CAVE CANEM -- Connected

Contrary to how it may seem, this mosaic is actually in Palos Verdes. It is one of three in front of a treasure of a house of Dr. Carlo Davis, the son of the architect Walter Swendell Davis. A while back, I was able to find out about the house in the Palos Verdes Library's Local History Room, but it wasn't until now that I discovered that this mosaic is a good replica of the "Beware of the Dog" mosaic floor from Pompeii. Which brings me back to the PV Library (and the Friends of the Library monthly book sale) where I picked up a short, really well written The Story of Archaeology (1958 edition) by Agnes Allen, with nice illustrations by Jack Allen -- with a drawing of THE dog on page 204. I love when one discovery connects to another and another...

Last of Napa Valley, CA

The reading room at the St. Helena Public Library, in St. Helena, California.

Only after looking at the photo did I notice the open book shaped light fixtures. The library also houses the Napa Valley Wine Library.

The Dear Old Lady, on Oak Avenue, St. Helena, California

According to a marvelous new book by Joan Reardon, M.F.K. Fisher among the Pots and Pans, the celebrated author bought the old Victorian house in St. Helena in 1956. This seemed the only likely candide as I compared it to a watercolor illustration painted by Avram Dumitrescu.

Miraleste Library

Like many of you, I just love going to the library. Palos Verdes has three, and Miraleste Public Library (MPL) on the South side of the hill, has the most spectacular view of the Port of Los Angeles and beyond (to be seen in an upcoming post). MPL is also dear to me because that's where one of the book clubs I belong to meets every second Saturday of the month. (We are reading Lady Chatterley's Lover for February - that should make for an interesting discussion.)

The other reason I like the libraries is for their used book sales sponsored by the Friends of PVLD. Our main branch just had their monthly weekend sale, and besides picking up 10 books there, I discovered that they sell though the www.amazon.com/shops/pvldfriends & Alibris. So of course, I found 2 more to buy on-line (including a book on The Port of Los Angeles). So, when buying on-line, remember to support your (or mine) local library.

November Theme Day: Books, Books, Books

The bookcase with paperback novels by my son's bed contains some of my all time favorites:

Strangers & Brothers (3 volumes) by C.P. Snow, Pride & Prejudice, The Balkan Trilogy by Olivia Manning, Doctor Zhivago, Les Miserables (Penguin Classics translation), Brideshead Revisited and Helena by Evelyn Waugh, travel books by Freya Stark. Many, many more favorites cover 3 more of our walls.

The 1st of the month is City Daily Photo's Theme Day. Click here to view thumbnails for all participants.