Those Knit Wits are pulling in for their monthly yarn meet at 7 p.m. on Nov. 18 at the Berne Library. Knitting and crochet needles will be at the ready for beginning new projects or working to complete patterns started months ago. Feel free to drop in for advice on your latest challenge piece. Any and all knit witters are welcome to the table.
A Knit Wit project has just been activated. It’s the “Warm Heads Project.” They are collecting hats to fit children and adults alike. Drop them at the library for distribution over the holidays.
Story time
Story time ‘Turkey Talk’- gobble gobble. Before the bald eagle was chosen to be the national bird, Benjamin Franklin pushed for the wild turkey to take that place. The turkeys didn’t make it to the plate. They just flew to roost in the trees awhile. Yes, wild turkeys do fly.
While turkey stories amble through the gate at this week’s story time, get ready to try some turkey trot calls. Make a craft, meet Tom the Turkey and give us your best gobble imitation on Nov. 20 at 10:30 a.m. in the community turkey room.
Author visit
“A Good and Noble Thing ~ The Pioneering Life and Service of Anna Ward Perkins, M.D.” by Gerard A. Finin was added to the Berne Library’s book collection in July 2018. It was a donation dropped in the book return. The author will be visiting us for a talk on his well researched book Nov. 26 at 6:30 p.m. Hear about the doctor who made house calls via foot, horse, sleigh and car. Save the date for this special program.
Holiday hours
Take a few minutes to list out books and movies you’ll want to check out over the Thanksgiving break from school. The library will be closed Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 22. Regular open hours for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 22 and 23.
This will be a good week to visit the community room’s historic display of bygone days in Berne. “Buildings, Business and Happenings - Bits of Berne History” stays up through December 1. Check out the Old Berne Hotel, AKA the Town Hall and Berne Museum, with gas pumps standing in front. The art wall is coordinated by Ann Hein of the Friends. Call 518-872-1246 or contact director@bernepubliclibrary.org if interested in sharing a display some time.
“Buildings, Business & Happenings — Bits of Berne History.” Hats off to the new display taking up residence on the community room’s art wall. Images corralled from Berne’s Museum and town hall swings back in time for a peek at buildings, businesses, and activities from local history archives.
Viewing the Berne Historical Society’s “Bits of History” can be enjoyed now through the last week in November. Stop by and leave a note in the visitor’s chat box.
Story time
Story time hat check. Do artists wear hats? How about pirates? Did you see that dog with the hat? Or was it a cat chasing a bat with a hat?”Ages 5-and-under story time at 10:30 a.m. this Nov. 13 is, you guessed it, all about hats.
Bring your favorite head topper on Tuesday. Listen as Kathy Stempel pulls a story out of her hat. Try the hat dance and craft a cool hat to wear home. Listen and learn, move and create is served each week on the library’s story time plate.
Paint & Sip
Step up for an opportunity to take your creativity out on the town with Paint & Sip tea at 7 p.m. this Friday, Nov. 16 at the library. This is a sign-up event. All slots were filled in the flick of a brush. An added session is possible to accommodate overflow. Call 518-872-1246, e-mail , or breeze in to express interest for more Paint & Sip pairings.
Author visit
On Nov. 26, from 6 to 8 p.m. mark your library event calendar for Gerard Finin’s chat about his book chronicling the life of Dr. Anna Perkins. A copy of his work is available at the library.
Exhibition
The 2018 Upper Hudson Library Exhibition is winding into its final month. Taking a map listing all 36 libraries in the UHLS, brave explorers are hitting the road in search of the unique brand of each library.
This past week Berne’s Public Library became the 36th and final stop for Bobbi, and her son, hailing from the Watervliet branch. She is now a 36er and it happened right here in Berne. Picture fireworks, whistles and a banner unfurling to the cheering crowd. Maps available at the front desk if you have an inkling to give this 36er challenge a go.
A lasagne dinner baked by the Friends of the Berne Library has your seat ready at the Berne Senior Center on Saturday, Nov. 3, with one seating, at 5:30 p.m. You may pre-purchase tickets at the library for $10 until library closing time at 6 p.m on Nov. 2. Tickets will also be available at the door on Saturday: Adults $12, children 12 and under, $8.
