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So, what do you know about December? There’s more to the month than Jolly Saint Nick and the Christmas story. Shall we do a little December Trivia to see if you are that December whiz King and for fun and games? Some will find these easy as we want the season to be a bit Merry and Holly Jolly. Which of the following awards are traditionally handed out in December? a. Academy Awards b. Nobel Prizes c. Grammy Awards d. Juno Awards What is the birthstone for December? a. Garnet b. Turquoise c. Opal d. Emerald If you were born on December 26th, w...
December brings snow, twinkling lights, festive songs, and the magic of St. Nick. But beyond the celebrations, the month has witnessed historic phenomena and events worth remembering. The 1807 Meteorite Shower: Space Invaders of the Past On December 14, 1807, in Weston, Connecticut, a blazing fireball lit up the early morning sky. Witnesses described it as two-thirds the size of the moon, with sounds resembling cannonballs rolling on a wooden floor. Explosions followed as the meteor shattered upon entering Earth’s atmosphere at 65,000 mph, s...
American pantomimist, radio and television comedian, host, and star performer: Richard Bernard Skelton. If you were fortunate enough to listen to The Red Skelton Show, you were among the thousands mesmerized by the antics of this funny, boyish, teddy-bear-like, lovable, open, sincere, and often loony human being. Skelton solidified his fame with the debut of his national NBC radio show in 1941. During WWII, he served in the U.S. Army and performed numerous comedy shows for troops. In 1951, he helped popularize television with The Red Skelton...
Do you know why Lady Liberty's torch has been closed to the public since 1916? Lady Liberty, officially named Liberty Enlightening the World, was designed by Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi, a Frenchman who conceived the idea of building a colossal statue as a gift to America. It was meant to celebrate and honor the shared love of liberty that bonded the French and American people. Lady Liberty stands 305 feet tall on an 89-foot pedestal set atop a star-shaped foundation. The Statue of Liberty's p...
You may have seen members of your local Friends of the Library group without even realizing it. Perhaps you’ve purchased books at one of their sales, not knowing that the volunteers were part of a group dedicated to supporting your library. But what exactly is this group? Friends of the Library organizations are nonprofit groups that champion libraries within their communities. Run by volunteers, these groups exist in the US, Australia, France, South Africa, and the UK. It’s important to understand that Friends of the Library groups are ind...
If you were alive in 1970, more than one in four birds in the U.S. and Canada has disappeared within your lifetime. According to research published in *Science*, wild bird populations in the continental U.S. and Canada have declined by almost 30% since 1970. Bird numbers naturally fluctuate, which explains changes from month to month, but many bird populations have been declining gradually and consistently for years. In a comprehensive 2019 study led by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, researchers examined 529 bird species in the U.S. and...
So many ghosts. Chilling stories and frightening first-hand accounts. Let’s travel to where real ghosts live—not far to go. A short tale away for bone-chilling stories of encountering the paranormal. Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art [The Square], a former school, is number one on our list. The top haunting tale of The Square is of a young boy who drowned in the pool in the basement. “What pool??” Some debunk it, but the creaky old floors and cranky boiler tell a different story. Unseen children playing in the halls or singing from the music r...
The USS Zuni was a United States Navy Cherokee-class fleet tugboat, formerly known as the Navajo class. It was named for the Zuni, the popular name given to a tribe of Pueblo Indians indigenous to the area around the Zuni River in central New Mexico near the Arizona state line. Launched on July 31, 1943, she was deployed as a Navy tug to the war-torn Pacific. Hopping from island to island, she towed torpedoed warships to safety and performed routine missions, assisting broached landing craft and laying submerged fuel pipes as the U.S. drove...
We have rocks— all kinds of rocks. Rocks that sparkle. Rocks that are misshapen. Rocks that are perfectly round, square, and oblong. Rocks that are just a bit different. So, if you’re missing a few, stop by the library and see if yours might have rolled in. Check out our display for your rock. Have you ever taken a moment during a hike to admire a uniquely shaped stone or felt fascinated by a jagged cliff looming overhead? If so, you’ve dipped your toes into the world of geology. Rocks are more than just the rigid, passive materials they appea...
Once again, Wedsworth Library has a AAA treatment program for Bookaholics. The first step is admitting it. The second step is to keep right on reading. You might be a Bookaholic If: When trouble strikes, you head to a book sale. You will either be able to solve the problem, or simply have something to read as the world crashes down on you. You might be a Bookaholic If: You occasionally turn down invitations to go out because you are in the middle of a good book. When you are cold, you buy a book. You’ll still be cold, but you’ll have books! The...
We hear it on the radio. We see it on TV. We get the fliers in the mail. We see the billboards. And you know, through time the mudslinging and questionable actions have always been a tad bit ugly and often quite malicious at times. If you think it is bad now, try taking a look at the viciousness of the past. Alexander Hamilton, the man whose image graces our ten-dollar bill, was born out of wedlock in 1755. A number of his political opponents made sure to remind the world of the circumstances of his birth. Perhaps foremost among these...
The next time you are washing your hands and complain because the water temperature isn’t just how you like it, think about how things used to be. Here are some facts about the 1500s. Most people got married in June because they took their yearly bath in May, and they still smelled pretty good by June. Since they were starting to smell, brides carried a bouquet of flowers to hide the body odor. Hence the custom today of carrying a bouquet when getting married. Baths consisted of a big tub filled with hot water. The man of the house had the p...
We Promised. We promised never to forget. Yet, around the world the descriptions and messages of textbooks and curriculums vary widely. In the U. S. memories and details are fading away. An ever-growing number of Americans have no personal memory of that day, either because they were too young or not yet born. Americans watched in horror as the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 left nearly 3,000 people dead in New York City, Washington, D.C., and Shanksville, Pennsylvania. The enduring power of 9/11 is strong and vibrant for those who...
