This picture above is one of my dear friend Hanna's 'professional' pictures.....I like it because it kind of spans the years, in a way. Hanna really looked like this picture for many many years.....And when those of us who knew her well look at this picture it brings back lots and lots of memories....
This Friday, that first picture at the top of this post and the text which is below, will appear in a Full Page Ad in The Hollywood Reporter---one of the two 'trade' papers, here in Los Angeles.
The reason for this Ad? Well, to tell the Show Business community here in this country and throughout the world, that Hanna died. It is not an uncommon thing to do here in Hollywood, especially if you want to honor someone who might not have received a very complete obituary in the papers. Many people still do not know that Hanna is gone.
The two pictures next to each other up above are from "Being There" with Peter Sellers and Richard Basehart and the one right above is from "Magnum P.I.", with Tom Selleck....She loved Tom Selleck and truly enjoyed doing this show......Hanna Hertelendy
AS WE REMEMBER HER
October 5th, 1919 - May 15th, 2008
A Charming Talented Delightful Adorable Spirit!
Hanna was Born in Budapest, Hungary in 1919….She achieved Stardom in the famous Hungarian Repertory Theatre “VIGSZINHAZ” in Budapest, playing such varied leading roles as Ophelia in HAMLET, Puck in MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM, Irena in THE THREE SISTERS and ELIZA in PYGMALION, to name just a few. Coming to the United States in the late 1940's early 1950’s, she became the ‘lady’ announcer for “The Voice Of America” and for “Radio Free Europe”…..Hanna married fellow Hungarian-American actor, Stephan Bekassy and came to Los Angeles and worked in Films, Television and The Theatre under her Americanized name, Hanna Landy….and then later, in the early 1970’s, she once again returned to her Hungarian name, Hanna Hertelendy. She adored acting and was proud to have been part of such films as, BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY’S, ROSEMARY’S BABY, BEING THERE, HARLOW, THE GREAT RACE, TWO-MINUTE WARNING, etc. Hanna played many many roles in Series Television, Films for TV and Mini Series, too. A few of her favorites were The Fugitive, Raid on Entebbe, Magnum P.I., Remington Steel, The Dorothy Stratton Story, Family Ties, and St. Elsewhere.
She was a Founding Member of Theatre West—one of the oldest ‘membership’ theatre’s in Los Angeles---and a long time member of The Actor’s Studio. For four decades, Hanna was devoted to The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences---She considered The Academy her second home and participated in many aspects of all the Academy does..
Hanna was a good and dear friend to many people…..Everyone who knew her absolutely adored her---a unique ‘original’---She was filled with the joy of life, and had the amazing ability to light up any room she entered. She was truly an unforgettable presence.
Hannushka….We all miss you terribly and we will remember you, always, dear ‘Didika’.
Here she is with Lloyd Bridges...."Sea Hunt".....She was so young there.And below.....with Red Buttons in "Harlow" She played his wife and he played Jean Harlow's agent.
And below, Hanna with Carol Baker, who played Jean the leading role in "Harlow"-----Harlow, herself. This was at some fancy party....Hanna loved dressing up...and especially in 'glitter'. Check out those earrings and all the braclets....This was actually a rather subdued outfit. Clothing was her passion......
In fact, it may have been for the Premiere of "Harlow". I don't know who the gentleman in the picture is, though he looks terribly familiar....(It is not Carol Baker's then husband, Jack Garfein). And below....a 'still', taken during a rehearsal for "Rosemary's Baby"...In this photo that is Mia Farrow over on the left, Roman Polanski---The Director, another man who is not identified but one could guess he is The Dialogue Director, and then, Hanna.
Hanna worked a lot during the years she was active....and then, when it was no longer fun and the rewards didn't outweigh the stress, she retired. Her whole life had been devoted to the 'art' of acting.....from the time she was just on the brink of her 20's, until her late 70's---early'80's. But she continued to stay involved with The Academy.....She always participated in The Foreign Film Committee and The Documentary Committee, as well as the special committee that the Academy formed to support young up-coming filmmakers. She was, in a word, "dedicated".
Enjoying each others company at Scandia, one of the Great restaurants of Los Angeles...long gone, I'm sorry to say....that is me, and Hanna, and her dear friend and fellow Hungarian, Rojica....Another Birthday Lunch, 'back in the day'..... 
