A quick heads up: I’m going to be merging Quiet Corner Buzz and Tolland County Buzz into one newsletter QCB that covers both counties. I’ve been doing this for about a year and a half, and while I still love it, the truth is these two newsletters have been hard to monetize, which makes it tough to justify putting more time and money into growing them separately. I’ve tried to make the model work through things like Dinner Club, products, and other side ideas, but with our fourth child just arriving, time is tighter than ever, and I need to be realistic about what’s sustainable. My hope is that combining them lets me create a stronger, more useful, more fun newsletter overall. I know a few people may drop off because of it, and honestly, I get that, but I think this is the right move.

Connecticut Buzz Mutt Madness has officially wrapped, and honestly, it was even bigger than we hoped. Thousands of votes rolled in, the competition got fierce, and Connecticut showed up in a big way for its dogs. Congrats to Elvis, our first-ever champion, and to Ginger, who made an impressive run all the way to the finals. Huge thanks as well to Pet Supplies Plus for sponsoring the tournament and helping turn this into one of the most fun things we’ve done. Safe to say this one was a smashing success.

My mom is a big mahjong person, so naturally I figured I’d see what kind of interest we’ve got here.

Mahjong seems to be having a bit of a moment lately, and I get it. It’s social, a little competitive, and has that perfect mix of “this seems confusing” and “okay wait, now I’m obsessed.”

After seeing how many connections came out of Dinner Club, I started wondering if there’d be any interest in a local learn-to-play mahjong night. Nothing stuffy. Nothing intense. Just a fun way to meet people, learn something new, and spend a night doing something a little more interesting than staring at your phone.

The rough idea would be Tuesday/Wednesday nights, somewhere local, with a group of maybe 50 people max and a 2-hour session to learn and play. If we put it together, I’d expect it would probably cost somewhere around $50 to $60 total per person.

“I’m going to give you the location, but do yourself the favor and don’t look it up online. Just go and experience it first hand.”

A reader reached out recently with an idea like that, and I immediately loved it.

Mostly because it felt like a nice little rebellion against how we do things now. Usually, before we go anywhere, we’ve already looked at the photos, checked the map, zoomed in on the parking lot, and basically ruined the surprise before we even leave the house.

This was different. Less screen time. Less overthinking. More just getting in the car and seeing what’s waiting for you.

So here’s a fun new little experiment:

I’ll give you the latitude and longitude coordinates to a local spot worth checking out and invite you to go have a real-life adventure. But here’s the catch: don’t look it up.

Don’t search around on Google Maps. Don’t poke around on Street View. Don’t start playing detective. Just let a little mystery back into your day and go see it for yourself.

To do it, copy these coordinates into a GPS coordinate site or into your map app search bar, then hit directions without snooping around first:

41.917326, -71.910508

That’s it. That’s the whole game. Take a friend, bring the kids, grab a coffee, and make a little adventure out of it.

And if you go, snap a photo of what you find, or take a selfie while you’re there, and send it my way. I may feature one in a future issue.

🐶Adopt-a-pal: Meet Barney, a 4-month-old Lab mix who’s playful, great with kids and dogs, already fixed and microchipped, and basically looks like the kind of pup who’s about to become the most popular member of your household.

🏡House of the week: This colonial sits on 4.75 acres and brings the good stuff: hardwood floors throughout, a fireplace with propane insert, French doors to the patio, and a kitchen that looks straight out over the backyard. The sneaky best detail might be the geothermal heating and cooling plus the unfinished space above the attached two-car garage. Have a look!

🥾Trail of the week: Ravenelle Ponds Loop (Thompson) – This one is easy, quiet, and sneaky-good: a 1.2-mile loop at West Thompson Lake that winds around ponds, wetlands, and woods without asking too much from your legs. It’s the kind of trail where you can bring the kids, pretend you’re “just going for a short walk,” and still leave feeling like you did something outdoorsy and respectable.

🔭Sky report: New moon on April 17 setting up the darkest skies of the stretch and giving you a real shot at seeing the zodiacal light, that weirdly beautiful triangular glow in the western sky after sunset. April 18 and 19 just after sunset, when a thin waxing crescent Moon cozies up near Venus in the west.

Last week’s trivia answer was the Rock Cornish Game Hen, and apparently a lot of you know your oddly specific Connecticut poultry history because 70.67% of readers got it right. This world-famous little “gourmet” bird was developed at Idle Wild Farm in Pomfret after Jacques and Therese Makowsky bought the farm in 1948, then in 1950 crossed a white Cornish rooster with a White Plymouth Rock hen to create the compact bird that would end up on restaurant menus and grocery shelves all over the place. By 1956, farms around Pomfret were raising more than 3 million of them, which is a pretty absurd claim to fame for one quiet little corner of the state.

