Spring Escapism

Yesterday gave me an intoxicating feeling that Spring was downright flirting with us.  It doesn’t take much to awaken that yearning for warmer temperatures and abundant blossoms. There are plenty of things to be serious about right now. But today I’m going to press pause and share some local images that stirred up some Spring Fever in me.

This invitation to drop by for coffee from The Little Market Café* grabbed me, but - - it’s not about the coffee. It’s the picture. Stop. Take a few breaths. You are now inside an issue of Victoria Magazine.

 

Image from Little Market Café social media 

Rise and Shine, Coffee Lovers!

Spring is in the air, and there's no better way to kickstart your morning than with a delicious sandwich and a steaming cup of coffee or tea! 

Whether you're an early bird or just need a little extra motivation to hop out of bed, our cozy spot is ready to serve up the perfect breakfast combo to fuel your day. 

Something about all those plants and the colors and composition of the photograph hit all the right notes for me. It practically sings “life could be normal” or maybe “there might be hope.” It’s a mini vacation in a photograph.

A series of photos from Clark’s Elioak Farm about their Fairy Forest may entice you to leave reality behind. It certainly did for me. 

Images from Clark’s Elioak Farm social media 

21 days until we open....

Have you visited our Fairy Forest?

The fairies have had a long and cold winter, but are now getting their houses and yards ready for opening day!

To explore our Fairy Forest, just wandered down the wooded path, and across from Willie the whale you will see the entrance. The fairy forest is included with our $8 per person admission price.

Once we open on April 1st, will be open Tuesday through Sunday 10 AM to 5 PM.

The Community Ecology Institute has been running perfectly gorgeous stories (Facebook) and reels (Instagram) - - brief videos immersing the viewer in nature. Because they are ephemeral, I can’t link to them here. But I highly recommend you follow CEI on Facebook and Instagram to receive the benefit of all of that nature therapy. You might even want to go check out nature in real life. 

New to CEI?  They’re inviting the community to take a tour:

Image from CEI social media 

When my children were little I made a point of encouraging them to look for the signs of seasonal changes. I don’t think I have ever been so fervently hoping for the signs of Spring as I have this year.

Seen any? Let me know.

Village Green/Town² Comments

*Yes, they have re-opened after a brief shutdown for renovations.

Measles: Facts vs Assumptions

So, we’ve got measles. Right here in River City. Let’s start with some facts.

Measles: What You Should Know,  Johns Hopkins Medicine 

Measles is a highly contagious viral infection — one of the most contagious of all known infections. Nine out of 10 unimmunized children who are in contact with an infected person will contract the virus. The virus can linger in the air for about two hours after a person with measles has left the room. It can infect those who enter the room if they are unimmunized.

Oh, I forgot the biggie: 

At best, measles is a very uncomfortable illness. At worst, it can be lethal.

Measles also weakens the overall immune system. 

From the World Health Organization 

Measles itself also weakens the immune system and can make the body “forget” how to protect itself against infections, leaving children* extremely vulnerable.

*I added the asterisk to point out this also means the immune-compromised, people who can’t physically tolerate vaccines, and the elderly. 

Both Johns Hopkins Medicine practitioners and the World Health Organization agree: The best way to protect against measles is to get vaccinated.

These are the facts. There are concrete actions you can take based on these facts. But then…there are assumptions. Not everyone seems to know the difference between facts and assumptions these days. Here are two I saw online since the news was released:

Some anti vax mfer took their unvaxxed kid on a trip out of the country, landed at Dulles all lit up w/measles and drove measles to my county in MD (Howard). The kid is now up the street from my damn house in the hospital lit up w/the damn measles and I’m furious. Thanks loads RFK, you mfer.

And:

Open borders have consequences!

We don’t have the information to back up either of these comments. Read the statement released to the public. It gives the most basic information about the case - - facts which allow the community to assess their own risk. That’s it. From a public health standpoint this is what is most important. Anything more at this point would be a violation of the patient’s privacy. 

We known that the person who contracted measles was 1) traveling abroad,  2) they were treated in a pediatric unit, and 3) they are a Howard County resident.That’s it. 

Anything else is, as they say, pure speculation. 

I personally have strong opinions about vaccination and strong feelings about those who are pushing the anti-vax ideology. I still have the ability to tell between what is fact and what is assumption.  

I’m going to need to check with my doctor today to see if my insurance will cover having my titers checked and, if necessary, whether it will pay for an MMR booster. Those are concrete actions I can take based on the factual knowledge I have.

