Pumpkin vs. Jack O'Lantern

Now that we are in the thick of the fall season, the age-old question returns...what should be done with all of those pumpkins? From baked goods to scary lanterns to unique centerpieces, pumpkins are one of the most diverse plants around. With so many options, it can be hard to decide on the best use of your "pompion." Read on for fun facts and festive ideas.

Pumpkin
Recipes
~AllRecipes.com - Includes recipes for savory dishes, such as Pumpkin Turkey Chili and Pumpkin Fritters, along with sweet treats, such as Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins and Granny Kat's Pumpkin Roll.
~FoodNetwork.com - Embrace your inner TV chef by sampling some of the unique pumpkin recipes from big names like Paula Deen, the Barefoot Contessa, Bobby Flay and more! Recipes range from Pumpkin Mousse Parfait to Pumpkin Roulade with Ginger Buttercream to Spicy Pumpkin Seeds and beyond.

Decorative Ideas
~No surprise here, Martha Stewart offers some eye-catching decorative ideas for pumpkins. Give the Pumpkin Cachepots or Glittered Pumpkins a try.
~Real Simple has easy, no carve pumpkin ideas that make great use of tape, tacks and paint.
~Good Housekeeping is another handy resource for no fuss, no muss pumpkin decorating. Don't miss the beautiful celestial vase.
~Kaboose.com shares some cute ideas, such as Eeeek! Pumpkin, Swarm of Bats Pumpkin, Creepy Eyeball Pumpkin and Giant Pumpkin Bowl.

Fun Facts

~Pumpkins are fruits. They are a type of squash in the gourd family.

~The largest pumpkin ever grown was 1,689 lbs. It was grown by Joe Jutras of North Scituate, Rhode Island.

~In colonial times, pumpkins were emptied of seeds and filled with milk, spices and honey, then baked in hot ashes for a tasty treat.

~Pumpkins are 90% water.

~French explorer Jacques Cartier first called pumpkins "gros melons," which translates into "pompions," which has developed into "pumpkin."

~U.S. farmers produce more than 1.5 billion pounds of pumpkin annually.

~Pumpkins were once recommended to help remove freckles and cure snake bites.

Jack O'Lantern
Recipes (although recipes tend to fall under the pumpkin category, there are a few that bend the rules a little)
~Martha Stewart's Jack-o'-Lantern Tartlets, Pumpkin-Seed Brittle and Stew in a Pumpkin
~Betty Crocker's Jack-o'-Lantern Cake
~AllRecipes.com's Jack-O-Lantern Burgers

Carving Ideas
~Go back to basics with this helpful Pumpkin Carving Primer from Disney's FamilyFun website. Two other nice resources are the jack-o'-lanterns 101 poster and the Pumpkin Carving Tips: Carving the Perfect Pumpkin article, also featured on the site.
~After you learn all there is to know about pumpkin carving and are ready to go, Disney's FamilyFun site also provides ideas for what to actually carve into the pumpkin. Visit the Printable Halloween Patterns & Pumpkin Carving Templates page and the Jack-o-Lantern Patterns & Ideas page.
~Never one to miss a craft opportunity, Marth Stewart comes through again with impressive ideas for pumpkin carving. Check out her Carrot-Nose Jack-o'-Lanterns, Starburst Pumpkin Sconces, Jack-o'-Lanterns Made Tall, Spooky Silhouette Designs, Pierced Openwork Pumpkins and Pumpkin Creatures.
~Why carve alone, when you can host a pumpkin-carving party? Real Simple provides a step-by-step guide to throw a smashingly successful event. The guide includes a play list, menu ideas and carving tips.

History of the Jack O'Lantern
~The practice of carving jack o'lanterns began in Ireland with the myth of "Stingy Jack." According to legend, Stingy Jack played a few tricks on the devil in his lifetime. When he died, God would not allow Stingy Jack into heaven, due to his misdeeds in life. The devil would not allow him into hell, since Stingy Jack had duped him twice and make him promise not to take his soul. With nowhere else to go, Stingy Jack was forced to wander the earth with nothing but a burning coal to light his way. He placed this coal in a carved-out turnup for easier transportation. The Irish referred to him as "Jack of the Lantern," which developed into "Jack O'Lantern" over time. Irish and Scottish people started carving scary faces into turnips or potatoes, in order to scare away Stingy Jack and other evil spirits. Immigrants from Ireland and Scotland brought this tradition to America, but soon found pumpkins to be an easier plant to carve.

