As I walked into 2 Dandelions Bookshop on Main Street in Brighton, I was greeted by two women with smiles as cheerful as the color sprinkled about the store. As I noticed their outfits, I couldn’t help but mention, “I love that you both wore yellow for the photos.” Jeanne Blazo and Jeri Kay Thomas looked at each other’s outfits and laughed while simultaneously explaining that it wasn’t on purpose. They “just wear it a lot.” I knew then that these long-time friends were in sync and that I would enjoy learning about them and what they created together.
Posts filed under Local Businesses
Great Tastes in Local Foods: Winter 2022
By Crysta Coburn
Photos by Susan Ayer
The Ebenezer
I watched in fascination as the bartender held what looked to me like a hot glue gun above the martini glass. A bubble filled with gray smoke formed at the gun’s tip and grew to nearly the size of a baseball. The bubble joined with the pink liquid in the glass, forming a dome over the top.
“This one’s yours,” said the barman as he carefully slid the martini my way.
After marveling at the smoke held within the bubble, I slowly reached out my hand and tapped the bubble’s surface with my forefinger. It popped, and the trapped smoke swirled and dispersed into the air. Now that’s a cocktail!
The Ebenezer is a cocktail lounge with a distinct speakeasy vibe located in downtown Plymouth. The entrance is not obvious, unless you know where to look. The address is on Fleet Street, which runs behind Main Street and serves as the backdoor to many of the businesses located on Main and Penniman. You will find the door to the Ebenezer nestled in the corner where Fleet Street makes a sharp turn to the northwest.
You enter into a dark hallway painted completely black and illuminated only by bare red light bulbs that lead you to the next door, also painted black, with an eye-shaped window. You have arrived.
Have a seat at the bar, where you can watch the cocktail magic happen, or grab a table, perhaps the one with the leather sofas on either side, or a wingback chair. The Ebenezer is all about having a low-key, cozy place to grab a drink and share some delicious small plate dishes with your friends or significant other. (If I were still in that scene, I would absolutely take a date here.)
Not having a reservation, my husband and I took a pair of seats at the bar where we bantered a bit with the bartenders and a few fellow patrons. The smoky cocktail that I ordered was called the Rose Martini. It tasted like raspberry limeade. I never tired of watching a few other Rose Martinis being made and recommended it to curious patrons who asked what I was drinking.
The small plates menu is extensive, with some usual favorites like spinach artichoke dip, wings, charcuterie board, and sliders. But there are also Ahi Tuna Crisps (crispy wonton skins topped with thinly sliced ahi tuna, jalapeno, avocado, and their signature soy sauce), shrimp and crab ceviche (served with crostini), truffle mac and cheese bites, and more. I tried the ceviche, finding it fresh and delicious, while my husband ordered the parmesan truffle french fries. The fries came with a little cup of ketchup and another cup of garlic aioli, which tasted divine.
In addition to the signature cocktails (including some tantalizing dessert cocktails), there is a good wine selection and mocktails for those who do not drink alcohol. If you would like a table, or are a large group, I strongly suggest making a reservation. You are bound to have a great time!
The Ebenezer is located at 305 Fleet Street in Plymouth. They are open Tuesday through Thursday from 4 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m., and closed on Sunday and Monday. For more information, visit theebenezerplymouth.com, email info@theebenezerplymouth.com, or call (734) 404-5552.
The Boro
Northeast of Ann Arbor proper is the mostly rural community of Dixboro. Most of us are probably familiar with the Dixboro General Store or the Humane Society of Huron Valley, both prominent features of the region. But there is something new to check out in Dixboro, the Boro.
The Boro is a restaurant venture with two components. The Boro to Go is an all-day take-out cafe with coffee, tea, and other hot beverage options; morning pastries as well as light lunch and dinner options; woodfired pizzas; desserts; and beverages-to-go (both alcoholic and non). The Boro Dining Room and Bar is their dine-in experience open for dinner that serves plates to share, such as giardiniera, oysters, focaccia, and prawns; entrees that include spaghetti, lobster, scallops, pork loin, duck, steaks, and hamburgers; woodfired pizzas; accompaniments like potato puffs and green beans with prosciutto vinaigrette; and a selection of cocktails, wine, and beer.
