Y

Found at the Lighthouse Avenue Goodwill: 1962 Golden Nature Series book Seashells of the World. In addition to the brilliant illustrations typical of the Golden Nature Guides, this book is a treasure chest of fantastic words. 

Author R. Tucker Abbott, PhD is listed as Du Pont Chair of Molocology at the Delaware Museum of Natural History. Molocology doesn't appear in any of my dictionaries, but malacology is the study of mollusks, likely the synonym, though I like the look of all the Os in molocology.

A few great shell words from the California Province:

Purple Dwarf Olive, Kelp-weed Scallop, Cooper's Nutmeg, Haliotis Abalone, Chiton, and my favorite: Frilled Dogwinkle. If I find a dogwinkle on the beach, I will post a picture. 

Our neighbor, the extraordinary landscaper Dan, gave us this drought resistant plant yesterday. It's a Pork and Beans Sedum. The name Pork and Beans made me wonder what other sedum varieties are called. Here is a selection:

Crazy Ruffles, Postman's Pride, Sea Lettuce, Burro Tail, Witch's Moneybags, Queen's Crown, Hens and Chickens, Dragon's Blood, and my favorite, Chubby Fingers. 

Language changes fast in the internet age. The web is no longer simply the sticky home of E.B. White’s Charlotte and twitter and tweet are rarely about bird vocals anymore. Fandango has become synonymous with online movie ticket sales, until today when the word showed up in the Monterey Herald under Fourth of July celebrations.

At the Cooper-Molera adobe there will be historic demonstrations, rope making, leather crafts and fandango.

From Chambers Dictionary:

Fandango an energetic Spanish dance, or music for it, in ¾ time.

HILLS AND CURVES

DRIFTING SAND

KEEP CHILDREN CLOSE

MOUNTAIN LIONS ARE DRAWN TO THEM

Looking at the word vuvuzela this week made me think of one of my favorite place names: Albuquerque.

According to various etymology sources, the largest city in New Mexico was named after a person, who was named after a city in Spain, but the word itself means white oak if looking at Latin roots. If traced from Arabic, land of the cork oak or the plum, and from Galician, apricot. Whatever the meaning, Albuquerque is a great looking word and fun to say. Plus, it's the home town of one of my favorite picture book author/illustrators Jill McElmurry.