A – August and everything after
U – Under the sand
G – Gone-Away Lake
T – To the beach
2 – Two dogs in a trench coat go to school
0 – Zero limit
9 – 9 to 5
Summer
Summer’s here! Don’t forget to write!
School is out; the weather’s warm; it’s time to hit the road, explore old (and new!) favorite places, and share your adventures and travels with friends and family. Long before Instagram, Facebook, and Snapchat, postcards were the way to drop a line and keep folks up to date. We have a wonderful collection of Gardiner-themed postcards in our Community Archives Room. Many of them depict scenes around town, but there are also quite a few that were more generic, novelty cards into which Anytown, USA, could be inserted — and Gardiner was not to be left out of the fun!
Here are some classics that recently entered our collection — Enjoy! At just over 100 years old, these range from about 1900-1915.
And don’t forget,
If you’re in search of a happy home, come to Gardiner, Me., this is a classy spot!
Happy Summer, everyone!!!
Summer Season
Summer is really, yes REALLY, beginning this month! We have had a very long stretch of odd? Unusual? Strange? Wet? (you choose) weather this Spring, and I for one am ready for the new season.
Here in Gardiner we bring in the summer season with the Greater Gardiner River Festival. This year the festival happens on June 22nd, the second official day of summer.
There will be many activities that day – from Ice Cream for Breakfast, to Face Painting, to the Arts and Crafts Fair on Water Street.
For us, here at the library, one of the most important events is our Annual Book Sale. The book sale takes place here at the library, mainly in the historic Hazzard Reading Room. The library doors open at 9:00, and the sale runs until 3:00.
You never know what you might find – books (of course), movies – both DVD & Blu-Ray, perhaps some music, we’ve had games at times, . . . Best of all? Prices start at $.50, and might be as much as $2.00 on a few items. All proceeds benefit the Gardiner Public Library, but WHAT A BARGAIN!!!
Join us here at the library, show your support of the library and enjoy a day filled with fun, treasures, and laughter.
Cook Out Time!
One of the many joys of summer is planning and enjoying a meal outside, with or without a BBQ. One of my favorite dishes is Potato Salad because of the many variations that can be made. Here is the recipe for Creamy Potato Salad featured in the book “The Great Potluck Cookbook” from Good Housekeeping. Come borrow this book or enjoy another one of the many waiting for you at the Gardiner Public Library.
CREAMY POTATO SALAD
Makes 10 side-dish servings
4 pounds red potatoes, unpeeled
2 ½ tsp salt
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1 Tbl sugar
1 Tbl spicy brown mustard
¼ tsp ground black pepper
½ cup mayo
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced crosswise
- In 4-quart saucepan, place potatoes, 2 tsp salt, and enough water to cover; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer until potatoes are fork-tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Drain; cool slightly.
- Meanwhile, in a large serving bowl, combine vinegar, sugar, mustard, pepper, mayo, and remaining ½ tsp salt.
- When potatoes are cooked enough to handle, cut each into quarters or eights if large. Add celery and warm potatoes to dressing in bowl; gently stir with rubber spatula until well coated. Let potato mixture stand 30 minutes to absorb dressing, stirring occasionally.
- Cover and refrigerate until completely cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.
Peaks Island
My last blog of the summer encourages you to drive to Portland and take the Casco Bay Lines ferry to Peaks Island. There are several other ferry trips via Casco Bay Lines to other islands off the mainland of Portland, so do investigate those also sometime. The ferry trip to Peaks is $7.70 round trip. You can’t beat that for a day’s fun!
The ferry ride to Peaks Island takes only about 20 minutes, so it is the perfect choice for a short day trip. Once you land, you can visit the shops for a short while and perhaps have lunch or a beverage at one of the restaurants nearby before taking the ferry back to the mainland. The ferry seems to leave every hour. You might also extend your visit by doing some walking around the small island; it is only about 4 miles around the Peaks Island Loop.
Rather than repeat the information available from Casco Bay Lines’ web site, I encourage you to check out their website at the following link – Casco Bay Lines – Peaks Island.
Great Summer Reads
As you are packing for your vacation, or heading out to camp, don’t forget to take a stack of books with you! Summer is a great time to relax with a good book. Following are some great summer reads you may want to take with you!
If you’re a hopeless romantic, then this is the perfect read for you. A young couple from New York finds themselves at odds when a move to South Carolina causes strife in their relationship.
Lily’s story unfolds in 1930’s Seaview, Rhode Island, a wealthy summer community preparing for an impending hurricane. Her story becomes one of love, betrayal, fun in the summer sun, and plenty of scandal.
