Celebrating the Season: Winter

This period before Christmas is the time of year when I most enjoy Winter.  The snow is still a wonder-so pretty to see everything covered in that blanket of white.  The air is crisp.  The frosty scent still feels new.  In a couple of months I will be tired of moving the snow, and  it will be dirty, and the cold will have gone on too long.  For now, though, the quietness of Winter is a blessing.

This year I am taking a step back from Christmas to enjoy the season.  Maybe you want to, too.  Perhaps you are just exhausted with the whole production and want to simplify matters.  Maybe you have suffered a loss.  Or are worried about finances, or family, or whatever.  Or just sick and tired of all the commercialism and expectations that swirl around Christmas.  Winter doesn't have any of that. It is a quiet time to enjoy indoor pursuits and outdoor activities.

What could be nicer than hitting the trails on a pair of snowshoes or skis?  Or just taking a walk in the woods?  Even your own neighborhood takes on a new look in Winter.  The bare trees are lovely in their shapes against the sky.  The usual noises are muffled by the snow, and just the fact that less people are out and about because of the cold.  Some brisk exercise can be just the thing.  So can contemplative strolling. Just dress warmly!

Enthusiasts of downhill skiing and snowboarding eagerly watch the hills of Duluth to see those runs covered in snow.  Fishermen and women are checking out the depth of ice on the bay or area lakes so they can get out there and hopefully land that big one.  I always enjoy seeing the little ice houses dotting the bay as I go over the High Bridge.

After your exertions outside, a warm cup of cocoa and something hot to eat from the Crock Pot are perfect.  One of the best feelings we get, living in the Northland, is that transition from a cold outside to a warm inside.  Every room seems cozier, and home feels like a refuge.

If you can't or don't want to be outside, there are many meditative indoor pursuits.  Knitting or crocheting a warm scarf or socks is both productive and relaxing.  Google 'volunteer knitting' and you can find a home for those warm items. Of course, I always recommend reading.  And I have recently re-discovered the fun and challenge of a jigsaw puzzle.

Check out the Library's display of Winter themed books at the Blog display in the Library for more ideas and meditations on the season.  Wishing you all a peaceful, short Winter.

How to Cook a Turkey-The 2nd Annual Thanksgiving Cookbook Extravaganza

We can all picture it-the Norman Rockwell Turkey. Huge, enough to feed 20 people with leftovers for a week. A glistening golden brown skin. A moist, juicy interior. There is Grandma bringing it out from the kitching. The loving family gathered around oohs and aahs over it as Grampa expertly carves it all up.

Norman Rockwell was an artist. Art does not always imitate life.  A  huge turkey will never cook evenly in a home oven.  That golden perfection of a skin will hide an under-done inside. Grandma will never be able to lift that platter. (Really, take a look at the size of that bird in the original. Maybe scrubbing all those floors by hand and kneading homemade bread made Grandma strong.) As for the rest of it, you know your family better than I do.

But the question remains: How to get that perfect turkey? There are as many ways to cook a turkey as there are cookbooks. Brined-wet or dry. High heat . Slow heat. Deep fried. Spit cooked. Stuffed/unstuffed.  What is the home cook to do?

My old Betty Crocker cookbook says you can cook the turkey from frozen.  Just remove the giblets about an hour into the cooking time.  My mother told me they used to put the turkey in the oven at very low heat the night before Thanksgiving and it was ready to eat around noon.  This might be similar to a recipe found on the Nourished Kitchen blog: 225 F for 12 hours, then 375 F for 1 1/2 hrs until the turkey is done, basting it every 2-3 hours. The instructions can be found here http://nourishedkitchen.com/slow-roast-turkey/

Nigella Lawson's turkey recipe in 'Feast calls for 2 hours for a 10 pound bird,. It involves starting the roasting off with the turkey upside down at 400 F for 30 minutes, down to 350 F for the rest of the time, and turning it back right side up for the last half hour. I don't know about you but turning a hot turkey up and down sounds like a recipe for disaster. Of course Nigella is English and the English don't really do Thanksgiving.

Rick Browne in 'Grilling for all Seasons' says you can pretty much grill the whole meal, He allows 20 minutes/lb if you are grilling the bird, 3-4 minutes for deep fried.  This means my 10 pound turkey will be done in half an hour or so.

