Category: Wildlife

Author Talk with Lawrence Millman

Posted on by Kristin Nelson

Outsider: My Boyhood with Thoreau with Lawrence Millman

 

Join us at the Falmouth Public Library on Tuesday, October 1st at 6:30 PM in the Hermann Meeting Room for an author talk and book signing with mycologist and author Lawrence Millman!  He will be discussing his latest memoir Outside: My Boyhood with Thoreau.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event from Eight Cousins Books.

Early on, Millman found in Thoreau a kindred spirit, far outside of the mainstream social, sporting, and educational interests he was expected to be cultivating. And like Thoreau, he would rather be out-of-doors — where he could socialize with mushrooms, insects, or earthworms — than stuck in any indoor locale.

“Lawrence Millman is my kind of guy–kind of like a cross between Henry David Thoreau and a badger (the Eurasian badger, as the American badger is sometimes considered ill-tempered). Like Larry, I am always happiest among the salamanders and caterpillars, but reading Larry’s vivid, honest, often hilarious accounts of how nature shaped his quirky, abundant life makes for excellent company. Everyone who loves animals and nature will love this.”

— Sy Montgomery, author of Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell

Writer, ethnographer, mycologist Lawrence Millman has made over forty trips and expeditions to the Arctic and Subarctic. His twenty-seven books include such titles as Last Places, Northern Latitudes, A Kayak Full of Ghosts, Our Like Will Not Be There Again, Hiking to Siberia, Lost in the Arctic, At the End of the World, The Book of Origins, Fungipedia, The Last Speaker of Bear, Foraging with Jeeves, and the Coyote Arts title Goodbye, Ice. He has written for Smithsonian, National Geographic, Outside, Atlantic Monthly, and The Sunday Times (London). He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. 

For more information about Lawrence Millman: https://lawrencemillman.com/This event is free to the public and registration is required as seating is limited. Register HERE or visit/call the adult services desk at 508-457-2555 x7.

Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist with Jasmin Graham

Posted on by Jessica O'Connor

Join us at the Falmouth Public Library on Wednesday, August 14th at 4pm in the Hermann meeting room for an author talk and book signing with Jasmin Graham!  She will be discussing her new book Sharks Don’t Sink: Adventures of a Rogue Shark Scientist.  Copies of the book will be available for purchase at the event from Eight Cousins.

“Sharks Don’t Sink is a riveting, moving, and ultimately triumphant memoir at the intersection of science and social justice: a guidebook to how we can all learn to respect and protect some of nature’s most misunderstood and vulnerable creatures–and grant the same grace to ourselves.”

“Jasmin’s journey, along with her love of sharks, is both fascinating and inspiring, sitting at the cross section of science and social justice. This book is a triumph.” —Emily Giffin, TODAY

“Jasmin Graham is a marine biologist in the field of elasmobranch ecology and evolution, currently specializing in smalltooth sawfish and hammerhead sharks. She is the co-founder of Minorities in Shark Sciences (MISS), an organization providing support for women of color in the field of shark biology and ecology, in order to foster greater diversity in marine science. She is a recipient of the WWF Conservation Leadership Award, the Safina Launchpad Center Fellowship, and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship.”

This event is free to the public. CLICK HERE to register online event calendar or visit/call the adult service desk at 508-457-2555 x7.

Coming to a Neighborhood Near You with Ian Ives of Audubon

Posted on by Library User

Falmouth is abuzz with the talk of coyotes – what other wild animals are on the increase? On Thursday January 11, from 2-3pm in the Hermann Room, join Mass Audubon‘s Long Pasture Wildlife Sanctuary Director Ian Ives as he explores the local increase in abundance of deer, coyote, fisher, turkey, bobcat and osprey and the conflicts, management measures and ethical considerations that arise as a result.

