It's Bloomscrolling Season!

Hey all, it's going to be a short newsletter this week, because I'm short on time. So let's get right down to it:

Coming up in April

Friday, April 17th, 12-1pm - Dance for Democracy at the Weathervane! Bring your signs, visit with your neighbors, and dance the stress right out of your body.
Friday, April 24th, 12-1pm - Dance for Democracy at the Weathervane! Bring your signs, visit with your neighbors, and dance the stress right out of your body.
Saturday, April 25 12-4 - Earth Day Lakeshore in Grand Haven - Gather for the Green March at noon (Ottawa Co. Courthouse Parking Lot) bring signs/banners to walk/bike the route. 1-4pm is an indoor fair and outdoor electric vehicle expo at the First Presbyterian Church Grand Haven.
Sunday, April 26, 1-4pm - Trash Bash, a community wide clean-up! Meet at the Chamber of Commerce (124 W. Hanson St. in Whitehall) at 1pm for brief instructions. All ages and group sizes are welcome. Dress for the weather and task (long sleeve shirt, sunscreen, gloves, hats, etc.) Trash bags supplied.

This Week in the Commons

The interior of the Montague Commoners market cabin, showing new pegboard panels that we're putting up to display merchandise

One of our goals for the Artisan Market this year is improving our retail displays and making it easier for our goods to catch people's eyes. As part of that, Nate and I braved the noisy crowds at Menards and managed to hunt down some pegboard. We got the first four panels hung on Saturday, and we're hoping to get the rest up after the protest tomorrow. Once we've got them up, we're going to paint them white so they don't make the cabin feel even more like a cave 😂 Then it's just a matter of assembling the last set of wire shelves, and we'll be ready to start moving in the actual merchandise.

This Week in Nature

A lone dandelion blossom against a background of grass

We're certainly getting our share of April showers this week, so it's nice to have some flowers to go along with them. Now is the perfect time to try some dandelion greens while they're still young and tender. If they're still too bitter for your taste, try giving them a quick saute or stir-fry. The heat breaks down the bitter compounds and makes them much tastier.

A small clump of violets against a background of woodchips

Violets, meanwhile, are quite tasty without any cooking required. The fresh flowers are slightly sweet with a pleasant crunch to them, and the leaves make a nice neutral leafy veggie. They're one of my favorite snacks this time of year when I'm working outside.

Recommendation Corner

The cover for "A Closed and Common Orbit" by Beck Chambers. It features a pair of humanoid silhouettes against a large orange planet and a background of stars.

I recommend a Becky Chambers book at least once a season, but I don't think I've recommended A Closed and Common Orbit yet. It's part of her Wayfarer series, but it can easily be read as a standalone novel. It follows an AI who was designed as a monitoring system for a spaceship, but finds herself trying to make sense of life in a humanoid body. It's got Chambers' usual mix of humor and gentle storytelling, with an emphasis on what people can accomplish when we take care of each other.

This Week's Nails

A picture of Wiley's nails, with black, holographic charcoal, and holographic silver polish. Each nail features a red central stripe with black dots on it.

You made it to the end of the newsletter, which was about 500 words easier than usual this week, but you still get to see this week's nails! The sparkly charcoal I used on my pointer and ring fingers is a recent addition to my collection, so I designed this look as an excuse to give it a try.

Stay dry, and if I don't see you around town, I'll see you back here next week.