Story Tools

Email this story | Print this story

Indexes

Today's Stories

Last 7 Days

Top Blogs

• Passport was needed to reach doctor

• Heart of gold

• 10 are cited for loitering near theater

• Lodi Kiwanis Club hands out books to Lawrence students

• City of Galt discusses 2007-08 budget

• Regional Roundup

• Local Republicans target Latinos

• Explosives test range Site 300 questioned over cleanup plan

• Thousands of schools face major overhaul under No Child Left Behind

November 2nd, 2009

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

November 7th, 2009

• Lodi High graduate was at Fort Hood

• Lining up for flu shots in Lodi

• Tour packs buses as birdwatchers admire Sandhill cranes

• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks

• Daytime thieves targeting Lodi homes

• Lodi High School rally featured on 'Good Day Sacramento'

• Out of control

• Homicide suspect Anthony Hubbard arraigned

• Regional Roundup

• New Lodi Memorial rule to combat spread of H1N1: Visitors must be older than 16

November 6th, 2009

• Short sales make up nearly half of Lodi market

• Regional Roundup

• Lodi man accused of smuggling drugs, weapons for inmates at state prison

• 'I-5 Strangler' sentenced to 6 terms of life

• Jury convicts Acampo man of torture, assault of his girlfriend

• Young girl is 200,000th person to assemble AIDS, HIV care kit

• Woman in wheelchair struck by car

November 5th, 2009

• A lower Lodi Lake

• Streetside scarecrows

• San Joaquin County considers moratorium on new Williamson Act contracts

• Speakers address Lodi Unified School District budget shortfalls, plea to keep programs

• Armed robbers still targeting Lodi shops

• Regional Roundup

• California voters have final say over $11 billion water bond

• Weekend bus service to continue until Lodi City Council makes decision

• Paul Tebbel shines spotlight on sandhill cranes

• Your complete guide to Sandhill Crane Festival

• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy

• Man wanted in Acampo homicide gives up to San Joaquin County Sheriff's detectives

November 4th, 2009

• Candle fire

• Rep. Jerry McNerney sets telephone town hall for Thursday

• Jason Behrmann is unanimously named Galt's city manager

• Regional Roundup

• Galt City Council argues over ordinance hiring residents

• San Joaquin County sues state over prison hospital planned for Stockton

• Big win for Allen Baroni in reclamation election

• California sends Democratic loyalist John Garamendi to Congress

• Bicycling father raising awareness of teen suicide

• Lodi City Council weighs raising fares to restore some bus service

November 3rd, 2009

• 500 attend service for Kyle Coumas

• Correction

• Galt considers ordinance that would require city contractors to hire locally

• Regional Roundup

• Have you seen a missing guide dog puppy in Lodi?

• Galt man dies after weekend Highway 12 crash

• Jason Behrmann is top candidate for Galt city manager

• Deputies name suspect in fatal Acampo shooting

• Clarification

November 2nd, 2009

• Downtown Lodi trick or treat

• Public Meetings

• Correction

• Kyle Coumas funeral today

• 27-year-old man shot to death Saturday night in front of Acampo home

• Regional Roundup

• Group investigates reports of haunting

• Sandhill Cranes Festival comes to Lodi next weekend

• Lamborghini lovers gather for show, fine wine, luncheon in Woodbridge

• Lodi's 'Biggest Loser' Christy Richesin runs 5K Halloween race

The following stories have received the most reader comments during the last 7 days.

• Bible is entwined with American civic life (135)
• I predict: A conservative tide will rise in 2010 (73)
• David Diskin is first to give an invocation under new city of Lodi policy (70)
• The Treaty of Tripoli hoax (60)
• Universal health care solves big problems (54)
• Here's what my father knew about the assassination of JFK (35)
• Stuck in neutral? Hardly! (35)
• Words from our forefathers (27)
• City of Lodi staff looking into possibility of limiting number of taco trucks (24)
• Majority cannot deprive the minority (23)

ADVERTISEMENT

Paradise in Lodi

Explore paradise at the Animal Friends Connection garden tour this weekend

Escape to an Asian Oasis, take a dip in a Grecian pool or go back in time to the western days. This is some of the paradise that can be found at the annual Animal Friends Connection garden tour this Sunday, when six area homes will have their gardens open to the public for viewing.

Greek culture

Rod and Penny Lawley's garden reflects the splendor of the Greek culture. Nine years ago, when the Lawley's moved into their home, they asked their landscaper to draw out the type of design he thought would be his personal version of paradise. Penny Lawley said they specified the hedges that line the yard and told him what they liked, and he drew up a design. The yard features a large patio with an outdoor living room and two dining areas. Nine Grecian-columned arbors line the circular grassy landscape.

A Grecian-style swimming pool lies in the center of the yard, with two cranes overlooking the waterfall spilling into the water. Planters filled with petunias, vinca, alyssum, verbena and various ground covers are lined around the pool. A gate at the back of the yard opens to two homes on the other side, which are where Lawley's sister-in-law and mother live. Lawley said one night a week the family gets together and has dinner. This way they can feel like they are dinning out and still get a home-cooked meal.

"It is a nice feature and makes it unique," she said.

Lawley said the firepit is probably her favorite feature because it is where they have their family conversational time without any TV.

The Capis's backyard features a bridge over a Koi pond with whimsical miniature statues. (Whitney Ramirez/News-Sentinel)

The Lawleys entered the tour at the suggestion of Marilyn Messer, who came through on the Omegu Nu tour. A family friend passed away and Lawley decided entering their garden would be a great way to make donations.

Asian oasis

Darrel and Rhonda Sasaki's garden is Asian themed and sits in the middle of town. The yard features a basketball court off to the right. A large lawn area includes a patio sitting area, which Rhonda Sasaki said they included to break up the large grassy area. The swimming pool features a cascading waterfall with a border of slate and natural rock. The shallow end of the pool features a walk-in area that gives it a beach appearance. Sasaki said that is where they started with the landscaping. They thought it looked tropical, so they added large bird of paradise plants, palms and Sego palms.

The Lawley's backyard features a Grecian style swimming pool with a pair of cranes overlooking the water. (Whitney Ramirez/News-Sentinel)

"We added something with a little bit of tropical flavor," she said.

Sasaki said they added a Koi pond about two years ago and said they enjoy the entertainment it brings.

"We've had a lot of fun with the fish. They are fun to feed and watch," she said.

Sasaki said they entered their garden when one of the ladies asked if they could use it in the tour. She said they decided to do it because it sounded like a good cause and they wanted to help anyway they could.

Country living

Jim and Carolyn Capis garden features a look of country living and includes many items that give it a western appearance. A path leads around the garden, first starting out in a grassy area decorated with old wagons and wine barrels, which Carolyn Capis said she has collected from different auctions.

"I like old things and just started collecting them. It all just fell into place," she said.

The remainder of the path is railroad tie-lined and is surrounded by an assortment of trees including pine, cedar, Redwood, long needle pine and short needle sugar pine.

In one corner of the path is a mini orchard, where many kinds of vegetables and fruit grows including tomatoes, four different kinds of peppers, cucumbers, cabbage, leeks, peas, lettuce, eggplant, watermelon and cantaloupe.

At the end of the path lies a Koi pond decorated with whimsical miniature statues.

Capis said if a person looks at the yard in different angles you can see it in a different perspective.

"There's not a spot in this yard where I can't look out my window and see it," she said.