After a careful research (based solely on beautifully illustrated library books), I finally sprang to action – I bought plants, dug holes and did a lot of mulching. I even succeeded in soliciting my husband’s help, and together we put up a nice bird feeder. The feeder quickly turned out to be a hit — especially with the squirrels. We moved it from the tree to a metal hook, which my husband greased with Vaseline, and installed a squirrel baffle underneath – all with no visible result. Next came a large squirrel–proof bird feeder with a spring–loaded platform that closed the feeding portals when squirrels sat on the perch. For a week, we enjoyed our victory, but soon birdseed started to disappear overnight. One morning I looked out the window and saw a large raccoon clinging to the bird feeder upside down, eating seeds without even touching the platform. Also, at about the same time, deer stripped bark from the bottoms of my newly planted apple trees, and they ruthlessly destroyed most of my flowers and bushes.

In response, I bought plants that deer are supposed to dislike. The result was still devastating. Even my holly bushes lost their spiky leaves, not to mention antique roses and beautiful Asian lilies. Losing ground, I tried folk remedies recommended by my friends and co-workers. For several weeks all our trees and bushes were decorated with soap. Next, I put out mothballs, which were as unsuccessful as the soap but much stronger–smelling. I also mulched my plants with human hair sprinkled with aftershave and bathed them in commercial deer repellents. Everything was useless, and on top of that, a web of mole runs criss-crossed our yard, destroying the grass and sending me back to the library books once again.

Armed with my new knowledge, I continued to fight the deer for a little longer. In the end, though, we fenced off our young trees and shrubs and liberally peppered our flower beds with store-bought products like Deer Off, Sweeney’s Deer Repellent and others.

As for deterring the moles, here are some things I learned that I could do:

1. Bury empty plastic bottles upright in mole runways – the blowing wind will, supposedly, make the bottles whistle and drive the critters out of their shelters.
2. Grow mildly poisonous castor beans in or near my garden.
3. Put mothballs into molehills and spread castor oil around my yard.
4. Start my day by stabbing molehills with a pitchfork.
5. Install electronic pest repellents.
6. Apply pesticides that kill grubworms, a mole’s delicacy.
7. “Gas ‘em” by inserting lit gas cartridges into the mole tunnels and sealing the tunnels (or flush the tunnels with water).
8. Trap them:
1. you can do this yourself — if the traps are visited regularly, “the moles that become impaled will not suffer for long” (Missouri Conservationist).
2. You can call your local exterminators (prepare to spend about $60 per animal).
9. Fence in the affected areas with a half-inch hardware cloth buried two feet deep and angled outward at the bottom.

We’ve already tested several of these methods — with no discernible success. At the moment, we are contemplating mole traps and underground fencing, although the former is too cruel for my taste and the latter seems like a lot of work. Still, underground fencing would nicely complement the fences we already have above the ground to protect our plants from the deer.

References:

“Deer-resistant Landscaping: Proven Advice and Strategies for Outwitting Deer and 20 Other Pesky Mammals” by Neil Soderstrom

“Deerproofing your Yard & Garden” by Rhonda Poe

“Solving Squirrel Problems: How to Keep This Ubiquitous Pest Out of Home and Garden” by Monte Burch

“The Critter Control Handbook: Pro Secrets for Stopping Sneaky Squirrels & Other Crafty Critters in Their Tracks” by Dan Hershey

“Missouri Department of conservation: Controlling Nuisance Moles“

“50 Beautiful Deer-resistant Plants” by Ruth Clausen

P.S. If after all this reading you’re still thinking about putting in a vegetable garden, check out “The $64 Tomato” by William Alexander and don’t say that I did not warn you !

Disclaimer: Everything in this article is true, although no scientific data was used during its writing .

“Can I Wear My Nose Ring to the Interview?” addresses common concerns associated with “Finding, landing and keeping your first real job.”

