Celebrate St. Patrick's Day at Collected Works with the High Desert Harp Ensemble!

Counting the Omer is a Kabbalistic meditation guide to understand the in-depth meanings of each of the forty-nine days between Pesach (Passover) and the Shavuot celebration of the revealing of the Torah.

Rabbi Kantrowitz follows Kabbalistic guidelines to show how the unique values of the sephirot interact each day, giving the reader insight into the strengths of the day. Through this guide the reader is led to meditate on the mystical qualities of life and self.

Rabbi Min Kantrowitz is a sought after speaker and teacher and has conducted services, workshops and lectures in Europe, California, Montana, Arizona, and  New Mexico. As the Director of the Jewish Community Chaplaincy Program of Jewish Family Service of New Mexico, she provides spiritual support and pastoral care services to thousands of unaffiliated Jews throughout the state. She has a Bachelors Degree in Psychology and Masters Degrees in Psychology and Architecture. In addition to her degree in Rabbinic Studies, she has a Masters of Science in Jewish Studies. 

Joe Thorndike was managing editor of Life at the height of its popularity immediately following World War II. He was the founder of American Heritage and Horizon magazines, the author of three books, and the editor of a dozen more. But at age 92, in the space of six months he stopped reading or writing or carrying on detailed conversations. He could no longer tell time or make a phone call. He was convinced that the governor of Massachusetts had come to visit and was in the refrigerator.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer's, and like many of them, Joe Thorndike's one great desire was to remain in his own house. To honor his wish, his son John left his own home and moved into his father's upstairs bedroom on Cape Cod. For a year, in a house filled with file cabinets, photos, and letters, John explored his father's mind, his parents' divorce, and his mother's secrets. The Last of His Mind is the bittersweet account of a son's final year with his father, and a candid portrait of an implacable disease.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> It's the ordeal of Alzheimer's that draws father and son close, closer than they have been since John was a boy. At the end, when Joe's heart stops beating, John's hand is on his chest, and a story of painful decline has become a portrait of deep family ties, caregiving, and love.

All the things that go into making good savory dishes –the hand, the heart and the five senses – go into making desserts. Seasonal Desserts from Orchard, Farm and Market captures fruit as a means to pleasure and knowledge. Madison has used the subject of (mostly) fruit desserts to guide readers to the names of stellar varieties, their characteristics, where and when they might be found, and the history of some of our unique American fruits. This gorgeous book also looks at tree crops, from Medjool dates to shagbark hickkory nuts, and America's new farmstead cheeses for the last course of the meal. Seasonal Desserts from Orchard, Farm and Market challenges our ideas about what's in season by looking at where foods are grown and what their true seasonalilty looks like. Green rhubarb with blackberries? Of course!

Because good fruit speaks so well for itself, these desserts don't depend on terribly exacting conditions and manual dexterity for success. These are recipes for cooks rather than pastry chefs, meaning they are easily made.

The Italians have La Dolce Vita, the French have Joie d’Vivre. What do Americans have? Happy Hour? Miller Time? We need help!

New York Times bestselling author Michael Gelb (How to Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci) opens our eyes to the remarkable power of wine to tap into our creative potential, awaken our genius, and forge bonds with friends and co-workers. Although there are many excellent guides to wine appreciation, Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking offers a “whole brain” approach that is unequivocally unique.

• Part 1 provides the practical “left-brain” knowledge readers will need to handle themselves in any wine-related situation.
• Part 2 explores how wine can serve as a catalyst for creativity and “right brain” thought. Gelb takes his readers on a wine-soaked journey through history, introducing them to the greatest wine-related art, music, and architecture.
• In Part 3, readers will be guided step-by-step through a delightful process of bringing family, friends, or colleagues together for “Inspired Thinking” wine parties.

If Wine Drinking for Inspired Thinking could make one promise to its readers, it’s that it will not only improve their enjoyment of wine, but will also enhance their enjoyment of life.

Michael J. Gelb is the author of 11 books on creativity and innovation including the international bestseller, How to Think Like Leonardo da Vinci. Gelb is also a passionate connoisseur of fine wine and food, and has been featured in the Wine Spectator,The Wine Enthusiast, and in the wine column of the Washington Post. An organizational consultant since 1979, Gelb leads the highly acclaimed “Wine-drinking for Inspired-Thinking” programs for global clients including BP, Merck, Microsoft, Nike, and many other groups.