Posted in Explore and Discover on November 27, 2018 at 6:00 am
By Melissa Rhoades One specific morning in fourth grade still stands out in my memory. I arrived early to class, sat at my desk, and opened a novel I was midway through. I don’t remember now what book it was, but I do remember becoming completely engrossed, sinking into the world on the page. Which […]
Tags: authors, books, close reading, deep reading, diverse books, fiction, health, nonfiction, parents, patience, print books, reading, reading comprehension, reading diversely, reading resolutions, slow, slow reading, teens, tweens
Posted in Explore and Discover on September 27, 2018 at 6:00 am
by Susan Goertz September means many things to many people—leaves changing color, shortening days, pumpkin spice everything. Did you know that September is also Self-Care Awareness Month? You wouldn’t think people would need tips on how to take it easy and pamper themselves. How hard can it be to slow down and breathe, right? Yet […]
Tags: adults, aromatherapy, books, breathing, clutter, downsizing, fidgety, fidgety meditation, health, healthy happy, meditation, mindful eating, mindfulness, parents, relaxation, science, self-care, self-caregiver, skeptics, sleep, stress, walking, yoga, yoga breathing
Posted in Explore and Discover on July 31, 2018 at 6:00 am
by Abra Cole In a remote vault located halfway between mainland Norway and the North Pole, nearly one million seed varieties are stored. The purpose of this immense storage facility is to ensure the genetic future of these seed varieties, should any of the gene banks located around the world suffer catastrophic disaster. One hundred […]
Tags: adults, books, DIY, family, food, garden, gardening, health, hobbies, kale, kale seeds, library hacks, onion seeds, onions, parents, saving seeds, seed library, seed saving, seeds, sunflower seeds, sunflowers, teens, tweens, urban farming
Posted in Explore and Discover on February 27, 2018 at 6:00 am
by Abra Cole It’s nearly Go Time, my gardening friends! We’ve almost made it through the winter, through the snow and the ice, through the below-freezing temperatures. We have watched last summer’s plants freeze and die back, disappear under a blanket of snow, and get stomped on (along with other indecencies) by neighborhood cats. We […]
Tags: adults, composting, composting with worms, DIY, events, family, food, garden, gardening, health, hobbies, kids, Master Gardeners, plant sales, plant starter, plant starter exchange, plant starts, pruning, seed libraries, seeds, teens, tweens, urban farming, weeding, worms, youth
Posted in Parents and Teachers on December 12, 2017 at 6:00 am
by Rachel Edmondson The holiday season is often fraught with emotions. Many adults find themselves stressed, excited, joyous, and sad—sometimes all in the same day! It’s helpful to remember that the children in our lives are often dealing with the same strong emotions. While having a vacation from school, receiving gifts, attending celebrations […]
Tags: booklists, books, children, children's books, early learners, early learning, early literacy, emotional, emotions, family, feelings, health, holiday season, holidays, kids, parents, picture books, preschoolers, reading, social-emotional, social-emotional skills, social-emotional tools, toddlers, young learners
Posted in Explore and Discover on December 5, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Stefani Miller “What do you want for Christmas?” I’ve never had trouble answering that question in the past. There’s always been a thing or two on my list. But as a newly expectant mother I find myself, for the first time, unable to answer. Before I became pregnant, I could ask for things that […]
Tags: baby, expectant mothers, family, gift giving, gift ideas, health, holiday gift guide, holiday gifts, kids, new baby, new mom, parenting, parents, pregnancy, pregnant, young learners
Posted in News on November 2, 2017 at 6:00 am
OverDrive, the eBook and Audiobook service, has donated a curated collection of over 60 titles related to addiction, opioid use, and recovery to the Spokane County Library District’s digital collection. It is called “Dealing with Addiction,” and titles are free to check out with your library card. Just last week, President Trump declared the […]
Tags: addiction, adults, audiobooks, booklists, books, Dealing with Addiction, digital collection, digital library, eBooks, education, health, medicine, opioid addiction, opioid crisis, opioid epidemic, opioids, overdrive, painkillers, prescription medication addition, reading
Posted in Explore and Discover on August 15, 2017 at 6:00 am
by Debbie Rhodes I woke up wandering into my living room thinking why wasn’t I at work? My husband looked at me strangely and in a very uneasy tone asked, “How many children do you have?” I replied, “Why are you asking me such a stupid question?” It turned out he had a very good […]
Tags: adults, books, education, Fast, health, health concerns, heart disease, hoopla, parents, recovery, spot a stroke, stroke, stroke recovery, stroke victim, TIA, Transient Global Amnesia, Transient Ischemic Attack
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 Explore and Discover on February 10, 2017 at 6:00 am
By Susan Goertz As we face another month of chilly winter weather, I find it a challenge to get myself outside. I am a nature lover and a fairly active person, but you will rarely see me in the gym. I want to exercise under open skies while gentle breezes drift over my skin. Which […]
Tags: aromatherapy, cleanse, cold, exercise, health, indoor, weather, winter, yoga