In “How Do You Work This Life Thing?” Lizzie Post casts a wide etiquette net, offering advice on dealing with roommate problems, what to wear where, job issues, dating, cell phone protocol and more.

Anyone setting up housekeeping for the first time will benefit from “Martha Stewart’s Homekeeping Handbook,” a practical and comprehensive guide to household organization and maintenance.

“Your Life, Your Money” is aimed at helping young adults start off on sound financial footing.

The Missouri Bar Association’s brochure, “Turning 18,” has helpful information for anyone, covering topics such as jury duty, who can perform a marriage, and what your credit rating means.

For those who are finally finished with required classes, public library programs provide a stress-free chance to learn for fun.

See our catalog list for more resources.

Editor’s note: For Mother’s Day, some of our library staff invited their moms to be guest writers for DBRL Next. This final article in our Mother’s Day series was written by Public Services librarian Lauren’s mom, who is struggling with her own mother’s failing health. 

Two months ago, my brother called to let me know that our mother was in the hospital because of a stroke. My mother is 92, but the fear of losing her brought instant tears and a feeling of panic. She is now residing at a skilled nursing facility, using a walker, unable to remember how to use a remote device or a call button, and her mind is living in the ’50s and ’60s. My mother wants to return to a home that is no longer there and questions why old friends and family don’t come to visit. When told that they are dead, tears come. But two hours later she does not remember these conversations. Her reality is very different from that of her children.

I, too, would like to live in my mother’s past, when her mind was sharp and her body was always on the move. She raised five children, became a widow at 40, ran several businesses and was always volunteering to help others out. She was my Brownie troop and Girl Scout troop leader, exposed me to classical music, introduced me to Gilbert and Sullivan and supported my love of reading and education. Mother put up with — and at times enjoyed — dogs, cats, gophers, chipmunks, snakes, squirrels, rabbits, fish, birds, horned toads and a prairie dog that I added to our home. She did not question my judgment in getting her a skunk for her birthday.

Mother helped her children weather the illness and death of a spouse, divorces, leukemia and monetary shortfalls. She had a home that was a place of refuge for relatives and friends. Is this not what mothers do?

(Ed.: If you’re the caretaker for an aging family member, find resources to help you in our book list entitled, “Caring for Your Aging Parents.”)

Editor’s note: For Mother’s Day, some of our library staff invited their moms to be guest writers for DBRL Next. This article is from Pat McDonald, intrepid and inspiring mom of our staff editor, Jenny. Enjoy!

All my life, I have been drawn to and fascinated by the outdoors. Growing up in a big city, I would stare out at the trees from my upstairs window, and be first in line for car trips out of town where there were more trees, and maybe some woods! Over 50 years later, I continue to feed my “itch,” and to understand better why it is so important to my peace and sanity.

In my working and child-raising years, I would take hikes on weekends or after work.  Riding my bicycle to work a few days a week would give me my quiet, tree-filled “fix” for the day. Vacations nearly always included hiking or bike trails. Now in retirement, I am part of Missouri’s Master Naturalist program, and I also volunteer at Rock Bridge State Park, one of my local sacred places. I am thankful every single time I can go out there and fill my eyes, my lungs and my heart.

Many great authors have put words to what I feel, and I continue to seek them out and save their inspired thoughts.

To be whole and harmonious, man must also know the music of the beaches and the woods. He must find the thing of which he is only an infinitesimal part and nurture it and love it, if he is to live.

-Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas, My Wilderness, 1960

———

Away, away, from men and towns,
To the wild wood and the downs—
To the silent wilderness
Where the soul need not repress
Its music

-Percy Bysshe Shelley,  To Jane: The Invitation, 1822

———

Give no credence to any thought that was not born outdoors, while one moved about freely.

-Friedrich Nietzsche

———

We need wilderness whether or not we ever set foot in it.  We need a refuge even though we may never need to go there…We need the possibility of escape as surely as we need hope.

