Ames Free Library

"Where the Community Connects"

Staff Picks

This Week at the Library: Porcelain Berry

 

This week, the lovely but highly invasive porcelain berry takes center stage at the Ames Free Library. Look for its grape-like leaves and vines and its attractive multi-colored fruit. The speckled berries change color as they ripen, passing through shades of green, pink, purple, and blue. This species won’t be difficult to locate as it has spread extensively throughout the unmowed sections of the library’s campus.  

A Glimpse of Nature -- On the Edges

Beyond Queset Garden, past the reflecting pool and hedgerows, is a “neglected” area that provides safe haven for plants and animals. This densely-vegetated thicket offers shelter to the cottontail rabbits, the woodchuck, and the garter snake. Bird songs emanate from this spot, dragonflies cruise over it, and bees and wasps visit its many blossoms.  

In late July, I noticed an exquisite flower beginning to bloom there.

Librarian's Lounge - August 2022

Things have been busy since my last post! We made it through two heat waves and the library has been in full swing with all of our summer events and the summer reading program. If you’re reading this before August 27, there’s still time to log your reading and earn points to spend on raffle tickets (for teens and adults) or beads to design your own necklace (for kids). In addition to all of the excitement at AFL, I’ve been doing lots of reading and a bit of exploring.

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