How is everyone doing at home? Though it can seem like the days blur into one another and spring weather might not actually ever arrive, something that I have been focusing on to put me in good spirits is thinking about what I can look forward to in the coming months, rather than focusing on what I can’t do. For example, I’m looking forward to decorating my new home, celebrating my one-year wedding anniversary with my husband, and reading all of the awesome books that will be published!
I’m a huge fan of the graphic novel and comic format, and am particularly excited about some forthcoming titles that I was able to get a sneak peak of earlier this week in a fun Library Journal webinar. Despite being at home, my friend and fellow comic loving librarian Megan and I were able to chat during the webinar and share our excitement in real time! Thanks technology.
Take a look below to see some of the new graphic novels I’m stoked to read!
Don’t forget that while you can’t put items on hold at the moment, you can still add titles to your wishlist, and you can still read plenty of comics and graphic novels on Hoopla (including some stellar bonus borrows that won’t affect your monthly borrow limit!).
What are you looking forward to? Have you read any amazing comics or graphic novels this past month? Share your thoughts in the comments!
I got actual mail, not a bill or political ad, twice last week! Both the sweet card from a dear friend on the West Coast and a postcard from a nearby friend lifted my spirits in a way that our texts to one another never do. Don’t get me wrong-technology is great, but even now, when we can facetime, houseparty and zoom with our loved ones, sending a handwritten something shows someone selected that card, blank or otherwise, for you. Words were considered, the address was double-checked. It’s thoughtful, traditional, nostalgic.
When I was little, because she loved to send cards, herself, my Mom took me to the old Bedford, Ohio post office all the time. Imagine a historic building, smelling of soap and paper (not unlike a library), with it’s high wood counters and walls of brass public boxes filled with secrets covered by stamps. It’s easy to see how I fell in love. As an adult, I have used my post office as much as possible. I am reluctant to pay bills online; I want an excuse to use the John Lennon stamp or the Love stamp, to make the walk to the mailbox.
But now, stuck at home, and inspired by the best of friends, I’ve started to write one note or card to mail to a loved one each day. Bonus, I’ve just had to order a few new books of stamps from the U.S. Postal Service
The real bonus is supporting the Postal Service. I mean, my mail carrier has been out there there every day, showing her worth. I want to thank her. I want her to keep her job. I want my goodies from Etsy to arrive and I want to see the surprise in the box at the end of my driveway every day.
And, really, how amazing is it that the structure to deliver a hand-written note exists? Now more than ever, we should celebrate the United States Postal Service. The mail matters. Show some love. Send a card!
Well. I’m still not over seeing so much snow fall but Mother Nature knows her business -and who am I to tell her she’s wrong? Maybe this is it though and I can put my boots away now… maybe?
There’s so much going on in the World and it’s so easy to feel overwhelmed, but this week I focused everyday actions I believe will have a positive impact: shopping small to help local businesses, sending my mail-in ballot, reaching out to friends and family with a phone call. I’ve also enjoyed a few other lovely distractions like: making Peanut Butter Bread (with chocolate chips), Some Good News with John Krasinski, and I’m looking forward to watching Capital in the Twenty-First Century on CIFF44 Streams, RRPL’s 2020 Community Partner film!
And this coming week? I still have a pretty tall stack of books I’d like to read but they’ll (still!) be there later, right? So I’m wondering, do you have any suggestions for me? Something to read, to make, to bake, to buy (local please), or the best snack ever? Maybe you want to help me pick one of these Virtual Volunteer opportunities? Let me know!
I was lying in bed this morning thinking about what to post on the blog today – I’ve been doing these posts for a couple of weeks now, focusing on making a product and the processes involved. But I wanted to do something different today, about making, but from a different perspective.
Yesterday, I was listening to the new podcast by Cheryl Strayed, Sugar Calling and she was interviewing travel writer and memoirist Pico Iyer, and as they were discussing how to participate ‘joyfully in a world full of sorrows’, Pico included a quote from a Benedictine Monk friend of his – “The best cure for anxiety is thinking of others”.
This quote was rolling around in my mind as I was thinking about how I could re-frame the word making. Webster’s defines making as “the act or process of forming, causing, doing, or coming into being”, so why not think about making connections or making a difference in these anxious times?
We at Rocky River Public Library got into this line of work because we want to make a difference, we want to help – with information, education, entertainment, and equity of access. We can’t do everything we used to do, but we’re trying hard to provide similar services and explore new ones. Next week is National Library Week and we want to bring the library to you! Here on the blog, check us out daily for our thoughts about books, movies, TV, podcasts and cultural institutions with links to streaming media and digital books. We’ve shared our crafts, cooking and baking interests and we’ve even got a book discussion going. On our social media, we’re keeping in touch by sharing resources, fun activities, and asking you, our patrons, what you need. Our website can lead you to classes, books, movies, newspapers, business research – you name it, we’ve got it. Call us at 333-7610; if we don’t answer, leave a message and we will get back to you – we really want to help – it’s our business and our calling!
