π Pi Day in Palmer Town

We are in countdown mode for Pi (Pie) Day on 3.14. This holiday means pie preparation this week. A tiny tradition in Palmer is to eat pie at this exactly 3:14pm as a part of the celebration. Here are some traditional Palmer Pie locations for your indulgence and pie celebrations: Vagabonds, Turkey Red, Sunrise Grill, and always the happy pie case at the Valley Hotel.

“Palmer Pie Central” is a newly developed location this year. Over the last six months, NomEssentials has geared up their pie making. They make Lemon Meringue with many authentic lemons. They produce pie on a regular basis now and it’s a beautiful thing. Plus for next week’s pie celebration they will have whole pies, mini pies, downtown baby pies, pot pies & slices of pie available for sale on Pi Day! In addition they have all the equipment and special things to make your own pies!

For you proud math geeks, 3.14 means Pi Day, which is celebrated on March 14 around the world. Pi (Greek letter “π”) is the symbol for 3.14159. Pi Day is our annual Palmer opportunity to talk about numbers, sing Happy Birthday to Albert Einstein and eat Palmer Pie.

Best Bulletin Boards in Palmer—Public bulletin boards are such an “old school” thing but they still function purposely in Palmer. There are a variety of public bulletin boards, which remain around town. They are comforting reminders of local events, brochures, notices, and wanted flyers. After an exhaustive Palmer survey and investigation, it is determined that the bulletin board, next to Vagabonds, directly inside the Kolivosky Center’s side entrance, is indeed the prime location in Palmer. It is tattered from use and over burdened with community information, but those descriptors are actually what define “a well-used bulletin board;” pristine and crisp does not necessarily denote use. Without a doubt there are other useful bulletin boards in Palmer, but it does seem as if the Kolivosky board is the top. Other useful bulletin boards are in the main hall of Kolivosky Center, the Library, Fred Meyers, Valley Hotel, and near Turkey Red, at the Palmer Downtown Plaza. There are some interesting wall hanging announcements at 203 Kombucha and the Bleeding Heart Brewery as well.

Seeds Are In the Stores—It’s real. We survived another winter. When the generic seed racks are reestablished in the big box stores, we know spring is just another month or two away. However, there is a very good local seed company which you should consider: Seeds and Soil is Palmer’s ecological farm located on Lazy Mountain. The farm saves and provides specialty Heirloom seeds for OUR area and growing season. In addition the owner, Jennifer, shares exquisite sunday bouquets of Palmer plants—year round— along with lots of important gardening information. Her beautiful seeds packets are always available at NonEssentials and Fireside Book Store in downtown Palmer. The wooden seed displays are representative of the product—simple and very high quality.

Time to Change Again—We shift the clocks this weekend. Or in some cases, we just readjust to the real time, (because some of us might have been lazy and never changed the clocks in the fall! This means that sunset will shift to 730 or 8pm, which is delightful for this time of year. March is a really beautiful month. There are still piles of snow but the light brings hope and promise.

This Weekend—Skiing is at its’ finest at Skeethawk. The sledding hill is fast. There is some bare pavement in Palmer proper and the flatlands for biking. There are three local theater shows—Anastasia, The Sound of Music and The Wild Women of Winedale—respectively at the Glenn Massey, Chugiak High School, and the Valley for Performing Arts.

Barbara Hunt is both Palmer writer and artist. She works hard to keep the robust pulse of Palmer, Alaska. She shares the good stuff in the weekly Palmer Alaska Buzz Column in the Mat Su Valley Frontiersman and daily on the Palmer Alaska Buzz Facebook Group. Her “Palmer Buzz Community Calendar” is available at Palmer shops. Contact at bhunt@mtaonline.net or text 907.315.3222