The very modern corrugated steel building incorporates a 140-year-old barn with the original stone fireplace. The outdoor deck offers beautiful views and the peaceful sounds of nature. Fleming Creek flows through the property, and the Boro’s website promises that “if you come early for breakfast, you will be serenaded by the roosters from the yard next door.”
Read related article: Great Tastes in Local Food, Winter 2017
Unfortunately, I am not an early riser, so there were no roosters for me. Because our lives have been busy lately, my husband and I decided to try the Boro To Go one day when we knew we would arrive home late and have no energy to cook dinner. Ordering through the website is easy, and when you click on a Lunch & Dinner or Pizza item, a list of allergens is included alongside Modifications and Special Instructions. You mark the boxes next to your dietary needs.
Because I ordered the Italian Meat and Cheese Sandwich and marked the box next to Wheat Allergy, the people preparing our dinner forewent the usual baguette and put the fixings on a bed of lettuce, which was so delicious that I think they need to add an Italian Meat and Cheese Salad to the menu. My husband thoroughly enjoyed his woodfired pineapple pizza with san marzano tomatoes, capocollo, smoked ham, and cheddar with a side of chili oil. The Wisco-Pops that we ordered for beverages left something to be desired. I should have gone with my instinct and ordered a Pumpkin Spice Latte with housemade syrup, but I didn’t want the coffee to disrupt my sleep.
The Boro seems to still be evolving and promises seasonal dishes from local sources. This a spot you will want to keep your eye on.
The Boro is located at 5400 Plymouth Road in Ann Arbor. The Boro To Go is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day of the week. The Boro Dine-In is open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday, closed on Monday and Tuesday. For more information, visit theborotogo.com, email info@thedixboroproject.com, or call (734) 669-3310.
MI Juice Garden
Do you like freshly pressed juice? Do you like acai bowls? If you answered yes to either of these questions, then you have got to stop by MI Juice Garden at the corner of Platt and Ellsworth in Ann Arbor. As soon as you step inside, you can smell the delicious fresh fruits in the air.
You can get your bowl and juice to go; there is even a refrigerator with bottles of pre-pressed juice if you are in a real hurry. There are also a few tables with chairs as well as some Adirondack chairs whose backs are shaped like the lower peninsula and a small table shaped like the U.P.
Because my husband and I stopped in during the fall, the specialty juice blends menu included themed juices like Dracula, which got its deep red color from beets. I ordered the Popeye, a sweeter option deriving much of its flavor from pomegranates, strawberries, and kiwis (it also has spinach and ginger). You don’t have to stick to the signature blends, however. If you feel confident enough, you can choose your own blend of fruits, vegetables, greens, and spices.
The acai bowl can also be built to suit. Among the several toppings are strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, gluten-free granola, walnuts, chocolate chips, honey, and, for an extra dollar, peanut butter. It was incredibly tempting to order a bowl with everything, but I wasn’t sure it would actually taste very good, and looking back, I am not sure it would have all fit in the bowl, there are that many options.
If you are looking for a healthy meal-to-go, you can, of course, order upon arrival, or you can log onto DoorDash and order for pick-up or delivery. DoorDash also lists salads, sandwiches, wraps, and more. What a fantastic addition to the south side’s lunch-scape!
MI Juice Garden is located at 3980 Platt Road in Ann Arbor. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. For more information, visit facebook.com/Mi-Juice-Garden-101762538450934 or call (734) 929-4836.
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Restoration Through Ink
Identity, as defined by the Oxford Dictionary, is “the fact of being who or what a person or thing is.” As a society, now more than ever, the meaning of one’s identity has never been more fluid or more open to interpretation. What defines someone’s identity? The answer is different for everyone. But for those asking that question, tattoo artist Jamie Wedge at the Lovely Monkey Tattoo in Whitmore Lake is hoping to provide a solution.