'Thanksgiving: How to Cook it Well' by Sam Sifton suggests cutting the turkey up into its parts before roasting.  This method takes 45-60 minutes for a 12-18 pound bird.  I can see the merits to this method, but it just doesn't appeal to me for obvious reasons-see the Norman Rockwell Thanksgiving above and replace the whole bird with a platter full of parts.  Just doesn't seem right.

This is just a sampling of what's out there.  Check out the library's display of Thanksgiving cookbooks for all the help you need.  Or you could always do the smart thing and have it catered from the deli. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody!

Star Wars! Halloween!

Do you remember when you first saw those words crawling across the screen and into outer space?  I was at Cinema 5 (?)  in Duluth with a girlfriend.  I was hooked-immediately and forever.

The library's annual Halloween Party theme this year is Star Wars. I can tell you, lots of people are really excited about this, from young children to hipsters to those of us who first lined up outside a movie theater to see Star Wars on the big screen that summer of 1977.  What is it about these films that, 37 years later, adults and children alike get excited at the prospect of trick-or-treating in that galaxy far, far away?

Google cultural impact of Star Wars and you will get lots of answers. There are scores of scholarly papers on Star Wars and the heroic archetype. Some mention the general climate of the 70's, as a factor in Star Wars' success.  As a country we were reeling from the effects of Watergate and the outcome of the Vietnam War. Other movies of the same time period echo that feeling.  Chinatown,  Serpico.  The Godfather.  These are gritty, tough movies.  Are there heroes here?  I suppose so, but they are drawn in grey.  Star Wars has black and white, good and evil, and a hero all in white.  Star Wars made us feel good about ourselves again.  No ambiguity here.

Some compare Star Wars' themes to those in other classic stories.  Star Wars and Shakespeare, with it's overtones of Hamlet.  Star Wars and Casablanca, with Han Solo filling the role of Rick and Mos Eisley standing in for the city of Casablanca.

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Some mention how Star Wars changed movies in their technical aspects and pacing. Watch any of the aforementioned films, or really anything pre-Star Wars.  I recently re-watched 'Rocky'. The pacing is S...L...O....W. Enter Star Wars.  Lucas discovered that the human eye could take in twice as many images as was the standard for films up to that time, and you can see it in the pacing.  Images fly across the screen, adding to the exhilarating experience of these films. The dialogue is fast too, almost a throwback to the 30's.

  Of course, being only 13 when the movie came out, none of that really mattered to me.  The images!  The special effects!  The story!  Han Solo!

Whatever the reasons, the Star Wars movies are now a fixture of American culture, and close to many peoples hearts.  I hope you all enjoy the party this Halloween.  It runs from 10:00-12:00 and again 2:00-4:00 on October 31.  Come as a Jedi, a Storm Trooper, or yourself. And may the Force be with you, always.

Of Blanket Forts and Books

It's official.  The kids went back to school this week.  The air has that crispness in the mornings that we love, but also secretly kind of dread, because we know what's just around the calendar corner.  I won't go into it here.

Even though I am long out of school, this time of year always brings me back to those first days before the start of a new academic year.  The anxiety dreams before school started-I can't find my locker ANYWHERE!  I am late for ALL my classes!  My alarm never went off, I am LATE FOR SCHOOL!  I didn't sign up for any of these classes, WHERE IS MY SCHEDULE?!  Lots of variations on the panic dream. And of course, just lots of stress in general, from "Who will I be sitting next to?"  to "I hope everyone likes this John Travolta folder." I think that sense of anticipation which gets so ingrained in you as a child that you can't  help but feel it still as an adult when September rolls around.

For myself, and many of my colleagues here at the library, reading was (and is) a great escape from a stressful world.  We all have that one favorite book memory, the one that can take us back in time to lying on the bed reading late at night, or making a fort out of blankets, with a glass of milk and some cookies, and a good book.  Someplace to hide from the world and enter a new one.  I asked some of the staff here what their favorite childhood book memories are, and the answers follow.

The 'Golden Stallion' series by Rutherford Montgomery. "I had a Breyer horse collection lead by my own Golden Stallion, a dashing palomino, and his mare buddy, Trey Spot, an appaloosa also from the
series. I spent many hours in horse fantasy with my pal who had her own favorite Breyer, Black Stallion. Golden and Black had many adventures together."

