Author: Ann

Drink the Harvest by Nan Chace

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drink the harvestPreserving the harvest doesn’t have to stop with jam and pickles!

Many fruits, vegetables, and herbs can be made into delicious beverages to drink fresh or preserve for later — a healthy and inexpensive alternative to store-bought drinks. Drink the Harvest shows you how to create juices, ciders, wines, meads, teas, and syrups to savor any time of year. From strawberry juice to pear cider, dandelion wine to spiced apple mead, citrus peel tea to kombucha, you’ll love these delicious recipes. You’ll even discover how to create your own backyard beverage garden and how to harvest ingredients for maximum flavor and quantity.

Whether you’re looking for new ways to enjoy your garden’s bounty or want to experiment with pure concoctions made from farmers’ market finds, these recipes and techniques – including harvesting, canning, fermenting, and pasteurizing – will introduce you to a whole new world of garden goodness. (description from publisher)

Handmade for the Garden by Susan Guagliumi

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handmade for the gardenThe DIY craze has moved beyond the craft room and into the garden!

Relying on easy-to-find, inexpensive, and repurposed materials, Handmade for the Garden is a treasure trove of original projects that not only make planting and growing efficient and successful but also add a personal touch to the gardenscape. Among the myriad projects in this hardworking book are mini hothouses; painted, stamped, and stenciled terracotta planters; hypertufa and cement pots and decorations; rustic and formal fencing and trellises; plant markers and stakes; and sieves and baskets.

With Handmade for the Garden to inspire them, gardeners of all skill levels will be empowered to experiment with form and function to discover creative, artful ways to personalize and beautify their gardens with handmade objects. (description from publisher)

New DVDs Coming in August

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August 5

need for speedNeed for Speed – Aaron Paul, Dominic Cooper

Tobey Marshall, a mechanic who moonlights as an underground race-car driver, strives to take the top prize in America’s most prominent street race in order to have his revenge against the ambitious ex-NASCAR champ who had him framed and sent to prison. Rated PG-13

 

 

divergent2Divergent – Shaliene Woodly, Theo James

In a world where people are divided into distinct factions based on human virtues, Tris Prior is warned she is Divergent and will never fit into any one group. When she discovers a conspiracy by a faction leader to destroy all Divergents, Tris must learn to trust in the mysterious Four and together they must find out what makes being Divergent so dangerous before it’s too late. Rated PG-13

 

bad wordsBad Words – Jason Bateman, Kathryn Hahn

Guy Trilby is a 40-year-old who finds a loophole in the rules of the Golden Quill national spelling bee and decides to cause trouble by hijacking the competition. While reporter Jenny Widgeon attempts to discover his true motivation, Guy finds himself forging an unlikely alliance with a competitor: awkward ten-year-old Chaitanya Chopra, who is completely unfazed by Guy’s take-no-prisoners approach to life. Rated R

 

gods not deadGod’s Not Dead – Kevin Sorbo, Dean Cain

It’s the debate of the ages; this time, held in a seemingly insignificant venue, but the outcome, as always, will be life-changing. A Christian college freshman, Josh Wheaton, and his atheist philosophy professor hold court on the existence of God. To pass the course, Josh must prove to the class that God is alive and well. This dare could cost him his relationships, his career, even his future, but Josh stands up for his faith and takes on the challenge. Rated PG

 

August 12

muppets most wantedMuppets Most Wanted – Ricky Gervais, Ty Burrell, Tina Fey

The entire Muppets gang goes on a global tour, selling out grand theaters in some of Europe’s most exciting destinations, including Berlin, Madrid, Dublin and London. But mayhem follows the Muppets overseas, as they find themselves unwittingly entangled in an international crime caper headed by Constantine-the World’s Number One Criminal and a dead ringer for Kermit the Frog-and his dastardly sidekick Dominic, aka Number Two. Rated PG

 

August 18

amazing spiderman 2Amazing Spiderman 2 – Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone, Jamie Foxx

Spider-Man’s conflict has been within himself: the struggle between Peter Parker and the responsibilities of Spider-Man. But Peter Parker finds that his greatest battle is about to begin. It’s great to be Spider-Man, but it comes at a price: only he can protect his fellow New Yorkers from the formidable villains that threaten the city. Peter must confront a foe far more powerful than he. Peter comes to realize that all of his enemies have one thing in common: Oscorp. Rated PG-13

