Tuesday was a rare day in Phoenix. Starting at midnight, it rained steadily for the next ten hours and then rained off and on for the next nine. Elsewhere in the valley, there were flooding and water rescues, but here at Casa Kittling-- even though the front and back yards were filled with lots of standing water, there's no mud in the pool because it wasn't the get-your-annual-rainfall-in-five-minutes deluge. The last I heard, Tuesday was the eighth wettest day in history for Phoenix. We needed the rain, and I loved it that no damage was sustained here. Where did all this rain come from? From the remnants of tropical storm Rosa. (You normally don't think of tropical storms/hurricanes in conjunction with the desert, do you?)
Since my laundry room is accessed by going outside, I couldn't do the laundry. Oh darn. Instead, I watched it rain, checked the NOAA weather app on my phone once in a while, and read a large chunk of The Clockmaker's Daughter. Kate Morton is weaving her spell once again. That woman sure does know how to tell a tale.
And in case you're wondering why I chose this photo for the round-up, Kay from Kay's Reading Life commented that I'd been reading several working dog mysteries lately. That got me to thinking about the wonderful rapport I've had with so many of the dogs in my life. How could I not show you the first pack I was a member of? This is me at age five with Ginger's pups. Since the age of five (and probably before that only with no photographic evidence), I've known that one of the best things on earth is to be part of a pile of puppies.
Time to leave the puppy pile and mosey out to the link corral. Head 'em up! Moooove 'em out!
►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄
- How the director of The Bookshop found tons of rare vintage books.
- We know which library section you're most like based on these questions. (Now... you'd think I'd be in the mystery section, right? Ha! They told me Children's Literature.)
- Every book tour should include a public school.
- New software can predict landslides weeks before they happen.
- Daren Freeman, the owner of a small bookstore in Bullhead City, Arizona, knows that his bookstore is a hobby as well as a business.
- Craig Johnson on westerns, decency, and Longmire Days.
- How to open a bookstore in rural Scotland.
►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄
- After a thirteen-year chase, the FBI finally nabs a pair of Dorothy's ruby slippers.
- Traces of 13,000-year-old beer have been found in Israel.
- Her 3,000-year-old bones showed unusual signs of wear. It turns out, she was a master ceramicist.
- An excavation at Pembroke Castle in Wales may shed light on the mystery of Henry VII's birthplace.
- While on a walk outside a small Czech village, Monty the dog and his owner found nearly two dozen 3,000-year-old artifacts. I guess you could say Monty has a good nose for the old.
- A Jerusalem museum has untangled the history of the color blue, from Biblical hue to ancient royalty.
►Channeling My Inner Elly Mae Clampett◄
- Noise pollution might cut birds' lives short.
- Goats may prefer happy human faces. (Don't we all?)
- New Zealand penguins make an epic, pointless swim to the southern ocean.
- Newly discovered hybrid pythons are threatening Florida's wildlife.
- Starfish-murdering robots have been deployed in the Great Barrier Reef.
- Gene editing has been found to treat muscular dystrophy in dogs.
►I ♥ Lists◄
- Sixteen of the best thriller movies you can (and should) stream right now.
- Seven crime novels featuring working dogs. (I've read and can recommend four from the list. I got my hands on the other three. I've read one so far, and it made my Best Reads of 2018 list.)
- Eleven mystery novels that don't start with a dead girl.
- The English country house mystery.
- Stephen King's crime influences and crime-laced novels.
- Sixteen crime novels featuring satisfying comeuppance, bloody vengeance, and ice-cold revenge.
- The race against time thriller.
- Fifteen rules for borrowing books so you don't lose your friends in the process.
That's all for this week! Don't forget to stop by next Friday when I'll be sharing a freshly selected batch of links for your surfing pleasure.
Have a great weekend, and read something fabulous!
I agree about the benefits to humans of puppies. I used to dream about running a dog breeding farm so that I could be surrounded by puppies.
ReplyDeleteNow I think about puppies at times of stress and look up videos of puppies playing and get cuteness overload. And I pet dogs in the building and on my block. So I get a bit of dog fun.
That's good to hear, Kathy.
DeleteI'd heard about the rain out your way, Cathy. I'm glad you and Denis are dry and safe. That's a beautiful 'photo- thanks for sharing. There is something about being around dogs... Now, if you'll excuse me, it's off to Pembroke to that castle...
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your visit!
DeleteWhat a great picture! We are having lots of gray skies and rain, but that is not as unusual as it is for you!
ReplyDeleteIt's supposed to start raining again here tonight, with the possibility of more in the next couple of days. I'd forgotten what a long, dry summer it'd been!
DeleteSee, I knew you and dogs were compatible! And I'm not even a dog person. I don't mind them, but I've never had one. We do have a granddog named Cody. Love the picture, Cathy! :-)
ReplyDeleteA puppy pile sweetens up any photo, Kay.
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