Have you started making plans for those spring projects that you put on hold during the winter?
Sprucing up the yard with plants or putting in a vegetable garden is what many of us do this time of year. It is what I like to call fun work.
Creating raised box gardens, container or hanging vegetable gardens are all very popular ways to garden in small spaces. One type of gardening that is new to me is the straw bale garden. When I first read about it I was surprised to find out how versatile it can be.
Joel Karsten’s book “Straw Bale Gardens the Breakgthrough Method for Growing Vegetable Anywhere, Earlier and with No Weeding” guides the reader through the entire process with great photos and illustrations.
“Beginners’ Guide to Gardening” by authors Roger Holmes and Eleanore Lewis is a condensed guide to first time gardeners. You will find helpful information about soil, where to locate your garden, how to select the best plants, and much more. If you have never tried gardening this is a good place to start.
Maybe this year you want to try your hand at harvesting your own seeds to have for next year’s garden. “Seed Sowing and Saving” by Carole B. Turner covers everything from herbs to vegetables to flowers. It has some scientific information about seeds and pollination and all of the chapters have excellent illustrations. The Master Gardening Tips and Seed Facts inserts are very helpful.
Book it to the Bossier Parish Libraries to learn more about gardening.
The Bossier Parish Libraries system welcomes two new employees. Andrea Gilmer is the new Aulds Library manager and Troy Montet is the new Purchasing Agent. Andrea earned her MLIS from the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, NY. Troy has his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from the University of New Orleans.
Make a note:
- Saturday, April 12, from 2-4 p.m. at the Aulds Library teens are invited to play Pokémon. Snacks will be provided. Call Amanda at (318) 742-2337 for details.
- National Library Week is April 13-19, and we will be spotlighting all good things about libraries.
Go to www.bossierlibrary.org for more information about what is going on at your library.
New Books
Fiction
“Billionaire Blend” by Cleo Coyle
“Do or Die” by Suzanne Brockmann
“A Match Made in Texas: Novella Collection” by Karen Wietmeyer
“The Hundred-Foot Journey” by Richard C. Morais
“Dept. of Speculation” by Jenny Offill
“After Dark” by Gena Showalter
“Stella Bain” by Anita Shreve
“Bone Deep” by Randy Wayne White
“Losing Hope” by Colleen Hoover
“Call of the Prairie” by Vickie McDonough
Nonfiction
“Jim Cramer’s Get Rich Carefully” by James J. Cramer
“Property Management for Dummies” by Robert S. Grinswold
“Murder in the First-Class Carriage: The First Victorian Railway Killing” by Kate Colquhoun
“For the Benefit of Those Who See: Dispatches from the World of the Blind” by Rosemary Mahoney
“Vegan Chocolate: Unapologetically Luscious and Decadent Dairy-free Desserts” by Fran Costiga
“Paleo Happy Hour: Appetizers, Small Plates, & Drinks” by Kelly Milton
“Gun Guys: A Road Trip” by Dan Baum
“The 5 Love Languages Military Edition: The Secret to Love that Lasts” by Gary D. Chapman
“The Trip to Echo Spring” by Olivia Laing
“The Kraus Project: Essays” by Karl Kraus
Vickie Hardin is Outreach Specialist for the Bossier Parish Library. She can be reached at vhardin@state.lib.la.us