 

August 26

blendedBlended – Adam Sandler, Drew Barrymore

After a disastrous blind date, single parents Lauren and Jim agree on only one thing: they never want to see each other again. But when they each sign up separately for a fabulous family vacation with their kids, they are all stuck sharing a suite at a luxurious African safari resort for a week. Rated PG-13

Sweet Paul Eat & Make by Paul Lowe

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sweet paulIt began as a little blog highlighting the recipes and crafts of the Norwegian-born food and prop stylist Paul Lowe. Six years later, Sweet Paul is an online magazine followed by millions and a print quarterly sold nationwide in specialty stores. Praised by the New York Times as “a trove of seasonal delights”, it is turning heads with its easy, elegant food and style-setting aesthetic.

Divided into Morning, Brunch, Noon and Night, with color palettes to match, Sweet Paul Eat & Make includes breakfast dishes like Morning Biscuits with Cheddar, Dill and Pumkin Seeds and brunches like Smoke Salmon Hash with Scallions, Dill and Eggs. For lunch, there’s a super-quick Risotto with Asparagus and for dinner, Maple-Roasted Chicken and a stunning Norwegian specialty, The World’s Best Cake.

Rustically chic craft projects – paper flowers make out of coffee filters, a vegetable-dyed tablecloth and a trivet from wooden clothespins – will captivate even those who are all thumbs. (description from publisher)

A Highly Unlikely Scenario by Rachel Cantor

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a highly unlikely scenerioIn the not-too-distant future, competing giant fast food factions rule the world. Leonard works for Neetsa Pizza, the Pythagorean pizza chain, in a lonely but highly surveilled home office, answering calls on his complaints hotline. It’s a boring job, but he likes it—there’s a set answer for every scenario, and he never has to leave the house. Except then he starts getting calls from Marco, who claims to be a thirteenth-century explorer just returned from Cathay. And what do you say to a caller like that? Plus, Neetsa Pizza doesn’t like it when you go off script.

Meanwhile, Leonard’s sister keeps disappearing on secret missions with her “book club,” leaving him to take care of his nephew, which means Leonard has to go outside. And outside is where the trouble starts.

A Highly Unlikely Scenario is a dazzling debut novel wherein medieval Kabbalists, rare book librarians, and Latter-Day Baconians skirmish for control over secret mystical knowledge, and one Neetsa Pizza employee discovers that you can’t save the world with pizza coupons. (description from publisher)

The $50 Home Makeover by Shaunna West

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$50 home makeoverStunning and easy projects for less than $50 each!

With The $50 Home Makeover, you can finally turn your living space into your home. This inspiring book offers 75 fun and creative ideas that will help give your place the stylish, modern look that you’ve always wanted – without having to spend a fortune. Each of these imaginative ideas cost less than $50 to bring to life and will beautify your space in unexpected ways. From an Antique Door Table to Reclaimed Wood Wall Art, each crafty home makeover project includes: step-by-step instructions with full-color photographs, a key to denote how long a project takes, how much it costs, and the level of difficulty and before-and-after photos of the finished product.

With the trendy yet inexpensive projects in The $50 Home Makeover, you’ll finally get to make those big improvements that you’ve been dreaming of, all while saving hundreds of dollars! (description from publisher)

Living Landscape by Rick Darke and Doug Tallamy

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living landscapeA home garden is often seen as separate from the natural world surrounding it. In truth, it is actually just one part of a larger landscape that is made up of many living layers. The replacement of the rich layers of native flora with turf grass greatly diminishes a garden’s biological diversity and ecological function. The Living Landscape seeks to reverse this trend by showing gardeners how to create a landscape that is full of life.

Written by Rick Darke and Douglas W. Tallamy, two of the most important voices in sustainability and horticulture, The Living Landscape is the definitive guide to designing a beautiful, biodiverse home garden. The authors first explain the layers of the landscape and what role the plants within them plays in the larger environment, from providing berries for birds, food for bugs, or a place for bees to pollinate. The authors then put this information into context and offer design strategies to implement in a home garden. Helpful charts suggest plants, including natives and nonnatives, for each region.

