As experienced readers know, A Glimpse of Nature concentrates on the natural phenomena around the Ames Free Library or in nearby areas of Southeastern Massachusetts. On rare occasions, though, the author goes somewhere else. When I travel I bring my interests with me; so, not surprisingly, I do a lot of nature study
Welcome to AFL Staff Stories! Every month we'll introduce you (or REintroduce you!) to a different member of the AFL Staff and tell you a little about their favorites.
This month, meet one of AFL's Circulation Technicians, Kim Davis. Click here for Kim's stories.
Last time, I began by asking the question, “What should I write about?” This time I ask, “What is my process?” and by that I mean, “How can I set myself up for success and write a 50,000+ word novel in 30 days?” This begs the question, “What do I need to be ready on Day One?” I know, I know, I ask a lot of questions.
Both species featured in last week’s “What Is It!” were observed in eastern Massachusetts during early autumn. The plant image, submitted by Karen, was photographed in the town of Harvard on September 29. Let’s look closely at her photo to gather the details that will identify it.
“I write to see the beginning and end of it all,”
Grant Faulkner, Executive Director of NaNoWriMo
What should I write about?
There are hundreds of things I could write about and none of them seem worthy of the time needed to put into it. I wanted help so I went looking for ideas, a brilliant can’t-miss magic idea that is just too big to fail.
This week we offer a doubleheader! If you recognize either the plant or the caterpillar, submit your ID to lrubinacci@amesfreelibrary.org. Where have you seen these species?
The October 14 post will provide identification and some interesting background.
Last weekend I cleaned my goldfish pool which really needed to be refreshed. Although I felt very guilty for its neglect, the task required a chunk of time, something that has eluded me lately. The container, a converted planter, holds about 20 gallons of water, a potted pickerel weed, and three fish. A solar-powered fountain keeps the mosquito larvae in check, and a snail sometimes visits. Here it is on my patio in midsummer.
Are you an expert pumpkin carver? Are you a beginning carver with amazing ideas? We'll be judging your pumpkin carving skills at the Queset House on Friday, October 28.
Bring your carved pumpkin entries to the Queset House on Wednesday, October 26 between 1:00 PM and 8:00 PM, or on Thursday, October 27 between 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM. On Friday afternoon, we will select a winner from each of three categories: adults (18+), teens (12-18), and kids* (up to age 12).
On Monday, September 19, some enthusiastic and knowledgeable folks savored the wildflowers of the Ames Free Library campus. If you weren’t there, you missed a good time of shared curiosity, experience, discovery, and laughter. You also might have missed the peak of this season’s blossoms. After a very hot and dry summer, the rains and cool weather have finally arrived. The forecast now includes daytime highs below 60℉ and nighttime lows near 40℉. Happy fall! Of course, our glorious native asters will continue to put on a show, but more on that another day.
Fall may be announcing itself with a dreary deluge, but all this rain can’t dampen my spirits. This month I get to share a special summer reading wrap-up edition of the Librarian’s Lounge with you! Keep reading for highlights from this year’s summer reading program, including a list of books that were most reviewed by our adult summer readers.
