When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer by Walt Whitman When I heard the learn'd astronomer, When the proofs, the figures, were ranged in columns before me, When I was shown the charts and diagrams, to add, divide, and measure them, When I sitting heard the astronomer where he lectured with much applause in the lecture-room, How soon unaccountable I became tired and sick, Till rising and gliding out I wander'd off by myself, In the mystical moist night-air, and from time to time, Look'd up in perfect silences at the stars.

The Anniversary of the Passing of Samuel Ballton “The Pickle King” On this day, 103 years ago, Samuel Ballton, passed away after an incredible life. Born a slave on a Virginia plantation in 1838, Ballton and a group of his fellow slaves successfully escaped and joined the Union Army during the early outbreak of the Civil War. Before long, he returned to the plantation to help his wife and family escape to freedom as well. Ballton would eventually settle in Greenlawn in 1873 where he earned his famous moniker. He got the name in 1899 when he purportedly raised over 1.5 million pickles in one season. But Ballton was far more than just a farmer, he also owned properties in the area, built many homes that still stand today, and contributed greatly to the growth of Greenlawn and the surrounding area.  It was recently announced that Boulevard Avenue will be renamed Ballton Way in recognition of his incredible accomplishments.  You can learn more about the remarkable Samuel Ba

With over 200,000 titles available through Live-brary for downloading, it can be mind boggling to find a good one. Answer a few questions about your reading habits and preferences, and our librarians will email you a personalized reading list to jump start your reading. Click here to submit your form.

Shut Not Your Doors by Walt Whitman Shut not your doors to me proud libraries, For that which was lacking on all your well-fill'd shelves, yet needed most, I bring. Forth from the war emerging, a book I have made, The words of my book nothing, the drift of it every thing. A book separate, not link'd with the rest nor felt by the intellect, But you ye untold latencies will thrill every page.

Keep your members engaged with these great book club ideas.  Click Here

1. Where the Crawdads Sing 2. The Boy in the Woods 3. In Five Years 4. American Dirt 5. Educated 6. Harry Potter & the Sorcerer's Stone 7. One Day in December 8. You are not Alone 9. Glass Hotel 10. Olive Again 11. Funny, You don't look Autistic 12. Summer of '69

Did you know that 26% of all household waste is compostable? That's a lot of landfill space. So I decided to start an Open Air, Outdoor Compost pile for my garden this week.  It really wasn't hard and there are lots of options for every type of gardener! For more information on how to make a compost, CLICK HERE.

City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert Gritty & Glamorous!  With the colorful 1940's New York City theatre scene as a backdrop, Gilbert shares a coming of age story that does not disappoint. As we follow Vivian, a 19 year old girl banished from the suburbs to live with her bohemian aunt in NYC, lot of bad behavior ensues, but in the end we learn what it means to love, lose and learn what matters most.  I could not put this book down!

On Fire: The 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life by John O'Leary Having trouble finding meaning these days?  Overcoming incredible odds of a terrible boyhood tragedy, John O'Leary's story is one of the most inspiring I have read in decades. His words of wisdom will resonate with any reader and make you grateful you got a glimpse. Get ready to set your dreams aflame!

Less than 10 days from seed to smoothie!

Click on the image for a list of local restaurants open for pick-up and/or delivery. If you are a local food establishment and would like to be added to our listing, send an email to: info@harborfieldslibrary.org

To Catch a Fish by Eloise Greenfield It takes more than a wish to catch a fish you take the hook you add the bait you concentrate and then you wait you wait   you wait but not a bite the fish don't have an appetite so tell them what good bait you've got and how you bait can hit the spot this works a whole lot better than  a wish if you really want to catch a fish

Join Mr. Adams as he teaches us how to access digital versions of our favorite magazines on Flipster! All you need is your library card!

Lines to a Budding Poet by Margaret Fishback Bear in mind, my little man: Never let your verses scan. And acceptance will be sparse If, by an chance, they parse. But whatever else you do, Let it not be said of you That your poetry makes sense!.... That's a criminal offense!

Some great suggestions from the the New York Times list: 100 Notable Books of 2019

Song in Minor Key by Dorothy Parker There's a place I know where the birds swing low,      And wayward vines go roaming, Where the lilacs nod, and a marble god      Is pale, in scented gloaming. And at sunset there comes a lady fair      Whose eyes are deep with wearing. By an old, old gate does the lady wait      Her own true love's returning. But the days go by, and the lilacs die,      And trembling birds seek cover; Yet the lady stands, with her long white hands      Held out to greet her lover. And it's there she'll stay till the shadowy day      A monument they grave her. She will always wait by the same old gate, -      The gate her true love gave her.

