It's a little-known fact that blue was originally the color associated with St. Patrick's day. It wasn't until the 17th century that another shade took over, and it's been all about the green ever since. We dress in green, dye the milk green, and raise a green toast to the luck of the Irish. So this year, why not take St. Patty's Day to a whole new level by making the greenest holiday of the year even greener! 

Start with breakfast. After you pour yourself some fair trade coffee, eat your Lucky Charms with (naturally dyed) green milk and a side of green eggs, and recycle the cartons they came in by making a shamrock, veggie, or herb garden. 

Your garden will begin in the egg carton. Be sure to buy your eggs in cardboard! Fill each cup about ¾ full of potting soil. Sprinkle seeds on top according to the directions on the seed packet. Set your garden on a sunny windowsill and watch the seeds sprout. When the sprouts have come up, thin them and separate the cups. Plant them, cup and all, in a larger pot or directly in the garden. 

Seeds need water, of course, so recycle your milk jug into a handy watering can. Purchase your milk in a plastic container. Rinse it well. If the plastic is thinner, poke holes in the lid using an awl or a safety pin. Fill the jug with water and reattach the cap, and voila. A nifty, sprinkling watering can! 

According to tradition, you'll get pinched if you don't wear green on St. Patrick's day. If you don't have a green thing to wear and don't like being pinched, try heading to a local thrift shop or vintage boutique for that touch of green. Visit Out of the Closet, the Salvation Army, Goodwill, Acts Thrift Store locally for a sweater, a funky necklace, or even a green scarf. You'll be helping some worthy organizations to help others while avoiding a pinch on both your pocketbook and your arm! 

If you're out and about on St. Patrick's day, try to park centrally and find ways to walk from place to place. Or better yet, dust off those bikes if the weather's nice and take a ride. 

When it's time to cook your traditional St. Patrick's day dinner, choose sustainably farmed corned beef and organic veggies. And when you're chopping up those carrots and onions, set the scraps aside and make a compost pile. It's easy to do, it's a new regulation, and the earth will benefit by leaps and bounds. 

If you want to do it yourself, start by setting aside all of your veggie scraps. Then, when you have a bag full, take them outside and mix them with lawn clippings, shredded paper, and coffee grounds. Many cities have compost bins for purchase at cost, along with gardening workshops, including Pasadena and South Pasadena. Add to your pile and keep turning it as you go. Before you know it, you'll have rich, dark "garden gold" to keep your plants happy and organic! 

Oh, and in Monrovia, the compost and mulch resulting from organic waste gathered by the city are provided to residents free of charge twice per year. 

For more information, tips on composting, and ways to go green daily, check out this guide for 21 ways to reduce waste. It's easier than you think! 

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Julie & Rob

Pie for Pi Day

March 14 is Pi Day for those not so into math. Whether you are into math or not has no bearing on if you're into pie. Head to Old Pasadena and swing by The Pie Hole for their Pi Day specials or I Like Pie Bakeshop for their mini-pie assortment. 

Butterfly Season!

Kidspace Children's Museum's most anticipated season is here! Celebrate all things butterfly with crafts, stories, and raising a caterpillar until it turns into a butterfly, releasing it with a hundred more in about a month! So book your tickets for Kidspace and enjoy the magic of spring with its most wonderful ambassador - the butterfly!

Teen STEAM Crafts

Your Teen (ages 13-19) can join the Jefferson Branch librarians to learn about the cool tech available in the library on March 16 from 4:00 PM to 5:00 PM. No registration is required. See the event listing for more details.

Pokémon GO! @ the Hill Avenue Library

Your Pokémon-loving family (ages 5+) can join the Hill Avenue Branch librarians for Pokemon Go Community Day, complete with a lure, activities, and giveaways on March 18 from 2:00 PM to 5:00 PM. See the event listing for more details.

Take & Make: Geometric Unicorn

Your family can join the Hastings Branch librarians in making a delightful geometric unicorn craft. Craft kit reservations are available March 20 through 31 or while supplies last. See the event listing for more details.

Spring Concert by the Classical Teens

Your family can join the La Pintoresca Branch librarians in enjoying a classical music concert for spring performed by the Classical Teens on March 20 from 4:45 PM to 5:45 PM. See the event listing for more details.

STEAM Team

Your Tween (ages 9-12) can join the Hastings Branch librarians in exploring the science behind magnetic slime on March 21 from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Sports are limited, and reservations are required. See the event listing for more details.

Spring-a-Ding-Ding Storytime

Your preschooler (ages 3-5) can join the Santa Catalina Branch librarians for some spring-focused reading fun on March 22 from 10:30 AM to 11:00 AM. See the event listing for more details.

Teen Movie Night!

Your Teen (ages 13-19) can join the Jefferson Branch librarians for movie night. They'll even get to help pick the movie. No registration is required. See the event listing for more details.

