Homesteaders

If you're like me and have connections to homesteaders in your family, you may have heard lots of stories of these hardy pioneers of the Great Plains. Both of my paternal grandparents, and my mother-in-law, came from families who started homestead farms in Iowa and North Dakota. It has been so interesting to hear how they first lived in sod houses there in order to survive the brutal winters in places that had very few trees for lumber. Fuel to heat those "soddies" were collected from coal veins that sometimes ran near the ground surface near streams, and from dried cow chips. Collecting the chips on the cattle pastures was a time-honored first chore for the littlest homesteaders.

This summer would be a great time to learn more about the life of the homesteaders at the Homestead National Monument of America, which opened in May 2007. It's located about 40 miles south of Interstate 80 at Lincoln, NE.

And if you feel like staying closer to home to learn about the homestead experience, you can check out this DVD at the Morton Grove Public Library:

The Homestead Years: Wishing for Miracles, Praying for Rain (DVD).

In Celebration of the Blueberry

You may sense it, a certain tingling around the edges as June shuffles off to make way for the ripe summer days of July and the long awaited arrival of National Blueberry Month! Every July, in fact, since 1999. 10 years of celebrating nature's antioxidant, harvested from April through early October, though reaching their peak, their bright blueberry bursting zenith, in July.

In his awesome The Penguin Companion to Food, the late food guru Alan Davidson writes that it's only recently (1920) that the blueberry was commercially cultivated with selection and breeding "aimed not only at size but also a pleasing combination of acidity and sweetness."

How rarely we celebrate the food we eat. When National Blueberry Month was first proclaimed in 1999, the hope was that citizens would recognize and celebrate the blueberry "with appropriate ceremonies and activities." Let your imagination run wild!

(Photo:Maria Sibylla Merian, Raupen wunderbare Verwandelung und sonderbare Blumennahrung, 1730:

Free Online Films!

The world of film distribution is rapidly changing. Where we were once limited to whatever films happened to be playing at our local theaters, we can now buy, borrow, rent or download almost any film we may be interested in. It's the rapid expansion of online film distribution that I've been most keenly watching and excited about.

Recently a wonderful site called The Auteurs debuted that streams (no downloading necessary) hundreds of films, many of them for free. You do have to register before watching the films, though doing so is free. Through August, for example, The Auteurs site will be freely streaming 4 films recently restored by the World Cinema Foundation, an organization founded by filmmaker Martin Scorsese. Additionally, the Criterion Collection is currently making several of its films available for free on The Auteurs site, including Agnes Verda's beautiful French New Wave classic, Cleo from 5 to 7. Did I mention these films are free? Check it out.

What Was That Wild Thing?

Sometimes it's nice (or prudent) to know just what you are seeing as you walk through Morton Grove's wonderful forest preserve. The same idea also applies to spying a furry creature diving for cover in your back yard. Here's my family's handy tip for after-dark wildlife viewing: if it is cat-sized but wobbles like an accordion, give it a wide berth. It might be a skunk. That "cat" with attitude staring back at you from the top of your neighbor's neglected motorboat? If it is after dark, wait for a swish of the tail. A closer look may reveal a raccoon. Located just blocks away from Linne Woods, our Morton Grove front yard has also taught us a few things about the aftermath of predator meets prey.

Did You Know has previously featured birding books like those shown in the list below. Other titles identify native trees and provide information to make a stroll along the North Branch of the Chicago River more interesting.

Collins, Henry Hill. Harper & Row's Complete Field Guide to North American Wildlife, Eastern edition. 1981. 591.974 COL.

DeVore, Sheryl. Birds of Illinois. 2004. 598.07234 DEV.

Fisher, Chris. Birds of Chicago Including NE Illinois & NW Indiana. 1998. 598.07234 FIS.

Greenberg, Joel. A Natural History of the Chicago Region. 2002. 977.311 GRE.

Mohlenbrock, Robert H. Forest trees of Illinois. 1978. 582.16 MOH. (Reference)

Hill, Libby. The Chicago River: A Natural and Unnatural History. 2000. 977.311 HIL.

Solzman, David M. The Chicago River: An Illustrated History and Guide to the River and its Waterways. 2006. 977.311 SOL.

