April may be the cruelest month, but February can seem like the longest, in spite of what the calendar says. In One True Thing, Anna Quindlen writes of February: "Everything around is dead, the trees black and frozen …the ground hard and cold, the snow dirty, the winter hateful, hanging on too long." Still, there are reasons to celebrate this month. Here are a few holidays and books to help you "pass the time until March."

On Feb. 1, 1790, the United States Supreme Court met for the first time. With its political appointments and sometimes controversial rulings, the workings of the court are often a mystery. In her book, The Majesty of the Law, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor tries to explain some of those mysteries. A basic primer on how the court works and a personal recollection of the people she worked with, it's an engaging look at the highest court in the land.

Feb. 2 is a day to celebrate America's favorite rodent, Punxsutawney Phil. Most of the Library's Groundhog Day books are written for children, so I picked a book with Phil's pseudonym in the title. Scratching the Woodchuck, written by Amish farmer David Kline, is a delightful tribute to the amazing natural interactions visible to anyone who takes the time to see. In his previous book, Great Possessions, Kline writes, "Sometimes I wonder whether I farm to make a living or whether it is all a front, just an excuse to be out in the fields looking at clouds." Kline is a nature writer of the highest caliber.

You didn't think I'd forget everyone's favorite February holiday, did you? Feb. 14 is the anniversary of Oregon's statehood in 1859. Kathleen Dean Moore, a professor of philosophy at Oregon State University, has written three collections of essays focusing on Oregon and points northwest: Riverwalking, Holdfast and The Pine Island Paradox. Her books are thought provoking and lyrical explorations of love, connections, family and the natural world.

Lest we forget that other Feb. 14 holiday, Pocketful of Names by Joe Coomer is not your traditional love story, but its happy ending will make you smile. Hannah Bryant is a successful artist who moves to a Maine island to work in solitude on her art. Her solitude is short lived, however, as she is soon joined by a stray dog, a troubled teen, a pregnant half-sister and a disabled lobster fisherman. It's a lovely story and Coomer is a masterful storyteller.

Finally, Feb. 23 is the birthday of Samuel Pepys the English diarist, born in 1633. His diary, written from 1660 through 1669, is a primary source of information about both the Great Plague and the Great Fire of London. While I wouldn't recommend the 10-volume set (unless you want to spend the entire month reading it), The Illustrated Pepys (240 pages) or Passages from the Diary of Samuel Pepys (332 pages) both provide an interesting look at Pepys' life and times. You can check out these titles and many more at any Jefferson County Public Library location. Look for them on our web site or talk to your librarian for more recommendations.

You can find these movies and many more at any Jefferson County Public Library location. Talk to your librarian for more recommendations.