LIVE OAK — Local author Susie H. Baxter will discuss and sign copies of her newest book, “Pumping Sunshine, A Memoir of My Rural Childhood” at the Live Oak Public Library next month.

The book signing will be held Jan. 11 at 6 p.m.

Her third book, “Pumping Sunshine” provides an intimate portrait of a young girl growing up on a tobacco farm in Suwannee County following World War II, according to a release from the library. Baxter’s family’s home has no indoor plumbing and no electricity for a time.

When the nearby Suwannee River floods leaving damage and devastation in its wake, the community pulled together to help one another. The stories of hard work and discovery — such as learning to make lye soap to chopping fat during hot butchering day — are told with humor and vivid detail, according to the release.

Baxter, who was known during her childhood as Susanette Howell, attended Ladyland School in southwest Suwannee County before graduating from Suwannee High School in 1962. Baxter received the coveted Editor of the Year award from Times Mirror for her work as an acquisitions editor and publisher for a health-science publishing house in St. Louis.

Upon retirement, Baxter returned to Florida where she serves as a creative nonfiction editor for Bacopa Literary Review and teaches memoir writing at Santa Fe College in Gainesville.

Her other books are “C.G. & Ethel: A Family History” and “Write Your Memoir: One Story at a Time,” which are available at the library as well as amazon.com.

Also in January, the library is holding a recipe swap on Tuesday from noon to 1 p.m. Those participating are asked to bring their favorite soup or chili and the recipe to sample and swap with others.

The seed library is open every Wednesday from 1-3 p.m. The Master Gardeners will be available to answer gardening questions while also checking out seeds for winter gardens.

On Thursday, Pat Hines Mitchell will be at the library at noon to discuss her great-great-great grandfather Christmas Hemming as part of the Pioneer Lunch ’n’ Learn series. Hemming was born in the early 1800s in Florida and lived most of his life as a slave. After the Civil War, Hemming came to Suwannee County and purchased 640 acres for $1,100. Mitchell and her family continue to reside on that land.

Library staff member Debra Barney will teach a knitting class Jan. 10 at 11:30 a.m. in the small conference room. Those attending should bring needles and yarn.

Also on Jan. 10, the Master Gardeners will discuss irrigation and ways to apply controlled amounts of water to plants at needed intervals. The workshop will begin at 2 p.m.

County historian Eric Musgrove will continue his History of Suwannee County series Jan. 11 at noon with a focus on True Crime.

Barney will hold a crocheting class Jan. 17 at 11:30 a.m. in the small conference room. Those participating should bring needles and yarn.

Carolyn Saft with the UF/IFAS Suwannee County Extension office will present a gardening workshop Jan. 18 at noon on vermiculture. Vermiculture is a composting process using various species of worms — usually red wigglers, white worms and other earthworms – to create a mixture of decomposting vegetable or food waste, bedding materials and worm castings.

The library’s book club returns Jan. 24 at 2 p.m. with a discussion of “Mrs. Sherlock” by Brad Ricca. The book is a true story of New York City’s greatest female detective and a 1917 missing girl case that captivated a nation, according to the library’s release.

Suwannee County Fire Rescue will teach a CPR and first aid class from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Jan. 27. Those completing the class will receive a certificate.

The class is free and space is limited. Call the circulation desk at 386-362-2317 to register.

The library will be closed Monday for New Year’s Day and Jan. 15 for Martin Luther King Jr. Day.