 'Daughter of the Mountains' by Louise Rankin.  Momo's treasured Lhasa Apso Pempa is stolen by traders travelling the Silk Road into India.  Momo follows them, trekking through Tibet, Nepal,
Bhutan, and India to find her beloved dog.  "I was absolutely fascinated by the exotice locale.  And I also wanted very badly to drink some butter tea, and acquire a golden Lhasa Apso for myself. I'm still on the lookout for a prayer wheel."

'Black Beauty' by Anna Sewell.  "Not only did I love the book, but my grandmother would tell my sisters and me stories from the book if she was babysitting for the evening. I still remember  listening to Grandma as she regaled us with Black Beauty's adventures."

"Here is my favorite book when I was very young (Rabbit Hill).  I loved animals for as long as I can remember (like a lot of people; nothing special there).  I remember little Georgie rabbit getting hit by a car, but recovers, and the book has a happy ending for all the animals.  Just resonated with me."

Other staffers mention 'A Wrinkle in Time' by Madeleine L'Engle, the Little House series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, Nancy Drew Mysteries, and the Happy Hollisters.

And finally, here is a story that a staffer related to me.  The other evening, 2 staff members were talking about how their absolute favorite childhood book was "Anne of Green Gables."  A child came up to the desk with some books to check out, and one was "Anne of Green Gables."   When she was asked if she wanted to check it out she replied,http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/5-steps-to-building-your-own-epic-blanket-fort#4j501y0 "No, this is my own personal copy."  So good to know that another generation is discovering these wonderful books, and making their own memories about them.  I hope she went home and built a fort to read it in.

Click here for ideas for your own blanket fort! http://www.buzzfeed.com/donnad/5-steps-to-building-your-own-epic-blanket-fort#4j501y0

The Great American Road Trip

The romance of the open road is mythic in America. Just get in the car and drive.  Pack a cooler, stop at the wayside for lunch, and let the road take you wherever. North, South, East, West-the destination is not as important as the road to it.

Growing up, the Road Trip was eagerly looked forward to in my family.  At first they were short trips-camping in the Black Hills of South Dakota or Glacier National Park in Montana.  Then my older sister moved to the West Coast, and our Road Trips became much longer. Planning was almost as fun as going.  We would haul out the Rand McNally road atlas and plan our route. The drive itself was enforced down time, at least for us kids-no cell phones then, no CD or DVD players, no Sirius XM radio. Only the view out the window, whatever was on the local AM station, and some books.  Lots of napping. The afternoon ritual of finding a motel that my mother approved of.  Later on I made the same trips with my own kids.  A little more stressful than I remembered, what with having to be in charge of packing, but I had a great time.  And still, no entertainment other than the talking robot 2XL that my son had, and lots of books and napping. The Great American Road Trip is quantity time, but it somehow morphs into being quality time, too.

The Lewis and Clarke Expedition has to be the first Great American Road Trip.  They set off with the purpose of finding and easy water route to the Pacific and came upon many unforeseen obstacles and fortuitous meetings. 'Undaunted Courage' by Stephen Ambrose is a riveting account of their journey, and the inspiration for many a road trip following in their steps.

'Travels with Charley in Search of America' by John Steinbeck is another great Road Trip book.  Steinbeck took his dog Charley and drove across the US in a camper in 1960.  For a different take on roughly the same time period, try the classic 'On the Road' by Jack Kerouac.

The Road Trip has been used as the basis for lots of movies.  Here's just a few:

• Little Miss Sunshine
• Paper Moon
• It Happened One Night
• The Road movies of Bing Crosby and Bob Hope

If you want to plan your own Road Trip, I recommend 'Let's Go Roadtripping USA.' It covers every region of the country and parts of Canada, too.  Reader's Digest's 'Off the Beaten Path' will guide you to our country's hidden gems. And I still use the Rand McNally Road Atlas.  The Internet is great for researching specifics, but an atlas is full of possibilities.

 And as usual, your library has everything you need to plan and carry out your own Road Trip.  But I wouldn't recommend planning too much. Let the road be your guide.  Drive Safely!

