Color my world...YUM

Library fans and restauranteurs Rod and Catherine Walkey have donated a $100 gift card to their Needham Heights restaurant, Blue on Highland.

Click here for reviews, and then follow the links to the menus for cocktails, wine, meals, desserts and brunch. http://www.blueonhighland.com/pages/reviews.htm Bring your cash and checkbook to the Bee, because this is another real shopping value.

This gift card will make someone very happy, and you can use it all sorts of ways: a Mothers' or Fathers' Day brunch, entertaining out-of-town Graduation guests, a Friends' Night Out (remember, if you invite your friends out, you don't have to clean your own house)....buy the card marked "BLUE". You will think of a way to use it.

And be sure to thank the good people at Blue on Highland for their generous support of the Dover Town Library!

CATCH THE BUZZ … DON’T GET STUNG BY MISSING THE 4th ANNUAL DOVER LIBRARY SPELLING BEE ON MARCH 26

Here, thanks to Friends WordSmith Amelia Slawsby, is our official press release for the local news. Hope to see you on the 26th!


Spring is just around the corner and as the flowers start to emerge, so do the bees. In Dover, this means a special kind of bee – a Spelling Bee.The 4th Annual Dover Library Spelling Bee will be held on Thursday, March 26, at 7 p.m. at the Dover Town House. A friendly contest for adults who compete in teams of three, the Spelling Bee has become one of the town’s must-attend Spring events for all ages. It is free and all are invited to attend.

In addition to the Bee itself, which will be in the Main Hall, upstairs will also house the popular Bee Tree, where mystery items are bought based on a word clue. This year, the Friends of the Library has secured numerous high-end donations to the Bee Tree.

Donated items include:·

Tickets or passes for: the Big Apple Circus, Davis Farmland and Mega Maze, Boston Duck Tours, the New England Aquarium, the Pawtucket Red Sox, Santa’s Village, Six Flags New England, Story Land, the Wheelock Family Theater and Zoo New England.·
Spa services from: Elizabeth Grady (Needham), Nicholas Christie, Salon Mario Russo and Sculpture Hair Studio.·
Gift cards and/or products from: Bed Bath & Beyond, Boston Red Sox, Costco, The Cottage Restaurant, Dover Market, Friendly’s (Needham), Holly Cleaners, Lord’s Department Store, Magic Beans, Portrait Simple, Roche Bros., Trader Joe’s (Needham) and Whole Foods (Newton).· And more!
Monetary donations or goods were also graciously donated by: Dover Automotive, Blue Moon Bagel Café, Bridgewater Credit Union, Dover Country Properties, Dover Eyes, Dover Mothers’ Association, Lovell’s Flowers & Nursery, Save-A-Lot, ScrubaDub Auto Wash and Village Pizza.

Also returning this year is the Bee Café, where snacks will be sold. While it will be located downstairs, no one will miss any of the action, thanks to Dover Cable’s live broadcast, which will be on live feed in café and snack area.The Bee Tree and Bee Café are cash and check only so Bee prepared!

Don’t be stung with regret for missing out on all the fun - come to the Dover Town House to cheer on neighbors, enjoy a night out with friends and support the town library.

The Man Who Would BEE King?

If we stop to consider it, most of us think of Bees (and libraries) as being largely feminine enterprises. The stereotypical Librarian is a woman who wears cat eyeglasses on a long chain and styles her hair in a tight bun. And, let's face it--hardly anybody gets excited about studying drones, and their (ironic cough) significant contributions to life in a hive.



Well, let me put some of those stereotypes to rest right here and now. One of the Library's (and the Bee's) most generous supporters is none other than Doug Wolfe, d/b/a Dover Automotive, right over on Whiting Road across from the Dover Market. If you have kids in the local sports programs, you have undoubtedly seen (or even laundered) shirts bearing the Dover Automotive name. If you look closely at the donor plaque in the Library foyer, you'll also notice that he's a bona fide Library supporter as well.



Dover Automotive has been an underwriter of the Bee since its inception, when Doug sponsored a team of high school kids who went all the way to the championship round. We should, as a community, recognize and thank him for his support. And we should edit out our preconceived notions regarding who is and isn't a valuable member of the Library community, not to mention a key player in the Dover hive.

Something for Everyone?

This morning I ran up to the Dover Market--I'm fixing dinner for a friend, and wanted to find just the right appetizer. After a couple of minutes scanning the well-curated cheese selection, I wound up with Brie, and then cruised down the next aisles for some puff pastry and apricot jam--I'll make a brie en croute.