-Edward Abbey, Desert Solitaire, 1968

———

One of my favorite pieces of advice did not come to me with an author’s name, but I know plenty of people it could have been!

INSTRUCTIONS

Do not linger too long with your solemnities,
go eat and drink and talk,
and when you can—
follow a woodland trail, climb a high mountain
sleep beneath the stars, swim in a cold river
chew the thoughts of some book which challenges your soul.
Use your hands some bright day
to make a thing of beauty
or to lift someone’s heavy load.

(Ed.: Mom, it turns out this verse comes from a popular poem by a Unitarian minister named Arnold Crompton.)

Not too long ago, I wrote a brief article on travel to New Zealand, inspired by my parents’ then-upcoming trip.  Nine weeks later, they are back in the states, and for Mother’s Day, I asked my mom to do a little work (typical kid, eh?) and tell us about one of her experiences. This is her description of the day she and my dad (both approaching 70) took their hike across the Franz Josef Glacier on the South Island.

What was he thinking??? My husband, that is, when he signed us up for a walk on the Franz Josef Glacier in New Zealand.

We headed for the Glacier Walk Center at 8:30 a.m. It was teeming with people all dressed alike.  Off go two bus-loads while we receive our gear. ID tags (not too heavy), waterproof trousers, Big Heavy Boots and Very Thick Socks, little red fanny pack with crampons [equipment with spikes on them that attach to your shoes for while you are actually on the ice], water proof jacket, hat and gloves. About 20 lbs of equipment, I figure. Hats and gloves go into the “mandatory” backpack along with 2 waters and 2 lunches.

We pile on the bus with 26 others, all ages, but we are the eldest. From the car park we walk about five or six kilometers through rain forest, and a gravel plain – the edge of the river running out from under the glacier. Then we zig-zag up the terminal moraine at the end of the glacier, on a trail about 1 1/2 feet wide. By the time we reach the glacier, I decide this is the end. No farther. Can’t do it. Everyone else enthusiastically attaches their crampons (1/2 lb of metal each) to their boots.  Husband Joe says he’ll stay with me. But guides Rebecca and Cliff (ha – what a name) say we’ve already done the hardest part. Cliff says he’ll help – carry me if need be (two of us down an icy crevasse?). So we went on. I held on to Cliff a lot. It really was a fantastic experience – tramping up and down very steep and very narrow footpaths in the ice. Actually you are not on it, you are in it. Cliff pointed out where the glacier had recently moved, showed us a cave, waterfalls and blue ice.

Back in the motel room, with our smashed lunches and a pot of tea, we decided we were very glad to have walked that glacier!

As much fun as my parents had on their trip, I must say I am glad that they are back safe and sound. If you would like some information on glaciers a little more local (as in, ones you can get to without flying 13 hours), check out “Insiders’ Guide to Glacier National Park.”

To see some of Alaska’s glaciers (from the warmth of your own living room) and learn about them in general, check out the DVD “Glaciers: Alaska’s River of Ice.“

Finally, for the latest in the best places to visit, check out “1,000 Places to See Before You Die” by Patricia Schultz.

The legacy of Vietnam — the war, the social unrest at home, the 1960s, the political landscape — is still vivid today, 37 years after the war officially ended. My father was a Vietnam Veteran, having served “in country” from March of 1968-February 1969. He did not talk much about his military service, but he used Vietnam War fiction and memoirs to communicate the experiences that he and two million other American men and women faced while in Southeast Asia. The books he picked were powerful, well written and often very personal.

The list below is a small sampling of the Vietnam War literature available and includes several of my father’s must-reads. If, in the course of your reading, you need background information or want to find additional firsthand accounts, be sure to visit the library’s rich collection of nonfiction material on the Vietnam War (call number range 959.704 – 959.7043). And join us at the Columbia Public Library at 7:00 p.m. on May 15 for Vietnam Revisited, a presentation of photographs and video clips of war veteran David Buhr’s return trip to the country in 2008.

