Ugh! Stinky tree that spreads itself as quickly as Brazilian Pepper Tree. I had one in my courtyard for several years and couldn't wait to get rid of it. It's been gone three years and I still get seeds sprouting occasionally. Although it's a very pretty tree, I would recommend something else.

Ah Pacebook....a toy for those who have nothing original to say. So many people on FB don't post anything they think of and simply re-post or share data they get from other users. It's my pet peeve of FB. I just don't understand why posting something for "a defined period of time" would make any difference or raise awareness.....because some people don't sit there with FB up on their PC all the time! My favorite ones are those that say "I know you're a true friend if you re-post or share." Honestly, if you were having personal issues, a true friend wouldn't be posting on FB; they'd be personally helping you out, not blabing on a social networking site. I'm off my soap box now. Bee, don't let anyone on FB guilt trip you. If they're asking you to repost something, you can bet your bottom dollar they are not the originators!!! You decide how you want to use FB. Don't let others do that for you! Done!!! :)

This is the 3rd in a series of 4 photo tours of Public California Garden Spots in the Silicon Valley Area. It is being reposted here using thumbnails to satisfy demand for viewing by folks who have only dial-up modems and were unable to tolerate loading photo links to photobucket.com. Click on Thumbnails to Enlarge Them Hakone Gardens is just above and beyond Monte Sereno and Saratoga, satellite cities of San Jose. You take the California 9 exit west from the 17 at Los Gatos. The Gardens are on the slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains as the 9 winds up to Skyline, a road that runs along the ridges from the South Bay, all the way to San Francisco. Unlike San Jose's Friendship gardens which are administered by the city, Hakone Gardens has been restored by a private foundation with help from Santa Clara County's Parks and Recreation. It has more buildings and noteably, lots of bamboo. There are some steep climbs, but not far. Flowers are plentiful in the garden. Black Bamboo ... Sorry, it's out of focus and I should have gone back and reshot, but didn't. I have a fondness for Iris. The following flower has a very pleasant spicy aroma ... Shucks! The drinking fountain is out of order ... Rock surfing ... Plant Labels for new seedlings heh heh! Another Plant Label? And the Rock Surfer Dudes are still playing out the waves ... This old lamp not only lights the path ahead, but you can stop and fry and egg on it if you get hungry ... "I really don't know if they eat turtles, but I think we should hang out for a while until they go away!" This is definitely not Kyoto. In Kyoto, they still have the red buckets as a common sight for putting out fires ... An indication that cuneiform writing had its origins in the grafitti pronouncement of an unrequited love ... Cuneiform writing however, has since evolved ... Under the bam, under the boo ... That's all folks! After a long day of relaxing in Japanese Gardens, it was time for the Bear to go haunt a Sushi Restaurant. I hope you all liked the pics. Black Bamboo ... Sorry, it's out of focus and I should have gone back and reshot, but didn't. I have a fondness for Iris. The following flower has a very pleasant spicy aroma ... Shucks! The drinking fountain is out of order ... Rock surfing ... Plant Labels for new seedlings heh heh! Another Plant Label? And the Rock Surfer Dudes are still playing out the waves ... This old lamp not only lights the path ahead, but you can stop and fry and egg on it if you get hungry ... "I really don't know if they eat turtles, but I think we should hang out for a while until they go away!" This is definitely not Kyoto. In Kyoto, they still have the red buckets as a common sight for putting out fires ... An indication that cuneiform writing had its origins in the grafitti pronouncement of an unrequited love ... Cuneiform writing however, has since evolved ... Under the bam, under the boo ... That's all folks! After a long day of relaxing in Japanese Gardens, it was time for the Bear to go haunt a Sushi Restaurant. I hope you all liked the pics.

Mark took responsibility for his minor mistakes and had a good experience. He ended up feeling good and believing he had made a good decision. He had done a lot of research before deciding to work with VOVO. He is pleased with his new kitchen, in the way a balanced individual is pleased. Notably, he didn't say it was the best business decision he had ever made in his life. He would have sounded overly-excitable and discredited himself if he had said that. Why did Mark have a good experience whereas a client who ordered from VOVO after learning of his success here on this page did not? There are many possibilities. He didn't blame VIVO for things that weren't their fault. He took control of his installation and was able to make adjustments as needed when the unexpected occurred. He maintained a positive relationship with VOVO from start to finish. I believe that I can have a good experience with the company, similar to Mark's.