fête

Visions of sugarplums...

Christmas is coming (the goose is getting fat) and we've had our first big snowstorm, making it feel like the season! This is good, since stores have been trying to get us in the 'Christmas spirit' for some months now. Of course, we also have had our first bit of seasonal warming, so much of that snow is melted. This is bad, as now the landscape will be brown and gray.

For youth group, we're going to explore why Christmas is important as a Christian, and then some practical ways to keep Christ in Christmas (as cheesy as that sounds, it's important!). One idea I found was to have a stocking for Jesus, and I've added the idea to throw loose change in there, and then send that money to a church or mission. I think that's a great tradition to start at the beginning of each December.

Chip and I get to see a lot of family this Christmas! Yea!
Megan will be in the States for a visit (she's been in Japan for two years teaching English), so there will be a nice crowd up in Manitowoc, as the rest of her family will travel up to Grandma's, with us following not too far behind. We'll miss having the Alaska crowd, though. I haven't even met Ellie, Walter and Faith yet! Eek!
Gianna had her baby, so we'll get to meet B in Milton when everyone from my family converges. At this point, everyone is doing well, which is a definite answer to prayer. Now we just have to figure out timing so everyone is at my parent's house at the same time.

I'm excited to be able to see everyone, and both houses are going to be full to bursting!

Picture from www.art-dept.com

Book recommendation: Polly the Pirate by Ted Naifeh
Recipe recommendation: Rocky Road Fudge
DVD recommendation: The Best of the Electric Company (thanks to Carissa the librarian for the suggestion!)

apologue and conferral

Storytelling at Winkler
I recently did my yearly storytelling stint at one of the local elementary schools--I've been going out there ever since I started at the library here. I'd say this was the most relaxed I've ever been, and I'm not sure why that was. I told three stories, plus had an interactive activity: The Enormous Pumpkin, Lazy Jack and the Frog Prince. The interactive bit was a skit about Joe, who works in a button factory.

Storytelling is something that's really fun to do at schools that know me and are ready to respond when I'm telling stories. They laugh when they're supposed to and quickly jump into participation if there's a part for them. Plus, you hear them repeating their favorite parts when they leave the gym.

WLA update
The beginning of this month was the annual Wisconsin Library Association conference, and this year it was in Wisconsin Dells at the Kalahari Resort. Fantastic place! The only criticism I had was the sound systems were not working anywhere--so the luncheon with Kevin Henkes was hard to hear, as were some of the softer-voiced speakers.

I only went for Tuesday (a preconference about marketing) and Wednesday (especially for a couple of meetings for Youth Services) and then came back home to work at the library Thursday and Friday. The slate of programs didn't really appeal to me this year, hence I only stayed for two days! I am feeling a little burned out...

SRP Presentation
A fellow librarian from Madison and I were asked to do a presentation about next summer's theme: mysteries. We each set up a couple of displays and then talked about programming ideas for school agers and teenagers. We even had some ideas for adult programming!

We bombarded them with ideas, which we decided was the best way to go, so people would get the most out of the presentation. Many people are not even ready to truly think about summer, so several suggestions will percolate in their brains until they start actual planning... We also tried to give ideas and tips about things that aren't in the manual, wanting to be supplemental, as opposed to sharing things they can find on their own. Hopefully we've planted some seeds and everyone will be excited about the theme!

Pictures taken at Winkler School and Monona Public Library

Book recommendation: Why We Buy: the Science of Shopping by Paco Underhill
Recipe recommendation: pumpkin ice cream
Product recommendation: Hansen's Smoothie (in a can)

ecclesiastical adolescents

I've been helping with Faith Chapel's youth group for a few years now, and it's often a great blessing. It's so nice to be with kids who take church and God seriously, and want to learn more. My partner in crime is Christopher Fait, who has excellent rapport with the teens, and graciously shares his basement with the group (our current meeting place).

