Village Green/Town²

Talbott Springs Elementary School PTA will be hosting a Breakfast Cereal Bar to celebrate Teacher Appreciation Week. I’ve seen quite the variety of teacher treats and events over the years but a cereal bar is new to me. Teacher Appreciation Week? Yup. It starts Monday.  From the website of the National PTA: Teachers Light the Way to Brighter Futures: Teacher Appreciation Week: May 5-9, 2025 They even have a downloadable Teacher Appreciation Week toolkit, available in both English and Spanish.  Indie bookstore Queen Takes Book will have an Educator Appreciation Day on Wednesday May 7th. Tell your teacher friends or perhaps pass it along to your school’s PTA so they can spread the word. (May 7th is an early dismissal day, in case you wondered about the timing.) In a different sort of Teacher Appreciation: tonight at the George Howard Building teachers and education advocates will be turning out to support the school system’s full budget request at the County Council Budget Heari...

Who will live in this home? 11501 Manorstone Lane, Columbia  Listed by Keisha Mcclain, Brokered by Hubble Bisbee Real Estate Group, Offered at $1,699,999. My first thought: that’s Columbia ? Well yes, I guess it is. Manorstone is your third left after Harper’s Farm Road if you are heading towards River Hill on Route 108.  It just so happens that it doesn’t look much like the Columbia that I’m familiar with. But that’s another story altogether. It has five bedrooms, four and a half baths, and the just thought of keeping it clean makes me feel anxious. I once (unintentionally) crossed a line by having a little fun with a real estate listing that I thought had a lot of…personality. There’s no danger of that here. This home is exquisitely neutral. The only thing that even made me smile was this staging of a luxurious bathroom.  If I had this kind of bathtub perhaps I, too, would invite a couple of friends over when I had a bath. Image taken from property video - - Hubble Bisb...

  Forgive my late start. I took *one* Benadryl when I got home from the outdoor concert in the park. Woke up feeling like I left my brain in my other pants.  The concert was wonderful, and definitely worth the pollen exposure. I know I often get sappy about children dancing on the lawn but last night I saw a family with an infant so small that it was clear that the Maryland Winds Concert at the Chrysalis was their very first exposure to a live music performance.  It wowed me, somehow. There was also some kind of ball game going on amongst a group of elementary aged kids at the very top of the hill. They were engaged in some sort of rhubarb as I walked by to get to the food trucks. Yet they were completely inaudible down where the concert goers were seated. I wonder if Michael McCall imagined all of that as he laid out the space for the Chrysalis.  It’s a pretty darned flexible space. ***** On mornings when I am scrounging for inspiration I often go back ten years and...

  It looks like plenty of fun things managed to happen yesterday despite the showers! A tip of the hat to event organizers throughout the county who had to decide how to deal with questionable forecasts. In Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods they had concerts going on all day - - impressive.  If you missed out, have no fear.  You can catch the Maryland Winds at the Chrysalis today at five pm and the weather is looking good. Here’s the Eventbrite link to register for your free tickets: Maryland Winds: A Stroll in the Park. ***** Completely unrelated: I am so glad that I am not an elected official because I will never need to endure news articles which are misleading or just plain stupidly framed, nor the annoying comments they provoke. Today’s example comes from the Baltimore Banner. Here’s what it looked like on Bluesky. Above the photo: Howard County Executive Calvin Ball wants more youths employed this summer , Lillian Reed Below the photo: Howard County wants more yo...

    There’s a ton of stuff going on HoCoLocally today. Alas, rain is also predicted. Some events have been pre-emptively canceled so check before you go.  Something you can do no matter what the weather sends us: support Indie Bookstore Day.   “One Day. Fifty States. 1600+ Bookstores.” What’s an Indie Bookstore? Think mom and pop. Indies are, quite simply, independently owned. So the decisions on what books they carry and what kind of events they offer are made by real human beings in your community, not faceless committees in a corporate entity somewhere. Here’s a list of HoCo indies (let me know if I’ve forgotten any.) Backwater Books Gramp’s Atric A Novel Refuge Queen Takes Book  Second Edition The Last Word at Omnihedral  The Last Word Mt. Airy Indie bookstores carry the books that large chains may deem too risky or “controversial. “ They take chances on quirky books and often give little known authors a boost as they are starting out. You can build rel...

