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Every American school child learns that the Fourth of July, or Independence Day, commemorates the birth of the United States as an independent nation. On July 2nd, 1776, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later delegates from the 13 colonies adopted the Declaration of Independence, which was drafted by Thomas Jefferson.
June is Pride Month and this year marks the 50th anniversary of annual LGBTQ+ Pride traditions. The first Pride march was held in New York City on June 28th, 1970, marking the one year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. The Library of Congress has some great information on the Stonewall Uprising if you aren’t familiar or want to refresh your memory.
Many of us have seen this over sized banana hanging out in the tropical fruit section of your supermarket and wondering what it is. It is a plantain which is bigger, firmer and has a thick skin and does not taste like a banana.
The plantain is more starchy and needs to be cooked before it can be eaten. Plantains are very popular all over the Caribbean and Central America, but that is not where plantains originated. They are indigenous to the Tropical regions of Southeast Asian.
As we seek to understand the deep injustices that have led to this current situation of unrest and calls for urgently needed change, our librarians have come together to produce a list of titles for Adults, Teens and Children that focus on anti-racism. In addition to these lists, there are a number of excellent documentaries dealing with systemic injustice on Kanopy, many of them listed here.
Most music these days is made available via various streaming services. Sometimes we lose sight (no pun intended) of what the artist, composer or musician looks like. This is why I am posting 10-12 photos each week of iconic musicians as well as lesser known artists. Let’s see if you can guess who they are.
Keep scrolling down for the answers….
As we have mentioned previously, May is Mental Health Month, and it seems to be pretty common knowledge that physical activity is essential to our mental well being. With this in mind I am so glad to be able to share this pilates video from one of our Friends ( the Scarsdale Library Friends), Loretta Vickers. Loretta’s video is especially great because it helps us focus and breath correctly as we perform the movements.
Picture it: Studio 54 NYC: the mirror ball shimmers as the strobe lights flash to the beat of the disco. So put on your platform shoes and let’s hustle on back to the sounds of the ‘70s! John Travolta inspired a nation to get out on the dance floor with his iconic moves in Saturday Night Fever.
While many of us these days feel like we are reliving the Bill Murray role in Groundhog Day, we are actually hurtling rather rapidly through time and, unbelievably, have reached Memorial Day, May 25, the official kickoff to summer. Originally called Decoration Day, from the tradition of decorating graves with flowers, wreaths and flags, the holiday was first observed on May 30, 1868, to commemorate the deaths of Civil War soldiers. After World War I, the holiday was expanded to honor all who sacrificed their lives while in service.
Winning ways to whip up wellness!
I know we are all beginning to get a little nutty from being quarantined for so long, so why not add one more recipe to your baked goods agenda. Don’t be shy, most of us are on our fifth home made baked good attempt.
Most music these days is made available via various streaming services. Sometimes we lose sight (no pun intended) of what the artist, composer or musician looks like. This is why I am posting 10-12 photos each week of iconic musicians as well as lesser known artists. Let’s see if you can guess who they are.
Keep scrolling down for the answers….
Need a reason to celebrate? Who doesn’t these days? Let’s commemorate and celebrate (some of the) authors whose birthdays occur in May and whose works provide endless consolation and inspiration in the best and worst of times. So, lift a glass (and a book) to the following literary lights:
This week I’m reviewing “Middlegame” by Seanan McGuire, published by Tor in May, 2019. Here’s how Tor bills it:
“New York Times bestselling and Alex, Nebula, and Hugo-Award-winning author Seanan McGuire introduces readers to a world of amoral alchemy, shadowy organizations, and impossible cities in the standalone fantasy, Middlegame.”
Winning ways to whip up wellness!
Did you know that beets are one of the coolest vegetables? Beets can be beneficial to the body in many ways. Their purposes range from curing hangovers, eliminating head dandruff, making a delicious additive to port wine, and even serve as a love potion to make the heart grow fonder A.K.A an aphrodisiac. Even astronauts know how out of this world beets can be being that they’re often a snack of choice.