A Person of Letters

I’m sure that the U.S. Postal Service did not have me in mind when they decided to sponsor National Card and Letter Writing Month in April, but, in fact, both the entity and the subject have played an important part in my life. Oh, the power of a piece of paper, envelope, and stamp! At one time, the letter was the mainstay of communication. Mail carriers delivered twice daily to homes in Fort Plain. People met through newspapers that had a section dedicated to that subject. Men on the frontier corresponded with women in the hopes of wooing them west. We all remember the movie Sarah, Plain and Tall, based on the Newbery Award winning book by Patricia MacLachlan that tells the story of a mail- order bride who comes to enrich the lives of a frontier family. Other good books based on letters include The Greatest Generation Speaks: Letters and Reflections by Tom Brokaw that includes the correspondence and reminiscences of ordinary citizens and gives us an intense and personal look at a momentous period in our history, and From A to X: A Story in Letters by John Berger, telling the story of the love that exists between a woman and her jailed lover, a political prisoner.
My sister and I have always corresponded. At Christmas, we each sent the other a Knowles collector’s plate, Norman Rockwell’s Reminiscing in the Quiet, depicting an elderly woman sitting in the attic with old letters on her lap, reflecting on the part they played in her life. Today our electronic correspondence is handy, and yet it reminds me of jet contrails, words in passing, defined only for a moment before fading into nothingness. In the spirit of the written greeting, the Fort Plain Free Library will host a card making workshop with instructor Loralee Whitlock on Thursday evening, April 22, from 6:00 to 8:00 pm. While this workshop is free and open to the public, space is limited.
So how did the U.S. Postal Service affect my life? My husband was a letter carrier. Though not visibly given to sentiment, he was keenly aware of his part in delivering an anticipated letter to an anxious parent, a birthday card to an elderly grandparent. I like to think it was prompted by his personal experience…awaiting one of the two thousand letters we exchanged over the three years that we dated a half-century ago!
Submitted by Sally-Jean Taylor

Erin Go Bragh!

The nice thing about living in this country is that at any given time an ethnic culture is being celebrated somewhere. Like many Americans, I can celebrate several—Scandinavian, English, and Irish. On March 17th, we will again celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. I’m not an expert on the Celtic culture. What I know is what I grew up with—The Quiet Man with Maureen O’Hara and John Wayne and Yankee Doodle Dandy with James Cagney. When I moved to the Mohawk Valley, I learned the important role that the Irish played in building the Erie Canal. An interesting book on that subject is How the Irish Built the Erie by Harvey Chalmers, available for loan at the library. Later on, Frank McCourt again visited the Irish in America with his memoirs Angela’s Ashes, Tis, and Teacher Man.
In Celtic Art in Cross Stitch, author Barbara Hammett combines over 75 beautiful designs with a rich history of Celtic art. This style developed over centuries and reflects the varied influences from Mediterranean to Viking that the Celts came into contact with throughout their history. As a result of St. Patrick’s mission to Ireland in the fifth century, the country became a center of learning and scholarship. Monks decorated the four gospel books and carried this Book of Kells across Europe. Today, the Celtic style with its combination of abstract painting and satisfying shapes keeps it a perennial favorite all the world over.
A new offering, Apologize, apologize! by Elizabeth Kelly is available in book or unabridged compact disc. It tells the story of a wealthy Irish family living on Martha’s Vineyard. While I do not have the gift of hyper-articulate conversation so often attributed to the Irish and the characters in this coming of age novel, I can assure you that it is everything the book cover says and more!
Those interested in celebrating St. Patrick’s Day, may stop by the library on March 17th for some Irish Soda Bread accompanied by a copy of my mother’s recipe.
Finally, we hope you will join us on Tuesday, March 23, from 1:30 to 2:30, as Beverly Schilling, Senior Consumer Fraud Representative from the Office of the Attorney General presents a Consumer Protection Forum intended to inform citizens about their rights as consumers and who to call when those rights have been violated. Schilling will also discuss scams to avoid and what to do if you fall victim. No registration is required for this free event that is open to any interested individual.

February Tidbits & Tidings

I am told that the origin of St. Valentine’s Day is attributed to two Christian martyrs of that name. Thirteen centuries after their deaths, St. Valentine’s Day was declared an official holiday by Henry VIII who, I believe, had a wife or two who met the same end as the Valentines. Fortunately, after that era, things got better for this holiday. There was a time, in the youth of my marriage, that I had my “martyr moments.” During one of these, I complained to my husband that he never sent me flowers. A dozen roses from the florist soon arrived. They were then followed by a bill addressed to me! If by any chance there is a young bride out there who has a similar complaint, choose your words carefully. The difference between “send” and “buy” is about twenty-five dollars.

