Vexing varmints vs. vegetables

If you're a gardener, you know how frustrating it is to have your prized produce ruined or eaten by some varmint that thinks your back yard is a salad bar. This story ran as the centerpiece in the San Diego Union-Tribune's Smart Living section, with a great illustration by Cristina Martinez Byviik: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/29/theyll-beat-you-to-the-munch/

"Look into my eyes ..."

Judy Callihan Warfield is a hypnotherapist who works with people to help them lose weight, quit smoking, sleep better or deal with severe health problems. Here's her profile that ran in my "A Living in La Mesa" column: http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/shes-100-percent-committed-to-90-percent-of-brain-and-helping-people

Hiking the Double Peak Trail

The Double Peak Trail in San Marcos is a 5-mile roundtripper to one of North County San Diego's highest peaks. The only real challenge is if you're not paying attention and almost step on a rattlesnake. Here's the story I did for the San Diego Union-Tribune's regular hiking feature: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2010/oct/17/tale-two-trails-double-peak-san-marcos-pulls-doubl/

He delivers

For more than 20 years, Robb Vermeyen has delivered the mail in La Mesa. He's also a non-stop activity addict who's always on the move. Here's his profile in my "A Living in La Mesa" column: http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/rain-heat-gloom-of-night-no-problem-for-robb-vermeyen

"#@^*&! The Writers Write," Part II

More fun fodder from funny folks who write for the websites I edit:

"Vegetable-friendly restaurants" (instead of vegetarian-friendly): Well hello there Mr. Carrot!
"The menu includes fried plantations": Just a guess, but I think that's plantains.
"They stalk the cupboards": Using very stealthy chefs, I suppose.

Just a day at the park ...

La Mesa is filled with parks and places where people regularly gather. One of those places, little-known Aztec Park, is the subject of my first "Faces and Places" column that will run on the La Mesa Patch site: http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/aztec-park-is-a-hidden-jewel-with-a-loyal-following

He does organ transplants

Randy Jarvis has carved out a niche career, specializing in restoring the types of Hammond organs used by 1960s and '70s rock bands. Now that musicans again want that sound, he's selling those instruments around the world. Here's the story on him for my "A Living in La Mesa" column: http://lamesa.patch.com/articles/organ-repairman-is-a-hero-to-hammond-lovers