September 9th, 2007 Deer

This is an article on one of my favourite animals - the deer. There is a mystical feeling to look out your window on a cold winter night and see deer in your yard. At first you think you’re seeing shadows, and you look away, but as your eyes adjust to the darkness a beautiful scene unfolds before you. There is a herd of deer, young and old eating or just resting beneath the trees. In the silence of winter, under the light of the moon you feel like you are a part of something magical. Then you go back to your warm bed, as they move on searching for food and somewhere to rest and feel safe. Watching the deer helps me through the long dark winter. I think of them as a gift, a messenger in the night.

Stranger In The Woods A Photographic Fantasy by wildlife photographers Carl R. Sams and Jean Stoick is a story for young and old alike. I first saw this book in a Minnesota bookstore and was almost moved to tears by it. I quickly wrote up a suggestion card for the library to purchase it. The story begins after a winter snowfall when there is a newcomer in the woods. The stranger is a snowman, and we see how the birds and animals react to this new arrival. The photographs are beautiful, bright and colourful and show winter at it’s best. We also carry the movie on dvd.

If you are a baby boomer you probably grew up with the Disney movie classic, Bambi. And so did your children. And so are their children. As a child my sister and brother in law took me to the theater, but I was too young to really remember it. Many years later I purchased the video for myself. It is a tale about friendship, adventure, growing up and the harsh realities of life, such as losing your mother. In the end it is really about the circle of life - life, death, and the new generation that follows. The library carries the movie on dvd and videorecording. Why not share the magic all over again, you'’re never too old.

The Yearling by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings, won her a Pulitzer Prize in 1939. I haven't read the book, but last year I came across the movie on TVOntario. I was taken in by this classic tale of a young boy who takes in an orphaned fawn. It is the story of a boy who's heart's desire was to have a pet of his own. The fawn becomes his best friend and helps him to grow up. Living in the backwoods of Florida in the late 1800's his family faced many challenges, such as bears, wolves and elements of nature. But as the fawn grew it became a problem, when it started eating the family's crops. What happens next reminded me of the movie Old Yeller. It is a heartwarming tale. The library carries The Yearling on dvd , as a cassette book and in book format.

Another children'’s book with beautiful photos is Whitetails: Whitetail Magic For Kids by Tom Wolpert. It is a book about the habits of deer and depicts the first year of a fawn’s life. It is filled with interesting facts. If you’'ve ever wondered how they stay warm in the winter, it is because of the hollow hairs on their coat. It keeps them dry and warm. In the depths of winter they will eat tree bark, certain tree needles and twigs. And I've found they seem to really enjoy pumpkins. This year they appear to have actually planted some for me, from the seeds.

If you don'’t like deer as much as I do, the library carries Deer Proofing Your Yard & Garden by Rhonda Massingham Hart. It offers advice for your flower garden as to what deer do or don't like to eat. You should avoid favourite plants such as hostas and daylilies and use deer resistant plants such as zinnias and delphiniums. There are also deer repelling plants such as lavender and thyme. If you are raising fruit or vegetables, it says they don'’t like to eat garlic, rhubarb and pumpkins. I guess this is an indication of how hungry they get in the winter, because they sure enjoy eating the frozen pumpkins I leave out for them after Halloween. They also don'’t like certain smells. You can try tactics such as hanging fabric softener sheets or bars of soap from your fruit trees.

If you're looking for articles about deer visit the Virtual Collection on our website and try one of the indexes such as Ebsco Animals. The virtual collection is available 24 hours a day.

Still on the theme of deer, this is a bit of a stretch, but what'’s yellow and green and runs like a deer? Why it’s a John Deere tractor of course. For information on John Deere collector clubs visit http://www.greencollectors.com You can find information on shows and museums and even shop online. The library carries a few John Deere repair manuals and some of the history of the tractors.
I hope you've enjoyed this article and perhaps you too look forward to seeing the deer this winter. I never tire of these beautiful, graceful animals. If you're on the highway this fall, keep your eyes open for them and drive carefully.

