Berne Library Notes for Thursday, November 10, 2016

The Three Sisters of the Iroquois Legend are corn, beans, and squash. The Sister Spirits were believed to protect the well-being of these special crops. The plants are grown in the same mound in gardens because corn provides a ladder for the bean vine. Those two plants give shade to the squash plant which traps moisture for all three crops. Gardeners know there are many benefits to this type of companion planting.  

TAG

Providing a place for interacting and supporting others is a function of libraries. Teens are given a monthly evening at the library when it is closed to the general public. Due to Veterans Day, the original TAG meeting scheduled for Nov. 11 has been switched to Friday, Nov. 18.  Join Ms. Kathy at 6:30 p.m. for a teen program followed by some musical jamming.  

Corn is an annual plant of the grass family and is the largest of the cereals. This Native American plant is also known as maize. For human consumption, the husk is shucked and discarded while the kernels are eaten. Have you thought of cleaning and drying the husks for future use? They are used for making tamales or wrapping foods for steaming. There is some current research on making them into fabric.  The husks are also used in fall crafts.

Story time

Storytime is the pre-literacy program held at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesdays. On Nov. 15, children ages 1 to 5 and their caregivers will be making corn husk dolls with Ms. Kathy. Stories and activities on corn are also a part of this program.

Photo discussions

"A light wind swept over the corn, and all nature laughed in the sunshine," wrote Anne Bronte, a British novelist. Would your photograph of a corn field express this laughter or just be a corny picture? Tom Gagnon will discuss creative ways to photograph objects and people. The "Taking Dynamic Photos"  program occurs at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17 and is open to ages 13 to 100.  

There is a program about journalistic photography at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Both these programs are meant to educate and inspire you to enter the 2nd annual photography contest sponsored by the Friends of the Library. Entries are not due until Jan. 31, 2017 but it is never too early to start clicking. The four categories are "Joy of Reading", "Reflections & Shadows". "Hilltowners", and "Down on the Farm".  

Wreath making

Now that Halloween is over, it is time to think about the next few holidays. The library will be closed on Thursday, November 24 for Thanksgiving.  A wreath making class will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, November 30. Sue Pezzolla from the Cornell Cooperative Extension Service is leading the class.  For a $7 material fee, you will go home with a beautiful evergreen wreath for your door. Registration is required so please sign up with the library staff by emailing , calling 872-1246, or stopping by the library during hours.