The New and "Improved" Library

Anyone who knows me well, knows how I feel about the library in our fair city.  It is an old hardware store that was supposed to be a temporary arrangement, but ended up being there for decades.

You can read more of my rantings in this post. (Sorry if that doesn't work, I've never tried it before.)

Fast forward to June, 2013.  There is finally a new library in town - downtown, in fact.  It is also a former hardware store (ironic) but it has been remodeled into a really beautiful building.  It is large, spacious and looks like a library, not a cinder block building.  I was ecstatic to hear there was finally a solution to a big problem, I was able to volunteer a little when they were getting ready to move to the new building and I was eagerly awaiting the opening day...
You can see it was a great effort, and it is about the farthest thing from looking like a hardware store.  You can't see the benches in front, but there are quotes, and mosaics, and the round thing in front is a sort of fountain.  Who wouldn't love this library in their town???

Here's the thing - it is a huge disappointment to me.  Maybe I am being overly sensitive about the whole thing, and not grateful enough.  I am not sure what to think.

The first thing that was hard to swallow was the fact that instead of using the dewey decimal system to catalog the books, they used a new system called BI-SAC.  It categorizes the books by subject.  A book about quilting may have a label on it like  QUILTING
                                                               HOW TO
                                                               BURNS
It basically dumbs things down so people don't have to find the call number, then find the book.  They still have to look it up on a computer, and still have to find the book.  I learned about this because my job as a volunteer was to put the new labels on the books.  It made me sad.  I can't tell you why, but I have always loved the Dewey Decimal System.  It really makes sense to me.  BI-SAC seems like there could be a lot of mistakes, and I know for a fact more than one book was mislabeled during the process.

The other thing that is stuck in my craw is the quantity of books.  This new building is huge, and there is a second floor, and there is ROOM FOR LOTS OF BOOKS.  I know (also as a result of volunteering) that many titles were deleted because the library powers that be wanted the library to be open and spacious.  Not crowded...even with books!!! ) I find that totally oxymoronic, if that may apply here!  What better use for space in a library than for books? (I am almost certain the chapter book section is smaller than the old space.  Trevor was sure there were more books upstairs, but after today, I will have to tell him that is all there is!  :(

I really don't understand either of these things.  Maybe I have been an ostrich with my head in the sand, and libraries are on their way out.  This last disappointment may be the evidence that is true.  There are two big screens in the teen area for video games!!!  Really???  That is about the last thing I would want my teenagers to go to the library for!  And, really, I don't have any qualms about taxes that may go to the library, but video games is not something I am excited to pay for!  We don't even have them in our home - except WII, which I suppose is considered a game system, but I don't consider it like I would a PS3 or X-Box.

Anyway, since it was a busy summer, I really haven't had a chance to explore our new library.  Today I had to pick up a book on CD so I took a few minutes to look around.  Well, you know how I feel.  Really sad that something with so much potential is not living up to it!  Really, really sad.  :(

Even better red peppers...Day 7 GBE

I'm not sure anyone is keeping track besides me, but it is day 7 and I am still getting it done!!  Believe me, no one is more surprised than I am!!!

Now on to more peppers and a summer recipe...

I was so excited with my previous "best red pepper ever" but I have to amend that and say that the pepper on the left is now the best red pepper I have ever grown!!  Of course, it isn't perfect, and I photographed its best side, but who doesn't like that to happen?   I have to say it is definitely the best one to date.  I can't even hope to top it, but what a treat it will be if I do!!!  (Let's give credit where it is due...I have a feeling my pepper success has to do with the fact that John had a big part in making sure the garden got watered every day, and my kids who were often the ones I sent down to turn on that water.  So really, maybe its the best red pepper they have ever grown!!  :)

At any rate, here is a favorite summer recipe that uses garden veggies, and is really yummy!  (I could have used a red pepper in it, but chose to save these to roast and use on paninis!!  Also yummy!!

Fire and Ice

6 large firm, ripe tomatoes (I like to use romas I often use two smaller ones to equal one)

1 large green pepper, seeded

1 red onion (I always use a yellow, or a Walla Walla Sweet if I have one.)

1 cucumber

DRESSING:

3/4 cup vinegar

1 1/2 tsp celery salt

1 1/2 tsp mustard seed

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

4 1/2 tsp sugar

1/8 tsp red pepper (cayenne)

1/4 cup cold water

Cut tomatoes into 4 or 8 parts.  You can skin them if you want, I never do.  Slice green pepper into strips.  Slice onion into rings.  Place in a bowl.  Heat dressing ingredients until boiling.  Let boil hard for 1 minute.  While hot, pour over vegetables.  Chill, stirring occasionally.  Just before serving add sliced cucumber.  (I often add them with the other vegetables.  (The tomatoes will keep for days in the fridge.  Fresh cukes can be added as they will get soft.

Serves 8

Enjoy!!! 

GBE Day 6 - Young Womenhood Recognition

Amber and Co. with their medallions and certificates of completion.

This group of girls received their YW Recognition all together.  For Amber, this was a great achievement.  There were times she declared she was done with Personal Progress, there were times when she'd get geared back up, and then times she would wane again.  But in the end, she persevered and earned her medallion.  We couldn't be prouder of her.  