Ian Ives is the Director at Mass Audubon’s Long Pasture, Ashumet Holly, Barnstable Great Marsh and Skunknett River Wildlife Sanctuaries on Cape Cod. His job responsibilities include overall management of the sanctuaries and staff, community outreach, advocacy, environmental stewardship and education. One of his primary goals is to engage the community in Mass Audubon’s mission work and expand activities at the wildlife sanctuaries he oversees. He holds a Master’s degree in conservation biology from Antioch University – New Hampshire. Ian has a strong background in wetland restoration and endangered species management and is leading environmental advocacy and conservation projects across the Cape to help protect rare wildlife and threatened natural resources they depend on. Formerly, Ian was a Field Biologist for Hyla Ecological Services in Concord MA and was a zookeeper at the Franklin Park Zoo in Boston.

This lecture is courtesy of the Board of Library Trustees. Please register as space is limited.

Accessible Falmouth Walking Trails

Posted on by Library User

The Falmouth Public Library in partnership with Neighborhood Falmouth presents a talk on Falmouth’s handicapped accessible open spaces by Vicky Lowell, a founder of The 300 Committee Land Trust. This program will take place Thursday September 28, 1:30-3:00pm, in the Hermann Room.

This event is free and open to all. Please register as space is limited.

Neighborhood Falmouth is a non-profit organization that provides support services to seniors in the Falmouth community. The organization aims to help seniors live independently and maintain their quality of life by providing services such as transportation, grocery shopping, yard work, minor home repairs, and friendly visits. Neighborhood Falmouth operates on a volunteer-based model, where volunteers from the community are matched with seniors who need assistance. This allows seniors to receive personalized support while also fostering a sense of community and connection among volunteers and seniors. 

 

 

 

Mimi Schlichter Author Talk & Art Exhibit

Posted on by Jessica O'Connor

Stop on by the library to see Mimi’s art and then come hear her speak about her 54-day project!

Author Talk, Demonstration and Book Signing

The Falmouth Public Library is delighted to host local artist and writer Mimi Schlichter for an author talk and book signing on Saturday, September 17th from 4pm-5pm in the library’s Hermann meeting room.  Mimi will be discussing her most recent book The 54 and Then Some: The 54 Falmouth Beach Paintings in 54 Days Project Expanded Edition with The Other 46, as well as offering a demonstration of her alla prima oil technique used during the project.  This author talk, demonstration and book signing event is free to the public and registration is required.  To register, click here or call the library at 508-457-2555 extension 7.  (Photo Credit: Milt Williamson)

Mimi explains the genesis of the project on the back cover of the book, “On April 1, 2020 the Town of Falmouth closed its beach parking lots as a proactive measure to reduce Covid 19 viral spread.  It meant I lost the option of painting beach scenes from the front seat of my car.  They remained closed until May 24th.  A total of 54 days.  One year later, March, 2021, I found myself sitting in my car in a beach parking lost, painting and wondering “why didn’t I do this more often last year?”  Then I remembered.  I couldn’t get there.  The idea came to me to celebrate how life is different this year.  So on April 1, 2021, I began a series of 54 paintings of the Falmouth beaches.  My personal commitment was to complete the paintings in 54 days, one a day, every day, by May 24.  You hold in your hands the result of that commitment.  In this new expanded version, I include The Other 46, the paintings completed in the 46 days following the completion of the 54 project.  They take the alla prima “a painting a day” run to a full 100 days.”

“The Beaches and Beyond Art Exhibit”

Concurrently, “The Beaches and Beyond Art Exhibit” by Mimi Schlichter will be on display in the Adult Collections Room of the Falmouth Public Library for the entire month of September.  Mimi describes the show as a gradual exhibit.  Her intention is to begin with a representative group of paintings form the original 54-day project, while each week adding newly created, sometime still wet, oil paintings she plans to complete during the month of September.  The art exhibit will be on display from September 2nd through September 30th.  This art exhibit is free to view and no registration is required.  Just stop on by the Adult Collections Room during the library hours.

Mimi Schlichter moved from Pennsylvania to Cape Cod in 1997 to pursue painting in an environment of light and beauty, with nature as her inspiration.  She paints mostly in oils, while also enjoying the flexibility and spontaneity of watercolor pencils paired with ink.  It is her goal to bring to life scenes and visions that inspire, soothe, and bring joy, be they tiny minis at 2’x2′ or massive multi panel installations.

