                

   "MOHAWK"                 WARRIORS              "ALGONQUIN"            

                                                                                                                              PAINTING BY DOMINICK FERNANDEZ

               

            I just thought of how St. Catherine's parents were Algonquin and Mohawk.  Daisy says a lady from back east once told Mr. Steve how Christopher's 1492 discovery of the "New World"  was a "disaster" for the Native peoples.  Two Crows are fighting out there in the back desert.     

         Daisy told me how our boss showed the lady pictures he took back in the late 1970's and early 1980's of Punks with those Mohawk haircuts.  She, being part "Iroquois" too; liked the     way they looked.  But Mr. Steve told her she probably wouldn't have liked the Punk music. 

         The lady knew about St. Catherine, so our boss told her about his mom's trip to Canada with the Girl Scouts.  I guess she's been to Montreal too and called it a "beautiful" city.  Boy!  I  guess those two Crows are either fighting over some good food or maybe another girl Crow.                                                                                 

        SAINT FRANCIS (c.1181-1226)           

                                       

           Oh!  My Encyclopedia says St. Catherine, like you up there St. Francis; is the "patron saint of the environment and nature."  When we were putting together my long outlines Daisy      thought a girl would more correctly be called a "Patroness."  And I think she's right on that.       

            Wow!  You must've been special St. Catherine, because it says here when you died at the age of twenty four; this Canadian Priest saw a "light come over" your face.  He said your "scars disappeared" as you "took on a more youthful appearance."  Yup!  That proves it alright!            

            It says here St. Catherine was born in what is now called "Up State" New York, but had to "flee" to Quebec" because some other Indians didn't like her becoming Christian.  A village she lived in was also "destroyed by war" it says here.  Andy's over there sniffing the air.                            

MONTREAL                                                "FAIRMONT" HOTEL   

                             

           Tomorrow I'll learn about the Canadian "Province" of Quebec, where many people speak French instead of English.  Mr. Steve's mom says she's had dreams about her "fond" memories of Montreal.  Quebec was lost to England after their big war back in the mid-18th century.           

          Hey St. Catherine!  If you just happen to be mind-reading me right now; I'm thinking of how that Church down there in "Santa Clarita is also named after you too.  Mr. Steve's mom at onetime knew another Girl Scout leader who was a member of that parish.  Dawn's barking.       

          Daisy heard the Iroquois lady say a few "Miracles" have  happened in your name, so now some Indians really support you St. Catherine.  That lady, like others who have sat in the living room; complimented Mr. Steve's mom's paintings.   She said, "That's my type of artwork."            

                        "FLAMENCO" DANCING                         

           I'm tempted to write about "Flamenco" music because Mr. Steve told the lady his mom performed New Mexico dancing up in Montreal.  Pictures shows girl Flamenco Dancers, and I      know Daisy would admire their red dresses.  I really like the red flower in that girl's hair.           

              Daisy heard our boss's boss's mom telling our boss about how, as a young girl back there in New Mexico; she was good at using "Castanets" like the girl in a picture's holding.  Castanets are two pieces of wood hit together as a "Percussion" instrument.  Mr. Steve "can't do it."           

         As Flamenco Dancers move around Daisy says, they use the "clicking" castanets to go along with the music; as well as the sound of their "tapping" onto the ground.  Anyway, I'll be      coming back to Flamenco music and Mr. Steve's mom's Canada trip.  Canada's very cold.                             

JACK THE JACKRABBIT 

PHOTO BY B. KATZUNG

    

           Oh!  Jack the Jackrabbit sprang out from behind Theodora's Creosote bush, and ran away.  It's amazing how high he can jump and, he runs even faster than Rudy so is impossible to catch.  Jackrabbits would win races if there was ever such a thing as an Animal Olympics.           

               I guess, Mr. Steve didn't use to spread Rabbit pellets on the ground but does now so the Rabbits and Squirrels can have food too; and not eat the Bird seeds.  He admits he "also does it for selfish reasons" because he enjoys watching them from his office.  A Train whistled faintly.

                 That evening, as our boss watered the Mulberry trees; I remember Miss Susan saying Roadrunners sleep at night like us, and can go "twenty miles per hour."  They "must be brave" Daisy thinks, because they'll even eat those very scary "Black Widow" Spiders.   Oh wow!      

                                

                                     ROADRUNNER                                                     RATTLESNAKE

                          

                It's hard to believe Roadrunners will fight, kill and then eat Rattlesnakes; but it must be true because Mr. Steve and Miss Susan talked about it.  They're quick, so get the Rattlesnake to "Strike" and miss a few times on purpose.  They tire it out; then perfectly time its death.  

                Mr. Steve jokes Roadrunners are like good Boxers.  Every time the Rattlesnake attacks, it "guages" it's speed and range.  They spread their wings wide, to intimidate and divert attention; like a Bullfighter's cape.  At just the right moment they rush in to stab the Rattlesnake head.  

            Oh!  Max the Hummingbird just suddenly showed up, and is hovering next to the empty feeders.  Dais thinks our boss Mr. Steve must be out of the red liquid food he puts in the feeders for Max and 99.  Max just zipped off and flew around the northeast corner of the house.  

         

"KRUMMLAUF" BARREL ON RIFLE

    

                 Seeing Max fly around the northeast corner of the house to my left, at the far end of this Patio; makes me think of those guns that can shoot around corners.  We heard Mr. Cliff tell our boss it was the Germans in World War II who "first thought of the idea."  Dawn's barking.   

              "Even though" the Germans were the first ones to make a rifle that can shoot around a corner Mr. Cliff said, it was "too late in the war to make a difference;" and "wasn't reliable."  In book three tomorrow I'll learn more about advanced Second World War Nazi technology.   

              I'm so glad Dais found all of these Dictionaries in the garage.  That first gun was called a "Krummlauf," or "Curved Barrel" in German.  It was a "Detachable" barrel on the world's first "Assault Rifle," which Hitler named the "Sturmgewehr."  That means "Storm Gun."  

  

         BRITISH "PERISCOPE" GUN                      GERMAN MACHINE GUN CREW     

                I remember Mr. Cliff tell our boss how, in World War I; the Soldiers "trapped" down in those trenches were afraid to stick their heads above the rim.  So, in order to avoid getting their "heads blown off; the British made these "Periscope" guns.  Leo and Cleo are flying bye.

                A picture in this Encyclopedia shows a British Soldier "using a mirror" while shooting one of those periscope guns "elevated" above the trench.   Another picture shows this German Machine Gun Crew on "regular ground," and not in a trench.  They have good helmets. 

               My Dictionary says a "Periscope" is "An instrument used to see over or around things."  And during that idea often means trying to avoid being a target.  Oh!  Speedy Gonzalez just now used the right vertical slot on the side of the gate to speed out into the back eastern desert.

                           

                                               GERMAN "U-BOAT" SUBMARINE

                                                         (WORD WAR II / "VIIC" CLASS)   

                 

                   I guess, from what Dais heard our boss and Mr. Dave talk about on the phone one time; the Germans used "Submarines" with vertical periscopes during both world wars.  A painting in my Encyclopedia shows one sinking an Allied Ship in World War II.  A Crow cawed faintly. 

                The dust Speedy Speedy Gonzalez left behind is settling to the ground over there near the gate but, he's "Long Gone" as they say.  A few Birds are darting around over the eastern desert, and I'll bet many are looking for material to build nests.  The late morning sky is beautiful. 

                My Encyclopedia says, the idea of using mirrors to see "over or around" things was in the 17th century; when a Polish Astronomer Johannes Hevelius thought of it.  I'll be learning about that other Polish Astronomer Nicolas Copernicus in these last two books.   I smell Mesquite.  

                                                             

  JOHANNES HEVELIUS (1611-1687)        H. MARIÉ DAVY (1820-1893)          HOWARD GRUBB (1844-1931) 

                   PAINTING BY DANIEL SCHULTZ

  

               I'm surprised Archimedes or Leonardo da Vinci didn't invent periscopes. Leonardo da Vinci lived a century before Johannes Hevelius and Archimedes about two thousand years before that.  I've mentioned how Mr. Steve uses his amazing "Binoculars" to study Birds and things. 

            Mr. Cliff said, "by the time of World War II;" there was such a thing as "periscope-type" binoculars.  In the 19th century a Frenchman named Hippolyte Marié-Davy adapted a periscope for use in Submarines.  In World War I an Irishman Howard Grubb then "perfected" it.       

              As I've mentioned before, during the Korean War Mr. Steve's father's main job was as a "Spotter" for Artillery.  That means, looking through binoculars; he "directed" the cannons as to where to shoot.  Max the Hummingbird zoomed bye and is going toward the northeast.

                                                          MAX                                                      JUNKERS JU-87 "STUKA"        

   PHOTO BY TOM GREY                                                                                                                                                                                   

                       

             It was Dais who pointed out to me how Max at times "Shows Off" for 99.  He'll suddenly zip way up into the sky, turn around; then dive back down to the ground at full speed.  Mr. Cliff joked he's just like one of those World War II era German "Stuka" Dive Bomber Planes.  

                   All of a sudden I thought of that 1970's San Fernando Valley band the DICKIES.  Daisy heard Mr. Doug say they had a "twisted" sense of humor, which is why Mark Ritter used to like them.  They have an album called "Stukas Over Disneyland."  Frida and Diego flew bye.

             Daisy told me Mr. Doug, and Mark Ritter; knew the guys in the DICKIES because they all went to Grant High School.  Yesterday I wrote how "Grant" is located right next to "Valley" Junior College, both campus's in "Van Nuys."  That band TOTO also went to Grant High.

                                       THE DICKIES                         QUIET RIOT                                 TOTO                   

                                    

                In the mid-1970's, when Mr. Steve and Sandy went to Valley College; they met those people who had gone to Grant High and knew that band QUIET RIOT.  So, they saw QUIET RIOT when Randy Rhoads was the Guitarist; play concerts.  A Lizard went running bye.

             Daisy heard our boss and Mr. Doug talk about seeing the DICKIES play.  Mr. Steve used to have a white vinyl DICKIES "E.P." with a "fast-paced" version of BLACK SABBATH'S song "Paranoid" on it.  Daisy's the one who told me E.P. is just short for the term "Extended Play."

             Our boss and Mr. Doug saw the DICKIES play at the "Whisky a Go Go."  Daisy says the DICKIES have a funny song called "You Drive Me Ape You Big Gorilla," and in Hollywood the Singer wore an Ape mask.  The late morning sun absorbing into me makes me feel so good. 

           

    PETER PAN                       TINKER  BELL                       CAPTAIN HOOK

             Hummingbirds are so pretty.  Daisy told me about how those things called "Fairies" can buzz all around like Hummingbirds.  Someday, when I'm not afraid to go all of the way into the house; I really want to see this good cartoon with a flying Fairy named "Tinker Bell" in it.

                Oh!  Some good images in this one Encyclopedia shows three of the characters from that cartoon with the Fairy in it.  The caption says one is a boy named "Peter Pan," and the other one a Pirate called "Captain Hook."  Boy!  I would definitely pay money to see a real life Fairy.   

            I would also wear shoes like the ones Peter Pan or Captain Hook wear, and think Daisy would look good in their hats.  If we ever do meet Fairies I'd be friendly, and give them food and water.  I'd even let a Fairy play with some of my valuable collection of things to chew on too.  

  

                                                     MARILYN MONROE (1926-1962)

    

              Yesterday I wrote about Marilyn Monroe, and over the next two days I'll learn even more about her.  Daisy one time heard our boss tell Mr. Ralph how this rumor about Peter Pan being "modeled" on Marilyn Monroe "probably isn't true."  Ah!  I smell some old Rosemary.

           Dais says that girl Fairy Tinker Bell, who has wings; throws "magic dust" around.  In her picture I notice the "Magic Wand," which I would use to help other helpless Dogs if I ever have one.  Another thing I notice is how that boy Peter Pan, who can fly; doesn't have any wings.    