And I’m going to keep in mind that this story includes more than the threat to public health. It also includes a very sick human being in the pediatric unit of Johns Hopkins Medical Center. I have been the parent of a very sick human in a pediatric unit - - twice. I’m going to to take a moment today to remember what that was like. 

My advice for today: facts, facts, facts. A little empathy wouldn’t hurt either.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Showing Our True Colors

As the civil rights and very existence of LGBTQIA+ Americans are increasingly under attack, Howard County is holding fast to values of acceptance and inclusion. But if we want that to continue we will need to actively support local initiatives such as the ones I’ve gathered together for you today. They will not survive and thrive by magic. We must make it so by continued engagement, participation, and advocacy.

Take a look at some upcoming events in our community. Can’t attend? Send a donation. Even a small one helps. 

Tuesday at Backwater Books (in collaboration with HCPSS Pride) an event to celebrate Navigating the Margins:

Navigating the Margins Celebration, 3/11, 7 - 8:30 pm, Backwater Books, Old Ellicot City Register here.

Celebrate Navigating the Margins: A Collection of Stories by High School Students curated by Ella Heiliger with this special event featuring readings from several of our authors, a book signing, and meet and greet with several of our student authors.

Last year, 25 high school students were selected through an application process to be part of a writing program in which they would write and submit up to 4 pages to an author mentor throughout the school year last year. This published collection is a result of their dedication and hard work and contains a variety of stories from murder mystery and fantasy to historical and realistic fiction. There's a little something for everyone within these pages.

An event to support HoCo Pride will be taking place this Friday at Union Jack’s in Columbia. 

HoCo Pride Happy Hour: 3/14, 5:30 - 8:00 pm, Union Jacks   Purchase Tickets Here

Ride the rainbow to the HoCo Pride Happy Hour at Union Jack’s on Pi Day—Friday, March 14! Join us starting at 5:30 PM for an evening of fun, community, and celebration.

Enjoy complimentary appetizers, desserts, and non-alcoholic beverages while sipping on our Pride Drink Special (available for purchase). Plus, don’t miss out on our Pi-themed raffles in honor of the day!

Cost: $10 ($5 for students)

All ages welcome! (Alcohol will be served for 21+)

Join the Howard County LGBTQIA Commission and the Howard County of of Human Rights & Equity to celebrate Trans Day of Visibility 2025:

Trans Day of Visibility, 3/28, 4 - 7:30 pm, Elkridge 50+ Center,  Register here

Centering trans joy, creativity, and community, join us for a restorative evening highlighting the rights of the trans community to be seen, heard, and celebrated.

Whether you want to enjoy games, trivia, crafts, socializing, a reading room with books provided by the Howard County Library System, resources for the trans community, or just hit the floor and dance the night away, this year's TDOV celebration invites the trans community and allies for a night of acceptance, joy, and celebration!

Registration is now open for HCPSS Pride’s ReIMAGINE the Rainbow event to be held in April at Centennial High School.

ReIMAGINE the Rainbow: 4/25, 6 - 9:15 pm, Centennial High School Register here.

ReIMAGINE the Rainbow Event: All students, staff, parents, and community members are invited to join us for an evening of advocacy on Friday, April 25 from (5:00PM) 6:00PM - 9:15PM at Centennial High School. Headlining the evening will be Ellen Oh (author and founder of We Need Diverse Books) and Phil Bilder (author). Following the keynote session, participants will have the opportunity to select from 14 different sessions to attend in two consecutive time blocks. Sessions are informational, interactive, and in some cases, hands-on. Childcare will be provided for students in grades K-5. While this event is FREE, all participants must register. More information can be found on our webpage, along with the registration form. 

Looking ahead, the theme for this year’s HCPSS Pride Prom is “Moonlit Mystery: A Renaissance Masquerade.”

HCPSS Pride Prom, 6/7, 8 - 11:00 pm, Harriet Tubman Cultural Center, Registration opens April 25th

If you’re looking for more local LGBTQIA+ resources, make sure to check out PFLAG of Howard County  and CARY (Community Allies of Rainbow Youth).

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Mostly Fun

 The one that got away:

Activist Goth Workshop: Design Your Own Protest Signs, Patapsco Valley State Park.

This one caught my eye as I was scrolling and I’m sorry to say that it was last Saturday. On the one hand, I can’t see myself attending. On the other hand - - especially in light of yesterday’s blog post - - there’s something purely delightful about an invitation to:

Dance and Create! Reject Facism, Defend Equality

Let’s have more of that, please. Also, does Howard County have a really active Goth community? I’m beginning to wonder.

