Past
When we lived in the small town that I loved so much (the one with the penitentiary), I used to be a frequent visitor to the town library. The librarian was a beautiful lady who made it her personal mission to recommend a large list of books. I usually wound up walking—staggering—home with at least ten books which was the maximum check-out allowed. There was one series of books of which I was particularly fond. They were all bound in red hardcovers, and I believe there were about fifty of them. They were biographies of individuals like Washington, Jefferson, Harriet Tubman, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Louis Stevenson, etc. Trip after trip, I managed to read all of them plus many others. I loved that library. The sun shining in the big casement windows, the peace and quiet, the comfortable chairs all combined to carry me away into the wonderful land of the printed word. To this day, I trace my insatiable love of reading to the quiet time in that small town library. Many years later, I would return to look up my librarian friend. She now had silver hair and resided in a wheelchair. She had broken her spine in a fall on the ice and could no longer walk. However, it was as if the years melted away. She wanted to know what I was currently reading and had her usual surfeit of recommendations. We spent an enjoyable time together, most of which was book related. Her handicap had not dulled her enthusiasm.
Present
About three years ago, I decided to take a job in our local library. I was thrilled to think that people would be coming in, looking for a good book to read, asking me for recommendations. Wrong!! This library, like most libraries today I am sure, is thoroughly modern. That means that everything is computerized. Library cards are now like supermarket reward cards. They are plastic and the patron is given one for their wallet and one small one for their key chain. In this particular library, there were approximately seventeen computers for use by the library patrons…or for anyone else. If an individual wanted to use a computer but did not have a library card, their name was added to a waiting list and they were given access to a computer when one was available. I understand that people can get news and other information off the internet. Most of the individuals using these computers were watching cartoons, YouTube, playing Solitaire or some other equally irrelevant offering. One day a gentleman approached the desk at which I was working and asked about using a computer. I told him his name would have to be added to the waiting list and that it would be about a twenty minute wait. He looked at me with a dumbstruck expression and said, “Well, what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” With my sweetest smile I replied, “You might try reading a book.” I really do not want to sound judgmental. I do not blame individuals for using technology. I simply wish that the books on the shelf were not crying out for someone to pick them up. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee…” (Hosea 4:6)
Recipe
Peanut Brittle
1 pkg. raw Spanish peanuts
1 cup of sugar
½ cup white Karo syrup
½ cup water
1 teas. baking soda
1 teas. vanilla
1 tbsp. butter
Combine sugar, syrup and water in a heavy pan. Cook over high heat until almost soft ball stage. Add the peanuts and continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mix turns light caramel color (soft ball stage). Remove from the heat quickly and add the soda, vanilla and butter. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour out on a large sheet of aluminum foil to cool.
This is another one of those recipes whose origins are in the dim, dark past. I have absolutely no idea where this one came from. It is a good recipe and if the creator can come forth with ironclad proof of its origins, (lol) I will have no trouble acknowledging them.
When we lived in the small town that I loved so much (the one with the penitentiary), I used to be a frequent visitor to the town library. The librarian was a beautiful lady who made it her personal mission to recommend a large list of books. I usually wound up walking—staggering—home with at least ten books which was the maximum check-out allowed. There was one series of books of which I was particularly fond. They were all bound in red hardcovers, and I believe there were about fifty of them. They were biographies of individuals like Washington, Jefferson, Harriet Tubman, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Louis Stevenson, etc. Trip after trip, I managed to read all of them plus many others. I loved that library. The sun shining in the big casement windows, the peace and quiet, the comfortable chairs all combined to carry me away into the wonderful land of the printed word. To this day, I trace my insatiable love of reading to the quiet time in that small town library. Many years later, I would return to look up my librarian friend. She now had silver hair and resided in a wheelchair. She had broken her spine in a fall on the ice and could no longer walk. However, it was as if the years melted away. She wanted to know what I was currently reading and had her usual surfeit of recommendations. We spent an enjoyable time together, most of which was book related. Her handicap had not dulled her enthusiasm.
Present
About three years ago, I decided to take a job in our local library. I was thrilled to think that people would be coming in, looking for a good book to read, asking me for recommendations. Wrong!! This library, like most libraries today I am sure, is thoroughly modern. That means that everything is computerized. Library cards are now like supermarket reward cards. They are plastic and the patron is given one for their wallet and one small one for their key chain. In this particular library, there were approximately seventeen computers for use by the library patrons…or for anyone else. If an individual wanted to use a computer but did not have a library card, their name was added to a waiting list and they were given access to a computer when one was available. I understand that people can get news and other information off the internet. Most of the individuals using these computers were watching cartoons, YouTube, playing Solitaire or some other equally irrelevant offering. One day a gentleman approached the desk at which I was working and asked about using a computer. I told him his name would have to be added to the waiting list and that it would be about a twenty minute wait. He looked at me with a dumbstruck expression and said, “Well, what am I supposed to do in the meantime?” With my sweetest smile I replied, “You might try reading a book.” I really do not want to sound judgmental. I do not blame individuals for using technology. I simply wish that the books on the shelf were not crying out for someone to pick them up. “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee…” (Hosea 4:6)
Recipe
Peanut Brittle
1 pkg. raw Spanish peanuts
1 cup of sugar
½ cup white Karo syrup
½ cup water
1 teas. baking soda
1 teas. vanilla
1 tbsp. butter
Combine sugar, syrup and water in a heavy pan. Cook over high heat until almost soft ball stage. Add the peanuts and continue cooking, stirring constantly until the mix turns light caramel color (soft ball stage). Remove from the heat quickly and add the soda, vanilla and butter. Stir until thoroughly mixed. Pour out on a large sheet of aluminum foil to cool.
This is another one of those recipes whose origins are in the dim, dark past. I have absolutely no idea where this one came from. It is a good recipe and if the creator can come forth with ironclad proof of its origins, (lol) I will have no trouble acknowledging them.