April in Paris? Maybe in Fosston

April in Paris? How about April in Fosston, more specifically at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center? As I’ve never been to Paris, I think it would be better if I write about things going on closer to home. Coming up soon (Friday & Saturday, April 8 and 9) is the FCLAA’s second Mystery Dinner Theater. “Great Gatsby! It’s Murder” is directed by Abby Pearson and will be held at Ventures. It may be sold out by now but check at Nord’s Drug for ticket availability. Social hour begins at 6 p.m. with the dinner and performance at 7. The play is set in the Roaring 20’s, and if you wish to dress in your best 1920’s costume, go for it. The production is recommended for ages 18 and over. On April 21-23, a weekend writing retreat will be held featuring five Minnesota authors, Marcie Rendon, Erin Soderberg Downing, Eric Bergeson Kim Hruba, and Elisa Korenne. Cosponsored by the FCLAA and Red Shoes Writing of Warroad, the event features panel presentations, workshops, one-and-one consultations and a dinner on Friday evening that will be open to the public. Featured speaker at the dinner will be Elisa Korenne who will share her experiences of moving from New York City to small town Minnesota. To register for the retreat go to www.redshoeswriting.com. On Friday, April 8, at 10 a.m. children three and up are invited to the library for Lalo’s Lunchbox, a comedy and sing-along show. Join Lalo and his friends as they handle unpredictable food erupting out of Lalo’s Lunchbox. The Fosston Library book club will meet Tuesday, April 12. The book for the month is The Guest List by Lucy Foley. I haven’t read it yet, but I promise to have done so by the 12th. Here’s what the book jacket has to say: “An exclusive wedding on a remote Irish island – the bride – the plus-one – the best man – the wedding planner – the bridesmaid. All have a secret. All have a motive. But only one is a murderer.” Sounds pretty exciting. The FCLAA has updated its logo and website. Check it out at www.fclaa.org. If you haven’t renewed your membership or would like to join for the first time, here’s your chance.

FEBRUARY or maybe FEBRRRARY

January may be over, but February is coming in with some of the coldest temperatures of the winter. Hopefully, there are warmer days ahead. Despite the cold, the Fosston Community Library Arts Association keeps on trucking. At its annual meeting, the following officers were elected: President – Sarah Steinbrenner; Vice President – Barbara Johnson; Secretary – JoAnn Papke; and Treasurer – Maggie Stewart. Other members of the board are Abby Pearson, Jason Steinbrenner, and Kate Moore. Outgoing members are Molly Peltier and Dawn Skeie-Crane. New board member is Kirby Vossler, who has a graphic design and art business called Vossler Design. You have probably seen the Fosston mural just past the theater on Highway 2. It’s a great example of her work. Kirby and her husband Jacob, who is a physical therapist at Essentia, have lived in Fosston for seven years. They have three children, ages five, seven and nine. Kirby grew up in Grand Forks and went to college at Minnesota State University Moorhead, where she earned a teaching degree and was active in track and field. Her husband is currently coaching that sport here in Fosston and she helps with that too. In addition, Kirby is active in her church, Kingo Lutheran, working with the Sunday school and serving on the Christian Ed board. Looking forward to her time on the FCLAA board, Kirby hopes to help create opportunities for others to be involved in creating art. The Northwest MN Traveling Art Exhibit will be on display at the Sorenson Gallery through Feb. 16. It includes works by local artists Heidi Danos and Cindy Kolling. If you haven’t seen it yet, get on over to the library and take a look. On Friday, February 11, at 7 p.m., the Fosston Library will host an informational presentation by Discovery Channel consultant and author Jeffrey M. Olson, who will share tips for preparing for a “grid down” situation, which could include severe weather, unforeseen events and disruptions of goods and services. Admission is free And one more thing: The library will be closed on Monday, February 21, in observance of Presidents’ Day.

'Tis the Season

Once again it is December – winter, snow, Christmas, and some special activities at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center. The new exhibit at the Sorenson Gallery is by local photographer Marc Lindgren. The display includes colorful photographs from a trip to Cuba a few years ago and a video of Marc’s travels. Stop in and see it during library hours through December. On Thursday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. there will be a virtual event featuring authors Sarah Stonich and Jess Lourey. The interactive format invites readers to an authors’ salon where they can ask questions about writing life. Lourey’s latest book, Litani,is a domestic suspense novel exploring the satanic panic that swept Minnesota in the 1980s, and Stonich’s Reeling is a sequel to her bestseller, Fishing! To access this event, go to the LARL Website at larl.org. Preschool storytime continues to be offered at the library at 10:30 on Fridays, and Kids Club with games, bingo, crafts, and Legos meets on Wednesdays at 3:30, although on Dec. 22, an early-out day at school, kids can head to the library as soon as school is out. Although the library writers’ group was a casualty of the pandemic and now longer meets, here is a poem I wrote for it a few years ago: ‘Tis the Season It’s here, it’s here, at last it’s here - That special season of the year. Black Friday shoppers line up early, Racing for bargains hurly-burly. The turkey’s eaten, we’ve had our naps, In the stores, we’ll do our laps, Hoping to find that perfect gift At a price that appeals to our thrift. Christmas music fills the airways. Garlands of green cascade down the stairways. Christmas trees are up and lighted. Santas galore will be sighted. Christmas shopping season’s come, Buy this, buy that, don’t be a bum. What all this means, I do not know, But something happened long ago, A wondrous birth we should remember Celebrated in December. Holiday closings: December 24 – The library closes at 12 noon and will be closed Christmas Day. December 31 – The library closes at 5 p.m. and will be closed New Years Day.

The Dark Days of November

November is here with colder weather and shorter hours of daylight. Of course, we will be going off Daylight Saving Time, so it will be lighter a little earlier in the morning for a bit, but it will be getting dark sooner, so I guess that’s a wash. However, despite the cold and darkness, the Fosston Community Library Arts Center has several exciting opportunities for you. Coming up on Sunday, Nov. 28, is the 2021 Daisy Hagen Auction for the Arts. Held every two years, this is the big fundraiser for the FCLAA. All manner of items, including baked goods, stained glass, quilts, woodworking, rosemaling, glass blowing, leather goods and more, will be auctioned off by Lynda Lohmeier beginning at 2 p.m. FCLAA volunteers will provide an appetizer and dessert buffet. There will be a silent auction as well. Items will be available for viewing beginning at 1 p.m. Somehow, I missed getting the current exhibit in the Sorenson Gallery into last month’s column, but it will be up through Nov. 17. Local artist and Fosston native Heidi Danos is displaying a nice variety of various mixed media paintings. She began working on her art in 2019. Since that time, she has had four pieces featured in exhibits sponsored by the Northwest Arts Council. Stop in at the library and look – many of her pieces are for sale. The library book club will meet Tuesday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. November’s selection is The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Written from the point of view of Enzo, a dog, the book deals with family dynamics in a custody battle between Zoe’s maternal grandparents and her father Denny, a race car driver. On Monday, Nov. 15, at 6:30 p.m. author Lorna Landvik will do an online presentation. Landvik has written several books. The most recent one is entitled Chronicles of a Radical Hag (with recipes). I have read and enjoyed some of her earlier books, and I know she’s a funny lady so I think this would be worth your time. Go to the LARL Facebook page or the LARL website for a link to the presentation. If you are seeking assistance in finding a job, going back to school, or developing a resume, help is as near as your local library. During the month of November, Jennifer Person from the Inter County Community Council will be at the Fosston Library on Mondays from 3 to 4 p.m. and on Wednesdays from 10 to 11 a.m. For more information you may contact her at 218-689-265. Just a reminder – the library will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 11, in observance of Veterans Day. It close at 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 24, and will be closed on Nov. 25, which is Thanksgiving Day. Normal library hours will resume in Nov. 26.

Can it be October?

October is upon us, the month of bright blue weather, colorful leaves, and Halloween. The big news at the Fosston Community Library Arts Center is a concert by singer/songwriter Dan Rodriguez on Saturday, October 16, at 7 p.m. Originally from Michigan, Rodriguez now lives in Minneapolis with his wife and two sons, who are named Oak and Alder. His music has been featured in various ads and commercials, including the Explore Minnesota Tourism ad campaign, which used his song, “You Feel Like Home.” Tickets for the performance are available at Nord’s Drug as well as online at fclaa.org The month of October at the library will feature a chance to play blackout poetry, a form of “found poetry” where the writer selects words from a newspaper, book, or other printed text, adds a few additional words and then blacks out all the rest. Stop by the library and be given some book pages. Then bring your finished poetry to the library by the end of October to be displayed. Sounds like fun! The library book club will meet Tuesday, October 12, at 7 p.m. This month’s book is The Lost and Found Bookshop by Susan Wiggs. I haven’t read it yet, but it looks like a good one. Kids’ club is continuing to meet Wednesdays at 3:30 with different activities in rotation – Legos, crafts, games, and bingo. The fun continues until 5:00 p.m. For the younger children and their caregivers, preschool story time is scheduled for each Friday at 10:30 a.m. It’s a great way to introduce your child to the library. Looking ahead to November, the biannual Daisy Hagen Auction for the Arts is scheduled for Sunday, November 28 with Lynda Lohmeier as the auctioneer. Cochairs Sarah Steinbrenner and Carrie Carlin have already been busy gathering up items to be offered. One last reminder: The library will be closed Monday, Oct. 11, for staff training.