Meanwhile, back at the emoji factory… If you’ve seen me around Facebook lately you’ve probably noticed how often I’m using the Sad Face emoji to respond to current events. This is not simply because everything is making me sad. In fact, much of this stuff makes me very angry, even though I was socialized to believe that nice women don’t express anger. No, I’d probably be hitting that Angry Face emoji with far greater frequency were it not for something I read from one of the resistance accounts. It seems that surges of Angry Faces to a given post triggers the great FB algorithm to clamp down on whatever account is getting those kind of responses.  “If so many people are using the Angry Face, that account must be doing something wrong. We must intervene.” Again, I can’t even remember where I read this. But it has made me suppress my urge to express anger lest I be the cause of Facebook freezing or ‘disappearing’ an account.  So I’m just “sad.” Somehow this feels like so many t...

I need your expertise, folks. Have you ever been to Toby’s? I’m curious about this: Image from Toby’s Dinner Theatre social media Thank you to Linda Rose Payne and Mary Quinn, who have been working to refurbish and create new lobby soft sculptures, a longtime presence in our lobby. These look intriguing. Is there a backstory to how they got there? Is there any way to look at them without attending a show? I do know that you won’t need to buy a ticket to see the current display of quilts at the library’s Central Branch. The annual display by the Milltown Quilters is hung in the main staircase for everyone to enjoy.  They’ll be on view through May 18th. You can catch a glimpse in this screenshot below. See more of the exhibit at this link. Images taken from Howard County Library social media  Coming up in May, the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival offers numerous Fiber Arts Seminars if that’s more in line with what you fancy.  Check out the workshops on offer and sign up so...

  Duchess, the adorable little sandwich shop with milkshakes, has closed. For me it was one of those places that I always meant to get to. Someday. Alas. The last several weeks have brought other closings: Bippy’s Pub, R & R Tacqueria, Chicken & Whiskey, Bennie’s Pizza, Today’s Catch.  Is it a trend? Or does each place have its own unique reasons? I’d be more inclined towards the latter.  Sometimes folks have worked a very, very long time and there is no one to continue the business once they have retired. Food service is grueling work. Not everyone wants to take it on. There are a few other reasons that we may be seeing restaurants and other food related businesses closing in Howard County in the coming months. Supply chain issues Increased food costs A loss of workers due to ICE fears Decreased business due to job loss in the community  Those reasons are all completely avoidable. None of those things needed to happen.  I can’t tell you the number of ti...

  On this day eight years ago, the Chrysalis amphitheater was opened with speeches and celebrations. These words from State Senator Guy Guzzone turned up in my Facebook memories for today: The arts show us who we are: good and bad. And in many ways they show us how we can be better. These words are every bit as relevant today. We recently had the opportunity to see the play Tick, Tick…Boom! At the Greenbelt Arts Center. Director's Note Our rehearsal process coincided with what would be Jonathan Larson's 65th birthday. He died right after turning 36. For someone to have such an awareness of his own mortality and create art to help others through their own grief, it's almost magical. I have loved this show since I was 17. This show deals with Jon completing a project he's worked on for five years, Superbia. I found that so poignant because I myself have been planning this show for six years. But what happens when we as artists have worked so long on a project we love so ...

  Why is Easter Monday a day off from school? Well, because the state of Maryland requires it. But why does the state of Maryland require it?  Explain it to me like I’m five. As a former church musician who was also a teacher this was a welcome day of recovery. I can’t deny that. But I’m not certain that’s a good enough reason to make that day an unchangeable day off. What do you think? ***** Three cheers and a tip of the hat to all the good HoCoLocal folks who have been bringing resistance to Gorman Road and to Little Patuxent Parkway. While trolls on the Internet continue to tell me that the United States is not a democracy, thank goodness that some people think that democracy is worth standing up for.  ***** We had a great meal outside at the White Oak Tavern yesterday. The food was delicious, the service was excellent and the weather was practically made to order. I don’t think they shoukd make waitstaff wear bunny ears but that’s just me. The enormous bunny balloon...

