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Part 1: The Robin.
If you recall, last Friday a dramatic thunderstorm passed through our region. It began to sprinkle as I headed to my car; soon there was a deluge. As I readied myself for the commute, I looked towards the robin’s nest and wondered how it would fare through heatwave and storm. That’s when an adult bird zipped around the library at breakneck speed. It needed to protect the nest.
Dragonflies have been among the library’s most conspicuous animals during July – if you’ve been outside long enough to notice them!
I’ve always enjoyed wrestling with a project – asking questions, making observations, doing research, testing ideas – digging deeper. This temperament and habit informs my natural history study, my writing . . . my lesson plans, garden, home repairs, meals, and just about every creative undertaking that’s come my way. As an approach to life, this is deeply satisfying to me, beneficial to others, and VERY time consuming.
On a quiet June afternoon, I was scouting the grounds to see what might be seen and, truth be told, hoping to get another look at the painted turtle . . . or any turtle, for that matter. I didn’t. It was about about six o’clock when I circled back towards the pergola, close to the bocce court, when some movement caught my attention. Beyond the pergola near the back end of the garden, a brown animal ran across the grass towards a dense thicket. The cottontail often grazes at this time of day, in the open but with an escape route nearby.
When was the last time you saw a turtle? Where was it and what was it doing?
Perhaps it was swimming in a local pond or perched on a muddy bank ready to slip into the water in response to a perceived threat.
Most visitors to the Ames Free Library know and love Queset Garden’s reflecting pool which is a lovely spot to visit in all seasons.
On June 17, 2021 President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act which made June 19 a federally observed holiday. However, what is Juneteenth and what are its origins? The legacy of Juneteenth began in Galveston Bay, Texas in 1865, two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was made which freed slaves from bondage following the Civil War. Despite the decree being given by the president, many states, especially those in the confederate areas, did not want to follow suit with the new law. Texas was one of the states which resisted.
Neighbors don’t always get along, especially when they live in close proximity without sharing the same goals. Recently this has become apparent in the library’s neighborhood where noisy conflicts occur almost every day. Last Saturday the din could be heard inside the library building. Just listen:
The Magic of Summer
