Go Green

Maybe it was just the recent St. Patrick's Day celebrations or maybe the realization that there is more than one way to "go green" led me to the book "Green For Life" by Victoria Boutanko.

Always looking for a healthier, yet easy, remedy to what ails us, "Green For Life" begins by comparing the normal human diet to that of the chimpanzee. Okay, so I almost returned the book right there but I'm glad that I didn't.

The descriptions of various case studies and people's responses to drinking one quart of green smoothie a day for a month were inciteful and the recipes at the end were great.

I do prefer the sweet versions as opposed to the recipes for savory smoothies. I don't care if one is described as "Igor's Favorite", the addition of red onion and plum tomatoes and garlic were just a little much for me. After trying a few of the recipes though I became comfortable with winging it. Pretty much fill your blender with half greens and half fruit, two cups of filtered water and turn it on. Romaine, turnip greens, and yes, even kale are wonderful examples of cheap greens to use and apples, kiwi, red grapes, and even frozen fruit like bagged strawberries are great to use as long as there's no added sugar.

So drink up.

Never to Early to Get Creative

Never to early to cook up some plans for the summer. Right now the Amherst Public Library is planning their next "Great American Bake Sale" as part of Share Our Strength's fundraiser to end childhood hunger.

This year you can bring items in for the bake sale that takes place on Saturday, July 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. We are looking for donations of baked goods that can be brought to the library before closing on Friday, July 10 before 5 p.m.

But wait! Why not get creative and enter out Creative Cupcake Contest. Yes you could win one of our coveted Golden Spatula awards. Bring in one dozen cupcakes (or the equivalent) for judging and one dozen for the bake sale. Have all items at the Amherst Public Library before 5 p.m. on Friday, July 10. Judging will be after the library closes that Friday and winners will be announced at the bake sale on Saturday.

Judging this year's contest is a special team from The Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York.

You can also donate to our virtual bake sale by visiting our team page. Visit Share Our Strength on line to learn more about this organization's fight against childhood hunger.

While the boss is away...

When all you do is look at metadata all day you need to take a break. And that's just what happened yesterday as blenders whirred and fruit concoctions like Strawberry Surprize and Mango Mania were downed by thirsty guests.

In reality the guests were teens taking part in the Amherst Public Library's Teen Beach Day. Thirsty students were thankful for the fruity refreshment that went along with beach buckets of popcorn and lots of Guitar Hero on the library's two X-Box 360s.

"This was the best teen event ever" replied on happy guest who even stayed to run the vacuum cleaner. Hey when you can get a teenager to clean up then they must have had fun.

Of course some of the librarians were more than happy to test out some of the recipes before the program began. What exactly was in the blender you ask? Hey, what happens at the library, stays at the library.

The library has books on smoothie recipes and other refreshing drinks to that anyone can replicate the fun at home with just a few simple ingredients. Check out some of the great books we offer here at the library.

Cynthia Clark's 60 Smoothis Sensations

by Cynthia Clark

and Punch

by Colleen Mullaney

Books are Magically Delicious

It's never too late to learn.

I took a magic class at Jinxed Magic in Brooklyn, Ohio. Located off of Ridge Road this shop specializes in costumes and has a fantastic collection of items for sale and rent. But recently my friend Zap the magician held a five week workshop for anyone interested in magic.

The small group that collected there on Saturday mornings varied greatly in age, say 8 to 88, and there were also a wide level of magic know-how.

If you can't make it to a magic lesson near you, head to the library where videos and books are just waiting to help you with that card trick, disappearing coin, or vanishing rope. Look for books and movies under the call number 793.8. That's Dewey for "Magic".

Oh, and that book on cup and ball tricks....I still have that out.

Nuevos Libros!

Hola amigos! Me llamo Cheryl and I've got news about some new resources at the Amherst Public Library. We've added a small collection of Spanish language reading materials. Multi-linqual families as well as students and home schoolers are always looking for materials to help them retain and learn Spanish. Now we offer some reading materials that go beyond the regular language tapes.
The library has always had a variety of language books to teach different levels of Spanish, Italian, German, French and even Japanese, Chinese, Hungarian....well, as you can see the list goes on and on.

Visit the children's department of the library to check out some of these new titles:

Diario de Greg un Renacuajo (Diary of a Wimpy Kid)

Ramona la Chinche

Scooby-Doo! yel Castillo Hechizado

Stuart Little

Winny de Puh

Stink el Increible Nino Menguante

El Gran dia de Lily

The Storyteller's Candle La velita de los cuentos

and a great magazine, Iguana, filled with stories, cartoons, puzzles, and great articles about kids from around the world.
If you have ideas for future titles please let us know.
Buenos dias!