Summer Reading Extravaganza!

If you didn't get to stop by the Summer Reading Kickoff Party at the Library on Wednesday night, here is some of the fun you missed -- it was quite a circus!

Fortune telling and face painting.

Balloons & water sprinkler (it was hot!).

The library's resident clown...

Hot dogs -- yummy.

Candy.

UMass Amherst Juggling Club

Popcorn and cotton candy.

Mmmm.  Tasty!

Hula hoops and hula hooping.

The balloon lady.

And a good time was had by all!
The library summer reading program promises fun all summer long -- the kickoff was just the beginning.  Kids and teens and families are invited to participate in a variety of activities at the library this summer, including a Desert Island Party, Build Your Dreams Cardboard Mania, and a guest Illusionist.  Plus, kids can earn prizes for reading this summer -- just get to the library and sign up. 
The library is a great place for anyone to go during the summer -- books, movies, magazines, computers, activities, book groups, and even air conditioning!  And, of course, it's free.

BFFs

A significant amount of time has passed since my last two somewhat wimpy posts.  I blame it on my kitchen.  You see, I am trying to renovate my kitchen, and in order to save a little money, I'm trying to do a lot of it myself.  So the minute I get home from work, I'm donning the mask and goggles and revving up my power tools to set to work.  Needless to say, a lot of things that need getting done are not getting done.  (Hopefully, tomorrow I'll make it to the dump before our recycling devours the garage.)

Nevertheless, I would be sadly a miss if I didn't write this post before another day in March passes us by.
It's membership month at the library -- have you become a friend yet (or even better -- a best friend forever)?
The Friends of the Goodwin Memorial Library is an organization dedicated to enhancing the Goodwin Memorial Library through fundraising, campaigning, and providing resources.  Whether you want to take an active role in those things or just want to donate financially to the library, becoming a Friend is the way to go.  Becoming a friend requires a tax-deductible contribution in the amount of your choice.  Donation forms are available at the library.
One small reminder: if you signed up to become a friend in a past year, now is the time to renew that membership!  (It's an annual contribution.)

And while I'm on the topic of libraries, do you have one of these yet?

If you don't, it's a good time to get one.  The library offers access to the entire CWMARS catalog (including ebooks), research databases, free wireless internet, bestselling books and videos, newspaper and magazines, a book club and knitting group, a local history collection, art exhibits, and more.  Become a friend of the library this month, and while you're at it, get a library card, too.

Also during the month of March at the library:

• the Hadley Heritage photography show being exhibited; postcards from 4 of the shows photographs for sale with proceeds going to the library through the Friends group
• a raffle for a lovely Gardenscapes gift basket that includes 1-hour of garden consulting, seeds, candles, a book of flowers, a garden gnome, jam, and more; $1 per chance
• Tea with a Friend: cookies and tea provided by members of the Friends every Tuesday from 3-4

A Rock Gym Grows in Hadley

Greetings! I have the honor of creating the first guest post on MH. It's probably nepotism: I also bear the honor of being "Mr. Madley." (I'm more well-known around the Web as Velosopher, proprietor of a blog about cycling, sport psychology, and the active life. Go here for a peek.)

I'm here to report on an exciting new development in Hadley: the grand opening of Central Rock Climbing Center, at 165 Russell Street/Route 9.

I don't have any experience with dedicated rock gyms, but years ago, while living in Taos, NM, I enjoyed tremendously climbing both outdoors and in. I also continued for a while after moving east to the Boston area. For years now, I've been missing it, so when I saw the CRCC building being constructed just down the street from us this winter, I got excited, and set about finding a replacement pair of climbing shoes on Craigslist.

Mrs. M. and I stopped by the gym shortly after they opened for business a few weeks ago. It was about 8:00 on a Friday night, and the generous parking lot was nearly full. Inside the cavernous building, crowds of folks were clambering up all manner of pseudo-rock formations, jutting out or overhanging in every direction. It really feels like a giant crag somewhere in the back of beyond, except there are hundreds of multicolored hand- and foot-holds on the rock wall, mats on the floors and giant lights in the ceiling. The vibe was friendly, and the place was clean and sharp-looking.

 Abutments and overhangs everywhere.

At Central Rock, you can take climbing lessons, or learn to belay (hold the safety rope for another climber). If you're more of a lone wolf, there's lots of wall dedicated to bouldering, which is stripped-down climbing on lower-lying rock, with no rope or hardware needed. Bouldering's a bit cheaper by the hour, and if you bike to the gym with your gear, you get yet another couple bucks off -- an incentive of which I naturally approve.

Solving a bouldering problem. (Notice the thick mat below.)

You can climb as late as eleven o'clock or even midnight on various nights, and they also host sleepovers for parties of kids or teens -- a great way to spice up those cold New England nights. There's tons of comfortable space for adults or significant others to hang out and watch the action.

Think about stopping by the grand opening on April 2nd; they'll have door prizes, a raffle and a band. They're in that large, warehouse-looking building you've seen going up all winter, just west of the Hadley Garden Center.

As the belayers like to say, "Climb on!"

The rope (trailing the climber) will safely stop a fall.

Local Yarn Store

We received a flyer in the mail this week, and since it relates to something that people have asked me about, I thought I'd post the information here.

Norma's Notions
14A Lawrence Plain Road
Rt 47, Hadley, MA

According to the website and the flyer, Norma's Notions has yarn, knitting accessories, books, cross stitch kits and supplies, craft paint and brushes, fat quarters, and handmade items ready for purchase.

There's also a social knitting group that meets on Tuesday nights -- and knitting classes on Thursday nights beginning in September.  You can check the website for more information, but information doesn't seem to get updated regularly.

I haven't visited this local family-owned craft & yarn store yet, but after my first visit to Webs in Northampton on Friday, I'm very curious about Norma's.