           I guess Peter Pan, like Daisy told me; never, ever wants to "Grow Up."  It's like the WHO song from the 1960's.  The Peter Pan movie came out in 1953, or two years before Mr. Steve was born.  Smelling Rosemary right now is making me feel so good to be sitting here on the Patio.    

  

                                                                                PETE TOWNSEND (THE WHO)

               In my first book I wrote a few things about that band the WHO, and how they're from England.  Daisy says Mr. Steve has been listening to their music "for a long time."  Daisy thinks the four members "complement" each other, the Bassist "calm;" the Guitarist "energetic." 

             Max the Hummingbird, who has a bad temper sometimes; just zipped bye.  Daisy and I have noticed how, some Hummingbirds are shiny green like Max and 99; while others are more purple in color.  I can usually hear a Hummingbird or Dragonfly coming from far away.

                  Daisy says, on that band QUEEN'S first album; there's a really good song about a King who's a Fairy, which comes right after the other song about the Rat who's also a King.  It has a lot of talented singing, piano playing, bass and drums I guess.  I do want to hear that album.  

         

    FIRST ALBUM (1973)                  QUEEN                           (1970'S)                       

       

                  One time Mr. Steve played that kid Jason the first QUEEN album and, like others; he'd only heard QUEEN'S later "Hit" songs.  So he was very surprised at how good that album is.  I guess, when that album came out our boss was in the 12th Grade at High Sylmar School.  

             QUEEN'S Singer Freddie Mercury went to "Art" school, and  created QUEEN'S logo; which Mr. Steve "tried" to draw he told his mom.  Like GRATEFUL DEAD'S emblems, it was kind of hard to do a line drawing of it; taking way longer than expected.  Dawn's barking. 

            Hey Lord!  As You know, someday I really want to hear that one song on QUEEN'S first album about You.  In fact, I can't wait to hear some of those "Gospel" music songs Daisy's told me all about.  All four of the Pigeons are right now flying together over Libby's Corral.  

                        

                                                                BLACK SABBATH       

                             

                Daisy told me our boss played Jason a BLACK SABBATH song about some Fairy's who wear boots.  Like many of their early 1970's songs, it has a "catchy melody and heavy riff" Mr. Steve thinks.  Jason liked how the bass and drums rhythm section have almost a "jazzy feel."

           Mr. Steve told Jason he only knows QUEEN'S first four album's, and after that he's only heard the big hits.  He's familiar with BLACK SABBATH'S albums with Ozzie Osbourne as the Singer, and the "Heaven and Hell" album with Ronnie James Dio.  A Train whistled faintly.      

           Hummingbird brains "must process motion differently" than the other Birds Miss Susan said that time. Most Birds fly moving forward and can't "hover" in one place, so Hummingbird brains are "obviously evolved" over thousands of years to help them "stabilize" better.

            

"DRONE" AIRCRAFT       

     

            Mr. Mike jokes Scientists should study Hummingbird brains to "figure out" how to make better Robots and flying Drones.  Then they could kill more people efficiently without having to lose any of our own Soldiers.  "R.O.V." stands for "Remotely Operated Vehicles" I guess.   

           I hadn't planned on writing so much about Fairies and Hummingbirds but that's okay.  In the future Mr. Cliff thinks Drones will not only replace Pilots in Airplanes, they'll be used instead of Submarines and to dig tunnels under the ground too.  Two of the Pigeons are flying bye.    

          Mentioning those Drones for some reason suddenly makes me think about this man from the State of "Washington" named Bill Gates.  He's one of the richest Businessmen in the world and is really smart Daisy says.  He's important in the history of  those computer machines. 

     

                                                                    BILL GATES

       

              Even though I'm not scheduled to write about that guy Bill Gates right now, I sort of feel like mentioning him.   Daisy heard our boss one time talking about computers with Mr. Grant, who like Bill Gates knows a lot about things having to do with computers.  I smell Sage.

                Oh wow!  According to what it says in this one Encyclopedia, Bill Gates was born in 1955 like Mr. Steve.  But his birthday's in October so he's three months younger.  I've mentioned how Mr. Steve's brother Rock, and Niece Cristina; were also born in the month of October too.

              This is interesting how, as it says here in my Encyclopedia; Bill Gates father wanted him to be a lawyer like himself.  But he dropped out of that College back east called "Harvard" to work on computers instead.  I've mentioned how Mr. Steve "Flunked Out" of Law School.

                                           

                                                                  UNCLE MARTY      

                    I just thought of how Mr. Steve's Uncle Marty left New Mexico to be a "Medic" in the Vietnam War.  He then used the "G.I. Bill" to go to, and earn; an "M.B.A" from Harvard.  Mr. Peabody graduated from Harvard too so must be the smartest Dog in history I think.  

                 Mr. Steve was told that, after he dropped out of College; in 1975 Bill Gates moved from Massachusetts out to New Mexico and eventually began a computer company in Albuquerque.   Blackbeard and Anne Bonny are flying bye and I always notice Blackbeard's missing eye.

              Daisy and Millie heard Mr. Grant tell our boss how, in 1976 Mr. Bill called his company "Micro-Soft;" later changing it to "Microsoft."  That's a combination of "microcomputer" and "software."  Mr. Steve and Miss Sandy were both going to "Valley" Junior College in 1976.

                                                                                                       

MR. GRANT / MIGGY

               As I said yesterday in book one, Mr. Steve met his friend Grant in Law School just like he did his old girlfriend Emily.  But Mr. Grant passed the "Bar" exam, became a lawyer; and like Bill Gates has been interested in computers since a young age.  Mr. Grant seems so smart.  

                 Mr. Grant, also like Bill Gates; did things when computers first came out back in the mid-1970's.  At thirteen Mr. Bill wrote his first computer "Software Program."  Mr. Grant created a "Binary Language" of 0's and 1's on "Punch Cards" to give a computer a "Task" to do.

            Daisy heard Mr. Grant say, "a few years after he built that first software program," Bill Gates made another one which allowed you to play a computer in a game called "Tic-Tac-Toe."  Dais thinks I'd be good at playing that game.  A little Lizard ran bye out there in the dirt.   

   

                                                        BILL GATES AND FAMILY

                Hey Lord!  As You know, one of Miss Babette's Ford customers up there in the State of Washington said Bill Gates married a Catholic girl.  Their three kids even go to a Catholic school just like Mr. Steve and his brothers and sisters did at St. Ferdinand's.  Heathcliff crowed.   

             The Parts Manager in Washington said Bill Gates' nickname is "Trey," because his dad and Grandfather were also "Bills;" so he's Bill Gates III.  Mr. Steve's dad, brother and Nephew are all named "Sam."  I really wonder how the name Bill became short for "William?"

             Daisy heard Bill Gates believes in You God, saying it "makes sense," as "there's no other explanation as to how the world came about." He's probably like Mr. Steve in wanting to believe You used the "Big Bang" to create our Universe and life isn't "Random."   I smell Mesquite. 

      

 1918  "SPANISH INFLUENZA" PANDEMIC  

           

              Yesterday in my first book I wrote about "Epidemics" and "Pandemics."  The biggest one began in 1918, or last year of World War I; and then spread all over the whole world.  Almost a million Americans died from what has now come to be called the "Spanish" flu pandemic.

          I guess Bill Gates and his wife, like our boss; give money to charity and also like Mr. Steve know about epidemics and pandemics.  Daisy heard they also think there's a very good chance a pandemic is what's called "Overdue."  Andy's sniffing the air in guarding their burrow.

         Miss Sandy's mom, being a Nurse; read how over a three year period maybe "fifty million" people were killed by "Spanish Influenza."  It "probably" began here in the U.S. she said, and then went with "infected" Soldiers over to Europe.  Dawn's barking at something over there.  

 

                                                          WORLD WAR I (1914-1918)

    

           I've mentioned before how America entered the First World War in 1917, three after that huge war began.  And when it ended in November of 1918 many of the Soldiers on both sides had been infected with influenza sickness.  Libby's nice scent just floated into my right nostril.

           After World War I was over millions of Soldiers all went back to their different countries and, unfortunately; took the sickness home with them.  So, then a  lot of the other people caught it from them; and millions died.  Smelling Libby is making me remember Molly's scent.  

              Because "so many people died in such a short amount of time" Mr. Steve says, some were buried before they were dead.  That's why, even though she was only five when that Spanish flu hit; Grandma Trujillo feared being buried alive by accident.  Ugh!  That would be so bad!

      

                                                       "BLACK DEATH" (1347-1351)

             

             I've mentioned over these last two days how at C.S.U.N. Mr. Steve did that "Research Project" on the 14th century "Black Death" pandemic.   A map shows the "pattern" it took from 1347 through 1351.  Benjamin the Cow Bird ran bye, but is now flying out into the desert.  

             During the four years of the "Bubonic Plague," our boss read how "it's possible half the population of Europe may have died."  Wow!  Every time I look at the picture of skeletons in a "Mass Grave" dug up from the 1300's I can't believe it.  I hope we never have a pandemic.  

             Someday Dais thinks, when Mr. Steve reads my books he'll be proud of me; so will want to never get rid of me.  But, first I'll again be disciplined over twelve hours and not get distracted by chasing things like I usually do.  Hey God!  Thank You so much for giving me Elvira.

 

                                         AMERICAN "GREAT DEPRESSION" (1930'S)

        

           When Dais and I were putting together my three outlines, we scheduled it so I'll learn a lot about the twenty eventful years "Between the Wars;" or 1919 through 1939.  Mr. Steve knows a lot about those years Daisy says, so I now want to know about them too.  Dawn's barking.

           I just thought of how, in the U.S the good economy of the "Roaring Twenties;" was then followed by the bad economy of the 1930's "Great Depression."  That was a time when a lot of people were really, really poor and some even starved to death I guess.  I smell Blinky.

          Mr. Steve's dad  thinks someday there might be another big "Economic Depression." And, even though the Spanish Influenza didn't "Trigger" an economic "Downturn" after World War I; a "modern pandemic might do it" he says.  Mr. Grant agrees with that idea Dais told me.    

   

                              "GET SMART"                                                   MAX AND 99

               I knew I heard Max the Hummingbird coming from my right and there he goes zooming bye.  For the second day in a row his girlfriend 99 isn't with him.  Mr. Steve named Max and 99 after two characters from that funny 1960's tv show called "Get Smart" Daisy told me.   

            Daisy says Get Smart is about Maxwell Smart, or "Agent 86."   He's a Spy who, with his really smart girl Assistant "Agent 99" work for "CONTROL;" or "forces of good."  "KAOS" is the agency they have to fight every week, as KAOS represents all of the "forces of evil." 

               Boy!  I can't wait for the time when I'm not so afraid of being trapped in enclosed areas.  Then I'll be able to go all the way down the hallway into the bedrooms and bathrooms the way Daisy does now.  I just noticed Bravo Company out there in the field behind the Sheds.  

          

          AGENT 86 / AGENT 99                  ROCK / ETHEL                AGENT 86 /AGENT K13

          

          Dais says "Max" isn't smart but "99" secretly wants to be his girlfriend so always "Bails him Out" or covers up his mistakes.  They have amazing secret agent devices like shoes that are really telephones!  Mr. Steve has talked with his brother Rock over in Texas about Get Smart.      

        At times Max and 99 fight Nazis I guess.  They have this Dog named "Fang," or "Agent K13;" who was in Max's graduating class at spy school and helps them on their assignments.  Up in the now high blue late morning sky a small flock of Birds is moving toward the east.                

        Get Smart is a comedy version, or "Spoof;" of books and movies about that Spy James Bond or Agent "007."  Daisy told me the man who wrote those 007 books the movies are based on was named Ian Flemming.  I smell Juniper, which is making me feel happy somehow.                              

                                         IAN FLEMMING (1908-1964)                                       

   

             My Encyclopedia says during World War II Ian Flemming worked for "MI-6," a British "Intelligence Unit."  His father was killed in the First World War.  After the Second World War, in the 1950's; he wrote his James Bond books that were made into those famous movies.