Words, spoken, written, or read, make us what we are. The Literacy Volunteers of Schoharie County is working in the area to recruit potential volunteers to serve as tutors in western Montgomery County. When these individuals are trained, Literacy Volunteers will then begin recruiting students. Potentials volunteers or other interested parties may call them at (518) 234-2576 or visit their website at www.lvasc.org.

For those of you who didn’t get roses, the library will hold a class on making a paper rose Wednesday evening, February 17, beginning at 6:30 pm. Participants will make a lovely red, crepe rose. The program is free and open to any interested adult. While registration is not required, space and supplies are limited.
By the way, February is also Library Lover’s Month. Have you hugged a special book lately?

January Tidbits & Tidings

By now, we are all in some stage of keeping or forgetting our New Year’s resolutions. For those who are dieting, I recommend Cooking Light magazine that is full of interesting recipes year-round. In addition, the library offers a number of cookbooks dedicated to the art of flavorful, yet light cooking including Low-Carb Slow Cooker Recipes (Apricot Glazed Pork Roast, p. 147) and Better Homes & Gardens Eating Light (Orange-Strawberry Sponge Cake, p.77).

For those who enjoyed our Victorian beaded ornament class but didn’t finish their work, an instructor will be on hand at the library on Tuesday, January 12th, at 12:30 and again at 6:00 to assist participants in completing their projects. New participants are welcome to try as time and space allow. On Wednesday, January 20th at 1:00, Craig Clark from Cornell Cooperative extension of Fulton and Montgomery Counties will offer an encore presentation of his program Save Energy, Save Dollars. Participants will learn low-cost, no cost energy conservation methods that will result in reducing their energy bills. Each participating household will also receive a free energy-saving tool kit. The program is free and open to all. For further information, please call Cooperative Extension at 762-3909 or the library at 993-4646.
I have found a way to make January and February virtually race by. Challenge yourself to clean every shelf, drawer, and closet in the house by the end of a chosen month. In forty years, I have never beaten the calendar and never given up! There are some good books available on the subject at the library—The Queen of Clean Conquers Clutter and 10-minute Clutter Control among them. I’ve learned a few tricks from them, but ignore anything that would interfere with my winter tradition. You notice that I use the word “tradition.” Resolution meaning declaration, announcement, decree--too negative a word for me. Makes me feel as if I am being backed into a corner or pushed off a cliff. But you take tradition meaning custom, habit, or belief…solid, gentle words. Little building blocks for a good foundation. In the end, we all want to be healthier, smarter, richer, happier, better organized. You name the goal, improvement, or outcome you would like to see in your life, and a librarian can help you find a book on the subject. The rest is up to us!

Submitted by Board of Trustees member Sally-Jean Taylor

December Tidbits & Tidings

It seems to me that our years are punctuated by certain days, and that they accumulate in our memory like so many frames in an old home movie, to be recalled and replayed at will. Christmas Eve has always been the day that I benchmark my life by. I recall so many of them, but one of my favorites was the year that the Christmas season was particularly hectic. I was on my way home from work on that Christmas Eve, my mind filled with dozens of chores that needed attention. But at the edge of town, I stopped and turned the car around. I parked near the town clock and walked up and down Canal Street. The businesses were closing for the holiday. People thinned out and soon the street was empty. Two children appeared from somewhere with the general clamor of youths running on bare sidewalk on that cold, snowless Christmas Eve. They hurried around the bank corner and ran up Division Street toward home and supper. “Children,” I thought, “should have snow for Christmas vacation.” And then it happened. A single flake landed on my coat sleeve, and then another. I looked up and watched as millions of flakes seemed to magically materialize from the void above the streetlight.
Christmas is a season when we are most mindful of those in need around us. In this spirit, the Fort Plain Free Library will be accepting Food for Fines. Any individual who currently owes fines to the library for overdue materials may have those fines forgiven by donating non-perishable food items such as canned or packaged goods to the library. At the end of the program on January 2nd, all items collected will be donated to the Fulmont Community Action Agency.
The two Wednesday evening programs on the log cabin quilt and the Victorian beaded ornament covers were very well attended. We look forward to presenting more such programs in 2010. While we have several ideas, we welcome input from our patrons and hope to hear from you….and see you as well at Fort Plain’s Last Night celebration on December 31st. The library will host The Bard Rocks, also known as Roland Vinyard, who will be performing a wide variety of songs including funny songs, bluegrass, children’s songs, as well as sharing jokes and stories. Performances are scheduled from 6:00 to 7:30 and from 8:00 to 9:30.
Finally, I have come to realize the greatest gift my mother gave me was a weekly trek to the library. It is where I discovered what interested me in life, where I learned to knit and crochet, and where I found good books to read. It is my wish that every child might receive the gift of belonging to a library during this coming year.
Submitted by Fort Plain Free Library Board of Trustee member Sally-Jean Taylor.

