The National Cherry Festival will kick off its 85th annual celebration on July 2nd 2011 in the Traverse City area. Cherry lovers from every corner of the world visit the shores of West Grand Traverse Bay in Traverse City, Michigan every July for this event. This area also showcases tremendous natural resources and beauty, and it offers a wide spectrum of recreational opportunities that take full advantage of the water, woods, and snow.

Taking a road trip with the family this summer? Need some tunes to entertain the little ones? Here are some great CDs for the car ride this summer:

Car songs: songs to sing anywhere by Dennis Buck

Songs for the car

Here comes science by They Might Be Giants

City kid! by Joanie Leeds

Kidz bop 19 by Kidz Bop Kids

Skiing in Michigan offers excitement at any level of skill. With more than 40 Michigan downhill skiing resorts, the silvery slopes of Michigan offer the best Alpine skiing in the Midwest. So let's head up the lift and get a little closer to the bright blue sky where the beauty of downhill skiing is Pure Michigan. Michigan ski resorts and lodging and Travel include Cadillac, Gaylord, Traverse City, Boyne, Petoskey, and the Upper Peninsula.

Hey Kids!
LB went to Chicago for the Memorial Day weekend. Look at the cool sculpture LB is standing by in this picture. It's called Cloud Gate, but most people just call it the Bean. Mmmm. That makes me hungry. Unfortunately, this bean isn't edible. Guess I'll have to check out some books about beans from the library and learn how to grow my own. Have you ever done that? It's pretty easy. And a fun thing to do over the summer… which is almost here! Yay! It's certainly felt like summer the last few days. I can't wait for it to get here.
Until next time!
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Just in time for summer vacation, Park & Read passes have arrived at the library. A joint venture of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Library of Michigan, the Park & Read program provides a free one-day vehicle permit to any Michigan State Park & Recreation Area. Like the popular Museum Adventure Pass program, the passes are "checked out" for seven days; you pick the day you want to use it. Park & Read runs through October 1, 2011. So visit the Canton Public Library for a pass and a great book to read.

Be an armchair traveler and visit the National Parks with the help of David Moorman travel specialist of AAA of Michigan. The presentation Traveling our National Parks is scheduled for Thursday, June 9th at 7:00PM in our Community Room. Almost everyone's fondest memories growing up are of summer vacations the family took together. For outdoor enthusiasts, the National Parks encompass stunning stretches of scenery and perfect mountains for hiking and miles and miles of spectacular terrain. Whether you want expert advise on the Big Meadows of Shenandoah National Park or take in the peaks of the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, the presentation Traveling our National Parks is for you.

Extraordinary gardens of the world by Monty Don — When I think about where I'd like to travel, places with beautiful gardens rank high on my list. This book is a virtual travelogue of all types of gardens located in places all around the globe. The large format suits this book well, as the photos are big and colorful, inviting the reader to get the feeling of being in each garden. Gardeners and travel buffs alike will enjoy this book.

Discover the fascinating world of Mexico. There are several hidden treasures just waiting to be explored. Ancient Aztec pyramids, authentic foods and fantastic shopping. Whether you're looking to visit past civilizations or simply lay on the beach and work on your golf game… Mexico can accommodate. Also while you are at the library check out the colorful Mexican display in the East display cabinet in honor of Cinco de Mayo.

Hey Kids!
Did you guess where LB was headed next? He just got back from the Dominican Republic! It's half of an island in the Caribbean. He's been there before, because Miss Ruth's sister teaches there. But everytime he goes he has a new adventure. This time LB went to the country and got to see some pretty cool stuff growing! Like Pineapples. Did you know you can plant a pineapple at your house? This website tells you how. He also saw some banana trees and a Cacao tree. That's the kind of tree we get chocolate from! (But take note, Hershey bars don't just grow on trees).
LB got to try a lot of the fruit he saw growing down in the Dominican Republic--Mangos, Pineapples and Bananas. They sure have a lot of yummy food to eat in down there! I might have to try my hand at some Caribbean cooking. Good thing CPL has some books on that subject that I can check out!
LB is so lucky to go to all these neat places that I'm beginning to think his initials stand for Lucky Bear instead of Little Bear. Until next time!
Bear Hugs!
Thorndyke

Hey Kids!
Now that it's getting warmer out, LB has gotten restless. Good thing he's getting to go to lots of different places! In fact, here are some pictures from one of his recent adventures. He traveled to Bonita Springs, FL with Miss Michele! He had a great time! He told me it was warm and sunny down there. So he did lots of swimming.
Looks like he also tried his hand at some alligator wrestling. But don't worry kids. I don't think that's a real alligator. I even checked out some library books about alligators to make sure. Yup! Alligators don't have handles.

Since 1963, May has been declared Older Americans Month by the Agency on Aging. The theme of this year's celebration — Older Americans: Connecting the Community — pays homage to the many ways in which older adults bring inspiration and continuity to the fabric of our communities. It also highlights the many ways technology is helping older Americans live longer, healthier and more engaged lives.

The recent April 2011 issue of Consumer Reports reminds us of the many distracted driving scenarios many of us encounter in our daily travels. See the article on Consumer Reports website for a review of recent polling on the subject and further comments from various segments of our society.

Since 1967, on or around Hans Christian Andersen's birthday, April 2, International Children's Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated to inspire a love of reading and to call attention to children's books. This years theme, The Book Remembers, comes from Estonia. ICBD promotes the idea that children's books can help children learn about people from other countries, learn to appreciate and respect other cultures, and learn to get along with others. Here are some of the great books available to help you celebrate the day:

Global babies

Ten little fingers and ten little toes by Mem Fox; illustrations by Helen Oxenbury

Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with the talented dancers from O'Hare School of Irish Dance in Plymouth. We'll all be clapping our hands, tapping our toes and feeling very Irish for the evening. The dancers will be followed by an Irish folktale as told by one of our very clever librarians. Faith and Begorrah!
See you Thursday, March 10 at 7:00PM in the Community Room.