An event that really is happening today:

Bruster’s Ice Cream on Route 40 in Ellicott City is having a customer appreciation day with a pajama theme. If you’ve ever felt wistful that it’s only the kids who get pajama days at school, throw on your pjs and head to Bruster’s for a free small waffle cone. Or, you can support their pajama drive to support local young people in foster care by donating a new pair of pjs. (Free cone for that, too.) But wait, there’s more:

Event Highlights:

• Saturday, March 8 - PJ Day with Comfort Cases: Wear pajamas or donate new PJs to support foster youth through @ComfortCases. Enjoy an ice cream photo booth, a PJ outfit contest, and fun activities like face painting (2-4 PM), a prize wheel (2-6 PM), and a bouncy castle (4-6 PM). The first 20 guests at noon get a free small cup of ice cream!

• Sunday, March 9: More fun continues with a prize wheel (2-6 PM), face painting (2-4 PM), and a bouncy castle (4-6 PM).

Weekend Specials: $4 Small Waffle Cones & $3 Small Cups/Cake Cones.

I visited Bruster’s with a friend recently and I’m a fan. The flavors tasted true and not chemical, it wasn’t too sweet, and the mouth feel was just right. I’ll definitely be back, but possibly not in my pajamas.

*****

Guess what? The Village of Town Center has released a statement about the CA/Village facilities issue. If you live in Columbia, I’d recommend checking in with your particular Village Association on this topic. How do they view the possible impact of a change like this? I think it would be good to get some first-hand knowledge from the people who are directly caring for and booking these facilities every day and understand the implications of centralizing operations.  

If you want the pros and cons, they are the folks who know. 

*****

Finally, I highly recommend this piece in The Business Monthly if you would like a glimpse into Columbia’s past.

Early Columbia Plan Exhibit Led to Columbia Exhibit Center, Angie Latham Kozlowski

This piece brings the very earliest days of “selling Columbia” to life, with a focus on the team of women who did the nitty gritty tasks of making that happen. It’s both eye-opening and kind of hilarious. It’s also an excellent use of materials from the Columbia Maryland Archives. Check it out.

Have a wonderful Saturday!

Village Green/Town² Comments 

F ³: Daring

 

I almost deleted this image this morning.

It’s the fortune from a fortune cookie. “Dare to dream, for dreams are the seeds of change.”

I looked at these words and thought how completely foolish and irrelevant they have become. I don’t have time to dream or the capacity to dream anymore. I’m just white-knuckling every single day with the hope that I don’t get thrown off this ride and get smashed to pieces. 

But..what if…

Dare to dream.

Daring takes courage. Even a fortune cookie knows it won’t be easy.

I found some encouragement for me to dare - - to dream, to sow the seeds of change - - in this episode of the Kelly Corrigan Wonders podcast.

 

Episode 234: Deep Dive with Susan Magsamen and Ivy Ross - - On Making

From the podcast description:

In episode one of our Makers series, Kelly and her daughter Claire speak with neuroscientist Susan Magsamen and Google's Chief Design Officer Ivy Ross about how art and creativity affect our brains and bodies. Their book, Your Brain on Art: How the Arts Transform Us, reveals that making isn't just a hobby but a fundamental human need that improves wellbeing, helps process trauma, and enhances learning. Susan and Ivy explain how singing to babies releases oxytocin, how arts education closes achievement gaps, and why creative expression matters for everyone from CEOs to doctors to children.

It’s important to note that their approach to experiencing the arts places a high priority on what they call “making.” For example, Corrigan and her daughter Claire have written a children’s book entitled Marianne the Maker.  (It will be coming out in June.) Marianne’s creative expression comes in the form of designing and tinkering. 

Have you ever been to a Maker Faire? Then you’ve seen how broad and inclusive the world of making can be.

Many of us learned to see the arts through the lens of “arts appreciation” - - a passive gallery walk through what others have created. In this podcast, the arts include appreciation and creation, because making means active engagement. The guests and hosts elaborate on how both are crucial to our healthy cognitive and emotional functioning. 

…a fundamental human need that improves wellbeing, helps process trauma, and enhances learning. 

As the current chaos and crazy-making cruelty assaults us, it is so easy to separate from anything that doesn’t look like bare survival. Here we are, just white-knuckling every single day with the hope that we don’t get thrown off this ride and get smashed to pieces. Our worlds get smaller. We become more fearful, feel more helpless.

