Mercer County Library Blog

Growing up, I didn’t spend a lot of time outdoors. I wasn’t a fan of heat, humidity, or sweating, and my parents understood that. I preferred my hobbies indoors with air conditioning and, with the heat of a Texas summer, they knew where I was coming from. However, there was one thing that could pull me from my precious A/C and that was our backyard garden. My mom was a horticulturist and an educator, so she was intent on making sure my sister and I understood the value of plants. Despite my reluctance to embrace the Texan weather I endured it in the face of my determined mom. I would kneel on a yellow butterfly outdoor cushion next to her as she pointed out weeds and how to pull them and not leave the roots behind. I learned to check for bugs hiding on the bottom side of leaves to make sure they didn’t eat the plant. My fingers were in the ground beside hers as I learned to test the dryness of the soil. She showed the pink worms to me, so I would know the difference between them...

The Hickory Corner Branch puzzle table is popular. The Community Jigsaw Puzzle is visited on a regular basis by patrons of all ages who take some time to unwind while building friendships with one another. While patrons bring the puzzle pieces together, the puzzle pieces conversely bring the patrons together. As autumn begins winding down and the crisp winter air takes hold, now is a good time to try something fresh and new to keep the winter blues at bay. Below is a selection of fun indoor hobbies along with programming available throughout the Mercer County Library System. Start one at home or come to the library and enjoy a new hobby with others in the community. Winning American Mah Jongg Strategies: A Guide for the Novice Player 795.34 SAN 2012 "Discusses strategies for playing mah jongg, covering the use of defensive tools, finding the best hand, and reading exposures, and explains the differences between Chinese and American mah jongg." Colorful graphics and straight...

Growing up, I always looked forward to Thanksgiving. The thrill and excitement of seeing my family and spending time with them would keep me up at night with anticipation. It was always hard to focus at school the day before Thanksgiving because I knew, as soon as those bells rang to dismiss us for the day, my mom would pick my sister and me up, and we would be on our way to my Grandma's. We would literally drive over a river and through the woods to get to her house. And once you stepped inside the house, you were greeted with loving hugs and warm wishes from my Grandma, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Once all of the greetings were done, we were put to work. In my family, we did a lot of the Thanksgiving prep work the day before the big feast. It was during this time of dicing/peeling vegetables, tearing apart the stall bread, or prepping the pies that it was time for everyone to catch up with one another. The kitchen would be filled with conversations, jokes, and laughter. It was ...

October’s crisp air and turning leaves invite us to enjoy cozy, nostalgic meals made with seasonal ingredients. Think chili, banana bread, and pumpkin lattes—comfort foods for body and soul. This is my favorite time of year, because it's when I can finally turn my oven back on and enjoy hearty, soothing meals during the chilly days and nights ahead. By the time October comes, I am ready and eager to indulge in these comforting delights! This season, treat yourself to some old favorites or explore new recipes with the many titles the Mercer County Library System has to offer. Here are a few books to get you going: The Complete Autumn & Winter Cookbook: 550+ Recipes for Warming Dinners, Holiday Roasts, Seasonal Desserts, Breads, Food Gifts, and More America's Test Kitchen 641.564 COM 2021 Good Soup: 52 Colorful Recipes for Year-Round Comfort Bijdendijk, Joris 641.813 BIJ 2023 Half Baked Harvest Quick & Cozy Gerard, Tieghan 641.512 GER 2024 Homestyle Kitchen: Fre...

When I was younger, I often complained that I didn’t like salad. It wasn't the salad itself that bothered me—I would happily pick out carrots, cucumbers, peppers, and my personal favorite, olives, and eat them. It was the lettuce that I objected to; it just seemed so bland. As a child, we always had iceberg, and it wasn't until I was well into adulthood that I discovered there are different types of lettuce! It took me longer than it should have to start experimenting with salads. Over the past few years, I’ve really enjoyed mixing arugula and spinach. One of my quick lunch favorites is toasted naan topped with ricotta cheese, red onion, and a spring mix. I absolutely love a good steak salad on flatbread. My current go-to salad features a spinach and arugula base with cucumbers, red onion, fresh mozzarella, olives, apples, pecans, and grilled chicken. I also recently discovered that whisking a little hot honey into my store-bought balsamic dressing enhances the flavor and adds...

I’ve been counting down the days until May 2, because that’s when I’m due to receive my first CSA (Community Shared Agriculture) share. Looking forward to spring, I committed money to support this local farm by buying a subscription to their 30-week growing season. Each week, I’ll receive a box of seven different vegetables, two kinds of fruit, and a dozen eggs. The farm also has options for adding bread, milk, mushrooms, herbs, and more. I’ve become concerned about the consolidation of agriculture – both in this country and globally – and I wanted to make a personal commitment to supporting the sustainability of local agriculture by investing in a farm. I’ll also continue to shop at the amazing farmers markets we have in Mercer County. My CSA delivers, but others need to be picked up at a farm or a market. Some allow you to chose your vegetables from their harvest, in others you get what you get. Some work with a debit system: invest $XXX.XX at the beginning of the season, and shop d...

Some people describe reading as a hobby. Then there are true bibliophiles, for whom literature is an obsession, something without which life is unimaginable. People’s attitudes towards whisky could be categorized these same ways. As literature can be divided into forms and genres, so too can whisky be divided by style. Single malt whisky is distilled exclusively from malted barley. Single pot still whisky is made from a mash of both malted and unmalted barley. Single grain whisky is made from a mash which might include any combination of grain, often corn. And while many American whiskies technically fall into this single grain category, in Ireland and Scotland single grain whisky is typically used for blending with single malt or single pot still to make a more affordable bottle. Single pot still is perhaps the most iconically Irish style, while the best whiskies from Scotland are certainly single malts. If you’re looking for a recommendation from your neighborhood librarian, I espec...

When we think about cooking with kids, we often think of special times when families gather to make special treats near a holiday. Holidays come with a huge amount of cooking and baking, for parties and family gatherings, for others as gifts, and together with kids to make memories while passing on family traditions. Once the November and December holidays are over, the New Year often ushers in meal-planning resolutions as we settle back into our normal routines. Before we know it, more holidays are around the corner and kids are itching to get their hands messy making some of their favorite foods. But does cooking and baking with kids have to be a special occasion? Cooking with kids can be daunting, messy, and frustrating. But it can also be endlessly fun, make amazing memories, and build important life skills. Preschoolers and younger children can strengthen confidence, motor skills, and curiosity in just a few minutes while stirring a bowl or ripping up lettuce. Older kids learn me...

I would not call myself a foodie but I do enjoy reading books with a food theme. From cozy mysteries to rom-com fiction, I love a story that includes recipes and cooking. As a children’s librarian, I am especially fond of picture books that feature foods from other cultures. Reading picture books with recipes from around the globe helps children engage with the world and learn about other people through the kinds of food they eat. Food is something that we all have in common. From holidays and celebrations to the family dinner, food is the glue that binds us together. It defines our daily life and can bring such joy. It is the tastes, smells and sounds that define who we are. Many family traditions are passed down through recipes and cooking. For me it was the apple pie my mother made during the holidays. Each year I try to recreate the recipe for my children. I’ve listed some of my favorite books by authors who were inspired by the cooking traditions from their backgrounds. I hope y...