By Kim Brawn, Thompson Free Library Life is a balancing act. Sometimes we zoom in too much on the details and forget the bigger picture. Or maybe the reverse, where the details are a blur. As seasons change so can our physical and mental equilibrium. For anyone feeling a little off balance as the kids go back to school, summer winds down, and work revs up, the Thompson Free Library in Dover-Foxcroft offers the programs, services, and environment to regain a bit of stability and harmony. The Maine Humanities Council presents “Maine Speaks: A Day in the Life of Maine Women” on Thursday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. University of New England archivist and author Jefferson Navicky shares diary entries from the Maine Women Writers Collection spanning the 19th and 20th century. These women wrote about the ordinary and extraordinary — the weather, chores, and historic moments. By sampling and discussing a selection of these diaries across time, we can connect with the common struggles and small triumphs of day-to-day life. Tip the scales back to the fun side with the return of “Family Fun Night” on Tuesday, Sept. 10 at 5:30 p.m. We’re partnering with Penquis Prevention Council for this monthly program that includes supper. The theme and food will change each month. First up: outdoor yard games and pizza! By now everyone is using the f word (no, not that one!). Fall, of course. Make the most of autumn by attending “Making the Most of your Fall Garden with UMaine Cooperative Extension” on Wednesday, Sept. 11 at 10 a.m. Learn about planting cover crops, using season extension strategies, soil testing, planting perennials, and more. To register, contact the library. Finding the right balance in any relationship can be tricky. Can you imagine sailing with a loved one over 17,000 miles through the most feared and fabled waters from the Caribbean through the Panama Canal past the Galapagos Islands and Easter Island to Cape Horn? Yes, jumping ship leaps to mind, but this adventure is what father and son, David and Daniel Hays, chronicled in their book “My Old Man and the Sea”. TFL’s Reading Group will discuss the book on Thursday, Sept. 12 at 6 p.m. The monthly “Sensory Play Group” debuts Tuesday, Sept. 17 at 5:30 p.m. — another great collaboration with Penquis Prevention Council. This group will be a quiet, fun, and engaging space for kids with special needs and caregivers to connect and play. Families are encouraged to bring a bag lunch-style snack or supper. All ages and abilities welcome. Ethan Tapper can see the forest for the trees and the trees for the forest. This Vermont-based forester and writer talks about his book “How to Love a Forest: The Bittersweet Work of Tending a Changing World” on Thursday, Sept. 19 at 6 p.m. This presentation is a collaboration between TFL and Piscataquis County Soil & Water Conservation District. In his book, Ethan walks us through the fragile and resilient community that is a forest, asks what it means to live in a time in which ecosystems are in retreat and extinctions rattle the bones of the earth, and helps us reimagine what forests are and what it means to care for them. Join Maine author Ed Linz to discuss the complexities and consequences of the Vietnam War on Tuesday, Sept. 24 at 6 p.m. Ed wrote “A Filthy Way to Die” about the origins of the war and memories of it from his Naval Academy classmates who fought on the ground, in the air, at sea, and on the rivers and canals. That cheesy yet memorable “I’ve fallen, and I can’t get up” commercial strikes a different tone as we age. It’s never too early or too late to improve your balance. Physical therapist Susan Garrettson, owner of Options in Physical Therapy, shares her expertise at “Better Balance 101” on Thursday, Sept. 26 at 1:30 p.m. Susan says that there are several key aspects to physical balance and that they all can be improved, but it’s important to know what factors are affecting your own situation. She’ll give us tips, techniques, and helpful resources. Not to sound like a motivational poster, but balance of any kind is more of a journey than a destination. Perfect equilibrium is a fleeting unicorn. Besides, what fun is holding the see saw perfectly still for very long, the joy is in the ups and downs. September at the Thompson Free Library is a winning combination of programs and resources that will keep you on an even keel in the choppiest of seas.
TFL hours: Tuesday and Thursday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Visit our website: thompsonfreelibrary.org, our Facebook page, Instagram @tf_library, or contact us at thompsonfreelibrary@gmail.com or 207-564-3350. All programs are free & open to the public.
