Library Blog
Posted on Thu, October 13, 2022 - 08:00pm
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.
Entire Plant…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, October 06, 2022 - 08:00pm
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.
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, September 22, 2022 - 08:00pm
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…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, September 15, 2022 - 08:00pm
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…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, September 01, 2022 - 08:00pm
Three mystery birds are the stars of this week’s “What Is It!” Think you know this bird? Submit your ID to A Glimpse of Nature. If you have ever seen this species, please share your experience as well. Next week’s post will tell the story behind this photo…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, August 17, 2022 - 08:00pm
For those of you who avoided our recent dragonfly quiz, and for those who played the game but felt uneasy, here is an observation primer. As with all new subjects, it takes time to get one’s bearings, but there are some easily observable aspects of appearance and behavior that can point you in…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, August 11, 2022 - 08:00pm
Here’s the latest news.
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…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, August 04, 2022 - 08:00pm
As I was watering the library’s tomatoes and fall greens, I spotted a small object just outside the entrance. It was new, and its color stood out from the gray and pink masonry.
Here’s a closer look.
“What Is It!”
A handful of Massachusetts birds lay small, unmarked blue eggs. These include…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, July 28, 2022 - 08:00pm
Dragonflies have been among the library’s most conspicuous animals during July – if you’ve been outside long enough to notice them! This summer’s scorching heat sometimes leaves me immobilized, but the dragonflies, and their relatives, the damselflies, keep on going. In fact, they need warmth and…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, July 20, 2022 - 08:00pm
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…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, July 14, 2022 - 08:00pm
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…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, July 07, 2022 - 08:00pm
Hello Gardeners,
We have a winner for the first round of The Great Seed Experiment! Congratulations to Connor, Nathan, and Trenton Forth (and their parents) for winning the prize for “Sprouting Reports and Documentation.” They not only created an amazing backyard garden, they also documented and…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, June 30, 2022 - 08:00pm
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.
Painted Turtle, June 27, 2021, Halifax
The inland turtles of Massachusetts have…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Mon, June 20, 2022 - 08:00pm
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.
Reflecting Pool at Queset Garden
As we’ve previously noted, the reflecting pool supports a robust population of American toad tadpoles throughout the spring.…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, June 09, 2022 - 08:00pm
Recently I witnessed a dust storm . . . a very small dust storm on the far side of Queset House. Disappointed that I had spooked a bird, I sat quietly in a less conspicuous place and amused myself by watching a gray squirrel scurry off with a black walnut. Then the bird returned and kicked up…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, June 02, 2022 - 08:00pm
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…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Fri, May 27, 2022 - 08:00pm
Bird song is among the most conspicuous natural phenomena of May. If you have recently walked at the Ames Free Library or, for that matter, anywhere in southeastern Massachusetts, you couldn’t help but hear the chorus: resident birds, newly-arrived migrants, and passers-through are all singing. …
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, May 12, 2022 - 08:00pm
Good things take time to grow: A Glimpse of Nature will return next week with the promised post on spring ephemerals. In the meantime, here’s this week’s challenge:
Go for a walk in the woods.
2. Photograph one wildflower in bloom. Yes, you can use your phone!
3. Email this image along with…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, May 05, 2022 - 08:00pm
Which flowers have you seen lately? Read about Lorraine’s botanical adventures in next week’s A Glimpse of Nature.
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Wed, April 27, 2022 - 08:00pm
“The Great Seed Experiment” is off to a vigorous start! Hundreds of patrons have picked up seeds for their home gardens, as well as helpful factsheets and seed journals to record their observations. This week, the library received its first photos and “Sprouting Reports” from gardeners. Spring…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, April 21, 2022 - 08:00pm
Yesterday, as I did a quick inspection of the library’s grounds, the movements of a gray squirrel drew my attention. The animal was at a distance, in a tree on the opposite bank of our neighbor’s pond. I’m well accustomed to squirrel acrobatics, but something about its behavior struck me as…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, April 14, 2022 - 08:00pm
We’ve all heard the proverb, “April showers bring May flowers.” Well, it’s mid April, and the “mayflowers” have already begun to bloom. I am referring to a particular flower, the species Epigaea repens, commonly known as trailing arbutus or mayflower. This early-blooming species is a lovely, but…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, April 07, 2022 - 08:00pm
This week, the Ames Free Library is launching a home gardening project for all its patrons. We are giving away vegetable and flower seeds obtained through the University of Rhode Island and encouraging patrons to share their results with the library.
The library’s seed collection contains many…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Fri, April 01, 2022 - 08:00pm
Yesterday, as I was writing, I looked up to see this view:
Each year, during breeding season, a flock of turkeys visits my bird feeder on its route between wetlands, clearings, and oak forest. I thought to myself, “Here they come!” And it’s not just the turkeys. As I review my observations over…
Category: Staff Picks
Posted on Thu, March 24, 2022 - 08:00pm
For the past two weeks, we’ve concentrated on “firsts” – the first observation of a natural phenomena in its annual cycle. This is only reasonable, for the appearance of something new draws attention. More effort is required to notice “lasts” – the last cricket to sing in fall, the last…
Category: Staff Picks