Tim O’Brien, noted author and veteran, has written of Vietnam in both fiction and nonfiction works. His powerful memoir “If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home” was published in 1973 just a few years after he returned home from Vietnam. He followed this with two books of fiction, “Going After Cacciato,” winner of the 1979 National Book Award, and “The Things They Carried,” a collection of short stories focusing on a platoon of American soldiers.

“Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War” is a debut novel by Karl Marlantes, a decorated Marine who served in Vietnam. The story follows Waino Mellas, a young Marine second lieutenant newly arrived in Vietnam and sent to Matterhorn, a fire support base near Laos and the border with North Vietnam.

“A Rumor of War” by Philip Caputo details the author’s experience undergoing Marine training at Quantico and then his experience as a Marine Lieutenant with one of the first U.S. combat units sent to Vietnam in 1965.

“Fields of Fire“  by James Webb, Vietnam veteran, journalist and currently a U.S. Senator from Virginia, is considered a classic novel of the Vietnam War. The story examines the lives of three men serving with a Marine platoon in Vietnam in 1969.

For more books check out the Vietnam War book list in the library’s catalog.

Have you ever received an email from a friend asking for money to help them escape a foreign country? Have you ever read an uncharacteristic post on your friend’s Facebook wall? If so, it’s probably because their account was hacked, or illegally accessed by someone other than the account owner. 

One of the easiest ways to prevent this from happening to you is through password management. In honor of Choose Privacy Week, here are some simple tips to keep you and your mobile devices safe while you’re jet-setting across the globe.

• When creating a password for popular Web accounts like Facebook, Gmail or Skype, use a combination of letters (upper and lower case) and numbers.
• When traveling, create temporary passwords for your most heavily used accounts.
• Don’t use the same password for your all Web accounts. For example, if a hacker learns the password for your email, he or she may then attempt to break into your Facebook account as well. Having multiple passwords minimizes the damage should any of your accounts be compromised.
• Only use log-in pages that begin with “https” (instead of the usual “http”). This extra “s” indicates an added layer of encryption to secure your personal information. Learn how to make this a default setting on your Gmail and Facebook accounts.

I understand that a great deal of my advice requires you to manage several different passwords at once. To keep track of them all, consider using the app 1Password for your iPhone or Android device. An easier, low-tech method is to keep a written notebook with all your passwords and store it in a secure place like a locked desk drawer or safe. The minor inconvenience now can save you hundreds of dollars in the long run.

Why I Recommend It: It would be easy to label this book as an overly-romanticized retelling of “The Iliad” and dismiss it, but that would be a serious underestimation of an incredibly well-written and well-researched historical novel.

This book is the story of Achilles, the son of a king and a goddess, and the “best of the Greeks,” all told through the eyes of his beloved companion, Patroclus. The two met as young princes, grew into teens under the tutelage of Chiron and were swept into the politics of men and the machinations of gods. It is less about the Trojan War and more about the twists that led two young men to fight in a war they wanted no part of.

Miller has an effortless voice that brings to life men of staggering reputation and makes them painfully, beautifully human. She dove beneath the anger and the pride of Achilles and revealed the naiveté of a boy who wanted to be a hero. Even secondary characters, like Odysseus, are completely rendered and ready to step off the page.

“The Iliad,” which tells the story of the end of the Trojan War, is the story of Patroclus’ and Achilles’ battles and their deaths. “The Song of Achilles” is the story of their loves and their lives. When you already know how the story ends, what matters is the road there. Miller has crafted a living journey with language so striking that it deserves to be savored.