             Dais says Mr. Steve doesn't like the newer James Bond movies as much as the original ones written by Ian Flemming.  In fact, he hasn't seen any of the James Bond movies in the last twenty or more years.  I'll write more about the original "Bond" movies in my books.

             The "Fictional" character James Bond was partly based on a man named Dusko Popov Mr. Ralph read.  Someday I'd like to see those first James Bond movies, which Daisy and Millie saw and liked a lot.  Cher, with Andy "Keeping an Eye" on her; just went jogging bye.   

                                    

                                                                                    DUSKO POPOV (1910-1981) 

              

            Mr. Ralph read Dusko Popov, like Nikola Tesla and Albert Einstein's wife Maleva Marik; was from "Serbia" or part of what is now "Yugoslavia."  Like Nikola Tesla; and that one Singer Ronnie James Dio; he was born on July 10th.  Mr. Steve's birthday is on July the 9th.

            Dusko Popov, who my Encyclopedia says was a Lawyer like Mr. Grant; worked during World War II as a "Double Agent" for the British against the Nazi's.  So he just pretended to be a Spy for the Germans Dais says.  Boy!  I really do like how shoulder "Epaulettes" look. 

               It says here Dusko Popov's "disinformation and deception" fooled the Nazi's a few times, which "helped shorten the war."  I wrote yesterday how the name "Nazi" is just a short way of saying "Nationalsozialismus," or "National Socialists" in German.  I can smell Creosote.  

    

ADOLPH HITLER SPEAKING AT "PARTY RALLY"

               Boy!  I'm so lucky Daisy found these Dictionaries.  In German sometimes words seem to be combined.  Like "Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartie" means "National Socialist German Workers Party."  No wonder they shortened it to "N.S.D.A.P." or "Nazi" for short.  

          Without my foreign language Dictionaries it would be totally impossible to figure out how to spell a lot of words correctly.  Oh!  Jack the Jackrabbit just zoomed out into the eastern desert behind the Sheds.  And he used to wider right vertical slot on the side of the gate to do it.

         I just inhaled fully through both nostrils of my nose and the fresh air on this second day of Spring is so what they call "Invigorating."  It looks like I'll learn a lot about World War II in the next chapter.  Daisy says our boss and his dad have a lot of books about the two World Wars.                 

                                                                          PIGPEN 

                                                                               

            Aha!  I knew I was smelling Pigpen the Gopher and "Sure Enough" as they say, there he is over there sticking out of his burrow near the big Mulberry tree.  He's sniffing in  the air and will smell me soon.  You can really tell sometimes how Gophers don't have good eyesight.            

            Whew!  Gophers smell bad, but Pigpen's scent seems even worse than other Gophers I've smelled.  Dais agrees with me on that, and she's been around a lot more Gophers than I have so I believer her.  There are two long and slowly extending vapor trails up there in the high sky.          

            Yup!  When Pigpen smelled me, and realized I was sitting over here on the Patio; he right away ducked back down into his hole.  I just picked up the scent of the soft dirt he dug up and it smells pretty good to me for some reason.  But Pigpen's lingering scent isn't all that great.                              

"PEANUTS"      

ARTWORK BY CHARLES SCHULTZ            

                    

           One time Dais and Millie were in the living room and saw a cartoon called "Peanuts."  A  character is a really dirty boy who never takes a bath; so wherever he goes leaves a big cloud of  dust behind him.  Our Gopher Pigpen was named after him but isn't that dirty I think.                 

          Daisy told me Peanuts is about a bald-headed boy named "Charlie Brown," whose smart Dog "Snoopy" is like our boss in being interested in that World War I German "Ace" Pilot the "Red Baron."  I just thought of that store called "Charlie Brown's Farm" in Littlerock.               

         I guess Miss Susan at work's customer told her Charles Schultz, who draws the Peanuts cartoons; is originally from the State of "Minnesota."  He was a Soldier over in Europe toward the end of the Second World War.  He and his wife and kids live up in Northern California. 

      

 GRATEFUL DEAD ("PIGPEN" IN HAT)

          

           Pigpen's scent is so strong, I can still smell him even though he's gone; which reminds me of a member of that "San Francisco" band the GRATEFUL DEAD.  I mentioned them before, and how one of the original members of the GRATEFUL DEAD is nicknamed "Pigpen" too.     

            I guess the GRATEFUL DEAD'S Pigpen died at age 27 and tomorrow I'll write about the "27 Club," Musicians from Robert Johnson through Amy Winehouse; who died at 27.  Dais says our boss drew the GRATEFUL DEAD'S logos.  Pigpen the Musician "Collected" guns.                 

          Mr. Cliff knows a lot about things like guns, and we heard him discuss with our boss how James Bond used that German "Walther PPK."  That was the handgun Adolph Hitler used to kill himself in 1945.  There are now some nice thin clouds up there in the late morning sky.                       

 JAMES BOND / 007  

("WALTHER PPK")      

                

              Dais says one time, when Mr. Steve was living in Sylmar on Hagar Street; that kid Michael called him.  He said he was listening to the Radio and they asked the "Trivia" question, "Which handgun did James Bond use?"  So Mr. Steve gave him the correct or right answer to it. 

          That boy Michael, who I mentioned yesterday in book one; thought our boss might know the right answer and he did.  So, Michael called into the Radio Station and won this thing called a "Gift Certificate."  He then gave it to his mom to be ""Redeemed" for some groceries.

          Another time Michael asked our boss what Israel's Intelligence Agency "Mossad's" name stood for in "Hebrew."  In 1985, at a dinner the Mossad sponsored; they gave out "Certificates." Daisy's told me how Mr. Steve's is framed and now hangs on the east wall of the hallway.    

                                           

                                                                                     RIFLE BULLET SIZES   

                                                                                                          

                     Oh!   This is a good place to write about the subject of "Weaponry," and this Mormon man named John Moses Browning.  I was supposed to learn about him yesterday but missed it on my outline.  A good picture in this Encyclopedia shows all of the different sized bullets.

              The caption says the big bullet on the left is ".50 caliber," while the littlest one on the far right is only .22 caliber.  John Browning, who's father taught him to be a "Gunsmith;" is called the "Father of Modern Firearms."  He's the one who invented the .50 caliber bullet I guess.

             Daisy says a while back our boss met a guy who told him about a .50 caliber bullet called "Beowulf," like in that old Anglo-Saxon story I wrote about in book one.  Dais says the guy said an "AR-15" can be "modified" to fire .50 caliber bullets.  Some of the Ducks are quacking.

                          

                                                                                              AR-15 "BEOWULF" 

                                      

                  This one Encyclopedia says John Browning invented the .50 caliber "round" in the late 1910's, but it didn't "enter service" until 1921; too late for World War I.  I guess now it's used a lot by militaries all over the world.  Mark Ritter had an AR-15 in the late 1980's Dais heard.

              Big .50 caliber bullets are described as being "heavy caliber, low velocity."  It's meant to "Stop" opponents, even if in the protection of "heavy" vehicles; so is called "Armor-Piercing."  Mr. Steve fired Mark Ritter's AR-15 a few times and still has memories of just how it felt.            .

             John Moses Browning's father came to Utah in the early 1850's, a few years after that first big migration of Latter Day Saints.  During the Korean War  Mr. Steve's dad says he "felt better" firing a "Browning Automatic Rifle."  In the 1930's that guy Clyde Barrow did too.                                                              WITH FAMILY              JOHN MOSES BROWNING      WITH SHOTGUN          

                                                                   (1855-1926)

              

                  A tv show Daisy saw called John Moses Browning's wife a "great help," and like females in our family; was good at "making do."  They lived in "Ogden" Utah and had ten kids, two of which "Died in Infancy."  Girls in Mr. Steve's mom and dad's families "Died in Childbirth."  

            One time Mr. Steve and his father talked about how that guy John Browning "Designed" and built not only "Repeating" rifles, but also those "Semi-Automatic" and "Fully Automatic" weapons too.  All four of the Pigeons are flying toward the northwest over Libby's Corral.

            I guess the tv show said John Browning's father, who he admired a lot; died at the age of seventy four in 1879.  John Browning, who his dad was proud of; said his father "simply died of weariness."  Daisy told me the man on the tv show called 19th century life "often difficult."    

                                 

THREODORA IN CREOSOTE BUSH        

                                       

         Oh!  I just glanced up and see Theodora over there standing in her favorite Creosote bush, which I can smell in my left nostril right now.  Some small Birds are darting around out there in the back desert.  I can't wait to go see what Dais is doing after I finish this fourth chapter. 

         Someday I'll see the framed certificate given to our boss in 1985 at the Mossad-sponsored banquet in Jerusalem.  They were given to each member of the St. Ferdinand's Tour Group, as a "token of appreciation."  I guess Mossad is kind of like England's "MI6" or our "C.I.A."  

        This Hebrew Dictionary says Mossad is just short for, "ha-Mossad le-Modlin ule-Tafkidim Mayuhadim;" or "Institute for Intelligence and Special Tasks" in English.  Boy!  I guess Hebrew is sort of like German in having some long names.  Mr. Steve read it to that kid Michael. 

                

                                                        IRV RUBIN (1945-2002)

                             

            Dais says back in 1987 our boss and Mark Ritter met this one guy named Irv Rubin at a "Shooting Range" in the San Gabriel Mountains.  I guess Irv Rubin was in the "Jewish Defense League;" or "J.D.L." for short; and like Mark Ritter has already died.  Heathcliff crowed.

            Irv Rubin is buried at "Eden Memorial,"  the same Jewish cemetery where Mr. Steve's boss Steve Banks was "Laid to Rest" as they say.  As I mentioned yesterday, Eden Memorial is right across the street from the Catholic "Mission" Cemetery.  I smell the baby Cholla cactus.

           Working for "Pace," in 1990 Mr. Steve signed up Eden Memorial as business members. Mission Cemetery is where Mr. Steve's Grandmothers and sister Celina are buried, and both his parents already have Crypts ready to go.   Mr. Rick's son Gino is also buried there too.

                                                        

                                          MEIR KAHANE (1932-1990)                                 

                           

            Dais says our boss told Irv Rubin in 1985 he and his father shook hands with this man named Meir Kahane; who started the J.D.L.  He was an Israeli Politician in the "Kach" party and in Hebrew that means "Thus" I guess.  Meir Kahane was "Assassinated" in 1990.

            One time at that Shooting Range Mr. Steve and Mark Ritter saw a guy using a "Walther PPK" like James Bond's.  Mark Ritter had an "AR- 15," which Irv Rubin admired; and in back in Texas Mr. Steve's Nephew Jacob has an "AK-47."  Hitler killed himself with a PPK.

              Mr. Steve told Irv Rubin, in 1985 he, his father and sister Celina shared an elevator with Meir Kahane.  Daisy says, as Meir Kahane got on the elevator he and our boss's eyes met.  Oh!  Right now my right nostril just picked up the scent of our neighbor's Beavertail cactus's.

               

CALIFORNIA DESERT "WREN"  

                     

            Oh!  I see that little Wren I saw yesterday, and again it's in that clump of Cholla Cactus' behind the Sheds.  Wrens are so smart to use the protective bubble of the Cholla's spines against their predators like Cher.  Yup!  The Wren is now saying, "Hey, Hey, Hey" the way they do.    

            In 1985 Mr. Steve at first hesitated about shaking Meir Kahane's hand, knowing people are killed as someone grips their hand to prevent them from getting to their weapon.  In 1990 Meir Kahane had "Body Guards;" but got shot anyway.  Malcolm X was also shot to death.

           Mr. Steve reached his hand out and Meir Kahane shook hands and nodded slightly.  To this day Dais says our boss remembers how it felt to look Meir Kahane in his eyes, and can still almost feel his firm handshake.  That Wren just flew away and is going toward the east. 

