Okay. So here is spring. I have a house and a lawn. What do I do with it? I need to change the grass from the nasty brown/yellow color. I need flowers out there. I need to do something about the trees with giant limbs that are breaking because of the heavy snow that weighted them down. And, this is the year (I swear it this time) I'm going to grow my own vegetables.
For the month of April, Mr. Michael Espino has loaned us his sketches and drawings that illustrate the different phases of his life. He grew up in the Los Angeles area, and his family goes back to Mexican and Central American cultures. He benefits from strong ties to the land. Thanks to his family and their strong background of faith and bonds of love, he overcame many negatives and began to rely on positives.
About a month ago, while I was still very new to the Library, I started to notice all of the things that people happen to leave in books. I became fascinated by all of the little things that were being accidentally delivered to me. So, for the last 30 days, I decided to keep track of everything I found inside of the books as they made their way back to the Library.
Having grown up in Buffalo, New York, this particular holiday has more importance to me than your average mid-westerner. Dyngus Day is as important to folks from Buffalo and Cleveland as St. Patty's Day is to many others. Historically, Dyngus day is a Polish-American holiday celebrated on Easter Monday. This year Dyngus Day is April 1, 2013. It celebrates the end of the hardships of Easter Lent.
I recently read an article out of the School Library Journal titled Libraries "App Up" Storytime. A library in Waterton, MA is experimenting with digital storytime, using apps in children's library programs for education, entertainment, and involving parents in the learning process. The benefits and risks of using apps are not yet well known. One of the main disadvantages, in my opinion, is that by depending on electronic devices, it takes away the human interaction with the children.
The Smithville Branch now offers Book Club Kits to help you get started. The kits include a book, discussion questions, and several handouts that have tips for starting and running a successful book club. They can be checked out at our branch.
In March we celebrate National Middle Name Pride Day. As a child of the 60s, I figured my middle name was common for that time frame. So, being curious, I googled it and found out that not only was "Ann" common during the 60s, but it's still in the top 3 most common middle names along with Lynn and Marie. The reason these are so popular has to do with rhythm. They fit well with most names. I always wanted a different middle name. It seemed like everyone had the middle name Ann. There was even a girl in my hometown with the exact same name, and we were the same age!
The display case for March is the home of handmade baskets woven by various artists in the Smithville area. These women meet periodically to create their artwork. Some of the reed has been dyed, some is natural. One of the baskets is an antique constructed of wood.
When my dad told me that he was flying to San Francisco to pick up a dog, I was a little concerned. My parents often foster animals for their local humane society, and once again, their house was full. The last thing they needed was to pick up a dog to foster from out of state. I was really excited, though, when he explained what he was doing. He was volunteering for the Guide Dog Foundation, transporting the puppy from its breeding home to the handler that will prepare the pup for official training.