As you may or may not know, the girls have to complete eight 10-hour projects as part of the process.  Some of the projects Amber did were reading the Book of Mormon (mandatory for the Virtue value project), planning and preparing meals for 2 weeks, participating on the High School Tennis Team, and probably her least favorite, making a quilt.  Her favorite was her Faith Project in which she studied the Preach My Gospel book during Mission Prep.  (There is a potential blog post in and of itself).  You can see that it is a very cute quilt, but she didn't enjoy the process beyond picking out the pattern and the fabric.  Again, she finished, although, not without a lot of, shall we say, encouragement from me. :)

The very cute quilt, made by a girl who loves wearing rain boots.

The important thing in all of this is that she completed the program, and did it because she wanted to, and because of that it will bring blessings into her life.  

Good job, Amber!!!

Day 5 of GBE, and the end of the season...maybe

"Our spot"

 Summer is waning, and although I am excited for the crisp autumn air, the yummy fall food, and getting to wear my favorite clogs and cardigans, I do hate to see our time at the river draw to a close.  Today was possibly our last day at the river and it was a beaut!!!  
 This is "our" spot and today, although we had to share our rocky beach with a few other people, we were not disappointed.  The air was still, which means the water was smooth, which means the Trev and Amber enjoyed some quality time on the wakeboard.  

Trev making a sweet "dismount" (not sure what you call the end of a ride!)

Kristin is always happy to get her dose of Vitamin D!

Loading up at the end of a pretty close to perfect day!  (My kids have been incapable all summer of just smiling in pictures!!  Drive me crazy!!)

And today, in a break with tradition, all 5 of us mounted the jet skis and headed downriver for a ride.  It wasn't terribly far, and we stopped for a bit to let the kids swim, but it was nice to just ride and enjoy the rocky walls lining the river on one side, and the farmland on the other.  I feel gratitude for the beautiful earth we live on, and the safe and free country we live in!!

Day 4 - Summer Harvest and Vegetable Tian

The garden has been producing zucchini and yellow squash, plus cucumbers for about a month, but just recently the tomatoes and peppers have come on.

This is the best red pepper I have EVER grown!!  I know its not much, but I'm so proud!!

The zucchini has given me fits because I have tried all season to get them when they are small like the one pictured.  If you've ever grown this vegetable, you know that in the morning it won't be quite big enough, so you intent to pick it in the evening, but of course, you forget, so the next morning, it is large enough to be Fred Flinstone's club!!  AAUUGGHH!!!  (Actually the same goes for the crookneck squash!!  What is it about summer squash anyway?)

At any rate, there have been some successes, and tonight I was able to create this yummy and very pretty dish.  Its called a vegetable tian.  Maybe you know what tian means, but I didn't, so here is a definition for all of us.   

"Tian is a French word that describes an earthenware square or rectangular casserole dish.  A tian can be a variety of dishes but originally referred to a Provencal-style mix of vegetables that are cooked, baked or roasted in a gratin style."  

This definition comes from this website http://aspoonfulofthyme.blogspot.com/2011/05/what-is-vegetable-tian.html

Well, that explains why I was attracted to this dish!!  French Provencal-Style? I am there!!  This is from a recipe Chelsie posted on Pinterest, and it is yummy, but here is a tip...When it says to season the dish, really season it, don't just sprinkle a little salt, pepper and italian seasoning on it.  It can take some serious flavor.  And I didn't use potatoes, because the first time I made it, I didn't care for them, so they are gone!

This is a perfect way to use up those fresh vegetables, and is a nice change from sauteed, or steamed then mashed squash.  YUM!!

GBE Day 3 - The day after

The day after the wedding we went to church with Shannon and Steven.  The building we went to was right next to the Newport Beach Temple, so after Sacrament Meeting and before we took Mom to the airport, we took a few minutes to snap some pictures of this beautiful building.  

You will note that the people in this picture are pretty small, but I couldn't resist getting as much of the temple in the picture as I could.  

The history of this temple is interesting.  It was paid for by the members in the area.  Some paid as much as 30% tithing to help pay for it.  The original stone for the exterior was white, but the residents wanted it to blend in with the surrounding structures.  A local business had ordered the pinkish stone for a project and wanted white, so a switch was made and the result is what you see.  

It was a great experience to be in this temple, and I am grateful my kids were able to see it.  

Day 2 of the Great Blogging Experience (GBE)...

Its back to school time, so that means it's soccer time.  Time to head out to the pitch and watch the Bengals battle it out with their competitors.  

Kristin's first game was Monday, against arch-rival Coeur d'Alene High School.  The Vikings brought their A-game, but so did the Bengals who ended up on top 4-3.  Kristin said the Varsity team already has the same record as last year in league play!!  ;)  Maybe this bodes well for the team.  

Kristin got quite a bit of playing time, was credited with one assist, and was in front of the goal with the ball.  Unfortunately, the angle was bad and it wasn't possible to get her foot on that ball.  :(  But, she was pleased with her performance, the team was ecstatic to win, and everyone went home happy!!  They even lucked out and had a nice, dark cloud cover the sun for a large portion of the game!  That was a blessing for players and fans alike!!  

As a side note - I think I finally understand offsides...all those years of soccer have paid off!!  :)

Back-to-school time also means the first day of school, which was today!!  Kristin headed off bright and early to participate in Bengal Connections, and Trevor was so happy when he realized he doesn't have to wait for anyone like he did last year, so he won't have to worry about being late!!  That put a little extra spring in his step!!