About Talia Whyte

Posts by Talia Whyte:

Support Local Bookstores

My local library is doing this holiday fundraiser you might be interested in.

Online Holiday Book Shopping!
Now more than ever, it is important to support local independent bookstores and public libraries. The Friends haven’t been able to do any of our book or yarn sales because of the branch’s closure and the pandemic, which is a big part of our income.  We have teamed up with Rozzie Bound to create a unique shopping experience with our special holiday gift lists!  We carefully curated three booklists – adults, teens/tweens, and children – featuring over 200 giftable books with a wide range of interests, topics, and genres that fit everyone’s budget.  This is a great option for those of you who plan to do most of your holiday shopping online.  You can even order books and send them as gifts to other addresses.

Best of all, everyone wins here when you buy from our lists:

1. You support a local bookstore
2. The Friends receive 20% of sales from every book sold from the lists
3. You stay safe while shopping online
4. Your recipient(s) get a thoughtful gift!

Give the gift of reading and buy your holiday gifts here: https://bookshop.org/shop/rozziebound

What’s Cooking: Thanksgiving Nonalcoholic Drinks!

I’m a teetotaler, so sometimes it can be hard to go to holiday parties and there are no non-alcoholic options.  When they do have non-alcoholic options, they are usually sodas and juice boxes for kids. I usually bring my own beverage to these parties!  Here are some recipes I have used in the past.

Applejack Mulled Cider

Ingredients

  • 1-gallon apple cider
  • 2 peeled, but not sliced apples
  • 3 cinnamon sticks
  • 10 cloves (whole, not ground)
  • ¼ cup dark brown sugar
  • Nutmeg

Instructions
Using a paring knife or apple corer, core your apples and place six cloves in the hollows you create. In a slow cooker, combine the apple cider, the apples, cinnamon sticks, and brown sugar. Cover and cook on low for four hours. Reduce heat to keep warm and serve directly from the slow cooker. Garnish with a sprinkle of nutmeg.

Pumpkin Pie Punch (17 8oz servings)

Ingredients

  • 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 2 liters cream soda
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1-liter ginger ale
  • 1 750 mL bottle sparkling apple cider
  • Ice
  • Cinnamon sticks for garnish

Instructions
In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, and the cream soda. Pour into a punch bowl. Add the ginger ale, sparkling cider, and ice. Stir. Garnish with cinnamon sticks.

Apple Pie Punch (14 8oz servings)

Ingredients

  • 32 ounces apple cider
  • 16 ounces sparkling apple-pear cider
  • 2 liters ginger ale
  • Ice
  • Sliced apples, cinnamon sticks, and star anise for garnish

Instructions
In a punch bowl, combine the apple cider, apple-pear cider, and ginger ale.
Add the ice and stir. Float sliced apples, cinnamon sticks, and star anise on the punch as a garnish.

Pink “Champagne” Mocktail

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces sparkling cider, chilled
  • 1-ounce raspberry syrup
  • Blueberries and raspberries for garnish

Instructions
In a Champagne flute, combine the sparkling cider and raspberry syrup. Stir. Garnish with blueberries and raspberries.

Why I Loved Being A Census Taker!

Who would have thought the 2020 Census would have been both a joy and a sh*tstorm?

When I signed up to be a census enumerator around this time last year, I thought I was just making a difference in my community while making a little extra cash.  But after doing it, I came away from it with a lot more.

Because of the pandemic, everything about the census was done online.  I had to go through an eight-hour online training session.  I never met my manager, supervisor, or most of the other enumerators during my time with the census.  All of my interactions were done using a government-issued phone with them and any information I received from residents was inputted there.  I met great people from all walks of life.  I also lost a lot of weight walking between five to nine miles a day, as I don’t have a car!

The census is the largest peacetime project the federal government undertakes.  Every ten years, the U.S. Census Bureau counts everyone in the country.  The results are used to determine funding for resources in your community and congressional representation.  About half of census-guided funding goes towards Medicare!

Unfortunately, because the census ended early on October 15, a lot of people may have not been counted.  Let’s hope the Biden administration will consider finishing the count in the new year.  The 2020 Census cost $15 billion to undertake, which many elected officials think is already too expensive, so I don’t see a full-scale recount, but something should be done to complete it.

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