Crysta goes Visiting: Winter 2022
In this column, Crysta Coburn writes about crazywisdom-esque people and happenings around Ann Arbor. Winter 2022 features local woodworker Chris Blackford, Ann Arbor Writer Shandra Trent, and Jerome Stuart Nichols with The Butters Hygenics.
Healing Hands Physical Therapy: Amira Tal-Henig's Labor of Love
The caregiver’s heart is characterized by a few simple, yet powerful traits: empathy, commitment, and action. This holds true across diverse homes, occupations, and settings. The call to nurture another being is one of humility and hope. It is knowing that even when logic says nothing else can help, there is still love and presence to provide.
CW Kids in the Community: Finding an In-Person Meditation Class for Your Kid
Kids who have been isolated this year might benefit a great deal from a meditation practice in the fall. Meditation is not just a way to relax—it gives kids a toolkit for handling stressful situations that life brings. It can be tricky to figure out which programs are going back to in person and what options are out there, so we did the digging for you to help families find some popular and newer meditation classes around town. Many of the meditation teachers featured graciously explained what a class with them is like, so you can get a sense of whether this is a fit for your little one. Namaste, fellow parents. It’s been a long year, and you’ve done an amazing job holding it all together for your family.
Happiness is Just a Twist Away: An Interview with Balloon Artist, Carolynn Hayman
It is possible you’ve met Ann Arbor’s Carolynn Hayman before, without even realizing it. Perhaps it was at a pride festival, where she skipped down the streets with a rainbow mane, a pair of hooves, and a bright pink horn atop her head. Or maybe it was at a bookstore, where she danced in a lobster costume, complete with bright red claws and googly eyes. She may have even showed up at your birthday party, a bright bouquet of flowers in her hands. What do all these events have in common? Hayman, owner of Pop! Designs & Creations, promises one thing: she creates unique balloon experiences “for every occasion.”
Great Tastes in Local Foods, Fall 2021
The Heart Attack Itself is a single burger patty topped with macaroni and cheese, pickles, grilled onions, and spicy mayo sandwiched between two grilled cheese sandwiches. Yes, the grilled cheese sandwiches act as the bun. I felt my arteries clogging just looking at it nestled in its to-go box, and I wasn’t the one about to eat it. I have been assured by both my husband and a friend who just had to try it after we told him about it (a completely sane reaction) that the Heart Attack Itself is delicious and totally worth ordering.
The Aura Inside You: Photographing Your Deeper Self
Article and Photos By Cashmere Morley
If you ever have days when you’re feeling blue, or become red with passion, a recent resurgence in an antiquated form of spiritual photography says those feelings may not be too far off from reality.
Aura photography has become more and more popular on social media these past few years. The concept, which attracts enthusiasts and critics alike, originated in the 1970s. Unlike thermographic cameras which detect heat, aura photography captures a person’s aura. Aura photography is not a fortune-telling device nor a way to resolve questions. It captures the state you are in, right now, in your most present moment.
The uptick in recent interest in the practice has resulted in a flood of wispy, magical polaroids and inkjet-printed stills, scattered across screen feeds like a cotton candy, psychedelic dream. It’s a versatile practice in that everyone from grandma to teen brothers to Gwynth Paltrow is ready to discover what their own aura can tell them about themselves. But to understand what aura photography is, one must first understand the definition of an aura.
The first entry of the word aura in the Oxford Dictionary defines it to be a noun, meaning the distinctive atmosphere or quality that seems to surround and be generated by a person, thing, or place. Used in a sentence— "The ceremony retains an aura of mystery." The second entry, however, defines the word as a noun in terms of “spiritualism and some forms of alternative medicine:” a supposed emanation surrounding the body of a living creature and regarded as an essential part of the individual. Used in a sentence: "Emotional, mental, and spiritual levels form an energy field around the body known as the aura." Both definitions incorporate this idea of the aura surrounding the body, in one form or another.
