Hello! My name is Ms. Kate, and this is Gardening with Ms. Kate! In this episode, we will be talking about “pups.” No, not pups like dogs; even though that would be a great read, this is all about pups that come from plants. Confused? I will explain! 

Plants have babies, but in different ways. Succulents and other non-flowering plants have their pups by budding. Succulent pups grow from their parent plant. I will show you how to safely pluck them off the parent in the video and show you the steps in the blog post. 

For this episode, our parent plant will be my cactus, Tuck. Tuck is a Moon Cactus with a bald spot. Why does he have a bald spot? My sister had a Moon Cactus of her own that had succumbed to overwatering. Its body, except for its ornate crown, had started to rot. Fun fact, Moon Cactus is two cacti in one! The hylocereus cactus and the original plant of the moon cactus are grafted together to create this unique plant! The reason for this is because the original Moon Cactus is a mutation that does not have the ability to produce chlorophyll. The two cacti are grafted to help give the Moon Cactus a second chance. 

I attempted to graft the remaining crown of my sister’s Moon Cactus to Tuck by severing the top half of his body and using the sap from him and the latter’s crown to seal the surgery. Unfortunately, the surgery did not take, and we lost my sister’s cactus (I bought her a new one, don’t worry). This is why Tuck has a bald spot (don’t tell him he’s bald, he is self-conscious about it). To offset his baldness, Tuck is constantly having pups, about two pots full of Jr. Tucks! In the video and this post, I will show you how to detach his newest pups into their pots. 

What do we do first? 

I’ll tell you! We are going to get our pups’ pots ready for the transfer. For cactus and other succulent pups, use a loose soil mix. This will help with drainage and prevent root rot. If you do not have loose soil, add rocks at the bottom of your pot to create makeshift drainage. Once the pot is all set, it is time to remove the pups from their parent plant. With cacti, I suggest using tweezers and gloves to detach them safely (In the video, I demonstrate how to detach pups with gloves). To do this, gently twist the pup off until it loosens from the parent. Take your time. It is important not to rip the pups because it can damage their growth in the future. After we have extracted the pups, it is time to plant them! 

How do you plant pups when they aren’t showing their roots? 

Easy! With these cactus pups, you just gently place them in the soil where the roots will soon sprout, on the side where there aren’t any points! After they are planted in their pots, I water them and let the cacti do the rest. I would water the pups every one or two weeks like other cacti species and keep an eye as they develop (A trick I have picked up is to use a pen, toothpick, or ruler, and stick it under the topsoil of the pot. If soil sticks to the tool you used, then your cactus can wait to be watered a little longer.) Your pups will take a while to grow into a larger plant, so be patient. This applies to yourself as well. Planting is a process, especially when you are replanting pups, so take your time, and you will be rewarded with beautiful plants!

Terms in Blog Post and Video

• Chlorophyll: a green pigment found in plants that helps absorb light to provide energy for photosynthesis.
• Drainage: the way to remove excess water.
• Graft: the process of transplanting living tissue.
• Hylocereus cactus: a night blooming cactus that is also known as a dragon fruit cactus.
• Moon Cactus (Gymnocalycium mihanovichii):  a species of cactus from South America noted by their ornate headpieces, which is actually a mutation. The mutated version of these plants are  often grafted with the Hylocereus cactus to create what we know as the Moon Cactus.
• Mutation: a change in the plant or animal genetics that produce unique appearances.
• Photosynthesis: the process used by plants to light energy into chemical energy that fuels the plant.
• Pups: the common term used for offsets or offshoots of a parent plant.

For more information, please click here!

Check out the latest radio style production from the CCPL Virtual Film Club, performed entirely on Zoom!

Science Fiction Action Time Theater

Ep. 47: I Borrowed It Tomorrow, I’ll Return It Yesterday

Four students use a time machine to figure out why their cafeteria food tastes so bad, traveling from the beginning to the end of time.

