In celebration of Women’s “Herstory” Month of March, this free, interesting talk will be given at Himmel Park Branch Library, 1035 N. Treat (SW corner of E. 1st St.) on Monday March 26.

More info: University Distinguished Professor Albrecht Classen (my husband), and the sponsor Arizona Humanities Council:

The Arizona Humanities Council builds a just and civil society by creating opportunities to explore our shared human experiences through discussion, learning and reflection.

50th Anniversary Celebration (1961 to 2011), at Himmel Park Library (1035 N. Treat Ave.) now the oldest branch library in the Pima County Public Library system.

Saturday, June 25, 10:30-4pm

Join us in celebrating Himmel Branch Library’s 50th Anniversary. Here’s what will be happening throughout the day:

* 10:30-11:30 – Local author storytime for children by Sunny Warner and Joan Sandin
* 11:30-noon – Himmel stories & sealing of the time capsule by Himmel youth
* 12:00-1:30 – Refreshments & music provided by youth violin students of Rose Todaro & Rebecca McKee
* 12:30-2:00 – “I Remember Himmel” oral history booth will be open for recording stories about Himmel Park Library.
* 1:30-4:00 – Volunteer appreciation ceremony – Comedy by Mike Sterner, Aaron Stielstra, and Rebecca Bommersbach, music by Shaky Bones Band

For more info: Branch Manager Sharla Darby at (520) 594-5305. The library is on the SW corner of E. 1st Street and Treat Ave, one block south of Speedway.

Himmel Park Branch Library is also hosting a potluck picnic in the park for Tucson’s refugee/immigrant community on Saturday, June 25 at 6:30 P.M. (The actual eating begins at 6:30 P.M.) Please bring a dish (the break down is listed below), serving utensil(s), and a cover for the grass. The food will be served in the large meeting room and eating will be outside. If raining, there will be an alternative site nearby.

If your last/surname begins with — please bring a:

A-C Dessert (Eat dessert first!)

D-G Main Dish

H-P Side Dish (Vegetables, potatoes, casseroles) OR Salad

Q-S Breads & Spreads, Chips & Dips

T-Z Beverages

Representatives from Tucson’s immigration and refugee organizations will be invited to attend.
For info on the pot luck contact librarian Sue Parker at 520-594-5305, Ext. 3 for more details.

At 7:30 P.M., Capoeira Mandinga Tucson, a Brazilian dance troupe, will be performing at Himmel Park’s outdoor amphitheater (aka “Hippie Hill”), located about 400 feet west of the library, which the public is invited to attend as well. That event is also sponsored by the Pima County Public Library Adult Services.

What a great series of events to celebrate the summer and the 50th Anniversary of a library named after the park. Click here for my earlier blog on pioneer Alvina Himmel Edmondson and her legacy to Tucson.

British born guitarist, composer & folk singer Jamie O’Brien is releasing a new CD entitled “Chasing Ghosts”. Most of the songs are melodious and “jazzy”, and some are yearning songs of lost love, perhaps the “ghosts” of his past. Jamie asks that we mark Thursday, May 5 on our calendars. That is the release date for this new CD album. Musicians will be flying in from the East Coast & celebrating the release with Jamie at Boondocks that evening (3306 North 1st Avenue at 6:30pm).

Jamie on his guitar, courtesy of the musician

My favorites from this particular CD are #1 “Don’t Look Back”, #7 “See You Sometime” and #15 “You Only Wish”. The titles probably reveal the theme of the song’s lyrics. Jamie composed the 18 songs on this CD, and seven in collaboration with Stephen Roud, Ernest Hone, Peter Cooper, or Peter Morson.

He (and Bob Lee)will be performing at Lani’s Luau restaurant (NW corner of Harrison and Golf Links) on Friday April 29 at 6:30 p.m. Call ahead at 520-886-LUAU (5828). And he and some friends are also performing the next day at Lani’s for a fundraising luau (click here for the flyer).

Website: www.launies.com, email jobrien@launies.com to order this CD and others.

I’ve heard Jamie perform at 2nd Saturdays Downtown as well as at Himmel Park branch library and Bookman’s. He performs a lot of Irish Celtic music as well as Hawaiian slack key guitar and on the ukulele. “Uku” is flea and “lele” means jumping in Hawaiian, which is indicative of the lively music of this instrument. He’s also the winner of the 2011 Hawaiian Music Awards Anthology of the Year.

The local musicians accompanying Jamie on this CD are:
Dillon Barr (trumpet)
Phil Borzillo (guitar)
Bruce Campbell (bass)
Jenny Ford (vocals)
Ryck Kaiser (fiddle)
Henry Koreztky (vocals, mandolin, guitar)
Gary Mackender (accordion, Hammond organ)
Paul McKeown (guitar, keyboards, percussion, vocals)
Jon Villa (trumpet)
Dede Wyland (vocals)