Teen Poetry & Literature Club

Your Teen (grades 8-12) can join the Altadena librarians and WriteGirl's Kate McMahon for a trans and LGBTQ-friendly poetry writing workshop. The creativity happens on March 18 from 12:00 PM to 2:00 PM. See the event listing for details.

Art & Chill

Your teens (grades 8-12) can join the Altadena librarians on the third Saturday of the month to explore new art materials and practice new art methods in a chill environment. No experience is required. For March, the focus is chain mail. See the event listing for more details.

All Ages Lego Day

Your family can join the Bob Lucas branch librarians for some Lego and Duplo building blocks fun on March 24 from 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM. See the event listing for more details.

Take & Make: Embroidered Heart Card

Your family (ages 8+) can join the Jefferson Branch librarians in celebrating Women's History Month by making an embroidered heart greeting card. Craft kit reservations are open from March 2 through 30 or while supplies last. 

Take & Make: Pot O' Gold Rainbow Twirler

Your kids (ages 3-12) can join the Hastings Branch librarians in making a colorful St. Patrick's Day craft. Craft kit registrations are open from March 6 to 19 or while supplies last. 

Take & Make: Pi Day Puzzle

Your kids (ages 5-12) can join the Santa Catalina Branch librarians and Dr. Mr. Scienceman in making a Pi Day puzzle. Craft kit registration is open from March 8 to 15 or while supplies last.

These events are regularly scheduled, and many do not require registrations. That said, please check with the event host in case of holidays, weather, COVID, or other reasons to cancel or reschedule.
 

Board Game Night

Your family can join others and the Altadena librarians in an evening of board game fun on Mondays through December 19, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. No registration is required.

Chess Night

Your family can join other chess lovers and the Altadena librarians in an evening of chess-inspired fun on Tuesdays through November 22, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. No registration is required.
 

Afternoon Games

The whole family is invited to the Villa Parke Community Center Branch Library to play games, from board games to giant dominos. The fun happens on Tuesdays, from 2:00 PM till 4:00 PM.

Infant & Toddler Storytimes

Your little ones (ages 0-2) and their caregiver can join the Pasadena librarians weekly at 10:30 AM for 20 minutes of reading, rhyming, and singing fun! 

Lamanda Park Branch - Tuesdays

Allendale Branch - Wednesdays

Preschool Storytime - Pasadena Public Libraries

Your kids (ages 3-5) can join the Pasadena librarians weekly for a selection of stories, songs, crafts, or a short movie. Activities vary by branch.

Villa Parke Community Center Branch - Tuesdays, 10:30 AM till 11:30 AM

Santa Catalina Branch - Wednesday, 10:30 AM till 11:00 AM

San Rafael Branch - Wednesdays, 11:00 AM till 11:30 AM

Lamanda Park Branch - Thursdays, 10:30 AM till 11:00 AM

Linda Vista Branch - Thursday, 10:30 AM till 11:00 AM

Hill Avenue Branch - Saturdays, 10:30 AM till 11:00 AM

Family Films

Villa Parke Community Center Branch hosts a family movie for you on Thursdays, from 3:30 PM till 5:30 PM. Please contact the branch at 626-744-6510 for the movie title. And this is a BYOS (bring your own snacks) event.

Video Game Club

Your Teen (age 14-19) can stop into the Hastings Branch Library Meeting Room on Thursdays, from 4:00 PM till 6:00 PM, for some gaming fun on the Nintendo Switch. They can make new friends and learn fair play every week. No registration is required. Must play well with others.

Crafting with Tish & Tosh

Join the Pasadena Library online for some all-ages crafting fun. You'll learn new crafts all year round. The crafting fun happens on every-other Monday on Instagram Live from 3:00 PM till 3:30 PM.

 

Teen Switch Hour

Your Tweens (ages 8-12) can join the Altadena librarians for some Nintendo Switch fun playing Mario Kart, Mario Party, and Smash Brothers every Thursday from 4:00 PM till 5:00 PM in the Main Library's Community Room. The library has a limited number of systems available. You are welcome to bring your own Switch. .

 

STEAM Team

Your Tweens (ages 9-12) can join the Hastings Branch librarians on the third Tuesday of most months (Thanksgiving week being a usual exception) from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM to learn about science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics. Registration is required, and spots are limited. 

Crafternoons for Kids!

Your kids (grades K-5) can join the Altadena librarians on the third Tuesday of the month for their arts and crafts program. There's a different craft every month, and parents are encouraged to participate. See the library calendar for details.

Read! Build! Play!

Your little ones (ages 0-5) can join the San Rafael Branch librarians for storytime, followed by self-guided play on Wednesdays through April from 11:40 AM to 1:00 PM. See the event listing for details.

Abacus Workshop

Your kids (ages 5-12) can join the La Pintoresca Branch librarians in learning arithmetic with the Soroban abacus. Registration is required. See the event listing for more information.

'Dena Dishes

Your teen (grades 8-12) can join the Altadena librarians on Instagram every other Friday at 5:00 PM for reviews of the coolest, tastiest, and best-value spots for teens in Altadena.