Voting Reminder

If you plan to vote in November and still need to register (your name has changed, your address has changed, you're voting for the first time in MA), your voter registration form needs to be postmarked by October 15. You can pick up forms at the Post Office, Town Hall, or the Library.

Clapp Library Reopens!

I had quite a happy surprise today when I went to the library to return some movies and books -- and the whole library was open and ready for business! Since moving to town in August, I have known nothing of the library building but the basement Children's Room. Services in the basement were impressive when compared to the size of the room, but being a librarian and hungry to browse a larger collection of reading and viewing materials, I was definitely looking forward to the reopening of the main parts of the library.
Apparently, yesterday was the grand reopening.
And I was absolutely not disappointed today when I visited.

Inside, the library is a very special place -- stained glass windows, built-in bookshelves, a balcony, dark wood decoration, hanging light fixtures, and set-in windows. A beautiful building, designed to encourage the arts and learning.
This is not your typical library.

(However, it is small inside and very very crowded. Though the state has funded a grant to expand the renovate the library, that money needs to be augmented by a large chunk of funds from the town and from private donations. You can read all about it here. )

I walked around the rooms in awe, beginning with the children's sections and moving over to adult fiction and reference, passing teen books, movies, music CDs, and magazines along the way. I even picked up 2 graphic novels (Bone and Batman), a teen novel, and a movie as passed through those sections -- and had to hold myself back from selecting more -- library browsing can be a dangerous habit to get into (though I highly encourage it).

I have met three of the librarians at the Clapp Library, and they have been very helpful and friendly (which I sense is a Belchertown theme). One of them has even read an article or two on this blog. I have also had the pleasure of meeting the library bulldog (perhaps the director's dog?).

The Belchertown library is a great community library, and I'm glad it has reopened. Be sure to stop in soon to pick up an audiobook, a movie, a book, a magazine, or to use the internet, do homework, study, or just discover something new. People have raved to me about the Clapp Memorial Library, and I am starting to understand why.

Tune in soon when the Friends of the Library run their BIG annual book sale! Coming Oct 13-18.

Happy October!

Just wishing any and all readers a happy October. I love October!
(More later.)

Why I Love My Local Hardware Store

I love my local hardware store -- the employees are super friendly and despite the small size of the store, it always seems to have what I need. I went looking for a washing machine overflow pan, and they had one; I went looking for bicycle hooks, and I found them; I went looking for a new hookup for my dryer, and I found it; I went looking for something I didn't even know I needed, and I found it (more than once!).

Today I was looking specifically for canning jars bigger than jam jars (half-pint), and they are amazingly difficult to find in stores. I often see rings and lids, but jars are either hidden away or not carried in the stores I visit (in fact, even Wal-Mart is discontinuing pint & quart jars in their stores -- at least some of their stores, which I found out when I called). But when I called my local hardware store, they cheerfully told me that they carried pint, quart, and half-gallon sized canning jars -- wonderful! I drove over and picked up just a case of pint jars (less than $10), complete with lids, and a canning jar lifter. Now I just need to get out and pick more apples!

Stadler Hardware, 3 Stadler Street, Belchertown; 413.323.4521.

Local Foods Recipe: Root Veggies & Squashes

This is a super easy and healthy dish that can be totally made with local vegetables you can find at any farm stand or market and can be easily tweaked to your own tastes.

Select your favorite root vegetables and squashes for a colorful dish that goes well with meat, chicken, fish -- or without.


Peeled butternut squash
Other peeled squash (acorn, buttercup, etc)
Carrots
Turnips
Beets
Sweet Potatoes
Parsnips
Apples
Olive oil (or butter/margarine)
Salt & pepper

Oil and set aside a large casserole dish with olive oil.
Chunk vegetables and apple into a large mixing bowl. Toss (with oil or applesauce, if desired) to mix the vegetables. Pour into the casserole dish. Salt and pepper to taste.
Cover and bake at 350 for about 1 hour or until a fork slides easily through the vegetables.

Serve with brown rice, quinoa, cornbread, or other hearty grains for the perfect autumn meal.

For variation, add kielbasa or cooked sweet sausage to the mix.

Belchertown Fair

If you missed out on the Fair because of rain and the threatening skies, you'll be happy to know you can give it another shot next year (presumably), but you may be a bit unhappy to know all you missed -- the rides (including the scrambler, the zipper, the merry-go-round, the dragon wagon, and more), delicious hot fries, cotton candy (that crystalized in the rain and humidity), the baby contest, the live music, the horses (including the escape of the 4-H horse from his small stall), the cows and goats and bunnies, the giant pumpkin with bear claw marks in it, the booths for the library and the bands and the scouts and the sports teams, the pulling competitions, the fried dough, the arts and crafts building, the costumes, and just the many happy people strolling around and enjoying themselves -- and all that was just on Saturday morning!











It was a good time despite the rain -- and maybe even just a little bit because of it. I was happy to see the numbers of people who did turn out for the fair and the hoards of very happy children riding the rides, petting the animals, and eating sugar (of which I ate plenty, myself -- cotton candy is weird when it drips onto your hands -- very difficult to get off once it crystalizes in pink and blue all over your fingers). I hope the drier Saturday evening helped to bring out bigger crowds.

Rainy Fair Day

Today starts the official first day of the fair, and I would have to say that fair-goers lucked out last night with the it's steadily raining.
But it's still early -- perhaps we'll see a break in the clouds and precipitation as the day wears on.
Hope you enjoyed the fireworks, and hoping even more that things dry up for the weekend!

Notes of Note

First of all, a quick reminder that the Belchertown Fair is this weekend, starting Friday -- there will be fireworks, a parade, rides, animals, booths, food -- and so much! I drove past the town center today and the rides were being assembled, the food vendors were out, colorful tents were already up, and so was a corral. The fair is a long-lasting tradition for the town, and I can't wait to go!

There's an important town meeting on October 2, 7pm, Town Hall Auditorium, regarding Question 1 (State Personal Income Tax) on the upcoming election. Information about the question can be found on page 6 in the Information for Voters put out by the Secretary of the Commonwealth. Basically, the proposed law would eliminate state income tax -- and thereby greatly reduce the monies available to the state to support schools, libraries, police & fire stations, road repair, and other important services we receive, while increasing other taxes and fees. I encourage your participation in the meeting -- and a "NO" vote at the polls. I know it sounds advantageous to drop the income tax, but truthfully, we can't afford to -- we rely on the services provided. I know there's a lot of waste in government, but punishing communities by taking away essential services isn't the way to fix the problem. Get out to the town meeting -- find out what it's all about.