New Clubs, Kids Events, Book Groups Galore;
Tinkering, Journaling, Movies & More The Fremont Area District Library is planning to host many fun and educational events in January for the whole family. These events are, as always, free. The Winter Reading Challenge for all ages is back this year beginning January 2nd, and runs through March 1st. Children can sign up in the Children’s Department and teens and adults can sign up at the Reference Desk. Each age group will get a reading log with a challenge to complete, and when finished, you can bring it in for a prize. Teens will also be entered into raffle drawings for each book read and both teens and children will be included in a grand prize drawing when finished. Winter Reading is generously sponsored by the Friends of the Fremont Area District Library. Children’s Events We’ll be showing the Children’s Afternoon Movie Trolls Band Together (PG; 91 min) on Thursday, January 18th at 4:00 p.m. Snacks will be served, and all are welcome. Toddler Storytime, for babies and toddlers up to age 3, will be held weekly on Wednesdays at 10:00 a.m. beginning January 24th, and Family Storytime for children up to age 5 will be held weekly on Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. beginning January 25th. A special Snowman Saturday Storytime, for children up to age 5 will be on January 27th at 11:00 a.m. in the Community Room in partnership with the Fremont Area Chamber of Commerce’s Winterfest events. Tinkering Tuesdays continues this month. You bring the imagination, and we'll provide everything you need! Simple building and art concepts for kids to construct on their own or in a group. Finished creations will be put on display for a week. REGISTRATION REQUIRED - For ages 6-9 from 3:30-4:30 p.m. Sign up your child two weeks before each activity, until filled, by calling 231-924-3480 or seeing the front desk. See dates below. Limit of 15 children each week. -Dec. 9th: Free play -Dec. 16th: Make kinetic sand -January 23rd: Play board games -January 30th: Make a Lego maze Full S.T.E.A.M. Ahead also continues this month. This includes the same concepts as Tinkering Tuesdays, but for ages 10-12. REGISTRATION REQUIRED - 3:30-4:30 p.m. Sign up your child two weeks before each activity, until filled, by calling 231-924-3480 or seeing the front desk. See dates below. Limit of 15 children each week. -January 10th: Free play -January 17th: Make kinetic sand -January 24th: Play board games -January 31st: Make a Lego maze UFO Club (NEW!): UFO stands for UnFinished Object! Bring a project to work on while you socialize with other crafters. Gather by the south tables along the parking lot on Sunday, January 28th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. for this drop-in event. Tween Book Club (NEW!): Calling all magnificent Middle Schoolers! This new Tween Book Club, for 6th-8th graders will be munching on free delicious pizza and snacks in the teen area of the library while discussing books. At our first meeting on Tuesday, January 23rd at 3:30 p.m., we’ll choose a book to read for February’s book discussion, make an idea jar, and eat the previously mentioned yummy food. Homeschool Hangout: Are you a homeschool family looking to hang out with other homeschool families? Join this drop-in event in the library's Community Room on Friday, January 26th from 10:00-11:30 a.m. to socialize, play board games and Legos, and you are welcome to bring your own activities. We'll provide yummy snacks and drinks but you can bring your own if you'd like. Fit for Life Exercise is on Mondays and Wednesdays weekly beginning January 3rd from 12:00-1:00 p.m. This is a low-impact exercise class perfect for all adults and levels of fitness. Junk Journaling for ages 10 and up will take place on Thursday, January 11th anytime between 6:00-8:00 p.m. This is a scrapbooking and journal hybrid. Use up what you have and supplement with found, recycled, repurposed and thrifted items. Materials provided. We’ll show the movie My Big Fat Greek Wedding 3 (PG-13; 92 min) for our Movie Monday on January 8th at 2:00 p.m. Snacks will be provided. Silent Book Club: Come as you are and read what you want, with no interaction necessary! The first and last minutes can be social if you'd like--the rest of the time is silent reading. Gather by the South fireplace on Sunday, January 14th from 1:00-3:00 p.m. The Wednesday Readers Book Group will meet on Monday, January 8th at 7:00 p.m. to discuss In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez. The Non-Fiction Book Discussion will meet on Monday, January 15th at 6:00 p.m. to discuss The Zookeeper’s Wife by Diane Ackerman. The Daytime Book Group will meet on Wednesday, January 24th to discuss The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. Books for all of these groups are available at the library’s front desk ahead of the meeting if you’d like to check out a copy and join the groups. For more information about any of these events, please contact the library at 231-924-3480 or visit www.fremontlibrary.net.