Looking for more YA books on making stories you can perform? Check out some of these suggestions:

My Adventures as a Young Film Maker by Andrew Janks

Explores the life and career of the young founder of the Hendrick Hudson Film Festival and creator of World of Jenks.

Be a Screenwriter by Alix Wood

Everyone loves a good twist in a movie and that moment of surprise when the audience screams. The screenwriter is the one to thank for memorable movie plots and characterizations. Creative writers will love figuring out how to take an original concept and create a script that Hollywood moguls will be dying to turn into a blockbuster. They’ll learn how to seamlessly incorporate setting, dialogue, and stage directions into a gripping storyline. All the tips and tricks to successful screenwriting are in this ultimate guide.

Screenwriting for Teens by Christina Hamlett

The 100 Principles of Screenwriting Every Budding Writer Must Know

These books give teens–who go to the movies more than any age group in the world–the tools to do more than just watch those movies. It gives them the tools to write their own films.

Filmmaking For Teens by Troy Lanier & Clay Nichols

Pulling Off Your Shorts

This funny and irreverent how-to takes young would be filmmakers from the moment of inspiration to a finished short film and beyond.

Hi Friends!

As you may know, I love languages. I love learning new languages, I love speaking new languages, and I especially love to teach my friends new languages. I get all of my language books from the library and I also use Mango Languages, which is a super-fun language learning database that is FREE with your library card. You should check it out. They have so many fun languages that you can learn. 

Today, I’m going to teach you my two favorite languages – Spanish and Sign Language, and we are going to talk about Rainy Days. How does that sound? Great! Let’s go…

Rain

I love to watch the rain fall, don’t you? Rain is so good for the flowers and trees and it helps to wash everything away and make it fresh and new. Let’s learn how to say “rain” in Spanish. Ready?

la lluvia

It sounds like – la you-vee-a

 

Awesome job! Now, in Sign Language, we take all five of our wiggly fingers, palms down and we wiggle them down. We are pretending like our wiggly fingers are raindrops and they are falling from the clouds down to the earth.

Umbrella

When you go out into the rain, you should always bring your umbrella. That way you won’t get too wet! The Spanish word for umbrella is a little longer, but I know you can do it…

la sombrilla

It sounds like – la some-bree-ya

You are amazing! In Sign Language, we are going to pretend like we are opening an umbrella. We will put both of our closed hands on top of each other and in one motion we will raise one of our closed hands (keeping it closed) up towards the sky while the other remains in the same place. 

This is so much fun! Let’s learn two more words that have to do with rainy days, shall we?

Boots and Puddle

I love this picture so much, don’t you? On rainy days, I love to go outside with my rain boots and splash around in the puddles. Sometimes I get my paints a little wet, but it’s ok. Let’s learn the words for boots and puddles. Ready?

Boots = los botas

It sounds like – loss boat-uz

Puddle = el charco

Sounds like – el char-ko

Excellent job! To say boots in Sign Language we are going to make the sign for shoes (take your closed fists, knuckles facing out and knock them together) and we are going to add one hand coming up to the inside elbow and karate chopping it. So, to put it all together, two closed fists knocking together a few times then your dominant hand will open up and karate chop your arm on the inside of your elbow while the other hand remains in place. 

To say puddle, we will make the “W” sign with our dominant hand and press that sign against the side of our chin. We will then take both of our hands and make a circle next to us, like we are making the shape of a puddle or a patch of water next to us.

Here is a short video that I made of me signing all of the words that I’ve taught you as well as saying those words in Spanish:

Amazing!

Congratulations! You’ve learned four words in two different languages. Wow! Next month we’ll explore more words with Ms. Faith’s Favorites but, until then, you can check out all the fun Spanish and Sign Language resources on these great library databases:

• Spanish Learning for Kids
• Sign Language Learning for Kids
• Spanish Learning for Kids 
• Spanish Learning for Kids
• Spanish Learning for Kids
• Sign Language for Kids

Also, if you want to join Ms. Faith live every month with her Ms. Faith’s Favorites library program, you can register here. We also have tons of other great library programs that you can check out here. 

