She's Crafty | From seeds to flowers...

Tiny beads, also known as seed beads, can be combined to create all sorts of amazing objects. From an endless array of beaded earrings and other accessories to beaded sculptures and full flower arrangements. If you have ever beaded anything, chances are you have come into contact with a seed bead or two.

Various sizes and colors of seed beads with tubular bugle beads.
Beads! Photo by April. Some Rights Reserved.

Huichol beaded reptile. Photo by Leonora Enking. Some Rights Reserved.

603-08, Twisty Turvey. Photo and beadwork by Dini Alves. Some Rights Reserved.

Since we are firmly into Spring, it's a perfect time to look into the art of beaded flowers.

A few years back my mother found The Flowers of Venice by Giovanna Poggi Marchesi. This big beautiful book introduced her to the art of Venetian beaded flowers and the conterie, or glass seed beads, which have been made in Venice for hundreds of years. My mother was inspired to make her own beaded flowers.

My mother dug deep into the tutorials and books pertaining to beaded flowers and found a tutorial that guided her step-by-step to create a life-size beaded orchid with leaves and a bud from wire and glass seed beads.

She created this beauty a few years ago but unfortunately it stands alone as she did not make more flowers. She describes making beaded flowers as easy work but incredibly tedious; the hardest part is having the patience to string all the little seed beads onto thin wire. I remember traveling with her to find tools like bead stringing bowls that would help her with the stringing, but the one we finally settled on didn't work well with wire. After a while she just went on to her next craft adventure and stored all the books and tutorials she collected away, hoping one day to revisit the craft. 

Which may be sooner than later...

Recently I was grabbing stuff from around the house to put in an I Spy Spring display and spied her blue orchid. I gave it a good cleaning and though I have always admired its beauty, the time spent cleaning its petals and looking at the way the seed beads come together to create a flower, gave me a chance to admire the beauty in which it was constructed and how easy it really is to make.

Also, it made me think I should finally try my hand at beaded flowers. Imagining beaded plumerias in my hair helped a bit too. So now we're on the hunt for good stringing tools and various colors of seed beads. I feel a trip to the bead store is in my future.

If you're interested in creating your very own beaded creations, I came across two books available for check out that would help you bead-ify your world.

The Beaded Object: Making Gorgeous Flowers & Other Decorative Accents by Mary Jo Hiney.

Beads in Bloom : The Art of Making French Beaded Flowers by Arlene baker.

-Malia

Learning | Maya Angelou

Dr. Maya Angelou's estate has published a new book of her work, entitled The Complete Poetry.  

The book includes the poems we already know and love, like, "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings," "And Still I Rise," and "Phenomenal Woman." 

It really is a book to be savored.  I've picked it up a dozen times since I checked it out yesterday. I open the book to a random spot to read a poem, maybe one I already know, or one that is new to me. I marvel at her ability to find the right words and rhythm, to conjure up images, moments, and moods.

Artistic interpretation of And Still I Rise:
LaSalle Mural (New Orleans)
from
Derek Bridges' photostream on Flickr.com.
Some rights reserved.

I was surprised and selfishly pleased to find it on the new book shelf at my branch. Most of you are aware that Dr. Maya Angelou has a Stockton connection; her mother, Vivian Baxter Johnson, lived here for many years. Dr. Angelou's books are especially popular in this neck of the woods.

I had heard of the book, but considering that this is National Poetry Month, and April 4 would have been her eighty-seventh birthday, AND there's a new United States Postal Service Forever stamp honoring this great lady, I really expected that The Complete Poetry of Maya Angelou would already be checked out.

Speaking of that postage stamp, if you are free on the morning of Saturday, April 11, you may wish to head over to the Maya Angelou Southeast Branch Library for a very special occasion. 

There will be a dedication ceremony for the Maya Angelou stamp at 11 a.m. 

The short ceremony will include artistic performances by students of
Aspire Rosa Parks Academy, Stockton. Refreshments will be available, and you will have the opportunity to purchase commemorative items related to the stamp, with an option for a special souvenir cancellation.

Need help finding the Maya Angelou Southeast Branch?  Here's a link to the branch's web page; you will find a link on that page with a map. The Maya Angelou Branch is located at 2324 Pock Lane, Stockton CA 95205. 

Just Life| Chicken!

Do you wash the chicken before cooking it? I do. But apparently I am wrong. 

Months ago, I caught my husband barbecuing some chicken without even washing it. I was mortified. "What are you doing?" You have got to wash it before cooking it. 

But my husband simply said that he heard it on the radio, that you shouldn't be washing the chicken before cooking it.