That’s exactly what authoritarian regimes count on. 

The arts should always be in our survival kit because they are an essential part of how our brains were designed to function. But we have been taught that they are an add-on, a luxury, a nice-to-have. When we are connected to creative expression we strengthen and deepen our ability to dream better dreams and build better worlds.

That’s why tyrants are so keen to suppress the arts. Yes, the arts can move us - -  emotionally - - on the inside. But they also move us to express, to create, to sow the seeds of change. 

Nourish yourself.  Listen, move, create, tinker, taste, sing, shout, imagine. Feed your soul, your brain…and strengthen your heart.

Planning Ahead HoCoLocally

In the last 24 hours my social media feeds and email inbox have been filled with tantalizing glimpses of the future. That is to say - - events that won’t be happening for quite awhile. As I am barely functioning in the day-to-day world right now, I have admiration for those who have already set their intentions for, say, October. 

Here’s a sampling in case you are the organized sort of person who marks their calendar far in advance. 

May: 

A Bridgerton Royal Tea Affair with Reproductive Justice Maryland, Saturday May 3rd from 12-3 pm, Owen Brown Interfaith Center.  

Skeletons in the Park - - a Goth Picnic, Saturday May 17th from 12-6 pm, Patapsco Valley State Park

Sometime this Spring:

Apple Core’s Bake Shoppe to open a brick and mortar retail location at Snowden Center. 

August:

Oakenmist Renaissance Faire - - A Renaissance Hamlet's Annual Faire, August 16-17 from 10am to 6pm / 5pm, Howard County Fairgrounds

October:

Community Ecology Institute Harvest Ball, Thursday October 16th from 6-8:30 pm, The Meeting House at Robert Oliver Place  

*****

It looks like the Village facilities issue is a big deal. The Oakland Mills Village Assocation has now weighed in and the new Howard Courier venture covered the recent CA Board Meeting where it seems to be causing discord.  

*****

I’m working on a post about local restaurants who offer Iftar specials during the month of Ramadan. If you have relevant info or personal experiences to share, let me know.

Village Green/Town² Comments 

Elections Again?

 

I saw this post yesterday from the Village of Wilde Lake and thought - - yikes! - - Columbia elections are coming. 

Should I have said something? Would anyone take it to heart? I’ve become increasingly disillusioned about the entire process. I sure hope there are other folks out there with the kind of energy and idealism that I used to have.  

To their credit, the Columbia Association has a dedicated space on their website pertaining to elections. I went there this morning looking for deadlines. That’s a little more complicated. This is because each individual village has its own election process. So, no unified deadlines. This is not a problem for most people because you only need to be informed about what’s going on in your own village. 

If you are a blogger attempting to convey the big picture (and having put it off until the last minute) it’s rather frustrating. But I digress.

If you want to know what the process is for your particular village, go here. Two things: 1) some deadlines may already have passed. My apologies. 2) if you don’t live in Columbia I apologize for this entire post. Hopefully tomorrow’s post will be more relevant to you.

I wrote recently about how the general public seems perfectly happy to be disconnected from the entire “Columbia thing” until some new controversy arises. Then everyone gets Columbia fever and becomes an expert. Another way to say this is that most people are happy enough when things are going well. That’s not so surprising.

Right now CA and the CA Board are examining changes to how Village facilities will be operated. Is this the next big fat controversy? I don’t know. But I’d encourage you to learn more about it. 

• Here’s one take from Owen Brown’s Michael Golibersuch to get you started. 
• This change.org petition started by a River Hill resident takes a far different view.
• Update: Statement from Oakland Mills Village Association.

I admit that it’s hard to get riled up about this kind of thing given the current state of national affairs. I’m just putting this out there in case folks had missed it. 

One last thing. The CA Board positions are often seen as the Big Deal prizes in Columbia elections. I’d like to put in a word for serving on Village Boards. It’s not glamorous work but it’s solid, helpful, relationship-building community work. In most cases they are honestly striving to do good and in too many cases they take a lot of unnecessary guff. I salute them. 

Where we are headed we will need a good deal more relationship building and community support. If you’re the kind of person who wants to help, this might be a good place to start.

Village Green/Town² Comments

March Comes In

I had the honor of having lunch* with one of my hocolocal hometown heroes yesterday. Yet again I found myself dwelling on the fact that many of the most significant community initiatives in Howard County are led by women. Conceived by women. Organized by women. Perpetuated by women. 

