blue-sky thinking

a freshman seminar, bog snorkeling, and a manifesto

my latest haul from the used art supplies store

Greetings, earthlings!

Here are three things I loved this week:

1. A thing that made me happy: learning there’s a freshman seminar at Harvard called “Tree”

In the syllabus:

“To take in another organism does require that you begin by pledging to avoid making that organism a mere extension of your self,” it reads. It’s not all restraint, though: “Allow yourself to obsess while you are observing your tree,” another bit of guidance states.

Read the NYT piece here. Thanks for sending this to me, Sophie!

2. A thing that inspired me: The World Bog Snorkelling Championships through the lens of Callum O’Keefe on It’s Nice That

It’s almost March, which means the Skunk Cabbage is about to poke through.

Every year, I imagine launching a city-wide celebration of Skunk Cabbage, my favorite spring ephemeral. Imagine paper mache Skunk Cabbage hats! They would be so cute! We’d wear them to the Skunk Cabbage patch!

Every year, I don’t do it. If you’re in Burlington and you want to collaborate on this, please reach out. The Skunk Cabbage usually hits late March. We still have time to make hats.

Here’s some inspiration: every year, people from around the world travel to this small town in South Wales for Bog Snorkelling.

3. A thing I’m reading: The Cloudspotter’s Guide by Gavin Pretor-Pinney

I’ve been vaguely aware of The Cloud Appreciation Society for a while (this article in the NYT made me want to go back to school for UX design or whatever you study to make things like this). My friend Nathan was surprised I hadn’t read The Cloudspotter’s Guide and lent it to me. It’s been a pleasure to pick it up and read a few pages of it here and there. The book opens with this manifesto:

I took a little breather from work yesterday and made this flyer with materials I bought from the used art supplies store–a retail concept whose time has come.

I didn’t have a plan for this cloud paper or these reflective vinyl letters, but they spoke to me, and they were cheap.

Stuff that actually matters:

• I thought I couldn’t love them more, but this week, NOFA-VT announced that they’re providing $200 mini-grants to people to have dinner with their neighbors.

Other stuff:

• It’s Nice That featured The Cloud Report. I’m tickled to be on this esteemed design blog. Neato!

• I’ll be at the first-ever Vermont Art Book Fair on April 10-11th at Karma Birdhouse. Come visit!

• The Cloud Report is open for new subscribers wheeeeeee

• I’m traveling next week, so there probably won’t be a dispatch. See you in a couple weeks!

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Christine Tyler Hill

Website: christinetylerhill.com

Email: cth@christinetylerhill.com