Ambient fall days invite cozy hours spent beside a fire, reading alone or aloud with loved ones, quiet crafting the cooking-up of delicious comfort foods or beginning the novel you’ve always wanted to write.
The North Olympic Library System has all the resources you’ll need this season as you snuggle in with those you love, whether it’s your pup, partner, kid or your cozy self.
Cook
“The Soup & Bread Cookbook” by Beatrice Ojakangas is filled with recipes to warm and comfort you and your loved ones this fall, featuring in-season fruits and vegetables. Soups include Swedish Pea, Moroccan Vegetable, Asian Lemon Ginger, Colombian Chicken and classic Potato.
“One Pot” from the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living provides more than 120 recipes for your Dutch oven, skillet, slow cooker or stockpot. Simple, delicious, home-cooked meals with minimal clean-up.
To satisfy your sweet tooth, check out “Dessert for Two” by Christina Lane. These delicious small-batch recipes leave perfect proportions for couples, singles and the too-easily tempted!
Craft
Find creative inspiration in “The Artful Year” by Jean Van’t Hul. This book is filled with seasonal craft ideas, decorations to make with others and recipes to mark the year’s festivities, including items gathered from nature.
Share
Reading aloud with family or friends is a delightful way to spend an evening. Almost any title will do, especially picture books (check out “Three Bears in a Boat” by David Soman) and classic sagas (the Harry Potter series makes for a fun, season-long endeavor). Taking turns reading aloud with your friends or family is proof enough that the joy of literature doesn’t always have to mean joy for one.
Show (don’t tell)
National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) is a national creative writing challenge in which participants attempt to write a 50,000-word novel during the month of November. To encourage you along the way, NOLS is offering free author talks, writing workshops and weekly write-in sessions to help you reach your word-count goal.
And more …
• Weekly Write-Ins: Drop by your library during any scheduled Write-In, grab some coffee, and pull up a chair. Write-Ins at the Sequim Library will be from 3-5 p.m. every Monday in November. For information about Write-Ins at other NOLS libraries, visit www.nols.org.
• Pacific Northwest-inspired author Ashley Mackler-Paternostro will host virtual writing workshops at the Port Angeles and Sequim libraries to discuss her work and how to move beyond your first draft to eventual publication. Mackler-Paternostro will appear via web-conferencing software at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 10, at the Port Angeles Library and again at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 13, at the Sequim Library.
• Having trouble getting in touch with your innate creativity? Local author Lindy MacLaine will discuss her work, the creative process and answer your questions at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, at the Sequim Library. MacLaine is the author of the fantasy-adventure series, Piper Pan and Her Merry Band.
For more information about this season’s free programs, services and events at your library, visit www.nols.org, call 683-1161, or better yet, stop by and say, “Hello!”
The Sequim Library is at 630 North Sequim Ave.
Emily Sly is the Sequim Library manager.
