Author Archives: smellincoffee

About smellincoffee

Citizen, librarian, reader with a boundless wonder for the world and a curiosity about all the beings inside it.

At the dawn of recovery

Posted on January 17, 2023 by smellincoffee

Well. After a weekend of frantic work, now the rain is moving in and we’re pondering all the work that remains. An amazing amount of work has been done in the last few days to clear the road and make … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 2 Comments

A less quick note posted from a borrowed chair in a quiet Walmart aisle

Posted on January 14, 2023 by smellincoffee

Selma is officially a disaster area, with visits from Governor Meemaw and our senators. My grandmother passed away the night before the tornado hit, so some other displaced relatives and I are rooming at the family place. It has heat … Continue reading →

Posted in General | 12 Comments

quick note

Posted on January 13, 2023 by smellincoffee

Tornado hit Selma badly yesterday. Some areas, including the library and my home, won’t have power for days. Will post it when possible. Now I hav no distractions to keep me from Mout Doom.

Posted in General | 14 Comments

Pests

Posted on January 11, 2023 by smellincoffee

Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains© 2022 Bethany Brookshire368 pages Humans believe in and have attempted to create, a very orderly world. There are our cities and homes, where the only animals that belong are those there for our amusement, … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

People Habitat

Posted on January 10, 2023 by smellincoffee

People Habitat: 25 Ways to Think About Greener, Healthier Cities© 2014 F. Kaid Benfield304 pages The built environment can have an enormous effect on human happiness, facilitating  it or obstructing it; think of the frustration of  taking care of errands … Continue reading →

Posted in Politics and Civic Interest, Reviews | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Teaser Tuesday: Pythons and elephants and humans oh my

Posted on January 10, 2023 by smellincoffee

From the very interesting and often amusing Pests: How Humans Create Animal Villains. When one finally does catch a python, there’s the issue of killing it. “They also have this weird ability to regrow their organs,” Hart explains. You can’t … Continue reading →

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Note to self, read LeGuin

Posted on January 8, 2023 by smellincoffee
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An Incomplete Census of the Residents of Mount Doom

Posted on January 7, 2023 by smellincoffee

In the hopes of vanquishing Mount Doom before its height brings it down upon my head and vanquishes me, I’ve  signed up at The Unread Shelf this year. Our first ‘assignment’ is to list all of the books in our … Continue reading →

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Chasing New Horizons

Posted on January 6, 2023 by smellincoffee

Chasing New Horizons: Inside the Epic First Mission to Pluto© 2019 Alan Stearns & David Grinspoon320 pages For most of my life, and I’ll warrant for most of yours, Pluto was the Great Unknown in the solar system.  Take any … Continue reading →

Posted in Reviews, science | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

You said it, Threep

Posted on January 5, 2023 by smellincoffee

Yes, this is a real book. It’s in an Alabama e-book consortium’s catalog. I’m tempted to check it out just so I can read it and post a mercilessly mocking review.

Posted in General | 4 Comments