              

                                                STEVE (1958-2009) / RONNA BANKS

           

               I just thought of Steve Banks.  Yesterday I wrote about how he, through his company S & S Enterprises; in 1999 helped our boss when he was an idiot and got into financial trouble.  Hey God!  As You know, Mr. Steve has helped others and thought of Steve Banks when doing it. 

                Daisy says one time Mr. Steve and his boss Steve Banks talked about Israel's wars since becoming a country in 1948.  Like Irv Rubin and Meir Kahane, Steve Banks seemed like a Jew who'd physically fight an "Anti Semitic" person.  He definitely knew who Meir Kahane was. 

            Back in 1987 our boss and Mark Ritter talked with that guy Irv Rubin about Israeli gun's called "Uzi's," which Soldiers carried around tucked under their armpits in 1985.  Uzi's can be used as either "Submachine" or "Machine Pistols."   Blackbeard and Anne Bonny flew bye.    

     

UZEL GAI (1923-2002)

      

                  This Encyclopedia says the idea for making Uzi type weapons started in 1948, the same year Israel became a nation.   Oh!  They got their name because the man who designed and built them was named Uzel Gai.  Two vapor trails are crossed up there in the late morning sky.

             I guess, That guy Uzel Gai was a German Jew able to get out of Germany in the 1930's. After World War II he lived in one of those Israeli communal "Kibbutz's" like the one our boss's Tour Group went to in 1985.  Seeing those vapor trails makes me feel good about being alive.

             One time Mr. Steve and his father talked about how Mark Ritter's AR-15 was "Colt" brand weapon.  Daisy heard that, in 1977 or year our boss and his brother Rock took their trip back east; the Colt's "Patent" expired.  Since then a few other companies make "AR's." 

        

"AR-15" STYLE RIFLE 

                 This tv show Daisy saw said sometimes AR stands for "Assault Rifle," and those type of "Semi Automatic" rifles are now one of the "most popular" guns bought in America.  From 1994 through 2004 they were "Banned" but people up here got them anyway.  Heathcliff crowed.   

            Our boss thinks, even though they're only meant for killing people; one reason Assault rifles are so popular is because many think another civil war might break out here someday.  So, "Just in Case" as they say; they kind of want to be ready."  Some just enjoy shooting guns.      

            It's "sad but true" Mr. Steve thinks, that in this "temporal" world, violence and hate has "almost always beaten non-violence and love;" especially if "revenge" is involved.  There are a few exceptions.  Daisy says that band one METALLICA has a song called "Sad But True."  

                                                    

                                            ALDOUS HUXLEY / GEORGE ORWELL  

          

          Dais says our boss thinks in history "Might" usually "Equals Right" as they say.  But, as I wrote about in book one, those British Writers Aldous Huxley and George Orwell thought in the future "Mind Control" might be more important than violence.  Ah!  I like how Sage smells.    

          At Steve Banks' Funeral our boss was told those Comedians Lenny Bruce and "Groucho" Marx were also buried at Eden Memorial.  I was supposed to write about Lenny Bruce yesterday but somehow missed it on the first outline.  But, that's okay; and I'll just do it now instead.   

         From what Mr. Steve was told, Lenny Bruce was originally from New York but later lived in the San Fernando Valley; where he "died young."  Dais says, like Vivaldi and Mozart; Lenny Bruce died poor.   Little did he know how much he would influence later Comedians.

                

                                             LENNY BRUCE (1925-1966) WITH FAMILY

           

          From what Dais heard our boss tell his brother Rock, he "never really liked Lenny Bruce's humor all that much;" because "some of it" was a "little too crude."  But, some of it was "pretty funny" he said.  Blackbeard and Anne Bonny just flew over the house moving to the west.

          Daisy says our boss thinks Lenny Bruce was "Sociologically" important.  He was arrested over fifteen times for what's called "Obscenity," which means he said bad words or talked about bad things I guess.  I can really smell that one clump of Joshua trees near Libby's Corral.   

         Nowadays what's called "Blue" humor is "Taken for Granted" but in the 1950's and 1960's it wasn't Daisy heard.  She told me our boss doesn't like when people use bad words.  His father has over the years gotten into some fights when someone used bad language around his mom.    

            

                      BOB DYLAN                                                                                   FRANK ZAPPA                                                                                                                           

            Our boss told Mr. Grant a guy at "Valley College" in Van Nuys thought Lenny Bruce not only influence later Comedians, he "made an impression" on some Musicians too.  Daisy heard that Bob Dylan and Frank Zappa both liked him.  Mr. Grant also went to Valley College.

            I guess, the guy at Valley College said he thought Lenny Bruce "paved the way" for a lot of "later entertainers" like Frank Zappa.  They didn't have to go to jail for what they said in their songs and things like that.  That orange Monarch Butterfly just went fluttering bye.

           Daisy heard, in the late-1980's Mr. Steve took pictures of this one Comedian named Sam Kinison; who was not what's called "Politically Correct."  He purposely tried to "Offend" some people.  Daisy says one time on the phone Mr. Steve told Mr. Ralph about Sam Kinison.

                                                                         SAM KINISON (1953-1992)                BILL GAZZARI  (0000-0000)   

                                                                                                                                      PHOTOS BY STEVE CÓRDOVA      

                                                 

         I guess, in the 1980's; Sam Kinison's "Raunchy" humor was "associated" with Heavy Metal music.  At "Gazzarri's" Nightclub in Hollywood the crowd was often "literally roaring" in laughter our boss told Mr. Ralph.  I smell, and see Libby; over there walking in her Corral.         

            Hey Lord!  Mr. Steve was told Sam Kinison's "Fire and Brimstone" style came from him being a "Pentecostal Preacher" as a kid.  Daisy heard, like Lenny Bruce; he died young.  A few years ago a lady who bought and sold him some things said that man Bill Gazzarri also died.    

           Tomorrow in book three Dais has me scheduled to write about Nightclubs in Los Angeles our boss has been to.  VAN HALEN, in the mid-1970's; "got their start" at Gazzari's when they were just teenagers Daisy heard.  They got paid only $75.00 per concert from what she says.                                                                                                    WARRANT                                                       MISS HARRIET                               ("GAZZARRI'S / LATE 1980'S)                                                                                                          

PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA                                                                                                                                                                         

                    

        I've mentioned before how some of the bands our boss and Miss Harriet covered in the 1980's were those Heavy Metal bands called "Hair Bands."  Daisy says Sam Kinison, for a while; even had a Hard Rock band too.  Dawn and Blinky are now barking at something over there.      

           That band from Van Nuys QUIET RIOT, who Mr. Steve and Miss Sandy met; also played at Gazzarri's in the 1970's.   People our boss knew at Valley Junior College knew QUIET RIOT.  Randy Rhoads was in QUIET RIOT then, before he became famous with Ozzie Osbourne.          

         Mr. Steve was told one time, by a guy who's a Highway Patrol Officer; how Sam Kinison died.  I guess he was killed on a Highway to our north; on his way to "Laughlin," Nevada; a city our boss and his father have been to before.  A small group of  Pigeons are flying bye up there.                                         

       ADOLPH HITLER (1889-1945)   

                              ARTIST UNKNOWN                                

                                                                                           

         Daisy says Mr. Steve thinks Sam Kinison, "to a certain extent;" structured his comedy routine "like" an Adolph Hitler speech.  Both "started out quietly" and "gradually worked their way into more energy."  It's so interesting how Hitler was "Austrian" and not German.                

           From what Dais saw, Sam Kinison just walked around talking calmly; but then suddenly exploded and even starts yelling.  It was then our boss joked, he used his very best "preaching    technique" to "make a point."  Two Crows are fighting way out there in the back desert.            

       The Highway Patrol Officer said Sam Kinison, dying in the Car; "looked like" he was "listening to something."  He said, "But why?; then "Okay" before dying.  Hey God!  Dais and I think it was probably You who that guy Sam Kinison was talking to back then in 1992.                 

           

"CREATION"

      "SISTINE" CHAPEL / MICHAELANGELO          

                             

           Hey God!  It would be great if You ever decided to come down here to Piñon Hills.  As of course You Guys up there know already, we'd listen to You and do whatever You told us to do.  But, what Daisy and I would really want to do is actually finally find out what You smell like.       

           I just thought of the tv show Dais and Millie saw about Hitler.  Like Sam Kinison doing his "Act," when Hitler "Delivered" a speech; he'd start slowly too.  But, in Hitler's case he began his speech in total and complete silence, which our boss's father thinks was "courageous."            

          Dais told me how, arms folded; Hitler wouldn't say even one word until the audience was quiet.  Then, when you could "Hear a Pin Drop" as that old saying goes; he'd unfold his arms to begin speaking in a slow, low voice.  The tv show used the word "deliberate" to describe it.                                                                        ADOLPH HITLER       

                        (PREPARING TO MAKE A SPEECH)                                   

                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

           Dais says she and Millie both noticed how, because the room was so quiet; Hitler's voice seemed to almost echo.  He even looks kind of uncomfortable, but then gradually begins to talk   louder and use his arms more to emphasize the points he's making.  A Train just whistled.           

            Whereas Sam Kinison started slowly, then suddenly exploded like a "volcanic eruption" our boss says; Hitler would "evolve into a louder and louder voice."  At the end he would finish  with a  huge "Crescendo" like a Beethoven Symphony.  Then the audience "went crazy."             

           The man on the tv show said "few Politicians would take such a risk" like Hitler used to do in starting off his speeches in total silence.  I see this little Lizard standing over there on the      wall near the sliding glass door going into the dining room.  And now it's doing pushups.             

           

   AC/DC        

             

          Our boss likes "Pauses" in songs and, from what Dais says; AC/DC uses that technique in songs such as "Thunderstruck."  Cher sauntered bye, which reminds me of how Mr. Steve thinks AC/DC'S second Singer Brian Johnson at times sounds like a "growling Cat."  I smell Sage.         

          Because our boss is interested in that subject, tomorrow in book three I'll write about how some modern "Popular Culture" entertainment is influenced by "Fascist Imagery;" some of it    influenced by Hitler's ideas.  The Lizard ran down the wall.  Andy's over there looking at me.      

          What the heck, I can write about Fascist Imagery today too.  Mr. Steve as a kid drew AC/ DC and KISS'S logos, noticing the lightning bolts looked like Nazi Lightning Runes" of Hitler's    "S.S."  And both used black, white and red color patterns.  KISS'S Singer is Jewish I guess.                                

                       SID VICIOUS                 MARILYN MANSON         LEMMY (MOTÖRHEAD)                                                              

             Mr. Doug said that 1970's Punk guy Sid Vicious used to wear things with "Swastika's" on them.  Daisy heard MOTÖRHEAD'S Lemmy has a collection of "Nazi Memorabilia," and      Shock Rock Singer Marilyn Manson uses Nazi colors and Fascist style logos.  I smell Sage.           

              Daisy heard Mr. Phillip one time say the word "Chic" means "stylish" or "smart."  Mr. Steve thinks some Entertainers "don't even realize" they're using Fascist imagery; but just think it looks "Cool."  Some of the Ducks next door are now quacking and Daffy's way louder.              

            This good tv show about "Thrash" Heavy Metal showed SLAYER'S Nazi type logo and METALLICA'S Singer wearing a skull and crossbones t-shirt.  Mr. Steve has a LED ZEPPELIN t-shirt where Guitarist Jimmy Page is wearing a black Nazi Luftwaffe hat.  I smell Juniper.               

        "GOOSE STEPPING" NAZIS    

                 

                 Mark Ritter used to like the SEX PISTOLS song "Holiday in the Sun," which starts out with the sound of "Goose-Stepping" Nazi's marching.  BLÜE ÖYSTER CÜLT do a song called "Dominance and Submission," Adolph Hitler's "Theme too I guess.  Heathcliff is crowing.           

