November 2022 Reads and Christmas Lighting Ceremony

 

A Warm Holiday Night at Our Town's Christmas Lighting Ceremony

Here we are, with just one month left in 2022, and I wanted to share a few highlights from a special event we attended earlier this month: our town's annual Christmas Lighting Ceremony. It was a night full of joy, community spirit, and plenty of holiday cheer.

The evening kicked off with a special opening ceremony. A DJ played festive tunes that filled the air, while the Mayor stood in the center of the gazebo leading the crowd in a countdown. When the switch was finally flipped, the park came to life with a brilliant display of colorful lights and towering inflatables—truly a sight to behold!

While the weather was relatively mild for this time of year, the Girl Scouts were ready for it, selling hot chocolate and sweet treats at the park’s concession stand. It was the perfect way to warm up and enjoy the festive atmosphere.

On the stage, talented artists were busy carving beautiful ice sculptures, adding a touch of artistry to the celebration. Nearby, families were lining up to have their photos taken with Santa, and a sleigh provided the perfect backdrop for those holiday snapshots.

The money raised from the event supports the upkeep of the park's holiday displays, helping the town replace damaged decorations, invest in new lights, and keep everything looking festive for years to come.

What made this night so memorable, though, was the laughter and joy that filled the park. Children eagerly visited with Santa and interacted with special costumed characters—my favorite being the Grinch. Growing up, Dr. Seuss's grumpy green character, voiced by Boris Karloff in the television special, was always one of my top holiday favorites. To see the Grinch in costume again brought back so many wonderful childhood memories.

All in all, it was a magical evening that captured the true spirit of the holidays—filled with community, tradition, and plenty of festive fun!

In the Author Spotlight

Aharona (Roni)  Rosenthal is the Director of Judaic Studies at the  UMBC. 

I recently had an opportunity to learn more about her and her new book “Where the Lilacs Bloom Once Again”. She explains the book is about giving back power to those who have lost their rights. You can read more here

November Postings 

 

The blog post on the book  Big Dogs by S. L. Ditmars has the largest viewership in November. 

This book is dedicated to the men and women who wear the uniform and work with dogs. 

This book interests me as not only do I love dogs but have a friend who was an EDD Handler / AMK9 at Diplomatic Security.

In this read, criminals are on the loose, and Lieutenant JW North will do everything in his power to hunt them down. 

The author Steve is a member of the Public Safety Writers Association. Big Dogs won First Place in their Published Authors, Nonfiction category in 2022.

Subsurface History of Humanity: Direction of History

is the 2nd most viewed blog posting this month and the author, Victor Torvich is using our past to remind us of the importance of making good choices and wise decisions.

I truly value any time I get the opportunity to connect with nature and was happy to learn that earlier this month, Linda Åkeson Mcgurk released her new book The Open-Air Life.

I appreciate the Nordic customs and practices which focus on slowing down and spending more and more time outdoors.

This book provides details on

Why and how they should spend more time outside

How to use friluftsliv to combat stress, anxiety disorders, depression, and burnout

Practical skills like making fire, cooking outdoors, and cleaning water on the go.

Last Fall, I had a spotlight on Allen Wolf. 

Well, I was in contact with him just recently and he provided me with an update on The Sound of Violet. 

If you recall, Allen consulted with several organizations that help victims of human trafficking and crafted the story into a novel. The film helps bring awareness to human trafficking and autism.  

Recently, I have read some books about dogs that follow a K9 theme.

It may come as no surprise that I have a fondness for Children's literature. This helpful children's picture book The Adventures of Extraordinary K 9s  is by Author Sherry Bennett Warshauer

What I am Reading 

I mentioned last month that I surpassed my yearly reading goal. I continue to add books that interest me and read through my TBR  and am currently reading a book told in two concurrent timelines. When it is finished, I will begin an inspirational book on the people of Kenya.

I also am still continuing to collect older editions and was recently gifted a 1945 copy of the Selected Writings of Thomas Paine. This book is a switch for me as normally I appreciate flowery prose but sometimes I study material to see if I am able to switch effortlessly from one moment to the next without an emotional response.

Lori's Book Loft  Audience

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