Philosopher Rick Barker, author of “Transcending Evolution, a Christian Guide to Understanding, Accepting and Transcending Evolution” (Amazon 2014), riffs on complex themes and evolutionary history much like a master jazz improviser. He connects the dissonances and sonorities of human societal growth to illustrate what is the most important end product of that growth — choice….

“Goodnight stars, goodnight air, goodnight noises everywhere.” Margaret Wise-Brown’s tiny and tender children’s book “Goodnight Moon” is familiar to generations of children and parents. In seven stanzas, Wise-Brown introduced entranced readers to the great Green Room inhabited by bears, kittens, mittens, a toy house, a mouse, a comb and a brush, a bowlful of mush…

The Idyllwild HELP Center’s annual Angel Tree is up and decorated with the names of many children. Helping this year are (from left) Teagan White, Brynnley Meyer, Caden Meyer, Peyton Manchee and Colleen Meyer, at the HELP Center. This year, two Angel trees are available. Besides the tree at the Library (shown here), the second tree is at Fairway Market. “We have the most kids on the Angel Tree that we have ever had,” wrote Colleen, the HELP Center’s client services administrator.