Public Library Blog

Graditude by Sharren Reil

It’s a new year and many of us have made new year resolutions of some flavor.  My resolution is to feel and express more gratitude!  But to really get at the root of gratitude, I had to get very sick for a long time!

Coming out the other end of two rare forms of rheumatoid arthritis, Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis, has taught me that even in the most overwhelming of situations there are many things to be grateful for.  Both are diseases caused by extreme inflammation of the...

Book Pet-Peeves, by AJ Giesen

Everyone has that one “thing” that absolutely drives them insane for no rational reason, I believe the same goes for booklovers.

Do you have a bookish pet-peeve?

My biggest one is the size of a book. I cannot do hard cover books that are bigger than a regular paperback size… I won’t even consider reading them. Once again, super irrational, but a pet-peeve at that!

Here are some random bookish pet-peeves from the internet:

- stickers on book covers,

- random words that give the “ick” like munch and...

Baking Up Some Holiday Magic by AJ Giesen

Holidays always remind me of fresh baking. Whether it’s the smell throughout the house while I bake, or the thoughtful gift someone has given me. What a perfect way to enjoy the holidays.

Above are some cookbooks on baking…

I have learned that for a recipe to work for me, the easier the better. This one has never failed me. **Only issue is it contains peanut butter, but it could be replaced with an alternative.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

• 4 tbsp salted butter
• 10 ounce bag mini marshmallows
• ½...

The History Behind Halloween, by Sharren Reil

I was 26 when I first arrived in Dawson City, Yukon.  I arrived in late summer and the first big community event was the Halloween party.  Everyone in town dressed up and showed up!  I can’t remember what my costume was, but some things really stood out and I remember them clearly.  For a town with more men than women, and many, if not most, of the men involved in fishing, mushing, or other rugged enterprises, it came as a complete surprise that most of them were dressed up as women!  The best...

The Four Seasons by Sharren Reil

People know there are four seasons, but do you know why? According to the National Research Council of Canada, https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/canadas-official-time/3-when-do-seasons-start  , there are four astronomical seasons on Earth, defined by the movement of the sun in the sky.  The website  goes on to explain that for the northern hemisphere: spring starts at the moment when the sun is directly over the equator, going from south to north-called the vernal...