My Biggest Little Obsession

Have you seen The Biggest Little Farm? If you have are you completely obsessed with it like I am? And if you haven’t seen it, you must! It is beautiful and full of hope and just gives you the happiest feeling. It has become my go to when I’m having a rough day or when my husband and I just want to watch something nice. Because of this obsession of mine I realized I want more and going to the library is my way of doing that.

First, all the ways to get your Biggest Little Farm fix!

• Watch the documentary
• Listen to the soundtrack
• And for your littles at home read them the book Saving Emma the Pig

Despite all things adorable, the name of the game in The Biggest Little Farm is biodiversity. You need to have a variety of life in order to have a self sustaining ecosystem. Too often land gets used for one thing and one thing only, which breaks down

The Joys of Winter Gardening

There’s nothing like a sunny Seattle day during the long dreary winter, especially for those who like to garden. The minute the sun breaks through that cloud cover, even just for a few minutes, you’ll see gardeners all over the city trying to get things in order. For those willing to brave the colder months, though, dedicated winter gardening can offer rewards and surprises that feel extra special. Want to see what’s possible in the world of winter gardening? Here are a few titles to guide and inspire.

Mandalas, Muffins, and Mimosas

I recently took a mandala rock painting class with a bunch of girl friends last month. I was surprised at how lost we all got into painting our mandalas and how fast the two hours they had scheduled for our group went! The art studio we went to also offered us muffins and mimosas while we got our painting on. Since I live in Tacoma I thought what better way to spread this idea than highlighting books from the library for patrons to recreate this activity at home!  Maybe even for Galentine’s Day, perhaps!

Mandala for the Inspired Artist [working With Paint, Paper, and Texture to Create Expressive Mandala Art] by Marisa Edghill
This book takes on multiple mediums to create your own mandala art. “From making art with pencils, paints, and paper to tape, nature’s textures, and found objects, readers will discover a variety of ways to make unique mandala artwork.” This book is also for all skill levels so don’t be afraid to make your mandala in the medium that works best for you. In class none of us were familiar with this art type and each rock created was amazing, unique, and beautiful – just like the women who created them!

For the Love of Winter

Winter has always been the time for me to slow down, to cuddle up, to pause and recharge, especially after the holidays. But that slowing down doesn’t stop me from enjoying the season.

Winterlust: Finding Beauty in the Fiercest Season by Bernd Brunner. In winter I’m not hiding out until the sun comes back–if anything I’m more present and taking full advantage of the season. This book offers essays on the meditative quality of winter and all that it has to offer us, such as the magic of snow and the activities it provides, as well as it’s ability to turn us back into children again. Winter is also the season of comfort, along the lines of the popular hygge movement of warmth and contentment. As you embrace the season, that in turn slows you down to be here and now–instead of the go, go, go.

Millennial Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in my family has always been big and loud and so much leftovers you’d eat for weeks afterwards. But as families move farther away whether they are retiring or falling in love or discovering a new career…or as the case with a lot of my cousins and I moving farther out so we can pay the bills – that is starting to change. And it’s changing for many Millennials across the country. We are having less food, less waste, and friendsgivings – creating a chosen family rather then flying across the country, which usually carries a stressful and very expensive price tag.

Here are a few books in our collection to inspire a new way of gathering at the table this holiday season: