Birdfeeding

Mar. 5th, 2026 01:10 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy, mild, and wet. It rained on and off yesterday, then stormed last night. Everything is still soaked.

I fed the birds. I've seen a small mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

More crocuses are blooming -- lavender, purple, white, and pale yellow. :D The grass, which in recent years has retained bits of green through the winter, is suddenly much more green with growing tips visible.

EDIT 3/5/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

It's mizzling rain again.










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Community Thursdays

Mar. 5th, 2026 12:22 am
ysabetwordsmith: A blue sheep holding a quill dreams of Dreamwidth (Dreamsheep)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...


* Posted "Books" in [community profile] fantasy.

* Posted "News" in [community profile] fem_thoughts.

* Posted "March Meta Matters" in [community profile] fictional_fans.

Read "Find a Way Forward"

Mar. 4th, 2026 07:30 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
My poem "Find a Way Forward" has been published in [community profile] first_nations_freaks

Safety

Mar. 4th, 2026 03:15 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Extreme weather is exposing a dangerous flaw in modern buildings

Most of us don’t see buildings as life-support systems. But that’s exactly what they are. We sleep inside them, work inside them, shelter from storms inside them, and retreat to them when the air outside feels like an oven.

People spend 90% of their lives in buildings, and those walls, roofs, and windows act as a protective ‘third skin’ from the elements.



Shelter is a survival need. That doesn't just mean a place to stay. It is primarily about protection from threats such as sun, heat, cold, precipitation, predators, etc. If it doesn't perform those functions, it doesn't count as shelter. In America, shelter is classified as a paid privilege rather than a human right. That's a problem already, but in the future, it will lead to many preventable deaths.

Read more... )

(no subject)

Mar. 4th, 2026 03:01 pm
flamingsword: Sun on snowy conifers (Default)
[personal profile] flamingsword
I heard the terrible news about [personal profile] minoanmiss last night, and I want to punch entropy in its face about it. But entropy doesn’t have a face, so we’re all kinda screwed. My heart goes out to her wonderful loved ones, and to the neighbors who her life had touched for the better. I hope she gets to donate her organs to others to live on, especially as doing so will hopefully piss off her parents (who richly deserve such) one last time.


I have been orbitally bombarding the ulcer with famotidine, Omeprazole, and trying to let go of stress once an hour. It seems to be doing some good? And I found some perfume samples on clearance from the December holidays at CVS, so I am also scent stimming intermittently.

I have a tiny, mild headache right now, so I’m studying for the jurisprudence exam and getting ready to take the test and do taxes tomorrow.

Birdfeeding

Mar. 4th, 2026 01:13 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy, cool, and damp. Yesterday it rained on and off all day, then stormed in the evening. As everything is still soaked, I gather that the intermittent rain has continued, and indeed there are chances of rain for the next several days.

I fed the birds. I've seen a small flock of sparrows and several house finches. I heard a killdeer calling in the fields but didn't see it.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 3/4/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I put out a fresh cake of peanut suet.

It's raining again. I'm hearing faint rumbles of thunder in the distance. It's supposed to storm again tonight.

EDIT 3/4/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

It's still raining on and off, with more storms predicted for tonight.

I heard a mourning dove calling but didn't see it.

I am done for the night.

EDIT 3/4/36 -- I did some indoor planting with my new seed-starting kit. I potted up sprouting seeds of Ambrosia apple, Ginger Gold apple, Pink apple, and yellow pear. I put 2 sprouts in each cell, 3 cells per variety, so 6 of each variety and 24 total. I don't expect them all to live, but that's okay; I have plenty.

The dibble that came with the seed-sprouting kit works quite well to make holes in the small space available. The tiny shovel on the other end is just the right size for the little cells; tedious to fill, but effective. If I wanted to do them all at once, I'd probably lay out all six trays and just dump seed-starting mix over the top, then brush it into the cells. I am less pleased with the Back to the Roots seed-starting mix. It's way too chunky for tiny seeds. I can still use it to pot up things like wildflowers, and the squash seeds will probably be fine too, but I want to look for a different brand.

In Memphis, on Valentine's Day

Mar. 4th, 2026 12:22 pm
sovay: (Renfield)
[personal profile] sovay
Diameter of mental blast crater not diminished. Outside is absurdly springlike following the double-tap of winter that required me to shovel my mother's car out twice, once for the unexpected four inches of snow and then for the glacial swamp the succeeding sleet turned the driveway into. In the process I seem to have inherited the Bat, the stupidest motorcycle jacket I have met in my life. It doesn't have sleeves so much as it has patagia. It is covered with snaps that open into flaps and none of them into pockets. The total design suggests that it may be so heavily constructed because otherwise in a sufficiently stiff gust of wind its owner could achieve accidental unpowered flight. It looks like an opera cape with ambitions of fetish night. My mother insisted on it because I had run out to shovel the first time in my flannel shirtsleeves and the second time my corduroy coat was obviously not adequate to the slush-fall, but it was a present to my father from my grandparents about forty years ago and it looks functionally mint because he has spent most of that time avoiding ever wearing it. In its defense, it is extremely warm and also I look like a tire. There will be no photographs.