That is crazy!

The only thing that I can still remember from my college Microbiology class is that those bacteria and viruses are major serial killers. You don't want to mess with E-Coli and Salmonella, and all those tiny killing machines. 

I didn't believe my husband. So, I Googled this topic and guess what. He was right. I was just baffled by what I found out.

Here is what I learned from the U.S Department of Agriculture Official website:

" Washing raw poultry, beef, pork, lamb, or veal before cooking it is not recommended. Bacteria in raw meat and poultry juices can be spread to other foods, utensils, and surfaces. We call this cross-contamination.

Some consumers think they are removing bacteria and making their meat or poultry safe. However, some of the bacteria are so tightly attached that you could not remove them no matter how many times you washed. But there are other types of bacteria that can be easily washed off and splashed on the surfaces of your kitchen. Failure to clean these contaminated areas can lead to foodborne illness. Cooking (baking, broiling, boiling, and grilling) to the right temperature kills the bacteria, so washing food is not necessary."

Also, it is recommended to use a thermometer when cooking meat or chicken. You should cook it until the meat's internal temperature reaches 145 degrees Fahrenheit.

Now you have it. I still have a hard time processing this info to be honest.

Here are a few books on the food safety from your local library:

Making supper safe : one man's quest to learn the truth about food safety

The food poisoning update

Eating dangerously : why the government can't keep your food safe... and how you can

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha

Books On Film | The Passion of The Christ

Since Easter is around the corner, here is an Easter-adjacent adaptation. The film, The Passion of The Christ, was released in 2004 and directed and co-written by Mel Gibson. It depicts a short time period in the story of Jesus' life known as the Passion*, starting with a visit to Jerusalem and ending in his crucifixion. 

The film was based mainly on Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John from The Bible (Holy Scriptures of Christianity), The Tanakh (the Holy Scriptures of Judaism), and The Dolorous Passion of Our Lord Jesus Chris by Anne Catherine Emmerich, a German nun who claimed to have had religious visions of the Passion. 

          

*Latin: passio means suffering.

Award-Winning Reads | A Monster Calls

The monster showed up after midnight. As they do. But it isn't the monster Conor's been expecting. He's been expecting the one from his nightmare, the nightmare he's had every night since his mother started her treatments, the one with the darkness and the wind and the screaming . . .   

This monster, though, is something different. Something ancient, something wild. And it wants the most dangerous thing of all from Conor.   

It wants the truth.

Hello Everyone,

I've been in a bit of a somber, serious mood lately. (And no, that's not me reflecting and ruminating in the image to the right. Trust me, when I'm thinking deeply I look a lot scarier than that)! Unfortunately, there have been a couple of special people who were connected with the Tracy Library as well as people who I associated with in my congregation who passed away. I couldn't help but recall this literary treasure, which also reminded me how painful suffering loss can be.

The critically-acclaimed award winner of the week that I'm highlighting originates from across the pond. This book won, not only one, but two medals: the Carnegie and Greenaway Medals. According to the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals (CILIP), the organization which confers these medals, the Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals are the United Kingdom's oldest and most prestigious children's book awards. Talk about a double honor!

The medals are awarded by children's librarians to books for children and young people. The Carnegie Medal is awarded for an outstanding book and The Kate Greenaway Medal is awarded for an outstanding book in terms of illustration. Since this title won both, you can expect an excellently executed story line with equally impressive illustrations.

And the 2012 Carnegie and Greenaway Medals go to . . .

(drum roll, please)

A Monster Calls! It is written by Patrick Ness, inspired by an idea from Siobhan Dowd, and illustrated by Jim Kay.

(I know the reveal isn't as dramatic since it's included in the title of this post, but please just try to act a little surprised).

I first read this hauntingly beautiful novel as an ebook on OverDrive and was immediately drawn to Conor, a thirteen-year-old boy who was primarily cared for by his mother. Conor struggles with his feelings while watching her battle a life-threatening illness. Suddenly an unnamed monster (why are the scariest monsters usually unnamed?) begins to regularly call on him at night. Who is this titular monster? Is it real or imagined? Friend or foe? And what could it possibly want with Conor? (Hint: it's in the opening quote). 

As the story develops and builds tension, so does Conor. His pent-up frustration and helplessness in a situation far beyond his control ultimately reaches its peak and the truth he discovers about himself leads to his much-anticipated catharsis. The black and white illustrations accentuate the dark, fantastical undertones of the story. If you want to try a deeply moving read, check out this book. 

Let me leave you a line from the novel.        

Stories are wild creatures. Who knows what havoc they might wreak?