Karen Craib, Library Technician

September 2nd, 2007 BTS Syndrome

I refuse to let go of summer; after all it isn’t officially over yet! In our home the BTS syndrome begins during the second or third week of August, BTS standing for Back to School. Having worked as a Registered Nurse for a number of years, I feel compelled to analyze things! I believe this is a universal experience for human kind, so I never feel alone in my somewhat melancholy sentiment. Although I must admit that routine is healthy for people, another few weeks at our newly purchased summer cottage on One Island Lake would ease the pain just a little bit. Like a chore that eventually needs tending, so we face the reality that the dog days of summer must come to a close!

Insulating my husband, who teaches High School at St. Patrick’s, from the inevitable return to his loved yet taxing career, I’ve learned to make Back to School shopping for our child, solely a mother-son bonding affair. Being a consummate optimist, I work diligently at reframing what feels negative and reframing the situation in to something constructive. Of course this doesn’t always happen in haste; I malinger in the brooding momentarily and then get on with the task at hand!

Persons of all ages deal with this predictable task. Being a parent sending your youngster off to school for the first time, can prove to be an exciting yet emotional time for both parent and child. Moving away to attend post-secondary school can result in a similar response. Experiencing a return to school as a mature student can present its own set of trials and tribulations. Having first hand experience in all of the aforementioned situations, I can relate to the experience on many different levels. As the tasks are many in order to feel organized and confident, we may find ourselves reaching for assistance to feel informed about back to school resources.

I don’t think I’m alone in the question that comes to mind, where exactly do I start?

Starting at your local branch of the Thunder Bay Public Library is a fabulous place to begin. The library will be providing a Do It Yourself Homework Help program in the Waverley Auditorium Tuesday October 9, 2007 at 6:30 p.m. This will be presented by the children’s librarian, and is geared to parents and their elementary school aged children. The focus of the session will be to learn about the tools that the Thunder Bay Public Library purchases for students in this age group to help with school work. Check out your Fall Library Newsletter for more information and Registration dates!

Your library provides you not only with the most updated computer databases available for research, but the reference staff to help you find what you’re looking for. Whether it’s maps, illustrations, facts, biographies, books, magazine articles or encyclopedias our knowledgeable and professional staff is always there to assist you in discovering what you are looking for. Knowing what it’s like to be on a student budget, you don’t have to worry about fees for student cards. All student memberships are now available at no cost, so we encourage those moving to Thunder Bay from different communities to make full use of this service.

For the mature student, services abound for you within our branches. For those that need assistance updating computer internet skills, ask about our free classes provided in an awesome training lab with excellent instructors. To complement your newly learned skills, we also provide free internet access for up to one hour per day for all patrons. Making choices as a mature student can seem overwhelming at times, and holding a good book in your hands can help you make some great choices. Check out some of our print material such as the ADULT BACK TO SCHOOL PLANNER to help you look at getting the support you need with money matters, taking care of the kids, and effective study habits.

As the school summer vacation comes to a close, take comfort in knowing you are only a question away from finding what you need. Let us help you get prepared, be organized and look forward to expanding your horizons, knowledge and insight. Education is a gift, and the Thunder Bay Public Library is proud to support our local educators and students in providing and seeking such a great service to our community.

Raegan Rocco

Library Assistant

www.tbpl.ca

August 26, 2007 Culinary Mysteries

The last few mornings I've woken up to a chill in the air and a soft, crisp scent which tells me that autumn is on its way. Even the wind feels subtly different as it caresses my arms during my morning walks. It's during this time that my reading tastes change, the big fluffy beach reads can't seem to hold my interest but it's too early for the deeper novels and intense thrillers that I look forward to when fall has truly taken hold and the warmth of a big armchair is my siren song. It's at the hint of autumn each year that I turn to cosy mysteries and pulling out my crockpot.

