Happy 40th Anniversary  The Mary Todd Lincoln house has the distinction of being the first historic site restored in honor of a First Lady.  The home is operated by the Kentucky Mansions Preservation Foundation, Inc. and was opened to the public on June 9, 1977.  Find more information and pictures at

https://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/lexington/mtl.htm

Happy 100th Anniversary  Denali National Park is six million acres of wild land, bisected by one ribbon of road.  Travelers along it see the relatively low-elevation taiga forest give way to high alpine tundra and snowy mountains, culminating in North America's tallest peak, 20,310' Denali.  Wild animals large and small roam unfenced lands, living as they have for ages.  See pictures and link to more information at https://www.nps.gov/dena/index.htm

Museum of the American Revolution to Open April 19, 2017  On April 19, 1775, a shot rang out across the North Bridge in Concord, Massachusetts, igniting the Revolutionary War and changing the course of history forever.  Philadelphia’s new Museum of the American Revolution will bring to life the dramatic story of our nation’s founding when it officially opens on April 19, 2017, the anniversary of “the shot heard ‘round the world.”  The museum, which has been under construction since spring of 2014, now stands at Third and Chestnut Streets in the historic district of Philadelphia.  The building encompasses 118,000 total square feet, including permanent and temporary exhibit galleries, theaters, education spaces, collection storage, café, retail store, offices, and a welcoming lobby.  The firm of Robert A.M. Stern Architects created a landmark design for the state-of-the-art facility in a style that reflects and honors the rich history of the neighborhood. https://www.amrevmuseum.org/press-room/press-releases/museum-american-revolution-open-april-19-2017

"Funny how every single thing about a human aged as time passed, except for the laugh."  "Grown men don't need help."  Off the Grid, a novel by P.J. Tracy

P.J. Tracy is the pseudonym of mother-daughter writing duo P.J. and Traci Lambrecht, winners of the Anthony, Barry, Gumshoe, and Minnesota Book Awards.  Read about the duo at http://pjtracy.com/

Jasmine is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family (Oleaceae).  It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of Eurasia, Australasia and Oceania.  Jasmines are widely cultivated for the characteristic fragrance of their flowers.  Jasmine can be either deciduous (leaves falling in autumn) or evergreen (green all year round), and can be erect, spreading, or climbing shrubs and vines.  Their leaves are borne, opposite or alternate.  They can be simple, trifoliate, or pinnate.  The flowers are typically around 2.5 cm (0.98 in) in diameter.  They are white or yellow in color, although in rare instances they can be slightly reddish.  Read about cultural significance, use as a national or city symbol, unrelated plants with jasmine in the name, and see pictures at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jasmine

hap  noun  1.  one's luck or lot.  2.  an occurrence, happening, or accident.  verb (used without object), happed, happing.  3.  to happen:  if it so hap.  http://www.dictionary.com/browse/hap

National Library Week will be observed April 9-15, 2017 with the theme, "Libraries Transform."  Celebrations during National Library Week include National Library Workers Day, celebrated the Tuesday of National Library Week (April 11, 2017) and National Bookmobile Day, celebrated the Wednesday of National Library Week (April 12, 2017).  In the mid-1950s, research showed that Americans were spending less on books and more on radios, televisions and musical instruments. Concerned that Americans were reading less, the ALA and the American Book Publishers formed a nonprofit citizens organization called the National Book Committee in 1954.  In 1957, the committee developed a plan for National Library Week based on the idea that once people were motivated to read, they would support and use libraries.  With the cooperation of ALA and with help from the Advertising Council, the first National Library Week was observed in 1958 with the theme "Wake Up and Read!"  http://www.ala.org/news/mediapresscenter/factsheets/nationallibraryweek

James Russell Lowell (1819–1891) was an American Romantic poet, critic, editor, and diplomat.  He is associated with the Fireside Poets, a group of New England writers who were among the first American poets who rivaled the popularity of British poets.  These writers usually used conventional forms and meters in their poetry, making them suitable for families entertaining at their fireside.  Lowell graduated from Harvard College in 1838, despite his reputation as a troublemaker, and went on to earn a law degree from Harvard Law School.  He published his first collection of poetry in 1841 and married Maria White in 1844.  The couple had several children, though only one survived past childhood.  They soon became involved in the movement to abolish slavery, with Lowell using poetry to express his anti-slavery views and taking a job in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the editor of an abolitionist newspaper.  After moving back to Cambridge, Lowell was one of the founders of a journal called The Pioneer, which lasted only three issues.  He gained notoriety in 1848 with the publication of A Fable for Critics, a book-length poem satirizing contemporary critics and poets.  The same year, he published The Biglow Papers, which increased his fame.  He went on to publish several other poetry collections and essay collections throughout his literary career.  Maria died in 1853, and Lowell accepted a professorship of languages at Harvard in 1854; he continued to teach there for twenty years.  He traveled to Europe before officially assuming his teaching duties in 1856, and he married Frances Dunlap shortly thereafter in 1857.  That year, Lowell also became editor of The Atlantic Monthly.  It was not until 20 years later that he received his first political appointment, the ambassadorship to the Kingdom of Spain.  He was later appointed ambassador to the Court of St. James's.  He spent his last years in Cambridge in the same estate where he was born, and died there in 1891.  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Russell_Lowell

http://librariansmuse.blogspot.com  Issue 1677  March 14, 2017  Today is Pi Day, an annual celebration of the mathematical constant π (pi).  Pi Day is observed on March 14 (3/14 in the month/day date format) since 3, 1, and 4 are the first three significant digits of π.  In 2009, the United States House of Representatives supported the designation of Pi Day.  Pi Approximation Day is observed on July 22 (22/7 in the day/month date format), since the fraction  ²²⁄₇ is a common approximation of π, which is accurate to two decimal places and dates from Archimedes.  Read more and see pictures at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pi_Day  Thought for Today:  The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully, have been Kindness, Beauty, and Truth. - Albert Einstein, physicist, Nobel laureate (14 Mar 1879-1955)