I have vacation on the brain, but I don’t leave for a week. At this rate, it’s going to be very hard to get any work done. So this post is dedicated to all the things I love about summer.
It’s the height of the growing season, and right now your garden might be a little hard to keep up with. To stay focused, check out Keeping the Garden In Bloom: Watering, Dead-heading, and Other Summer Tasks, by Steven Bradley. Once that produce starts rolling in, you’ll want to read The Summer Cook’s Book: A Guide to Planting, Harvesting, Storing, Canning, Freezing and Cooking Popular Fruits and Vegetables by Brenda Cobb. And if you’re unable to garden, you can still reap the benefits – visit the library’s CSAs, Farms and Farmer’s Markets page.
Of course, there’s more to summer dining than just produce. If you want to put together a quick, satisfying, and in-season meal so you can spend more time having fun, try Summer Gatherings : Casual Food to Enjoy with Family and Friends, by Rick Rodgers. If your interests lie in taming the flames, and wielding your skills everywhere from the stadium parking lot to the middle of nowhere, check out How to Grill, by Steven Raichlen (of PBS fame).
Many people spend the summer hiking on trails all over the Pittsburgh area. Whether you’re looking to get started, or you want new trails to explore, there’s something for you in Best Hikes Near Pittsburgh by Bob Frye. You can even take your buddy, with Doggin’ Pittsburgh : the 50 best Places to Hike With Your Dog in Southwest Pennsylvania by Doug Gelbert.
Birdwatching is a fun summer hobby in both backyards and state parks. If you want to develop your own personal wildlife habitat, there are many ideas in North American Backyard Birdwatching For All Seasons: Feeding and Landscaping Techniques Guaranteed to Attract Birds You Want Year Round by Marcus H. Schneck. Once you’ve found the birds, you’ll want to know what you’re looking at – and hearing! Bird Songs: 250 North American Birds in Song by Les Beletsky is unique among bird guides, in that it contains a little computerized gizmo that will play the sound of each bird. It’s definitely worth trying out if you have even the most passing interest in birds, or if you own cats.
Great vacations usually make great photos, but brushing up on your skills doesn’t hurt either. Take a look at Digital Nature Photography Closeup by Jon Cox, or the National Geographic Photography Field Guide to Landscapes : Secrets to Making Great Pictures by Robert Caputo.
And if none of these ideas tickle your fancy, visit the Carnegie Library’s Outdoor Activities page. You’ll find general and local resources on everything from camping to caving to water activities. Or you can always come into the library to browse the collection, maybe take in a free event, and soak up some air conditioning.
– Denise
Eleventh Stack 
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