Over the last few years, crops of light mysteries have arrived on the bookshelves frequently featuring homey themes, like crafting, antiquing, book collecting or cooking, with each possessing its own charms. One of my closest friends, a dyed in the wool crafter loves the crafting mysteries, whether its needlework, knitting, candle-making or quilts. Unfortunately, having never quite completed my grade 8 sewing assignment and having at least two large bins of unfinished craft projects, reading about sharp witted sleuths who can catch a killer and still finish an afghan, fills me with guilt.

My forte is a good culinary crime, and I wasn't referring to my skills in the kitchen. Strangely, the combination of choking and cheesecake or stabbings and steak tartare, bound up with spunky characters and humourous dialogue make for a great read. The books always include recipes that are usually easy and delicious. The library is full of cozy mysteries, no matter what your taste. Here are a few of the newer titles to whet your appetite.

Cherry Cheesecake Murder (Hannah Swensen Mysteries)by Joanne Fluke The seventh Hannah Swensen mystery finds a movie crew in search of a quaint Minnesota location arriving in Hannah's hometown, and filming goes smoothly until the cruel and lecherous director, accidentally shoots himself on the set. But was his death really an accident? Between baking batches of Double Flake Cookies and Angel Kisses, Hannah figures out whodunit.

Culinary Mysteries by Nancy Fairbanks El Paso, Tex., food writer Carolyn Blue takes a gourmet cruise but things turn sour when another passenger, Mrs. Gross, goes missing. Was she accidentally left behind when the cruise ship docked? Or could something more sinister be afoot and what happened to the double chocolate raspberry mousse? The series is sprinkled with loads of fun and easy recipes.

Something's Cooking (An Angelina Amalfi Mystery) by Joanne Pence For Angelina Amalfi, a gourmet chef and food writer normally life's a picnic until one of her recipe contributors winds up dead and Angie suddenly finds herself being stalked by a killer, who saw the previous murder as a first course. Paavo Smith, the homicide cop assigned to the case, is definitely a hot dish, but when everyone around her is in danger, Angie realizes she'll have to whip up a survival scheme before her goose gets cooked.

Hell Hath No Curry: A Pennsylvania Dutch Mystery (Pennsylvania Dutch Mysteries with Recipes) by Tamar Myers In Myers's 15th crime caper starring Amish-Mennonite sleuth and innkeeper Magdalena Yoder, the corpse du jour is scoundrel Cornelius Weaver, and any one of his seven girlfriends ,all women scorned ,may be the killer. Familiar cast members provide the usual foils as Magdalena, copes with two murders, one by poisoned curry and her upcoming wedding.

Blood Orange Brewing ( A Tea Shop Mystery) by Laura Childs Theodosia Browning, owner of Charleston's Indigo Tea Shop, is catering a fund-raiser for the local Heritage Society. The food is great, and all of Charleston's bigwigs are enjoying themselves, until a retired businessman and sleazy politician, Duke Wilkes, is murdered. With a great eye for local colour the reader in taken on tours of stately homes and Civil War re-enactments, as well as providing some mouth-watering recipes and tea tips and a delicious puzzle.

Sweet Revenge (Goldy Culinary Mystery)by Diane Mott Davidson Davidson is really cooking in her 14th culinary suspense novel to feature Colorado crime-solving caterer Goldy Schulz As the Christmas season approaches, Goldy is thrilled to be catering a breakfast for the local library, but when the body of Drew Wellington, the disgraced former DA, turns up in the library, Goldy is forced to put her recipes on the back burner and find the murderer. In keeping with the literary theme, recipes included are Great Expectations Grapefruit, Chuzzlewit Cheese Pie, and Bleak House Bars.

Lori Kauzlarick, Public Services Assistant

August 12, 2007 Pigs

I love pigs. I think I may have mentioned this before. It all began with a little pig named Arnold Ziffel. For all intents and purposes he was the son of Fred and Doris Ziffel on the sixties television show Green Acres. He was one smart pig. He could play the piano and change the television channels on the family television. And that was before we had remote controls. He even went to school with the other children. I fell in love with Arnold and thus began my appreciation of the pig. I love the way pigs look, the way they snort, their curly tails and the feel of their noses. My love of pigs may be in the genes. My father used to tell me his mother had a pet pig. This column is a celebration of the pig.