There are close to 15 cakes wafting irresistible aromas from various kitchens for the “Baked from Scratch” Cake Walk. The cake assortment will be tempting you as you sop up those last bits of lasagne tomato sauces.
Book club
Sunday night book club is set to discuss Jodi Piccoult’s “Small Great Things” on Nov. 4 at 7 p.m. This 2016 work takes on prejudice, privilege and justice playing out in a courtroom battle. New members are invited to join the conversation.
Daylight Savings Time
Daylight shrinking starts November 4 when daylight savings time ends. To officially change your clocks back on Sunday it should be done at 2 a.m. Or perhaps before your nightly snore. Either way, change those clocks so you get to story time on Nov. 6 at 10:30 a.m. with the adjusted dial back.
Story time
Squirrels, mice and chipmunks take the lead for November’s first story time. Did you know these animals are all in the rodent family and need about 14 hours of snooze time? Who’d of thought. Drop in for a story time listen, try some foraging moves and make a craft on Nov. 6.
Juried Photography Exhibit
Friends of the Berne LIbrary will convene their monthly huddle at 7 p.m. on Nov. 7. After the big lasagna feed on Saturday, it’s planning time for the next program — January’s 2019 Juried Photography Exhibit.
Themes for the January event are: Charms of the Seasons, All Creatures Great and Small, Shadows and Reflections, Our History/Heritage.
Sharpen your senses as you embody the viewfinder to become one with the perfect shot. Photo entry time line is fast approaching.
Trustees meet
Library trustees meeting in sight. Open up your library calendar page to Nov. 8 and mark down 6:30 p.m. These monthly meetings discussing library business are open to the public. To see a rundown of all monthly events happening at the library go to www.bernepubliclibrary.org and click on calendar at the top of the page.
— Photo from Kathy Stempel
Ryan Smithson, who wrote “Ghost of War” and “10 Klicks South of Whiskey,” speaks at the Berne Public Library.
Last week, after hearing the tale of Dave, a local recovering zombie, we learned his main concern was getting through the Halloween feast. Just a few more days, Dave. Just a few more days. In the meantime, it’s time to turn our attention to story time.
Story time lands on Halloween eve — Oct. 30 at 10:30 a.m. and it’s about to get spooky. Already lurking about the library stacks are witches, pumpkin-head dolls, skeletons, and spiders. A mini-Frankenstein could be on site to hear ghost stories, move to the monster beat, and craft a new friend to take home.
Welcome to the 5-and-under crowd, plus their caregivers, for this year’s version of spooky-stuff story time. Feel free to dress up for the occasion and show some monster mash dance moves.
Lasagna dinner
The annual lasagna dinner fundraiser by the Friends of the Berne Library is coming up fast. Dinner includes various styles of lasagna (including vegetarian and gluten-free), salad, bread, beverages and ice cream sundaes. Plus, the wildly popular cake walk rounding out the night with all manner of creations. Is your mouth watering yet?
Pre-purchase tickets at the library for $10 until Nov. 2. Tickets at the door are $12/adults and $8/children 12 and under.
Mark your library event calendar for this fundraiser benefits Berne Library programs big and small. Details to get you there:
The date is Saturday, Nov. 3 at 5:30 p.m. (1 seating) at the town of Berne Community and Senior Center, 1360 Helderberg Trail in Berne. Call 518-872-1246 or email director@bernepubliclibrary.org with any questions.
Library friends
Many thanks are extended to the Friends year round support of the library. This energetic group plans 9 events per year. A juried photo exhibit is the lead-in for January. Every March the Senior Center explodes with books, movies and music for the book and jewelry sale.
Next up is a tasty ‘Bowls for Books’ gathering around April. Each summer Music In the Park strums along for 5 consecutive weeks with 5 local bands entertaining the crowds at the Berne Town Park. Then the Lasagne dinner and cake walk brings the year into the home stretch.
