Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Good Old Books: Common Wild Animals and Their Young

This beautiful picture book tells the life stories of sixteen common American wild animals. In enchanting, original photographs you will
see....

... the flight of a deer
... what happens inside a beaver house
... baby 'possum in the marsupial pouch,
... the difference between male and female skunks,
... tiny deermice in their nest,
... the sharp-quilled defense of the porcupine,
... mother mink feeding her young,
... black bear cubs in rollicking play,
... and many more intimate glimpses of animal life.

by Rita Vandivert with photographs by William Vandivert
Dell, 1957

Friday, November 25, 2011

Good Old Books: The Compact Book of Upland Game Birds

Whether you are a shooting sportsman who thrills to the sudden flurry and rise of an upland game bird twisting through cover or a bird watcher, the study and practical knowledge of the various species of game birds is challenging.

The species covered in this book are the most popular of the game birds
found in the 48 states and Canada.

This book is primarily a book of basic facts and identification for ready
reference.
edited by Ray Ovington
J. Lowell Pratt, 1965

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

How-To Book List Addition: Caricatures in Motion

Whether running, jumping, or walking, subtle twists or turns of the body can ultimately give a carving a sense of motion. That concept is proven true in this book.

Caricature Carvers of America members offer up a variety of carvings of
figures in motion. All of them are humorous and several carvings share a
similar "theme."

by Caricature Carvers of America
Schiffer Publishing, 2011


Friday, November 11, 2011

Book List Addition: Louisiana Haunted Forts

Although there are numerous books about Louisiana, little information about the forts are included and none combines the forts with ghost
stories.

This book is filled with historical adventures and intriguing tales of supernatural happenings. The author relates eerie stories of soldiers who still patrol the ruins of fortifications they built, defended, and died for, and others whose lives ended tragically.

by Elaine Coleman
Taylor Trade Publishing, 2005

Friday, November 4, 2011

Review: Kentucky's Natural Heritage

A confluence of both science and history, this book describes natural areas in Kentucky that have vanished and inventories a long list of threatened and endangered animals, plants and unique habitats in the state that need protection.

Once 90 percent forested, Kentucky is now made up of roughly 46 percent "Large Forest Tracts" and most of it is fragmented and less able to sustain complex communities of animals and plants.

Consequently, more than 50 species of animals and plants that once made Kentucky their home can no longer be found. Of the species that remain, 25 percent of the fish, 26 percent of the reptiles and amphibians, 13 percent of the birds and 20 percent of the mammals are endangered, threatened or close to leaving for good.

Continued in ... The Nature Pages

Kentucky's Natural Heritage
An Illustrated Guide to Biodiversity
by Greg Abernathy, Deborah White, Ellis L. Laudermilk, and Marc Evans
The University Press of Kentucky, 2010

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Cookbook List Addition: Backcountry Cooking

Goodbye to mundane, expensive, freeze-dried camping food and welcome to tasty, environmentally conscious, inexpensive dishes. Seasoned outdoor cook Sierra Adare spices her creative and easy-to-follow recipes with Western culinary history and first accounts that are informed by the traditions of the trail.

Inside the book are lists of grocery items you can buy beforehand at your local store, along with instructions to dehydrate your own food to avoid the high prices of outdoor markets.

Backcountry Cooking
The Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Cooking
by Sierra Adare
Skyhorse Publishing, 2011

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Good Old Books: The Practical Handbook of Patio and Outdoor Projects

"In recent years,the concept of outdoor living has been adopted by more and more families. Basically, all it means is that the family gets as much
enjoyment from activities conducted outside as inside.

"To do this, the outdoor living environment - the patio and its environs - must be properly equipped; stocked, as it were, with all the things an individual family needs to get the maximum enjoyment with the least inconvenience.

"The thrust of this book is helping you, the handyman, equip it yourself. I've striven to include plans and ideas for the things anyone would need. Most basic, of course, is the patio itself -- your outdoor floor.

"I have included other projects as well, because homeowners have a crying need for more information on them. For example, there are instructions on how to build a driveway. Not just any driveway, but one that will last for years without cracking. Elsewhere, you'll find information on making simple edgings and retaining walls, an information on how to make a variety of carports."
-- from the Introduction, Tom Philbin

by Tom Philbin
Fawcett Publications, 1975