Healthline.com notes that the “interpretation of what an aura is varies among practices and philosophies.” While that is true, what remains a constant through the different interpretations is the idea that all things in this universe have energy. Whether that energy is a reflection of your spiritual and/or physical body is up for debate. In more generic terms, an aura could be thought of as a vibe. If someone is giving off bad or good vibes, that’s their energy, or their aura, that you are sensing. In short, all things have energy: plants, people, pets, rocks. It’s the way you send out those vibes or energies that manifests as an aura.
Annette Schilz, owner of DNA Sales 2100 in Tecumseh, believes that through aura photography, she can show visitors how to tap into their deeper selves. Specifically, she believes your aura “shows you the energies that you are receiving and sending, and that it changes with your emotional state and your health. Ideally, having a strong aura helps protect and feed your chakras and maintain a good mind, body, and spirit balance.”
Said Schilz, “We interpret the aura as your energy field around your body. It’s like an emotional gauge, a little bit. You can tell what mode your thoughts are in by what colors are going to appear in the photo, and then naturally your chakras come into play with that, too. To me, they kind of meld together. Each thought or layer naturally goes to a different mode. I believe there are seven layers, which align with your seven chakras.” Those layers are physical, astral, lower mental, higher mental, spiritual, intuitional, and absolute.
Auras can change, second by second. With the use of rocks, essential oils, tuning forks, and more, Schilz can help guide visitors toward adjustments in their chakras, if they seek it. Sometimes, chakras can appear in aura photography sessions as blocked or lesser in levels than other chakras. By aligning those troubled chakras with objects that emit vibrations targeting those areas, anyone can learn how to make small adjustments in their lives to open themselves up to their full capacity, spiritually and otherwise.
“If you happen to get creative one day, and you say, ‘okay I need to do this creative thing,’ that's going to bring in those energies, it's going to change your colors to more creative green hues. And then, if you get into a layer of your mind where maybe you're thinking of someone you love, then that's going to change your chakras. What I love about the photography aspect, is that it gives a great visual so people can see how quickly the aura can change.”
A common question people have coming into aura photography, said Schilz, is, “What can I learn about myself?’”
To read an aura photograph, look not only at the colors and what they represent, but how are those colors haloed around the subject? Colors at the top of the photo represent your consciousness. The color to the left of the subject represents the energy that’s coming in, or the lens you see the world through. Are you an optimist? A pessimist? The color emanating on the right side of the subject’s body represents the energy that he or she is expelling. This is how the world perceives you. Are you warm and friendly? Or do people generally try to avoid your company? The visualization of an arch represents a goal or an aspiration the subject is perhaps trying to archive.
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Colors can appear as a solid through the photograph, or can be mixed, a graduation from one color to the next. Red generally means the subjects are passionate but are encouraged to go out into nature to restore a balance in their lives. Orange auras exude confidence but can be emotionally aloof. Tan auras are generally organized go-getters that work best with structure in their lives. Yellow auras are known for their optimistic, warm personalities, which allow people to feel comfortable around them. Green can mean creative or goal-oriented types, but these energies can also hold themselves back. Blue auras are tied to nurturing, sensitive energies. Water activities can make them feel more grounded. Purple auras are the unconventional, non-judgmental types. They are encouraged to keep a journal and to trust in others. A white aura generally means intense energy and cosmic wisdom.
Schilz brings up a story about renowned psychic Edgar Cayce, who allegedly had the ability to ‘see’ auras without any kind of technology intervening. One afternoon, Cayce was going to board an elevator but stopped himself from entering, when he noticed everyone inside had a black aura clouding them. According to Schilz, the elevator line would end up snapping, killing everyone inside.
“Think about the people you surround yourself with,” said Schilz. “If you’re with someone that really brings you down, brings your energy down, and you tell yourself ‘Oh, I’m only around them for a half-hour, it’s okay,’ this practice disputes that. The energies you surround yourself with, do matter.”
