The JTPL Blog

Last night I stayed up until 2 a.m. finishing Father of the Rain by Lily King. I can’t remember the last time I was so caught up in a book that I really couldn’t put it down!

The story centers around Daley and her father Gardiner Amory, an alcoholic  Harvard-educated New England WASP, and begins around the time of Nixon’s impeachment. King never resorts to sentimentality in painting this riveting and poignant picture of a daughter yearning for her father’s love despite his considerable failings.

A perfect blend of beautiful writing, interesting and sympathetic characters, and a strong narrative  makes this novel a winner. I highly recommend it.

If you want to take a mini-vacation, there’s almost nothing better than sitting in a cool, darkened room and watching a movie.  Your body relaxes, your mind goes somewhere else for an hour or two, and if the movie is pleasing to you, your spirit is refreshed.

We’ve got two good films coming up at the library. On Friday, August 13 at 6:30 p.m., we have a Teen Pizza and Movie Night featuring Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland, and starring Johnny Depp and Mia Wasikowska. Take a journey with Alice as she falls into a strange world where she must battle the Jabberwocky and restore a Queen to her throne. (2010, PG).

On Thursday, August 19 at 1:30 p.m., we present Bright Star, written and directed by Jane Campion, and starring Abbie Cornish and Ben Whishaw.  Experience the passion anad romance between acclaimed poet John Keats and his beloved muse, which was cut short by Keats’ untimely death at age 25,  in this sweeping love story set in 1818 London. (2009, PG).

Please register for movie seating at www.jeffersonlibrary.net.

Anyone who says there’s nothing to do in Jefferson obviously was not in town this weekend!

Friday at the library there was an ocean mural painting for little children; there was a lava lamp science program for kids in 4th grade and older; there was gaming and snacks for kids aged 9-12; and for everyone there was “Rizzo’s Reptiles,” a fun and informative family program featuring live lizards, geckos, toads, snakes of all sizes and an adorable pigmy hedgehog.

Outside at the gazebo on Friday night, people enjoyed the live music of the Hellbenders. Township residents sat around the stage on blankets and chairs, enjoying a beautiful summer night.  I stood observing the crowd, and saw children and teens dancing, people singing and tapping their feet, and neighbors and friends talking and laughing.

Across the parking lot at the playground, kids of varied ages climbed, jumped, ran around, balanced on beams, swung on swings and generally enjoyed themselves. I saw a young family barbequing at one of the picnic tables.

While I didn’t attend, I passed by Camp Jefferson on Saturday evening and saw lots of cars in the lot. People were attending the Beatlemania show there, and I’m sure the place was rocking.

It’s wonderful to see so many people participating in township events, appreciating the beautiful outdoors and enjoying the summer of 2010!

The other night my coworker pointed out the fact that it’s getting darker earlier and earlier each night. We leave the library at 9 p.m., and for a couple of weeks there, we were leaving in the light. Recently, we’ve been leaving in the dusk, and soon we’ll be leaving in the dark. Summer is flying by quickly!

So, savor the month of August by getting out and enjoying the sun, the fresh air, and all the natural beauty this area has to offer. These books will give you some ideas.

Woodall’s Campground Directory -  the “definitive guide to campgrounds, with driving directions, contact information, facility descriptions, fees, etc. (796.542 Woo)

O’New Jersey by Robert Herde – eateries, daytripping, back roads, and funky adventures (917.49 Hei)

50 Hikes in New Jersey by Bruce Scofield – “walks, hikes and backpacking tips from the Kittatinnies to Cape May” (917.49 Sco)

New Jersey Getaways: The Complete Guide to Garden State Day Trips by Willa Speiser – parks, lighthouses, antiques, museums and more. (NJ 917.49 Spe)

A Guide to Green New Jersey by Lucy Rosenfeld – a guide to nature walks in Garden State gardens, forests, vineyards, orchards, etc. (NJ 917.49 Ros)

New Jersey Day Trips by Barbara Hudgens – A guide to outings in New Jersey and nearby areas of New York, Pennsylvania and Deleware. (NJ 917.4 Hud)

A Cruising Guide to New Jersey Waters by Captain Donald Launer – “Required reading for the recreational boater” (NJ 796.1 Lau)

And remember to visit the library. There are lots of programs for kids, teens and adults coming up in August. The days may be getting shorter, but there is still a lot of time left to have some summer fun!