Most recently, we've been studying Romans, but we've covered all kinds of different topics and looked at several books of the Bible, from world religions to spiritual disciplines to real-life scenarios at school and home. The tricky parts have been to balance being interesting, yet stay informative, and fitting ourselves into their busy schedules. We also would love to have a place of our own, but that hasn't worked out yet. I'm hesitant to meet at the church for a couple of reasons: 1. the teens who are coming that don't go to Faith Chapel and 2. many of the teens express their liking the 'homey-ness' of meeting at someone's house.

The general format of the evening is an opening game or hi/lo of the week, and then we have our introductory material. Once that's established we'll dive into the lesson, sometimes using video clips and sometimes breaking off into smaller groups to do some exegetical study. We'll wrap up with prayer and announcements.

There's not a whole lot at the church website yet, but we're still working on it.

Logo designed by Jonathan Hainstock

Book recommendation: Artemis Fowl: the Lost Colony by Eoin Colfer
Recipe recommendation: Sugared Pecans (great for parties!)
YouTube recommendation: Martian clip

pictorialization

Scrapbooking/Stamping night!

Once a month, a group of us get together to take time to scrapbook or make cards. It's a great way to get some of those little projects done--I have a set of mini-books that are perfect for those events when I only took two or three pictures (though I tend to make cards more than scrapbook). We usually meet for about 3 hours or so, and rotate who hosts.

A couple of months ago, realization hit that we all needed a little more time, so we planned an 'all-nighter', hosted by me!

We all got together on Friday night, had pizza and all kinds of snacks. It also was right after Sandra's birthday, so we had fudge cake, too. Then we set up the card tables and started to get to work!

I decided to scrapbook the Italian Cooking Day (Chip, Dave and I) from start to finish. That included picking out background papers and figuring out which pictures to use, how to crop them and what labels or journaling to do.


It was a lot of fun, and we worked from about 7 p.m. until 11:30ish, stopping for a coffee break part way through; each of us made great progress on our different projects. It was nice to have input, as well. And we all liked showing off our work. [grin] We're hoping to be able to do this once a quarter/season, and I've said it's no problem to host again. Chip went to the Wellness Center for a while, then went out to eat and then hid in the bedroom reading until he went to sleep.

Chip took most of the pictures for Cooking Day, so he's not in the scrapbook much!

Book recommendation: Say What? by Margaret Peterson Haddix
Recipe recommendation: Cranberry Chutney
Movie recommendation: Wine for the Confused by John Cleese

amalgamation

Well, we're coming up on one year of marriage!

[img coming soon] [yea, right...can't seem to pin Chip down...]

A few things we learned this year: what it's like when Ruhama's sick, how Chip deals with Ruhama's clutter, what a messy tax season is like, when to read the Bible together (mornings), how to compromise and how to decorate together.

A few things we enjoyed this year: cooking together and having cooking days with Dave, putting the house together--from rugs to window treatments, Old Time Radio, double and triple dates with friends, gardening and vacations.

A few things we're still working on: finding the right time to sit and talk, landscaping changes, church stuff, window treatments, compromising and the balance of our social life versus home life.

picture taken ____

Book recommenation: Storm Thief by Chris Wooding
Recipe recommendation: Basil Chicken Apple salad
Product recommendation: Vitamin Water by Glacéau

legends for moppets

WHEN the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock,
And you hear the kyouck and gobble of the struttin' turkey-cock,
And the clackin' of the guineys, and the cluckin' of the hens,
And the rooster's hallylooyer as he tiptoes on the fence;
O, it's then the time a feller is a-feelin' at his best,
With the risin' sun to greet him from a night of peaceful rest,
As he leaves the house, bareheaded, and goes out to feed the stock,
When the frost is on the punkin and the fodder's in the shock.

It's fall! The cold weather has dashed in, causing everyone to frantically scramble the semi-annual wardrobe switch. Coats have to be dug out and brushed off, and remembered after storytime!