Is the energy that surrounds us and everything else measurable? And if so, how? As we turn to how the camera captures the aura, we must also examine how an aura manifests itself.
To discuss the more tangible, scientific side of the aura phenomenon, we begin in Soviet Russia in the 1930s. Born out of Kirlian photography, the aura photograph was conceived when a scientist accidentally charged an object with electricity while sitting it on a photographic plate. The charge created when the two coalesced created a colorful ‘energy’ as the electricity discharged from the plate.
Aura photography did not take off, however, until the rise of alternative healing methods, such as crystals, in the 1970s. Guy Coggins took the Kirlian technique and tweaked it to his own camera system, resulting in the AuraCam 3000 (a later version, known as the AuraCam 6000, is still widely used today)
The AuraCam 6000 shows auras evolving in real time. To manifest your aura, you begin by placing your hand on a plate that contains sensors. Those sensors collect deviations in temperature, humidity, and static electricity. These parameters are then projected as a brilliant, colored aura on screen. Other parameters such as aura power, chakra levels, and balance between male and female energy, are also reported by infographs, and are all factored into the color that manifests onscreen and in your aura photo. If chakra adjustments are made during this time, the aura will reflect those changes almost immediately.
While Schilz had an AuraCam that connected to the top of her computer, some practitioners of aura photography use a polaroid to capture auras, since it is more portable and can be used anywhere, as opposed to having a set studio space. Christina Lonsdale, Portland creator of the popular roving polaroid photography aura practice, Radiant Human, prides herself on being the first “roving, fully adaptable aura photography laboratory” of its kind, in that she comes to you for an aura reading.
Lonsdale claims Radiant Human works as a “conduit for those seeking a new kind of self-exploration—a brief, metaphysical vision quest, compelling us toward a uniquely tangible kind of self-discovery.” She notes that while aura photography can help occupy “the gray space between science and mysticism,” familiarizing ourselves in the practice “immerses us in the quantifiable forces just outside of human perception—helping us to acknowledge the naked energies we all radiate into our world. Perceptions can pivot with the click of a shutter, illuminating our truest selves, and giving new light to what was there all along.”
Schilz said she has been able to help diagnose and treat everything from stomach ailments to hernias in visitors, based on what chakras appear to be blocked or appear as lower levels in their aura photo. Whether you believe in the technology or not, Schilz suggests everyone should approach aura photography with an open mind.
“My whole theory is that we really need to do more on our emotional level,” said Schilz. “I mean, I think that's kind of what's being missed. People are so focused on the physical, but they never really attach any of their problems to the emotional. So, we decided aura photography would be a great tool to help people first visualize and understand how outside problems might be connected to inside emotions, and it starts with getting in tune with the aura.”
Visit DNA Sales 2100 for an aura photograph at 406 North Pearl Street in Tecumseh, MI, between Monday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. To learn when Radiant Human is coming near you, visit radianthuman.com.
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Fair Food Network Stepped Up to Meet the Moment
As we all know, the past 18 months brought disruptions that none of us expected or could have predicted. Significantly, Covid-19 stimulated a national hunger crisis. Nearly one in four households experienced food insecurity in 2020, many for the first time in their lives, as those impacted by pandemic-related shutdowns and layoffs struggled to afford enough food for their families. This surge undercut a decade of progress in reducing food insecurity, particularly among children.
The King Family: Half a Century of Farming, Making Music, Teaching Yoga, and Building Community
The King family has been a prominent presence in the Ann Arbor and Southeastern Michigan community in a myriad of ways—as farmers, musicians, teachers, and more—for nearly fifty years. The roots of the King family and their Frog Holler Farm go back to 1971, to the founding of the Indian Summer restaurant in Ann Arbor. That’s where Indian Summer’s co-founder, co-owner, and head cook, Ken King, met Cathy Munkholm. Cathy had been hired to make salads at the restaurant and worked alongside Ken, chopping vegetables.
Great Tastes in Local Food, Spring 2021
I think we can all agree that 2020 was a tough year to launch a new business, especially one in food service with limited indoor seating. But if my visit to Ann Arbor’s new coffee shop Drip House is any indication, it is still possible to flourish.