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton "Do your time before it does you." Just finished! What a book! Coming of Age story in 1980s Australia. Eli and August are brothers trying to survive within a family entrenched in the South East Asian heroin drug trade. A Down Under where prison convicts save the day and parents too often come up short. Another thumbs up!

Snail by Langston Hughes Little snail, Dreaming you go. Weather and rose Is all you know. Weather and rose Is all you see, Drinking The dewdrop's Mystery.

A motivated mom on Day 1 of Semi-Quarantine  (stay tuned on that one) I had my 2 sons, age 19 and 16, build me this.  At that time they were able to go to Kleet Lumber and get some 4x4’s, and we all just started digging. A few hours later.. Voila... It doesn't need to be elaborate. Just create a good space where you can grow and commune with nature. The focus, fresh air and sunshine will do you a world of good.

There Will Come Soft Rains by Sara Teasdale There will come soft rains and the smell of the ground, And swallows circling with their shimmering sound; And frogs in the pool, singing at night. And wild plum trees in tremulous white, Robins will wear their feathery fire, Whistling their whims.

Edge of the Lake by Selden Rodman Here where the waves lap A few last rounded pebbles, And the low wind turns over and over On the conscious waters... Here where the circle is not broken Nor the leaves turn their silver backs on the storm, The peace is of untroubled bottoms: Nor waves are, Nor winds.

Lines to a Budding Poet by Margaret Fishback Bear in mind, my little man: Never let your verses scan. And acceptance will be sparse If, by an chance, they parse. But whatever else you do, Let it not be said of you That your poetry makes sense!... That's a criminal offense!

The Water Dancer by Ta-Nehesi Coates ..."So the chief told his people walk out into the water, to sing and dance as they walked, that the water-goddess brought 'em here, and the water-goddess would take 'em back home. And when we dance as we do, with the water balanced on our head, we are giving praise to them who danced on the waves." Recently read the Water Dancer. An amazing book about Slavery and the perils faced by the heroes of the Underground Railroad. I highly recommend! May you all have safe passage on this unprecedented journey.

Neighbors by Witter Bynner Neighbors are not neighborly Who close the windows tight,-- Nor those who fix a pepping eye, For finding things not right. Let me have faith, is what I pray, And let my faith be strong!-- But who am I, is what I say, To thing my neighbor wrong? And though my neighbor may deny That faith could be so slight, May call me wrong, yet who am I To think my neighbor right? Perhaps we wisely by and by May learn it of each other, That he is right and so am I-- And save a lot of bother.

Peace on Earth by William Carlos Williams The Archer is wake! The Swan is flying! Gold against blue An Arrow is lying There is hunting in heaven-- Sleep safe till tomorrow. The Bears are abroad! The Sisters lie The Eagle is screaming! Gold against blue. Their eyes are gleaming! Sleep! Sleep safe till tomorrow. With their arms intertwining; Gold against blue Their hair shining! Orion is listening! Gold against blue His sword is glistening! Sleep! There is hunting in heaven-- Sleep safe till tomorrow.

Hello my fellow HPL Quarantiners, and welcome  to the Gardener’s Corner.   I know many of you  were able to pick up seeds before we closed our  doors, and I thought it might be fun to share some pictures of my experiences in the garden, as well as provide a space where we could grow together.  Knowing it was way too early to plant my seeds in the ground, I started a few planters.

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone  - JK Rowling A Game of Thrones  - George RR Martin - A Song of Ice and Fire Leviathan Wakes  - James SA Corey - The Expanse Annihilation  - Jeff VanderMeer - Southern Reach Trilogy My Brilliant Friend -  Elena Ferrante - Neapolitan Novels Casino Royale  - Ian Fleming - James Bond The Fellowship of the Ring  - JRR Tolkien - Lord of the Rings The Gunslinger  - Stephen King - Dark Tower In the Woods  - Tana French - Dublin Murder Squad Wolf Hall  - Hillary Mantel - Wolf Hall (Thomas Cromwell Trilogy) The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo  - Stieg Larsson - Millenium Trilogy Dune -  Frank Herbert - Dune Chronicles Beartown  - Fredrik Backman - Beartown The Shadow of the Wind  - Carlos Ruiz Zaffon - Cemetery of Forgotten Books The Hunt for Red October  - Tom Clancy - Jack Ryan 1st to Die  - James Patterson - Women's Murder Club

Easter by Joyce Kilmer The air is like a butterfly        With frail blue wings The happy earth looks at the sky        And sings.

