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Dreams of spring

March has left with a roar, and I am hopeful that April will be more lamb-like. The following books are for enjoying the outdoors when spring weather decides to arrive. Everything from choosing plants for your yard, learning new techniques for grilling your favorite foods or building a treehouse. If you need a shot of blooming beauty, you should check out “Blooms & Dreams: Cultivating Wellness, Generosity & a Connection to the Land” by Misha Gillingham (635.0979 Gilling). It chronicles her transition from city life to farm life, but the beautiful photos of flowers on the cover had ...

Windsor chairs marked by distinctive spindle backs

The Bonhams Skinner auction where this chair sold listed it as a Harvard University Windsor chair, bringing together two icons of colonial America. Harvard University, originally called the New College, was founded in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1636, making it the oldest college in the United States. This means that Harvard predates the Windsor chair in America. The first Windsor chairs were made in England in the seventeenth century, and they were being made in Philadelphia by the 1730s. There were many variations on the Windsor chair, especially in America. Like most early ...

In Appreciation

Milford 4-H Club says ‘Thank You’ to New Ulm Community Education The Milford 4-H Club would like to say “Thank You” to the New Ulm Area Community Education Program for the grant dollars we received for our successful community services project entitled “Bags of Joy.” We would like to thank everyone with Meals on Wheels for allowing us to partner with them to deliver the “Bags of Joy” on Monday February 20th. We also like to thank the drivers who allowed us to follow them while delivering the meals and for helping us deliver the bags we put together for the senior ...

Library introduces new classification system

New Ulm Public Library recently introduced a new online catalog. Our new catalog makes it much easier to search for materials, place your requests, and monitor your checked out items. You can access the new online catalog by visiting www.newulmlibrary.org and selecting Library Catalog. As we were exploring the options for our new catalog, we were reviewing the way we classify our materials. We want to ensure that materials are easy for our patrons to find. After much consideration and research, library staff have determined that we will be changing from the Dewey Decimal system to the ...

Mocha ware was utilitarian pottery made beautiful

To a pottery collector, a “mocha mug” isn’t meant for a coffee drink. “Mocha” is a type of decorated earthenware pottery made in England and sold in America in the early 1800s. Mocha pottery, or mocha ware, is usually utilitarian; pieces were originally used in the kitchen or during meals. It has colorful decorations painted in a slip glaze made from clay thinned with water to a liquid consistency. The decorations are usually painted over white glaze. Traditional patterns have descriptive names, like “banded,” “checked” and “marbled,” or repeated “tulip,” ...

It’s finally Spring!

Spring has finally sprung! I am so happy the vernal equinox has finally occurred and it’s spring. I am looking for green grass, new buds on the trees, flowers pushing up from the soil, and new books to read while I wait out the next three or four weeks until spring really starts here in south-central Minnesota. Caldecott Honor author and illustrator Marla Frazee gives us an uplifting picture book about blessings with In Every Life. This book has very few words but they aren’t necessary. The message of this book is told through the beautiful illustrations that carry the idea that in ...