About a week ago I came across a rather rambling complaint against a local restaurant on the Howard County Eats page. I probably would have ignored it except the poster claimed that entire experience was made exponentially worse because it was a “black-owned business.” At that point I saw red. I asked,  “I'm curious why you make a point of it being a Black-owned business. Why is that relevant?” There was no response. In fact, there was no response to any of the comments on their post, most of which were skeptical. Further scrutiny revealed that the account of the original poster appeared to be a fake one.  This person probably intended to vent their anger in a public way and to possibly start a social media pile-on that would harm the restaurant. I’m happy to say that it failed rather spectacularly. In addition, I’m probably more likely to try this restaurant than I was before. It doesn’t always work like that. Some folks just love to drag restaurants and others jump into the...

Looking for Saturday fun? It may reach eighty degrees and the pollen will be high. I object. Still, it was bound to happen sooner or later. Here’s a sampling: Earth Day Celebration, 10 am to 1 pm, Clarksville Commons  Secondhand and Sustainable: The Ultimate Wardrobe Refresh , 10 am to 12 pm, Ellicott City Goodwill Meet and Greet with the Easter Bunny , 10 am to 1 pm, Lakeside Title Kids Fest Hosted by Howard County Recreation and Parks , 11 am to 2 pm, Meadowbrook Lane*  Upcycled Earth Day Cleanup,  11 am to 1 pm, Savage Mill Trail* Chrysalis Kids: Culture Queen Concert , 11 am, Chrysalis Amphitheater* Earthapalooza , 9 am to 1 pm, Freetown Farm The asterisk indicates that prior registration and/or ticket purchase is required. Click the link to learn more.  It is interesting to note that the event at Lakeside Title is billed as a Meet-and-Greet. This suggests to me that the Easter Bunny is running for higher office. I’m trying to imagine which one.  Have a wond...

Best headline on this particular topic: RFK Jr. Says There Are No Autistic Poets. We Asked an Autistic Poet. Julia Mètraux, Mother Jones  Read it. I am so enraged by yesterday’s comments by RFK Jr. that I honestly can’t string words together. But I can’t remain silent, either. So here are some screenshots from Bluesky, because sometimes other people say it better than I ever could.  I honestly can't stop thinking about this RFK speech. A lot of the outrage around it is focused on pointing out that it's not true. But so fucking what if it was? Do people whose bodies don't work not deserve to exist in society? If all these things were true for a person are they less worthy? You all desperately need to consider the possibility that it's ok and good actually for disabled people to exist and our existence doesn't make our lives less real or worthy or human. We're not a drain on society. We're not a burden. We're literally just people. - - Erin Biba fwiw, i t...

  Does your inner monologue sound like this these days? What good can I do? I’m only one person. There are so many things demanding my attention, so many crises that are overwhelming me. I know I shouldn’t keep scrolling on social media but I just feel paralyzed. Got twenty minutes? Go outside. Here’s an activity from Live Green Howard County that anyone can do. Help us celebrate Earth Month by planning a 20 Minute Cleanup in your community any time during the entire month of April!  The 20 Minute Cleanup is Howard County's annual spring-cleaning project and anyone can be involved. Either in a group or on your own, safely pick up litter for at least 20 minutes at the time and place of your choosing. Dispose of the trash and recycling as part of your regular collection.  We want to know your results! Tag us and use #20MinuteCleanup on social media (photos welcomed!) or email 20minutecleanup@howardcountymd.gov.   https://livegreenhoward.com/recycling-waste/litter-clean...

  I read recently that more and more schools in Howard County are having difficulty keeping their PTA’s going. If you can’t find officers to lead, the program will fold. If the number of folks willing/able to volunteer for events and initiatives dwindles, those who are volunteering are overworked and experience burnout. There are a number of factors that are contributing to the current decline in school PTA’s and I’d be interested to hear what my readers think. But one suggestion that resonated with me is that PTA’s have always relied on the unpaid labor of women. Maybe, just maybe, that’s not a sustainable model. In many homes it is a necessity for women to be employed, yet they are still somehow expected to pick up the unpaid services that support family and community life. PTA is only one of the things that could be making demands on their time. There is only so much time. Human beings only have so much energy.  I wrote a post (so long ago that I can’t find it) about how m...

Heads up! A friend recommended this to me and I wanted to highlight this event to all of you. It’s at seven pm tonight and it’s online. No need to leave your house.    This evening’s meeting of the HCPSS Community Advisory Council will focus on programs for positive male models in school communities. All are welcome. And here is the event link.  Why does it matter? Let me share what Lizz Hammon (recipient of this year’s HCPSS Friend of Education Award) had to say: At a time when so many seem to be focused on metal detectors, security assistants, mall bans, and curfews — it’s important to me to highlight the awesome programs that are available to our young male students. In the case of STAND Mentorship specifically, their mentors are all volunteers, their mentees are some of the most at-risk students in our schools and they work with their entire families, after school, evenings and weekends. They de-escalate so much conflict but they’re only able to reach about 75 kids at...

