Making time to relax is hard — particularly with the grays and browns of winter surrounding us, dark evenings, dealing with the pandemic and all of the other tasks that make demands on our lives. As part of our Winter Reading Program, our kits this month are designed to help you relax. We have included an easy coaster-making craft for your favorite beverage, lavender sachets, adult coloring pages/colored pencils, a link to free relaxation music and some beginning instructions on meditation.
These kits will be available while they last in all of our branches on Friday, February 4. You may pick them up at the second floor reference desk at the Columbia library and near the service desks at our other branches. You can try these library resources for more assistance in helping you relax. We hope this helps you make time for yourself.
Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 by The Biblio-Buckaroo
It’s a new year and it’s cold outside! It’s a good time to pick up a crochet hook and some wooly yarn and get cozy. Whether crochet is new to you or you have a stash of yarn that you have neglected, there are a lot of fun projects, with different levels of difficulty, to dive into. Is crochet as popular as knitting? It is not. Judging by the ratio of knitting books to crochet books in the library’s collection, crochet is mayyybe half as popular. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its charms. For example, you don’t have to count stitches, you use one hook instead of two needles and who doesn’t love a groovy 1970s granny square afghan? Continue reading “Crochet: Knitting’s Less Popular Sister”
Take some time this winter to get a new perspective on your equine. Pictured is the author’s mule, Mikey.
We recently added several horse-related books to our collection! Check them out to give you a fresh perspective on your equine friends and partners.
Winter is a great time to slow down and try something new with the equines in your life. As my horse (and mule) and I get older, I’ve found a lot of satisfaction, joy and success in learning more about the mind of the horse and the mechanics of their bodies.
Even if you’re not a horse owner or active equestrian, if you love and are fascinated by horses, you may find might find some of the training books interesting. Continue reading “New Horse Books”
Posted on Friday, December 31, 2021 by Reading Addict
“Where flowers bloom, so does hope.” — Lady Bird Johnson
We recently packed up our daughter (and her 30+ plants!) to move to the far edge of the country for college. It has been an emotional time for all of us and we have definitely felt a hole in our home. Both my husband and I have found a strange connection with her through houseplants. We have found ourselves enabling her in her quest for more and more plants while simultaneously trying to fill the space she left with more plants. It’s our way of trying to stay connected without hovering. Continue reading “Indoor Plants”
The most common resolutions in our country are exercise more, lose weight, get organized and get finances under control. If these are the goals that call to you, then come to the library. We have tons of books about each of these.
I like the idea of resolutions that make my life feel fuller or richer. Check out this list of books to inspire resolutions. Whatever your plans for 2022, we probably have resources that can help you. Here are a few ideas:
“When was the internet a good time for you?” I posed this very unscientific question to a few coworkers around the library. A Gen Xer, who only really got online around 2009 (but clarified they’re “not a Luddite”) said around that time, when Googling became second nature and Facebook was still new and not yet a source of FOMO. A fellow millennial said the early 2000s, instant messaging on AOL with middle school friends and perusing MySpace. One baby boomer I spoke to said it was after upgrading to broadband from dial-up, uploading photos to Flickr and trading music (CDs and LPs) with fellow fans online. Another boomer said, actually, now and during the pandemic, which gave her an excuse to reconnect with friends around their shared hobby/passion for art. Continue reading “TBT When the Web Was a Place”
Posted on Thursday, December 23, 2021 by Jason Delpire
The New Year is nearly upon us and with the changing of the calendar comes motivation to set goals and improve oneself. With this in mind, I have finally agreed with my partner that a move toward eating less meat is in order. So, my focus was on vegetarian cookbooks.
This month, I looked at two books in particular. “Greenfeast: Autumn, Winter” (there is a companion volume “Greenfeast: Spring, Summer”) by Nigel Slater (you may recognize the name, he has written some amazing cookbooks and is a long-time food writer; there was even a movie made from his memoirs) and “Everyday Vegetarian,” by Jane Hughes. Though I did not yet make anything from the Everyday Vegetarian book, I did read through it and noted dishes I will make in the future. I quickly became enamored with “Greenfeast.” Continue reading “Read The Recipe! Vol. 4”
There are a lot of reasons to be kind, and I won’t try to enumerate them here. There are plenty of books that can do that. Rather, I am going to suggest a few free or low-cost ways that you can show some kindness. Continue reading “Acts of Kindness”
We’re big proponents of DIY at DBRL, and the holiday gift-giving season offers the perfect outlet. Homemade presents are unique, more personal, skip packaging waste and save money. They resist that potent December consumerism which hounds us to want and shop for more and morestuff. Presents, however, needn’t be flashy, made in a factory or wrapped in plastic. They don’t even have to be tangible things. Holiday gifts can be humble, waste-free labors of love. These gifts are more likely to be used and cherished by the lucky recipients, and they grant the giver an opportunity to explore an interest, hone a skill or let their talents shine. Continue reading “DIY Gifts”
Posted on Wednesday, November 24, 2021 by Jason Delpire
Throughout November and December, there are many holidays observed. I wanted to focus on one holiday in particular: Hanukkah. This year, Hanukkah is observed at or after sundown November 28-December 6. Though I hold no allegiance to any religion, I am nevertheless interested in, and respect, the symbolism and reverence food holds in cultural and religious identities. “You can learn culture while eating” as it’s said in “Joan Nathan’s Jewish Holiday Cookbook.” Being an Anthony Bourdain disciple, this spoke to me. If there is one thing we can all agree on, food is good and it should be shared. Continue reading “Read The Recipe! Vol. 3: Hanukkah”
Making time to relax is hard — particularly with the grays and browns of winter surrounding us, dark evenings, dealing with the pandemic and all of the other tasks that make demands on our lives. As part of our Winter Reading Program, our kits this month are designed to help you relax. We have included an easy coaster-making craft for your favorite beverage, lavender sachets, adult coloring pages/colored pencils, a link to free relaxation music and some beginning instructions on meditation.
Throughout November and December, there are many holidays observed. I wanted to focus on one holiday in particular: Hanukkah. This year, Hanukkah is observed at or after sundown November 28-December 6. Though I hold no allegiance to any religion, I am nevertheless interested in, and respect, the symbolism and reverence food holds in cultural and religious identities. “You can learn culture while eating” as it’s said in “