Little Free Library Extraordinaire

Clintonville, Ohio a neighborhood in Columbus. There are wonderful Little free libraries all over and when we walk we see them but this one takes the prize. Take a Book Share a Book. “

“Building community.

Inspiring readers.

Expanding book access.”

What fun with all the Playmobil figures setting the scene
Blank notebooks and pencils, sidewalk chalk and pencil sharpeners all available to take
So creative and inviting

I posted about a Little Free library at the bus stop in Pittsburgh in 2021 and also about the Little Free libraries on a post tiny libraries in 2016

Prisoner 88 Author at Kate’s Kid Book Bash!

People at Work Series- Young Adult Author Leah Pileggi with her book Prisoner 88 

Leah Pileggi, Author, at her table display where she signed her books we purchased 

from Leah’s Website 

A ten-year-old in prison? Prisoner 88 is my middle-grade historical novel set at the Idaho Penitentiary in 1885. Check out the trailer!

Awards for Prisoner 88:*Indies Next List pick

  *2013 list of Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts by the NCTE

*2014-15 Dorothy Canfield Fisher Book Award (DCF) Master List (State of Vermont)

*2015-16 Nebraska Golden Sower Award List (in the YA catagory)     

*2016 Charlie May Simon Honor Book (State of Arkansas)

____________________________________________________________________________________

The scene was the Ace Hotel in East Liberty.

The event was Kate’s Kid Book Bash! on Sunday December 8th.  

“A holiday children’s book marketplace celebrating the life of beloved Pittsburgh picture book author, Kate Dopirak. Proceeds benefit Reading is FUNdamental/Pittsburgh. Buy your favorite kids books (board books, picture books, middle grade, young adult) and have them signed by dozens of authors in attendance. Pop Up Bookstore by Riverstone Books. Storytime for little ones. Art demos by children’s book illustrators. Meet members of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Bring your reusable shopping bags!”

Illustrator Cori Doerrfeld drawing a bunny while an appreciative audience watches in awe.

Below are two more books I purchased at the pop-up Riverstone Bookstore.  

Then we went to each author’s table display to have them signed.

Author Sharon G Flake’s book

Signed by author Marjorie Dennis Murray

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

Do you think it’s time to clean off the front porch?

Do you think it’s time to clean off the front porch?  Past the time for a good Spring cleaning? This is just one swipe off the circular plastic tabletop!

Looking forward to spending time on the front porch- reading, knitting, sipping tea or lemonade,  serving guests supper, remembering happy occasions celebrated on the front porch. One of my favorite parts of my home.  Have to run and clean up the rest of it, spiderwebs and dried leaves. IMG_6716IMG_6718IMG_6719

Below-See snippets from older  blog posts tagged “front porch”

LLKIMG_6720

I look at my grandmother’s photo and wonder what she’s reading 


On Sunday, my family drive through Durand IL (pop. 1500). It’s the place my family drive me every summer of childhood. 

My son took a photo of his four kids in front of my grandparents house. He asked for an old photo of the house to compare. I rediscovered this picture of my maternal grandmother. 

I wonder what she’s reading.


Grandmother whose China went to Laura post 

Then I went and googled her and a her name comes up. The people I want to call and ask, are passed.  

Charlotte Baker Rowley 1888-1980

Born Jun 1888 in Winnebago, Illinois, USAmap

Daughter of Eugene Baker Rowley and Mary S Smith

Sister of Clair S Rowley, May Rowley, Edna Rowley and Cecile Rowley

Wife of Judd DeWitt Vansickle — married 16 Nov 1908 in Winnebago, Illinois, USAmap

[children unknown]

Died Jun 1980 in Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States of Americamap. But her children are known. My mother was Marian.And no mention of Charlotte’s middle  name Elizabeth.  

I must ask my older cousin, John.  Maybe he’ll know 

I’ll list their children 

John Rowley Van Sickle b 1910

Marian Van Sickle  b 1912 

Robert Eugene b 1914

Mrs. Wozniak’s Very Last Day of School

The First Grade at Sacred Heart Elementary School is going to need to fill a very big hole, left by the retirement of Mrs. Wozniak.  I had the privilege of going to photograph and document her very last day of teaching First Grade.

Our sons met at this school in 1989 and are best friends still.

I got there before the children came into the classroom and got a tour of her room.  Each classroom has a different nationality theme and her classroom is Australia.

 

 

IMG_0867

All of the students walked to 8:30 mass, the church is next door. Father recognized Mrs. Wozniak before his homily and the cat was let out of the bag that she is retiring as the students did not know this information prior to his announcement.  The nice part was that it gave the older students a chance to hug and appreciate her, remembering being in her class and all that they learned from her.

 

When the class returned to their room, they sat on the carpet listening to The Giving Tree and Mrs.Wozniak showed them the gorgeous ceramic farewell plate (with all their names) that they helped make ( the homeroom mother organized that effort)

Thank you for your dedication and service, Mrs. Wozniak. You will be missed!

Enjoy your retirement. You deserve it!