In a gorgeously illustrated, inspirational, and practical way, The Living Landscape supports the important message of biodiversity by showing gardeners how to make it happen. (description from publisher)

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zeven

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storied lifeA. J. Fikry’s life is not at all what he expected it to be. His wife has died, his bookstore is experiencing the worst sales in its history, and now his prized possession, a rare collection of Poe poems, has been stolen. Slowly but surely, he is isolating himself from all the people of Alice Island – from Lambiase, the well-intentioned police officer who’s always felt kindly toward Fikry; from Ismay, his sister-in-law who is hell-bent on saving him from his dreary self; from Amelia, the lovely and idealistic (if eccentric) Knightley Press sales rep who keeps on taking the ferry over to Alice Island, refusing to be deterred by A.J. s bad attitude. Even the books in his store have stopped holding pleasure for him. These days, A.J. can only see them as a sign of a world that is changing too rapidly.

And then a mysterious package appears at the bookstore. It’s a small package, but large in weight. It’s that unexpected arrival that gives A. J. Fikry the opportunity to make his life over, the ability to see everything anew. It doesn’t take long for the locals to notice the change overcoming A.J.; or for that determined sales rep, Amelia, to see her curmudgeonly client in a new light; or for the wisdom of all those books to become again the lifeblood of A.J. s world; or for everything to twist again into a version of his life that he didn’t see coming.

As surprising as it is moving, The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is an unforgettable tale of transformation and second chances, an irresistible affirmation of why we read, and why we love. (description from publisher)

The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry is also available for check out as a free ebook through the RiverShare Digital Library.

Sous Chef by Michael Gibney

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sous chefChef Michael Gibney uses twenty-four hours to animate the intricate camaraderie and culinary choreography in an upscale New York restaurant kitchen.

Here readers will find all the details, in rapid-fire succession, of what it takes to deliver an exceptional plate of food – the journey to excellence by way of exhaustion. Told in second-person narrative, Sous Chef is an immersive, adrenaline-fueled run that offers a fly-on-the-wall perspective on the food service industry, allowing readers to briefly inhabit the hidden world behind the kitchen doors, in real time. This exhilarating account provides regular diners and food enthusiasts alike a detailed insider’s perspective, while offering fledgling professional cooks an honest picture of what the future holds, ultimately giving voice to the hard work and dedication around which chefs have built their careers. In a kitchen where the highest standards are upheld and one misstep can result in disaster, Sous Chef conjures a greater appreciation for the thought, care, and focus that go into creating memorable and delicious fare.

With grit, wit, and remarkable prose, Michael Gibney renders a beautiful and raw account of this demanding and sometimes overlooked profession, offering a nuanced perspective on the craft and art of food and service. (description from publisher)

Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen

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lost lakeThe first time Eby Pim saw Lost Lake, it was on a picture postcard. Just an old photo and a few words on a small square of heavy stock, but when she saw it, she knew she was seeing her future. That was half a life ago. Now Lost Lake is about to slip into Eby’s past. Her husband George is long passed. Most of her demanding extended family are gone. All that’s left is a once-charming collection of lakeside cabins succumbing to the Southern Georgia heat and damp, and an assortment of faithful misfits drawn back to Lost Lake year after year by their own unspoken dreams and desires. It’s a lot, but not enough to keep Eby from relinquishing Lost Lake to a developer with cash in hand, and calling this her final summer at the lake. Until one last chance at family knocks on her door.

Lost Lake is where Kate Pheris spent her last best summer at the age of twelve, before she learned of loneliness, and heartbreak, and loss. Now she’s all too familiar with those things, but she knows about hope too, thanks to her resilient daughter Devin, and her own willingness to start moving forward. Perhaps at Lost Lake her little girl can cling to her own childhood for just a little longer… and maybe Kate herself can rediscover something that slipped through her fingers so long ago. One after another, people find their way to Lost Lake, looking for something that they weren’t sure they needed in the first place – love, closure, a second chance, peace, a mystery solved, a heart mended. Can they find what they need before it’s too late?

At once atmospheric and enchanting, Lost Lake shows Sarah Addison Allen at her finest, illuminating the secret longings and the everyday magic that wait to be discovered in the unlikeliest of places. (description from publisher)