Adopt a Stream with Salamanders

Do you like spending time in the mountains with families and friends, exploring the wonderful diversity of flora and fauna found in the woods and streams? Would you be interested in helping out the park and Tremont by taking part in a long-term study that involves salamanders in Great Smoky Mountains National Park?

If so, Tremont may be able to use your services! We are looking for volunteers that can come once a month for about 3 hours to monitor salamanders found in nearby streams. Tremont established this program in 1999 to survey and monitor salamander populations found in 5 streams around Tremont. The research is particularly pertinent today because of the decline of the Eastern Hemlock, perhaps the most common tree found along mountain streams.

Because we have a relatively long-term dataset, we may be able to assess the impacts that Eastern Hemlock decline have on the diversity and abundance of salamanders living in small mountain streams. Volunteers don’t need a special background in amphibian ecology – Tremont will provide all the training you need to help in this important endeavor. Interested? Please contact Citizen Science Director Jason Love at 448-9732 ext. 14 or Jason@gsmit.org.

Upcoming Events for Mountain Heritage Center

Winter Gatherings Old Time Music and Bluegrass Jam
Featuring the Stoney Creek Boys
Thursday, March 1
Concert 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Open Jam 8:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Come and play or listen!

Coverlet ID Day
Bring in your family’s woven coverlets to learn more about them
With Cassie Dickson and Susan Leveille
Sunday, March 4
2:30 – 4:00 p.m.

Arti-Facts! for children
Weaving
Sunday, March 4
2:30 - 3:30 p.m.
Reservations required.


All programs are free. Call 227-7129 for more information.

Signs of Spring Hike at Nolan's Creek

The Signs of Spring Hike at Nolan's Creek (in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park) will be this upcoming Friday, March 2nd 1:30 pm - 4:00.

To locate the trailhead, take Everett Street (the main east/west road in downtown Bryson City) out of town towards Swain County High School (west). The road's name will change several times (it is called Lakeview Road in the park but many folks know it as the "Road to Nowhere"). The parking lot is on your left approximately 5.7 miles from the park entrance.

We will be looking for the earliest spring blooming wildflowers and identify trees using bark and buds. If you have maps of this area, a compass and binoculars, please bring them, as we will also discuss some basic principles of orienteering.

This hike is on nearly level terrain and is suitable for folks of nearly any fitness level. It will be lead by Barbara Hart - a plant ecologist/botanist and homeschooling mom. Please let Barbara know if you will be coming so that we will not head down the trail without you (828-488-9039 or pbjhart1@verizon.net).

A Bug's Life at MBL on Monday

Family Movie Day At The Marianna Black Library

Mondays – 3:30 pm

Movies are FREE and projected onto an 8 x 10 ft. screen in the auditorium. Popcorn and refreshments provided.

February 26 - A Bug's Life



March 12 - Monsters Inc.

March 19 - Finding Nemo

March 26 - The Incredibles

April 2 - Cars

18 seconds to change a lightbulb

This is a little off topic, but I've added a feature to the website from 18seconds.org, which tracks the number of Compact Florescent Light bulbs sold in an area since the beginning of the year. CFL's are now widely offered at many stores (Lowes and Walmart carry a wide selection).

18seconds.org is a project sponsored by Yahoo to encourage consumers to swap to CFLs, thus saving energy and reducing carbon emissions. I've setup our website to display CFL's sold in North Carolina, along with the savings in electric costs and carbon emissions.

Although the initial cost of a CFL is higher than a traditional incandescent bulb, they last far longer and use much less electricity (approximately 1/4). They will more than pay for themselves over time thru reduced electric and replacement costs.

Australia recently banned incandescent light bulbs, legislating that they must be replaced with CFLs or other low wattage options over the next three years. The state of California is considering similar legislation.

Regardless of your opinion on Global Warming, I think everyone can agree that saving energy is a worthwhile goal. Changing your lights to use CFL bulbs is a simple way (it just takes 18 seconds!) to help accomplish this goal and save yourself some money at the same time. CFL's today do not have the problems associated with older florescent lights - the harsh glare and flicker. I swapped about half the bulbs in our house and Denise never noticed the difference until I told her ;-)

- Mark

Music Man - Don't Miss!