"Happy Birthday to You"

Tomorrow (June 27) is the 150th anniversary of the song "Happy Birthday to You." Most of us have sung this song many times, but have probably never thought about the origin of the song. If you are curious and want to know more about it, you might want to check: http://www.ibiblio.org/team/fun/birthday/.


If you want to hear this song, or other well-know party songs, we have:

Drew's Famous All Occasions Party Music
Drew's Famous Kid's Birthday Dance Party Favorites

Roswell Revealed!!!

On June 24, 1997 the United States Air Force released a 231 page report on the alleged UFO events at Roswell, New Mexico. The public was interested in the town of Roswell because of strange occurrences that happened near the town in July 1947.

In early July, 1947 ranch foreman W.W. Brazel found a strange, shiny material scattered around his land. Brazel gave the material to the local sheriff who gave it to authorities at a nearby Air Force base. On July 8, the Air Force announced they had found wreckage of a "flying disk." A local newspaper ran the story and the rest is UFO history.

After the news hit, the Air Force changed their story saying the wreckage was just a downed weather balloon. Interest in the materials ended until the 1970s when claims of a cover up surfaced. The "Ufologists" claimed that the military had actually recovered several alien bodies from the site and were holding them in the secret Area 51 installation in Nevada. Attempting to stop the ufologists, the Air Force released a 1,000 page report in 1994 again stating their claim that the debris were from a classified weather balloon.

On July 24, 1997, one week before the 50th anniversary celebration of the original incident, the Air Force released the 231 page report. The report stated the case was closed - there were no alien spacecraft or alien bodies. Any bodies recovered from the site were crash test dummies used for parachute tests.
The conspiracy theorists criticized the report and the controversy continues. There is an annual event in Roswell each July as well the International UFO Museum and Research Center.

Witness to Roswell: Unmasking the 60-Year Cover-Up By Carey, Thomas J. Schmitt, Donald R. Davids, Paul 2007/06 - New Page Books 9781564149435 Check the Library's Catalog Carey and Schmitt exhaustively present accounts of the UFO crash, the military containment and recovery, the high level of security surrounding all phases of the cleanup operation, deathbed testimonies, and the extreme measures the U.S. government has taken to prevent people from telling the truth. ...More

Roswell UFO Crash: What They Don't want you to Know By Korff, Kal K. 1997/05 - Prometheus Books 1573921270 Check the Library's Catalog On the 50th anniversary of the alleged crash of a UFO at Roswell, New Mexico, UFO and paranormal investigator Kal Korff reveals never-before-published information on the "Roswell incident"--revelations powerful enough to change public opinion forever. This groundbreaking volume also includes a complete report on the popular "alien autopsy". Photos & illustrations. ...More

The Real Roswell Crashed Saucer Coverup By Klass, Philip J. 1997/10 - Prometheus Books 1573921645 Check the Library's Catalog The Real Roswell Crashed-Saucer Coverup proves beyond any doubt, based on once "Secret" and "Top Secret" Air Force and CIA documents, that there is indeed a massive coverup of the truth. It reveals that those involved in the crashed-saucer coverup are the authors of books and articles, and TV show producers, who falsely accuse the government while they themselves withhold information contained in these once "Secret" and "Top Secret" documents to line their own pockets. In contrast to the hard evidence contained in these once highly classified documents, author Philip J. Klass reveals flaws and contradictions in the tales told by some of the key alleged witnesses who claim to have seen crashed saucer and/or ET bodies. He also reveals how Roswell researchers themselves sharply disagree as to what allegedly occurred and when it happened. ...More

Father's Day at the Library

There will be many proud fathers in the audience at the annual awards ceremony and reception for the winners of the Youth Services Art Contest. Come to the Baxter Room for this exciting event on Sunday, June 21, 2009, from 2 - 3 p.m.

