The Ruins of California
Alas, even vegetables are suicidal these days, especially the leafy greens. (The center e-coli image is by Dennis Kunkel Microscopy.Inc 2004)
Framed E-Coli 
Speaking of California….
The Ruins of California by Martha Sherrill 2006
Oh, no! Another novel of growing up in California in the 60’s and 70’s. Divorced Latino mom is a former Flamenco dancer turned formidable tennis player and real estate salesperson. Father is a serial womanizing silicon pioneer, teaching at Berkeley, living on Telegraph Hill later Marin Headlands, and founding Menlo Park silicon startup. Grandmother is Pasadena club, equestrian, debutante anchor of the family. Half brother has organic gardening former hippie Buddhist mom; is surfing druggie living on Oahu’s north shore. We go through all the trends from Zen to EST. This cliched mess can’t possibly work right? Wrong. Each of these characters could and may have existed in this unique period of California history. Somehow, Sherrill makes each believable as if such characters could have actually lived worked and believed as they did at the time. In fact, this is a near memoir turned novel.
Potata Heart
from Idaho.
(This potato heart loved music once.)