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Lifestyle Columns

Great Ways to Discover Books

Librarians always have their eyes peeled and ears perked in order to discover the next book to add to our to-be-read lists. Have you ever wondered how your New Ulm librarians discover all the books that we read and recommend? First, we’re always recommending books to one another, and to the ...

Poster provides glance into history of dry cleaning

This poster invites the reader to “Enjoy These Winter Days” with an illustration of a peaceful snow-covered path lined with trees. It’s not simply an encouragement to admire the beauty of nature, though; it also encourages the viewer to enjoy “your complete wardrobe dry cleaned in the ...

Windsor chairs inspired by patriotic celebrations

With 2026 bringing the 250th anniversary of the United States, will we see a revival of interest in colonial American furniture? It’s happened with previous anniversaries. The Centennial celebration in 1876 saw furniture makers adapt early American styles to the manufacturing techniques of ...

Off the Shelf

Did you know that sharing a wordless picture book can be a powerful way to build important literacy skills? Wordless picture books are books without text that rely solely on the pictures to convey the story. They are often dismissed as being too easy for any age reader. But they are outstanding ...

French table embodies art nouveau design

Art nouveau designs were based on nature. A close look at this table, which sold for $2,750 at Fontaine’s Auction Gallery, shows that the side supports literally branch out at the top, where they meet the panels of carved flowers adorning the ends of the tabletop. The carvings at the base ...

Time Turning Like a Page

In his early play, Love’s Labour’s Lost, William Shakespeare gave us this thought on time. In the opening act, Lord Berowne speaking to King Navarre declares, “At Christmas, I no more desire a rose, than wish a snow in May’s new-fangled mirth; but like of each thing that in season ...