I know it sounds like advice from a self-help book, but homemade lemonade is vastly superior to the kind you buy in the supermarket. I made some last Thursday, so I know.

We had a program here at the library that day called Food & Fun Along the Jersey Shore. Food historian Judith Krall-Russo gave a fascinating talk about the foods and summer activities that had been connected with the Jersey shoreline from Victorian times to the present. Some of the foods were cotton candy, peanuts, salt water taffy, tootsie rolls, popcorn, ice cream, clams, root beer and lemonade.

I volunteered to make lemonade. Here’s my recipe for 10 servings:

Juice of about 4 to 5 lemons; 4 cups cold water; 3/4 c. white sugar (or more if you like it really sweet.)

Combines the sugar and one cup of water in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and stir to disolve the sugar. Remove from the heat and allow this syrup to cool.

Stir together the cooled syrup,  the lemon juice, and the remaining 3 cups of water in a pitcher. Refrigerate to get it nice and cold.

Enjoy this old-fashioned treat on a hot summer day!

Before Springsteen was “The Boss” there was George Steinbrenner. He passed away today, having just reached his 80th birthday on the 4th of July.  To my mind, he was a New York icon, an astute businessman, and a winner.

I saw him in Cooperstown in the 80s, having dinner at a restaurant following the Hall of Fame induction ceremonies. My partner Jim went over and shook his hand. Jim’s 6′2″, and George seemed very small standing next to him. I always envisioned him “larger than life.” I remember that he was smiling, polite and very gracious.

If you want to read about him, there are some very good recent books to check out:

Steinbrenner: The Last Lion by Bill Madden; George: The Poor Little Rich Boy Who Built the Yankee Empire by Peter Golenbeck; and The Ballad of George & Billy: The Tempestuous Baseball Marriage of Billy Martin and George Steinbrenner by Phil Pepe.

It is so fitting that he passed away with the Yankees in first place! Rest in Peace Boss.

Today, the hottest day of the year so far, the air-conditioner in the library decided to give out. So, while it is cooler in here than it is outside, it’s not cool enough. It’s about 80 degrees:(

To kick it up a notch, we’re opening up our summer programs tonight with  “Splish Splash Rock ‘n Roll” a show  for kids, featuring performers Presley and Melody.  The performers were stuck in traffic, so they were late arriving and everyone is sitting here sweating. Don’t ya just love summer??

Hopefully the air conditioner will be fixed tomorrow!

Calling ALL readers — kids, teens and adults — to the library this summer to participate in summer reading clubs, programs and events.

Beginning on June 28, and any time thereafter, stop in at the library to sign up for a reading program. Kids can “Make a Splash”, teens can “Catch a Wave” and adults can “Water Your Mind” and while doing so, can earn incentive prizes and be eligible for drawings for gift certificates, gift cards and more.

Prizes are fun, and we all love them, but of course the best reason to read this summer is that books take us places we would not ordinarily be able to go! So get on board with summer reading at the library.

Join Pat Rector of the Rutgers Cooperative Extension Service at the library on Wednesday, June 30 at 3 p.m. to learn about rain barrels, rain gardens, controlling storm water runoff and working with Mother Nature in the garden.

Did you know that stormwater runoff threatens the integrity of our drinking water source, the water quality of streams that we swim in, and the habitat of fish and other aquatic life? Rain barrels are an important part of the solution, as they intercept stormwater before it runs across the landscape and into our waterways, and this stormwater can be used to water lawns and gardens, thereby conserving water and protecting our environment.

You may register at www.jeffersonlibrary.net, or just drop in.

Just a reminder that the library will be closed on Monday, May 31 for Memorial Day, the “unofficial” kickoff to the summer of 2010. If you are able — enjoy the weather, the weekend, the outdoors, family, friends and food. Or just sit out in a lawn chair and read a great book!