           In 1995 Singer Michael Jackson did a Tour, and our boss and his friends noticed a lot of Fascist imagery.  Michael Jackson even started the concerts by using Hitler's silent technique.    And  like Hitler's audiences, the people attending the concert were kind of "Mesmerized."           

            Someday I want to see that movie "Star Trek," which Daisy says has a bad guy in it who wears all shiny black; including one of those German style "Coal Scoop" helmets.  A few years    ago our boss bought two shiny black S.S. helmets.  He sold one but kept the other for himself.            

HITLER REVIEWING "BROWN SHIRTS"                     "DARTH VADER" / "STORM TROOPERS"

      

            Dais told me one time she overheard Mr. Cliff say he thinks the name "Storm Troopers" in Star Wars was taken from Hitler's private army of "Brown Shirts."  Hitler also called them  his Storm Troopers too I guess.  Boy!  I love hearing some of the Ducks quacking next door.       

            Adolph Hitler would "Little by Little" built up momentum until by the end of the speech the audience had a high "Sense of Anticipation."  Mr. Steve met this girl in College at C.S.U.N.    whose assignment was to "Compare and Contrast" famous Speakers.  I smell Arborvitae.            

           Oh!  A breeze just blew Libby's scent into my right nostril from her Corral.  It makes me feel good that, as she walks slowly around, there are no Flies around her.  Hey God!  Please make it so that there aren't too many Flies hanging around here during this upcoming Summer.                    

"PROJECTING" TO A LARGE AUDIENCE         

                    

        When Mr. Steve took pictures of that Singer Ronnie James Dio, who has a song about a rainbow Dais says; he noticed "Dio" used hand gestures similar to those of Hitler.  They're were meant to "Project" power to a large audience.   Hitler made speeches to gigantic audiences.          

         I guess that girl in College came away from her assignment thinking Hitler was the most "Effective" 20th century speaker.  John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Winston Churchill were "really good too" she thought.  They were what's called "Close Seconds" so to speak.           

         Over the years Mr. Steve has read about Adolph Hitler's ability to get people to "Emote," stop thinking "Logically" or "Rationally;" and feel Rhêma.  His voice could be used almost like a musical instrument Mr. Steve's father says.  I hear Crows fighting out there in the desert.                                        JOHN F. KENNEDY                 ADOLPH HITLER            MARTIN LUTHER KING                                                                                                                                                                        Mr. Steve's dad jokes Adolph Hitler "might've made a good motivational sports Coach," and that's "probably also true of President Kennedy and Martin Luther King."  I just thought    of Hitler's 1920's book called "Mein Kampf," or "My Struggle."  I smell some Arborvitae.           

          Daisy says the girl in College only knew the "ranting and raving" Hitler, but was "Blown Away" by his speeches, even though she couldn't understand a word he said.  She realized how it "was possible so many Germans willingly gave him absolute power."  A boy Robin flew bye.         

           One reason people enjoy going to concerts and things like that is to "temporarily escape" or "get a break" from their "normally uneventful lives" Mr. Steve's dad thinks.   I wonder if it    was like that too at Hitler's speeches?  He probably created Rhêma or the "Living Word."                                           

"ADULATION" FOR ADOLPH HITLER    

           

       The caption below this 1930's photograph says "rapturous" Germans "greet" Hitler.  Mr. Steve did art for an older German lady who said females back then reacted to Hitler with "mass hysteria."  She'd read David Bowie said it was "like the BEATLES first trip to America."             

         I glanced up and can see two white vapor trails up in the sky.  The late morning Sun is now high above the eastern horizon, and I'd say it's about eleven forty five; judging by the shadows.    Samson and Delilah are flying bye right now and are moving together toward the northeast.        

       Oh!  I forgot to write a little bit more about that guy Lenny Bruce, and how he influenced later Comedians.  And then, in glancing at this book two outline; it looks like I'll be going back to the subject of music.  I can smell Bravo Company out there in the field behind the Sheds.                      

                  RICHARD PRYOR (1940-2005)                                GEORGE CARLIN (1937-2008) 

        

           One time a guy told Mr. Steve he thought Lenny Bruce "ran interference" or "paved the way" for American Comics like Sam Kinison, Richard Pryor and George Carlin.  Lenny Bruce    was described as "groundbreaking" by a tv show Daisy and Millie saw. I smell Manzanita.           

             Daisy says that man's sister knew Lenny Bruce, and thinks he "most likely" accidentally killed himself by "overdosing" on "Morphine."  Yesterday I wrote how, during the Korean War; Mr. Steve's father got addicted to morphine.  Benjamin the black Cow Bird just flew bye.

              I just thought of how, when he got "Frostbite" during the Korean War; they wanted to "Amputate," or cut off Mr. Steve's dad's feet.  They didn't but, as he says now; he "got hooked on morphine" to ease the pain.  Later, he had to quit by going what's called "Cold Turkey."   

              

"EDEN MEMORIAL PARK" ("MISSION HILLS")       

              

           I just thought about how "Eden Memorial Cemetery," where Jews like Lenny Bruce and Mr. Steve's old boss Steve Bank's is buried; in 1990 signed up as business members of that store "Pace" through Mr. Steve.  It's now called "Sam's Club."  I hear a Raven croaking faintly.

           Daisy heard that lady who knew Lenny Bruce said, "when they found his dead body the electric typewriter was still on and a kettle of water was boiling."  On a sheet of paper he'd put," Conspiracy to interfere with the 4th Amendment const…"  Heathcliff just crowed over there.

          Mr. Steve was told how, on the same day he died; Lenny Bruce's house was what's called  "Foreclosed."  Daisy says that means he didn't have enough money to pay for the house, so the Bank "took it back."  Our boss told his brother Sam we don't owe any money on our house.

              

                VIVALDI (1678-1741)                                                    MOZART (1756-1791)                                                                                                         PAINTING BY BARBARA KRAFFT

          

             I guess, Lenny Bruce was sort of like those guys Vivaldi and Mozart in dying poor.  That lady who knew him said "at the time of his death" he was officially declared a "Pauper" but; at least he had a grave to be buried in Dais thinks.   Heathcliff is crowing over there right now.

             As Mr. Steve used a shovel to throw dirt down on Steve Bank's coffin he thought about how fragile life is.  The lady said at Lenny Bruce's burial a friend threw one of his microphones down into the grave to be with him.  I'd want my valuable rubber ball collection with me.

            Mr. Ralph thinks Lenny Bruce was "Persecuted" for saying "Taboo" things" out in the public.  So "they" made it hard for him to earn a living and, in a culture which worships money; "that's not good" Mr. Steve says.  Here in the U.S. we're supposed to have "Free Speech."     

                                        

                                                                      PANTERA    

                                     

            I just thought of that Heavy Metal Texas band PANTERA.  Their Guitarist "Dime Bag" was killed on stage by a crazy fan, who was himself shot by Police.   As I've said, PANTERA are from near where Mr. Steve's brother Rock now lives with his sons Rocky Jr. and Jacob.  

                Someday I want to hear PANTERA songs, especially the two Daisy and Millie heard in our boss's bedroom that time.  He played them loud for Jason, and I guess one says to "Walk;" another one is about some Cowboys who come from Hell.  Andy's over there looking at me.

            Mr. Dave laughed when our boss said he can play the "basic beat" of PANTERA'S song Walk, but "not the fills."  Daisy told me Mr. Dave chuckled when Mr. Steve told him about the "first and only" time he "tried to play" RUSH'S song about Tom Sawyer.  I smell Andy. 

            

                                                                    VAN HALEN    

                                                                                                                                         PHOTO BY FABIO NOSOTTI

   

              Over the last two days I've mentioned the L.A. city of "Pasadena," where that stadium the "Rose Bowl" is located.  It's where the Dodger's Baseball player Jackie Robinson was from.  I've mentioned before how that band VAN HALEN, who Daisy really likes; is also from Pasadena. 

             I guess, when PANTERA'S Guitarist was buried Eddie Van Halen put one of his guitars in the coffin.  Daisy saw a tv show about PANTERA which said he was also buried in a coffin with that Hard Rock band KISS'S logos on it.  Oh!  Maybe someone should make Dog coffins?  

        Someday I'll hear some VAN HALEN songs, where the Guitarist "Eddie" is the younger brother of Drummer "Alex" Van Halen.  Daisy heard their parents came over to the U.S. from the "Netherlands," where that Painter Vincent van Gogh was born too.  Dawn's barking.

  

                                B.B. KING                                                           BRIAN MAY

        

               Yesterday I wrote of how Mr. Steve is interested in why some Guitarists like Brian May of QUEEN, and B.B.; King, think of their guitars as female; while others view them as male.  Up there in the high blue sky I just noticed two long white vapor trails.  Dawn has a nice voice. 

              Mr. Steve told that kid Jason about seeing VAN HALEN'S 1984 "pre-concert" morning "Sound Check" at the Forum in Inglewood.  At that time he, Mr. Mark and Miss Helen worked across the street for the company that owned the Forum and sports teams.  I smell Sage. 

          I guess that guy Eddie Van Halen thinks of some of his guitars as male.  Dais says on the tv show about PANTERA it said he named some of his guitars "Frankenstein."  A flock of Birds is now flying bye up there in the late morning sky, but they're not as high as the vapor trails.    

 

                        FRANKENSTEIN                                                 EDDIE VAN HALEN                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                                                                PHOTO BY LARRY MARANO

    

                 Daisy and Millie heard Mr. Dave say he noticed how to his family call Eddie Van Halen  either "Edward" or "Ed."  Like Brian May of QUEEN, I guess he builds his own guitars so calls them "Frankenstein's;" like the monster.   Max the Hummingbird just now whizzed bye. 

                Mr. Rich down there in Sylmar read Eddie Van Halen used "easier to use" parts from a "Fender Stratocaster" guitar, to get a "Gibson Les Paul" sound.  Daisy says Mr. Steve has faxed line drawings of VAN HALEN  logos to people for their kids to color.  A Train just whistled.  

                Tomorrow I'll write about some of the good Guitarists Mr. Steve has seen "In Person" as they say.  Brian May and Eddie Van Halen were two of them.  He told his brother Rock, and Mr. Rich; he "would have liked" to see PANTERA'S Guitarist Dime Bag.  I can smell Juniper.

  

                               JIMI HENDRIX                                                DICK DALE

                                                                 PHOTO BY HENRY DILTZ

   

              I've mentioned before how Guitarists like Dick Dale and Jimi Hendrix mainly used Fender "Stratocasters."  And, because parts of Eddie Van Halen's guitar were from a Stratocaster; he at times jokingly referred to his guitar as being a "Frankenstrat."  Heathcliff crowed over there. 

              Daisy heard our boss tell Mr. Dave he read in a Magazine article that the guitar Eddie Van Halen put in the coffin of  PANTERA'S Guitarist was a black and yellow striped Frankenstein.  I guess most of his "Composite" guitars were red bodies with white stripes.  A Lizard ran bye.   

              Our boss told Mr. Cliff how the Magazine article said that Eddie Van Halen used "glossy Schwinn" type Bicycle paint on his guitars.  Dais says our boss, and his brothers and friends in Sylmar; at times rode "Schwinn" bikes.   I'll come back to VAN HALEN in these two books. 

                    

            "I LOVE LUCY"               PIGEONS ON ROOF               JOHN SEBASTIAN          

             

                Oh!  Fred, Ethel and Lucy and Ricky just flew in from being out in the desert.  They all landed up on the Patio roof right above me sitting down here on Elvira, and now they're walking around; which makes me feel comfortable.  The late morning air is so clear again today. 

                  I just thought of how the lady who played "Ethel Mertz" on "I Love Lucy" was from New Mexico, and her "Godson" was a Musician named John Sebastian.  I've never heard his songs but Daisy has and told me he sings and plays this one thing called an "Autoharp." 

             Yesterday I've mentioned how Mr. Steve has wondered why places like Germany refer to their country as the "Fatherland," while others like Russia think of their nation as female so call it the "Motherland?"  Hearing the Pigeons cooing is giving me a happy feeling right now.