As you think of others, consider the Rocky River Assistance Program and the Cleveland Food Bank. Rocky River restaurants who are doing takeout could use your business, too. And if you go to Heinens or another essential business, make sure you wear your mask to support the workers who are helping us stay fed, clean and healthy. Check on a neighbor or call an old friend, whatever you choose, thinking of others does seem to help to stem the tide of anxiety.
As you may have guessed, I love books. My home library includes a little bit of everything- classics, poetry, science fiction, horror, graphic novels, and a variety of cookbooks that I’ve been gifted or picked up throughout the years. Traditionally, my home library organization mostly consisted of “put the books wherever they fit” and “let’s start stacking books under the coffee table”… but my husband and I recently purchased a new home and I now find myself with more space and shelving than ever before! I have a dedicated cookbook area in my kitchen, plenty of time to try out recipes that have long sat flagged with Post-it notes, and no plans to leave the house (except for groceries) for some time- could there be a more perfect time to experiment in the kitchen?
Today I’m sharing a few cookbooks I’ve been working my way through, along with links to some favorite recipes I have (successfully!) made myself so you can try at home.
Both The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook and the follow-up Smitten Kitchen Every Day by Deb Perelman are fabulous, and Deb writes with such a conversational and encouraging tone, you will feel emboldened to try even her most complicated recipe. She is a home cook from NYC and her tasty comfort food is perfect for the stress we might all be feeling right now. I recommend making her one-pan farro and tomatoes– an easy dish that requires few ingredients and even fewer pots and pans!
I am totally obsessed with Sister Pie bakery. My brother-in-law lives in Detroit and whenever I visit we make sure to schedule a stop at this awesome bakery, snagging pie slices and cookies to take back with us (or consume entirely on the drive back home). I highly recommend making the sweet beet pie or the honey lemon meringue- both are crazy delicious and included in the cookbook!
Liddon’s cookbook is full of healthy vegan recipes and usually utilizes pantry staples and basic ingredients, so you don’t need to go to any specialty stores for ingredients (and nobody wants to go to a basic grocery store now, let alone a specialty store!). Try this quick pantry dal that you can make with basically whatever veggies you have around the house.
Fun fact- Gerard grew up right here in Northeast Ohio! She lives in Colorado now but there are definite Midwest influences in many of her recipes, and she particularly adores broccoli cheddar soup recipes inspired by her childhood love of Panera Bread. Her crinkle top brownies are my absolute favorite brownie recipe, but be warned you may be tempted to eat the whole pan. Exercise extreme caution.
Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
This was one of the first cookbooks I ever purchased (I own the original edition but the 10th anniversary edition has new recipes and updates!) and it is still one of my favorites. With extensive recipes for every occasion and meal, these vegan recipes are so delicious and flavorful you don’t need to be vegan to appreciate them. Time consuming and oh so delicious, I highly recommend making her eggplant moussaka with pine nut cream. It has been my go-to recipe for potlucks and parties for years, but also a great family dish for home because it will provide delicious vegan leftovers for days!
Don’t forget you can access an amazing array of cookbooks to browse as well through our digital library! And most of the cookbooks highlighted above include a recipe link to the author’s blogs, which are full of hundreds of more delicious recipes. Another great place for recipe discovery online is from the New York Times Cooking site, who are currently allowing free access to many more recipes than usual for non-subscribers.
What fun and exciting dishes or baked goods have you whipped up at home these past couple weeks? What do you have planned for April cooking? I’m hoping to try out some more Sister Pie recipes!
A is for Anxiety. Everyone experiences anxiety in different ways. If you are new to this whole anxiety thing, welcome to the club. For me, my anxiety tends to manifest as hypochondria. You guys, stay away from WebMd! I am doing myself a favor these days and staying away from self-diagnosis. But my brain still needs an outlet, which brings me to my house being newly haunted. A sudden haunting would explain my cat’s sudden amping up of his nightly living room parkour routine. He usually has bursts of weird energy and runs up and down the stairs. That’s normal. What isn’t normal is him hurling himself around the house. And that weird side hop thing? What’s that all about? Apparently it’s about looking big and threatening-for the new ghost in the house, hmmm? He’s also doing a lot more sitting around and just staring. When I shared this news with a friend, she kindly reminded me that cats are weirdos and pointed out that poor Frank might also be stressed right now. Just kidding. She laughed at me and said her cat does the same thing all the time and said I absolutely do not have a haunted house. Also, maybe I have been watching too much Supernatural. Again, just kidding. Who ever heard of too much Supernatural?
Look at him! Crazy eyes, snaggle-tooth. Clearly he is being tormented by the newly arrived ghost in my house.
So anxiety may distort your thinking sometimes. If this is happening to you, maybe don’t believe everything your brain is telling you right now. Run it by a friend. Remember, I’m not a medical professional, just someone with personal experience with anxiety sharing those experiences on a blog! So my house is *probably* not newly haunted, but I once lived in a house that was haunted BY a cat, so explain that. That’s a story for another day. This is getting wordy as it is. On to bingeing!
