Summer heat leads to Autumn breezes- – –

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Squirrel Eating Acorn

From Labor Day to Patriot Day and Autumn’s haunting call, this month reaches out to pull on your memories and  walk you through life’s changes. This is  a month of enchanting color to push you onward toward a quiet reverie as memory reclaims your longings.

What can the Fall do to fulfill your dreams and brighten memories? A tug at your heart, a whisper to your brain will lift your heart towards old memories and new good times. No one can see what you feel, but you can fully feel what you see in a turn of season.

Watch children race toward a pile of leaves, yellow, orange, tan and red. In a flash of energy they leap and spray the leafy mount, rolling and falling toward a merry heap of arms and legs reaching for the exhilaration of the season. Anyone else watching might wish for such freedom, and resist the display of childlike feelings. Little ones recognize a wondrous event and dive right in. Shouldn’t we all, in some way?

Never resist the call to enjoy nature’s call for play or the fragrance of a zesty Autumn! It’s a treat!

School bells ring–are ya listening?

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It’s Fall, y’all, and the youngsters are heading back to school. It’s a great time of year for the children, as they will soon begin to have lots of friends and fun both during and after school.

Their parents will also enjoy this season for many reasons. There’s a break from parental oversight while they’re in school. School will provide plenty of activities for children to enjoy and for parents to see and hear also.

Some of the most enlightening things happen at teachers’ conferences and sports events–not to mention school plays and band events. Members of the same family can easily enjoy the talents each member has at these moments, and quite often there are great things to brag about and a few funny ones to giggle over.

Now, I’m not saying that school isn’t a serious business. For goodness sake, I taught Junior High and High School students for 15 years. But the parts that stick in your heart the most should be the fun, the learning, and ‘oopses’ that go along with it.

Memories of these times can be something to cling to in not-so-fun times and revived to encourage us all to cling to our past a little. Have a great year kiddos. Enjoy, enjoy, parents. I’m a parent and grandparent and I wouldn’t trade any of the serious or hilarious times.

Have fun teachers, principals, lunchroom cooks, school nurse and all the other folks who live at school. It’s worth it.                                                                                                    Image result for school days images

Be Cool, Back to School

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July will soon slide into August and many wonderful opportunities are looking for you, kids. You still have a few short weeks of summer fun, of course, and that is a real opportunity.

One thing you could do is take a vacation to somewhere close that is not expensive and yet full of fun; like: the County Fair in your area–or a rodeo if it’s close enough. Explore area lakes and rivers (with your family and friends) and find out how great it is to be a Nebraskan. Some Nebraskans enjoy inviting their neighbors for an outdoor dinner, especially if they live in the country. Someone who might be visiting from out of state would most likely love an invitation to a country barbecue (or even a small town barbecue): does anyone have Gov.Pete Ricketts’ email?

Other ideas might include visiting grandparents wherever they live or inviting them to your outdoor barbecue.

You might even try writing a card or note to the teacher you will be working with next school year: tell he or she what your best qualities are or an activity that you’ve never tried in school–like being pen-pals with the principal.

Summers are short but there is still some time to look around and describe to your mom or dad what is best about Nebraska summers. Better yet write a pen pal and invite them to see how much fun we have.

Remember always that if you and your friends were born in Nebraska, there are many children who weren’t. You could start a Pen Pal Club  with your classmates and write to those children asking them what is  the best feature of their state. How do you find them? Start with cousins or friends who live elsewhere. Or when you go back to school ask the new kids who just arrived. It’s a great way to find a new friend.

And don’t forget to tell everyone how great the weather is here in good old Nebraska!

‘pretty little june bug walkin’ along, wings whistlin’ makin’ a song’

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Image result for cartoon june bugWedding plans ‘n’marching bands carry us on. Sunny parades share a summer song. Flags of our Fathers steel  our hearts and weld our pride. Time’s a wastin’ ; and that’s no lie.

Wedding plans ‘n’marching bands carry us on. Colorful parades toast  a summer song. Flags of our Fathers steel  our hearts and Time’s a wastin’ to do our part.

*On June 7, at 4:30 p.m., Jeff Quinn will entertain us with magic, laughter and music at the Battle Creek Elementary Gym.

*Visit  the Lied Battle Creek Public Library on June 21, 2 p.m. to enjoy some great music, featuring Connie Lade and her guitar.  Refreshments are quite possible and fun is guaranteed.Image result for wedding

May, we join you . . .

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The current month is justifiably important to Americans. Three holidays present a real picture of the devotion of our people to ‘life, liberty and the American way’. Most citizens of this world love their home country and its celebrations of life, to be sure. But the month of May in the USA represents some of our deepest, emotional ties to each other as citizens.

Mother’s Day (this year May 13) reconnects families in so many ways. American families rely so much on their mothers for family history, traditions, and what’s cooking on special occasions. Togetherness is represented on this day in May as a tradition. Without Mom there would be no family. Dad, of course, gets his due on Father’s Day in somewhat the same way. He’s the head of the household, its leader and guide. Yet Mother is the glue, the emotional center of the family. Both are needed and respected.

Armed Forces Day on May 19 is a tradition in the USA evolving over the years of conflict and struggle to maintain our way of life, and protect our citizens. Celebrating and honoring the American soldier, who fought and sometimes died in defense of this land, is an honor we cannot forgo. As time has a way of changing things, our Armed Forces are not just men, but also women these days. We salute those who face great struggles and desperate times on behalf of our country. And we admire those who come through the strife with a quiet pride at our country’s progress.

