Village Green/Town²

 Today’s word is luxury. From Meriam Webster:   luxury, noun 1 : a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort: sumptuous environment lived in luxury 2 a : something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary one of life's luxuries b : an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction, or ease had the luxury of rejecting a handful of job offers Let’s play a little game. What sorts of things do you consider to be luxuries?  Now think about your childhood. What kinds of things did your parents consider to be luxuries? I think I grew up believing that luxury was synonymous with “that’s too expensive.” Some examples: shrimp cocktail, private school, souvenir programs at the circus, vacations to warm island locations, haircuts in salons, long distance telephone calls. On the other hand, I did experience certain things that would be considered luxuries to other families: new school clothes, occasional meals in “sit down” restaurants, piano le...

  Advance warning: this is going to be a bumpy ride. If you have ever wondered exactly what my thought process looks like, this may be educational. - - jam ***** This morning I saw a post on Instagram from County Executive Calvin Ball about an elementary school anniversary. Oh, of course, that event yesterday at West Friendship, I thought. But it wasn’t. This weekend, we celebrated a momentous milestone for another beloved Howard County school. For 70 years, Guilford Elementary has been a beacon of learning and growth in Columbia—shaping generations of students to lead with empathy, responsibility, and kindness.  With music from the chorus and orchestra, student speakers, heartfelt reflections from past and present educators, the celebration reflected the rich history and strong future of this school. Guilford’s mission to create a safe, collaborative environment and prepare students for a diverse and changing world is more important than ever.  Thank you to Principal St...

I realize that many of my readers may have other plans today, but here are a few local possibilities: Book Launch: Practicing Restorative Justice Clarksville Commons Spring Preview Farmers’ Market  Columbia Cleans Day - - check the link (CA website) to see the plan for your village  Queen Takes Book 1st Birthday celebration  West Friendship Elementary School 100th Birthday Celebration . Wow! Wiggle Learn & Grow , Children’s Discovery Fair Also, Clark’s Elioak Farm has officially opened for the season as of April 1st in case you have a hankering for a visit with some baby goats. And it’s Opening Day for Park Ridge Creamery in Old Ellicott City. Taharka, anyone?  Truth in advertising: there is a chance of light rain this morning but temps should be mild throughout the day.  Have fun, stay safe, be well.  Village Green/Town² Comments

  You know what day it is - - the day when absolutely anything might be on the menu at Village Green/Town². So, let’s talk about where I’ve been hiding lately: YouTube. I’ve discovered a lovely little protective nest amongst videos about history, home renovation and decor, panel shows from the UK, and Jane Austen content creators. What it is: content that teaches me something I hadn’t known before, or expands on something I was already interested in. What it isn’t: the firehose of current events on social media. Some current favorites: George Clarke “ Amazing Spaces” and “ Old House, New Home ” Time Team QI J. Draper RobWords Nate the Hoof Guy Ellie Dashwood Not Your Momma’s History  Not everyone is going to retreat into YouTube when the state of the world has become so chaotic and toxic that they can’t keep functioning. Some folks escape into a good book or immerse themselves in nature. Some throw themselves into helping others. Essentially, what I’m saying is that not every...

Did you save the date?   Did you RSVP and put it on your calendar? Did you mail a card? Did you buy a gift? Did you pick a party outfit and ask a date to come along? This Saturday Columbia’s Indie bookstore, Queen Takes Book, is celebrating Birthday Number One. You don’t need to send a card or bring a gift but your presence for the festivities is most cordially requested by owners Katie McNally and Tim Pinel. Here they are at their opening event a year ago. Can’t make it Saturday?  Check out what they have planned for the rest of the month. Although their name is Queen Takes Book, I’d say that they’ve been doing a whole lot more making than taking over the last year: making a warm and welcoming space for book lovers, making friends in the community, making connections with other businesses and supporting local initiatives and events. Best of all: making room for diverse ideas and opinions.  I invite my readers to make a difference for Queen Takes Book by keeping them in...

  Today on the Howard Community College campus, the 4th Annual Roy Peart Memorial Scholarship Fundraiser. From the Roy Peart Foundation Facebook page: Support a Legacy and Our Kids! I’m excited to share an upcoming event dedicated to honoring my father's legacy while supporting our youth. If you can’t make it to the event, please consider making a donation to help us continue this important work. Every contribution makes a difference! Donate here: http://howardcc.edu/roypeart Thank you for your support! If the name Roy Peart doesn’t immediately ring a bell, I’m pretty sure that his daughter’s name will. Althea Hanson is the force behind both the Foundation and the chef/entrepreneur at the helm of Althea’s Almost Famous food truck and catering business in Howard County. Consider yourself invited to stop by HCC today to sample some of her mouthwatering cuisine and support her annual scholarship fundraiser. Enjoy authentic Jamaican cuisine on the #HowardCC Quad (in front of HVPA) to s...

  No April fooling this year. Only dreams and fantasies.  Imagine you have woken up to the following: There are multiple HoCoLocal venues for hosting high school proms and a state of the art indoor performance venue  All wrongs against Elkridge have been retroactively righted  People who comment on the County Executive’s social media are kind and thoughtful  Merriweather Park at Symphony Woods is completed and everyone loves it All of the stores at the Mall are exactly the stores that you would pick Public transportation can take you anywhere you want to go and it’s convenient and fun Schools have no more capital improvement needs  There’s a good supply and variety of places to live People love their libraries and support them actively  Ellicott City is no longer in danger of flooding I don’t have it in me to be witty or engage in any suitable pranking today. I wonder why? If you’d like to contribute to the list, feel free to add your suggestions in th...