Writers land

Mar. 4th, 2026 12:20 pm
sennashi_dorei: (Default)
[personal profile] sennashi_dorei
Trying to keep up with reading, but when it comes to writing, who knows why I like this platform so much. I feel like I am living out the Internet "trail of tears". Basically, I find a website, and carve out some time in being there. Like you might go to multiple shops in a day, I try to go to multiple websites.. and if I find a social media platform, often it doesn't go that great sometimes. I don't know why they think giving a bad user experience is supposed to be good? Like, this is the awkward part right, because users supply the content, so suddenly quality of content falls onto the users, and then you might watch social media failing for how it connects people. Like, what does this mean for me as a heart surgery recipient? No such thing as quality anything, my life is a bunch of pain and complaints. I do what I can to provide useful, good, and enjoyable content, but I deserve to have my complaints, it doesn't even just help me: my problems solved can mean other peoples' problems solved too, but I think the average human alive doesn't get close enough to people with heart disease regularly enough for anything like that to settle in. So, that's a good thing, because less heart disease= better for everyone.. but unfortunately, leaves me in my isolated little corner of horror. Really struggling about it. Have a great day everyone, I have no idea how DW is so great with 全て。 元気でね、皆さん!

Strange morning

Mar. 4th, 2026 09:54 am
sennashi_dorei: (Default)
[personal profile] sennashi_dorei
Woke up, nice and leisurely paces... But as time wore on, heavy was the feeling: "I HAVE to be doing something.". Managed to make it out before 10 am, cool. Definitely still struggling tho.

Good News

Mar. 4th, 2026 12:11 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Good news includes all the things which make us happy or otherwise feel good. It can be personal or public. We never know when something wonderful will happen, and when it does, most people want to share it with someone. It's disappointing when nobody is there to appreciate it. Happily, blogging allows us to share our joys and pat each other on the back.

What good news have you had recently? Are you anticipating any more? Have you found a cute picture or a video that makes you smile? Is there anything your online friends could do to make your life a little happier?

Women's History Month

Mar. 3rd, 2026 11:06 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
March is Women's History Month.  Here are some ways to celebrate it.  Here on Dreamwidth check out communities like [community profile] girlgay[community profile] hooked_on_heroines[community profile] shes_awesome[community profile] fem_thoughts, or [community profile] historium.


Women's History Month 

Random things make a post

Mar. 3rd, 2026 05:45 pm
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[personal profile] brithistorian
  1. In one of the books I'm reading right now, they frequently make references to another researcher by the name of "Fruhstuck." On a hunch, I looked it up and saw that her name is actually "Frühstück," with umlauts over the u's, which is German for "breakfast." I suppose this is an occupational surname that you wind up with if your ancestors worked at Waffle Haus.
  2. In the past I've mentioned Cherry Bullet's "Hands Up", which uses "Für Elise" as part of the song. Today I discovered Twice Dahyun's "Chess," which uses the same song even more directly. Enjoy!
  3. The fact that I didn't get this posted during the Olympics shows how off-task I've been recently, but I've been doing better for the past couple of days, so you get the post now. This year's Games featured an odd intersection of two of my interests: The Olympics and intellectual property law. Several figure skaters had trouble getting clearance to use the music they wanted for their routines. Intellectual property law is a mess anyway, but once you're crossing pretty much every border on earth and involving major international organizations like the IOC and numerous of the world's largest broadcasters and on top of that there's a lot of money on the line, things just get even more bonkers.

Hope you're all doing well!

nevanna: (Default)
[personal profile] nevanna
The Cartoon Night squad finished our rewatch of X-Men: Evolution last week, and I’ve wanted to make this list ever since we started (if not before).

The show’s fourth season was significantly shorter than the previous three, and although it’s unclear whether the creative team knew all along that it would be their last, the final minutes of “Ascension, Part 2” suggest some understanding that this was at least a strong possibility. Still, Season 4 set up the potential for some continuing storylines even before Professor Xavier’s closing speech about The Future.

Here – in no particular order – are some things that I would have liked to see if the series had continued. I’m mostly focusing less on characters/storylines from the comics that I wanted to see adapted, and more on pre-existing narrative threads from the show itself. (The Venn Diagram of “what I wanted from canon” and “what I’d enjoy reading about in fanfic” is not a circle, but it does exist.)

Whatever awaits us, terrible or wondrous )

Poem: "Refusing to Melt"

Mar. 3rd, 2026 06:04 pm
ysabetwordsmith: (Fly Free)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This is today's freebie, inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] gs_silva. It also fills the "ribbon" square in my 3-1-26 card for the National Crafting Month Bingo fest. This poem belongs to the series Alien Romance by [personal profile] gs_silva.

