Valley Animals: True Stories about the Animals and People of California's Santa Ynez Valley

The animals of Santa Barbara County’s Santa Ynez Valley are plentiful and varied. Some fly, some swim, some slither; others gallop, or trot, or ride in the back of pickup trucks. Some are wild and others domestic; some are workers while others are pets; there are prize winners and there are bandits; many of the animals are beautiful and friendly, whereas others are beautiful and dangerous. The Valley is home to meadowlarks, condors, and ostriches; cattle, sheep, and alpacas; polo ponies and work horses; prize-winning cattle, goats, and swine; dogs and coyotes; cats and mountain lions; elands and even an elephant. Brooks Firestone, who has lived in the Santa Ynez Valley for over thirty-five years, knows the animals well. He has ranched with them, lived with them, laughed at their antics, and marveled at their beauty. Now he has written a book about them: dozens of stories about his encounters with his animal neighbors, as well as retold tales heard from his human neighbors. These stories cover a wide range of emotional territory, from hilarious (a parade of dogs gossiping about their human companions) to heart-wrenching (prized and treasured horses lost in a tragic barn fire) to beautiful and inspired (a flock of migrant geese waking up after spending the night in a foggy meadow).