Kittling: Books: A Landscapes and Marathons Weekly Link Round-Up

It's been a much better week here at Casa Kittling. It always is when government agencies don't have to be dealt with. I finally had the tree folks come in. I'd found the information on the company that Denis and I had used for years and contacted them. They quoted a much lower price than the other places that had given me estimates, and since I knew they did good work, naturally I went with them.

I am so happy that I did. It took them all day, but this property no longer looks like the Munsters' house at 1313 Mockingbird Lane. (I know some of you will know what I'm talking about.)

1313 Mockingbird Lane

Forgive me for only giving you a "Before" photo. I'm being lazy today.

I don't know if I got a widows and orphans discount or what, but the crew did a lot more than what was listed on the estimate. In fact, they've saved me from calling in another company that's done yard clean-up for us for several years. It's so nice to be able to sing the praises of a company instead of lobbing complaints at them.

I'm about to finish up This Book Made Me Think of You by Libby Page. Although I have been enjoying it, my enthusiasm has waned quite a bit. For me, the story has become too predictable, and although some feel-good, predictable stories hit the spot, I don't think I'm quite in the mood for one now.

In fact, my mood has been rather unsettled of late, and I've found myself doing something I haven't done since I was in my thirties: having nightly marathons of the films of a lusted-after actor. For me, it's been Timothy Dalton, my favorite James Bond and the perfect Mr. Rochester. At this point, I almost have the complete dialogue to Jane Eyre memorized. Not only do I think the 1980s Dalton is gorgeous, I love his voice.

Enough prattling-- I have links waiting to be shared. Virtual hugs to you all!

Enjoy the links!

►Books & Other Interesting Tidbits◄

The USA Today bestseller list fell under scrutiny. (I don't know about you, but I do tend to view bestseller lists with a raised eyebrow.)
Here's the memo approving Gemini, ChatGPT, and Copilot for use in the Senate. (They need all the help they can get, but...AI?)
Some people keep razor-sharp minds into their 80s and beyond. A new study reveals their secrets.
I before she: There's been a profound shift in perspective preferences when it comes to romance novels. (Third person? First person?)
Libraries are feeling the cost burden of eBook popularity.
The truth behind the endless "kids can't read" discourse.

►Channeling My Inner Indiana Jones◄

A Russian Revolution gold coin hoard worth over $500,000 was discovered during house construction.
Tudor courtiers exchanged portrait miniatures as love tokens. Centuries later, new research is unlocking the secrets of these intimate artworks.
A man in the Czech Republic accidentally found a Bronze Age spearhead mold in his backyard.
This traveler from India graffitied his name on five ancient tombs in Egypt's Valley of the Kings 2,000 years ago.
They joked about discovering a forgotten masterpiece. Now, experts say they're the unwitting owners of an original Rembrandt.
A pre-Inca culture acquired Amazonian parrots from hundreds of miles away to use their feathers to decorate the dead.
The walls of a 15th-century church collapsed, and out fell 12 hidden skeletons.

►Channeling My Inner Elly May Clampett◄

"It's nature calling to humans, and humans deciding whether or not to reply"-- why we need to start paying attention to our mutually beneficial relationships with other species.
The glorious 30-year star-studded past of the Oscars for animals.
Scientists thought these marsupials went extinct 6,000 years ago. They just found the animals alive.
Why aren't mammals as colorful as reptiles, birds, or fish?
When did domestic cats take over the world? New research suggests they arrived in Europe and China centuries later than we thought.
Octopuses fall for the rubber hand illusion, just like humans, pointing to a sense of body ownership.

►The Wanderer◄

Vibrant wildflowers are blanketing Death Valley National Park, resulting in the most breathtaking bloom in a decade.
Crime and the City: Martha's Vineyard.
The sweat of tourists has covered Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel fresco in a white film. Now, the "Last Judgment" is getting a much-needed cleaning.
How Dollywood is preserving Appalachian culture.
Escape the crowds at the lower 48's most remote national park.
Planting trees in the sea could act as a huge carbon sink and save millions of dollars in storm damage every year. What is stopping us from doing it?

►Fascinating Folk◄

How women researchers changed our understanding of women's economic lives.
10 women who fought wars disguised as men.
8 badass librarians we need to celebrate.
Thirty-four years ago, a British Museum staffer stole more than 300 prints in broad daylight. Historian Barnaby Phillips's new book chronicles the thefts and their fallout.
The disturbing history of "Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary."
How photographer Robert Landsburg spent his final moments saving the film he shot during the 1980 Mount St. Helens eruption.