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BROOKS FIRESTONE
CELEBRATES THE ANIMALS OF HIS VALLEY
Friends and neighbors abound—human and otherwise
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).
What’s more, every story in this book is true, even if a few of them sound like tall tales. And
many of the stories are illustrated by the deft pen of Alasdair “Loon” Hilleary, who knows that animals, like humans, enjoy a good laugh.
Oh, by the way, there are people in this book of stories, too. You’ll meet the neighbors who hang out at the local deli, you’ll meet the sheriff’s deputies, the fellow ranchers, members of 4-H, trainers, veterinarians, and of course a few celebrities, like Ronald Reagan, Bo Derek, Cheryl Ladd, Jane Fonda and Tom Hayden, and…Michael Jackson’s elephant.
About the Author. One of Santa Barbara County's most colorful citizens, Brooks Firestone has worked as a tire executive, a winemaker, a ranch owner, a California State Assemblyman, and a Santa Barbara County Supervisor. He and his wife, Kate, have lived for thirty-five years in the Santa Ynez Valley, where they raised their four children.
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