Have you ever taken the opportunity to explore the parks and beautiful natural landscapes in Delaware County? With two state parks, multiple waterways, trails and much more Delaware County is rich in outdoor escapes. Preservation Parks of Delaware County provides another reason to get out and see the wildlife with their Summer Letterbox Adventure.
Delaware County District Library partners with Preservation Parks each year to help promote and administer this program for young naturalists and adventurers. Start by stopping at any library in Delaware County or going to www.delawarelibrary.org/src2017 and registering to participate in the program. From there you’ll be given a booklet or a series of clues to follow in eight of the parks.
With the theme “Nature’s Builders,” you’ll be following nature facts and clues to explore bird nests, meadow vole trails, and trees cut down by beavers. All the clues take you closer to a hidden box along the trail called a letterbox. Inside the box is a stamp or code to indicate that you’ve found it and a small takeaway, like steps for a nature craft project. My family and I explored Deer Haven Park last month and we were excited to discover the bugs that live in the wetlands and woods there.
This summer, a special surprise at each park is the Ice Age Safari. With the spectacular “Into the Ice Age” exhibit hosted at Deer Haven and Shale Hollow parks, each park is also joining in on the fun with facts about different ice age creatures popping up along the trails at the park. Don’t forget to stop in the visitor’s center at each location for some extra Ice Age surprises.
Visit www.preservationparks.com for more information on the letterbox or Ice Age programs or call one of their information lines at 740-524-8600 during business hours.
If all this nature-speak has got you feeling adventurous, check out some recent and popular releases based on travel stories all over the world. As a reminder, all Delaware County District Library locations will close early on Monday, July 3 at 5 p.m. and remain closed all day on Tuesday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day. Explore and read this week while you celebrate.
“Havana: A Subtropical Delirium” by Mark Kurlansky. A portrait of Havana, reveals how the city’s history and culture have created a place of extremes.
“The Not-Quite States of America: Dispatches from the Territories and Other Far-Flung Outposts of the USA” by Doug Mack. Traces the author’s explorations of U.S. territories including American Samoa, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Northern Mariana Islands to juxtapose their blends of culture against the expansionist views of the Founding Fathers.
“The Alps: A Human History from Hannibal to Heidi and Beyond” by Stephen O’Shea. Blends contemporary travelogue and historical narrative in a history of the Alps that traces the real and imagined journeys of travelers ranging from Hannibal and Hitler to Sherlock Holmes and Napoleon to reveal the profound influence of the Alps on human culture.
“Travels with Epicurus: A Journey to a Greek Island in Search of a Fulfilled Life” by Daniel Klein. Drawing on the inspiring lives of his Greek friends and philosophers ranging from Epicurus to Sartre, Klein uncovers the simple pleasures that are available late in life, as well as the refined pleasures that only a mature mind can fully appreciate.
“The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places” in the World by Eric Weiner. Draws on the author’s experiences as a foreign correspondent to evaluate more than three dozen countries for their happiness potential, in a survey that includes profiles of such locales as the American shores, glacial Iceland, and the Bhutan jungles.