Boom towns have come and gone in Montana. Most are forgotten and do not exist except in the annals of time and history and a few old photos. Ever been to Demersville, Montana?? The town of Demersville emerged 130 years ago and quickly developed into a vibrant boomtown that laid the roots for the modern Flathead Valley. It was the first incorporated town in Northwest Montana. The once vibrant boomtown has long been reassigned to the history books. It was located near what’s now the city of Kalispell. Dillon Tabish wrote in a 2021 story for ...
With the rodeo right around the corner, Baxter Black defines the true character of the Rodeo Cowboy. There's a hundred years of history and a hundred before that All gathered in the thinkin' goin' on beneath his hat And back behind his eyeballs and pumpin' through his veins Is the ghost of every cowboy that ever held the reins Every coil in his lasso's been thrown a million times His quiet concentration's been distilled through ancient minds It's evolution workin' when the silver scratches hide And a ghostly cowboy chorus fills his head and...
You can create a quilt to look pretty or fancy. A show piece. It doesn’t have to be durable and weather the storms. It isn’t created to warm or protect the group. You want it to win prizes so you can feel good about your final goal. A fancy quilt is cleverly made. All the pieces are cut precisely beforehand, match perfectly, and the design is chosen to make an impression, not necessarily to weather time. An enduring everyday quilt can be a conglomeration of mismatched pieces chosen because the material is what is at hand. The edges are mad...
The 2024 Summer Olympics, set to kick off in Paris on July 26, will include four extra sports. They are breaking, surfing, skateboarding, and sport climbing. Baseball and softball were removed from the 2024 Olympics, but will be reinstated for the 2028 Los Angeles Games. Olympians are still being made here in Montana. Montana has the privilege of these talented athletes representing out state and our country. Once again, she has a chance to cheer on several of their own at the July 26 – August 11, 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. M...
Tiny is mighty. Smoky, a tiny Yorkshire Terrier, was found in a foxhole in New Guinea in Feb 1944. The American thought she must have been a Japanese soldier’s dog, but when he took her to a POW camp, they realized she didn’t understand commands in Japanese. The soldier sold Smoky to Cpl. William Wynne of Cleveland OH for 2 dollars Australian (about $6.44); he needed the money to get back into a poker game. Smoky became the smallest war hero weighing in at 4 lbs. even and standing 7 inches tall. Taking care of a dog during wartime and in a jun...
Have you ever really realized just how important the 4th of July is? So many think of it as day of picnics, day at the beach or lake. Not many see this as a “freedom day,” that we should be thankful for because of those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom and lived through horrendous hardships. If you look at the Fourth of July as a holiday “owed” to you, then you’re missing the whole point of freedom. Freedom came at a cost and we have forgotten what this cost entailed. They declared their freedom. They declared the freedom of these...
Cats were the perfect companions not only in the trenches of WWI, but onboard ship as well. While dogs and horses are often portrayed as wartime workers and companions, cats also played vital roles. It was a cat named “Simon” who won a Dickin Medal, the highest honor for Animal Military Gallantry in Britain. In the military, animal mascots were used to provide friendship and a happy distraction to Canadian soldiers. Various animals such as “Mike” the Saint Bernard, or “Batisse” the goat gave soldiers comfort and affection. Animal mascots wer...
May seems to have just began but then May flies! It is May, and time for mayflowers, mayapples and mayflies! Spring is a season bursting with cherry blossoms, the scent of lilacs, and the landscape devoid of winter white. Just like the mayfly, we are emerging from the depths of winter and able to move into the light. Mayflies are said to have been around before dinosaurs. “After more than 350 million years of evolution, they have perfected the art of life.” They start as an egg, turn into a naiad (water nymph!), emerge from the water, ful...
I’ve been to a lot of places, but I’ve never been in Cahoots. Apparently, you can’t go alone, you have to be in Cahoots with someone. I’ve also never been in Cognito, either. I hear no one recognizes you there. I have, however been in Sane. They don’t have an airport; you have to be driven there. I have made several trips. Ever heard the phrase “the real McCoy”? It refers to a ground-breaking inventor who revolutionized the railroad industry. Elijah McCoy was born to parents who fled slavery on the Underground Railroad. Elijah trained as a...
We always need volunteers. Volunteers keep the lights on. They cement the community together. Volunteers often help keep the doors open and enable organizations to deliver vital programs and services. They lend their expertise, to fundraising campaigns and special events. Volunteering for a good cause changes lives and doesn’t just benefit the people you’re helping. Beyond the obvious benefits of helping out in the community and making a difference, volunteering can both further a career and improve your life. Everybody wins. Did you hear abo...
“Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; Hardly a man is now alive Who remembers that famous day and year.” The poem was Longfellow’s embodiment of Revere as the courage and determination of the ordinary citizens in the Revolutionary War. Overall, Paul Revere was just a cog in an elaborate warning system. In 1774 and 1775, the Boston Committee of Correspondence and the Massachusetts Committee of Safety employed Paul Revere as an express rider to carry news, messages, and copies of important docum...
And a kazoo to you too. Remember an instrument that produces a-buzzing sound when played and consists of a small metal or plastic tube with a side hole covered by a thin membrane? Bet many have tried to play one. It was a real humdinger! A kazoo is a handheld, novelty instrument usually made of tin or plastic. It creates a-buzzing sound when played. The tone quality of a kazoo is determined by the quality of the membrane or resonator. You don’t’ blow into a kazoo to create the desired sound; you have to hum into it. A popular anecdote sug...