B is for Bingeing. I have paused my binge of Skulduggery Pleasant to revisit another old friend, Jacky Faber, aka Bloody Jack. If you are interested in hilarious history fiction starring a girl disguised as a boy, AND you like audiobooks, do yourself a favor and listen to these books! On the television front, I have been bingeing VEEP, on HBO. It’s one of the shows available for free right now. This show is delivering the humor I need right now and Julia Louis-Dreyfus is brilliant.
Finally, C is for Connecting. One of my favorite ways to stay connected to friends right now is through memes. In keeping with the cat theme of this post, here are a couple that I have shared with friends this week. I think they pretty much sum up this whole situation.
Everyone is familiar with the Mister Rogers quote about looking for the helpers. It’s reassuring and there are so many helpers right now. I also recommend looking for the animals. Follow dogs and goats and zoos on social media. Make the first things you see on your feeds something cute and silly. Hang in there everyone!
The weather is getting nicer and nicer, what a lovely thing! And (again) as I have more time at home right now, I’m looking at the backyard and thinking… what about a vegetable garden this year? I do get plenty of sun in the yard and there’s room for a small patch of produce, what do you think? Should I go for it? Raised bed or dig up some dirt? Let me know!
While you’re pondering my situation, you’ll also want to consider this:
Cox is giving a deserving teacher a $1,000 “home classroom” makeover… and we need your help
Teachers have made incredible strides in the past few weeks to ensure students stay connected to their schooling while learning remotely. Do you know of an educator who has created a dynamic virtual classroom, or is building lessons that help kids thrive in a digital learning setting? If so, we want to hear about it – and potentially award that teacher with a $1,000 virtual classroom makeover!
Click the button below to nominate an educator that is taking virtual classroom instruction to the next level. We may share their successes on our social media pages, showcase them in a TV spot, or even award them with $1,000 in equipment and technology! NOMINATE A TEACHER NOW
And after you’ve recognized a deserving teacher, I think you deserve to watch the Great Depression Cooking channel on YouTube. These are new videos, but Clara is sweet, funny, and has good words of wisdom -all the things I need (and maybe you need?) right now! I love it when she cooks with dandelion greens!
Happy National Poetry Month from all of us at Rocky River Public Library! National Poetry Month was launched in April of 1996 by the Academy of American Poets to remind the public that poets have an integral role to play in our culture and that poetry matters. You can read more about National Poetry Month and ways to get involved here!
Below you will find some favorite poems and poetry collections curated by RRPL staff we hope you will enjoy, along with lots of links so you can explore our favorite poets from home.
You can read more from Yeats, widely considered one of the greatest poets of the 20th century, through the Poetry Foundation, or choose from four of Willam Butler Yeats poetry collections in our digital collection, including some of his early poems and an audiobook.
You can check out a collection of Williams’ early poems from our digital library in addition to reading more of Williams’ poetry through the Poetry Foundation.
We offer quite a few of Angelou’s amazing poetry collections in our digital library, and many of her poems are available on the Poetry Foundation website.
We’ll be celebrating poetry all month long over on the library’s social media, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for more staff favorites, book spine poetry, and more. If you want to participate, consider recording yourself reading a favorite poem and sharing it on social media! We can all #shelterinpoems while we shelter in place- thanks to the Poetry Foundation for that wonderful hashtag!
A is for Anxiety. Let’s get that part out of the way. How am I dealing with my anxiety? Well, some days I turn to yoga. My go-to yogi is Adriene Mishler of Yoga with Adriene. This month she has created a playlist of free videos designed to nurture. You do not have to be strong and bendy to do these videos; just show up as you are. You don’t have to have a ton of time; most of the videos are under 30 minutes. Some days I just sit on the couch and listen to murder podcasts while playing Best Fiends. Balance, lol. If you are feeling anxious, know it is normal. Know you are not alone. Know that what works for one person may not work for you. Heck, what works for you one day may not work for you the next! So, check in with yourself. Try new things and if you can’t manage on your own, reach out for help.
B is for Bingeing. Time for another librarian confession-I have not read a single physical book in a month (Be Not Far From Me by Ohio author, Mindy McGinnis and it’s amazing!). All of my reading during social distancing has been audio and I am half way through a re-listen of a favorite series.
These are the first five books in the series. Skulduggery Pleasant is a magical skeleton detective. He and his human apprentice, Stephanie, aka Valkyrie, fight evil.
As for what I am binge watching-it’s a mixed bag. I am finding comfort in rewatching my favorites, so Schitt’s Creek and Supernatural have been my go-tos. While everyone else is watching Tiger King (I quit after episode 3, but that didn’t stop me from taking all the quizzes and based on my astrological sign and a quiz I got Saff both times), I went a different route with my disturbing documentary selection. In one sitting I watched all of Taken at Birth about a Georgia doctor who sold over 200 babies out of his clinic in the 1950s and 60s.
C is for Connecting. If you are reading from Rocky River, you probably know about Unite the Night. If you are somewhere else, maybe your own community has a similar event. Every Sunday from 8:30-9:30 people turn on their porch lights and set out luminaries to remind each other that we are all in this together. This week I helped the library join in. Staying connected can be as simple as turning on a light.
esterday, I was listening to the new podcast by 
Oh – and here’s an amazing Chocolate Flourless Torte I made at 
Read it or Weep 