It’s back to the classroom this week! We hosted a number of programs for our school-age patrons last week, our toddler and baby book groups were bustling, we had young journalists writing newsworthy articles, and we had a teen creative-writing workshop!

The accompanying photograph is of Mertland Steer and Jane Foster. Mertland was Bert Steer’s son and Bethiah’s brother. Jane was Lelia Atkinson’s stepdaughter.

Lemon sponge pie is sublime. I really think that’s the best word to describe it. It’s delicious, it’s beautiful, it’s rich and creamy, it’s spongy, it’s light and fluffy. But mostly it’s just plain sublime.

I have always known I was an animal lover. As a child, nothing elicited more excitement than knowing it was time for the newest issue of Cat Fancy magazine to arrive. Looking at the pictures of all the beautiful cats and kittens, I believed that as an adult I would own 100 Egyptian Maus.

Once a year, sometime in January, my aunt Ida emails to ask if I’d like to place an order for scallops. I mentioned no-brainers twice in last week’s column about chocolate cake with bourbon in it. This is another one.

It’s no secret that I love chocolate cake. I also love whiskey, as evidenced by my love of Manhattans.