March is National Craft Month, so we’ve been busy packing Take and Make kits, hosting craft classes, 3D printing and editing videos to add to our YouTube channel. If you have not been able to snag a craft kit or attend a class, the Tube is your virtual classroom no matter how far flung you may be from Corning.

Starting in reverse, the most recent Maker Mondays brought us Faux Watercolor painting with Filomena Jack. This class was made possible in part by the QuickARTS grant program administered by The ARTS Council of the Southern Finger Lakes and funded by the Community Foundation of Elmira-Corning and the Finger Lakes, Inc. Take a peek at this fun class as get a taste for watercolor painting without the expensive supply investment!

Kitsch & Kvetch was hosted by Kimberly Canale who taught us to crochet a water bottle holder to use for long walks and hikes. The pattern we used to stitch the project was created by Goddess Crochet. Kimberly guided us through each step of the pattern, while giving some neat tips and tricks. If you have a hankering for hooking, but need a little guidance, check out the Stitch n Bitch book from the library. If you need supplies, ten crochet kits will hit our Take & Make table this Saturday, April 3, as an Easter Bunny Treat. Be sure to hop in the library to grab a kit and say “Hi” before you leave.

There will be one more Kitsch & Kvetch on April 6 before we return to Crafting with Kimberly. Register today, then join me at the Riverfront Centennial Park at 6:30pm (weather permitting) to weave dreamcatchers using natural elements. If we are hit by rain or snow, the class will be recorded on Zoom.

Sew Wednesday taught us how to make a Drawstring Pouch. The little pouch also makes a convenient storage space for my face masks. I usually keep a stash of them in my car, but they were tossed haphazardly in my dash compartment before I made this handy helper. The library has lots of fabric and sewing supplies to help you create a similar pouch of your very own. Stop in the Creation Station to learn more.

We share the joys of yoga movement one Saturday per month. If you missed the class in early March, you can follow this link to watch it and make some time for yourself on your mat. We will host another relaxing session with Elizabeth Moses of Crystal Heart Yoga on April 10 at 11am via Facebook. No account is necessary to watch the video, but Facebook can be tricky. We want you to find relaxation and avoid tech goblins attacking.

As we turn the calendar pages in the morning, remember not be a Fool tomorrow! ❤

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!

From 1997 through 2018, the National Education Association (NEA) and Dr. Seuss Enterprises partnered to create Dr. Suess Day. This annual celebration on March 2 honors the birthday of author Theodor Geisel, the “Doctor” whose stories are well known and loved by many generations. It has become evident that a selection of his work holds racial connotations that cannot be ignored. Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced today that six titles in the author’s collection of work will stop being published because of racist and insensitive imagery. The NEA’s contract with Dr. Seuss Enterprises ended in 2018. Since then, the NEA has been marketing March 2 to be better known as Read Across America Day as a strategic attempt to focus on motivating children and teens to read through events, partnerships, and reading resources that are about everyone, for everyone.

This shift is not about Cancel Culture. Read Across America began as a project to instill a love of reading in young learners, but has been recognized as excluding whole sectors of student populations. This is more of an evolution of society. Learning something new or “re-educating and reorienting our consciousness” takes courage, acceptance and adaptability. Cultural Diversity is becoming a steadfast goal in organizations. Rather than use nostalgia as a defense for acceptance, it is time to use history as an educational platform for positive and effective change.

I sensed the lack of Seussical fanfare today after I shared a social media memory from 2015. A friend replied with this article that President Biden was “Erasing Dr. Seuss,” which caught me in a rabbit hole of internet research on this subject. Despite the cute red and white stripes, the Cat in the Hat injects racial innuendos of the Black Face Ministrels. The first lady of the last presidential administration was called out by a school librarian for her gift of Geisels in 2017. Said librarian offered a list of diverse books for students to read instead. Was the Cat in the Hat Black is part of that list and a must read for all those seeking to be “woke.” Deconstructing racism is just like peeling back the layers of an onion.

As we step towards the path of Peeling Back the Layers, I invite you to show up for yourself, so that you have capacity to show up for others. Can we call that a smooth transition? <(wink)> Mark your calendars for 11am this Saturday, March 6. Yoga with Elizabeth Moses will likely get you centered and ready to continue on the righteous journey of enlightenment. This class will be presented on Facebook Live and will be accessible at your convenience.

While change and pivoting can become exhausting, we are aware of the global Mental Health crises during this pandemic. Mindful exercise like Yoga is a great step toward self-care. Keep an eye on the Southeast Steuben county Library’s calendar of activities as new Mental Health Awareness programs will Pop-up in the near future. “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” ― Rumi

That’s a wrap for this stationary moment. I’ll check you on the flip side!