We're Thankful For You

At a time like this, a time of the year when we give thanks, we want you to know that we're thankful for you.
You're the one who comes to our library and works diligently at a computer, searching for a job. You're the one who uses one of the computers to keep in touch with your loved one in the military. You're the one who sits every day, working hard to further your education. We see you. We know who you are.
We're thankful for you as you come once a week to gather books to take to shut-ins, as you load up arm-loads of books to read to your children, and as you buy our sale books to put on your own library shelves or give to friends.
And to the teacher who brings the little tots in for storytimes, we're thankful for you. That makes us thankful, also, for the mother and father who bring their children to the Children's Library. Sometimes we see you sit with them and read a story; sometimes we see you let them pick out a book to take home. We're thankful you're teaching your children to love books.
We also see you as you roam the shelves, looking for that one special book. Or when you stand in front of the audio and CD books and spin the shelves, looking, looking, looking. We're thankful also for you as you check out the DVDs and VHSs for your entertainment.
For you who call in or come by to reserve a meeting time in the auditorium, for you who needs a paper laminated or copied, and for you who pays that late fine, we are thankful for you.
We're thankful when you come to read our newspapers and magazines, when you compliment us on our displays and thank us for our assistance. You make our day with your kind words.
We also thank you for visiting the Odom Genealogical Library. We appreciate you telling us how glad you are that we're here to help you locate some lost relative, help you climb your family tree, or make copies of that important family document.
You open our doors hundreds of times a year. You drop off books in the book drop by the tons. You visit our library from the time it opens at 8:30 a.m. until it closes at 5:30 p.m., and later on Tuesdays. We're glad we're here for you.
And to you, our Board member, who meets to decide which path we need to take next, we say thank you. Thank you for caring, for being present at the meetings, and for your guidance.
Those of us who work here at the library say to our director, Melody Jenkins, we're thankful for your direction, for your dedication, and hours, months and years of hard work.
At this time of the year, during the Thanksgiving season, we are thankful for our library. We know you are too. You show it in many ways all during the year.
We will be closed from Wednesday, November 25th, until Monday, November 30th. When Monday comes, we'll be thankful to be here for you again.

There's No Getting Around It...I'm Joining In!

Yep! I did it! I've joined the ranks of those who are preparing for Christmas.
This is the time of the month when I plan ahead for the hall calendar and the displays, among the other things I plan for (like our staff Pecan Tasting event on the 24th).
When you walk into our office, you'll hear Christmas music playing. My favorite station has become theradio.com on my computer, where I've clicked into their Christmas music and minimize it so it'll play all day long.
This morning I've been working on Miss Norma's "Children's Book Pick of the Month," meaning her Christmas book. It's author Tomie dePaola's Book of Christmas Carols. DePaola's love of Christmas and its traditions are evident in the magnificent illustrations he has created for the favorite carols in the book. For six of the carols, a foldout page opens up to reveal the carol dramatically illustrated across three pages, in a triptych-like design.
Our genealogist, Miss Irene, chose two books for the "Genealogy Book Pick of the Month." One, Civil War Celebrations, tells not only of holidays and festivities during the Civil War, but it also gives you great old Southern recipes. How about these: Molasses Pie, Christmas Eggnog, "Maybesome" Cranberry Sauce, and Mrs. Brotheton's Mincemeat Recipe.
The second book, Civil War Christmases, gives nine stories that echo the passions of a sensitive heart and of a devoted faith. As you read them, you'll learn more about the Civil War era and about
yourself.
One thing I'll do today is pull more Christmas books for our displays. And every staff member has been encouraged to bring special Christmas ornaments for our front lobby display cases.
"It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" is being sung in our office right now. I might as well join in, huh?
But I haven't forgotten Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

