I've been out of Microsoft products for so many years, I missed this news about Microsoft Publisher no longer being supported.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/publisher/microsoft-publisher-will-no-longer-be-supported-after-october-2026

#MicrosoftPublisher

"As of September, 2026, 3,277 farms and gardens now sprout across Detroit, according to nonprofit gardening group Keep Growing Detroit, or KGD.

That number has steadily grown over the last several decades, giving the city national renown as a leader in urban farming."

https://planetdetroit.org/2026/10/detroit-urban-farming-history-future-food-sovereignty/

#Detroit #gardening

For folks who make their own pita bread, do you prefer to bake them in the oven or cook them on a stovetop in a cast iron skillet?

What did the pirate say on their 80th birthday?

Aye matey.

#joke

For folks in Dearborn, Michigan:

Brome Modern Eatery has partnered with the city of Dearborn to raise money for the Dearborn Tree Fund, which provides free trees for residential properties throughout the city.

"Customers at Brome’s two Dearborn locations, 5250 Auto Club Drive and 22062 Michigan Ave., can make a voluntary donation at checkout, with the money going toward the city’s residential tree-planting program."

https://www.metrotimes.com/food-drink/food-news/brome-modern-eatery-adds-trees-to-the-menu-in-dearborn/

#DearbornMI #Michigan

I haven't planted my garlic yet this fall, but planned to do it within the next week.

Found this post recommending planting garlic in your existing ornamental beds, among your flowers.

Rather than in a bed by itself. Anyone tried this method?

I certainly would enjoy having more space for my plants, without having a garden bed only dedicated to garlic.

https://www.ruralsprout.com/brilliant-garlic-planting-trick/

#garlic #gardening #Zone6b

"Bats, butterflies and birds skim the air; foxes rustle in bluestem and Indian grass.

This is Sibley Prairie, Michigan’s largest remaining lakeplain prairie—a landscape that exists almost nowhere else on Earth."

https://www.detroitbirdalliance.org/news-stories/just-outside-of-detroit-time-is-running-out-to-save-a-globally-rare-prairie

#Michigan #SibleyPrairie #LakeplainPrairie

Whoa.

The silk dress took 14+ years to complete.

Worked on by 380 embroiderers from 51 countries who contributed an estimated billion and a half stitches.

"They included female refugees from Palestine, Syria and Ukraine, women seeking asylum in the UK from Iran, Iraq, China, Nigeria and Namibia, survivors of war in Kosovo, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Rwanda and impoverished and disadvantaged women in South Africa, Mexico and Egypt."

https://www.positive.news/society/the-world-in-a-dress-the-project-with-1-5-billion-stitches/

#embroidery

Finally removing the last Bradford pear in our yard (yay!).

Hoping to plant a small tree (less than 25-foot) to replace it.

Considering Eastern redbud (Cercis canadensis), White dogwood (Cornus florida), or crabapple (Malus sp.).

Any other suggestions for small native trees for Zone 6b?

#gardening #Zone6b #NativePlants

My native plants went quickly today at the plant swap. I was the only person who brought Great blue lobelia (Lobelia siphilitica).

I was glad to pick up more New England aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae) and nodding onion (Allium cernuum). And a new plant to add to my garden: wild blue indigo (Baptisia australis).

#NativePlants #gardening #Zone6b

"Researchers have examined how weakening currents in the Atlantic Ocean could impact global agriculture — and the results are concerning."

https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/climate-change/there-are-no-easy-answers-here-new-study-forecasts-a-dire-dip-in-food-production-if-key-atlantic-currents-collapse

#AtlanticOcean

@econproph Did you catch Planet Detroit's story about the Ypsi Township data center town hall this week?

Andy Melichar, who was one of our Metro Detroit WordPress meetup group leaders, is quoted in the story.

https://planetdetroit.org/2026/09/ypsilanti-township-uofm-data-center-opposition/

#UMich #Ypsilanti #DataCenter

Whoa.

A commercial gas-powered leaf blower running for one hour can produce as much smog-forming pollution as a Toyota Camry driven 1,100 miles — roughly the distance from Los Angeles to Denver.

https://scienceblog.com/d-a-commercial-gas-powered-leaf-blower-running-for-one-hour-can-produce-as-much-smog-forming-pollution-as-a-toyota-camry-driven-1100-miles-roughly-the-distance-from-los-angeles-to-denver/

#AirPollution #GasPoweredGardenTools

For birders who use eBird for reporting their sightings, you can now upload sound recordings directly in eBird Mobile.

Reading the announcement, I learned something new about how Merlin Sound ID identifies a bird species:

"Merlin Sound ID needs 150+ recordings to begin learning a species, yet less than half of the world’s birds currently meet that bar."

https://ebird.org/news/upload-sound-recordings-in-ebird-mobile

#birding #EBird #MerlinSoundID

More thunderstorms expected overnight, but hopefully not as severe as last night's or this afternoon's storms.

According to Poweroutage, 340,000+ customers are without power in Michigan.

https://poweroutage.us/area/state/michigan

#Michigan #PowerOutage

Considering adding Chelone glabra (turtlehead) to my native plant areas.

Have you grown it? What's been your experience with it in shade and sun?

https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/chelone-glabra/

#gardening #NativePlants #Zone6b

I would love to see them win the mixed doubles championship.

Spouses Svitolina and Monfils reach US Open mixed doubles semifinals.

https://apnews.com/article/us-open-mixed-doubles-b08f9a5350775586ea0efe25144664be

#tennis #USOpen

The Mutual Aid Network of Ypsilanti launched an emergency fundraiser to purchase and deliver supplies for folks in Gary, Indiana who were impacted by recent powerful thunderstorms.

While lots of other news stories are capturing headlines, many folks in Gary, Indiana folks have been without power for two weeks.

Here's how to donate to the Mutual Aid Network fundraiser.

https://givebutter.com/supplies4gary?gbtid=d6ebd5f2-34a3-4cd2-8997-9bc341b270f8

#GaryIN #GaryIndiana #MutualAidNetworkYpsilanti #Ypsilanti #MutualAid

Watching the total solar eclipse from the NASA livestream at:

https://plus.nasa.gov/scheduled-video/2026-total-solar-eclipse/

#eclipse #SolarEclipse

For folks who freeze grated zucchini, do you always squeeze the liquid out?

I guess I've been doing the lazy method in years past, never squeezing out liquid.