The fall session of preschool storytimes have started, and I'm trying to mix things up a little bit this time, partly out of defense for myself--I'm getting weary... The age groups are all still the same, and the format is mostly the same, but the content is a little more up-to-date, especially technologically. For example, this week has been a visit to the circus. I actually only read one book. We did quite a few songs/fingerplays, I had a drawing story (as I tell the story I draw a picture), there was a flannel board story/song (The Twelve Circus Rings--my throat hurt a bit after that one) and then we watched a clip from Mr. Rogers. It worked really well, as the kids could feel like they really were at the circus by watching Fred enjoy the acrobats and aerialists and elephants. The inclusion of video is exciting--now I'll be able to use some of those fabulous books-on-DVD that are out there to give me a little bit of a break.

Something new we're going to try this year is a once-a-month evening family program. For September it was a storytime especially for grandparents and their grandkids. I asked a teen friend to do about 15 minutes of music at the beginning, then my librarian friend Rhonda helped me with the rest of the program. She read books while I did storytelling and fingerplays. It was fun, and I suggested to other staff members that we keep it up, even though only 18 people came (remember Burlington serves over 10,000 people). October will be a 50's party, and Judy and Carole will do that one. In November, I hope to do a pajama storytime and December will be a Christmas party.

In other professional news, I've been asked to be a judge for the Letters for Literature contest. I won't actually do any judging until January 2007, but this should be fun. Kids and teens write letters to their favorite authors, so I'll be interested to see who constitutes the favorites.

poetry courtesy of James Whitcomb Riley

Book recommendation: The Last Chance Texaco by Brent Hartinger
Recipe recommendation: Chip's homemade spaghetti sauce
New product recommendation: Fruity Cheerios

bazaar and Chelydridae

This past weekend, several of us partook in one of the largest county fairs in the midwest: the Walworth County Fair. This was the 157th year, and it was a lot of fun.

We started with cream puffs and eclairs (mmmm.....fair food......) to make sure we didn't miss out on those tasty treats. Then we wandered through a few animal barns to see all the cute rabbits, noisy roosters and smelly pigs. I made sure to stop by the sheep and goat barns to visit, as I knew several teens showing animals. We all got a little more to eat, and then we saw all the projects--baking, sewing, knitting, quilting, photography, etc. We were again ready for a little more food, so we hit some of the 'real food' stands (e.g. rib sandwich for me). By this time we were a little tired, so we headed over to the horses, and watched a few rounds of judging, getting to sit in the arena to watch. Then we went into the Clydesdale barn, and were in luck to see a four abreast cart being harnessed and even watched the driver practice pulling in a nearby ring!

I've missed being able to go to the state fair, though this is a great substitute. There are a lot of great projects and animals, and a lot of good food as well, and I see people I know at this fair, which makes it a bit cozy.

Chip found a couple of baby snapping turtles in our front yard, and when he investigated more, he found their nest. There was still one egg left, but we're not sure if it will hatch. Earlier this summer, Chip rescued a snapping turtle from our window well, so we know they like to hang out around us. And with the construction happening behind us, it's not really surprising they're exploring a bit more.

picture taken from www.wooodtoys-uk.com

Book recommendation: Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
Music recommendation: Winter's Crossing with James Galway and Phil Coulter
Recipe recommendation: Amaretto Peach Crisp (Chip made this for Bible study)

chanoyu

It's been a while, but I finally had some time to give another tea, and, in honor of Chip's work on the patio, I had a Garden Tea outside this past Saturday. Patti came up for the event (staying the weekend) and helped with some of the prep, making it a good way to ease back into this pastime of mine.
The weather looked a little spotty in the morning, but the sun managed to peek through the clouds every once in a while during the tea, and it was warm in the afternoon. We enjoyed the cool breeze that came through every once in a while.

I think I enjoy giving teas for a number of reasons:
1. I get to make invitations and send people 'real' mail.
2. This is a great way for people to relax for a couple of hours.
3. I get to experiment with fun foods.
4. Tea is a thing to share.
5. China cups are soooo pretty.

6. The art of tea and tea time is losing ground in America.

For the most part, I've always done small teas, for logistical reasons. We did a ladies' tea for church a few years ago, and that took a committee to get that event planned and executed. Everyone enjoyed it, but I'll stick to the autonomy of a little group.

Thanks again to Patti for all her help!