Like the Library, the Dover Market is a great local institution. Grocer extraordinaire Dave Felleman has his finger on the purchasing pulse of the community. Whether you are ordering lunch to go, running in for a jug of milk and a package of diapers, or searching for Just The Right ingredients for a memorable occasion, the Dover Market probably has exactly what you are looking for.

The Dover Market has been supporting the Dover Town Library for as long as anyone can remember. This year's Bee is no exception: the Bee Tree will bear a gift card from the Market. I can't decide what to label it, though: Lunch? Necessities? Cosi fan Tutti? Whatever we call the Dover Market prize, it is sure to be a winner. Thanks, Dave!

Something's Fishy

...in a good way: the Bee Tree will offer two passes to the New England Aquarium, valued at $40. If you've ever tried to go to the Aquarium with a small child, you will appreciate the flexibility and savings afforded by a pass. Even the crankiest toddlers become tranquil at the sight of fish serenely swimming around the enormous NE Aquarium tank, and the additional exhibits and shows make sure there is something to please just about everyone.

What a great antidote to the late-winter blahs. Look for a nametag like "Fishy" or "Tank" to clue you in to this prize.

Send in the Clowns

The Bee Tree will offer 4 tickets to the Big Apple Circus. The Big Apple is a one-ring circus, which gives viewers two advantages over the Ringling Bros. of my childhood: first, and obviously, in a one-ring circus you always know you are watching the best possible action; and second, your chances of having excellent seats are much improved.

If you haven't seen the Big Apple Circus, you should. Here is their web link: http://www.bigapplecircus.org/. Look for CLOWNS on the Bee Tree, and you may be the lucky buyer!

Special thanks to Judy Schulz and Lorie Linnell for securing this donation.

Red Sox Nation in 02030

The Friends of the Library have managed to wrangle some terrific baseball-related gifts for the Bee. We have not 4 but 8 tickets to the Pawtucket Red Sox--that's enough for a birthday party, should you and your favorite young sports fan be so inclined. Look for words like "agricultural" or "feeder" to identify these Bee Treats--you will have to guess when you pick your words off the Bee Tree.

We have also been given a signed photograph of Red Sox reliever Javier Lopez. I'm thinking we should put the label "J Lo" on this Bee Treat...do you think that's too sneaky? Perhaps we should run it through the anagram server: that would give us "Zero Jive Pal" or "Pro Zeal Jive". Stay tuned....

Life after Bee?

Check out the crossword puzzle tournament: http://www.crosswordtournament.com/2009/

Anyone who participates in our Bee should prove a real contender in this competition!
Thanks to Wesleyan Magazine for the news byte.

Smile, and say..."Bees"?

After you enjoy your facial from Elizabeth Grady, or your haircut, blow dry and manicure from Mario Russo, or your massage from Nicholas Christie, you will want a record of how fabulous you look. Try to find the gift certificate for Natick's Portrait Simple on the Bee Tree. This certificate, valued at $135, will give you a free session and a 6-sheet photo package. Of course, you can always order extras. Is it too early to plan your Holiday cards?

Please, whether you win the portrait package from the Bee or visit the photographer independently, remember to thank them for their generosity to your library. They're giving us good looks and good books.

Pore over the list of Bee Treats

...and do something wonderful for your own pores: Elizabeth Grady of Needham has donated a Deep Pore Facial to the Bee. The gift certificate is valued at $70...all I have to do is think up a word...maybe "Pore"!
This is a great Mother's Day gift item, if you can get it from the Bee Tree on the 26th.

WORD: Brainy Revolt

I just added an anagram-maker to the right-hand side of the blog. This one is interesting because you can select a "core" word, and it will generate anagrams using that word.

Can you guess the originating phrase for the anagram in this title? It's DOVER TOWN LIBRARY, of course! Brainy revolt word, indeed!

Replay of Bee Play

Dover Cable is showing prior Bees on Channel 8. First one is scheduled for Tuesday, March 3, at 8 p.m., followed by Wednesday March 4th at 9 p.m. Here is a link to their schedule: http://www.dsctv.com/?q=node/3

Channel 8 has been a terrific partner to the Bee since its inception. They do a beautiful job taping and editing and broadcasting (and, clearly, REbroadcasting) our event. Everyone looks good on Channel 8! Next time you talk to any of their group, please remember to tell them how much you enjoy watching the Bee on TV!

More Bee Word gifts

Our Library is fortunate to have so many admirers and supporters, both in Dover and in the slightly wider world. The Bee sale will sport some new and valuable offerings, including an autographed poster of Javier Lopez from the Red Sox, tickets to the Wheelock Family Theatre's production of Charlotte's Web, and passes to Storyland, Davis's Farmland and Santa's Village. Whether you patronize these businesses on your own or as the lucky winner of one of these Bee prizes, do please remember to thank these businesses for supporting your Library. Their generosity will translate into tangible benefits for our Library and community.

