Bøger af Elizabeth Lawson

A fascinating guide to the natural and cultural significance of mosses and lichens. Moss and Lichen is a celebration of the extraordinary biology, beauty, and resilience of two unassuming organisms. Endowed with unique abilities to thrive in extreme habitats, mosses and lichens defy easy categorization. Mosses, which are integral to the plant kingdom, and lichens, which are a kingdom unto themselves, colonize a variety of landscapes from rainforests to deserts to urban streets. Long neglected for lacking flowers, these organisms are now beloved for their significant role in maintaining the health of our world's ecosystem. Elizabeth Lawson describes how mosses and lichens shape landscapes, prevent erosion, and sequester carbon, but she also offers a wide-ranging introduction to the biologists, artists, and writers inspired by their beauty. Moss and Lichen will inspire a newfound appreciation for these unsung heroes of the natural world.

Karen is an ex-realtor, divorced, and no-longer active in the industry. Now a private investigator, she specializes primarily in missing persons and potential infidelity investigations. One of her old real-estate customers, Wendy, has become a friend, with both endearing and disarming traits. With a heart of gold, she's also used to having people cater to her whims, which can be very frustrating for Karen. Karen has ongoing business in a local suspected infidelity case, and has just been approached from out of state. The new request is to try and find a person supposedly traveling to her city, but who has not kept in touch as promised with her partner back home. Karen now has two mysteries on her plate, one more challenging than the other. Wendy has observed some odd phenomena in the old house across the street from her home. Not knowing what to make of them, she calls Karen, because of her realtor background. Impatient, but seriously concerned, Wendy demands instant attention, highlighting the conflict in the relationship between the two women. Karen finds a plausible explanation for the unusual phenomenon her friend has observed. A massive storm with high winds and torrential rain rages for days, creating driving hazards from downed trees, racing rivulets of dirty water, and accumulated debris in narrow streets. Karen's investigation of the missing person stalls, although, with some creative thinking and help from a manager handling the traveler's assignment, she manages to trace the target to local stores, where the trail vanishes. When Wendy phones with yet another issue on the house opposite, Karen is predictably rude in her response. The ensuing investigation however involves both unexpected and unpleasant issues. Wendy is enormously upset, and Karen is thrown into an awkward position by the findings. The final outcome is only partially balanced by a new revelation between the two women.

Gwenda is an ardent writer, editor, and hiker. A tiff at home sends her off to her favorite retreat nearby - an immense mountain that dominates the landscape and towers above the city and the bay it sits astride. There are still many unchartered parts of the mountain with untrammeled woods, creeks, and ravines. Gwenda heads for an area where, on her last hike, she saw a running stream in the distance which seemed to emanate from a pile of rocks. Curiosity leads her to two startling finds on the bank of the small creek. She shares her findings with the park rangers and an antique arts dealer trying to discover more information. She also involves local resources and the Internet to research the background of one particular clothing object which clearly hails from a distant past. She learns about a community of specialized workers living in the city nearly a century ago. A mystery from those times is suddenly revealing clues in the present time. The police inevitably become involved but are not enthusiastic problem solvers. As a columnist for the local newspaper, Gwenda reveals information about her finds in suspenseful instalments to readers. Readers respond trying to help solve the puzzle she presents. In the end, an unusual exchange with one particular avid reader leads to a meeting which helps determine the solution to the mystery on the mountain.

Ted and Tricia own a modest home on the shore of an island bay. Their pride and joy is a 50ft sleek powerboat. Ted is a real-estate broker but has recently had major knee surgery and is recuperating at home. Tricia is getting used to having him around full-time. A visiting boat pulls into their cove and anchors in an area that doesn't always hold well. When Tricia alerts the captain and guest of the boat, she comes away with mixed impressions. Next morning the boat appears to be abandoned and disabled. Tricia contacts the Coast Guard who get in touch with the owner. The boat belongs to a Charter company, which chartered the boat to a single chap for cruising in the northwest islands. Since Ted is disabled, Tricia reservedly helps get the boat towed to a local boat repair facility. There, her interaction with a new employee seems out of character with other employees she knows. Based on a fortunate small finding, Tricia travels to Canada to check out a possible lead on the charterer. Back home Ted helps with some investigative Internet work. The mystery of the disappearing boat charterer only deepens however. A dead body found in the nearby major shipping strait adds to the concerns of Tricia and authorities. But Tricia, with her investigative instincts, suggests a solution to the local police. A little work on their part finds illegal cross-border activity that is nipped in the bud. A spicy cozy mystery.

For centuries common primroses have spread breathtaking carpets of pale lemon yellow across the globe, the first sign of spring. Abundant, edible, and beneficial for many ailments, they have supported civilization's social and cultural foundations. When undaunted plant hunters risked their lives to introduce the many Himalayan primroses of breathtaking beauty, the primrose gained iconic status. Capable of endless variation, primroses have captured the attention of gardeners, plant breeders, and scientists, while artists and poets have found them essential as both subject matter and muse. William Shakespeare introduced us to the "the primrose path," a pleasurable but destructive route, in several of his plays, and Charles Darwin spent more than thirty years working with primroses to solve an elegant evolutionary mystery. This book tells the story of how primroses became so successful, circling the Earth, adapting to human civilization, and yet holding their own on inaccessible craggy summits where they may never be seen. Bringing together facts, folklore, and beautiful images from around the world, Primrose is a delightful guide to this hugely popular flower.