muggle not

I am totally embarrased that I posted that the "downed' tree was the General Sherman. However, I am very happy that it wasn't General Sherman, what a magnificient tree. I will try to find pictures I took of the tree. The diameter will amaze you when you see it.

It was not General sherman tree that has fallen, I apologize as I only caught part of the telecast. They showed a photo of General sherman on the telecast and then stated that a giant sequoia has fallen. I thought they meant General Sherman. Instead it was a similar tree except this one was 'only" 1500 years old Watch the video. You have to watch the commercial first. http://dailynightly.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/03/8621758-what-happens-when-a-1500-year-old-tree-falls

MSNBC news program showed the tree as it had fallen.There was a park ranger standing besides the tree and she was being interviewed. Initially, they don't know what was the cause for the tree to topple, however, they thought it may hve been from so much rain soaking in the ground.

The biggest tree in the world The General Sherman Tree is the most giant Giant Sequoia in the world. The largest tree by volume, it is 275 feet tall and 36.5 feet across at the base. The tree is believed to be 2,200 years old and weigh 1,385 tons. But those are numbers -- numbers that a brain familiarized with normal trees cannot process. In reality, the only way to appreciate the unfathomable, seemingly unearthly size of the Giant Sequoias is the see one for yourself. Sadly, on last night's news it shows that General Sherman is done, it has fallen. It was estimated to being over 2300 years old. My wife and I visited Sequoia National Park and seen the tree in the 1980's. It was a sight we will never forget and is difficult to explain the feeling one gets just looking at it.

The Gunslinger series was probably my favorite closely followed by "IT" and "The Stand". I just purchased "Full Dark, No Stars", has anyone read this book. Off-topic, while on vacation this year in Maine we visited my 88 year old aunt and took her out to dinner at the York Harbor Inn which sits on the ocean. During dinner she told us that she did an ancestor search and traced her ancestors back to 1600. she said that she discovered that one of her ancestors (male) was convicted of being one of the Salem Witches. Now, what is really unbelievable is that her next door neighbor's ancestor was the judge that convicted him.

One of the best writers in the U.S. and one of my favorites is James Lee Burke. I received the following from one of his administrators today saying that a new book of his will be released today. Burke is a hard hitting, pull no punches type of author. Esquire gave it a very good review. "Feast Day of Fools" is available today. I really hope you all enjoy it! Incredible review from October's Esquire “Holy s--- does this novel crush into its pages a whole war chest of bloody drama and brutal questions about what it means to be an American and a Christian and a Christian American in the new century. . . . James Lee Burke—muscular and elegiac, brutal and compassionate—is a Stetson-wearing, spur-jangling giant among novelists.”—Benjamin Percy for Esquire For the record, I believe I have read all of his many books.

As I told Poppy, you will laugh, cry, feel sad, get angry, and be happy while reading the book. I promise! I just finished Baldacci's latest book...'One Summer". It is completely different than most of his writings. It had your emotions on a high scale during almost all of the book. I am now reading "Divine Justice", one of the Camel Club series of his. Probably my favorites, except for Wish You Well.

That is because you haven't read "Wish You Well" by Baldacci. You promised and I am still waiting.

LittleW and Ruth - Yes New york is a great place to visit. last Christmas my wife and I met our GD in NY and we went to Radio City Music Hall to see the Rockettes in the annual Christmas Show. and afterwards went to dinner. What a great time. Uh-Oh, I am off topic. I will definitely have to read Rutherfurd's book on NY.

LOVE - what the world needs more, is LOVE sweet LOVE (and less hate).

I have read a number of his books and though the series he wrote on Ireland was very good. OK, even better than very good. I haven't been doing much reading lately. I will have to get the book on New York. MY GD is going to college there at NYU (LOL, I know that doesn't have anything to do with Rutherfurd, but, it just "popped" into my mind, what is left of it).

like Michelle, I also enjoyed the book but at the same time was dissapointed in it. Too much writing about the caves which became boring reading. I also thought it was a poor ending for a great series. unlike some though, I don't think it was unrealistic for a woman to discover how to ride a horse, why not, men aren't alone in this world, no mattter how long ago in history.

It is a good topic and I will have to put my thinking cap on. I am sure there are many that qualify as great.

Eggplant parmigiana with pasta and a bottle of Rioja.

I though the following was interesting, it is from her book "Paula" (btw, all of Isabel's books have been started on a date of January 8). : Today is January 8, 1992. On a day like today, eleven years ago in Caracas, I began a letter to my grandfather, who was dying, leaving a hard-fought century behind him. His strong body had nor failed, but long ago he made his preparations to follow Meme, who was beckoning to him from the other side. I could not return to Chile, and he so detested the telephone that it didn't seem right to call, but I wanted to tell him not to worry, that nothing would be lost of the treasury of anecodotes he had told me through the years of our comradeship, I had forgotten nothing. Soon he died, but the story I had begun to tell had emeshed me, and I couldn't stop. Other voices were speaking through me, I was writing in a trance, with the sensation of unwinding a ball of yarn, driven by the same urgency I feel as I write now. At the end of a year the pages had grown to five hundred, filling a canvas bag, and I realized that this was no longer a letter. Timidly, I announced to my family that I had written a book.............. Thus was born and baptized my first novel, The House of Spirits, and I was initiated into the eradicable vice of telling stories.

Zorro was not her best book but it was a very good book and I enjoyed it tremendously. I would recommend it without reservation. I just finished Island Beneath the Sea by Isabel and, once again, it was an enjoyable read. It is amazing the knowledge of history that she has and her description of the events, truly very good reading. I have recently started "Paula" but am not far enough into the book to make any recommendations.

I just ordered Isabel Allende's new book - Island Beneath the Sea. Has anyone else read it yet? I also ordered "Paula" as it is one of the few books by Allende that I haven't read.

A man asked an American Indian what was his wife's name. He replied, "She called Four Horses" The man said, "That's an unusual name for your wife. What does it mean?" The Old Indian answered, "It

I am sure you will enjoy "The Gathering Storm", that is if you enjoyed the previous books in the Series. I just finished it and there was a dramatic surprise at the very end of the book.....no fair peaking though. What happened at the very end will probably play a big part with Rand (The Dragon Reborn).

I am almost finished with "The Gathering Storm', perhaps about 70 or so pages to go. This is one of the best written books in the series. The story lines are great and the Series undoubtedly is coming to an end. Each character in the series has a big part to play in this book and I have a much better understanding of their part in the upcoming "Last Battle". Egwene, Aviendha, Nynaeve, Mat, Perrin, etc have all played a big part in the book and I will find it difficult waiting for the next book to see what happens next. There were a few surprises in the book and one Aes Sedai, in particular, made a great scarifice.

I agree. I am well over 200 hundred pages into The Gathering Storm and so far it has been very good reading. All the subplots are great. this book is actually better than the last few in the series by Jordan. for me a sign of a good book is not wanting to put it down, and, that is how I am with this book. I want to keep reading it.

A wee bit out of date but still a great place to see some order in the Pratchett books and reading. A thanks to kell.

Thank you all for your kind words. The poem is very meaningful when you really read it and pay attention, at least I think so.

THE DASH I read of a man who stood to speak At the funeral of a friend He referred to the dates on her tombstone From the beginning

King started writing Under the Dome back in 1976 and put it aside. I am glad that he decided it was time to write the book. I finished the book last night. I will give it a "Very Good" rating and much better than most that he has written lately. However, "The Stand and "IT" are still 2 of my favorites by King, along with the Gunslinger series. After finishing "Under the Dome", a word of caution...."Beware of - sorry, you gotta read the book".