Falmouth Reads Together: June Events

Posted on by Library User

We’ve got three public events scheduled for Falmouth Reads Together in June – two documentary films and a discussion of the book The Soul of an Octopus by Sy Montgomery. Read on for details and registration links.

Documentary film screening of My Octopus Teacher.

Watch as a filmmaker forges an unusual friendship with an octopus living in a South African kelp forest, learning as the animal shares the mysteries of her world. “One of the best nature documentaries I have ever seen. Absolutely beautiful and wonderfully narrated and educational–tremendous with its scientific breakthroughs on these amazing creature’s behavior and intelligence. “

  • Friday June 10, 2pm.
  • Location: Hermann Meeting Room. 
  • Duration: one hour; appropriate for most ages. Discussion follows (optional). 
  • Register here.

Book Discussion: The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness, by Sy Montgomery.

You’ve probably read the book by now. If not, get in line for a copy. Then join us to discuss! 

  • Friday June 17, 2pm. 
  • Location: Hermann Meeting Room.
  • Duration: one hour; appropriate for adults or teens. 
  • Register here.

Documentary film screening of Octopus: Making Contact

 

Follow an Alaskan professor as he raises and studies a day octopus in his home, making remarkable discoveries about its extraordinary intelligence, personality and skills. 

  • Friday June 24, 2pm. 
  • Location: Hermann Meeting Room.
  • Duration: one hour; appropriate for most ages. Discussion follows (optional). 
  • Register here.

Falmouth Reads 2022: The Soul of an Octopus

Posted on by Jessica O'Connor

We are happy to announce that The Soul of an Octopus: a Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness, by Sy Montgomery, has been chosen as the Falmouth Reads title for 2022.

The Soul of an Octopus is described as a book that “explores the emotional and physical world
of the octopus—a surprisingly complex, intelligent, and spirited creature—and the remarkable connections it makes with humans.”

Sy Montgomery worked as a volunteer at the New England Aquarium in Boston and developed a unique understanding and connection with their resident octopus. After reading this book your feelings about
octopus will be forever changed!

We will encourage children to read Inky’s Great Escape, the fascinating story of Inky, an octopus at the National Aquarium in New Zealand. One night Inky climbed from his tank and slipped through an overflow drainage pipe, escaping back into the ocean!

As we read The Soul of an Octopus and Inky’s Great Escape, we invite the community to borrow library passes to visit the New England Aquarium. Further information about events and activities for Falmouth Reads 2022 will be coming soon.

The octopus in this photo is Ruddy who was a New England Aquarium resident octopus in 2019. Ruddy was particularly photogenic as she like to hang out in the front corner of the tank. We invite anyone visiting the aquarium to submit a digital photo for an online exhibit. While the octopus don’t mind having their photo taken, please do not use the flash; they don’t like that.

Attracting Birds, Butterflies, Bees and Other Beneficials

Posted on by Sue

We are delighted to welcome naturalist and landscaper John root for a Zoom presentation on Tuesday evening, May 25th at 7 pm, by the Falmouth Public Library!

John will describe the essential roles played by birds, pollinators, and other beneficial wildlife, and provide guidance on meeting their needs for food, cover, and water. He will discuss a variety of plants that nourish these organisms throughout their lifecycles, and explain some organic methods for establishing wildlife habitat.

John is a landscaper in the Amherst, Ma area, and he has studied botany at a graduate level.  He has given numerous presentations on gardening and nature interpretation at libraries, senior centers and many other venues, and has previously led edible wild plant walks, taught science at a high school, and owned a daycare featuring arts and nature exploration. He is currently an organizer with Western Mass Pollinator Networks, promoting the establishment of pollinator habitat on public and private land.

This event is free and appropriate for adults and teens, and is sponsored by both the Trustees of the Falmouth Public Library and the Falmouth Cultural Council.  Registration is required before the event, to receive the link. Please register online at falmouthpubliclibrary.org/events, or contact the reference department at 508-457-2555 x 7.

Missed this event?  You can now watch the recording of it anytime from our YouTube page!  Just click here.