A Writer Within His Work/A Writer's "Inspiration"

I have found that you really should "read between the lines" --for the pieces of the author that he has placed in his work. I like to watch sci-fi and fantasy movies so I mostly write stories that involve those elements. But, look deeper, and you will find that there are smaller, less noticeable elements within the story that reflect my likes, dislikes, and interests. For example, I am writing a fantasy story (what a surprise) about this group of people on this island where there are lots of lemurs. If you look at my profile picture, you will see that I am using a picture of a lemur. I love lemurs!
I went to New York last year and loved it (that picture to the right is of my grandpa,--the one who just came out here--me, my mom, and Hannah--my sister) so, in a recent unfinished work of mine, I had the main couple honeymoon in New York. I also love weeping willow trees so in many of my fantasy stories I put a forest of weeping willow trees in there somewhere. In LOTR (Lord of the Rings) J.R.R. Tolkien had creatures in it called "ents", or talking trees. Come to find out, he had a sort-of fascination with trees.
Some of you have probably watched shows where they have talked about writers and their "inspirations". That sounds kind of kooky, huh? I've found that now that I'm a writer I really do have "inspirations". Not too long ago, I watched "Close Encounters of the Third Kind". Okay, remember (if you have seen the movie, of course) the scene where Richard Dreyfus' (the main character's) wife walks in the bathroom and finds him lying in the bathtub, all of his clothes on, with the shower running? That element (mind you, I love water--waterfalls, wet people, water running over my fingers, rain, etc.) just intrigued me and I'm sure I'll have something like that in one of my books/movies. Also, I've seen furniture that is cherry wood and now the book that I am writing has lots of cherry trees and furniture made of cherry wood. Weird, huh? Well, I gotta go.
Cat

P.S.
If you are a writer, please tell me about a weird little "inspiration" you've had.