  

                                                                     THE MCCOYS

                                                             (RICK DERRINGER WITH "LUCY")

 

                   Daisy and Millie saw a tv show about this red 1957 "Gibson Les Paul" electric guitar named "Lucy," which was owned by the BEATLES George Harrison.  It originally belonged to John Sebastian, later to Rick Derringer; who was another Guitarist.  I smell the Pigeons.  

            Our boss told Mr. Rich when John Sebastian had Lucy it was gold, but Rick Derringer painted it red.  His 1960's band the MCCOYS were from the State of "Indiana," and Dais says had a song I want to hear called "Hang on Sloopy"  What an unusual name Sloopy is. 

               Mr. Steve was told by a customer in "Michigan" Rick Derringer was born in an "Ohio" town called "Celina."   So he told him about his sister, who's buried down there at the "Mission Cemetery."  We'd like to go visit her grave, even though Daisy heard Dogs aren't allowed.                        

                    "DERRINGER" PISTOL                                 LINCOLN ASSASINATION                                          (USED TO KILL LINCOLN)                                    ("FORDS THEATRE" / APRIL 14, 1865)

  

                 Daisy told me our boss's customer in Michigan said Rick Derringer's real last name is actually "Zehringer."  But he changed it to the name of the little handgun John Wilkes Booth used to kill President Lincoln.  Mr. Steve has a replica "Derringer" in his office I guess. 

             One reason Rick Derringer changed his name was because the MCCOYS "Issued" their songs on "Bang" Records.  That Parts Manager said Hang on Sloopy is the "official" Ohio State Rock song, and teams like the Baseball Indians and Basketball Cavaliers use it.  I smell Sage.

             Our boss and Mr. Rich talked about how Rick Derringer has played guitar for a lot of famous Musicians like Edgar Winter, Bob Dylan; and later Cyndy Lauper who Mr. Steve took pictures of.   The Pigeons are now flying back out into the eastern desert behind the Sheds.    

               

                "WEIRD" AL YANKOVIC                                          THE CARPENTERS

                       

                 The man on the tv show about Lucy the guitar said Rick Derringer "Produced" some of that funny guy "Weird Al's" albums.  Yesterday I wrote about how Weird Al is from "Downey" like the CARPENTERS, and does funny versions of other people's songs.  A Train whistled.

             I remember that morning when our boss and Mr. Mike were loading Rex the Truck to go to the Dump.  Mr. Mike said he likes the Edgar Winter song "Frankenstein," which I guess that guy Rick Derringer worked on.  I'll learn more about "Albinos" over the next two days. 

            One time on the phone our boss and Mr. Rick talked about that guy Andy Warhol, who's now associated with "New York City" but was originally from "Pittsburgh" like Mr. Rick.  Rick Derringer did some things with Andy Warhol.  Blackbeard and Anne Bonny are flying bye.    

       

"CRUCIFIXION"   

       

             Hey Lord!  As You know of course, that Parts Manager in Michigan is an "Evangelical" or "Born Again" Christian.  He said Rick Derringer is too, just like Alice Cooper the Singer; who I wrote about earlier today.  I can see my collection of things to chew on over there to my left.

           That Parts Manager in Michigan said Rick Derringer sold his red 1957 Les Paul Lucy to a "Pawn Shop."  And it turned out the person who came in and ended up buying it was that guy Eric Clapton.  Seeing my collection of things to chew on makes me feel so glad to be alive.

            I guess a few years later Eric Clapton gave the Les Paul to George Harrison, who's said to have named it after Lucille Ball who had red hair.  Mr. Dave read George Harrison played Lucy in things he did after the BEATLES.  But one time Lucy was stolen but they got her back.   

                                        

                                   ERIC CLAPTON               "LUCY"              GEORGE HARRISON

     

            Because her favorite color is red, if  Daisy ever had a guitar she would want it to look like Lucy the Les Paul; whereas I would want my guitar to be royal blue just like my food bowl.  Mr. Rich, who was in that band DRAGPIPE; has a Gibson Les Paul.  A little Lizard just ran bye.

               Lucy the guitar was made in the same year Mr. Steve's brother Rock in Texas was born.  It has such a good shape Daisy thinks and, I guess our boss told his brother over the years he's known a few people who had them.  Mr. Dave in New Mexico likes the Stratocasters shape.  

              Mentioning Rick Derringer being in that 1960's band the MCCOYS makes me think of  something Dais actually has me scheduled to write about tomorrow in my third and final book.  Back in the 19th century there was a phrase "The Real McCoy."  Heathcliff just crowed.

                    

     ELIJAH MCCOY (1844-1929)         

                 

              Daisy saw a good tv show about Inventors like Alexander Graham Bell, Nikola Tesla and Thomas Edison.  It mentioned a black man named Elijah McCoy who, back in 1871; invented a  "lubricating device" for steam engines.  Mr. Mark's wife Miss Kim is descended from him. 

          Wow!  It says here that guy Elijah McCoy went to College in Scotland, at the age of only fifteen.  Because his invention was so good, others "counterfeited" it; but theirs wasn't as good as his so people asked, "Is this the real McCoy?"  They only wanted Elijah McCoy's device.  

           This one Encyclopedia says in 1837 Elijah McCoy's parents, through that "Underground Railroad" system; "escaped slavery" in the State of "Kentucky" and made it all of the way up north to Canada.  There the dad joined the military.  They acquired land and had a family. 

                

       19TH CENTURY AMERICAN SLAVES              "UNDERGROUND RAILROAD" ROUTES                                                                                                                                               

         I'm starting to get why Mr. Steve and his dad like studying maps.  One shows some of the routes Slaves took to escape the South.  Daisy says our boss, before the recession; had a customer in "Kentucky" who said Elijah McCoy invented other things besides his "oiling mechanism."      

         Oh what the heck!  I can write about the name "McCoy" now, and also in book three too.  The tv show about Inventors said "few females" were on the Underground Railroad, so our boss thinks Elijah McCoy's parents must've been "strong people."  A Train whistled faintly.                

         Even though Canada didn't have Slavery Dais says, there was still prejudice up there too.  Elijah McCoy could only go to "Colored" school.  But, I guess he was so smart; at age fifteen he  went to Scotland and studied "Engineering."  Andy's over there guarding their burrow.                   

                    MR. MARK / WIFE KIM                          MR. MARK / SONS TAJ, DYLAN               

 

                  Daisy says a while back our boss was told by Mr. Mark how his wife Kim is a descendent of Elijah McCoy.  But her part of the family ended up moving out here to Northern California I guess.  Andy's looking over at me, and I can tell by his body language he just picked my scent.   

            Mr. Ralph, and Mr. Gary the Barber; read the "idiom" The Real McCoy came from the late 19th century Boxer "Kid" McCoy.  Others say, it was "derived" from a 1920's era alcohol  "smuggler;" whose "Booze" wasn't "watered down."   Alcohol was illegal in "Prohibition."   

           That Parts Manager in Kentucky said he was told there's a 1990's German "Dance" band called The REAL MCCOY, and also a brand of whiskey and rum.  Daisy heard our boss and his mom recall a Sylmar family with the last name "McCoy." One was in her  Girl Scout troop.

     

 BOOKER T. WASHINGTON (1856-1915) WITH FAMILY  

   

                  The tv show on Inventors mentioned what it says here too, how Elijah McCoy was very  "admired" by that guy Booker T. Washington; who had his school in "Alabama" and  knew a few U.S. Presidents.  Booker T. Washington was born a Slave but "rose above it" I guess.

            Booker T. Washington is now "associated" with the town of "Tuskegee" Alabama, just like those World War II Pilots I've mentioned before; and will learn more about tomorrow in my third book.  Samson and Delilah are flying over Libby's Corral and she's looking up them.

           Daisy heard Miss Babette had this customer in Alabama who knew all about Booker T. Washington and the Civil War.  He read Elijah McCoy "died poor" but a Detroit Post Office was named after him.  Wow!  So at least that part of him will be around so he'll be remembered.     

                                              

   WILLIAM HATFIELD    RANDALL MCCOY       

                 (1839-1921)                     (1825-1914)                       

          

                A few times our boss talked with that Parts Manger in Kentucky about the famous 19th century "Feud," between the "Hatfield" family from West Virginia; and the "McCoy clan" from Kentucky.  A little Bird just ran bye out there in the dirt.  It's carrying a twig for its nest. 

           My Encyclopedia says the "Hatfield-McCoy conflict" lasted for about thirty years, from 1863 through 1891.  The leader of the Hatfield family was named "William," or "Devil Anse."  The McCoy's leader was "Randall," and both look kind of mean in their pictures I notice.

           Wow!  It says here that guy Devil Anse and his wife had thirteen children, while Randall McCoy's wife had seventeen kids.  Boy!  Five of their kids got killed during that long feud, even though both family's were "sympathetic" to the South during the Civil War.  I smell Sage.  

                

 AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (1861-1865)

      

                    I guess, the Hatfield-McCoy feud began when the Hatfield's killed a brother of Randall McCoy; because he had fought for the Union during the Civil War.  It "escalated," and things "evolved into a cycle of violence and revenge"  Donald and Daisy are now both quacking.

                   Someday I'd like to hear how an electric guitar sounds in person, because Dais told me it is amazing how "powerful and loud" they can be.  Drums "are loud too" she says, especially the metal cymbals.  Andy's sniffing the air, just in case Goliath or Cher might be around here.  

             For some reason I just thought of how QUEEN'S Guitarist Brian May, with his father; built that red "Old Lady" girl guitar he always plays.  Boy!  Daisy's so right in saying how you have to be really smart to even know how to build a guitar.  Mr. Rich could probably do it.

                             

                            LUCILLE BALL                                                  "I LOVE LUCY"

     

         Even though George Harrison was English, he "must've liked" the the tv show "I Love Lucy" Daisy thinks; "or he wouldn't have named the red Les Paul Lucy."  That girl Lucille Ball was known for her red hair.  Over the years Mr. Steve has known people with red hair I guess.    

          Dais has heard our boss and Mr. Phillip talking about "American influence" on English culture.  Mr. Phillip joked how "to him" Lucille Ball's hair was "more orange than red," but in the picture of her I notice how her lips are red.  Leo and Cleo are flying over Libby's Corral.     

        Oh!  I wonder how Dais would look if she dyed some of her hair red?  It just might look pretty good, so then we could start one of those "Fashion Trends" and maybe even make some money too?   I just thought of how Mr. Ramon the Auto Mechanic's favorite color is orange.                     

                                          MARY FORD (1924-1977) / LES PAUL 1915-2009)

                         

              Yesterday I mentioned those two "Guitar Makers" Leo Fender and Les Paul.  Les Paul is the man the 1957 Gibson guitar Lucy was named for and, like Mr. Mark; was originally from the State of "Wisconsin."  A flock of Birds way up there in the late morning sky are flying bye. 

           This one Encyclopedia says Les Paul was "not only" a good Guitarist, he was also as an "Inventor" too.  A picture shows him with his "musical partner" wife Mary Ford, who sang and played "rhythm" guitar.  You can tell by the photograph that she really wants to help him.  

           Mr. Steve's mom's Girl Scout troops used to sing the song "Vaya Con Dios," or "Go with God" in Spanish.  In 1953, two years before Mr. Steve was born; Les Paul and Mary Ford did a version of it.  I can smell Bonnie and Clyde's babies sleeping soundly up there in their nest. 

                                      

                                                          STEVE MILLER BAND   

        

                I guess Steve Miller is a Guitarist from up there in Northern California.  Dais heard Mr. Dave tell our boss one time he read Les Paul was his "Godfather," like Vivian Vance who played "Ethel" on I Love Lucy; was John Sebastian's "Godmother."  A Train just whistled faintly.