Also, you can get an early start on your own Father's Day celebration by checking out one of these funny or heartwarming books and films on dads of all ages and stages:

Yes, You're Pregnant, But What about Me? By Nealon, Kevin 2008/05 - HarperEntertainment 9780061215209 Check the Library's Catalog Nealon, a former longtime Saturday Night Live cast member and star of the hit television show Weeds, offers a funny and illuminating take on becoming a first-time father--at 53. ...More

Definitely Maybe By Brooks, Adam 2008/07 - Universal BL07084DVD000 Check the Library's Catalog Will Hayes is getting a divorce, prompting his precocious 11-year-old daughter, Maya, to ask how her parents met. As Will relates his romantic history (changing the names of his past girlfriends), Maya tries to guess which of the three women in his story would someday become her mother. ...More

Big Shoes: In Celebration of Dads and Fatherhood By Roker, Al Rennert, Amy Friends, And 2005/05 - Hyperion Books 1401301711 Check the Library's Catalog A BookPage Notable Title Bestselling author and beloved "Today" show personality Al Roker teams up with his celebrity friends to share personal thoughts, stories, and reflections on fathers and fatherhood in this heartwarming collection. ...More

The Keys to the House By Amelio, Gianni Stuart, Kim Rossi Rossi, Andrea 2007/08 - Lions Gate Home Entertainment 0031398176152 Check the Library's Catalog Gianni is reunited with Paolo, the 15 year old son he has never seen; a son he abandoned at birth. The reunion is not Gianni's idea - it is that of Paolo's doctor who hopes the connection will benefit the troubled boy. Gianni experiences a Pandora's box in Paolo, full of shocks and wonders, but the keys to one's house are often the keys to one's heart. ...More

Big Russ & Me: Father and Son: Lessons of Life By Russert, Tim Russert, Timothy J. 2004/05 - Miramax Books 1401352081 Check the Library's Catalog A Nonfiction Bestseller - 2004 NBC-TVUs senior vice Washington bureau chief and host of "Meet the Press" offers an intensely personal and charming memoir of American life in the 1950s and the special bond he shares with his fatherQthe irrepressible Big Russ. From the lessons he learned from his father and his Catholic upbringing to his passion for the Buffalo Bills and the New York Yankees to the grace of daily obligations and patriotism, Russert's reflections hit the very epicenter of American values. Includes 16 pages of color and b&w photos. 1-40135-208-1$22.95 / Time Warner Book Group ...More

Covering Home: Lessons on the Art of Fathering from the Game of Baseball By Petrash, Jack 2000/09 - Robins Lane Press 0876592175 Check the Library's Catalog "Covering Home" weaves the lessons of being a good father through anecdotes and allegories of baseball, drawing on the game's richness of meaning, history, and tradition to delight and guide fathers and would-be fathers on the path to effective fatherhood. ...More

Tommy and Me: The Making of a Dad By Stein, Benjamin Stein, Ben 1998/06 - Free Press 0684838966 Check the Library's Catalog A heartfelt book that describes the growth of love and trust between a new father and his adopted son--moving, poignant, yet fueled by the author's trademark dry wit. ...More

To Kill A Mockingbird By Mulligan, Robert 2002/01 - Universal Studios BL03048DVD Check the Library's Catalog The award winning story of a small child who learns that there is evil in world. Set in the backdrop of the South, during the Depression, a white woman accuses a black man of rape. And while he is obviously innocent only one man will step up to defend him. ...More

First Woman in Space

On June 16, 1963 Russia claimed another space "first" by sending a woman into space. Cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova was sent into orbit aboard the Vostok 6. The space craft completed 48 orbits and was in flight for 71 hours. This was more time than all the U.S. astronauts to that date.
The first American woman in space was Sally Ride. She was a mission specialist on the Challenger shuttle in 1983.

The library has the following books about woman in space:

The Mercury 13 By Martha Ackmann 2003/07 - Random House 0375507442 Check the Library's Catalog A BookPage Notable Title In 1961, just as NASA launched its first man into space, a band of women secretly prepared to become America's first female astronauts. For the first time, Ackmann tells the story of these remarkable women, all crackerjack pilots who sacrificed jobs and marriages for a chance to participate in America's space race against the Soviet Union. Photos. ...More

Almost Heaven By Kevles, Bettyann Holtzmann 2003/10 - Basic Books 0738202096 Check the Library's Catalog Told for the first time in colorful detail, "Almost Heaven" is the fascinating tale of 40 space-faring women, from Valentina Tereshkova to Kalpana Chawla. 8-page photo insert. ...More

Women Astronauts [With CDROM] By Woodmansee, Laura S. 2002/07 - Apogee Books 1896522874 Check the Library's Catalog "Women Astronauts" is a fun, inspirational book for girls, young women and anyone interested in space exploration and what it's like to be an astronaut. It contains biographies and color photos of all of the living women astronauts from around the world. Includes bonus CD-ROM. ...More