Now a library. Photographed in Berlin in June.
Category: books
Man’s Best Friend and Books
The sculpture of the dog with a stack of books on his head has always caught my attention when I drive by the Millvale Community Library. Tonight Steve and I walked down Grant Avenue after dinner to see it up close. What an invitation to come inside and find a good book to read.
The artist is Pittsburgh sculptor James Simon and the sculpted dog’s name is Pages.
And how about those magnificent door handles? I know there’s a story there.
Miilvale. Just across the Allegheny River from the city of Pittsburgh. You’ve seen my posts of Panza Gallery, Grant Avenue Bar, McWalker Yarns, Jean-Marc Chatellier Bakery, Tazza D’Oro, bicycle racks and Esthers’s Hobby Shop -to name a few.
Millvale Community Library 213 Grant Avenue Millvale, Pennsylvania
I didn’t even know who Mercy Watson was Until Last Week
Mercy Watson books have been checked out of the Columbus Public Library and are now at home with my grandson Charlie, 3 1/2.
I’d never heard of the existence of Mercy Watson prior to last week’s Ohio visit. Charlie has always liked his soft pig toy and has a small pig on the kitchen counter where he eats lunch.
Mercy Watson is a pig. No, edit that statement
“Mercy Watson is a porcine wonder.” says Mr and Mrs. Watson
The author is Kate Di Camillo and illustrated by artist Chris Van Dusen
Seems that ‘buttered toast’ is a favorite of Mercy Watson.
Laura created a Mercy Watson breakfast for Charlie.
He was adjusting the mouth/cashew.
That is hand squeezed oj accompanying the toast. Mmmmm. 
I should have taken one more shot of the empty breakfast tray. 
a screenshot for the Mercy Watson site
Since 1930, A Children’s Classic
The Little Engine That Could. There have been lots of different editions but this one that Maura is reading to her cousin Charlie is the Complete and Original. The author name is a pseudonym as I looked up the Watty Piper. Lots of discussion about the origin of The Little Engine That Could story in this throughly researched article by Roy E Plotnick- University of Illinois in Chicago
There’s an abridged version and a board book one out in bookstores now and the illustrations have been updated?jazzed up. (Not necessarily for the better in my opinion_ Guess I’m “Old School”.
Charlie loves trains and he likes the flow of language in the story……”I think I can, I think I can, I think I can,” and the rhythm of “I thought I could, I thought I could, I thought I could, I remember my mother reading it to me.
Book Club Dessert and a Peachy Sky
The book club on the next block meets the second Thursday of the month and takes the summer months off.
Who knows what the choice will be for September.
Tonight we discussed a memoir Olive Witch by Abeer Y. Hoque
Our hostess N served this lovely parfait/ sundae 
the walk home at sunset offered this gorgeous sky
“Open to All ” Columbus Metropolitan Library
Charles and Laura took me to the library in downtown Columbus.
We attended the Jim Gill concert at the Columbus Metropolitan Library on Thursday morning.
What a wonderful library.
Here’s an Article about their recent renovation
Another Little Library
Thanks to Laura for sending me this Little Library photo. Clintonville Ohio sure has a lot of these little libraries. This one with a Lego diorama and a note to leave the Lego please.
Tiny Libraries
Little Free Library purpose:
Building Community
Sparking Creativity
Inspiring Readers
AND they are all around my daughter’s neighborhood. In fact there is one at the end of their street. 
I was fascinated to see so many in just a few blocks as we drove to the playground. Today I made a run to buy knitting needles on Indianola and wound around the tree lined streets and came across of few more. Thought they would be good for the weekly photo challenge=
Invitation to Read
A basket of books at the Urgent Care waiting room. The Delaware County District Library offers the gift of a book as you wait.
There was a basket of children’s books on another end table. I took a James Patterson mystery titled Mary Mary for my sister Mary.
I read the recipes in one but left it for someone else.
Thank you Friends at the Delaware County District Library.
(My son Mark had a scratched cornea-ouch– our reason for being there. He’s on the mend)
Nicholas C. Ridge Free Library on Friendship Avenue
Right across from the hornet nest is one of the free standing libraries I’ve read about. Right in someone’s front yard.
We walked over and opened the glass door. Beautiful craftsmanship and the wood unweathered.
Turns out it was installed just this June.
We didn’t take a book but it was a nice find. And now we know where we can go to get a book, twenty four hours a day.
The plaque said Nicholas C Ridge Free Library and if you click on the link you can read the story.
The light was waning but took a few shots.
