Posted in Explore and Discover on April 25, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Erin Dodge I met with Teresa Sadler of Pumpkin Patch Community Garden to talk about the garden and learn her take on gardening, especially as a community. Originally a pumpkin patch and then a parking lot and staging site for the construction company that built the bridge over the river, the community garden was […]
Tags: adults, community, community garden, DIY, family, food, fruit, gardening, hobbies, kids, parents, plants, plot gardening, produce, urban farming, vegetables, veggies
Posted in Explore and Discover on April 18, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Susan Goertz Dystopian fiction seems to be enjoying a renaissance right now, at least in my life. And over the years Hollywood has kept up with the appeal, feeding our insatiable appetite for basic human struggles set against the backdrop of social, political, and environmental collapse that keep us glued to the screen. I […]
Tags: adults, androids, animation, blockbuster, booklists, books, dystopian, hoopla, Hugo Award, movies, Philip K. Dick, reading, sci fi, science fiction, teens
Posted in Explore and Discover, kids on April 11, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Rachel Edmondson Like many kids, my girls love animals. But one of my daughters is especially fascinated and passionate about wild creatures. I think some of her interest began with the PBS show The Wild Kratts. From the first time she watched, she was hooked. So far we’ve learned about pandas, tigers, polar bears, […]
Tags: animal books, animals, books, children's books, creatures, lemmings, manatees, marsupials, microbes, narwhals, reading, sloths, Tasmanian devils, unusual animals, wild Kratts, zoologist, zoology
Posted in Explore and Discover, News on April 4, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Jane Baker To be clear up front, we have not heard of any scams regarding the Spokane County Library District, or any of our libraries. Also, scammers will use anything they can to get your money. So when we heard of an email scam involving the Seattle Public Library, we thought we’d take this […]
Tags: BBB, Better Business Bureau, consumer education, email scams, financial literacy, fraud, phone scams, scams, technology
Posted in Explore and Discover on March 28, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Erin Dodge We’re keeping it frugal with Jeff Yeager, The Ultimate Cheapskate. In April during Money Smart Week, Yeager presents “Finding Wholesale Happiness in a Retail World” at three locations (see locations, days, and times below), offering practical advice about how to live a happier, healthier, and fuller life—only if you are not wi […]
Tags: author visit, books, cheapskate, consumer education, extreme cheapskates, family, financial literacy, parents, retirement, saving, spending, teens, ultimate cheapskate
Posted in Explore and Discover on March 21, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Gwendolyn Haley It was like a scene from a horror movie. I was alone in the house when a loud banging and clanging started from the depths of the basement—as if something were trying to break free. I walked down the stairs to investigate. As I looked into the laundry room, all I could […]
Tags: appliances, buying, buying guide, consumer reports, digital library, DIY, parents, price comparison, research, reviews, technology, teens
Posted in Explore and Discover on March 14, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Stefani Miller One year ago, my husband came to me with the idea that we regularly set aside time to read the same book. Normally our tastes in reading couldn’t be more different. I love romance, and I don’t stray too far from that genre. My husband, however, reads more broadly. You’ll find everything […]
Tags: adults, book club, book club for two, booklists, books, reading
Posted in Explore and Discover on March 7, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Melanie Boerner Do you get home from a busy day and just can’t bring yourself to make a meal for the family? I feel this way most weekdays! I don’t think it is just me—I bet lots of busy parents do, too. On the weekend, I can whip up an elaborate meal with the […]
Posted in Explore and Discover on March 1, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Jane Baker In July of 2015, I wrote a blog about my interest in astronomy and one of my most favorite apps, Star Walk 2 (iOS, Android, Windows). Even now, I still get comments about Star Walk 2, leading to conversations about other favorite apps. So I’m talking about other entertaining apps I’m loving […]
Tags: Android, Apps, astronomy, breathing, dream interpretation, dreams, health, iOS, meditation, mental wellness, moon, moon phases, phone apps, photos, physical wellness, smartphones, Windows
Posted in kids, Parents and Teachers on February 28, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Sheri Boggs Imagine your home—the furniture, the walls, the books, the art, the smells, the landscape where you live. Imagine what it would be like if war came and things got so bad you had to leave. Imagine leaving your belongings and your pets, your friends and your neighborhood. Imagine traveling day and night, […]
Tags: booklist, books, community, family, immigrants, kids, parents, picture books, reading, refugees, teachers, young learners