Crafternoon-To-Go: Adult Relaxation Kits

Posted on Monday, January 31, 2022 by cs

Making time to relax is hard — particularly with the grays and browns of winter surrounding us, dark evenings, dealing with the pandemic and all of the other tasks that make demands on our lives. As part of our Winter Reading Program, our kits this month are designed to help you relax. We have included an easy coaster-making craft for your favorite beverage, lavender sachets, adult coloring pages/colored pencils, a link to free relaxation music and some beginning instructions on meditation.

These kits will be available while they last in all of our branches on Friday, February 4. You may pick them up at the second floor reference desk at the Columbia library and near the service desks at our other branches. You can try these library resources for more assistance in helping you relax. We hope this helps you make time for yourself.

 

 

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Read the Recipe! Vol. V(alentine)

Posted on Thursday, January 27, 2022 by Jason Delpire

My favorite holiday in the kitchen was always Valentine’s Day. The expectation was that this meal would be special for our guests and that made the crew really try for “wow!” factor. Now, the holiday is a great time for me to strive for that same reaction from the ones I love. The challenge is to make a special meal for two, but most recipes are scaled for four, or more. Recognizing this obstacle, I searched for sources that would help us create a special meal for two, or three. My book list of these meals can be found here.

Instead of my usual approach of looking at only one book, I wanted to highlight a few titles that looked interesting to me (and were available while writing this). Note: I will offer some example dishes, most will probably be vegetarian, though important to mention: these are not meatless cookbooks.

The Cozy Table book coverThe Cozy Table” by Dana DeVolk contains a nice collection of 100 practical dishes that span meal types from appetizers to desserts. Reasonable ingredients list and mostly short preparation times make this a good resource for a busy small family. We bookmarked a number of recipes immediately. I made the Broccoli Rice Casserole (makes 3 to 4 servings) and the three of us finished it without much trouble, even though I essentially doubled the recipe. I also made a Veggie Goat Cheese Frittata, but added so much to it, one could argue it wasn’t nearly the same dish. Other future selections include: Baked Macaroni and Cheese with Cornbread Crust, Caprese Pizza and Cheesy Pesto Pull Apart Rolls.

The couples cookbook book coverNext was “The Couple’s Cookbook” by Cole and Kiera Stipovich. These recipes were much more adventurous than The Cozy Table (if I must compare, rather than analyze as individuals). Each entry is grouped by meal, which is helpful but also a bit judgemental (I believe you can eat any food, at any time of the day. And, as Leslie Knope said, again voicing my innermost thoughts, “Why would anybody ever eat anything besides breakfast food?”) We marked a few recipes for future meals. Our favorites were: Cold-Pressed Roasted Eggplant Sandwich with Parsley Pistachio Pesto, Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Crispy Shallots and Lemon Zest, and Soba Noodle Salad with Tofu and Charred Green Onions.

The Date Night cook bookFinally, I paged through “The Date Night Cookbook” by Ned and Ariel Fulmer. I cannot lie: this was not my cup of tea. Saccharine, cutesy, and most of the pages looked more appropriate for Instagram. (Page 151 shows Ned, wearing a long-sleeved sweater with a fresh, stylish apron, while holding a cooked chicken cutlet over the saute pan — no flame on the burner. Later, he’s cutting a pork loin in suit and tie.) The recipes were fine, I suppose, though there was a definite slant towards a dinner party more than an intimate meal. Looking through the book again as I write this, nothing really stands out. The text includes the collected wisdom of this couple on a range of topics, not just food.

New DVD List: One Night in Miami, Tina, & More

Posted on Monday, January 24, 2022 by Decimal Diver

Here is a new DVD list highlighting various titles recently added to the library’s collection.


