🌿 Right Beside Us
This week: free art + BBQ in Frogtown, wild cocktail classes, urban foraging, and more reasons to show up!
Happy Tuesday, friends!
It’s James. Since you last heard from me, Branch Out merged with my newsletter Twin Cities Scout, I stepped into more behind-the-scenes work at Gifting Grove (keep an eye out for an exciting announcement soon), and I joined the board as Vice President.
Through all of it, my interest in cultivating connection and community has only deepened. Last week, flying back from NYC, I noticed the person next to me reading a book on reclaiming attention — a theme I’ve been passionate about for years. So I thought, Hmm, maybe I should talk to him about the book.
Remember when we used to talk to strangers on airplanes? Sure, not all of us did, but during my college years — around the initial emergence of smartphones and social media — I spent most of my 2-3 hour flights immersed in conversation with someone. That now blows my mind, because most people who know me now consider me an introvert. I wonder how I got to this point, where I no longer have those sorts of conversations. Is it social media? Smartphones? The near-infinite number of ways I have to fill the space between working and sleeping?
Anyway, this time, I surprised myself and talked to the guy. I must have been starving for connection. It turned out Aleks and I had a lot in common, and we ended up talking about many of the ideas and values Vern and I share here in Branch Out. When Aleks got back to the cities from a wedding in Duluth, we grabbed drinks at Bang Brewing (highly recommend it if you haven’t been) and continued our conversation from the plane.
Why am I sharing this story? Last night I told my wife that I felt filled up from my time with Aleks — from moving past the fear that this stranger would think I was weird (which, maybe I am) and be annoyed by my attempt to connect. I’m supremely glad I reached out to someone in our little corner of a Boeing B737. So here’s a nudge from me to you: say hello to a neighbor you don’t know. Strike up a conversation on the Light Rail. Comment on a book someone’s reading. Introduce yourself to someone new at one of the vibrant events shared below. We’re all longing for connection. And in spite of what the powers that be want us to believe, it’s right in front of us, beside us, and around us.
See you out there,
James
🐕 Rescue a Friend
Ready for a furry friend? Kitty Robin and Phoenix the dog are two sweeties looking for their new home.
🌱 Ways to Help
People Serving People is looking for individuals and small group of volunteers to provide event support for their American Indian Heritage Day celebration on May 21st. They will assign you to an activity booth day-of to help facilitate activities for children and our families.
📚 Read of the Week
The stranger secret: how to talk to anyone — and why you should
We’re outsourcing small talk to phones and algorithms, and the cost isn’t awkwardness. It’s what Esther Perel calls a “global relational recession.” From the article’s top comment:
We all need connection, and the more we do connect, the better the world will be, hopefully, again.
Local Lowdown
Ready to refresh your wardrobe and give back to the planet? Come Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) for an eco-friendly, fun-filled evening of swapping clothes and supporting sustainable fashion!
Bring your gently used and clean clothes, shoes, and accessories that are ready for a new home. All sizes, styles, and genders are welcome!
Wednesday (05/20)
🆓 Swap - Garden Tools, 11:00 AM at Ramsey County Environmental Center, Roseville – Bring garden tools to swap, pick up needed items, and reduce waste by reusing equipment with the community.
🆓 Seed Sorting Party, 1:00 PM at Nokomis Library, Minneapolis – Help sort and label donated seeds for the Nokomis Community Seed Library while learning about seed saving and gardening.
🆓 Crafternoon, 2:00 PM at Wayzata Library, Wayzata – Bring your knitting, quilting, cross stitching, or other crafts and spend the afternoon creating alongside fellow crafters.
Urban Foraging Workshop, 5:00 PM at Within 1 hour of Minneapolis, Minneapolis – Join a hands-on urban foraging workshop to identify edible wild plants and learn safe, sustainable harvesting practices.
🆓 Beginning Birding, 5:30 PM at Riverview Library, Saint Paul – Learn birding basics during a guided neighborhood bird walk covering binocular use, bird identification, and birding etiquette.
🆓 Jumpstarting Creativity, 6:00 PM at Wayzata Library, Wayzata – Explore brainstorming techniques and creative exercises to help develop fiction ideas and strengthen writing habits.
🆓 Lab After Dark: Pipe Cleaner Spring Flowers, 6:00 PM at George Latimer Central Library, Saint Paul – Create colorful handmade pipe cleaner flowers during a free spring-themed crafting session with materials provided.
Wild Cocktails, 6:30 PM at Shepard Farm, Cottage Grove – Discover edible wild plants and learn how to turn them into seasonal cocktails during this guided tasting class.
Conjunction Cinema Club, 7:00 PM at RESOURCE, Minneapolis – Watch films exploring food and cultural connection while sharing snacks and engaging in community discussion.
Thursday (05/21)
🆓 East Lake Arts Club, 2:30 PM at East Lake Library, Minneapolis – Bring your own art or craft projects to work on in a relaxed, supportive community setting.
🆓 Farmers Market, 3:00 PM at Maple Grove Community Center, Maple Grove – Browse seasonal produce, prepared foods, and handmade goods from local farmers and makers at the outdoor market.
