To commemorate the transfer of library operations from Providence Public Library to Providence Community Library (PCL) on July 1, local libraries will be marking this historic event, with celebrations at each of the nine libraries. To start, a day of amnesty has been declared on library fines, meaning that overdue books owned by the nine libraries can be returned without charge. Ribbons will be cut to open each building that day, and books will ceremonially be relayed from neighborhood to neighborhood over the course of the afternoon. The relay kicks off at the Knight Memorial branch at 2:30 pm, traveling counter-clockwise around the city and arriving back on Elmwood Avenue at 7:00 pm. Commemorative T-shirts will also be for sale at every library.

Additionally, each branch planned its own celebration for the day. The activities will include karaoke at Olneyville Library, origami lessons at Rochambeau and a cookout at Smith Hill. “This is an exciting day for the city of Providence,” says Matthew Lawrence, one of the organizers of the celebrations. “It’s also a great opportunity for people to rediscover their neighborhood libraries, and a chance for each neighborhood to show off for an afternoon.”

Please join the library celebrations today!

Fox Point: Live music inside and outside, kids’ crafts, and food, from 5-7pm.  This event will be taking place, weather permitting, in the courtyard in front of the library, and will last beyond the library’s scheduled closing hour.

Knight Memorial: Potluck from 6-7:30.

Mount Pleasant: Refreshments and kids’ events from 4-6.

Olneyville: Karaoke party from 5-7:30.

Rochambeau: Party in front of the library from 3-5:30.  Live music, origami demonstrations, and food.

Smith Hill: A cookout in the back garden and kids’ programs inside, from 4-7pm.  Food donated by Councilman Hassett.

South Providence: Party from 3-6.  Councilman Aponte will be providing hamburgers, the street will be blocked off, and a police horse will relay a book from South Providence to Fox Point at 3:30.

Wanskuck: Planting in front of the library, beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 1. Refreshments will follow.

Washington Park: A Bigfoot film festival, debate and popcorn, starting at 2.

By Katy Killilea

Popcorn’s been getting some well-deserved attention! It’s a whole grain. It’s easy to make. It makes your house smell good. It’s inexpensive. Pretty much everyone loves it. And according to my ancestors, it is one of the few things a family can munch with impunity while reading a magazine. Can’t say that about Fritos.

I don’t have a microwave, but even if I did, I’d pop my corn in a pot on the stove. Microwave popcorn smells like office cubicles or hospital waiting rooms. Corn popped on the stove smells toasty and relaxing. And what about all of that recent attention about the toxicity of microwave popcorn? It’s simple enough to sidestep that issue if you have heat, a pot, and a lid.

Normally I purchase the excellent popcorn kernels in the bulk food bin at Whole Foods. They are both economical and organic. About one-half cup of kernels pops up to fill a big bowl—enough for two hungry school boys and an occasional parent to munch after school,  right up until dinner time.

Since we’ve been popping so frequently, new popcorn varieties have captured my attention. Riehle’s Select Popping Corn for one. Riehle’s offers over a dozen varieties–they are blue, red, or yellow; some pop up to just pee-wee sized (adorable) while others look larger than you’d expect. Each has a slightly different taste (they vary in terms of sweetness, nuttiness . . . a better food writer might switch on her wine-tasting adjectives here) and appearance, and they also vary in tenderness. Some are even hull-less–that means no little toenails stuck between your teeth. The taste is addictive and so are the names: Shaman Blue, Rainbow Delight, Sunburst. We especially love the tender and tiny-size Baby Yellow. Yum.

My favorite way to make popcorn:

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Kids get behind the wheel when fascinating vehicles roll up to the Museum during this special summer series.  Climb aboard a fire truck, sit atop a giant digger, examine the equipment in an ambulance and meet the drivers who operate them.  Explore a different vehicle each week!

July 1    National Grid truck
July 8    Cardi Corporation backhoe loader
July 15    Tow truck from Coletta’s Towing
July 22    Ambulance and technicians from Brown University Emergency Medical Services
July 29    Fire truck and firefighters from the Providence Fire Department
August 5    Narragansett Bay Commission Vac-Con truck
August 12    Bobcat front loader from Providence Public Works
August 19    Police vehicles and members of the Burrillville police
August 26    WPRI-12’s Pinpoint Weather Mobile

Details:
Providence Children’s Museum
100 South St, Providence, RI 02903-4749
(401) 273-5437

Wednesdays in July and August from 10:00 AM – Noon
Ages 3 – 11
Cost: Free with admission

Photo from Providence Children’s Museum. Camron Torres, age 4, of Providence gets behind the wheel of a giant tow truck during Wheels at Work at Providence Children’s Museum.

Vegetables from A to Z

By Hannah Marcotti

Sometimes a recipe idea takes time before it makes it on to paper. I was determined to create a gluten-free eggplant fritter using simple ingredients, but the results just wouldn’t pass my ultimate test. Three batches later, my logical (and handsome) husband, Patrick, suggested I head in a different direction and let the fritters go . . . for now. I resisted at first, then logic won. Had he not stepped in, I’d be on batch no. 7.

