Our neighbors across the back fence have a four acre ranch on the banks of the Sacramento River, barely a mile from our house. When they bought it 40 years ago, it was considered way out in the country. Now it's surrounded by suburbia, but you would never know it once you turn down the gravel driveway from Pocket Road.

The nine-room house on the property is 130 years old.  Many of the fruit trees are also in their second century. A vegetable garden, the size of our entire lot, is brimming with zucchini, tomatoes, peppers and purple snap beans. At the moment, there are 37 animals including horses, goats, rabbit, geese, chickens, roosters, ducks and dogs. Most were donated by people who grew tired of the responsibilities of pet ownership.

So Mrs. Dias, now 81 years old (and looking barely 70), brings them onto the ranch and cares for them. "This place is a little bit of heaven," she told us -- and then, reflecting no doubt on the realities of the 365 day/year job of feeding all the animals and maintaining the place, added "mixed with a little bit of hell..."