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 By Ken De Laat "Remember that the important thing is not what you give, or how you wrap it. The important thing, during this very special time of year, is that you save the receipt."- Dave Barry We at N3 World Headquarters & Christmas Decor Emporium have long held a soft spot for the non urban downtown areas to be found throughout our bipeninsular paradise. There are always fun little finds in the shops along the main drag of these towns and Newaygo is no exception to this rule. In fact the business landscape in downtown River City has become a bit of a Mecca for shoppers who wish to look at potential purchases up close and personal and not via a screen. Thus, after sweeping through a few suggested stores in Fremont we headed east (10 miles or so) to check out the places our readers put forward as present purchasing opportunities.  Our first stop was the Downtown Threads Boutique, a fun and funky little shop with a wide variety of gifting items on display. It seemed to us store co-owner Rachelle Nausadis had sprinkled the shop with every clothing item needed what with bathrobes (a traditional Christmas gift among winterbound Michiganders), sleepwear, shoes, hats, purses, and what we learned that day are ‘shackets', a shirt/jacket cross breed that are rather popular according to Ms. N. and our other discovery was freeze dried candy. Apparently the process creates a lighter puffier texture. We were offered a sample however, when asked if we liked peanut brittle, we politely demurred without explaining the rather unpleasant encounter with pb that continues to haunt. Downtown Threads is a very cool addition to the main drag and just a message for 99% of the men out there considering a clothing item for the women in your life... Go with gift certificates.. Trust me on this. Do not guess on size or style. You can thank me after Christmas,
Next we stopped into an old favorite, the New Ewe, the shoppe that has long been a destination spot drawing fiber minded folks from throughout the state. From Fat Quarters to Fabric they not only have it all in supplies, they can teach and advise folks on everything yarn or quilt or any of their other products. It’s also one of the coziest shops around and the chairs around the fireplace are comfy enough to settle in when spousal companion Lil is looking around. I will caution though, falling asleep in those chairs, while not noticeably frowned upon by the staff, is apparently seen as a bit of a faux pas by the person you’re waiting for. 
We wandered down to Market 41 where a plethora of items new and not so new can be found in this multi vendor space at the classic building that also houses the Muskegon River Inn. We wandered about enjoying the array of gift possibilities and were captivated by the Newaygo items including a sweatshirt emblazoned with the Three Kings on the hill and if anything says Christmas in Newaygo it’s the Three Guys. And no, it doesn’t have the annual Reid Sherwood quote “And all is well with the world” on the shirt. While looking about we were drawn to a box that had a bunch of toys sitting near the checkout. “Toys for Tots?” I asked. It wasn’t, I was told. It was Forever 6. That’s when Tina Merryman told me about her granddaughter, Emma Christine Philips who was taken from the family in a tragic automobile accident this past Spring at the oh so tender age of 6. From the flier: “Emma was fun loving, sassy and such a joy to be around and we miss her so much, especially when the holidays approach and we are unable to enjoy her smiling,laughing face as we come together as a family. “We have decided to honor Emma by creating Forever 6, a charity to help others in our community by helping with food and gifts for this Christmas season.” What a terrific way to honor Emma’s legacy. So… if you’re stumped about getting something for the people in your life that are hard to buy for because they have everything they want, and you’ve made the acquaintance of 1 or 2 sassy little 6 year olds in your life, consider donating to this cause. Stop in at Market 41 and find out what they might need and do it in the name of your giftee. They’ll be happy. You’ll be happy, and some deserving child out there will likely be very, very happy.  Ok we’re wrapping up Newaygo this week so if there’s a suggestion out there let us know ([email protected].)
“Christmas is a necessity. There has to be at least one day of the year to remind us that we're here for something else besides ourselves.”- Eric Severeid  Photos and article by Donna Iverson A lot of backyard animals, like rabbits, are hibernating. Many birds and ducks have flown south. And turtles are burrowed into the sides of creek beds. But squirrels seem not to notice that winter has arrived. Near me, numerous grey and black squirrels are hopping from tree limb to tree limb and occasionally foraging for nuts below. With leaves off the trees, their nests are visible everywhere. One tree looks like a hotel for squirrels. These nests are made of twigs, leaves, and moss and lined with grass. It’s where the squirrels sleep at night unless the weather is extremely bitter cold. In that case, they find a cavity in a tree and make a leaf-lined den. Often a squirrel will make three or four waterproof nests in different trees for easy getaways. Mostly, it is one squirrel per nest although they will occasionally double up. Their feeding range is around one to two miles from the nests. Food preferences include nuts, berries, pine seeds, and unripened corn. In Michigan, their favorite nuts are acorns and hickory nuts. And no, in my experience, no bird feeder is squirrel proof. Predators include foxes, coyotes, raccoons, cats, hawks, owls, snakes and weasels. Their life span is, on average, five to ten years. The grey and its cousin the black squirrel are the most commonly seen in our area. But it’s the fox squirrel that delights me most. (Both squirrels are native to North America).The largest of our native squirrels, it is more often found on the ground rather than in the trees. It is a solitary animal, even described as anti-social. But that hasn’t been my experience. It is the squirrel that hops alongside of me when I walk through the local park. And holds a pose for a photo while I fumble with my smartphone. The fox squirrel’s coloring is more orange and grey with white circles around its eyes. Its food choices include flowers, insects, tree buds, and bird eggs, as well as the usual grey squirrel fare of acorns and other tree nuts. Although it is more of a ground squirrel, it can jump from tree limb to tree limb, an impressive 15 feet. And the fox squirrel is smart. “I find them amusing and smart,” said a fellow admirer. “They have certainly outsmarted me.”  |
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