As we all navigate this unprecedented time and do our part to stay home to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we thought it might be fun to share what FDL staff are doing to pass the time. While most of us are still working from home, we definitely have more time on our hands for reading, creativity, hobbies, and more. So here’s what some of us have been up to this week – we hope you enjoy!

“This week I made Crack Chicken. It was delicious!”

– Becky, Reference Assistant

Ingredients:

• 3-4 frozen chicken breasts
• 8 oz of cream cheese
• 1 pkg of ranch dressing mix

Directions:

• Cook in a crock pot for 5-6 hours on high.
• Brown 6 strips of bacon and chop into pieces.
• Shred the chicken breasts in the crock pot and add the bacon and 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese.
• Mix and continue to heat for ½ hour.

You can serve this over rice or on buns as a sandwich.

“This week we decided to turn an under-utilized coat closet into a pantry. Now begins the fun of reorganizing all the kitchen cabinets as a result. To entertain myself while shifting everything around, I’ve been re-listening to the the audiobook of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.”

– Melissa, Reference Assistant

“This week I made a (semi) homemade raspberry lemon cake. I tried the “cake mix baking hack” that’s been trending on social media. You can do the cake mix hack with any boxed cake mix and substitute the raspberry preserve for another flavor of preserve to change it up! It turned out super moist and I’ll definitely be making all my cakes this way for now on!”

– Katie, Circulation Assistant

I used 1 box of lemon cake mix and did the following:

• Instead of 1 cup of water, I added a cup of milk.
• I used 5 eggs instead of 3 eggs.
• Instead of 1/3 cup vegetable oil, I used double (2/3) cup melted butter.
• Combine and bake as directions call for on box.

For the raspberry buttercream frosting:

• 2 sticks of unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp heavy whipping cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup raspberry preserves

Cream the softened butter with a mixer, then add your cream and vanilla extract. Slowing mix in the sifted powdered sugar.
Add the raspberry preserves last and mix until smooth. Frost and enjoy!

“As you might remember, my after-work, after-remote learning quarantine “stress relief” project was to teach myself to crochet. Well, I’ve practiced the basics and have a stack of dishcloths 8 inches high. (I’ve been handing out dishcloths like Oprah handed out Pontiacs.) I’m feeling confident in my very basic stitches, so I’ve been exploring the selection of 250+ crochet eBooks on hoopla and perusing the titles to see which might be the right one to lead me to the next project in my crochet adventure. I’m looking for simple and quick starter projects that allow me to learn and practice a few new stitches. There’s something very satisfying in the “completion” steps, and I don’t know if I’m ready for a lengthy project right now. However, if I keep practicing, maybe I’ll be skilled enough to make these cutesy taxidermies! And if not, at least I’ll be able to keep my dishes clean!”

– Genna, Director

“Recently I bought a band saw and I’ve been making different animal puzzles. Thursday, I made a frog and a brachiosaurus. Sometimes I design my own patterns, but I bought these patterns online. I’ve been woodworking since freshman year of high school. I make all sorts of things, but this bookcase and this shelf are my favorites.” 

– Katelyn, Library Page

“A few weeks ago, I finished reading Weather by Jenny Offill, but I still think of it almost daily. Though the book is short and her phrasing is almost surgically precise and compact, it packs a powerful, poetic, existential punch in the gut. I’ve also been obsessing over Fiona Apple’s long-awaited, brilliant album Fetch the Bolt Cutters (available on all music streaming services), which feels especially relevant during these quarantine times.”

– Beth, Communications Specialist

As we all navigate this unprecedented time and do our part to stay home to mitigate the spread of COVID-19, we thought it might be fun to share what FDL staff are doing to pass the time. While most of us are still working from home, we definitely have more time on our hands for reading, creativity, hobbies, and more. This week we’re sharing our favorite books from our home libraries – we hope you enjoy!

My DK Japanese English Bilingual Dictionary is one of my favorite books that I have at home. It’s an essential tool to have when learning a foreign language such as Japanese. I particularly like this dictionary because it features pictures along with the vocabulary words and an audio app that features native speakers using accurate pronunciation. I have several Japanese/English dictionaries, and this one is by far the best.

– Deb, Circulation Assistant

I can’t choose a book, but I can choose a series. My current favorite series is the October Daye series by Seanan McGuire. First, a description of the series from the author’s page: “The October Daye books follow the adventures of October “Toby” Daye as she tries to find her footing in a world that seems a little more interested in killing her than she’d like.” I love this series because it has great world-building, good character development, romance (that doesn’t overshadow the plot), and there’s a Court of Cats! It’s a little slow going at first, but I think it’s definitely worth it.

– Monica, Technical Services Specialist

Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and it’s all small stuff is one of my favorite little books to read. We live in a very fast pace world and sometimes we just need to slow down and breathe. When we are going through chaotic times in life, I like that it keeps it simple and reminds me everything will be okay. Don’t sweat the small stuff!

– Marsha, Circulation Assistant

Nancy Drew and the Secret of the Old Clock  is on of my all-time favorites. Nancy Drew has been my hero ever since I read it. I remember knowing exactly where those yellow spines were in the library growing up and making it my goal to read every single one! I loved reading about how Nancy figured out a case and put all of the clues together. It opened my eyes to the world of mysteries, which I still can’t get enough of.

– Laura, Youth Services Manager

To Kill A Mockingbird is one of my favorite books, not only for its readability and its powerful message, but also because its the source of personal memories for me. My father used to read to us when we were kids, and this is one of the books he read. I revisit it every few years, and there are still certain passages that I can’t read without hearing my father’s beautiful reading voice in my mind.

– Sylvia, Circulation Specialist

I have an absurd number of plants in my house, and this book is like my horticulture Bible. It’s a 1979 edition of Success with Houseplants from Reader’s Digest that belonged to a cousin who was like a grandmother to me. Its information and advice is more reliable than most articles on the Internet, and her newspaper clippings, bookmarks, and notes are still pressed between the pages. I still discover something new every time I open it.

– Beth, Communications Specialist