October Tidbits & Tidings

Who can think of October without also thinking of church suppers? There was a time when the children were grown that we decided to treat ourselves to a fall of church suppers. We caught up with friends and neighbors locally and also traveled to other towns in the area, a few further away. Out quest started in late September, and we never had a “real meal” at home until early December! I found the Yankee magazine’s Church Supper Cookbook at the library. The turkey casserole on page 120 sounds particularly appetizing, as does the Cranberry Pot Roast on page 122.
Gardens are winding down. Thanks to the blight, there will be no tomato juice canned this year. However, it’s a great apple year. Applesauce, apple jelly, and several apple pies for the freezer will soon be prepared. Walnuts will be dropping and then pears. To take advantage of this harvest, you might want to explore The Church Supper Cookbook edited by David Joachim and try the Fresh Pear Cake on page 181 or Walnut Cake on page 193. The book also offers a recipe for Pastitsio or Greek Macaroni Pie on page 25, which is good, easy to make and feeds an army.
Speaking of which, a small army filled the library’s Welcome Center recently to learn about the history and making of the Log Cabin quilt block. Brad Flint dropped in with a gorgeous Log Cabin quilt made in 1835. Our thanks to Carol Dingman for a terrific presentation and Emily Loadwick who was on hand in period costume to serve refreshments. Everyone had a great time.
Readings from the Mohawk Valley Sampler will be held at the Margaret Reaney Memorial Library, St. Johnsville, on October 10th beginning at 10:00 a.m. On November 12th, the Fort Plain Free Library will offer The Power of Place from 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Both programs are designed to motivate area residents to share their memories about a person, place, or event that illustrates their feelings about living in the central Mohawk Valley. Hope to see many of you there.
October ends with mention of a work synonymous with Halloween, Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. First published in 1820, it is one of the earliest examples of American fiction still read today. The story takes place in the Dutch settlement of Tarrytown, New York. Anyone growing up near Tarrytown as I did…anyone who happened to see Walt Disney’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow in the fall of 1958…and anyone, I reiterate anyone, who was thirteen at that time and in charge of two younger siblings on a dark, cold, still Halloween night will recall, as if it were yesterday, the need for looking back over their shoulder every so often and listening for the sounds of echoing hoof beats.
Finally, don’t forget that the library’s used book room is a cornucopia of winter reading. Stop by and see for yourself.
Submitted by Board of Trustee member Sally-Jean Taylor

Tidings & Tidbits

September is Library Card Sign-Up Month
Did you know that a library is a portal? Cross over the threshold and you can enter the future, revisit the past, or enrich your present. You may

stay in town or travel anywhere in the universe, real or imagined! Last week I witnessed a murder in a 1932 circus tent (Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen) and planned a weekend trip to Lake George (Adirondack Life magazine) as I perused the library’s new arrivals and used book corner.

I caught up on upcoming programs such as The Log Cabin Quilt scheduled for September 30th and the ongoing Mohawk Valley Sampler project that encourages residents to submit a poem, short story, essay, sketch, or musical interlude about an event, place, person, or moment that best captures their feelings about the central Mohawk Valley. I am polishing my piece for this worthwhile undertaking. In a world of “giant” entities, it is easy to forget that we are valued components of this place and time. What we feel is important and should be recorded for our grandchildren and others. I encourage everyone to contact Dawn at the Margaret Reaney Library, 568-7822, or Laura at Fort Plain, 993-4646, for more information about this project.
…Which reminds me. It’s Be Kind to Writers and Editors Month. Writers, like readers, are allowed to go elsewhere at will. Editors are writers chained to reality. So, if you see Josh, be kind to him!

Submitted by Fort Plain Free Library Board of Trustee member Sally-Jean Taylor.