Who stands in your way? When something doesn’t happen the way you want it, whose fault is it?  Is that how you look at life? There seems to be a good deal of this sort of thinking these days. Folks turn disappointment about a local (or national) issue into an attack on the person or a particular group of people that must be at fault. Thus their disappointment morphs into targeted anger.  Their original desire may have been to solve a genuine problem. Now it is simply to punish/annihilate that person/group that stands in their way.  At this point no genuine problem-solving is possible. It is war.  Unscrupulous politicians, demagogues, and other would-be leaders encourage this. Angry people who have chosen a target and who have really stopped accessing rational thought are easier to manipulate and they are loud. Really, really loud. It is one thing to feel, “I am mad as hell and I’m not going to take it anymore!” It is quite another to turn that into: it’s their fault...

  Today is Greenfest, which is Howard County’s largest celebration of Earth Day. It’s certainly not the only way that HoCo celebrates Earth Day during the month of April, but, it is truly a “one-stop-shopping” experience for all things related to sustainability and care for the environment. Here are some helpful links: Howard County Greenfest website Greenfest 2025 Guide The very first GreenFest was held in 2007 in the parking lot of the Howard County Dorsey building. Following its successful debut, the 2008 event was held at the Glenwood Community Center. From 2009 onwards it has been hosted by Howard County Community College. I wouldn’t know any of this had I not stumbled upon a delightful piece by Lindsay DeMarzo (now Stormwater Programs Manager.) Greenfest: Tales from Beneath the Leaf , Lindsay DeMarzo, 2011 If you have a minute, it’s a fun and engaging read describing the early years and evolution of GreenFest. I particularly loved this recollection of GreenFest 2008:  We...

  Years ago, when I was young and impressionable, I saw someone I knew wearing a big button that said, “Ask Me!” So I did. It turned out they were selling nutritional meal-replacing diet shakes. That tasted like chalk. (Ask me how I know…) This memory comes to mind this morning as I ponder questions. Podcast host/television interviewer Kelly Corrigan has referenced this more than once in describing the difficulty we have in interacting with one another these days. Something that is missing is the ability to ask really good questions and then truly listen to the answers. Our conversations ping back and forth with personal anecdotes and an exchange of information, often feeling more like two people simply waiting for their turn to talk. But we are missing out on something. We come away wondering why no one cares enough about us to ask us.  Human beings have a deep longing to be known. There’s something crippling about existing in a universe where the most anyone will ask you is...

I’m in love with a music video.  No, I haven’t traveled back in time to the 1980’s. I’m celebrating National Library Week with this original song and engaging images created by HCLS Instructor and Research Specialist Kimberly Johanson. More Than Book Things , Music by Zach Seals, Lyrics by Kimberly Johanson. Performed by Zach Seals. True confession: I would have embedded the video here but I only know how to do that if it’s posted on YouTube. And, for some reason, HCLS is posting less on YouTube these days. So click the link and enjoy Howard County’s hottest new tune. It’s two minutes and forty seven seconds long. You have time. ***** “Now more than ever, communities need strong libraries.” I posted that sentence on Facebook recently and was met with a question: why? We’re an affluent community, even low-income people here have their own access to that stuff.  This prompted me to ask, “What do you think libraries are?” Because it seemed to me that this person thought that libr...

  Yesterday was the official groundbreaking event for the new Howard County Performing Arts Center and Artist Flats, held at Toby’s Dinner Theatre. This project has been in the works for a long, long time. I haven’t always been one hundred percent certain how I felt about it but, in the end, I am convinced by two things: The arts are good, housing is good, and this is a community investment worth making. We could argue from now until next year about whether any project is the best possible incarnation of community needs, the best possible use of money, the best possible design, the best combination of components… And then we would not do anything. Perhaps that would be reassuring if our primary goal is to never do anything unless it is The Best.  A thousand ships unsailed, dreams unrealized, needs unmet.  I found it fascinating that yesterday’s ceremony took place on the set of Toby’s current production, The Music Man. How on earth did we ever get anything new and excitin...