Book recommendation: Lush by Natasha Friend
Recipe recommendation: Lavender Tea Cake
Television recommendation: The Office

saturated sculling

Well, the annual canoe trip was this past weekend, and Chip and I have now done our first bit of camping as a married couple! Our tent came in the mail a couple of weeks ago (L.L. Bean) and we found our two-person tent to be a snug, waterproof deal. How did we discover it's wonderful water-repellant capabilities?

Why, because it thunder stormed at 4 a.m. on Sunday!

But let's back up to Saturday first. We all met at Faith Chapel at 5 a.m. to head up to the Sauk City/Mazomanie area, where we launched on the Wisconsin River. This year, Chip and I borrowed some kayaks to cruise downstream, and despite the extra energy that takes, I really enjoyed it! I look forward to having our own and being able to go out and paddle and explore more rivers and lakes.




At this point, the weather was nearly perfect--a bit overcast, but that meant less sunburn! We all paddled for a couple hours and then stopped for lunch and a swim. Then it was off to find a sandbar on which to camp. Once there, everyone unloaded canoes and set up camp, including the fire and 'kitchen'. We all started to relax: a little more swimming, some snacking and setting up the grill to make brats and hotdogs for supper. I discovered I was really, really tired, so shortly after it got dark, I went to bed.

And woke up to rain and thunder and lightning! It kept raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining and raining...



We cut our experience short--skipping church and lunch--to pack up and head back. That was sad, but the wetness was getting unbearable! As soon as everything was packed up and ready to go, the rain stopped (Murphy's law), though it remained cloudy all the way back.

All in all, it was a good trip, and like many of the others I was on, there was some adventure with the weather!

I apologize for the quality of the pictures, but it was rainy and it was a waterproof camera...

Book recommendation: Machine Teen by Marc Sumerak
New product recommendation: Vanilla and Black Cherry Diet Pepsi
Recipe non-recommendation: Meringue Mice (Martha Stewart is evil!)

cultural dynamism

Otaku Gaijen
(obsessive foreign fan)

Every last Wednesday of the month is the time for teenagers to flood the library to take care of their latest obsession: anime. I started our club the fall of 2004, and it has officially forty one members, 15 or so who attend regularly. We named it a few months after it started, so we weren't stuck with The Burlington Public Library Anime Club (very cheesy), agreeing upon Otaku Gaijen.

Anime is short for Japanese animation, and is pretty much cartoons, though most are a continuing series, not standing on their own. Manga (Japanese comic books) can either inspire an anime series, or be drawn in honor of an anime. True manga fans prefer the ones that have been translated from the Japanese in the original format, which means you'd be reading the book 'backwards'.

Orignally, the format for club was pretty simple: we shared any new acquisitions of manga or anime (personal or what I had purchased for the library), showed off our drawings, made any announcements that were necessary and then watched and evaluated some anime. It's turned into a much less structured event, where we'll have announcements, some chit-chat time and then watch our feature of the month, which usually lasts about 30 minutes. Most of what we watch originates in Japan, and we watch it in Japanese with English subtitles (who says teens aren't reading?!).

After we watch and evaluate, I generally add the disc or tape to the collection. I just was able to get a shelf of anime in the teen area, as DEMCO finally came out with anime sticker labels! There also is a shelf of graphic novels and manga, so everything aimed at teens is in one area.

Some of my favorites that we've watched are Revolutionary Girl Utena, Spirited Away, Record of Lodoss War, and You're Under Arrest. There have only been a few total flops, and generally my teens don't like robot films, which is hard, as that's a large genre in anime. I also have only had a few that were borderline unacceptable to publically show (I preview everything first), but fortunately, my teens are pretty mature about that stuff. Uh, well, sort of. As much as they can be, I suppose. [grin]

artwork courtesy of me! we have a lot of how-to-draw anime books here...

Book recommendation: Olivia Forms a Band by Ian Falconer
Movie recommendation: The Devil Wears Prada
Recipe recommendation: Ricotta Blueberry Pancakes

abhorred architectonics

Progress for Progress' Sake?