All Overgrown by Cunning Moss by Emily Dickinson All overgrown by cunning moss, All interspersed with weed, The little cage of "Currer Bell" In quiet "Haworth" laid. This Bird - observing others When frosts too sharp became Retire to other latitudes - Quietly did the same - But differed in returning - Since Yorkshire hills are green - Yet not in all the nests I meet - Can Nightingale be seen -

Please continue to read while we are on pause. As soon as the library opens, please come and visit and we will be delighted to give you credit for the books that you have read. April - Take a chance on the first book of a series. May - Try a book on a subject you know nothing about. June - Choose any book about fatherhood.

Always Marry an April Girl – Ogden Nash Praise the spells and bless the charms, I found April in my arms. April golden, April cloudy, Gracious, cruel, tender, rowdy; April soft in flowered languor, April cold with sudden anger, Ever changing, ever true -- I love April, I love you

Now's the time to take advantage of this interactive resource. This highly acclaimed eLearning solution provides support to students and professionals for academic skill-building, standardized test prep, career certification practice, and easy to learn computer and Internet tutorials from beginner to advanced. Log in with your library card number and password, and keep track of your daily progress.

Access to the Ancestry Library Edition has been temporarily expanded to include Harborfields card holders working from home, courtesy of ProQuest and its partner, Ancestry.com Ancestry Library Edition will give you access to billions of names in thousands of genealogical databases including Census and Vital records, marriage and death certificates, Social Security Death Index and more. Click Here

The world of MOOC's (short for massive open online courses") is booming one, featuring more than 10,000 on line courses listed by 800 different universities. Brush up on your art history or learn about the ancient pyramids. Whatever your fancy, here are the ten best.   CLICK HERE

Join the Marvelous Mrs. McHugh as she demonstrates how to turn an ordinary cupcake into a pretty hydrangea flower using a buttercream frosting! For more cupcake fun, why not borrow an eCookbook? All you need is your library card! Download the Libby App for your iOS or Android device! ( https://livebrary.overdrive.com/ ) Cupcakes! By Elinor Kilvans: https://livebrary.overdrive.com/media... Martha Stewart's Cupcakes: https://livebrary.overdrive.com/media... Robicelli's--A Love Story, with Cupcakes: https://livebrary.overdrive.com/media...

BookPage has made its current issue available to non subscribers for free. Click HERE to find expert book recommendations for the best books to read in all genres!

Introducing hoopla Bonus Borrows Collection ! This list of more than 1,000 top titles will be FREE to Libraries - PLUS each Patron will be debited ZERO Borrows when they borrow any of the included titles! Access hoopla’s Bonus Borrows and hoopla's full collection of over 750,000 eBooks, audiobooks, movies, TV shows, music, comics, and more through our homepage with your library card!

Just Before April Came – Carl Sandburg THE SNOW piles in dark places are gone. Pools by the railroad tracks shine clear. The gravel of all shallow places shines. A white pigeon reels and somersaults. Frogs plutter and squdge—and frogs beat the air with a recurring thin steel sliver of melody. Crows go in fives and tens; they march their black feathers past a blue pool; they celebrate an old festival. A spider is trying his webs, a pink bug sits on my hand washing his forelegs. I might ask: Who are these people?

Any Fool Can Get into an Ocean… – Jack Spicer Any fool can get into an ocean    But it takes a Goddess    To get out of one. What’s true of oceans is true, of course, Of labyrinths and poems. When you start swimming    Through riptide of rhythms and the metaphor’s seaweed You need to be a good swimmer or a born Goddess To get back out of them Look at the sea otters bobbing wildly Out in the middle of the poem They look so eager and peaceful playing out there where the     water hardly moves You might get out through all the waves and rocks Into the middle of the poem to touch them But when you’ve tried the blessed water long Enough to want to start backward That’s when the fun starts Unless you’re a poet or an otter or something supernatural You’ll drown, dear. You’ll drown Any Greek can get you into a labyrinth But it takes a hero to get out of one What’s true of labyrinths is true of course Of love and memory. When you start rememberin