What To Read Next:
“The Iliad” by Homer, a new translation by Stephen Mitchell
“The War That Killed Achilles” by Caroline Alexander
“Helen of Troy” by Margaret George
“Ransom” by David Malouf

Consider this: computers can permanently store every message, every photo and every update. Microsoft reports that 75 percent of its U.S. recruiters and human resources officers now do online research about candidates, often using information provided by search engines, social-networking sites, photo/video-sharing sites, personal websites, blogs and Twitter. So, if you brag about your “night life” on the Internet, it can potentially catch up with you when you need it the least. And what about those special announcements? You got engaged? Congratulations! You bought a $10,000 engagement ring for your bride and posted a picture of it on Facebook? Not a wise move, considering your future wife’s security and also the fact that you may have to ask your friends (or relatives) for money one day . Now, put this together with the fact that many commonly used communication devices may be mapping your every move, and you have a true nightmare scenario.

Well, I do not want to scare anybody. I just want to bring the issue of Internet privacy and security to your attention, as well as inform you that the week of May 1-7 is “Choose Privacy Week,” sponsored by the American Library Association. Why do libraries care about patron privacy? Because we always have, even before the Internet. In fact, to help our patrons navigate this “virtual” world, the library offers a “Surf the Web Safely” program. The next one is happening on June 5. Can’t make it that day? Let me give you a quick run-down.

Let’s start with your computer. Do you have any anti-virus and anti-spam software on your Windows computer? If you don’t, consider installing Microsoft Security Essentials, a free anti-virus and anti-spam program. Also, take a look at Spybot Search & Destroy, free anti-malware software. Worried about your smart phone or tablet? Your iPad is safe when it comes to viruses, although you have to be careful connecting to a strange Wi-Fi network. If you have an Android device, you may need “Lookout Security and Antivirus,” a free app from Google Play, and you should also read this post from AndroidForums.

Now that we’ve discussed how to protect your devices, let’s talk about your Internet practices. Is your password secure? A good place to learn about choosing a good password is the Microsoft Safety and Security Center. As for securing your personal information, don’t forget to protect yourself from phishing. How? NEVER respond to an email requesting personally identifiable information, like your password, your PIN number, etc. NEVER click on the link provided in an unsolicited email. And NEVER fill out a web form included in an email message.

Pharming is another thing you need to be aware of. What to do about that? Well, check your (and the sender’s) spelling and grammar and don’t run programs from untrusted sources. Develop good email etiquette, too: strip out addresses when forwarding and NEVER open attachments from people you don’t know. Don’t be a spammer, either. Do not forward messages without checking (this way you won’t be spreading hoax information) and NEVER EVER click “unsubscribe” in an email you suspect to be spam.

And, last but not least, report security incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, and, of course, always use your common sense. As the proverb goes, “A handful of common sense is worth of a bushel of learning.”

Special thanks to MOREnet (Missouri Research and Education Network) for many of the security tips provided in this article.

Columbia has become much more bike-friendly in recent years thanks to a federally funded program that allocated $25 million to build a biking infrastructure connecting all parts of town and to promote non-motorized transportation to the community via GetAbout Columbia.  Another local organization, the PedNet Coalition, advocates and educates about bicycling as an alternative to car use.

The weather is warmer now, making it an ideal time for the 11th Annual Mayor’s Challenge: Bike, Walk & Wheel Week. From May 12-19 participate in events designed to encourage and challenge the citizens of Columbia to leave their cars at home. If your bike needs a tune-up before it can be ridden, check the local yellow pages or the internet for bike shops; there are several in town.  If you don’t have a bike you might consider buying a used one (ask the bike shops or check Craigslist online), or if funds allow, purchase a new one! If you need reacquainting with your bike after a long hiatus, consider studying up on biking safety or take a course to gain confidence with cycling in town.  If the biking really takes off for you and you find yourself spending more time in this active mode, you may want to add some basic bike maintenance and repair skills to your set, i.e., how to fix a flat tire, because invariably this will happen when you are out and about (by the way, it’s easier than changing a car tire).

I just did a quick tally of my routine weekly biking miles.  Between my short trips to and from work and the gym I log in 832 miles per year.  Wow!  It really does add up to something significant.  Happy biking!