This is the kind of meal that makes it look like you fully have your life together, even if you absolutely do not. It leans into Connecticut spring flavors with maple syrup, lemon, garlic, carrots, onions, and fresh herbs. It feels a little fancy, but it is mostly a throw-it-in-the-oven-and-let-it-win situation.

Serves: 2 to 4 | Ingredients:

Instructions

Heat the oven to 425°F. Mix the olive oil, maple syrup, lemon juice, garlic, rosemary, thyme, salt, and pepper, then rub it all over the hens. Toss the potatoes, carrots, and onion into a baking dish or cast iron skillet with a little oil, salt, and pepper, pour in the chicken broth, then set the hens on top and scatter in the lemon slices. Roast for 50 to 60 minutes until the skin is golden and the thickest part of the thigh hits 165°F. Let them rest for 10 minutes, spoon the pan juices over the top, and finish with parsley if you want to look extra polished.

Easy Serving Idea: Serve it with roasted asparagus or a simple green salad and some crusty bread.

Tiny Upgrade: Throw a couple apple wedges into the pan for the last 25 minutes and suddenly it feels even more New England.

If you are looking for something easy, free, and surprisingly fun to do with the kids during holiday break this week, the Passport to Connecticut Libraries is a pretty great move. From April 1 to 30, you can grab a passport at your local library, visit participating libraries across the state, collect stamps, and if you hit five or more, you are entered to win one of six $200 Visa gift cards.

Around Windham County, that includes Babcock Library in Ashford, Brooklyn Town Library, Canterbury Public Library, Chaplin Public Library, Eastford Public Library, Fletcher Memorial Library in Hampton, Killingly Public Library, Putnam Public Library, Scotland Public Library, Thompson Public Library, Willimantic Public Library, and Guilford Smith Memorial Library in South Windham.

Honestly, this is one of those low-cost parenting wins. The kids get a little adventure, you get to feel like you did something wholesome and educational, and everybody gets a break from staring at a screen for a couple hours.

Pomfret | Expansion Escape! An Adventure in the Library | 1:30pm-2:15pm | - Tweens crack clues and race the clock at Pomfret Library (449 Pomfret St). Escape!

Pomfret | Early Morning Bird Walk | 8AM | $ - Spot spring warblers and more at the CT Audubon Center at Pomfret - $5 members, $20 non-members, no registration needed (218 Day Rd). Spread your wings

Thompson | Cooking with Kids! | 11am-1pm | ($) - Get messy making pasta and pudding from scratch at 17 Fabyan Woodstock Rd. Cook!

Willimantic | OPEN MIC #10 at The River Room | 7Pm - Grab a seat or step up to the mic for a night of local talent, good energy, and community vibes at The River Room (50 Riverside Drive).

Brooklyn | Trivia at Hank's | 6:30 PM - Test your knowledge over dinner and drinks at one of Brooklyn's favorite spots (416 Providence Rd).

Killingly | Let's Get Crafting (Ages 13-18) | 4:30PM - Teens create Shrinky Dink rings at Killingly Public Library (25 Westcott Rd). Create!

Putnam | LEGO Build Night | 5:30PM | ($) - Build retro gaming consoles or cameras with the family at Montana Nights (50 Providence Pike). Build!

Putnam | GlenPharmer Distillery Trivia | 6PM - Spaceballs-themed trivia with signature cocktails at Bear Hands Brewing (75 Main St).

Woodstock | Trivia Wednesdays | 6:30Pm - Gather your squad for family-friendly team trivia at Woodstock Tavern.

Plainfield | Huge 4-Day Yard Sale | 4/16-4/19 | 8AM-3PM - America 250 fundraiser with treasures galore at 33 Daggett St.

Putnam | Thomas Hinds Live Music | 8PM - Catch live tunes at The Stomping Ground (132 Main St).

Thompson | Old Thompson: Lithic Cairns Presentation | 6PM | - Thompson Historical Society explores ancient corn storage at 934 Riverside Dr.

Windham | Us vs. Them Documentary & Q&A | 6:30PM | ($) - Film screening and cast conversation at ECSU Betty Tipton Room (5 Oak St).

Woodstock | Spring Welcome Slate | 6PM | ($) - Creative painting session at Taylor Brooke Winery. Paint!

Brooklyn | Harmonie Road | 6:30PM - Live tunes and good vibes at Hank's Restaurant.

Putnam | Team Trivia & Partyoke | 7PM- Free trivia then sing and dance til midnight at Music Lady Cafe.

Sterling | Kody Knowlton 3-Day Workshop | 9am-5pm | ($) - Working dog training workshop at Tri State WDC (347 Sterling Rd). Train!

Woodstock | Enjoy the Journey Body Retreat | 4/17-4/19 | ($) - Weekend of yoga, meditation, and renewal at YMCA Camp Woodstock (42 Camp Rd). Restore!