            As I wrote yesterday, when you're a "God Parent" to a baby that means you have to take care of the baby if the parents die, which for "most of history" Mr. Steve's dad says; was always a "distinct possibility."  Andy's sniffing the air in protecting he and Helen's burrow.     

           My Encyclopedia says Les Paul was the "father of the solid-body electric guitar," and is now "associated" with the "overdubbing" process for recording music.  Daisy heard that means to record a song in "layers," one "track" at a time.  That Train whistled again but louder now.    

       

      HOME STUDIO                    LES PAUL / MARY FORD                   WITH DOGS                    

                

                Two pictures in my Encyclopedia show Les Paul and Mary Ford at their house.  I guess, for a long time; they lived out here in Southern California but then moved permanently to New Jersey; where Mr. Rich is originally from.  Mr. Rich got to meet Les Paul that one time.

                 I see Les Paul and Mary Ford with their Dogs, one a bigger "Collie;" the other a small "Chihuahua."  Mr. Steve's family had "Chino" the Chihuahua who; like Max; was small but at times aggressive.  Mr. Ivan used to joke that he had one of those "Napoleonic complex's." 

                A few years ago this man told our boss, "after so many years of being an entertainer;" Mary Ford decided to "hang em up" as that old saying goes.  She wanted to retire and just raise their children, but her husband kept playing guitar for the rest of his life.  Heathcliff crowed. 

   

                                                     LES PAUL                  LEO FENDER

    

                 As I've mentioned, two company's that build electric guitars are "Gibson," who named one of their guitars after Les Paul; and that guy Leo Fender's company out here in California.  I just now glanced up in time to see Theodora flying bye, and going out into the eastern desert.

              Daisy heard our boss tell Mr. Ralph one time how some people think Les Paul and Leo Fender were enemies working for "Competing" companies.  But, in this tv interview; Mr. Steve heard Les Paul tell Eddie Van Halen they "were actually friends."  I smell some old Sage.

               Hey God!  Smelling the baby Cholla cactus growing in the dirt over there to my right, is making me feel so good right now; so thank You for that  The now high blue late morning sky is so beautiful.  I can't wait to finish this fourth chapter so I can go visit with Daisy up there. 

                             

                                         "MCDONALDS" RESTAURANT (DOWNEY)       

             

           All of a sudden, for some reason I just thought of the city of "Downey," where that guy Weird Al Yankovic is from.  As I mentioned yesterday in my first book, the oldest "Franchise"    type McDonalds restaurant is down there in Downey.   I wonder what Dais is doing?                      

            Our boss told Mr. Rich good Musicians, like the CARPENTERS and also METALLICA for example; are from Downey.  Dave Alvin, who Mr. Steve took pictures of; came from Downey  too.  He and his brother had a good "Rockabilly" band called the BLASTERS Dais heard.           

         I just noticed Andy running through the right vertical gate slot, to go out into the back desert.  Helen is taking his place guarding the burrow entrance while he probably is going to the bathroom I'll bet.  Their new Spring babies are so fortunate to have such good parents.                         

                                                      "APOLLO" SPACE PROGRAM

      

         Yesterday I wrote about our boss's customer in Downey.  My Encyclopedia says Downey is the "Birthplace" of the 1960's U.S. "Apollo" space program.  As I mentioned yesterday in book one, Apollo was the ancient Greek God of the "Sun, Light and Music."   I can feel the Sun.           

       Mr. Steve told his father he at times thinks of his friend Mark Ritter who died, who knew about that Apollo program which landed men up on the Moon.  It was the third American space program following "Mercury" and "Gemini."   Mr. Steve's dad at timed misses Mr. Garcia.         

        I'm so tempted to talk about that German Scientist Werner von Braun right now but, I'd better just wait.   During World War II he built those "V-2" Rockets for Hitler's Germany, later "leading" the Apollo program.  I'll be learning more about him over the next two days.                          

JOHN G. DOWNEY (1827-1894)

    

            My Encyclopedia says the city of Downey was named after John G. Downey.   The caption underneath his picture says he was California's Governor during the five years of the American  Civil War.  Andy's back so now Helen can go down into the burrow to be with their babies.           

           This is interesting.  Until Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2003 John G. Downey, who was born in Ireland; was the only California Governor not to be born in the U.S.  I guess, his family came to America about the time of that huge 1840's famine where a million people may've starved.       

          Oh!  It says here, even though he was a "Democrat" during the Civil War; that guy John G. Downey "supported" the "Republican" President Lincoln.  It says here he originally came to California in 1849 for that big "Gold Rush."  A flock of Birds is going toward the northeast.           

                                                                                        "PONY EXPRESS" (1860-1861)                                                                          

                                                                                                                                                                              PAINTING BY FREDERICK REMINGTON

           

         This Encyclopedia says "three things happened" while Governor Downey led California.  The State capitol of "Sacramento," which Mr. Steve and his father have been to; was started.  In the 1860's that one really big railroad company, called the "Central Pacific;" was "formed."       

           It was during Governor Downey's "term" that "Pony Express" mail service "operated."    A painting by Frederick Remington, who Mr. Steve and his mom like; shows a man on a running Horse carrying a sack of letters to be "delivered" at the next station.  Heathcliff crowed.               

        The caption below Frederick Remington's painting says the Pony Express was a "short-lived mail service enterprise."  I guess Horse Riders, "in relays;" took letters "back and forth"    from Missouri all the way out here to California.  A map shows the "Routes" they rode.                                                                   AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (1861-1865)                 

      

           It says here the Pony Express "existed" for only about a year, the months before Abraham Lincoln was elected President in 1860; and then for most of 1861 when the Civil War broke out.  But that "Telegraph" wire system made the Pony Express "obsolete."  I can smell Libby.             

       One time Daisy and Millie were in our boss's bedroom, and watched a tv show about 19th century railroads.  In 1869, four years after the Civil War; that railroad connected the east and    west American coasts.  A Train whistled faintly over there in the northern desert to my left.          

        After the "Trans-Continental" railroad was finished in 1869 the mail could be delivered a lot faster than men on Horses.  But, the main reason why the Pony Express was "discontinued"  was the creation of that wired telegraph system in 1861.  I'll write about telegraphs later.                     

 CALIFORNIA INDIAN VILLAGE (PRE-SPANISH)

PAINTING BY MARY LEIGHTON THOMSON

            Yesterday I wrote about that "Tongva" Indian lady who Mr. Steve met one time over at the San Fernando "Knights of Columbus" Hall.  She knew about Governor Downey and also the Pony Express.  She said in her language Dog is "Woshii," while the Sun is called "Taamet."         

             I've mentioned how, after they arrived up here in "Alta" or "Upper" California back in the 18th century; the Spanish called the native Tongvan's "Gabrieliños."  As I wrote in my first book, Tongva means, "People of the Earth."  They lived in what is now the Downey area.              

             Dais told me that Tongvan lady said, when the "San Gabriel" Mission was built in 1771, there were "three Tongvan villages" in "what is now" the Downey area; "Sehet," "Naxaan'nga" and "Chokishnga."  I just thought of Tongvan "Yayaayt" is Bird.   I smell some Mesquite.                            

     "SAN GABRIEL ARCÁNGEL" MISSION                           MR. RANDY

                       

                 I remember that morning when our boss, as he trimmed an Arborvitae tree; talked about the San Gabriel Mission with Mr. Randy.  Both have been there and also the city of Downey too.  According this Encyclopedia the San Gabriel was the "4th of 21" Alta California Missions.

                  San Gabriel Mission's "Original" location was nearer to what is now Downey, called the "Gateway" city between L.A. and Orange Counties.  Just a few years after it was "established" in 1771 there was a big flood.  So, they moved, or "relocated" it; over to where it is now.  

              My Encyclopedia says under Governor Downey "Subdividing" land was "pioneered" in California, and it was he who thought of growing oranges.  I guess, during the mid-19th century Mexican "Californio" period; Downey was important.  I can smell Libby over there. 

           

                                                                                         "PERCHERON" HORSE

                    Oh!  All of a sudden, smelling Libby makes me think of our boss and his father talking about big French "Percheron" Horses.  Mr. Steve's father, growing up in New Mexico; saw them pulling "Plows" out in the fields.   Wow!  A picture shows how big  Percheron Horses are.

              I was actually supposed to write about Percheron Horses yesterday, when I wrote about New Mexico but; somehow missed it on my outline.  But, like with the other things I missed; I'll just try to fit those subjects in today as I go along.  Libby's now walking around over there.

             Daisy told me our boss's dad was told the "Albuquerque" Police Department at times use Percheron Horses for "Crowd Control."  They were "bred" in the 17th century French region of "Perche," and called "Draft" Horses."  I'll bet they could be used just like a Tank in a war!

   

                             "THE HORSE FAIR"                                        "BRINGING UP THE GUNS"

                                                   PAINTING BY ROSA BONHEUR                                                                                                             PAINTING BY HAROLD POWERS

       

                 I've mentioned how there's a "Guest" bedroom in our house.  But down in Sylmar at Mr. Steve's parents house there are now two guest bedrooms.  Mr. Steve's old bedroom is now one of them and, in the other one; a big framed print of a painting from the 19th century is hanging.

            I guess that one print is a copy of a real painting made in France by this lady named Rosa Bonheur.  Mr. Steve's mom bought it at the "Metropolitan Museum of Art" in New York City.  I just glanced up and noticed that Libby's looking in this direction from over in her Corral.  

           Rosa Bonheur's painting shows Percheron Horses being bought and sold in France.  And in this Encyclopedia is another painting showing Percheron's being used in the First World War. They're pulling ammunition to the "Front," which was those horrible "Trenches" in France.

                 

                                   "NAZIS"                 POLAND INVADED (1939)            "SOVIETS"                          

     

              Well, the next thing to learn about is the subject of "Intelligence."  The Second World War "Officially" began in September of 1939, when Nazi Germany and Soviet Russia attacked Poland.  To the "worlds surprise," Hitler and Stalin had made an "Alliance of Convenience."  

              Mr. Steve's father thinks "Intelligence Gathering" was the "biggest factor" in the Allies winning World War II.  They "Broke the Codes" Germany and Japan used to send messages, so often knew what their opponents were going to do.  A little Lizard ran bye out in the dirt.   

             Over the next two days Daisy has me scheduled to learn about "Espionage," another big factor in the Allies beating the Axis Powers in the Second World War.  Mr. Steve's dad says "it's possible the war may have lasted another two years if not for intelligence.  I smell Juniper.  

                                                                                          "BLETCHLEY PARK"  (EXTERIOR)      

                                                      

            Daisy and Millie saw a tv show about "Bletchley Park" where, during World War II; the British "Intercepted" and "Interpreted" Germany's Radio transmissions.  Winston Churchill and his Generals could then makes plans.  Winston Churchill called it his "Ultra" secret. 

            The man on the tv show talked about how the Allies "cracked" or "broke" the German "Enigma" Code at Bletchley Park.  Polish "Code Breakers" had been working on it but gave all  their information to the British when conquered by Germany and Russia.  Liibby neighed. 

            I'll also learn about Bletchley Park and the subject of Code Breaking tomorrow, but can still write a few things about it now too.  Mr. Steve met a lady who, with her kids; visited what is now a Museum at Bletchley Park.  Smelling Libby right now is making me feel so good.  

            

   BLETCHLEY PARK (INTERIOR)                                    MR. PHILLIP                        

                      

             Our boss told Mr. Phillip from Wales the lady who visited Bletchley Park, which is about fifty miles northwest of London; was like Mr. Steve's mom in knowing about "Art History."  She didn't really like Bletchley Park's mix of Victorian, Gothic, Baroque and Tudor styles. 

            That guy Ian Flemming, who wrote the "James Bond" books; worked at Bletchley Park I guess.  It says here, besides Scientists, Chess players and people good at Crossword Puzzles also worked at Bletchley Park.  Grandma Trujillo was pretty good at doing Crossword Puzzles.