September

Fosston Community Library Arts Center, it’s time to get back to some of the normal activities, many of which have been on hold for the last year and a half. (And we all know why) September brings the return of music lessons at the library, although one of our instructors, Molly Peltier, is planning to offer lessons from her home this year. Molly teaches piano (and maybe flute if you are interested in that). Her cell number is 218-431-0848 and e-mail address is mkcrane@gmail.com. I (Kay Carlsen) will be doing some lessons at the library or on-line if you would prefer that. My phone number is 435-6710; e-mail address is aagekay@gvtel.com. String instructor Jeff Menten will be taking some vacation in September, but will be ready to resume lessons, both in-person and on-line, in October. He teaches violin, viola, cello, mandolin, upright bass, and guitar. Contact him at jeffmentenmusic@hotmail.com or 218-255-0087. If you are interested in lessons for yourself or your child, please contact the instructor directly. Also resuming in September is preschool storytime on Friday, Sept. 10, at 10:30, and afterschool kids club beginning Wednesday, Sept. 8, at 3:30 p.m. On the schedule for the first day of kids’ club will be some fun craft activities. For the adults, the library book club will meet Tuesday, Sept. 14, at 7 p.m. If you are interested, call the library at 435-1320 to request a copy of The Giver of Stars by Jojo Moyes. The Sorenson Gallery will be the site of the FCLAA’s annual juried art show in September. Local and regional artist will exhibit paintings, drawings, metal art and more. The gallery is open during regular library hours. On Tuesday, September 21, author Hudda Ibrahim will be discussing her book, From Somalia to Snow. She is a faculty member at St. Cloud Technical and Community College, where she teaches diversity and social justice. She will discuss why so many Somali immigrants have come to Minnesota and will share about her culture. She is appearing in person at the Detroit Lakes and Moorhead libraries, with the Moorhead presentation being live-streamed on Facebook at 6:30 p.m. Remember that the library will be closed Monday, Sept. 6, in observance of Labor Day.

And it's August!

And August is here again. This year some of you may be looking forward to the end of summer, hoping for some relief from the heat and the smoke. We don’t know for sure what the coming months will bring, but the Fosston Community Library Arts Association does have some great opportunities in the offing. Currently in the Sorenson Gallery there is a colorful display of art from the 65 children who participated in the summer arts program taught by Kirby Vossler. This exhibit will be up until August 25, and it’s well worth your time even if you need to make a special trip to the library just to see it. On Wednesday, August 11, at 7 p.m. there is a special presentation you can access from your home computer. Author Robin Wall Kimmerer will be speaking about her book Braiding Sweetgrass. In the book, the author demonstrates how other living beings, from asters to strawberries to sweetgrass offer us gifts and lessons. She brings to life the wisdom and practices of the people groups native to North America. The presentation can be accessed on the LARL Facebook page. Looking ahead to September, the library will be resuming some of its activities that have been on hold during the pandemic. Beginning the second week of September, preschool storytime will resume on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. Afterschool kids club will be held on Wednesdays from 3:30-5:00 p.m. beginning September 10. Activities will include art lessons, new games, and a new Lego challenge. For the adults, the library book club will resume meeting on Tuesday, September 14, at 7 p.m. The book to be discussed is The Giver of Stars by JoJo Moyes. If you are interested, call the library to reserve a copy of the book. The library still accepts grocery receipts from Palubicki’s as they will get a cash donation for 1 percent of the total. Receipts are acceptable only if you have paid by cash or check, however, so if you’ve used your credit card or debit card, you can just dispose of them. If you are working on your list of 60 Books for 60 Years, keep on reading. I just finished number 47 so should make 60 by the end of the year. If you aren’t sure what I’m referring to, call the library and they will explain it.