I am a “Fractured Woman” (No surprise to some!) How else can I explain how tired I am of cooking (after 50+ years) and yet I LOVE COOKBOOKS! Yes, “I know, just look recipes up on the internet,” but there is just something about holding that book in your hands and searching for a recipe to “slam together” supper.
After I die, my kids will wish they could kill me for all the recipe books they will find. My first cookbook was a requirement for Foods Class at Hutch JUCO. Then I was graced with that much-needed “Betty Crocker New Picture Cookbook” at our wedding shower. Little did anyone know what these two books would lead to! In my defense, one of the first things I did when I first retired was get rid of a whole box of cookbooks! (It still hurts a little when I think about it.) I must confess, I just purchased two cookbooks. They represent the two categories of best cooks in the world: Church Ladies and Farm Wives! When I was in the Stafford County Museum they had a 1926 Stafford Methodist Cookbook for sale! It was the classic I had heard women in the church speak of for years! Had to have it! Then — The High Plains Journal came out with a few teaser recipes from their new cookbook from farm wives! Well, I can say in my defense, it is one of the handiest, well put together, yummiest recipe books in modern times!!! It is on its second printing.
Did you know, they have lots of cookbooks with recipes from your favorite books? Oldies like “Nancy Drew”, “Little House on the Prairie”, “Narnia”, “Winnie the Pooh” and new ones like “Harry Potter.” Google “Literary Cookbooks” and you will be amazed!
If you are not a “cookBOOK” person but like to find your recipes on the internet, I have two great blogs for you from local cooks.
• https://cookingwithbarryandmeta.blogspot.com - Barry and Meta West are Stafford High School Alumni and have lived in Abilene forever. Barry and Meta both taught in the Abilene School system till their retirement. Barry taught Art and Meta taught Home Economics and they use those skills to create a great blog and teach cooking online and in house. They both cooked at the famous Kirby House and Meta authored a wonderful “Kirby House Cookbook.” She is a frequent contributor to Kansas! magazine. I asked her at Oktoberfest if she had actually cooked all those recipes listed on their blog. She just smiled and said, “Oh Yes.”
• https://kimscountyline.blogspot.com - Kim’s Country Life - This is how Kim describes herself on her blog, “Farm wife, mother, Grandma, sister, daughter, reader, writer, amateur photographer, musician, baker, volunteer, child of God.” If you ever need to brighten your day here is where to do it. After retiring from farming, she has also been including great articles on their traveling. She was the food editor for the Hutchinson News for many years and just saying she is a baker doesn’t do justice to her great all around cooking skills and recipes. This week she featured Nora’s Library Open House and History. She is always very professional in her research of articles and very conversational at the same time.
Our thanks go to Melea Bartlett Cline for bringing in an amazing rendition of Nora’s Window on the edges of a book. It is a time consuming fantastic addition to our art collection at Nora’s Place. Melea has reclaimed over 200 old books by using them as folding art or, in this case, picture art.
Stop by and see the one she graced us with.
The month of November is Picture Book Month. We have many wonderful picture books in our children’s collection. Just because they are in our children’s collection doesn’t mean they are just for children. Picture books are oftentimes a fun, always colorful, imaginative, sometimes informative way to learn, explore, and entertain. Our newest one is about the Iditarod, complete with a little Husky.
I have really enjoyed the wonderful articles featuring Stafford in the Great Bend Tribune. They have done several about the library, culinary classes at Stafford High School, and the last one a front page colored photo of our refurbished Ritz sign with a well written article on the Ritz Theater’s history. The Great Bend Tribune can be picked up at the newsstand at Ampride and I believe at Main Street Market. You can buy a subscription to paper in hand or online. They publish Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
I am still posting Larabee Library News on our facebook every Monday morning.
October 31 from 4-6 p.m., Sandy and I will be participating in “Trunk or Treat” at the Stafford County Hospital. The kids of Stafford look forward to this yearly event! Thank you Stafford County Hospital for sponsoring this fun and safe Halloween event.
November is the month of “Giving.” The Library will be collecting the following items for the school this year - underwear, socks, and gloves of all sizes, self care products, deodorant, shampoo, body wash, female products. We are asking people to drop off the above items to the Library during the month of November. Thank you!
November 2, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Don’t forget to sign-up for Medicare Part D information appointment. Staying informed could save you time and money monthly.
November 10, 2-6 p.m. We will celebrate Veterans Day at the library a day early by having pictures of Stafford County Veterans scrolling on our television screen.
November 14, 5:30-6:30 p.m. We will be reading to Parents as Teachers Preschoolers “I Thought I Saw a Penguin.” I hear penguins might be hiding in the library??
We have recently received from the State Library of Kansas, “My Heart Fills With Happiness” written by Monique Gray Smith and illustrated by Julie Flett. This is the selected book to read to preschoolers during the month of November. They feel reading to preschoolers is so important they encourage us to do so, by sending all public libraries in Kansas this free book. I hope this helps people realize it is never too early to read to a child. I know of many who read to their unborn child and start the life enriching habit of reading really early.
November 28, 2-6 p.m., Is “Giving Tuesday” for the Golden Belt Community Foundation(GBCF). The Library will be accepting donations on this day, which will receive additional matching funds from Golden Belt Community Foundation.
Come see us at Nora’s Place! Our address is 108 N Union, Stafford
Next Board Meeting: November 8 at 6 p.m.
Come join us at Nora’s - Our library hours are: Monday morning 8 a.m. to noon; Tuesday through Friday 2-6 p.m. Phone 620-234-5762; email larabeelibrary@gmail.com; Facebook: Nora Larabee Memorial Library; Card Catalog: https://www.librarycat.org/lib/NoraLarabeeLibrary.
By Gerry Hildebrand, head librarian for the Nora Larabee Memorial Library. Phone 620-234-5762, email larabeelibrary@gmail.com or visit Facebook at Nora Larabee Memorial Library.