            Mr. Phillip has read about Bletchley Park, and how the girl who married Prince William had a Grandmother who worked there during World War II.  Daisy says the man on the tv show mentioned how there were "many women" working there.  I love the late afternoon fresh air. 

     

                             KATE MIDDLETON          HER AUNT                                         

PHOTO BY MICHAEL REED                                                                                           

        

                Daisy heard our boss and Miss Susan at work talking about the pretty girl who married England's Prince William.  She's a "Duchess," and Mr. Phillip said "not only" did her Grandma work at Bletchley Park; so did that lady's twin sister too.  Oh!  I smell the Twin Joshua trees.

             Mr. Phillip says some people want to "tear down" the Bletchley Park building, to build some houses or things like that.  Mr. Steve's dad thinks it's "sad" the people who worked there "never got any recognition."  That's because what they did in World War II was "Top Secret."   

             According to what Dais heard him say one time, our boss's dad thinks Codes and Code-Breaking has been "important in history."  Even in ancient Rome people like Julius Caesar used them.  In book three I'll write about how that Writer Edgar Allan Poe liked "Cryptography."   

   

           CAESAR (100-44 B.C.)         E.A. POE (1809-1849)      WASHINGTON (1732-1799) 

       PHOTO BY W.S. HARTSHORN                                                                                                                           PAINTING BY CHARLES WILSON PEACE

             

              A tv show Daisy and Millie watched with our boss in the living room mentioned a "Spy Ring" George Washington used win the Revolutionary War.  I guess they used codes and things like "invisible" ink.  Mr. Steve's mom memorized "The Raven" by Edgar Allan Poe as a kid.      

             My Dictionary says a "Code" is, "A secret message that replaces words or phrases with letters, numbers or other words."  And a "Cipher" then "replaces or rearranges the individual letters in each word of that secret message."  I can smell a Lizard somewhere around here. 

            "Cryptography" is defined as, "Writing or deciphering coded messages."  And "Cryptic" means, "hidden, mysterious, baffling or obscure."  Oh!  Speedy Gonzalez just zoomed through the right vertical slot on the side of the gate to go into the eastern desert behind the Sheds.    

       

 HIGH DESERT LIZARD 

                    

           Aha!  I just noticed the Lizard I've been smelling doing pushups over there near the big Mulberry tree.  It better be careful or it might attract the attention of someone, like Cher; who    would want to kill and eat it.  I can tell by his body language Andy smells that one Lizard.            

             Dais told me the tv show said "instructions for creating or deciphering coded messages" is called a "Key," the original "Uncoded" message the "Plain Text."  That Lizard is gone.  It's a good thing because Cher over there under the clump of Joshua trees near Libby's Corral. 

            In Europe during the Middle Ages only Kings and people like that were allowed to send messages using Codes.  Even though, back in those days; almost all of the people couldn't read or write anyway Daisy says.  In my left nostril I can really smell Theodora's Creosote bush.

                                                       

                                                     QUEEN ELIZABETH I (1533-1606)     

  THE DARNLEY PORTRAIT          

                                   

             The tv show mentioned how in 1587, or year before the Spanish sent that big "Armada" up there to conquer England; Queen Elizabeth I "executed" her Cousin Mary "Queen of Scots." The "excuse she needed" was an "intercepted and deciphered" message.  Heathcliff crowed.

             I just looked up Mary Stuart, Scotland's Queen who Elizabeth I had killed; and thought of a "rival" for her English throne.  Daisy said Queen Elizabeth kept her "under house arrest" for almost twenty years.  I smell the baby Cholla cactus growing over there in the dirt.  

            The man on the tv show mentioned how Queen Mary was tricked, or "entrapped;" into a "conspiracy" to overthrow her Cousin.  But, she got caught so had to have her head cut off as so often happened to people back in those days.  At least she wasn't burned alive Dais thinks.   

                                                         

MARY I ("QUEEN OF SCOTS" / 1542-1587)         

PAINTING BY FRANÇOIS CLOUET                

                  

                It says here Queen Mary was the Great Granddaughter of that guy King Henry VII, the Niece of Henry VIII; and her son in 1603 became King James I of England.  He's the King who had the "King James" Bible made.  Hey God!  Someday I really want to read that Bible.  

           Boy!  I guess Queen Mary's father died when she was only six days old, and all three of her husbands "predeceased" her; which means they died before her.  Daisy say Mr. Ralph said, in the 16th and 17th centuries there were "many ways to die young."  I can smell Andy.  

           Hey God!  Thank You for helping me again today.  I'm going to keep working hard and not waste any time, unless I have to go pee or visit with Daisy; which wouldn't be considered as wasting time Dais says.  There are so many beautiful puffy clouds up there in the high sky.

      

                                         "INTO THY HANDS I COMMEND MY SPIRIT"

(LUKE 23:46)   

        

                  Hey Lord!  It says here what the tv show mentioned too, how just before dying Queen Mary said; "Oh Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit."   And that's what You said too right before You died.  Daisy told me that band SYSTEM OF A DOWN also say that in a song.   

                Daisy told me Lord that S.O.A.D. song might be about eating Chinese food, or maybe it might be about when You died?  Dais says she and Millie also noticed how the Singer yelled out, "Father, why have You forsaken me?"  A little girl Finch holding a twig in its mouth ran bye.

               Oh wow!  According to my Dictionary "Forsaken" means to "abandon, desert, leave or quit a situation."  Hey God!  I would never want You to do that to all of us down here, because that would be so bad.  We like all of You Guys hanging around us for the rest of our lives.  

   

"ATONEMENT"

  

                Hey Lord!   Daisy told me about the time the Mormon kid on a Mission told our boss how, in the "Book of Mormon;" the "Tree of Life" emblem symbolizes how Your "Atonement" shows "God's Love."  You died to make up for how bad some people had been.  I can smell Libby.

           I guess Lord, that Mormon kid said "Latter Day Saints" believe mankind can be "saved"  through all of that torture the Roman Soldiers had fun "inflicting" on You; before killing You by nailing You to that cross.  Ugh!  Every time I think about it I imagine how painful it was.  

           Daisy heard the Mormon kid say Lord how, because of how You were killed; You can both "sympathize and empathize" with the "inherent hardship and struggle" that is simply a part of everyday "temporal" life.  Mr. Steve told him Sister Rita Joseph believed in that idea too.    

                           

MID-DAY HIGH DESERT SKY 

   

         Ah!  The clouds up in the sky are so pretty, and the air I'm breathing is so fresh and clear too right not.   Well, back to writing about "Cryptography" or "Code Breaking" in history.  Mr. Steve and his father both think to this day it's a "very important subject" in the world.                 

      Dais told me how, a few years ago; Mr. Steve's father helped organize an event in Van Nuys where they "Honored" these elderly "Navajo" Indians called "Code Talkers."  In World War II  out in the "Pacific" Theater they fought the Japanese.  Heathcliff just crowed over there.             

          My Encyclopedia says those Navajo Code Talkers "served" in the Marines, like our boss's father.  Using their "native" language, which the Japanese didn't know; they "communicated" or sent out Radio messages.  And the Japanese never did decipher those messages I guess.

                                                                                                         

                                                        NAVAJO "CODE TALKERS"

PHOTO BY STEVE CÓRDOVA 

     

          As I've said before, our boss's dad thinks the "breaking" of the German "Enigma" Code, and also the Japanese "Purple" and "Naval" Codes; were huge in the Allies winning World War II.  Mr. Steve calls it a "crucial" factor in "turning the tide" of the war.  I smell Arborvitae.         

         In College at C.S.U.N. Mr. Steve met a guy who knew about "Morse Code."  I guess it was invented in the 19th century, and used a lot with "Telegraphs" during the American Civil War.    Growing up a kid on their neighborhood named "Bob" learned Morse Code out of curiosity.       

       My Encyclopedia says the Morse Code was "created" by this smart man from the State of "Massachusetts" named Samuel Morse.  Massachusetts is near Connecticut; where Mr. Steve's sister Susan lives with her two sons Dalton and Austin.  Libby's walking around her Corral.         

                                                                                                                                            SAMUEL MORSE (1791-1872)                                                                                                                    

          It says here "Telegraphs" are wooden poles with a wire "hung between them."  Using a "series" of "short or long signals" or "dots and dashes," you send or "transmit" a message to be "received" on the other end.    A small flock of Birds is now flying over Libby's Corral.                 

          During World War II the Germans built Jets, Rockets and "Advanced" technology that still influences things today.  But they "came too late to make a difference" Mr. Steve thinks.  If    the Germans had more time "who knows what might've happened" his father tells people.           

          Boy!   I'm so tempted to write about the advanced technology of the Germans during the Second World War, but I'd better just wait until tomorrow.  I guess, some people think, had the Allies not "cracked" the Axis codes the war might've gone another two years.  I smell Sage.                             

   "ZODIAC KILLER" POSTER     

                      

          Oh what the heck!  Even though I'm not really scheduled to write about a  guy called the "Zodiac" until later, I kind of feel like mentioning him now too.  Daisy and Millie saw a tv show about how he, or she? killed people up there in San Francisco in the late 1960's.  I like Sage.         

          Daisy says Mr. Dave, who is also interested in the subject of cryptography; read about the "Zodiac Killer."  He would send out letters to Newspapers, partly written in Code; or what this    Encyclopedia calls "cryptograms" or "ciphers."  The Monarch Butterfly fluttered bye.                 

        My Dictionary says a zodiac is a "diagram showing a horizontal line intersecting a circle which represents the Sun's path."  And I guess that Zodiac killer used it as his "personal" logo in his letters.  Either a Car or Truck just went driving bye out there on Primavera Road.                           

               DAVID BERKOWITZ            TED KACZYNSKI               JOHN WAYNE GACY                        

           I just thought of how our boss and his brother Rock were in New York City in August of 1977, when that "Serial Killer" the "Son of Sam" was caught.  On that trip they visited their          Uncle Marty's family back east.  Daisy heard that the Zodiac killer has never been caught.         

         A lady once told Mr. Steve the Son of Sam's real name is David Berkowitz.  Daisy heard about this other guy named Ted Kaczynski, who's called the "Unabomber;" because he killed a few people by mailing them exploding bombs.  Two Crows are cawing out in the desert.                

       Wow!  A color photo shows John Wayne Gacy, who dressed up like a "Clown;" and then killed people.  I've mentioned how Dais is afraid of clowns so wait until she sees this.  There have been a few times when she's had dreams where her bad Angel Eddie looks like a mean clown.             

      TALKING HEADS

             

        When Mr. Steve and his brother Rock were in New York City in 1977 that band Daisy likes TALKING HEADS had a song called "Psycho Killer."  Some people think it was about the Son    of Sam.  A slight breeze just brought in Bravo Company's scent from out in the back desert.        

        I guess TALKING HEADS are from New York City, and Daisy thinks I'd like them seeing as how they're "quirky" like me.  Our boss has played along to some of their songs, and told Mr. Dave he likes their girl bass player.  They have a song about life during the time of a war.              

        Daisy told me our boss, in 1983 at the "Pantages" Theater in Hollywood; saw a TALKING HEADS concert with that girl "Nancy" who I mentioned yesterday.  It was such a good concert    they even made a documentary out of it later.  Mark Ritter liked the TALKING HEADS.                             

CALIFORNIA HIGH DESERT

      

         Looking at the back half acre out there behind the Sheds, and smelling some of the Joshua trees; makes me feel so good right now.  Hey God!  I'm grateful for my life and now really want    to make sure, like Mr. Steve; that every day is as productive as possible.  A Lizard ran bye.           

         Well God, it looks like this is the end of chapter four; so now I can hide all of my materials and go up front to visit Daisy.  Again today I'm having so much fun learning to read and write,    but like even better finding out new and interesting things.  The late morning smells so good.       

      I can't wait to run up to the front yard to see how Dais is doing, and I know she'll want to know how things are going back here on our second book too.   Wait until she finds out how well these first four chapters went.  Heathcliff just crowed, and some of the Hens are clucking.