Last, but not least, Memorial Day is an honor and duty Americans serve with gratefulness. Memorial Day represents the Americans who fought and died, or served and survived, perhaps. But it is also a time to remember fellow citizens who pass away and are remembered for their part in our way of life.  Truly, this month gives us much to reflect on and to talk proudly about.

Oh, there are many times in a year Americans celebrate their fellow citizens and their country. And it’s good to think about how lucky we are to work here together–to challenge each other and congratulate our country on its ability to move ahead and to glance back in time somehow.

Libraries Lead in Nebraska

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National Library Week will be observed April 8-14, sponsored by the American Library Association and libraries all across our country. There are many types of libraries that participate: school, public, academic, and special. All share leadership in information and education for our citizens. The dedication to accurate and unprejudiced information is a keystone to our nation’s progress and development.

Celebrations for National Library Week include: National Library Workers Day (April 10, 2018), a day for recognition of library staff, administrators, users, Foundations and Friends groups and of efforts of local governments to support these local entities that work with them and for them.

On Wednesday of National Library Week (April 11, 2018), many libraries celebrate  National Bookmobile Day, recognizing the outreach made possible in many communities and rural areas.

On Thursday of National Library Week (April 12, 2018), we celebrate Take Action for Libraries Day. This is an effort to advocate for support of local libraries’ efforts to improve opportunities for all segments of our society, and to equip citizens with information and opportunities to improve their way of life.

Local libraries do more than house important documents, books and other resources. They can provide a forum for discussion of the particular needs of the community and provide resources to equip local leaders with information that will support the needs of the community.

More than that, libraries support interaction among their citizens that feeds the need for knowledge and support for necessary action and discussion.

Lied Battle Creek Public Library staff believes in working with fellow librarians in our county, state, and region to promote the values of education, information, leadership and friendship. Come in during Library Week and discuss needs you see as incomplete in  service.

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March into a new season !

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This month is going to grab us by the hand and whisk us away. It’s already looking like Spring is coming: flocks of ducks flew overhead this morning when I came to work –and they were headed North! However, I was going South to the Public Library with sun shining in my face and a yellow cat running alongside my car as I headed for the river bridge. I don’t know where she was going.

Remnants of snow scattered along my path as I got closer to Battle Creek, and now at 1:40 pm, there are more puddles than little snow drifts along the street.

Business was a little slow from 9 a.m. till closing. A few adults and a handful of children came in and retrieved books to read or movies to take home, but it’s possible other people were busy outside. Our small quota of  patrons didn’t stay too long either.

It’s a little nippy yet, but this looks good for the beginning of Spring. You know, those ducks were encouraging each other to keep flying–pretty loudly, too. It made me want to shout a little.

If the weather stays friendly, it will be somewhat harder to stay inside and work. It might be tempting to play hooky and enjoy  the weather. Who knows? A holiday might come along and rescue us. It’s been known to happen. Now what is the next holiday coming to our rescue???

And then it snowed! I guess the next holiday must be Grab Your Shovel Day,  right?

 

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My sun shines every day because of you!

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What is the most special day in the month of February?? It could be the day my mother was born. It could be the wedding date someone chose. Could it be the sad day my father died, five days before mother’s 50th birthday?

No! It has to be Valentine’s Day, February 14. Every year this holiday reminds us of someone, some event, a happy party, or a special valentine. And–it gives everyone a chance to remember a friend or a member of your family with a genuine expression of love. Many songs remind us: “what the world needs now is love, sweet love”.

Why is this holiday bigger than personal occasions? Because all of us need to reclaim our membership to humanity, to reach out where needed and spread a good word. Some may feel it’s silly and mushy, but tell that to someone living alone or someone lying in a hospital bed with no visitors. Greet your friends and neighbors. Encourage our little ones to share their happiness. Pat your dog’s head, just in case he’s forgotten who you are!

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January blows cold and wintery–

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So the New Year flies in and drags Old Man Winter with her, seeding the sidewalks with sleet, ice pellets and snow.

Oh, but the second week finds sunshine sparkling the snow left behind on the sidewalks, and the children come out to be squinting shyly in the sun, wondering where the rest of the snow bunnies went.

It’s a ragged world; changes occur with a gasp of breath and howl of frigid air. Where are we going this time? we ask. And the answer depends on where we stand: bravely in every gust or cowering inside, refusing to be tossed around.

Then the next Fury hurls sleet into the wind, splitting the clouds with ice and a wail. And with each gust the New Year sails ahead guiding and directing the tempest. How long can this continue? Where will the sails in the skies steer us?

Quiet settles with the snowflakes gently floating, and Howling drowns with a whimper, a cough and a sigh. Sunlight peeps down at a shifting sweep of white, as below, the tempest drifts quietly away. Silence assumes the end of another storm, and all sigh their relief.

January will chase into February soon, raising a song of hope. Something new may overtake our experience, raising a flag of triumph for a new day.

A New Year Approaches

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Soon December will exit, leaving us with memories of old connections renewed and new attachments invited.  What wonders await? Certainly the current weather trends inspire all to dress warmly, speak softly, and listen to the winds of time rushing at us with a new year.

If one reads too much into the headlines of each day, those winds wail of oncoming troubles. But between the lines there are and will be items of kindness and companionship, devotion to duty, blessings for all.   Image result for google images new year 2018

This is the season when our better selves are renewed with a breath of welcome to all, and a hope for caring for others. Christmas is about giving and it is passing, but taking that feeling into a new year will inspire all to try again, one more time, one more  day.