Danielson | Bridge Building with Ragged Hill Woods (Ages 6-12) | 10am - Kids can get hands-on building bridges out of natural materials at Killingly Public Library (25 Westcott Rd). Build it up (source: Killingly Library)

Putnam | Scott Tarulli Music ("The Oracle") at Stomping Ground | 8PM - Friday night live music at the Stomp — Scott Tarulli brings the heat (132 Main St).

Willimantic | Movie Night: "The Little Things That Run The World" | 7:30PM | ($) - A nature-focused film screening at the brand new River Room (50 Riverside Dr). Roll the reel

Brooklyn | The Brooklyn Swap Meet | 4/18-4/19 | 7AM-5PM | - Two days of treasure hunting at The Brooklyn Fairgrounds.

Brooklyn | Opera at Little Dipper Farm | 5:30pm | ($) - Candlelit dinner with world-class opera at Little Dipper Farm (499 Wolf Den Rd). Indulge!

Chaplin | Cat Cafe with Paws Cat Shelter | 10:30AM-12:30PM - Snuggle adoptable cats and enjoy snacks at 130 Chaplin St.

Hampton | FREE Wild Plant & Mushroom Foraging | 11AM - Learn spring foraging at Goodwin Conservation Center (23 Potter Rd). Go wild

Hampton | Wine & Truffle Pairing | 1PM | ($) - Chocolate meets wine at Quiet Corner Winery (217 N Bigelow Rd). Savor!

Mansfield | Spring Marketplace | 10AM-4PM - Local artisans and baked goods at East Brook Mall (95 Storrs Rd).

Plainfield | Beautify Hay Burr Inn Volunteer Day | 1PM-4PM | - Help spruce up trails and gardens at Hay Burr Inn (169 Black Hill Rd). Volunteer!

Pomfret | National Poetry Month Reading at The Vanilla Bean | 7PM-9PM - Celebrate National Poetry Month with featured readings from Joshua Michael Stewart and Doug Anderson at The Vanilla Bean.

Putnam | Healthy Kids Day | 11AM-1PM | - FREE family fun with vendors and K9 demos at Hale YMCA (9 Technology Park Dr).

Putnam | Stroll Putnam — Shops, Streets & Stories | 12PM-4PM | - Explore Downtown Putnam with live music, local artists, and special deals.

Scotland | 24th Annual Sportsmen's Dinner | 5:30PM | ($) - Auctions, raffles, and dinner at Scotland Fire House (21 Brook Rd) .

Thompson | Jesse Desorcy | 4PM - Americana folk artist debuts at Triple Raven Brewing (27 Main St).

Thompson | Next Stop Comedy | 7:30PM | ($) - Fresh stand-up lineup at Raceway Golf Club (205 E Thompson Rd). Laugh!

Windham | Happy Giant, Ron Schneiderman, Caroline Davis | 2PM - Award-winning saxophonist and pump organ at Bliss Marketplace (34 North St).

Windham | Jeff Pevar/Matt Zeiner Project MATINEE | 3:30PM | ($) - Blues Hall of Famer brings world-class guitar to The River Room (50 Riverside Dr). Groove!

Woodstock | Katie Perkins Duo | 2PM - Acoustic vibes and craft brews at Taylor Brooke Brewery.

Brooklyn | Lollipop Farm Dressage Schooling Show | 8:30AM - Intro through second level competition at Lollipop Farm.

Killingly | Fairy Crafting Fun for Everyone | 12PM-4PM | ($) - Create fairy doors and houses at Girls 'n' Tools (103 Main St).

Killingly | Sound Bath | 1:30PM - Deep relaxation with hand pan drums and singing bowls at 136 Main St.

Putnam | Hat Burning Workshop | 2pm | ($) - Design your own cowboy hat with wood burning at 190 Providence St. Create!

Sterling | Wild Tranquility: Yoga & Wild Horse Adventure | 9AM-11:30Am | ($) - Yoga, meditation, and wild horse hike at Wild Ride CT (130 Old Cranston Rd). Breathe!

Thompson | Opening Day at Little T Quarter Midget Club | 8:30AM | - 50th season kickoff with rookie graduation and racing at Little T Quarter Midget Club Thompson Speedway.

Woodstock | Rich Polseno & Chris Quiray | 2PM - Live afternoon music to pair with your lobster roll and brew at Taylor Brooke Brewery(818 Rte 171).

Killingly | Fade Factory Grand Opening | 5Pm - New business celebration at 122 Wauregan Rd.

Thompson | "Till Dark in the Park" Car Show | 4PM-8PM - Weekly classic car show with music and raffles at 815 Riverside Dr. Cruise!

Plainfield | Brandt Taylor | 5PM - Start the week with live music at Central Village's Music Lady Cafe (Music Lady Cafe).