Website / Reviews
This feature film is a fictional account of February 25th, 1964, where four icons at the forefront of Black American culture, Muhammad Ali, Malcolm X, Sam Cooke and Jim Brown gathered discussing their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural turmoil of the ’60s. Adapted by Kemp Powers from his acclaimed play, this film is the feature directorial debut of Academy Award–winning actor Regina King. Continue reading “New DVD List: One Night in Miami, Tina, & More”

Fresh Horror From the Icy Depths of Winter

Posted on Friday, January 21, 2022 by Abbey Rimel

Surprisingly, even during the pandemic, horror is a genre growing in popularity. You’d think our real lives held enough horror, but the key thing about reading a horror novel or watching a scary movie is that these horrors are not yours, they belong to someone else and you’re just borrowing them for a moment. Not only that, but you’re viewing these particular horrors from a comfortable distance. Maybe that gives the horror fan some semblance of control in an otherwise chaotic world and at a somewhat exhausting point in human history, that could be useful. Continue reading “Fresh Horror From the Icy Depths of Winter”

Crochet: Knitting’s Less Popular Sister

Posted on Wednesday, January 19, 2022 by The Biblio-Buckeroo

It’s a new year and it’s cold outside! It’s a good time to pick up a crochet hook and some wooly yarn and get cozy. Whether crochet is new to you or you have a stash of yarn that you have neglected, there are a lot of fun projects, with different levels of difficulty, to dive into. Is crochet as popular as knitting? It is not. Judging by the ratio of knitting books to crochet books in the library’s collection, crochet is mayyybe half as popular. That doesn’t mean it doesn’t have its charms. For example, you don’t have to count stitches, you use one hook instead of two needles and who doesn’t love a groovy 1970s granny square afghan? Continue reading “Crochet: Knitting’s Less Popular Sister”

Beyond the Lens: Books About Movies

Posted on Monday, January 17, 2022 by LStock

The second annual winter reading program kicks off today! I’m so excited to join my fellow readers as we work our way through these cold winter months with the warmth of a good book. Books take us on adventures; they invite us to travel through new and exciting worlds from the comfort of our couches. And while an engaging book will always be my first choice for couch adventuring, a great movie comes in a close second. But why have one or the other? Why not delve deeper into the magic that is movies through the magic that is books? Let’s celebrate all of the amazing men and women who make movies happen: directors, costume and set designers, camera operators, prop masters, cinematographers, writers and so many more. Without their dedication and hard work, movies wouldn’t happen. Continue reading “Beyond the Lens: Books About Movies”

New Horse Books

Posted on Friday, January 14, 2022 by MaggieM

close-up picture of a mule's nose
Take some time this winter to get a new perspective on your equine. Pictured is the author’s mule, Mikey.

We recently added several horse-related books to our collection! Check them out to give you a fresh perspective on your equine friends and partners.

Winter is a great time to slow down and try something new with the equines in your life. As my horse (and mule) and I get older, I’ve found a lot of satisfaction, joy and success in learning more about the mind of the horse and the mechanics of their bodies.

Even if you’re not a horse owner or active equestrian, if you love and are fascinated by horses, you may find might find some of the training books interesting. Continue reading “New Horse Books”

Q&A With Kathleen Basi, Author of “A Song for the Road”

Posted on Wednesday, January 12, 2022 by Decimal Diver

Kathleen Basi is a Columbia, MO author whose first novel is “A Song for the Road.” The book follows Miriam, who starts an unconventional road trip across the U.S. to grieve her family and face up to her choices. The story is a hopeful exploration of human frailty, resilience and the healing power of music. Basi is a classical flutist who’s composed a number of works for instrumental and choral ensembles. Her writing can be found in Apeiron Review, Chicken Soup for the Soul and NPR’s All Things Considered. She was kind enough to take the time to be interviewed via email. Continue reading “Q&A With Kathleen Basi, Author of “A Song for the Road””

First Thursday Book Discussion – Black History-Themed Picture Books

Posted on Tuesday, January 11, 2022 by cs

collage of picture books

Join us for our monthly virtual book discussion on Thursday, February 3 from 12-1 p.m. This month we’ll depart from our usual format to discuss some picture books with Black history themes. Adults can find value in reading picture books, which provide an introduction to a subject and are often illustrated with beautiful artwork.

Here are the books to read for our discussion:

  • “The Undefeated” by Kwame Alexander
  • “Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre” by Carole Boston Weatherford
  • “Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks” by Suzanne Slade
  • “Pies from Nowhere: How Georgia Gilmore Sustained the Montgomery Bus Boycott” by Dee Romito
  • “Swish! The Slam-dunking, Alley-ooping, High-flying Harlem Globetrotters” by Suzanne Slade
  • “We Shall Overcome: The Story of a Song” by Debbie Levy
  • “Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race” by Margot Lee Shetterly
  • “Game Changers: The Story of Venus and Serena Williams” by Lesa Cline-Ransome

Register for a Zoom link.