🆓 Crafternoon, 3:30 PM at Arvonne Fraser Library, Minneapolis – Join neighbors for an afternoon of crafting with your own projects or provided materials.
🆓 Knitting, Knatters, & Crafts Circle, 5:30 PM at Highland Park Library, Saint Paul – Spend a relaxing evening crafting, knitting, or crocheting with fellow makers and beginner-friendly instruction.
🆓 Pull invasive plant species , 6:00 PM at Pine Bend Bluffs Scientific and Natural Area, Inver Grove Heights – Help restore bluff habitat along the Mississippi River by removing invasive garlic mustard with FMR staff.
Hand-Lettering 1: Art of Letters, 6:00 PM at Minnesota Center for Book Arts, Minneapolis – Practice hand-lettering techniques and create a custom printed poster featuring your own lettering designs.
Pressed Flower Plate Workshop, 6:00 PM at The Clay Pit, Twin Cities – Create a ceramic plate pressed with flowers and leaves using provided clay tools and decorative materials.
🆓 3D Plastics Repair Clinic, 6:00 PM at TCM 3D Lab, Minneapolis – Learn how to repair and reinforce broken 3D printed plastic parts instead of throwing them away.
🆓 Crafterdark, 6:00 PM at Washburn Library, Minneapolis – Bring your portable craft projects or use provided supplies while connecting with fellow crafters at the library.
Friday (05/22)
Summer Patio Beer Flights at Cream & Amber, 12:00 PM at Cream & Amber, Hopkins – Sample featured local beers on the patio during a summer beer flight event running throughout the weekend.
🆓 Knitting Club, 2:00 PM at Plymouth Library, Plymouth – Knit with fellow crafters, learn new techniques, and enjoy a relaxing afternoon of handmade creativity.
🆓 Fix-It Friday at SPTL, 4:00 PM at Minnesota Tool Library, Saint Paul – Bring broken household items to repair with guidance from volunteers and access to shared tools.
Saturday (05/23)
🆓 Riverwalk Market Fair Featuring Vintage Fire Engines, 9:00 AM at Riverwalk Market Fair, Northfield – Explore an outdoor market filled with local vendors while viewing vintage fire engines along the Cannon River.
Poetry, Yoga, and Projective Verse: Breath as Line for Writers of Color and Indigenous Writers, 9:00 AM at Online via The Loft Literary Center, Minneapolis – Combine yoga, guided breathing, and poetry writing to create new work inspired by breath-centered techniques.
🆓 Remove garlic mustard, 10:00 AM at Mississippi River Gorge sand flats, Minneapolis – Help remove invasive garlic mustard from the Minneapolis River Gorge while contributing to habitat restoration efforts.
🆓 St. Anthony Falls Area Urban Hike, 10:00 AM at St. Anthony Falls area, Minneapolis – Take a guided urban hike through the historic St. Anthony Falls area along the Mississippi River corridor.
Rummage and Plant Sale Fundraiser, 10:00 AM at Marydale Park, Saint Paul – Shop secondhand treasures and plants while supporting the North End Giving Fund.
🆓 Seedling Giveaway, 11:00 AM at Four Sisters and Dream of Wild Health, Minneapolis – Pick up free seedlings and celebrate the growing season with fellow gardeners and plant lovers.
🆓 Guided Mushroom Identification Hike with Chicago Mushroom Club, 12:00 PM at Snelling Lake, Saint Paul – Join a guided mushroom identification hike with foraging tips, complimentary food, and community exploration.
Garden Irrigation Systems, 1:00 PM at Twin Cities Maker, Minneapolis – Learn how to design and assemble efficient garden irrigation systems for home or community gardens.
🆓 Volunteer: Pull Garlic Mustard!, 2:00 PM at Wild River State Park, Center City – Work with park staff and volunteers to remove invasive garlic mustard and protect native woodland habitats.
🆓 Weaving Connection Through Art with Briauna Williams, 3:00 PM at Rondo Community Library, Saint Paul – Create collaborative acrylic paintings that will become part of a larger community art installation.
Sunday (05/24)
Spring Foraging Workshop, 10:00 AM Within 1 hour of Minneapolis – Take a guided spring foraging hike to identify edible seasonal plants and learn safe harvesting practices.
Botanical Illustration Canoe Series, 10:00 AM at St. Croix River, St. Croix River – Enjoy a relaxing canoe trip focused on botanical illustration, plant observation, and creative connection.
🆓 Garden Workday, 11:00 AM at Twin Cities Maker Garden, Minneapolis – Help maintain the Twin Cities Maker garden through hands-on outdoor gardening and cleanup work.
Tuesday (05/26)
🆓 Clothing Swap, 1:00 PM at University of MN, Minneapolis – Donate gently used clothing and browse free secondhand items during this community clothing swap.
🆓 Remove invasive plant species , 6:00 PM at Riverside Park, St. Paul Park – Join volunteers removing invasive plants to help restore woodland habitat along the Mississippi River backwaters.