And here, above, with the incredibly talented Scott Marlowe...gone now, too....At a Birthday Party at my house....Hard to believe they are both gone, as is her friend Rojica.....
And this picture above: It was Hanna's 65th Birthday Party at Norma Connolly and Howard Rodman's house in Hancock Park....That is Kathleen Nolan, Me....and The Birthday Girl herself....'Collecting Another Memory', as she used to say.....
Fun loving and a collector of 'memorable' happenings....this picture above, again, in happier days.....Another Birthday Celebration......And there you have a little smattering of Hanna Hertelendy.....Another time I will share with you some of the wonderfully funny things she was famous for saying. Oh, how I wish you could hear the Hungarian accent.....More To Come.......
Note: I'm sorry for not visiting very much lately....I am just a bit overwhelmed with life these days....I will try to do better.....Thanks for your understanding....
UPDATE: 10:20pm
The Earthquake did no damage here....some stuff looked like it was almost going to fall, but it didn't! This was scary...and no matter how many times you go through these things---You never get used to it! This was a "rolling" one...and I do not like those, at all....they go on and on and on....and this one picked up the 'scary's' the longer it went on...and then....It was over! I dearly appreciate everyone's concern....I've got some other problems, but not from the Quake, Thank God!
So here, above, is the top part of the Dasylirium Stalk, early on. Actually, this picture was taken July 10th, 8 days before the pictures from my previous post...(Oh, do give all these a bit of a click to make them bigger)...... 
What do I mean by "Early on"?.....Well what I mean is....When the----What shall I call them---Flower Fingers----Were still not completely open. Now, doesn't this look like something from another planet? If you recall, seeing the whole stalk, one would not really know that the little blossoms are on these finger like protrusions.....
Seen from afar....you cannot even tell that these are finger like thingys.....It is odd, too. When I first looked at these 'close-up', I thought...'How weird!'....But as I have studied them with my camera and looked at them in more detail, I now think they are very beautiful and so unique, too!
As you can see in the picture above, there are a few Bees....this picture shows the slightly more open flowers, and it was lower down on the Stalk. The flowers seem to open sooner down below and because the Stalk is still growing, the top part is still developing.
For those who are concerned that I might get too close to the Bees...I am really not close at all, plus.....The very very strong intention of the Bees keeps them concentrated on the lovely task at hand as opposed to moi.....
And then in the picture below, we see the Wings on one of the Bees....
And below, another shot of the top of the Stalk, itself, still on July 10th, the same date as all the other pictures above.......
So, then.....Eight days later, on July 18th----when everything was at the height of being open----Here are some more pictures below from that day.....
You can see the difference in the look of those finger like protrusions.....And to me, the most amazing part is that the Bees know that everything is at it's most open...it's ripest, so to speak....
How do they know this? And do they tell other Bees? "Hey, Soups On over there at Naomi's"? To me the whole process is a miracle of nature.
I wonder, where all the Bees were before these blossoms opened wide......and then, where did they go when these flowers were no more?
Look at how they burrow in....getting as much of the pollen as possible----sometimes, all over them....
Look at the wings in the picture above....click on it to really get the full impact....And then, here below, 'in flight'......
I love catching the Bees on their way to work, and then as they are 'working'....I must say they look like they absolutely adore they're work.....don't they? Like loosing themselves in all the pollen......
And make no mistake. We need the Bees to balance our environment in so very many ways, but mainly we need them ecologically. Some Beekeepers say, without the Bees we would have no fruits or vegetables. I pray that they will continue to come around to my garden.....and that they remain alive and well, because without the Bees, well.....I don't even want to contemplate where we would be without them......
Below, two pictures of how the Stalk looked on July 23rd.
The blooms are basically---over. And there are no more Bees here because there is nothing to get from these little finger-like things anymore......
I love that my garden continues to be a source of "new" and incredibly interesting experiences for me and that I can, in turn, share these things with you.....This one is, I think, the most 'other worldly' happening I've seen in the more than twenty two years I've had my Cactus and Succulent Garden. Though there certainly have been other 'firsts' in the 'other worldly' department...lol!More To Come........
This plant is a Dasylarium....
And there are quite a few varieties of Dasyliriums, but in all honesty, I do not know the name of this particular one.