When I set out to write this column I didn't realize that 2007 is the year of the pig in the Chinese lunar calendar. According to the February 17th edition of The Seoul Times newspaper it is actually the Year of the Golden Pig, which happens every 600 years. People born in the year of the pig have a kind and understanding nature and included are famous people such as Julie Andrews and Steven Spielberg. The Royal Canadian Mint is offering a beautiful lunar hologram gold coin of a pig. It is available for $498.95. Canada Post is offering a beautiful embossed pig stamp. I think it is more in my price range.

The Good Good Pig by Sy Montgomery is a good good book. If you read only one book about pigs this year, this should be it. Animal lovers will enjoy the heartwarming tale of the special bond between Christopher Hogwood and his family. Adopted as a sickly runt, he grew to nearly 750 pounds and lived for fourteen years. A celebrity in his hometown he had many human friends. He taught his extended family all about life, love and growing old gracefully. A pig of simple needs he
enjoyed eating, and resting in the sunshine on a summer's day (who doesn't). I thought I knew a lot about pigs, but found out many interesting things.

One of my favourite pig movies is Babe. It was recommended to me by several people and I purchased it sight unseen. What an adorable little pig he is. If you aren't familiar with the story, Babe lives with the Hoggett family, where he is reared by a border collie. He thinks he is a dog and develops excellent sheep herding skills. This movie was nominated for six Academy Awards, one of which was for best picture. The library carries Babe on both dvd and videocassette.

There are many well known quotations involving pigs, such as to buy a pig in a poke. What does that actually mean? According to the book Have A Nice Day – No Problem! by Christine Ammer, it means to purchase something sight unseen and risk disappointment. It comes from an old practice of vendors who put a cat in a bag, rather than a suckling pig. One of my favourite pig authors would have to be none other than Miss Piggy. The library carries Miss Piggy's Guide To Life. It's a fun book to read full of information on fashion, diet, exercise, romance, etc. She offers beauty tips for a variety of problems such as crow's feet. You just have to wear little scarecrow earrings. I've credited Paris Hilton with the popularity of using a small dog as an accessory. In fact Miss Piggy lists very small dogs in her what's in fashion list, and this was written twenty five years ago. She was a pig ahead of her time.

The Complete Pig by Sara Rath has adorable photos of pigs and piglets of every type. It's filled with quotations and interesting bits of information. For example did you know that a pig-puzzle is a gate that is made to swing both ways? Apparently there are lots of these in Scotland, but they use them for sheep. Have you ever been to a Piggly Wiggly store? According to this book they were the first self-service grocery store in America. Prior to their opening in 1916 customers would give their order to a clerk, who would retrieve items on the list. I wonder if they had an express clerk, who could move really fast? For more information on the store visit www.pigglywiggly.com It
has sample meals, complete with recipes and their nutritional values and you can even convert the recipe to a shopping list, which you can then print out.

If you are a Winnie the Pooh fan, you may have noticed that you see a lot of Winnie and Tigger, but not much of Piglet. A few years ago I was happy to see Piglet finally get the recognition he deserved, his own movie. When he goes missing, Pooh and the gang has to search for him. It's a story about friendships and how they come to appreciate what an important little pig he is. The library carries Piglet's Big Movie on dvd, as well as the soundtrack.

If you are looking for articles on pot bellied pigs, please try one of the magazine indexes in our Virtual Collection, such as InfoTrac OneFile. Remember the Virtual Collection is available 24 hours a day.

I hope you have enjoyed this column. Perhaps you learned something new and came to a new appreciation of the pig. I enjoyed writing this column, but it was over in a pig's whisper (which is a reference to time, it means merely an instant).

Karen Craib, Library Technician, Reference Services