The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics invites us all to join them in celebrating National Nutrition Month. “During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits.”  This annual campaign features a different theme every year; this year’s theme is “Celebrate a World of Flavors” and highlights flavors from different cultures around the globe as a “tasty way to nourish ourselves and appreciate our diversity.”  What we eat can impact us in so many ways–hence the expression, “You are what you eat!” Studies show that there is a definite relationship between what we eat and the functioning of our brains so as members of the Willamette and higher education communities, it makes sense for us all to be striving towards healthy eating.  So help yourself to some leafy greens, grab an apple, and check out these nutrition-related titles listed on our WU Reads Reading Guide.

“Moderation. Small helpings. Sample a little bit of everything. These are the secrets of happiness and good health.” – Julia Child

The art of embroidery has been around for centuries and spans most cultures around the world. Taking needle and thread to fabric or other materials to create beautiful scenes or patterns, embroidery is both challenging and gratifying.  The variety of stitches, techniques, and colors, adds to the complexity and richness of embroidery.  Through the ages, embroidery has been used to decorate ceremonial attire, religious objects, household objects, book bindings, wall hangings, pillow cases, denim work shirts, and much more. Machine embroidery emerged during the Industrial Revolution and now embroidery appears on items such as polo shirts and baseball hats.  Hand embroidery remains a vital part of society and like sourdough bread baking, stitching has become increasingly popular during the pandemic. February is designated as National Embroidery Month; join us in celebration by checking out one of these embroidery-related titles from our collection listed on our WU Reads Reading Guide.

Take your needle, my child, and work at your pattern; it will come out a rose by and by. Life is like that – one stitch at a time taken patiently and the pattern will come out all right like the embroidery.

—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.