Everything’s better with a friend, especially the soft, cuddly, furry ones! You can make your very own teddy bear friend when you pick up a Build Your Own Teddy Bear kit from the Mobile Library, while supplies last. Your kit will have what you need to build your bear and are available on a first come, first served basis. 

Kits will be available to pick up at the following Mobile Library stops:

• February 9 – Arthur Middleton ES, 1130am – 1pm
• February 10 – Ole McDonell Store, 10am – 11am & Swan Point Pool, 1130am – 1230pm

Check out the Mobile Library page on our website for exact locations.

Once you get your Build Your Own Teddy Bear kit, watch the video presented here for instructions on how to build your teddy bear friend. Post a picture of your teddy bear friend on our Facebook page or our Instagram page and use the hashtag #buildyourownteddybear

Feeling cooped up?  Check out our first S.M.O.R.E.S. blog! We will take you on a virtual tour of great places available right here in our area.  Discover where you can go to enjoy a variety of recreational activities such as walking, cycling, birding, and photography.  Find out about some of our historical destinations!  Join us for our 1st blog @ Thomas Stone! 

Click here to access S.M.O.R.E.S. on CCPL’s YouTube channel.

For more information and/or to plan your visit, please visit the:

Thomas Stone National Historic Site (US National Park Service)

Craving more adventure? Check out our catalog where we have more books on local hikes! To get you started, might we suggest the following book? And don’t forget to check back to see what other expeditions we will go on!

60 hikes within 60 miles. Baltimore by Alison Strum & Evan Balkan

It’s Time to Take a Hike in Baltimore, Maryland!

The best way to experience Baltimore is by hiking it! Get outdoors with authors Allison Sturm and Evan Balkan, with the new full-color edition of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Baltimore. A perfect blend of popular trails and hidden gems, the selected trails transport you to scenic overlooks, wildlife hot spots, and historical settings that renew your spirit and recharge your body. You’ll learn about the area and experience nature through 60 of Charm City’s best hikes!

Each hike description features key at-a-glance information on distance, difficulty, scenery, traffic, hiking time, and more, so you can quickly and easily learn about each trail. Detailed directions, GPS-based trail maps, and elevation profiles help to ensure that you know where you are and where you’re going. Tips on nearby activities further enhance your enjoyment of every outing. Whether you’re a local looking for new places to explore or a visitor to the area, 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Baltimore provides plenty of options for a couple hours or a full day of adventure, all within about an hour from Baltimore and the surrounding communities.

Need a library card? Sign up here today!

Learn the basics of creating your very own shadow sculpture using a light source, a wall, and any kind of junk you find around your house!

Hello, it’s Ms. Kate, and today we are not learning how to garden, at least not a garden that grows and smells nice. We are going to make a rock garden! 

Things are weird right, now right? Let’s add a splash of happiness by surprising people with painted rocks. 

The thought for this project came from Megan Murphy’s Kindness Rocks Project, whose mission is “One message at the right time can change someone’s entire day, outlook, life.” I wanted to replicate this thought especially in difficult times such as these. 

All we need is paint of any kind and rocks. 

Any rock will do! Small, flat, large, round, anything that will make you imagine what to paint on it. 

We will then need to wash our rocks first to get the dirt off. This will help our paint stick better to the surface. Then we just put it in the sun to dry it off. 

For your painting station, we will put down newspapers to make sure we don’t make a mess. Even though it will add more flare to our floor or tables, we shouldn’t forget about the rocks. 

Now, it’s onto the fun part! 

What do you want to create? What colors do you want to use? Do you want to write your name? Go ham with your rocks! I do not know what is going on with my phrases today … maybe I will make one up for my rock! 

When you are done, find the best place to put your rock on display! (Make sure you keep six feet apart when you go outside, to stay safe yourself). Let’s see your neighborhood, yard, street, porch become a colorful rock garden!

Attached, I have an Ebook, Kids’ Act of Random Kindness on Hoopla if you are interested in any other way you can cheer up your community!