I just know that it is what it is.....And what it is, "is" one of the most unusual plant, I've ever seen, and quite beautiful too, I think. This year it is blooming and the Flower Stalk is quite dazzling, which seems only right for a Dasylirium.....!
And a little bit of a closer look...
The wonderful thing about this Flower Stalk is it has attracted a plethora of Bees......Yes! I am thrilled to say that the Bees are just swarming all over it, as you can see in this little Video.... 
Do click on all of these to see them bigger....The one above has so very many Bees, it is quite astounding....And this next picture does, too.....
And the fact is, seen as it looks above, you really cannot tell that there are so very many bees all over the top there---another good reason to make it bigger....And isn't it great to know that the Bees have not left Hollywood?
This Flower Stalk kind of defies description.....I will show more pictures of it next time, and hopefully you will be able to see how unique it is.....
It certainly is obvious just from the pictures I have posted so far that it is not like anything else, except, perhaps, another Dasylirium Flower Stalk, and I am thrilled that the Bees absolutely love it.......
More To Come........
Some of the Night Blooming Cereus have bloomed....Thirteen, in one night. This year I not only took pictures of this extraordinary thing, but some Video, too.....Here are three of these little Videos.....The first one was taken close to 7pm the night they were opening.....
The second one was taken just about Midnight, when these flowers were wide open....It is rather dark, but it is the best I could do without shining a light on them and possibly scaring them into thinking it was Daylight!!! (lol)
The third Video was taken the next morning....almost 12 hours later...And they were completely closed up, which is what they do. One night, once a year.....That is it. And if you miss it, well then....you have to wait another year to catch this amazing "happening"! I said it on the video...These flowers are Magical. In point of fact, they are 'Other Worldly'.....
And then....here are some actual still pictures of these Beautiful Flowers....They are truly special...I would go so far as to say...They Are Some of the Most Spectacular Blossoms I Have Ever Seen, In My Life!
I had to use my flash on these because otherwise they would not have shown up, at all! Luckily, it was only for a second, so these beautiful blossoms to did get scared and close up, thinking it was daytime....
This particular blossom was right next to the Lamppost....And though the lamp was on, they use rather dark bulbs up here in the hills---They have almost an orange tinge to them, so, again.....I had to use my flash.
The most blossoms that I could get in one shot was the one above....Eight of the thirteen. As you can see, the plant that they are on is a very skinny one....Who would believe that such big blooms could be on such a thin plant.....
There are some more of these blooms that will open, but I don't think there will be that many in one night, anymore this year.....And just so you can get an idea of where these flowers start, look at this, below
This little Fuzz Ball above, turns into this stunning flower below......
And this one, too......
I've had this plant for 22 years and each and every year I am awe struck by these gorgeous blossoms.....
More To Come......
Oh, how I LOVE these Babies....And here are some pictures of them "learning" to fly, and "flying", like this dear dear Baby above, (picture taken on May 27th...) though not such a tiny baby anymore----It's like it was halfway between babyhood and on the way to being a 'fledgling----Whereas below the babies were still quite young.....Nature, in all it's glory. I will share with you some of their growth that I captured with my Camera.
The picture above, is about three and a half weeks earlier in 'the babies' growth...Here, one of the 'babies' is flexing his wings as his siblings watch, intently---Still, in the nest..... They seem so vulnerable to me....So very dear....Watching them grow; Watching them learning to fly....What A privilege....Truly!
Then above....a little over a week later. there is this attempt to actually fly....Not really going anywhere, but on the brink of truly flying......And these attempts went on for days.....
And then, finally.....on the way.
Where? Well, not very far, but....one has to begin somewhere.....
From the nest to a nearby branch of the tree....Above, two of the three little ones are on the move......
And just a few moments later, we see one of the babies really on the move going from one branch to another......
And a few days later, as you can see below, there is much movement and flexing of wings, now on a branch of the nest-tree that was further away from the nest......
Many attempts at trying to take off......
Look at how beautiful the wings are....The feathers so very colorful when the light is right.....
The growth spurts were just amazing to watch....Here on this very same day, much later in the afternoon, the babies were now flying to the trees on my neighbors property, much closer to me.......
And here below, you can see more of the incredible growth....
Watching these birds do their thing and capturing as much as I could with the camera was just the most wonderful thing....I treasure each and everyone of the thousands of pictures I took during these weeks very exciting weeks.....And there will most definitely be.....More To Come........
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