That brings us to March, which is Women’s History Month. It’s also the time of year when the Women’s Giving Circle of Howard County gathers to celebrate their philanthropic accomplishments of the past year by having a Pink Party. 

The mission of the Women’s Giving Circle is to build a community of philanthropists to address the needs of women and girls in Howard County.​ The theme of this year’s event is "The Continuum of Women's Health & How Philanthropy Can Help". 

If you are interested in attending, you can purchase tickets here: Women’s Giving Circle Pink Party

Even if big ticket fundraising events are not your thing, I’d recommend clicking on that link anyway so you can assist WGC by giving them some feedback on women’s healthcare. 

Tell us your thoughts about one or all of these questions:

• ​What concerns you about the state of women’s health?
• What services would be helpful to see in Howard County regarding women’s health?
• What advice would you give to your younger self about women’s health?

I’d be willing to bet that many of my readers of valuable ideas to share on this topic. 

To learn more about WGC you can visit them at their website.

The biggest thing I’ve learned from the Women’s Giving Circle is that you don’t have to be a high dollar donor to be part of doing significant good for women and girls. There is strength in numbers. 

Happy Women’s History Month! Enjoy it while it’s still legal.

Village Green/Town² Comments

* I won’t say any more about the lunch except that you should definitely try out Curry and Kabob in Wilde Lake.

Today is the Day

Today is the first day of the Howard County School System’s new cell phone policy. On the one hand, March seems like an odd time to begin something like this. On the other hand, addressing the negative impact cell phones have had on kids at school is long overdue. 

I have written about this quite a bit and you undoubtedly have your own opinion. I have no new information to impart. What I do have is a wish for better days ahead.

As convenient and helpful as cellphones can be - - when you really need them - - they have become a huge stumbling block in the classroom. They actively prevent teachers from doing their jobs. Frankly, teachers have a gazillion other challenges already. The daily wrestling with distracted students, more like whackamole than instruction, has been draining and demoralizing.

Many teachers have been pleading for a better cell phone policy. Yet today and the days ahead will be difficult and they know it. Much of the day-to-day enforcement will still be between teacher and student. The policy may have changed but by and large kids probably haven’t. Changing behavior takes time, especially when those behaviors are rooted in dependence.

The new policy won’t succeed unless teachers are given support from all sides to make it stick. That means admin and parents, too. Teachers do not need one more thing where they must fight alone against the world. We shouldn’t keep piling more and more on them only to be surprised when they break.

My heart goes out to students, too. For those who have become dependent on their phones this is going to be extremely stressful. Many kids don’t feel safe without their phones. How are we going to help them get through this? Is there a plan in place? Do parents know how to support kids at home as they go through this transition?

And what about parents? Some are extremely uncomfortable at losing the connection to their children that cell phones have provided. There are good reasons for that. We are asking a lot of them, too.

For so long the mantra has been “we just need to do it.” Now we’re doing it. It’s not a simple thing like flipping a switch. Social media has wormed its way into so many aspects of our kids’ lives that it has changed how they behave, how they think, and how they set their priorities. To challenge that dominance is not the work of one day. 

I think it’s the right thing to do but I’m holding my breath. It’s so, so complicated. 

Do you have thoughts on this? Let me know.

Village Green/Town² Comments

The Micromini Returns

In the throes of a full blown bout of writer’s block, Village Green/Town² brings you the return of the Micromini: the itsy-bitsyest blog post imaginable.

Three things: 

1. Stumpy’s Hatchet House is rebranding as 22 Yards Social Club with new owners. They’re looking at a late Spring/Early Summer opening. So, set your timer now so you can start complaining that they haven’t opened yet (because everything takes forever in Howard County.) 

2. All sorts of local restaurants are offering Ramadan specials. These are, of course, aimed at those who will be breaking their fast each evening. I’m pretty sure* that all customers are welcome and this could be a great time to try some of these places if you haven’t already. I’m going to try to get together a list.

3. The Savage Mill location of the Last Word bookstore is moving, but not too far. They’ll be moving in with Omnihedral . With the move they’ll be changing their focus to sci/fi, fantasy, history, and children’s books. Before they move you ca  take advantage of their 25 per cent off sale.

The sun is out, the sky is blue, and if I can get my sanity back I’ll see you in this space tomorrow.

Village Green/Town² Comments

*Please correct me if I’m wrong.