Membership envelopes for the Friends group are available at the library’s front desk.
Folks are welcome to volunteer with or without membership.
A new display has landed on the south wall of the community room at the Berne Public Library. Photos from the Incredible Heldercon are brightening the room with memories of the event, which took place Sept. 22 in the Berne town park.
The Friends Art Gallery rotates a new collection every month or so. If you missed the Heldercon or want to reminisce, these pictures can help tell the tale of superheroes, games, and magic that swept the park last month.
Craft time
“Knit Wits calling all Knit Wits.” Are you stuck on a turn of the needle, a flip of the yarn or a stitch on the wild side? Clicking together hats, a shawl or left foot only socks? Join the Knit Wits this Sunday, Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. for conversation, help with a tricky design or inspiration to get that project done. Any and all stitchers and knitters are welcome to the table.
Story time
On Tuesday, Oct. 23 at 10:30 a.m. swing into view with pumpkins in the wagon. What can you do with a pumpkin? You can do a lot: Smash it ,bake it, take it for a walk. Paint it, read to it, decorate your house. Roast the seeds and carve it for the Halloween debut.
Kids 5 and under light up your genius and see what else can be done with pumpkins. Kids will code Cubetta the “pumpkin” to find the pumpkin patch with the STEM kit. Wear your orange for hide and seek play with the pumpkins after a rousing story of Halloween’s fruit of the vine.
Zombie event
Bwah ha ha. Queue in the spooky music. Zombies are becoming a real menace in the Hilltowns. Living in the darkness. Going unnoticed until it’s too late. Look to your left, glance to your right. What is that staggering off into the hemlock forest behind the library?
A unique opportunity is about to unfold. Happening right here at the Berne Public Library is a rare occurrence you can be part of. That’s right! An “Interview with a recovering Zombie” is staged to take place Wednesday, Oct. 24 at 7 p.m. sharp. Finding Dave, as he calls himself, willing to come into the light and share his journey took some serious persuasion. Stop in and support Dave, the recovering Zombie. Show him everything’s ok. This is geared for families with children 8 years old and up.
Thinking about joining a book club? This Sunday, Oct. 14, at 7 p.m., Berne’s Sunday Book Club meets for their monthly book discussion. “The Dry” by Jane Harper is a twisty turn of a mystery set in Australian’s drought-trodden farmland. With a few dead bodies tossed into the mix, the game is on for unraveling who, what, and why. New members are welcome to read and jump in on the conversation.
Story time
Whooo? Whooo? This Tuesday’s story time is sure to be a hoot. Picture a silouette on the barn roof turning its head 270 degrees in each direction. Envision 3 eyelids, staying awake all night and napping while the sun is out. Long-eared, barred, screech and barn owl’s all make homes in parts of New York.
Owls swoop by 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 16 as five and under humans with their caregivers are invited in to learn what the wise old owl has to share at story time. Listen to an owly story, move like an owl around the room and make an owl inspired craft.
Care to Share
If you enjoy baking and care to share your gift, the Friends of the Berne Library have sign-up sheets at the front desk for your generous offerings of home-made cakes. As part of the lasagna dinner fundraiser set for 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 3, the traditional ‘Cake Walk’ will be part of the evening. Save $2 by pre-purchasing tickets available at the library.
Photography
Also, the Friends would like to remind photographers of the 2019 Juried Photography Exhibit. Themes for the January event are:
— Charms of the Seasons;
— All Creatures Great and Small;
— Shadows and Reflections; and
— Our History/Heritage.
Keep a keen eye out for getting just the right shot.
Enjoy a book and meet the author
If you’d like to fall into a good book, check out Ryan Smithson’s “Ghosts of War [The True Story of a 19-Year-Old GI]”. Included in the book is a Q & A section, Ryan’s top 10 book favorites and his war zone playlist. Smithson signed on with the Army Reserves right after high school and was deployed to Iraq in short order.
The Berne Public Library will be hosting a visit from the author Friday, Oct. 19 at 7 p.m. Take this opportunity to meet Smithson, and learn about his experiences first hand. Hear pieces from his new novel published in 2018: “10 Klicks South of Whiskey.”