We Had The Most Wonderful Time

We held our second annual Veterans' Coffee last Friday, November 13th. We were just one of many celebrations in town to honor our Veterans during the week, and we had the most wonderful
time.
Our director, Melody Jenkins, started the program off with a heartfelt welcome, and then everyone stood and said the Pledge of Allegiance. Afterwards, Melody read the wonderful rendition of the Pledge as once said by Red Skelton. If you've never heard it (and you can find it on YouTube), you should. It will bring tears to your eyes.
Next, Dr. Hugh Ward, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Moultrie, brought the Invocation. His words of thankfulness and compassion echoed many people's thoughts.
Then Melody announced the names of the people who worked on the Veterans' interviews. Members of the Colquitt County High School's video team were Becca Evers and Dusti Hall. Their teacher was Samantha Hardin. And the videographer was the person who pulled the whole thing together, Mr. Beau Sherman of South Georgia Governmental Services Authority.
Of course, they had help, and such distinguished help made us all proud to know them.
The Veterans that were interviewed were: Jack Bridwell, Hinton Reeves, Hoyt Whelchel, Jim Kirk, Manis V. Long, Judson McLean, Hiller Gammage, Dr. Walter Harrison, Jr., Clarence J. Summerford, Emery J. Suber, and Howard Hall.
Beau Sherman made DVDs of their interviews about their years in the service. Copies of the DVDs were presented not only to the Veterans, but to Ann Glass, chairperson of the Catherine M. Bryant Veterans History Project at the library, and Jack Bridwell of the museum of Colquitt County History. The DVDs will be available at the library and museum for patrons to view.
After the program, the guests filled their plates with food and watched the interviews as they were shown to the
audience.
And food!!! Goodness, there was food galore!!! All provided by library staff members, as well as members of the John Benning Chapter of NSDAR, the Moultrie McNeil Chapter of UDC, the Moultrie Federated Guild, and Friends of the Library. Flowers were also provided by Ms. Mildred Rentz.
It's wonderful that the City of Moultrie took the time to come together and celebrate the service and dedication of our Veterans. It's something that we should do everyday, not just once or twice a year. I heard the other day that we now have only 93 World War II Veterans living. Of course, we have Veterans from all the other campaigns, and somewhere in the future their numbers will dwindle also.
In the meantime, when you see a Veteran, be sure to shake his hand and tell him how much you appreciate what he gave to help keep you free in our home of the brave.

This Cool Weather Makes Me Hungry!

When the weather turns a little bit cool, it makes me think of yummy winter foods.
During the past week I've made two huge Dutch-oven pots of stew. You know the kind. They are filled with carrots, celery, onion, potatoes, tomatoes and (for me) chunks of beef.
I even made German chocolate muffins last night! You'd think I'm like those little squirrels we see running around this time of year, hiding nuts in every nook and cranny. But I'm loading my freezer with stew and muffins instead of nuts.
This morning I looked on the Web at the different holidays for November and saw this week is National Split Pea Soup Week. Now, I'm not a big fan of split pea soup, but it did encourage me to look in our PINES catalogue to see what other foods I could cook up for my freezer.
How about these:
***Rice, Spice and Bitter Oranges,
***Soups, Stews, Casseroles,
***Red Flannel Hash and Shoo-fly Pie,
***Fix It and Forget It (this was a slow-cooker recipe book), and
***Food, Fun and Fable.
Of course, Paula Deen always has tons of good winter recipes and lots of funny comments. And we have several of her books we can check out.
Being a Weight Watcher, I try to make sure my recipes are within my point system, but occasionally I fail. Wonder how big a bite of a German chocolate muffin isonly two points!
You know, I suppose I'm doomed before I begin filling my freezer. After all, here comes Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays.
And I'm hungry already....

It's Not Even Thanksgiving And We're Thinking Christmas

Today I noticed our Christmas Wish List on the processing area's work table. It's that time again, and we've not even had Thanksgiving yet.
However, you have to take into consideration the game plan. Our Christmas Wish List is there for us to fill out because the big Calico Arts and Crafts Show will be in town this weekend. And everyone here at work usually fills in our Christmas Wish List so the person who draws our name will know what we want. That way they can get it at the Calico Show, if they so desire.
That means we have to think about Christmas before Thanksgiving gets here. And that's really hard for me to do.
We're also putting up Christmas decorations where I live. Some neighbors have Christmas wreaths on their doors. Some have lighted and moving deer in their yards, as well as decorated Christmas
trees.
But again, you have to take into consideration the game plan. On Thanksgiving Day evening, we will have the lighting of the Christmas tree on the Courthouse Square and the lights that are strung across the streets. Everything will be Christmassy-shiny on the evening of November 26th. So, our apartment complex decided to "light up" at the same time.
Well, I thought about what I wanted to put on the Christmas Wish List. My first request is always another book (not that I need any more). There are just so many on my list to read, and even though I can check out most of them from the library, there is an occasional one I'd like to have in my private library.
But I didn't ask for a book. Instead I thought long and hard about all those great Christmas movies that will be coming out, and I asked for a discount ticket booklet to the movies.
I don't intend to put up my Christmas decorations until after Thanksgiving. I'll go to the Calico Show and look around, and maybe pick up something for someone for Christmas. But I really like the logical order to things.
I like Thanksgiving first, then decorating for Christmas.
But I'll be right there in the middle of the crowd on Thanksgiving Day evening when they light up the Courthouse Square. And I'll probably visit Books 'n' More, too. I might find that book I'm looking for along with a hot chocolate to drink.
I really don't want to be called a Scrooge.