Read more... )

Sigh

Mar. 3rd, 2026 06:12 pm
sennashi_dorei: (Default)
[personal profile] sennashi_dorei
I did what I could to have a nice day. Last night I had worst issues than Tonight, I am so exhausted from regular harassment. I am having a horrible time being alive pretty much. I finished my origami piece and gave it to the art store, then I made another copy. Did another ball of yarn crocheting, not coming out perfectly. Could redo it, but might just stick with it. Chest feels so so. SUUUUUUUUUPER light discomfort: still waaaaaay better than last year, but I guess just waiting to get bad again. Argh.

Birdfeeding

Mar. 3rd, 2026 12:24 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy, chilly, and wet.  It's been raining most of the morning, supposed to clear up midday, then thunderstorms today.  A beautiful day to stay indoors and write!

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and a male house finch.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 3/3/26 -- i did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 3/3/26 -- i did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

Poetry Fishbowl Open!

Mar. 3rd, 2026 11:55 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The Poetry Fishbowl is now CLOSED. Thank you for your time and attention. Please keep an eye on this page as I am still writing.

Starting now, the Poetry Fishbowl is open! Today's theme is "World Cuisine." I will be checking this page periodically throughout the day. When people make suggestions, I'll pick some and weave them together into a poem ... and then another ... and so on. I'm hoping to get a lot of ideas and a lot of poems.

I'll be soliciting ideas for cooks, fusion chefs, immigrant cooks, eaters, farmers, foragers, food scientists, inventors, recipe writers, famous figures in food history, cooks of disadvantaged groups who should have become famous, superheroes, supervillains, failure analysts, ethicists, activists, rebels, other people active in the food world, cooking, gardening, harvesting, foraging, preserving, writing recipes, discovering things, decolonizing diets, building or using kitchen equipment, conducting experiments, observation changing experiments, troubleshooting, improvising, adapting, cooperating, bartering, taking over in an emergency, discovering yourself, studying others, testing boundaries, coming of age, learning what you can (and can't) do, sharing, fixing what's broke, upsetting the status quo, changing the world, accomplishing the impossible, recovering from setbacks, kitchens, restaurants, food trucks or carts, campfires, barbecue sites, laboratories, makerspaces, nonhuman accommodations and adaptations, picnics, grocery stores, farmer's markets, roadside fruit stands, U-pick farms, gardens, food forests, other places where people make food, world cuisine, ethnic cuisines, cookbooks, online recipe archives, permaculture, heritage diets, climatarian diet, traditional foodways, culinary archaeology, food sovereignty, drought-resistant crops, trial and error, ethnic spice sets, weird food, fusion food, secret ingredients, supplements that turn out to be metagenic, new ideas in cuisine, alternate agriculture, lab conditions are not field conditions, ethics of food, innovation, problems that can't be solved by hitting, teamwork, found family, complementary strengths and weaknesses, personal growth, and poetic forms in particular.

Currently eligible bingo card(s) for donors wishing to sponsor a square:

National Crafting Month Bingo Card 3-1-26

Among my more relevant series for the main theme:

An Army of One has to figure out how to feed a diverse, far-flung group of people who sometimes have special dietary needs.

The Bear Tunnels introduces modern principles to people in the past, including some aspects of food science.

A Conflagration of Dragons has the Six Races (plus the dragons) who all have different diets. This often poses challenges for the refugees.

Daughters of the Apocalypse has people trying to find and prepare enough food to survive, when city libraries are out of reach.

Fiorenza the Wisewoman uses herbs and healing foods to care for her village.

Frankenstein's Family features two scientists running a valley in historic Romania. Igor enjoys cooking and has gotten at least one of the werewolves curious about cooking the human way.

Hart's Farm is a community with food used as one of the popular bonding methods.

Peculiar Obligations combines Quakers and pirates in the Caribbean, among other groups and places, leading to a wide variety of foods.

Polychrome Heroics has ordinary humans, supernaries, blue-plate specials, superheroes, supervillains, primal and animal soups all of whom need to eat. Primal soups and high-burn soups often have special dietary needs. Comfort food and healing food are also very popular here. The Rutledge thread includes Kardal and his food truck Syrian Foods, along with references to Vermont, French, and hippie cuisines. Pain's Gray, Shiv, and the Finns are all fond of cooking too.

The Wandering features old people who drift back in time, the first of whom lands in Goa, India.

Or you can ask for something new.

Linkbacks reveal a verse of any open linkback poem.

Read more... )

(no subject)

Mar. 3rd, 2026 10:08 am
sennashi_dorei: (Default)
[personal profile] sennashi_dorei
Happy Hina Matsuri!

Happy 雛祭!

Photos: House Yard

Mar. 2nd, 2026 10:51 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today I set up a new label for the Sharpie Oil Paint Pen Extra Fine that I bought recently. I also took some other pictures around the yard.

Walk with me ... )
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