Posts by Caroline Cutroneo

Staten Island Poet Laureate Marguerite Maria Rivas on writing her poem for #PocketPoems.

It seems like a good time to write about fostering our connection with the natural world, and one wonderful way to do this is through the arts. So to celebrate Earth Week, here is a short list of some of my favorite nature music.

From rising sea levels worsening the storm surge during Superstorm Sandy to the increase in extreme weather events, effects of anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change are being deeply felt around the world with every passing day. But far from feeling helpless about a global situation, there are positive actions you can take, from the political to the personal, to point us in a better direction. In light of two New York City events, the U.N. Climate Summit this September 23 and the People’s Climate March on September 21, here is a consolidation of some resources on the topic.

Green Medicine of the Year: Healing Plants

Going outside for a spring stroll? Watch where you step! That dandelion you're walking on has a distinguished medicinal history dating back centuries. Why not increase your appreciation of nature by learning about the amazing healing properties of plants and how many of our medicines, such as aspirin, originated from plants.

Identifying and Harvesting Edible and Medicinal Plants in Wild (and Not So Wild) Places

Gabriella playing piano at the talent showOn Wednesday, February 22, Richmondtown Library hosted "Staten Island's Got Talent!" in the its spacious community room. Children in the neighborhood signed up to play instruments, sing, read poetry, and even demonstrate karate. It is a great way for kids to have fun and build confidence in performing in front of an appreciative audience. Check out Richmondtown Library's website for upcoming "Staten Island's Got Talent!" events.

Shrupi plays clarinetWant to share some creative ideas and find guidance in how 

I saw a butterfly like this one during a walk through a seashore park on a recent afternoon.

Well... maybe I didn't see this exact butterfly. Because of its beauty and spirit-like flight, the familiar orange and black monarch butterfly plays a role in traditions associated with the Mexican holiday Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead), as revealed in El círculo mágico, a Spanish language children's book by Barbara M. Joosse, and 

Greenery and flowers, birds singing and warmer temperatures ... it's a perfect time to venture outside into the nearest natural spot to find respite. New York City's parks and natural spaces provide enjoyment for millions of people and habitats for plants and animals, some of them rare or endangered.

When you think of New York City images, the first thing that comes to mind might be a bit different than the scenery in the photo below. 

No, it's not a photo of an Appalachian forest, but of a wetland in Staten Island. You can bring the Library with you on