Summer's Guilty Pleasures: in Praise of the Gothic Novel

Lying out on a blanket in the backyard, a Shasta pop near at hand. The scent of Johnson's baby oil (for getting a tan-no sunscreen in those days).  A good friend to share the blanket with.  And a book, most likely some gothic romance. These are the things that marked summer days when I was growing up.

With the warmer weather of summer beckoning,  many of us turn to lighter reading.  Beach lit.  Chick lit.  The romance novel.  Fantasy. We all have our guilty pleasures and summer is the best time to indulge in them.  One of mine is the gothic novel.

What is a gothic novel?  They have a few characteristics.  They generally have a real sense of place-most often a house-the more run down the better.  The protagonist is isolated, physically or metaphorically. There is a sense of decay, either in location (the aforementioned house) or circumstance (a family that has come down in the world).' Wuthering Heights' is a classic gothic novel.  Other, newer examples include:

     'Rustication' by Charles Palliser.  The protagonist is a young man who has returned home after being kicked out of Oxford for mysterious reasons, only to find murder and suspicion rife among the village's inhabitants.

 'The Witching Hour' by Anne Rice.  If you've been reading this blog awhile you will know that his is one of my favorite books.The story takes place in modern day New Orleans The heroine is a brilliant young doctor who returns home after the death of her mother and learns about her family and the strange hauntings of their decrepit Garden District home.

     The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters.  Set in post war Warwickshire, England , not only is the family house, Hundreds Hall, in decline, but a whole way of life for the upper classes of England is on the brink.

But I have to admit that my favorite guilty pleasure is still the gothic romance novel. I was first introduced to this genre with the book 'My Brother Michael' by Mary Stewart. It has all the hallmarks of the.gothic romance:

 the Young Heroine-Camilla Haven, British subject;
 the Exotic Locale-Delphi, Greece;
 the Handsome Stranger-Simon Lester, searching for his brother who has gone missing;
 and, of course, a mystery to be solved by our heroine.

To a 12 year old this was all pretty sophisticated stuff. Romance, mystery, British dialogue. Like Nancy Drew, but all grown up. I wanted more. I devoured Ms. Stewart's other novels: Nine Coaches Waiting, Touch Not the Cat, This Rough Magic and more.  I also discovered M.M. Kaye and her 'Death in' series: Death in Zanzibar, in Kashmir, in Kenya, in Cyprus.  Today when I see a battered paperback with a fuzzy drawing of a young woman sneaking around I am invariably drawn to read it.  I stash these away for vacations or long twilight evenings on the porch.

 

Whatever your guilty reading pleasure, get out a blanket, pour yourself a beverage, and settle down for a good read. And don't forget the sunscreen.

A Trip Back in Time....

May 1, 1888.

Picture a bright, clear Spring day.  Mr. John Doe is in his dining room, enjoying his breakfast and reading the two local papers, the Superior Inter-Ocean and the Superior Times. Mrs. Jane Doe is nearby, pouring coffee and going over her morning's correspondence.

"John", she says, "when you go to the polls this morning, don't forget to vote 'Yes' on the library ballot."

John nods his assent.  As though he could forget!  She has been badgering him about this topic for weeks.

"I know, Dear.  I believe as strongly as you that Superior needs a library.  The city is growing.  Someday we will be as big as Chicago.  All great cities need a library."

John Doe pecks his wife on the cheek and heads out the door.  He has several errands to do before he gets to his office today.  He has noticed an ad in the paper for a new barber.  Mr. Joseph Hinds, formerly of Duluth, has set up shop in rooms at McCormack's Saloon. Mr. Doe could use a haircut.  This week is his 2nd Anniversary.  He has plans to surprise Jane with tickets on the train to St. Paul.  And he must stop at Mrs. Dink's today.  She has a new shipment of millinery, and Jane was going on about a pretty blue hat she was admiring in the window. The hat will make a perfect anniversary gift.

But before anything else, Mr. Doe does the most important thing that he will do today. He stops at the polling place to cast his vote in favor of establishing a library in Superior, Wisconsin.

April 24, 1889

Jane sweeps into the house late on a blustery April afternoon. The sky is spitting snow, but inside it is warm and cozy. John is near the fire, buried in his paper as usual.

