Hello, readers! One thing in my life that brings me joy is watching birds. My birdwatching is not done out in the wild, binoculars in hand, but simply looking out my kitchen window at the birdfeeder in my backyard. There is something very special about seeing all the visiting birds, and my family and I … Continue reading Backyard Birdwatching
Environment
The Forest Primeval
Hello Dendrophiles! I am excited to introduce you to the awe-inspiring world of ancient forests. Known also as old-growth or forest primeval, ancient forests are intact woodlands which have been left relatively uninterrupted by human activity. Although these precious spaces are quickly dwindling, we can still find tracts of ancient wood in almost every corner … Continue reading The Forest Primeval
Vegging Out
As you’ve heard, the Macon County Public Library is continuing its gardening tradition this summer! While our Youth Services Department has had and continues to have a garden for folks 12 and younger, Adult Services, with the help of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, has been gardening in two 500 sq. ft. plots at the … Continue reading Vegging Out
National Parks and Recreation Month
Hi Shelf Life Readers! Happy National Parks and Recreation month! I am writing to you from the Jackson County Public Library but if you tried to find me during the summer months from 2012 to 2015, you would’ve had to look deep in the wilderness of either the Sumter or Chattahoochee National Forest, where I … Continue reading National Parks and Recreation Month
Clan of the Trail Crew
June is national outdoors month and I for one would like to wrap this month up with a little love for some unsung heroes in the world of public lands: Trail Crew Workers. You may be asking yourselves, what is Trail Crew? And, you would not be alone. They are the oft-forgotten or unknown backbone … Continue reading Clan of the Trail Crew
Libraries Rock this summer!
This summer the Summer Learning Program theme for children and teens is "Libraries Rock!" What a great way to think about libraries. They do rock, especially today, when the era of the silent library and the Shushing Librarian is firmly in the past. Mind you, most libraries offer quiet spaces for those who want or … Continue reading Libraries Rock this summer!
Let’s clear the air: a Vulture is not a Buzzard
Today’s blog focuses on the Turkey Vulture, another one of the most commonly seen birds here in the Southeast. Before we talk about identifying characteristics though, I thought we could dive into the semantics of the terms vulture and buzzard, because it can be pretty confusing. Before researching this topic, whenever I heard the … Continue reading Let’s clear the air: a Vulture is not a Buzzard
Red Tailed Hawk vs Red Shouldered Hawk
Hello to all the readers of the Shelf Life in the Mountains Blog! My name is Annie and I have been working at the beautiful Jackson County Public Library in Sylva for almost two months now. I have also been an avid bird watcher for about four years. It all started when I moved from … Continue reading Red Tailed Hawk vs Red Shouldered Hawk
Nonfiction for November
I have to admit, I choose fiction over non-fiction writing most of the time. Since my life is non-fiction, my inclination is to “escape” some of the “fun” of politics, mass shootings, celebrity scandals, and cleaning up cat vomit. HOWEVER…sometimes the non-fiction is good enough to pull me in. So I’ll share a couple of … Continue reading Nonfiction for November
Flying Mammals, Insect Warrior, Friend
The light is turning shades of blue and purple as the sun drops below the horizon. The air is cooling from a warm summer day. Â Crickets are beginning their night time singing, and through the sky comes the faint whirring of bats. Swooping and gliding through the air, indulging in an early evening snack. Some … Continue reading Flying Mammals, Insect Warrior, Friend
Shelf Life in the Mountains 