LOOKING FOR BIRDS

Yes, we may have 8 to 12 inches of snow on the ground ... but April is right around the corner; thus, it's the time of year for spotting migratory birds who may be passing through our backyards.

And the Bullis Collection has a perfect book to help us identify some of the species we see only as they travel through:

Bird-life: A Guide to the Study of Our Common Birds

by Frank M. Chapman

published by D. Appleton and Co. of New York, in 1903

At the time Chapman wrote this book, he was Curator of Ornithology at the American Museum of Natural History so we can safely say that the man knew what he was writing about. And he included in his book 75 full-page colored plates after drawings by Ernest Thompson Seton (who was one of the founding pioneers of the Boy Scouts, an outdoorsman, artist and author). 

Together, the text and drawings in this book can give even the most novice birdwatcher a leg-up in identifying some of the less-common species. Let us know if you'd like to take a look at Chapman's book. We'll be glad to make arrangements for you to do just that.

THINKING ABOUT NETTIE BULLIS

A couple of weeks ago,  the Bullis Committee cancelled its monthly meeting because of a blizzard that roared through Wayne County. Since local authorities advised against traveling by car, we felt justified in taking this action.

However, we later wondered how Nettie Bullis would have handled that situation.  And our conclusion was that  - given her determination and sense of duty - she may well have said, "Well, there's more than one way to travel," then pulled on her snow boots, bundled up, and walked the 2 miles from her home on Canandaigua Road to the library.

As we remember Miss Bullis on her birthday, let's also recall some of the other qualities that made her such a special woman: her generosity, loyalty, respect of education, and business acumen.

Nettie Bullis made a lasting impression on those who knew her and she continues to influence the rest of us through the legacies she left the citizens of Wayne County. Once again we say, "Thank you, Miss Bullis."

REMEMBERING NETTIE BULLIS

Today, on her birthday, we remember 

Jeanette Aurelia ("Nettie") Bullis

March 23, 1893 - October 1, 1979

THINK SPRING

Get Ready! Get Set! Now altogether, lets "THINK SPRING."  If we do this enough times, perhaps (well,...just maybe..you never know) the sun will shine more, the soil will warm up, and we can soon get outside and begin our garden clean-up followed by planting those new crops of vegetables and flowers. (And if this doesn't happen "soon," we can be assured that it will happen "later.")

So while we're waiting for this miracle to happen, there are lots of good gardening books on the Bullis shelves that we can look through for ideas and inspiration. Here's just a few:

Bush Fruits by Fred Card (1920)

Lilac Culture by John Wister (1930

The Clematis by Thomas Moore (1877)

Plant Breeding by L. H. Bailey (1906)

Daffodils by Joseph Jacob (?)

Grafting & Budding by Luther Burbank (1921)

Sweet Peas by Horace Wright (?)

The Book of the Iris by Irwin R. Lynch (1904)

Notes on Tulip Species by W. R Dykes (1930)

Please consider this your gilt edge invitation to stop by the Bullis Room and spend some time with a few of these books. And let's all continue to "THINK SPRING."

NESSIE AND CHAMP

Please mark you calendars and plan to be in MPL's Community Room on Wednesday, Marcy 26, 2014, at 6 PM for an interesting, fascinating, and downright fun evening with RICHARD D. HAMELL (MCC Geology Professor Emeritus ) and his presentation on SERPENTS BENEATH THE SURFACE.  

You'll learn about the lore and legends of monsters thought to be descendants of dinosaurs which were also thought to ply the waters of New York State. As if that's not enough to keep you on the edge of your seats, you'll also hear abut the possible connection of these local monster legends to Nessie of Loch Ness and Champ of Lake Champlain.

We have one other suggestion. After you've seen this presentation, you might want to stop by the Bullis Room and take a look at this book:

Our English Lakes, Mountains, and Waterfalls

by William Wordsworth, published by Provost in London, 1870.

Reading Wordsworth before bedtime should allow you to have a more restful sleep -- and quickly dispel visions of monsters rising from the depths of the lakes. And you might want to even memorize a few lines to recall the next time you go for a canoe trip on Lake Champlain.