June 30 – If you are looking for some fun free activities for the family this summer you may want to start at the Sunshine Hall Free Library in Eldred. On July 7th through August 12th, they will have their Summer Reading Challenge. They challenge children between the ages of four-ten years old to read as many books as they can during the summer. They then turn in a list of books they read to the Library anytime they are open and they are awarded brag tags, beads, and special prizes. Also, during the Challenge children and their parents can go to the Library on Fridays at 4pm for an arts and craft project. Everyone will work on a special mosaic mural and color a poster that will then be on display in the Library. The arts and crafts will also be making bookmarks, suncatchers, collages and friendship bracelets. Then on Saturday, August 12th there will be a special Summer party on the deck of the Library. Go into the Library or on their website to register. It’s free and a lot of fun. For more information go to sunshinehallfreelibrary.org.

Speaking of our Library, I attended last Saturday’s lecture about beekeeping. Charles Wilkins who is one of the very successful owners of the Two Queens Coffee, Teas, and Bees (2queenscoffee.com) and a very accomplished graphic designer and artist who specializes in collages and a long-time local beekeeper was the presenter. He told the audience that he started his interest in beekeeping because he had seen photos of people completely covered in bees and he was looking for some danger. But to his shock he found bees to be gentle creatures and he ended up being their protective caretaker. Mr. Wilkins was one of the founders of the popular Honeybee Festival in Narrowsburg which happens each year in the Fall. The lecture was packed with information about the life of bees as pollinators, resources for starting beekeeping, the various types of bees (he prefers Italian bees-who knew) and the challenges he still deals with to keep his beehives (bear attacks in three different hive locations even with electric fences!). We were all enthralled to learn such details about bees and his lecture was a wonderful educational experience, and I will never look at a jar of honey without thinking of the lives of worker bees and the hard work of the beekeepers.

Calling all musicians! The next lecture coming up is returning to the Library by popular demand. On July 7th, educator, musician, and certified sound healer Thomas Workman will return with his vast collection of handmade musical instruments he has collected from just about every country in the world. I was fortunate to have attended Mr. Workman’s previous lecture and it was a stunner. He brought about fifty extraordinary handmade instruments, described how they were made and explained their use since ancient times for music and healing as a shamanic tool. Mr. Workman’s presentation will be the last in the current series so try to attend if you can; its different and very interesting. He had so many wonderful flutes he so skillfully played; I was wishing I knew Lizzo. All of the lectures and programs at the Sunshine Hall Library are free and, if you are a reader of books, the Library will order any book, magazines, newspapers, journals, or media you may want. Check out their website for more details or call them at 845-557-6258. Happy July 4th everyone!