Local Food, Safety Precautions, and Friendly Faces: How the Ann Arbor Farmers Market Survived (and Continues to Thrive) During the Year of Covid
I first met Stefanie Stauffer, Manager for the Ann Arbor Farmers Market, while picking up food at Argus Farm Stop. I had seen her at local food events, but this was our first “hello.” I asked her if she was interested in talking about the virus and how the market has handled the challenges. Luckily, she agreed. We later had a Zoom meeting and began carving out slices of topics the public seemed curious to know. Both of us have similar backgrounds. We run small farms as well as have a vested interest in serving all people in our area with healthy, reasonably-priced food grown and produced in our own communities.
Crysta Goes Visiting, Spring 2021
By Crysta Coburn
Erin Berger and the Bookend Candle Co.
“I have always loved reading, collecting books, and visiting libraries. There’s nothing like immersing yourself in a good book,” said Erin Berger, the woman behind Ypsilanti-based Bookend Candle Co. You and me both, friend!
Originally from Garden City, Berger attended grad school at Eastern Michigan University, where she “grew to love Ypsilanti, especially the (surprisingly affordable) old houses.” The year following completing her master’s degree in historic preservation, she bought her home in the Historic District. As for starting her own home-based candle business, she said, “I remember attending DIYpsi in the summer of 2017 and thinking about how amazing the artists were and what in the world could I create to take part in the event. Later that year, I decided to start what would become Bookend Candle Co.”
Berger is a self-taught candlemaker. “I learned through trial and error and many nights spent in deep dives on candle-making forums,” she said. “But the best part is that for every candle that doesn’t make the cut, I still get to burn it myself.” Deciding on a name was difficult, she said, “until [she] looked around at [her] collection of candles interspersed throughout the shelves and stacks of books” of her home. “Most were functioning as impromptu bookends. And that was it; Bookend Candle Co. had a name.”
Her candles are 100% soy made without dyes or phthalates. “I do my best to offer the highest quality product in terms of performance, safety, and sustainability,” Berger explained. “I have asthma myself and don’t want to be breathing in harmful chemicals. I would never sell a product that is not up to my own standards, so I use as natural components as possible and buy from vendors I trust. Our tagline is ‘realistically scented and ethically made,’ and I take that to heart.”
Some of the scents in the Signature Collection are Breathe Easy (scent notes: camphor, eucalyptus, and mint), Rare Book Room (scent notes: cedarwood, leather, and vanilla), and Mountainside Cabin (scent notes: balsam, cedar, and wood-burning fireplace). There is also a Spring and Summer Collection with names like Spring Meadow, Kitchen Garden, and Seaside Cottage. If you are in a situation where you can’t burn candles, there are also wax melts and reed diffusers.
All of these names evoke in me a sense of comfort and relaxation. Berger shared that one thing that inspires her business is “being able to provide people with a sense of comfort and happiness through scent.” She went on to say, “My goal is to transport you to a different place or time. Hearing one of my candles reminds someone of time spent as a child with a grandparent no longer with them makes it all worth it.”
For more information and a list of shops that carry Bookend Candle Co. products, visit www.bookendcandleco.com. Bergen can be contacted at erin@bookendcandleco.com or via Instagram @bookendcandleco.
Lyanna Bennett and Mystic Creations
Lyanna Bennett has moved around a lot in her life, but she is putting down roots in Ann Arbor. She told me, “I fell in love with Ann Arbor after spending a lot of time here in my early 20s and finally decided to settle in one place.” And her specialties certainly fit right in with our community.
“I first discovered mysticism when I was 12 years old,” she shared with me. “I was fascinated by the supernatural nature of it. Spells and potions and magickal beings were what drew me in, but it brought me to the concept of natural healing, herbalism, and spiritual guidance, which is what led me toward the path I am on today … offering services to the community reading tarot, runes, and tea leaves, as well as offering advice on alternative healing methods.” Bennett is mostly self-taught, but, she said, “I did go to college to learn more about plants and the human body in order to know more about how natural medicine works.”