Pumpkins are a staple of Halloween and the fall season, in general. Their versatility allows chefs, bakers, crafters and families, alike, to express themselves in fun and unique ways. What will you do with pumpkins this year?

Sources of fun fact info: History.com and the University of Illinois Extension's Pumpkins and More site
Source of Jack O'Lantern history: History.com

NaNoWriMo

"Thirty days and nights of literary abandon!" For all you current/sometimes/hopeful authors out there...NaNoWriMo beckons. Put aside your fears and judgements and pick up your pens and laptops. Your inner characters and storylines are begging to be set free.

What on earth is NaNoWriMo, you ask? National Novel Writing Month. The one glorious month out of every year (since 1999) that authors (published and wannabes, alike) are challenged to write relentlessly (a 50,000 word novel) about anything their heart desires. The goal is quantity, not quality. In fact, editing is deeply frowned upon.

The point is to spur anyone interested in writing into action. Too often, internal criticism, fear and lack of motivation keep people from writing. NaNoWriMo combats these setbacks with a breezy, seat-of-your-pants attitude toward novel writing. If you don't suffer from such writing hang-ups, you should consider participating anyway. Here are some fun reasons from the NaNoWriMo website:
-To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms!
-To write without having to obsess over quality.
-To be able to make obscure references to passages from our novels at parties.
-To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

Whatever the reason, you won't regret partaking in the exhilarating experience that is NaNoWriMo.

Additional Resources:
*Websites
Nanowrimo
Nanowrimo's Young Writer's Program
Meriiam-Webster - online dictionary and thesaurus
Bartleby.com - find quotes from literature
Dropbox - sync your files online and across your computers (in case you write on a variety of computers)

*Books
No plot? No problem! : a low-stress, high-velocity guide to writing a novel in 30 days by Chris Baty
How I write: secrets of a best-selling author by Janet Evanovich & Ina Yalof
The lie that tells a truth: a guide to writing fiction by John Dufresne
This year you write your novel by Walter Mosley

Author Spotlight: Steven Walker

True crime fans will not want to miss Steven Walker's visit to the library on Mon., Oct. 25th at 7pm. His most recent work, Predator, hits close to home with the story of Timothy Krajcir. Read a helpful review of this book on the PCL Reference blog. Learn all about Walker by visiting his website, and find out even more about the author and the true crime cases he has profiled by attending his book discussion/signing at PCL on Oct. 25th. (Reservations requested, but not required - 610-398-1361 x13.)

5 Facts about Steven Walker:
1. He has approximately 1,500 published credits to his name.
2. He was born in Heidelberg, Germany.
3. He founded the Lehigh Valley Writers Academy in 2001.
4. He was a reporter for The Morning Call for three years.
5. He has won several awards for his macabre style of poetry.

Movie Marathon

Fall is a great time to cozy up on the couch and enjoy a movie marathon with friends and family. Themes can range anywhere from Hollywood classics to award-winning documentaries to movies starring Tom Hanks. Films are a unique way to learn about other people and places, observe different perspectives on the human condition or simply enjoy a brief escape from reality. Grab some popcorn, friends and DVDs from the library today!

Movie Marathon Ideas:
Academy Award Winners
Crash (2005 / R)
Shakespeare in Love (1998 / R)
The Deer Hunter (1978 / R)
In the Heat of the Night (1967 / Not rated by the MPAA)
All About Eve (1950 / Not rated by the MPAA)

AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies
Citizen Kane (1941 / PG)
The Godfather (1972 / R)
Casablanca (1942 / PG)
Raging Bull (1980 / R)
Singin' in the Rain (1952 / G)

Documentaries

The Cove (2009 / PG-13)

Man on Wire (2008 / PG-13)

Taxi to the Dark Side (2007 / R)

An Inconvenient Truth (2006 / PG)

March of the Penguins (2005 / G)

Fall Classic
The Natural (1984 / PG)
A League of Their Own (1992 / PG)
Major League (1989 / R)
Bull Durham (1988 / R)
Eight Men Out (1988 / PG)

Family Friendly
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (2001 / PG)
Toy Story (1995 / G)
Up (2009 / PG)
The Princess Bride (1987 / PG)
Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009 / PG)

Foreign Films
The Secret in Their Eyes (2009 / R)
Departures (2008 / PG-13)
The Counterfeiters (2008 / R)
The Lives of Others (2006 / R)
Tsotsi (2005 / R)

Fright Fest
Misery (1990 / R)
Nosferatu (1922 / Not rated by the MPAA)
Psycho (1960 / R)
The Shining (1980 / R)
The Thing (1982 / R)