My fridge is bursting with foods from the farmer’s market: garlic scapes, celeriac, kale, basil, and grass-fed beef. In the pantry I have my staples: broth, noodles, and coconut milk. Logic said make curry. The kids said make those noodles and make them fast.

Eggplant comes to the markets around the time that tomatoes and peppers (other nightshades) arrive. I love eggplant because it is “meaty” and holds up to any sauce you throw it in. It is high in potassium and fiber and—this may surprise you—contains nicotine. You would have to eat a lot of eggplant (over twenty pounds) to match the amount of nicotine in a single cigarette–how’s that for a fun party fact to throw out! It’s certainly a vegetable that can take center stage. Sometimes I roast eggplant, put it over pasta with lots of lemon, olive oil, and romano cheese. Sprinkle with fresh black pepper, pour a glass of wine, and you’ve got a luscious, hearty, and healthy meal.

It took just one batch of curry to pass my recipe test—a far cry from my fritter frenzy. Let this recipe be a guide and use ingredients in your fridge and cabinets. I used the celeriac as a substitute for the potato that’s typical in yellow curries. (I’ve provided other substitution ideas in the recipe below.) Challenge yourself to be creative with what you have on hand. Who knows, you may create a family favorite.

Did my kids eat it? Well, they ate the noodles in vegetable broth with some avocado and sliced turkey on top. They were too hungry to wait and that was super easy to throw together as my curry simmered away. Patrick and I sipped a cold sweet Riesling while we ate, which is a logical wine to pair with this dish!

Beef and Eggplant Curry over Rice Noodles

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Did you know?

• Providence was a major league city for baseball from 1878 to 1885?

• The Providence Grays won the National League pennant in 1879 and 1884, and the first World’s Championship in 1884?

• 1884 was the first year overhand pitching was allowed in the National League, but fielders hadn’t started wearing gloves, and the catcher’s mitt hadn’t been invented?

• Since 1998, the Providence Grays Vintage Base Ball Club has brought our city’s baseball history to life playing against teams from throughout the Northeast?

The Providence Grays Vintage Base Ball Club was created as a tribute to the 1884 Grays, inspired by a league of similar historical baseball teams in New York. They learned the 1884 rules and style of play. The mission of The Providence Grays is to preserve, perpetuate, and promote the game of baseball as it was played during its formative years in the nineteenth century.

This Saturday, June 27, the Grays are playing two games against the Brooklyn Atlantics by the rules and practices of 1864 and 1884. The games start at noon at Ardoene Field in Elmwood. Ardoene Field is off Narragansett Avenue in Providence, one block south off Reservoir Avenue, and includes a playground, concession stand, and bathroom. Admission is free.

To celebrate George M. Cohan, the actor, singer, dancer, director, writer, and producer who was born on Wickenden Street in Fox Point on July 3, 1878, a host of special events including fireworks are planned for families and the local community over the July Fourth weekend. Cohan was called the father of American musical comedy, and he was known in his heyday as “the man who owned Broadway.”

This community event with patriotic spirit begins on Friday, July 3, at 6:30 p.m. at the corner of Wickenden and Governor Streets with speeches by dignitaries, followed by a dedication ceremony and the unveiling of a bronze sculpture (pictured) of Cohan by internationally known sculptor Robert Shure. There will also be musical entertainment by the Newport Navy Band Northeast, Ceremonial Band, singer Ian O’ Brian and jazz musician Mike Miller; and the presentation of the first annual Excellence in Art & Culture Award to Curt Columbus, artistic director of Trinity Repertory Company.

On Saturday, July 4, at 11:00 a.m., join a walking tour of Fox Point led by The Rhode Island Historical Society ($10 per person) at the corner of Wickenden and Governor Streets. At 2:00 p.m. at The French-American School, 75 John Street (corner of Hope Street), RISD Professor Mike Fink will give a lecture on the life of George M. Cohan, followed by a screening of Yankee Doodle Dandy, a great family film starring Oscar winner James Cagney. In the evening all are invited to India Point Park for more entertainment and fireworks.

For more info:
Contact Judi & Sy Dill: (401) 351-9944
website: http://sites.google.com/site/georgemcohancommemoration/

Providence Public Library Outlines Schedule for Central Library Operation

Beginning July 1, 2009, the Central Library of the Providence Public Library (PPL) and the nine city-wide neighborhood library branches will be operated independently. As of this date, the City of Providence and the newly formed Providence Community Library will take over operation of the city’s neighborhood branches. PPL will continue to operate the downtown Central Library and the Statewide Reference Resource Center at 150 Empire Street. Central Library services and resources will be fully accessible.

Providence Community Library and many of the Friends’ groups at library branches are planning special events to celebrate this reorganization that guarantee all library branches will remain open. We will post events as we hear about them. If you would like to help, volunteer, or donate items needed to help Providence Community Library, please contact them.