We attended 'The Music Man' at WCU last evening, and I'm here to tell you that it was an outstanding performance. This was not your typical college level production, and was better than many professional theater productions we've seen. The performance was far, far better than what we had expected.

You can tell the Broadway background of the director (Terrance Mann) in the sets, staging and choreography. I highly recommend you attend a performance if at all possible. - Mark

Remaining Showtimes are:

• 7:30p.m. on February 23-24
• 3:00p.m. on Feb. 25th.

Performances will be in the Fine and Performing Arts Center of WCU.

Upcoming Events for Fridays in March

March 2nd 1:30 pm - 4:00

Signs of Spring Hike at Nolan's Creek (in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park). To locate the trailhead, take Everett Street (the main east/west road in downtown Bryson City) out of town towards Swain County High School (west). The road's name will change several times (it is called Lakeview Road in the park but many folks know it as the "Road to Nowhere"). The parking lot is on your left approximately 5.7 miles from the park entrance.

We will be looking for the earliest spring blooming wildflowers and identify trees using bark and buds. If you have maps of this area, a compass and binoculars, please bring them, as we will also discuss some basic principles of orienteering.

This hike is on nearly level terrain and is suitable for folks of nearly any fitness level. It will be lead by Barbara Hart a plant ecologist/botanist and homeschooling mom. Please let me know if you will be coming so that we will not head down the trail without you ().

March 9th 1:30

Swimming at the Waynesville Recreation Center

See their website townofwaynesville.org/recreation/WaynesvilleRecreationCenter for prices and directions.

March 16th

RainForest Adventure

Please see previous posting and kindly let me know if you are interested no later than Friday March 2nd (pbjhart1@verizon.net).

March 23rd

Carl Sandburg Home - Please see previous posting and kindly let me know if you are interested no later than Friday March 9th (pbjhart1@verizon.net).

March 30th

Book It at Pizza Hut in Bryson City

Please see previous posting and kindly let me know if you are interested no later than Friday March 2nd (pbjhart1@verizon.net).

Spring Literary Festival 2007

Note: The information posted about this event previously was incorrect - I inadvertently copied a press release from last year - Mark

WCU’s fifth annual Spring Literary Festival will feature Charles Baxter, Fleda Brown, Catherine Carter, Gish Jen, Farnoosh Moshiri, Tanure Ojaide, Nick Taylor, and R.T. Smith. .

When: March 26-29, 2007

Where: Western Carolina University

Except for Gish Jen's reading which is an LCE event, all events are free and open to the public. Most take place in the UC Theatre.

For more information, please contact the English Department at WCU (828-227-7264) or email Dr. Mary Adams

Art Workshop for Homeschoolers in Franklin

ATTENTION HOME SCHOOLERS!! The Uptown Gallery in Franklin is offering a NEW Wednesday morning class. March 14 will be "Drawing Cats". This will be a monthly class offering the same curriculum as the third Sat. workshop. This class will be offered the 3rd Wed. of every month from 9:30 to Noon starting March 14. As always, all supplies are furnished and tuition will remain at the same incredible low price of $15.00. These classes are possible because of a grant from the Community Foundation. Preregistration is required.

To celebrate Children's Art Month (March), the Uptown Gallery will hold a special exhibit of children's artwork from march 19-31. If your child has taken an art class at the Uptown Gallery, please consider their eligibility for this event. You can bring in your children's favorite/best pcs. March 15-16-17. If you live out of town, bring the artwork in next classtime.

A reception is planned for Sat. march 24.

Get excited, Pat Mennenger

Pat Mennenger
93 Poplar Grove Road
Franklin, NC 28734
828-369-0356
email: pm14034@yahoo.com
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Reminder - Two dollar a bag Book Sale at Library

Here is a quick note to remind all of you to take advantage of our "two-dollar-a-bag" pre-sale at the Friends Bookstore on Thursday, February 22, from 2:30 to 5:30 PM.

Open to members of the Friends of MBL only, this is a great chance for all of us to find some really wonderful books at a low price. We are always getting new books at the Friends Bookstore, so make sure to stop by and see what we've gotten since your last visit.

And in case you can't make it on that day, there is the public sale on February 24 and March 3, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Make sure you don't miss this great sale!