For another kind of Bee: the 100 Funniest Words in English

I have long suspected that Google is mining my subconscious for cheap laughs and/or profit. This morning I logged into my gmailbox and noticed that the banner over it advertised the 100 Funniest Words in English. Of course I had to check this out, and clicking through brought me who knows how many cookies on the hard drive AND a link to the alphaDictionary. Here is the link to an advertisement for the book, written by Robert Beard (aka Dr. Goodword): http://www.alphadictionary.com/articles/100_funniest_words.html

You will be pleased to see that Dover Bee spellers should be familiar with a good many of these words: mugwump, mumpsimus, furbelow and kerfuffle are all Bee words from past or present. You might also recognize vomitory from vomitorium, and pettifogger from pettifoggery, as well as logorrhea. This year we also feature callipygian and tatterdemalion. The two I wish I had seen earlier are formication and allegator: what candidates for the Shirley, you jest category!

Well, there's always next year, I suppose.

Unwind after the Bee

We are delighted to offer a donated gift certificate for a massage Nicholas Christie's Day Spa in Medfield. Here is the link: http://nicholaschristiesday.rtrk.com/?scid=618261&kw=5019262. Take a look at all the great services they offer! What a wonderful way to unwind after the Bee. The Nicholas Christie website tells us this about their massage services:

The benefits of massage therapy are numerous. Since ancient times the power of touch has helped alleviate pain from aching body parts, encouraged muscle recovery from fatigue, helped injured muscles heal and promote relaxation.
When you receive a massage, your circulation is improved, and metabolic waste is removed from your muscles more efficiently. Your flexibility will increase, and many people report other important benefits such as better sleep, clearer thinking, and increased feelings of well-being.

Now, don't you want to go try that? Actually, if the part about clearer thinking is true, you might want to go get a massage BEFORE the Bee!

the Eyes have it

It is widely-known that there is not a big commercial base here in Dover. Less-known, however, is the enthusiasm with which Dover businesses support this community.

One of our long-standing local businesses is Dover Eyes. Linda Wirth has been a generous supporter of the community in a variety of ways (ask her about the fall triathlon!), and her husband Len Schnabel donates his time and talent to the Dover Foundation. Dover Eyes has fielded a team at the Bee in the past, and it was in fact a member of their team who proposed the excellent idea of offering a Mulligan to players. This year, they couldn't play in the Bee but sent a donation instead. We are grateful for their support and are sorry to miss them on stage!

If you visit Dover Eyes, please remember to thank Linda for her generosity to the Bee and to our Library.

channel your inner e.e.cummings for the bee

Sue Sheridan has pointed out that a few of the words in the published word list begin with capitals: for example, "Pajamas" and "Sesquipedal". Should Bee contestants study these capitalizations as part of the word spellings?

Fear not! The capitals in the word list were small failures in my ongoing battle with Microsoft Word (which thinks that any word at the beginning of a line or paragraph ought to be capitalized, so I had to go back in by hand and put them into lower-case)--some days I can't get Word to speak English, some days it won't listen to my capitalization rules.... It is not easy, doing these words for you Bee Spellers. I won't even go into how many of the more difficult words trip up SpellCheck....

Anyway, software gripes aside, know this: NOBODY WILL BE PENALIZED AT THE BEE FOR SPELLING WITHOUT PROPER CAPITALIZATION. Trust me, your handwriting is already hard enough for the judges to read. Plus, this is a spelling bee, not a grammar bee! Just spell the word correctly; that will suffice.

Wishing you a productive and enjoyable week with the words,
Kate

There's another Dover Bee!

Lest we become complacent thinking we are the only game in town, check out the Bee in West Dover, Vermont:
http://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/11618

Looks like the people up there dress creatively for their Bee, too! And I imagine that owning that Bee confers some pretty impressive bragging rights as well. :-)

The Words are at the Library

...for spellers whose teams are paid in full.

A special thank-you to FedEx Office, formerly Kinko's, in Needham. These folks never look idle, but they're never too busy to help you, either. They did a flawless job of printing and assembling and stapling the word files from an e-mail--they made it so easy!

SPAhhhhh!

The Bee has received a very generous donation from the highly-acclaimed Mario Russo Salons. Whoever purchases the lucky Bee Tree word will receive a gift card for one cut & blow dry and a spa manicure. Check out their website at www.MarioRusso.com. They have locations in Boston and in Stowe.

Somebody you know (maybe you!) would love this gift. Bring your checkbook to the Bee Tree on March 26th and watch this blog for clues to the words associated with our terrific list of donations. And when you visit Mario Russo, please remember to thank them for their generosity to your favorite Library.