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By Maura Keating

Last year, I wrote about my love for the Bumbleride Indie. I might have even raved a little. One year later, I STILL love my Indie, but in case you didn’t guess already . . . we have another on the way and we are starting to see double. Thank goodness, Bumbleride is one step ahead of us with the Bumbleride Indie Twin.

I was a little wary of taking out a side-by-side double stroller. They seem huge and, well, they kind of are. There’s no getting around the fact that you are transporting two, but through some sort of magic or sleight of hand, at twenty-nine inches wide, the Indie Twin slides through most doorways. And the Bumbleride Indie Twin is easy to push (something my aching back truly appreciates), and unlike many double strollers, even tandems, the Indie Twin turns and maneuvers very smoothly. Like its single cousin, the Indie Twin could become my stroller of choice for cruising our Providence neighborhood. With its air-inflated tires, Bumbleride makes it easy to navigate curbs, potholes, grass–even sand. The Twin features two front swiveling tires that can be locked for brisk walks. A jogging wrist strap is also included.

My son loves the Twin as much as he loves the single Indie. Bumbleride has transferred all of the best features of the Indie and made them independent so that each child has a customized ride. The Twin’s backrests adjust separately and can fold flat—making the Twin usable from infancy on up. Baby can sleep while your Toddler sits upright. The five-point safety harness is easy to use and easy to adjust single-handedly. Coordinated cute shoulder pads and a headrest for Baby provide a comfy fit. Each seat also has its own canopy. The canopies are large and offer great protection from the sun and the elements. The rear panel zippers off to extend the canopy forward or to increase air flow on hot days. Each footrest is adjustable from flat to vertical.

You can attach an infant car seat to the Twin using the included Infant Carrier Adapter Bar. (A list of compatible car seats is available on the Bumbleride website.) The car seat adapter is not perfect. We tested it with a Graco Snugride Infant Seat and our friend tested it with a Peg Perego Primo Viaggio Infant Seat. Although both seats are compatible, the adapter bar never felt truly stable with either seat. Our friend comments, “I never felt that the car seat was securely attached. It would have felt better if there was some kind of click/lock mechanism vs. the universal bar/strap attachment.” The car seat adapter is a bit of a disappointment, but not a deal breaker for me. I use strollers mostly in the neighborhood for walks around town. My kids have never been content to stay in their car seats for errands.

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By Mary Smith

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the world’s largest children’s writing organization, distributes the annual Golden Kite Award for excellence in children’s literature. Chosen by a jury made up of a writer’s peers, the Golden Kite Award is testament to the SCBWI’s mission to increase and improve communication between writers, editors, publishers, librarians, and educators. This year the award for Picture Book Text goes to A Visitor for Bear written by Bonny Becker and illustrated by Kady MacDonald Denton.

Depicting the relationship between a persistent mouse and an inhospitable bear, Becker examines the difficult yet meaningful experience of making friends. I loved reading the story because as Bear becomes more frustrated with the mouse for coming into his house, the text’s font size becomes larger. In contrast to Bear’s growing anger, the mouse’s voice sounds small and intimidated yet unnervingly persistent. In Bear’s final surrender, he says, “I give up . . . You win, I am undone.” This dramatic yet all too familiar feeling of being changed by friends is both humorous and sentimental. The story ends with a lesson about letting a mouse in your house; of letting friends into your life. It is very charming indeed.

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By Tracy Andryc
Executive Assistant,
Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island

When the warm weather arrives the first thing we want to do is open the windows and let in the fresh air. However, parents need to be aware that open windows are a very real danger for children. Across the country, thousands of children are killed or injured every year as a result of falling from a window. Sadly, two Rhode Island children have already been injured this year after falling from windows in their homes.

Following safety precautions when you open your windows can keep your children safe from dangerous and deadly falls. Here are several simple precautions to keep in mind:

• Open windows from the top so children cannot reach the screened part of the window. Visit the National Safety Council for more window safety advice.

• Screens are not strong enough to keep a child from falling out the window, never rely on them to keep your child safe.

• Install window guards that are available at your local hardware store. They are designed to keep your child from climbing or falling out of the window. For more info on window guards, visit www.window-bars.com or www.totsafe.com.

• Keep furniture away from windows so kids won’t have something to climb on. Many children have fallen from windows while playing on a sofa placed by the window. The Home Safety Council has lots of helpful information for keeping your family safe.

• Set and enforce rules against playing near the windows. Never put your child’s toy box or playthings near a window.

• Teach your child to stay away from windows. Be sure to teach your child the dangers of window falls and be diligent about window safety. Click here to download a window safety activity book for your child.

Tracy Andryc is a mother of three and the executive assistant at Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island. She writes a monthly parenting newsletter called Parenting Rules! that covers a variety of parenting and child safety topics. Prevent Child Abuse RI is a private nonprofit organization whose mission is to ensure the safety and well-being of children in Rhode Island through awareness, education, and advocacy.

Photo courtesy of Prevent Child Abuse Rhode Island.