Next week, find out about two friends - one human and one unimaginary (yes,  unimaginary *ooh*)!

Until next time, have a good reading!

Raquelle

Learning | Peter Rabbit and Peter Cottontail

Have you wondered about the difference between Peter Rabbit and Peter Cottontail? I have, for far too long.

Poster: THE WORLD OF BEATRIX POTTER - PETER RABBIT

RHS Flower Show Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, England, UK.

 From Leo Reynolds' photostream on Flickr.com. Some rights reserved.

I first became familiar with Peter Rabbit from the works of Beatrix Potter, who created a rabbit character named Peter back in 1902. In the book, The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Peter was a naughty little rabbit who almost got caught when he sneaked into Mr. MacGregor's garden. (He should have listened to his mother!)

In the story, Peter has siblings named Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail.  I think that means their surnames would be "Rabbit," just like Peter. You know, Flopsy Rabbit, Mopsy Rabbit, and Cottontail Rabbit.  

In any case, Flopsy, Mopsy and Cottontail Rabbit all listened when their mother told them to stay out of Mr. MacGregor's garden. But Peter did not obey her.

Mr. MacGregor's Garden,
from Hannah Swithinbank's photostream
on Flickr.com. Some rights reserved.

It's easy to understand why Peter wanted to eat lettuces, beans and radishes from Mr. MacGregor's garden. Just look at these pictures, from a re-creation of his garden at  Beatrix Potter's Hill Top Cottage in Sawrey, Cumbria, in England's Lake District.

Wouldn't it be fun to stroll around these gardens, and see the house where Beatrix Potter lived, when she wrote The Tale of Peter Rabbit? 

I think I need to add this to my bucket list.

Peter's Watering Can 1,
from Adam Russell's photostream on Flickr.com.
Some rights reserved.

Beatrix Potter books, from Jennifer LaSuprema's photostream
on Flickr.com Some rights reserved.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit was the first of Potter's wildy popular series of "Little Tales." I can remember how special I thought they were, when I was very small, to hold a little book that was just the right size for my tiny hands. 











Of course, Beatrix Potter's illustrations of cute little animals wearing human clothes hold a child's interest, too. According to the Beatrix Potter official website, one of her books is sold every four minutes!

This being Eastertide, I started thinking about a children's song heard this time of year: "Peter Cottontail." It was written in 1949 by the same team of songwriters that brought us "Frosty, the Snowman." Gene Autry recorded the song in 1950; sometimes the name of the song is listed as "Here Comes Peter Cottontail."

Image from page 200 of
"Mother West Wind 'Why' Stories,"
by Thornton W. Burgess,
illustrations in colour by Harrison Cady.
From Internet Archive Book Images' photostream on Flickr.com.
No known copyright restrictions.

I suspect that song is about another rabbit named Peter, created in 1910 by the American writer, Thornton W. Burgess.  

Peter Rabbit was one of many animal characters in Burgess' book, Old Mother West Wind. Later, Burgess wrote a book about him, called The Adventures of Peter Cottontail (available through Link+.)  

In that book, Peter Rabbit decides that his last name sounds too ordinary, so he chooses a name he thinks is fancier--"Cottontail."  By the end of the book, he decides he likes his original name and changes it back.  

Like Beatrix Potter, Burgess loved nature, and he mostly wrote stories about anthropomorphic animals. But he did not illustrate his own stories. Here is a picture from "Mother West Wind 'Why' Stories," illustrated by Harrison Cady.

If you would like to explore this subject in depth, SSJCPL has a nonfiction book for adults. If you would like to read it, you will first have to master its cumbersome, rambling, run-on title. 

It's called The History of The tale of Peter Rabbit : taken mainly from Leslie Linder's A history of the writings of Beatrix Potter together with the text and illustrations from the first privately printed edition.

Try saying that three times, very quickly, and Mr. MacGregor is your uncle!

Just Life| Spring Garden

Spring is here. Thanks goodness that we live in California and we don't need to worry about cold weather in Spring. Right now, The weather here is just perfect. It is just the perfect time for gardening.

Don't you think it is time to add some splash of colors to your garden? 

Your local library has countless books about gardening that can help you achieve a picture perfect garden. 

Here are a few gardening books from your local library. You can click on any of these titles to place a hold on it. Then within a few days, you can pick it up from your local library.

• The flower garden : a practical guide to planning & planting

• Front yard gardens : growing more than grass

• The beautiful edible garden 

• Lee Bailey's Country flowers : gardening and bouquets from spring to fall

• American grown : the story of the White House kitchen garden and gardens across America

Happy gardening.

Signing off until next Monday- Panteha