Mercer County Library Blog

"The pumpkin lies yellow, beneath the cold skies, it’s luscious and mellow, and ready for pies." - Walt Mason Did you know National Pumpkin Day is October 26th? This annual event celebrates a member of the gourd family that is considered a fruit. Pumpkins were first found in Central America and Mexico, but are now grown on six of the seven continents. Can you guess the continent where they don't grow? If you guessed Antarctica, you are right! The pumpkin name comes from the Greek word Pepon, which means large melon. And, boy do some of them grow large – as of October 2021, the world’s largest pumpkin recorded weighed in at 2,703 pounds in Italy (grown by Stefano Cutrupi). In terms of variety, there are over 95 different types, with many different shapes, sizes, and colors including orange, white, gray, green, yellow, red and tan. Pumpkins like long, warm summers, full sun and well-drained soil. There are also about 500 seeds in an average pumpkin. The seeds are edible...

Bright, colorful leaves; the crisp, fresh air; cooler temperatures -- all these changes bring a huge smile to my face! My favorite season is here! Autumn is finally here! Warm blankets come out of hiding. Cozy sweaters, fun hats, and fashionable scarves are now a part of my wardrobe again. And even more important than fall fashion is -- you guessed it -- the FOOD! Comfort food is my kind of cuisine: any food that gives a feeling of well-being and happiness and is usually associated with home cooking. One type of comfort food that warms me up from the inside and brings me much happiness is soup. The sheer variety of yummy soups just brings me thoughts of pure, mouthwatering joy! Soups are a comfort food that can be super healthy and a filling meal by themselves or can always be paired with another dish. A soup does not have to take too many ingredients to make and can be made in large quantities to be frozen for a quick dinner another day. Often times, I freeze homemade soups in single ...

October 29th is National Cat Day and in honor of this day, I'd like to share some of my all-time favorite cat-centric reads for children, as well as some newly published books to discover.  As a librarian and cat lover (I have two of my own—Moira Rose and Mojo Sloth), I inwardly squeal with delight when new books featuring felines arrive at our branch for processing. From picture books to middle-grade fiction, cats often play a starring role. After all, what's not to love about cats? They're cute, playful, and always up to some scheme or another. The number of cool cats in children's literature now might surprise you! Let's take this opportunity to celebrate National Cat Day by looking at some fabulous furry felines in children's books today.  An extremely cool cat who will have you feeling fancy-free and groovy is Pete the Cat , the literary creation of James Dean, Kim Dean and Eric Litwin. This blue cat who loves surfing, playing baseball and guitar, spending ...

I love to read about local ghost stories and haunted places in our area, especially around Halloween. I was always fascinated by the historical facts and by the paranormal side to those stories. From local legends like Gravity Hill in Titusville to the Jersey Devil, New Jersey has a lot of spooky lore to sink your teeth into. Check out some of what our branches have on the topics of New Jersey’s haunted places, ghost stories and all things paranormal! Haunted New Jersey: Ghosts and Strange Phenomena of the Garden State by Patricia A. Martinelli Phantom pirates, water monsters, and mythical snakes figure prominently in this collection of eerie tales from the Garden State. From this state's bucolic, rolling farmland to its heavily populated shore come a variety of stories and legends. The Big Book of New Jersey Ghost Stories   by Patricia A. Martinelli Reader, beware! Turn these pages and enter the world of the paranormal, where ghosts and ghouls alike ...

While I’m generally a homebody, I have thoroughly appreciated the times in my life that I have been able to travel and see new places. The ability to travel is a privilege with many benefits. It exposes us to new places, people and ideas; it allows us to disconnect from our everyday stresses; it broadens horizons and encourages creativity and peacefulness. I haven’t travelled as much as some, but I have such wonderful memories from trips around the world – from eating the best pasta ever in Italy with my sister to enjoying nature’s playground at Slide Rock in Arizona with my kids. I feel lucky to have been able to experience these things and hope to continue traveling throughout my lifetime.  Travel isn’t always possible though. It is expensive and requires time commitments. And now, many people are wary of traveling or unable to travel due to COVID. The last year and a half have found us spending more time at home than ever before and now we may be starting to feel...