Crafting for Grown-ups

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Making art is good for the soul – and it doesn’t have to be intimidating. Join us for our monthly Crafting for Grown-ups nights, when we make art that’s accessible to everyone. It’s held every third Monday at 7 pm in the Library meeting room. It’s completely free and there’s no signup required, but RSVPing to our Facebook event page (look under “upcoming events” on the left-hand side of the page) helps us know how many to prepare for.

This month: Paint-your-own ceramic mug

Past programs:

  • February: chocolate-dipped pretzel sticks
  • January 2016: sugar scrubs

Pryor Tornado: April 27, 1942

In April of 1942, while the world was in the midst of World War II, tragedy hit much closer to home. A devastating tornado tore through Pryor, leaving a wake of destruction in its path and earning the title of 5th most deadly tornado in Oklahoma history. Click the picture below to visit the full gallery.

Pryor Tornado: April 27, 1942

“Fair Sample of Main Street as Tornado Passed.”

The library can help … caregivers

Caring for a person with Alzheimer’s or dementia is tough.

It’s unpredictable, often heartbreaking, sometimes frightening. It can mean unrelenting hard work. And it can be very isolating. I know – my family provided 24/7 care for my grandparents during their last years, struggling to keep them healthy and safe while watching their minds fade away.

Know this: you are not alone.

According to data from the Alzheimer’s Association, “more than 15 million Americans provide unpaid care for individuals with Alzheimer’s or another dementia.”

The Library offers a host of materials designed to help caregivers , from books on making a house “age-proof” to practical advice and information, like why symptoms often seem worse in the evening and how to handle personality changes.

One such book is the recently updated The 36-Hour Day: a Family Guide To Caring for People Who Have Alzheimer Disease, Related Dementias, and Memory Loss. The Chicago Sun-Times called it “the best guide of its kind,” and we have to agree. It offers detailed, practical advice in a straightforward manner on everything from how to understand 36 hour dayyour emotions as a caregiver to making sure medication is taken on time.

There are also the personal stories – Don’t Leave Yet: How My Mother’s Alzheimer’s Opened My Heart by Constance Hanstedt shares the true story of a mother and daughter, while Still Alice – the Library owns both the book and the movie – imagines what life is like from the point of view of the fictional Alice after her diagnosis of early onset Alzheimer’s disease.

Providing care and support for both the patient and caregiver is critical … and your library can help.  

[a version of this post originally appeared in the Pryor Daily Times.]

Your library can help … flavor your dinner

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Marie clears leaves out of the garden.

Quick – what’s an easy way to jazz up almost any meal?

Fresh herbs, of course! And you can help yourself from the library’s herb garden any time, whether the library is open or not. If we’re here, we’ll be happy to help you identify and pick what you need.

Currently we are growing rosemary, thyme, chives, stevia, oregano, peppermint, and lemon balm, but check back often as our herb bed changes with the seasons.

For inspiration in using all these flavors, we recommend The Flavor Bible, by Karen Page.flavor bible

With thousands of flavor combinations from classic to inventive, your meals will never be the same!