Musicals
Cabaret (1972 / PG)
West Side Story (1961 / Not rated by the MPAA)
Moulin Rouge! (2002 / PG-13)
My Fair Lady (1964 / G)
The Sound of Music (1965 / G)

Romantic Comedies
When Harry Met Sally (1989 / R)
My Best Friend's Wedding (1997 / PG-13)
Say Anything (1989 / PG-13)
The Wedding Singer (1998 / PG-13)
My Big Fat Greek Wedding (2002 / PG)

War Films

Platoon (1986 / R)

The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957 / PG)

Schindler's List (1993 / R)

Full Metal Jacket (1987 / R)

Saving Private Ryan (1998 / R)

Westerns
Unforgiven (1992 / R)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969 / PG)
3:10 to Yuma (2007 / R)
Tombstone (1993 / R)
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (1966 / R)

John Lennon

Imagine a world without John Lennon. No Beatlemania or "Give Peace a Chance," no Across the Universe or The Beatles: Rockband. In short, no legendary musician to inspire millions of people around the world for countless generations. John Lennon needs no introduction. He was beloved and controversial, but the indelible mark he made on the world cannot be denied. On Saturday, October 9th he would have celebrated his 70th birthday. Check out the resources included below to help celebrate this occasion.

DVDs - Across the Universe, A Hard Day's Night
CDs - 1, Abbey Road, Anthology 1, Imagine: John Lennon, Love, Magical Mystery Tour, Lennon Legend
Adult Non-Fiction - John Lennon: All I Want is the Truth by Elizabeth Partridge, John Lennon: The Life by Philip Norman, The Lives of John Lennon by Albert Goldman, Memories of John Lennon edited by Yoko Ono, The Songs of Lennon & McCartney, Ticket to Ride by Larry Kane, Once there was a Way by Harry Benson, Can't Buy Me Love by Jonathan Gould, The Beatles by Bob Spitz
Juvenile Non-Fiction - The 10 Most Revoluntionary Songs by Andrea Cameron, John's Secret Dreams by Doreen Rappaport, Real Love: The Drawings for Sean by John Lennon
Video Games - The Beatles: Rockband (Wii, PS3)
On the Web - The Beatles / Yoko Ono reflects on John Lennon's 70th birthday / John Lennon 70th birthday events
Television - LENNONYC

Watch the movies, read the bios, listen to the music and remember the man.

October 2010's Must-Reads

As the month and season change, so does the list of must-read books. This month's list includes lyrical storytelling from the Pacific Northwest, a thoughtful and romantic monster, an intriguing mystery set in 1686 Paris, distinct stories linked by a perplexing writing desk and a promising crime novel debut. Just enough to keep you happily reading all month long.

Mink River by Brian Boyle (Oct 1st) - "The fantasical blends with the natural elements in this original, postmodern, shimmering tapestry of smalltown life that profits from the oral traditions of the town's population of Native Americans and Irish immigrants. Those intrigued by the cultural heritage of the Pacific Northwest will treasure every lyrical sentence." - Publisher's Weekly

Frankenstein's Monster by Susan Heyboer O'Keefe (Oct. 5th) - "The eponymous monster of gothic horror rises once again in this well-wrought sequel to Mary Shelley's classic tale...O'Keefe credibly extrapolates the moods and thoughts of the monster from how Shelley first imagined them in one of the better recent treatments of the Frankenstein theme." - Publisher's Weekly

Great House by Nicole Krauss (Oct. 5th) - "This stunning work showcases Krauss's consistent talent. The novel consists of four stories divided among eight chapters, all touching on themes of loss and recovery, and anchored to a massive writing desk that resurfaces among numerous households, much to the bewilderment and existential tension of those in its orbit..." - Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)

The Rhetoric of Death by Judith Rock (Oct. 5th) - "Rock's superb historical debut opens with 28-year-old Charles du Luc arriving in 1686 Paris to serve as a teacher of rhetoric in a Jesuit school...With an experienced writer's ease, Rock incorporates details of the political issues of the day into a suspenseful story line." - Publisher's Weekly (Starred Review)

Rogue Island by Bruce DeSilva (Oct. 12th) - "The serial torching of Mount Hope, a deteriorating Providence, R.I., neighborhood, sparks an investigative reporter's mission to smoke out the firebug in DeSilva's promising debut...A twist in the tale will keep reader's turning the pages until the bitter end." - Publisher's Weekly