— Photo from Kathy Stempel
Superheroes take their turn on the runway at the Incredible Heldercon sponsored by the Berne Public Library
Helloooo, October! An important announcement to be aware of: Please stamp your Berne Public Library calendar with a closed sign on Monday, Oct. 8. Regular hours resume Tuesday, Oct. 9, at 10 a.m. with a trail of leaves swirling among the stacks and right on into the community room.
Story time
Are you raking, piling, and jumping into your leaf piles? Story time focuses on this “favorite” part of fall — leaves, leaves, and more leaves:
Find leaves all around you
To collect, display and draw,
Leaf watchers with cameras
Snapping shots by the dozens,
Following peak filled color changes
Hugging hills, streams, and lakes,
Maples, oaks, and birch
Leaves abound around us,
Look out, look up, and breathe it in/
Welcome to the 5-and-under story-time players at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 9. After hearing a leaf tale or two, craft your own souvenir leaf-inspired construction.
Trustees meet
Trustee Thursday is on the schedule for Oct. 11 starting 6:30 p.m. in the community room. Berne’s Library Board of Trustees meet the second Thursday of every month. All meetings are open to the public.
Zombie encounters
After a fine day of hiking the leaf trails, there’s a dare on the table to stumble over to the Berne Public Library on Oct. 12 at 6:30 p.m. for some zombie encounters. Friday’s shout out to teens/tweens is an invitation to the Library’s “Walking Dead” event. Dust off your Friday night zombie outfit and shuffle your way over for a zombie crawl. Prepare yourself for a game of Zombies vs. Humans.
Photos
Only a few days remain to view tender moments captured on film by photographer, Erin Bremer. Twenty photos flank the south wall of the community room showing new tiny humans being held by Moms, being introduced to Dad and sharing time with the family pups. Black and white scenes mixed with color shots share the wall. New display coming soon.
Class of 1978
Berne-Knox-Westerlo Alumni reunions are in high gear this time of year. Join members of the Class of 1978 as they take a tour of the Berne Public Library on Saturday Oct. 6 at noon.
— Photo from Kathy Stempel
Shiver me timbers! Kids at the Berne Library's Pirate Story time show off their "tattoos."
As “The Incredible Heldercon” took over the Berne Town Park on Sept. 22, parties of super heroes flew in to boost the day’s success. Taskmasters and planners send a huge shout out, thanking all the volunteers, visitors, special exhibitors, and vendors for their presence.
From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., the scene was filled with dancing, strolling, and cape-swooshing to the novel comic-book beat. Star Wars characters were piled three tiers high. Let the volunteer sign up for “The Incredible Heldercon 2019” begin.
Library calendar
Open up your library events calendar page to fill in the October storytime dates. Each Tuesday at 10:30 a.m. kids 5 and under, plus their transporters, are invited in for a themed story with crafts and some wiggly movement.
Apples are in the spotlight this Tuesday, Oct. 2. You can eat them, carve them, bake them and bob for them. What else can you do with our state fruit? Read about them.
Friends meet
The Friends of the Berne Public Library gather for their monthly huddle this Wednesday, Oct. 3 at 7 p.m. in the library’s community room. Business includes the annual Lasagna dinner fundraiser scheduled for Nov. 3 at 5:30 p.m. Mark it on your calendar.
Anyone interested in supporting the Friends are encouraged to join the crowd. Memberships start at $15 per year. Pick up a membership envelope at the front desk or drop by one of their meetings landing on the first Wednesday of each month.
Library closed
Advanced “Library will be closed” notice for Columbus Day on Monday Oct. 8. Stock up on your movies, museum passes, books, magazines, board games, music CD’s. All items at the ready for borrowing from the Berne Public Library.
— Photo by Amy Pokorny
Calico Indians: Anna Levak and her daughter Lila Evers with Berne Library Director Kathy Stempel show off a Calico Indian stick doll Lila made during the Discover the Hilltowns tour.
