The Drake Sisters' Cliff House was inspired by a French Hotel. Click here to see an enlargement.

Here are some pictures I took while visiting the Mendocino Coast. This wonderful town of Mendocino inspired me to create the town of Sea Haven! Click here to see pictures.

With a mission to be the world’s "pre-eminent police organisation" and a vision to "optimise the international effort to combat crime", Interpol is a very interesting organization. Click here to read about Interpol.

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~CASPAR INN~

The Caspar Inn is the oldest, continuously run roadhouse and bar dating to 1906. This historic bar and inn is located in Mendocino, California. The history of the surrounding area is intriguing to say the least. Jerome Ford came to Mendocino looking for the shipwrecked Frolic, but found beautiful redwoods instead. Henry Meiggs followed soon there after and established a saw-mill and town. The location of the Frolic was discovered in 1980. The Caspar Inn itself boasts 10 rooms above the bar. Live music is played nightly and is a big attraction for the area.

To learn more about Caspar or Caspar Inn please visit the following links:

• http://www.mendocino.org
• http://www.casparinn.com

 

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~REVERING THE EARTH~

In the Drake Sisters series there are many references to magic or mystic. It is a common and long reaching tradition to celebrate seasons and moons and revere the earth by using its natural elements such as gemstones and herbs for healing and rituals.

The moon has a strong impact on our planet. The tides, the seasons, and the temperature, all are affected by the moon. The equinox on March 21st and September 21st are two days when the day and the night both are 12 hours. On these days many gather in celebration. There are also two solstices on December 21st (when the night is the longest) and June 21st (when the night is the shortest.). In numerous cultures and countries people celebrate these powerful times when the moon is most influential.

Secondly, gemstones are worn by virtually all cultures and in all countries. Their primary use is traditionally for healing and spiritual rituals. For instance the gemstone tanzanite is believed to assist the user in articulating the content of Psychic insight, facilitates communication between third dimension and others. Physically it helps the body absorb zinc, restores consciousness, and clears toxins that can cause skin disorders.

To learn more about gemstones and their meanings please visit: http://www.annemeplon.com/meaning.htm.

Lastly, many people who believe in the power of the earth for healing and strength also turn to herbs. Throughout history and even in present times herbs have been used for healing and rituals. Herbs such as Turmeric, Marigold, and Wild Yam can be used as anti-inflammatory, and Thyme, Licorice and Wild Cherry can be used as expectorants to relieve coughing. This article was just a brief overview of the many ways in which people revere in the Earth.

If you would like to read more extensively on any of the subjects contained in this article please visit:

• http://www.infoherb.com/Using_herbs.html
• http://www.religioustolerance.org/witchcra.htm

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~DOLPHINS~

Dolphins are mammals belonging to the scientific order ‘Cetacea’. There are approximately fifty seven identified species of dolphins swimming the earth’s many bodies of water. Like all mammals, dolphins give live birth to their young, have hair (very little, though), breathe air and are warm-blooded. Dolphins are amazing animals that have adapted to many different habitats. They can be found in almost all of the oceans, deep and shallow as well as in fresh water rivers.

Some Interesting Facts About Dolphins:

• Dolphins emit pulses or clicks that bounce off an object and return to the animal allowing the dolphin to judge the distance and location of prey as small as shrimp.
• The largest of all dolphins is the Orca (Killer Whale).
• The smallest is the tucuxi, living in the Amazon River, this dolphin is less than 4 feet in length dolphins can sustain speeds of up to 19 mph (30 km/h) with bursts of 25 mph (40 km/h).
• The flippers that the dolphin uses for stabilization contain vestigial bones that are very similar to the bones in the human hand!

For further reading on these wondrous animals, please check out the following links:

• http://www.crystalinks.com/dolphin.html
• http://thedolphinplace.com/facts.html
• http://members.aol.com/dollphine1/facts2.html
• http://www.madaboutdolphins.com/dolphin-facts.htm