Vocabulary for Video: 

In the attached video and blog, I use words that may be different, don’t worry, I can help introduce these new terms to you!

• Dimension (n): an aspect of a given thing. It is based on the height, width, or depth of something. In the video I used depth to add some depth to the flower stems.
• Base coat (n): The top layer of a painting. I am using a white base coat on my rock for the colors to stand out more.
• Display (v): a sign for public use
• Create (v): to make something.

What am I using for this project?

Kids’ Random Acts Of Kindness by The Editors of the Conari

Want to Feel Hopeful About the Future?
Share in inspirational stories of generosity written by children of all ages that reveal their surprisingly insightful feelings about kindness and compassion.

Look back at why the Random Acts of Kindness series was such a sensation. When the adult version of Random Acts of Kindness was first published, hundreds of teachers across the country gave assignments to their students to write about unsolicited acts that they had experienced or initiated. Teachers sent the results to Conari Press which then put out a call for similar stories in a teacher’s magazine. Stories poured in and the result was Kid’s Random Acts of Kindness. Whimsical and funny to moving and thoughtful, Kid’s Random Acts of Kindness helps restore your belief in the potential for goodness in man.

What is Help Now! and what can it do for parents of school age children? 

Help Now! is an elearning platform that offers many educational and career services. Three of these services in particular can help students ensure academic success. They are live tutoring, help with writing papers and homework help.

Help Now! (Brainfuse) is a resource available with your library card.  If you need a library card, sign up here! 

Getting Started

To get started go to Charles County Public Library online resources View All Resources »

And scroll down to Help Now! (Brainfuse). At the Get Started box, enter your library card’s barcode number and click login to Help Now.

In the Help Now site there are many educational, testing and career resources available. Here are the three services that would be especially helpful for parents of school age children.

Homework Help

Homework Help is live tutors to help all ages with subjects such as math, science, reading/writing, social studies, and even standardized tests such as PSAT, SAT, and ACT. The student selects their grade and the subject they need help with.  Then the student can schedule a session with a live tutor. 

Live Tutors

Live tutors are helpful with subjects that need further explanation, but how about book reports or term papers? There is a 24 hour writing lab where the student can submit your essays, book reports, and term papers.  Someone from the writing lab will  provide feedback and the student can make corrections. The Brainfuse Essential Grammar Guide will help with grammar and usage.

Proofreading

Getting a paper proofread is always helpful, but what about other homework assignments? Not sure if those math problems have been done correctly? Send it into Homework Send Questions and experts will look at it and send it back corrected.  Or the student can ask a specific question in the text box.  

Additional Resources

There are other resources on Help Now. Here is a quick explanation on some of them. Flashbulb has flashcards on many subjects or the student can create their own.  It is a fun interactive way to help students prepare for quizzes and tests. MEET is a platform where students can meet virtually to study or work on a project. SkillSurfer has lessons and tests for elementary through college subject areas.  SkillSurfer also has lessons and tests for ASVAB, computer skills, ESL, and more.

One of the most popular game systems at our Teen Game Nights (TGN) is the Pandora’s Box. This two player system contains 815 games from the 80s and 90s and is ready to load up any of them at your command. Find out more about some of the games we feature, plus a closer look at two classic games, Qix and Pleaids (actual spelling of the game).

Where can you find ideas for a story? Here are a few ideas that might help inspire you.

An adaptation is where you take a story from a book, play, TV show, comic book, song, video game, or some other source, and make a new movie about it.

Stories that are ripped from the headlines are another great source of inspiration.

You can write about events that happened long ago. It can be an actual accounting of an event, or you can write a fictional story around an actual event.

Look in your newspaper for ideas. But just look at the headlines. Don’t read the articles. Mix two headlines together.

We can use our personal knowledge and experience as a basis for a fictional story, which will give us the freedom to meet all the criteria of a compelling screenplay. We can even embellish our experience to raise the stakes of the story! 

Check out the video to learn more about brainstorming for new ideas.