The Children Are Meeting Peanut, The Library Dog

The Children's Library has been all abuzz lately about Peanut Butter McKellar.
Peanut, as his owner, Miss Norma, our Children's Librarian, calls him, is a black and tan dashchund. Norma said he's called a "tweener-weiner," because he's between a regular and miniature
dashchund in size.
Peanut is one year old with a birthday of October 20th. Miss Norma got him when he was four months old. He weighs almost 13 pounds, is very friendly, and doesn't growl. He has big black eyes, long floppy ears, little tan dots on his cheeks, and a tail that doesn't stop moving, unless he's sitting very still with Miss Norma.
Miss Norma said he is growing up to be a reading therapy dog. That doesn't mean he reads, but it does mean he listens. She said he is in training at Pet Smart in Valdosta and they have gone through one class already. He's so smart, he is now moving up into the intermediate class.
The program in the Children's Library this month is called "Be Paws-ative." So far, six groups of little children have seen Peanut. Many are eager to pet him, but some are cautious; only a few get very concerned.
Peanut is a delightful little puppy, most eager to share his doggy kisses. He's going to be in close competition with the Library Mouse, a creature I'm sure he'd love to give doggy kisses to also.

I Found Miss Tizzy

Occasionally, I don't want to write the blog. The words just don't seem to come to me, and I promised I'd write things about the library that would interest you. But, like I said, some days the words just don't come.
It's on days like these that I take myself for a walk around the library, checking up on who's here and what's going on. Of course, I start in the Genealogy Library and work my way down the long white hallway.
We have "Our Memory Wall" up again this year with the hopes that the public will recognize some of the faces in the pictures. We're still trying to identify many people. Maybe when we hold the Veterans' Coffee, someone will add to our identification struggle.
My walk always ends up in the Children's Library, and it's there I take peeks into various children's books.
Today I found Miss Tizzy.
This is a lovely, little story about a woman with personality. She's an individual with a purple hat and high-top green tennis shoes. And she loves the neighborhood children.
Each day of the week she has something planned to do with them. On Mondays, they bake. On Tuesdays, they make puppets and have a show. On Wednesday, she plays her bagpipes and the children form a band with spoons and pans. Each day is a special day with Miss
Tizzy.
Toward the end of the book, the children turn the story into a real work of love. You'll have to read it for yourself. I won't give the end away. But it is a lovely, little story.
"Miss Tizzy" is written by Libba Moore Gray and illustrated by Jada Rowland. The pictures are beautiful watercolors, full of patterns and shapes.
I'm going to put Miss Tizzy back in the Children's Library in the "EG" section. But I won't leave empty-handed. I'm sure I'll find another book just as lovely.
Why don't you see if you can find Miss Tizzy?

How About That Fall Weather?

Wasn't it wonderful to open the windows and let that good, cool fresh air float in? I tried to think of all the words that describe "fall" weather...things like crisp, refreshing, cool, colorful
leaves, etc.
This time of the year makes me think of apples and apple pies, pumpkins and pumpkin pies, turkeys and dressing...sounds like Thanksgiving Day things, huh? And all food, too!
It's the first of November and we've changed out the displays here at the library. But they are not all about food.
This is the month we are honoring our Veterans. This is the month when Veterans Day occurs. Did you remember that? It is always recognized on November 11th. In Canada, it's called Remembrance Day.
We have highlighted "Honoring Our Veterans" by placing things of remembrance in three glass cases in the front foyer. There are hats, caps and a helmet. There are medals and pictures and dog tags. Across the top of the cabinets are books about soldiers with stories related to them.
The library will also host its Veterans Coffee on Friday, November 13th, from 9 to 11 a.m., and we are expecting a special group of people to attend. But more about that later.
Getting out in this fall weather would be a good time to visit the library and see the displays.
The one in the main foyer is arranged to help you "Look for your blessings." And you'll find several books with that specific word in their titles.
In the bookrack beside the circulation desk, you'll find books about Thanksgiving. On the reading area table are books about turkeys, and on the table leading to the Children's Library are books about pumpkins. Oh, yes...there are some audio books included also.
Still sounds like I'm thinking about food, doesn't it?
Well. This is a good time of the year to think about food. Especially apples. And pumpkins. And turkeys.