The Enterprise — Michael Koff
On display: A quilt made by Judy Petrosillo, retired director of the Berne Public Library, features — what else? — storybook characters. She made the car-seat quilt for her grandson Elliot to play “I Spy” on his way to Grandma’s house. It was part of Sunday;’s quilt show at Knox Town Hall hosted by the Berne and Knox historical societies.
The excitement is building with “The Incredible Heldercon” just hours away! It’s comic-con with a hometown spin. Get ready to enjoy this free family-friendly live action event on Sept. 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Berne Town Park.
Along with vendors and special exhibits, you will find Mr. Twisty’s magic show, a scavenger hunt plus dance moves at the “Dance Dance Revolution” booth. Come in costume and strut your stuff down the cosplay runway contest for a chance to win a prize. Wearing your favorite cape is welcomed and encouraged. Or toss your name in the hat for one of three door prizes.
Sponsored by the Friends of the Berne Public Library, this year marks the second showing for The Incredible Heldercon. Take a shot on the raffle ticket offerings. Six themed baskets from Star Wars to super heroes to cartooning are in the running.
There is much to see and experience as you stroll the Berne Park grounds. Costumed superheroes, artists, and snowcones are all on the schedule right alongside the Friends of the Library’s food booth.
Storytime
After resting up from Heldercon fun, it’s time to swing in for storytime movement, reading and crafts on Sept. 25 at 10:30 a.m. This week’s theme: pets. Who is your favorite pet? Is it a gerbil, a dog, a horse? A pig, a snake, a kangaroo? Pet stories abound in the children’s section at the library. Enjoy Kathy’s storytime picks, then pick some of your own to bring home for an early evening read.
Storywalks
Announcing new story installs for the Knox and Berne Storywalks. Knox features “Trout Are Made of Trees” by April Pulley Sayre. Berne follows the tale of “Wooly Bear Winter” by Amy Bowker. Located in the Knox and Berne town parks, these trail stories got their start in 2015 after library director Kathy Stempel brought back the idea from a workshop she attended.
The Friends of the Berne Library took the ball and ran with it. Two-by-two posts were planted, pages were laminated and secured, and the Storywalk became a reality. Jordan Latter brought the Berne trail to life for her Girl Scout Silver award project.
New readings go up three times a year. To date, 15 different titles have been showcased. Take a walk, read the pages, rest a spell.
Imagine the smell of some delectable dessert wafting about somewhere near the library. Yummy mouth-watering juices flowing at the very thought. After a day of adventuring, cozy up to the campfire to refuel with a homemade treat made over the blaze. Welcome to John Valachovich’s “Outdoor Cooking with Cast Iron Dutch Ovens.”
Presenter John Valachovic shares his expertise and longtime connection with Dutch-oven cooking on Saturday, Sept. 15, at 7 p.m. at the Berne Public Library. John, like many others involved in this hobby, got his start after an intro by the Boy Scouts of America.
Receiving a Dutch oven gift from his wife, Christine, was all it took. The collection of cast-iron pieces grew, a cooking school was attended, and a competition called the “East Coast DOG (Dutch Oven Gathering) was entered.
This Cast Iron Dutch Oven intro class will share:
— Care and use of Dutch ovens at home and over campfires;
— Cast-iron seasoning techniques;
— Choices in tools and equipment;
— Converting indoor recipes to outdoor; and
— Work heat management.
It’s more than a talk. “Outdoor Cooking with Cast Iron Dutch Ovens” is a live-action demo with a dessert to boot.
Tour
During regular library hours on Sept. 15 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. the library is listed in the Hilltowns Farms and Artisans tour. Extended hours are scheduled for Sept.16, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. for the tour plus normal library doings. That’s a bonus four hours to stop by, check out books, use computers, browse for movies or magazines, and enjoy the AC.
Heldercon
Shout out for “The Incredible Heldercon” coming up fast. Saturday, Sept. 22 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Heldercon storms the scene in the Berne Town Park. Scavenger hunts, costumes, food, and prizes. Mark your calendar to join in this free event for all ages.