"I'm sorry to be so late, John," she says as she removes her cape and hat. " I stopped by the new library rooms to take a look around.  I met the librarian-Mrs. Delia Freestone.  She seems like a very nice lady, but she has her work cut out for her.  All those books to prepare!And  I heard that her wages are $35 a month.  She will definitely be working hard for them."

Library in upper right building

John nods and keeps reading.  "What's for dinner?", he asks.

March 1901

"Well, I see Mr. Carnegie is going to help Superior with the building of a library.  I suppose the city will have to cough up some money for that too. What's wrong with the one we have?"  John throws down the paper.

"But Dear,  it's such a small amount for such a good cause.  Little Billy only had that tiny library to use, but Little Sally will grow up having a proper library to go to.  The rooms they are using now are crammed to the ceiling.  This will be bright and airy, and so centrally located."

"You're right, darling. You usually are.  Now what are we having for dinner?"

June 1902

Jane and Little Billy walk happily through the doors, bringing the scent of lilacs into the house. Their arms are full of books. Even Little Sally has one.  All three are chatting happily about the new library.

"John, you missed the Grand Opening!  There were so many people there.  I think all 4 cars in the city showed up!  And the building is just gorgeous.  It looks so dignified."

John smiles at his happy wife.  When she's happy, he's happy.  But it's past time for dinner.

                                                             

September 1918

"Darling, I see in the paper that the East End library is finally opening.  Too bad it was delayed by that coal shortage last year."  John turns a page in his morning paper.

"Yes, now Billy's family will have a library much closer to their house.  It will be very nice for them-Little Billy Jr will be able to walk there. Who would have thought 30 years ago that Superior would end up with two libraries?  John, I never thanked you for your vote that day. You spoke for me, too, when you cast your ballot in favor of the library. And now not only our family, but many families to come, will enjoy the fruits of that decision. Thank you."

Thank you, indeed.

We're Gonna Party Like It's...1939

Did you know that this year the Superior Public Library is celebrating its 125th anniversary with a video contest?  Perhaps you wonder what libraries and movies have in common?  Well.....

Browsing the new book section recently, I noticed a new filmography-"Majestic Hollywood: The Greatest Films of 1939" by Mark A Vieria.

Films of 1939" by Mark A Vieria.  Well here is a coincidence! I had just watched "1939-A TCM Original Documentary" on Turner Classic Movies. Apparently 1939 was the pinnacle of Hollywood movie making. Why? I decided to dig a little bit deeper.

Of the ten movies nominated for Best Picture that year, over half have novels as their source material. They are:
 "Gone With the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell
 "The Wizard of Oz" by Frank L. Baum
 "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" by Victor Hugo
 "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
" Goodbye, Mr. Chips" by James Hilton
 "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Bronte.
 And according to TCM.com, the source material for "Stagecoach" was a short story written by Ernest  Haycox and published by Collier's magazine in 1937. (By the way, if you're interested in reading any of these and then watching the movie, we can help you with that-the library has most of these titles in both formats.)

There has been a long association between movies and books. The 1902 French film "A Trip to the Moon" is loosely based upon Jules Verne's novels "From the Earth to the Moon" and "Around the Moon." 0watch it here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNLZntSdyKE

 More recently, of  the 2014 Academy Award nominees 4 of the 9 are based on novels or memoirs:
Captain Phillips-"A Captain's Duty:Somali Pirates, Navy SEALS, and Dangerous Days at Sea" by Richard Phillips
Philomena-"The Lost Child of Philomena Lee" by Martin Sixsmith
12 Years a Slave-"12 Years a Slave" by Solomon Northup
The Wolf of Wall Street-"The Wolf of Wall Street" by Jordan Belfort

So to embrace the long historical link between the written word and film, as well as to celebrate our quasquicentennial, the Superior Public Library is proud to announce our 125th Anniversary Video Contest!

A Grand Prize of $250 is in the offing, as well as $150 for 2nd place and $100 for 3rd. The deadline to enter is August 31, 2014. Complete rules can be found atsuperiorlibrary.org Choose any genre you like-the only criteria is that it showcase one of Superior's public libraries, old or new.  Maybe you have some fond memories of the library-put them on film! (Well, actually digital.  Film has come a long way since 1939).

