Spring Parade of Homes

The Parade of Homes started last night. Nora and I will manning a shift this afternoon. Traditionally, the Parade doesn't profile many urban developments, so we'll see if we get any traffic. The good news is that there are several green-built projects on the Parade this year. We were one of 3 projects that was featured in a small press article earlier this week. It will also be interesting to see the reaction of people to our "Tokyo-sized" unit compared to some of the McMansions that are on the tour. I took a quick peek at the some of the other homes profiled and most of them have 3 stall garages out front...so that's a bit different from what we are offering at Newberry Place.

We also did a small neighborhood cleanup earlier this week. Walking the neighborhood, you could sense a bit of excitement and energy. I went and talked with some new and old neighbors and everyone was so supportive and interested in who will be moving in and when. It is really starting to feel like a community is forming.

Last weekend we did a couple nights of Conflict Resolution as a Newberry group too. The first night was using some case studies to better understand how people in the group react to conflict. The case studies ranged from barking dogs to extra-marital affairs. Pretty fun stuff to talk about. It will be very interesting to actually see what the conflicts are that come up in the group and how we will deal. Like in any neighborhood some folks are very straight forward and direct while others site and ponder things for awhile before talking with someone about an issue.

cohousing news story

Newberry Place got a little press coverage today in preparation for the Spring Parade of Homes.

VIDEO LINK

spring rolls into west michigan

Being a native of Washington State, spring in West Michigan usually involves a series of flashbacks for me. The crisper weather, greening of vegetation and frequent rain remind me of summer in my home town. Spring in Michigan is usually a really busy time as people emerge from their hibernation and inactivity of the Winter months. No matter how you try, cabin fever is a very real part of the these isolating months. But all of that makes you anticipate the warmer weather and appreciate it even more.

One of the marks of Spring in West Michigan is the making and distributing of Bell's Oberon. This local beer is only made from about late April through the summer. It is a wheat ale that usually gets served with an orange slice on the rim of the glass. Last year I came across a bar that will mix it with Guinness to create a sort of Black&Tan mix called an "Eclipse". Because of the different densities of the beer, the Guinness rises to the top and the Oberon to the bottom.
So today I think I will go buy a pint and savor the coming of Spring by sitting down and resting like its the middle of January.

Viget

I just joined another little online community called Viget It is in a Wiki format so people can add new info as a community.

I ran into one of the site's creators this week at a "test-drive" of the new Community Research Institute's website at GVSU. He is an art professor that has a class which takes over vacant spaces in business districts or neighborhoods and turns them into civic studios. The class then tries to create art that depicts that neighborhood's unique history and future. I would love them to spend a semester in Belknap with us. I've been intrigued for a long time the role that public art plays in raising awareness of overlooked potential in a neighborhood. Anyway, check it out if you get a chance, and I'll also link out from the side.