The drive to help people is what inspires her. “I have always been drawn to serve others,” she said. “I was a home health aid for many years, I have always worked in some sort of customer service industry, and I even thought about going into the military to be a medic.” Bennett is also motivated to make her spiritual practices a central part of her life. “I do think we all find the path that we are meant to be on,” she said.
The name Mystical Creations came to Bennett one day after working for a metaphysical store in Lansing. In addition to offering private readings, Bennett plans to soon add “online courses ... covering everything from the basics of witchcraft to divination techniques, properties of herbalism, advanced magick, the philosophy of magick, and many more.”
Right now, you can find Bennet offering tarot cards and runic divination readings at Evenstar’s Chalice in Ypsilanti.
To make an appointment, visit facebook.com/lyannabennett.mystic or call (734) 680-2707. For in-person readings, visit Evenstar’s Chalice in Ypsilanti on Thursdays 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. or Saturdays 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Appointments can also be scheduled by calling Evenstar’s Chalice at (734) 905-7980.
Drew Hill and The Drewbie’s Zoo
“I am all about fun,” said Ann Arbor native Drew Hill. “I try to find a little fun and whimsy in everything I do, and since starting Drewbie’s Zoo, my goal has been to share that with others.”
Hill attended Pioneer High School then studied Costume Design at the University of Michigan. “Since graduating college,” he said, “I’ve lived in Chicago and Los Angeles, but Ann Arbor keeps calling me back. It’s such an amazing city to live in, and it’s great to be close to my family.”
It was Hill’s grandmother who taught him how to knit when he was ten years old. “I became obsessed!” he said. “I knit on and off all the way through middle school and high school. When I was in my last year at Pioneer, I started a small club for knitting and yarn crafts, and it was at this time that I first picked up a crochet hook. I taught myself from a book and was amazed at the artistic freedom that crochet offers.”
When a good friend from high school and his wife were expecting their first child, Hill first tried his hand at amigurumi, the Japanese art of knitting or crocheting small stuffed animals and other anthropomorphic creatures, which make up the bulk of Drewbie’s Zoo.
Where did the name Drewbie’s Zoo come from? “It wasn’t until I opened an Etsy shop that I realized I would need some sort of business name, which was surprisingly difficult,” Hill said. “I wanted it to have something to do with animals and to be a little whimsical. I toyed around with a lot of different ideas, but I settled on Drewbie’s Zoo because it was the most fun to say out loud!”
Looking through Hill’s Instagram, there is no denying his talent or the cuteness of his clever creations. Said Hill, “Sometimes you just need something cute or punny or beautiful to make you smile, and providing that for others definitely makes me smile!” Some of my personal favorites are the adorable little dragons, smiling tea cups and coffee mugs, the cast of the Lion King, and Luna from Sailor Moon (I grew up in the 90s). But, they all make me smile! And how inspiring for a young person to have a plush Ruth Bader Ginsburg or Rosie the Riveter?
If you have an idea in mind, but don’t see it in the shop, worry not because Hill takes special orders. He explained, “One of the best parts about running a small business is that I can provide something completely unique, whether it’s your favorite animal, character, or even a replica of your pet!”
For more information, visit drewbieszoo.etsy.com or instagram.com/drewbieszoo. Hill can be contacted through Etsy or at drewbieszoo@gmail.com.
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What were once three businesses, Ann Arbor Seed Company, Green Things Farm, and the Land Loom, is now one: Green Things Farm Collective. They came together in 2020, as their website explains, “to expand production, share the management of running a diverse farm business, and develop a model of sustainable, cooperative, and responsible farming.”
Leaps of Faith: This That, and the ODDer Things
Claire Broderick waited with the world, trying to grasp the fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic. Even though she wanted so badly for 2020 to be the year she would manifest her dream of opening a retail shop filled with her collection of what she calls “uniquities,” there was reason to pause. In the meantime, she kept dreaming, researching, and collecting. Adding a taxidermy octopus here, reaching out to a bone jeweler there. She knew how important it was to persist and keep planning.
