Hobbies

Did you collect fossils as a kid? Do you still keep an eye out for interesting rocks? Wouldn't you like to know what you've got? Stop in at the Rocky River Reservation and let local fossil hunters take a look. Better yet, learn more about this interesting hobby and how you can get started. ...

If you are looking for an active vacation that incorporates history, geography, great food and recreational bicycling, you might consider joining the 2020 FIDF Ride in Israel next fall. (You do not have to be Jewish to join this ride!)  It's a week you will never forget as you travel through the ancient land that has the magical touches of modernity and technology for which the Israelis are legendary. Boomer and Beyond blogger Diane Jenks, our OutSPOKEn Cyclist, describes her ride through Israel. ...

Make a New Year's resolution to get outdoors more this winter. One place to start is the big ice skating rink in downtown Akron. After you've recycled your Christmas boxes and gathered up the stray ribbons for the trash, take a break (but don't break anything!) with a spin around the ice. ...

If you're looking for an active vacation that incorporates history, geography, great food and recreational bicycling, you might consider joining the 2020 FIDF Ride in Israel next fall. It's a week you'll never forget as you travel through the ancient land that has the magical touches of modernity and technology for which the Israelis are legendary. ...

Do your garden tools usually spend the winter tossed in the bottom of a bucket? They deserve better and so do you when you start back into the garden next spring. Check the latest Emerald Necklace Garden Club blog post for tips on giving your tools end-of-the-season TLC. ...

Book Shelf

Who doesn’t like getting a book for the holidays? Below are a handful of gift-worthy books (all published in 2019) selected by the librarians of the Akron-Summit County Public Library’s Collection Development Department. 

 

The Art of Looking Up 

By Catherine McCormack

Critics and reviewers alike are calling this book a visual feast that is desirable as an art book and as a challenge to seek out art in unusual places. Forty spectacular ceilings are featured in this unusually dazzling book. Art historian Catherine McCormack guides readers through the stories behind the artwork depicted in this beautiful book of hypnotic ceilings from around the globe. Remarkable locations, great artists and glorious color photography make this book a great gift!.

Classic Restaurants of Summit County 

By Sharon Moreland Myers

Akron and Summit County’s classic hot spots have satisfied palates since the early 20th Century. Akron alone could sit up to 30,000 people at once during the golden age of the ’50s and ’60s. Marcel’s made a name for itself with its scampi, and Iacomini’s became synonymous with lobster. Ladd’s dished crowd-pleasing coney dogs, and Yanko’s sliced up its mouthwatering shish kabobs. Digging up vintage images and recipes, author Sharon Myers leads readers on a delectable trip down memory lane to the area’s most renowned and cherished eateries.

 

For the Love of Books: Designing and Curating a Home Library 

By Thatcher Wine and Elizabeth Lane.

A book about books – what could be better? Learn from the curation and design experts at Juniper Books and see your bookshelves in a whole new light. Explore the history of books, private libraries and celebrate the resilience of print books in the digital era. Marvel at the photographs and be inspired. Useful tips and illustrations will help you create and curate your own home library, whatever the size.

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By Traci McBride

Everything in life comes with its own inventory of pros and cons, especially how you decide to spend your time and efforts in volunteerism. Creating your own list of positives and negatives is good advice before starting any long- or short-term commitments.  

Strike up a conversation with someone who volunteers on a regular basis and ask about their experience. It can give you a good perspective and direction on organizations that match your belief system and interests. Your time is priceless; giving it with joy is selfless and satisfying.

 

Let’s Start with the Cons of Volunteering

Time commitment

Costs of travel/food

Unappreciative recipients of your efforts

Personality conflicts

Personal energy expenditure

Potential of choosing the wrong organization

Emotional drain when engaging with those in difficult life situations

 

And Now the Pros…

Staying active & engaged extends to graceful aging

Influencing another human being can be life-saving

Practicing or elevating your skill set

Mastering time management

Experiencing an organization from the inside

Socializing while creating new friendships with like-minded people

Increasing self-esteem & confidence

Creating the ripple effect in your community & in other people

Inspiring friends and family to get involved

Rewarding effect of aligning with a non-profit that touches you on a personal level

Spearheading ideas inside the organization                     

Source: CharityNavigator.org 

 

Traci McBride of TeeMcBee.com has passionately been a volunteer with Dress for Success – Cleveland since 2008.

 

Our Volunteer Salute

Meet NEO’s Givers

What better way to kick off the season of giving than recognizing some of our region’s most impressive volunteers? No other age group gives as much of its time, talent and energy as Boomers. We want to introduce you to a few outstanding givers recognized by our readers and provided by Greater Cleveland Volunteers (greaterclevelandvolunteers.org). 

 

Meet: Gail Tichy 

Where: Cleveland Metroparks

A retired federal worker, Tichy inherited a love of gardening from her grandmother.

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Pun alert: we’ve got a few books we think you’ll fall for this autumn. Carve out time for a couple of these titles and leave the busyness of the season behind. These book suggestions are from Jason Lea, Community Outreach Coordinator for Mentor Public Library and reference librarian Cailey Williams. 

 Go to mentorpl.org to learn about upcoming library events.

 

Mrs. Everything 

By Jennifer Weiner

Jo and Bethie Kaufman have always been opposites. As children, Bethie was the good girl, while Jo’s dress was always dirty. Bethie never questioned their mother, and Jo pushed boundaries. But when push comes to shove, the sisters always have each other’s back. Growing up in the 1950s, coming of age in the 1960s, and into adulthood, their experiences couldn’t be more opposite. One takes the traditional family route, and the other joins the counterculture of the day. Follow these very different women on their journeys through life, love, good times and bad, and see that no matter what happens, they have each other.

 

The Curious Charms of Arthur Pepper 

By Phaedra Patrick

Arthur Pepper, 69, is a quiet man focused on his routines. While cleaning out his late wife’s things, Arthur discovers a charm bracelet he’s never seen before, a hint to his wife’s life before they married. Stepping entirely out of his comfort zone, Arthur goes on a journey to discover the hidden stories behind these charms, taking him to Paris, London and even India, where he learns more than he ever wanted to know about both his wife and himself.

 

The Keeper of Lost Things

By Ruth Hogan

Forty years ago, Anthony Peardew lost a beloved keepsake. Since then, Anthony has become the keeper of lost things, gathering the lost items he finds on the bus, in the park, on the street, carefully documenting and saving them in case their owners ever come looking.

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