Listen While You Work

Last night while working the front desk at the library, a patron who was checking out some audiobooks commented to me that audiobooks had helped them get through some remodeling projects in their kitchen.

Do you have a project coming up?  Spring is the time when people start thinking about their DIY home improvements.  My own project is to paint the living room, if it ever warms up enough to open the windows.  Or maybe you are in the mood for some Spring cleaning.  Perhaps you spend a lot of time commuting.  Whatever the situation, these activities can get monotonous.  Listening to something while you work or travel can make the time fly by.

The library has over 900 books on CD and cassette in adult, young adult and children's titles.  Something is sure to appeal to you.  

For all ages I recommend "The Lord of the Rings".  It is available as a straight read-thru in three books, but my personal favorite is the BBC radio production starring Sir Ian Holm. Not everyone know that before he played Bilbo Baggins in the movies, Sir Ian played Frodo Baggins in the radio dramatization.

Sir Ian Holm

Another family friendly one is "A Series of Unfortunate Events" by Lemony Snicket.  The books are read by Tim Curry, who you may know as Dr. Frank-n-Furter from "The Rocky Horror Picture Show".  He does a completely marvelous performance of this darkly comic children's series.

Tim Curry

Dr. Frank-n-Furter

The" Harry Potte"r series performed by Jim Dale is another wonderful series to listen to. A friend of mine who "never reads children's book" listened to these and totally enjoyed them.

I rarely read non-fiction, but I will listen to it.  David Sedaris is a great humorist and he reads his own stories.  "Me Talk Pretty One Day" is funny to read but listening to Mr. Sedaris read it is hilarious. Garrison Keillor has lots of different books on CD, from biography to fiction to stories of Lake Wobegon from his  "A Prairie Home Companion" radio show.  Many authors will read their own autobiographies on CD.  Hearing someone read their own story adds to my understanding and enjoyment of their stories. 

Maybe you want get some education while your are doing your manual labor. Parlez-vous francais?  Non?  We can help with that.  French, Spanish, Mandarin Chinese, and many more languages are available on CD.  Or maybe you want to catch up on the Shakespeare you found so boring in high school.  The library has over 30 of his most popular plays performed on CD.

So after you hit Menard's or Home Depot or Campbell's Lumber for your home improvement supplies, stop by the Library for some other supplies.  You'll be done before you know it, and ready to start on a  new project so you can finish that last chapter. Happy listening.

One Man's Trash is Another Man's Treasure

This weekend, April 25th and 26th, the Friends of the Superior Public Library will put on their annual Book Sale.  The Friends spend all year preparing for this 2 day sale, sorting and pricing the many books, CDs, music, and art that will be for sale. Most of the items come from the generous donations of our patrons.  Every so often a person will come in with bags and boxes full of books or movies.  "I need to clean this stuff out.  I don't have the room for it anymore."  I will usually see that same person at the sale with bags and boxes full of new acquisitions. They will go home, read their "new" books, watch their "new" movies, and re-donate them.  But in among all the "new" stuff they will find a new favorite that will stay on their shelf. It will become a permanent member of their collection, and will be treasured.


The first book I ever purchased for myself was a library bound copy of Sir Walter Scott's 'Ivanhoe".  It was purchased at Cathedral School's Mardi Gras, which still takes place every year.  Back then they had a White Elephant room with donated items for sale.  There were always lots of books.  It had a plain red cover-didn't look like much. But the binding was sewn and it had beautiful copperplate illustrations.  I treasured it. I was so sad when our basement flooded and everything in the bookcase was ruined.

I have a whole series of etiquette books that have been purchased second-hand.  The oldest one is from 1877. I keep these in the new bookcase upstairs.

                                                                                                                   
(The etiquette books hold a weird fascination for me.  They give a look at the mores of a society that has gone through a lot of changes.  Some have beautiful illustrations:

One has an unusual section about dating married men:)

 And who knew there would be art work at the  book sale? A few years ago I picked up 2 beautiful watercolors at one of the library's sale for $2.00 a piece, had them re-framed, and hung them in the kitchen.

If you are having a fit of uncluttering the library takes donations all year round.  It's not too late to donate for this year's sale.  And after you make all that room, stop by and refill those empty shelves.  You never know what new treasures you'll find.