The Transformative Power of Raqs Sharqi – Belly Dancing with Sheila May
Raqs Sharqi, or in Westernized terms, “belly dance,” is a classical style of Egyptian dance utilizing complex movements of the torso, arms, and hips. It is widely known as a playful and sensual dance that celebrates the feminine form. Belly dance movements have been inspired by a long history of dances ranging from within Egypt to other cultures across Eurasia.
Live Love--Share the Hearts
By Michael Oliver
As I embarked on my journey into 2020, I found my fellow human beings becoming increasingly angry, fearful, and distrustful of each other. I asked myself this question, “Is this who we really are?” It felt like the negative and dark energy hiding in the shadows finally found a doorway. So many triggers appeared, and they would consistently attempt to flip the switches of light, to darkness. At times it felt terribly dark and other times, it felt like light was returning. It is a battle that continues today, but is not a new battle; it is a different battle.
What is different about this battle, you may ask? Awareness! Yes, we are more aware of what was lurking in the darkness than we were in the past. Humans are waking up! And it is in that process of waking up that we are learning to acknowledge the ways of the past that have been damaging to our species and limiting our growth toward living a life of love and joy. For me, 2020 triggered a deep and self-reflective time. I kept pondering over what I could do to make life for humanity better, and I came up with the Share the Hearts Campaign.
The Share the Hearts Campaign was inspired by Dr. Kenneth McCulley who founded a human potential development program which included a poem titled I Live Love Every Moment of My Life. In that poem, Dr. McCulley’s primary message was to wake people up to the reality that we all come from the same source and as such, we are all brothers and sisters, one and the same. It was Dr. McCulley’s dream that all humans demonstrate, unconditionally, Living Love—performing acts of kindness for their fellow human beings. Motivated by the energy and effort of Dr. McCulley, our team wanted to build a campaign that would operationalize that message to the world.
Sharing a simple wooden heart can make a difference! Every act of kindness, thoughtfulness, caring, and copassion, is an act of living a life of love—as the Beatles once sang, “All We Need is Love.” True! What a difference love can make.
Mindtation, a small start-up company, is on a mission to help people find their paths of joy, because when people are living their joy, they live a life that is aligned with who they truly are, living in and experiencing positive synchronicities. We decided that we wanted to do something fun, yet meaningful, to engage people back into love consciousness and help them along with aligning with their true selves.
Read related article: Living From the Awakened Heart
Along with teaching the power of meditation, the breath, mindfulness, intuition and sound, we are initiating the Share the Hearts campaign to help spread loving kindness. Wondering how it works? Small packets of wooden hearts are purchased from our website and then you can give them to people you “catch” doing acts of loving kindness. In the packet, there is a heart and a card explaining the purpose of this event. Each one of us will be the eyes of the change we want to see. This act, this awareness, plants the seed of love and kindness into one’s consciousness—making it grow each time it is acknowledged within someone else. Each time a wooden heart is given for an act of kindness, it reinforces love and kindness within yourself (the giver) as well as expanding the consciousness of love in others (the receivers).
At the deepest level, we are all one and the same. As Peter Yarrow said, “There is only one river. There is only one sea. And it flows through you, and it flows through me. There is only one people. We are one and the same.” The kick-off for Mindtation’s Sharing the Hearts Campaign took place on April 9th, 2021. To kick-off the event, Mindtation presented a video providing an overview of what it means to live in joy and love—especially during stressful times and the many benefits that it can bring. The purpose of this campaign is to bring us back to loving kindness and mindfulness...bring us back to awareness of our own humanity.
Let’s re-learn how to respond to all situations with love. The goal is to put the intention of Living Love, our Truth, back into the world.
If you are interested in this campaign and would like to learn more, please visit Sharethehearts.com. A percentage of all heart package purchases will be donated to select charities.
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