So, they've begun the destruction of our view out the back yard to build 32 condominum units...all the neighbors of the area have been heavily involved in this process, as we didn't really want them developing the land behind us, but it was of no use to fight it. We all got a great education in PUDs and what the city can and cannot allow... [roll eyes]

Anyway, the beginning of June saw trucks moving into the area, and one Monday I came home to find this:


Now, it's a little hard to get a full picture of what they did, since you're not here, but Chip took a picture of part of the lane they drove down beforehand, and most all of the trees in this picture are now gone. The ones on the right are on our property line:


You might be thinking, 'eh, they develop land all the time, what's the big deal?' or 'you tree-hugger!' Okay, maybe not, but I've been reading Firestorm at Peshtigo (Denise Gess). For those of you who don't know the story of the Peshtigo fire, it happened the same time as the great Chicago fire, but was much greater in terms of damage. Visit their website to get the whole story. It also includes pictures of forests that have been reduced to stumps, much like the pictures of our back view these days...
If you like historical stuff, this is a great book to get the complete picture of what happened and how the logging industry and greedy people led the whole area to its near demise. I've not been to Peshtigo myself, but would some day like to visit the museum there. Beverly Butler wrote a story about this event as well--My Sister's Keeper--which I read in middle school and met the author!

I'll try to keep you updated in the comments section...

Book recommendation: Wicked by Gregory Maguire (the prestory of the Wicked Witch of the West) (this is an adult book!)
Product recommendation: Black Cherry Cream Soda from the Point brewery (available in Wisconsin)
Recipe recommendation: Chocolate Lava Muffins (Carissa shared this one with me!)

limbless aquatic vertebrate

Let's give a warm welcome to the newest member of the Bahr household:

I got a betta fish for fish week of storytimes (which is this week), so I've actually only had the fish about 24 hours. It's really pretty: mostly blue/green with red stripes in the fins and tail. We're doing really well thus far, despite the numerous preschoolers wanting hold the bowl or touch the fish this morning... Henry wasn't too thrilled when I showed her the bowl, but then, it's about as big as she is, and foreign, so I can understand why she shied away.

Will this mean we're venturing into more fish? I don't know. The bowl I bought is also a plant stand--you stick the whole contraption into a pot--so it's small. Perhaps, if I can find more of these, we'd have room for bettas all over the house!

Or maybe we won't. [shrug]

I haven't named him or her yet (how can you tell on a single fish?), so if you have suggestions, I'll gladly take them!

picture taken from www.betta-town.com

Book recommendation: Where's Waldo? The Great Picture Hunt (BRAND new!)
Recipe recommendation: Mexican Strawberry Torte
Movie recommendation: The Castle in the Sky (anime)

summertide sked

So it's almost time for the madness to begin that is called Summer Reading Program.

I'm sitting here trying to figure how I manage to get through each summer without having a total nervous breakdown. I don't think I've added anything new this summer, just did a little rearranging. The writing group, for example, is now for anyone who likes/can write, not just teens. After the astonishing attendance last summer (note: one teen came once), and a couple of pleas for a young writing club, I expanded it. We'll see how it goes...

But I'm always overwhelmed at the end of May and beginning of June. I think it's like mothers who manage to forget everything bad about childbirth and find themselves with more than one child--something gets blocked in my memory about how stressful this all is! Yes, there are several rewards, too, like the school visits I get to do right before summer begins and the enthusiasm I see as kids and teens rush to sign up when the program starts (and even before it starts...). I also enjoy the programming and planning the programs. It's just hard to have most of the world 'off' for the summer while I get super busy.

So go visit your local library and take your youth services librarian something to help ease the pain of getting hundreds of kids inundating his/her library for the next three months. Sign up for the reading program while you're there! A lot of libraries have adult summer reading programs now, too.

artwork by David Shannon, illustrator for this year's SRP

Book recommendation: Gideon the Cutpurse by Linda Buckley-Archer

Recipe recommendation: Best Oven Potatoes (from Cooks Illustrated)

New product to try: Icebreaker Raspberry Mint Mints