In The Island House, a college English professor returns to her summer island house in hopes of reconciling with a past love.
Author Elin Hilderbrand pens a thoughtful story about friends, family, and community coming together in the aftermath of a tragedy.
The author writes about one family’s two-week trip to the island of Mallorca, a story about the complicated up-and-down dynamics among family and friends.
Everythingseems normal with this group of island locals until someone’s husband goes missing and the town’s deeper secrets begin to unravel.
Sarah Duffy, Library Assistant
Summertime At The Library
We have had some wonderful summer events already and have more to come.
Summer Reading Program has started, and if you have not picked up your chart, please come in and pick it up. We have a chart for Readers and a chart for a Listeners. After August 3rd you will be able to pick up your free paperback book after filling up your chart. Teens have a different program where they get a ticket when they check out items. Check with the YA librarian about this program.
Monday, June 27th, we had a Chewonki program here in the library which was “Owls in Maine”. We had a full house, and the children really seemed to enjoy the owls.
Every Tuesday morning we have Story and Craft Time at 10:00-11:30 am. This has been a huge success this summer so far. Here is one of the crafts that has been created.
We are showing the Harry Potter movies in succession on Tuesday evenings from 5-7:30 pm and on Wednesdays 10 am – 12:30 pm. All 8 movies, in order: 1 movie per week. Popcorn is included.
Thursday, Aug. 4th from 10:00-11:15 am we have L.C. Bates coming to present “Life in Maine in the early 1900’s”. Weather permitting we will have part of this program outdoors in the garden.
Tuesday, August 16th at 11:30 am will be an Ice Cream social to end the Summer Reading Program.
Please come in, read and have fun!
Maine Reading
M Maine : an explorer’s guide
A Archeological excavations at Pemaquid, Maine
I It
N Nectar
E Ebbing tide
T Train to Maine
I Irresistible Blueberry Bakeshop & Cafe
T Trespasser
L Lighthouse keeper’s daughter
E Enjoying Maine birds
S Stern Men
F Fairyhouses of the Maine coast
O One morning in Maine
R Route 1 Maine
T Time of wonder
H Heroes are my weakness
E East Hope
S Somewhere off the coast of Maine
U Under the dome
M Maine 24/7
M Mirror of Maine
E Exit the milkman
R Real Maine food
How to Keep Children Reading During the Summer
Summer is a great time to get your children excited about reading and sharpen their reading skills at the same time!
Relax a little bit — try not to worry about a daily time requirement or minimum number of pages; instead, let them choose what, when, and where they read.
There are lots of ways to keep kids reading this summer.
Read aloud
Take turns reading aloud with your child. You can each read a page, or for older readers, you can take turns reading chapters. Kids never get too old to be read aloud to, and listening to you model good reading helps them develop strong skills. Take time to ask questions as you go along, to check for understanding.
Have a good variety of reading material.
Chapter books are wonderful, but don’t forget non-fiction!
Magazines and newspapers are great too. You never know what might spark their interest!
Be a good reading model
If kids see the adults around them reading often, they will see that reading is enjoyable. Talking to your kids about what you’re reading shows them that reading is an important and meaningful experience.
Going somewhere?
Summertime is a great time to explore museums, parks, and the beach. If you are planning a trip somewhere, encourage them to read a book about where you are going.If you’re taking an extended trip, be sure to bring your child’s favorite series.
Find time to read.
Summer can be a very busy time, filled with vacations as well as all kinds of activities. Make sure to set aside time for them to read.
Learn something new!
Books can teach kids how to make or do something, such as make crafts or build a fairy house.
“How-to books” are a great way to get kids reading, learning, and keep them busy!
Make sure to visit the library!
Our summer reading program is in full swing– be sure to stop by the children’s room and ask about it! Our theme this year is “Everyday Heroes”, and we have lots of activities to go along with it. Also, if your child doesn’t have a library card, summer is a great time to sign up for one!
Summer ! Being outside ! Cook-outs !
And all hail to Marjorie Standish and her down-home Maine recipes. Marjorie was a local resident who was the longtime food columnist for the Maine Sunday Telegram. Her two books of collected recipes – Cooking Down East and Keep Cooking – The Maine Way – are both available to borrow from the Gardiner Public Library.
Check out her delicious and classic recipes for:
Melt-in-your-mouth blueberry cake
Baked beans
Barbecued chicken
Dilled string beans
Dump bars
Baked stuffed lobster
Now those would make a great cookout meal !