More signs of spring
Apr. 22nd, 2025 12:15 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ribirdnerd posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
common_natureI saw my first garter snake and two snapping turtles near my local pond.
ribirdnerd posting in common_nature
Guest Post: How Illumicrate’s Platforming of "Rose in Chains" Betrays Their Values
Apr. 21st, 2025 02:24 pmhelloladies posting in ladybusinessDi talks about science fiction, fantasy, and nonfiction on her Booktube channel BookishDi and is one of the founders of the SFF book and fandom discussion show Stitch & Bitch. She can be found on BlueSky talking about books, politics, and women's sports.
On Wednesday, April 16, the UK Supreme Court issued a ruling on the legal definition of “woman” that excluded trans women. This case challenging the Equality Act was funded in large part by JK Rowling, and she celebrated the ruling with a series of disgusting, transphobic tweets. This is just her latest action to stigmatize trans women and destroy their ability to exist in public life in the UK. Coincidentally, the same day, UK based subscription box Illumicrate announced a special edition of the upcoming book, Rose in Chains by Julie Soto. This novel is based off of her hit Draco/Hermione fanfic, "The Auction", the premise of which is Voldermort winning the war and Hermione being sold into sexual slavery to Draco Malfoy. But don’t worry, he’s a good fascist and treats her well enough that she’s willing to defend the nice Nazis (I mean Death Eaters) when their actions come to trial. Plot points and names that directly identify it as HP have been changed for the trad pub release, but at its core it is still Harry Potter fanfiction.
( Read more... )
Bunny caught in passing on the lawn.
Apr. 20th, 2025 03:31 pmfull_metal_ox posting in common_natureTaken on 16 July 2023 at 19:27 US Eastern Daylight Savings Time.
Bunnies are of course going to favor weedy green lawns over elegant stone yards punctuated with waxy sculptural ornamentals. This one looks like an Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus); Marsh Rabbits (S. palustris) (1), tend to have shorter ears, and my neighborhood strikes me as a bit too far from the water to attract them during the dry season.
It’s on alert, reacting sensibly to the arrival of a member of the deadliest of the Thousand, and so this was the only shot I was able to get before it went PATWINNNG! under the seagrape bed (the round-leaved shrub at center right, bordered by white river rocks.)
(1) Today I Learned the scientific name of the Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvilagus_palustris_hefneri
Yes; that Hugh Hefner funded endangered rabbit research, and was commemorated accordingly.
Bunnies are of course going to favor weedy green lawns over elegant stone yards punctuated with waxy sculptural ornamentals. This one looks like an Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus); Marsh Rabbits (S. palustris) (1), tend to have shorter ears, and my neighborhood strikes me as a bit too far from the water to attract them during the dry season.
It’s on alert, reacting sensibly to the arrival of a member of the deadliest of the Thousand, and so this was the only shot I was able to get before it went PATWINNNG! under the seagrape bed (the round-leaved shrub at center right, bordered by white river rocks.)
(1) Today I Learned the scientific name of the Lower Keys Marsh Rabbit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvilagus_palustris_hefneri
Yes; that Hugh Hefner funded endangered rabbit research, and was commemorated accordingly.
The black swans are already in Tashkent
Apr. 19th, 2025 08:58 pmpilottttt posting in common_natureThey have recently appeared in our city on the pond near the Japanese Garden.
For more information (in Russian), see here.
Pantry Decluttering Continues
Apr. 18th, 2025 04:37 pmthe_broken_tower posting in unclutterI went through the dry mixes and binned a half dozen or so that had either expired or were opened and half-used sometime in the past... two years? Eesh.
The lesson was learned: I only bought ONE replacement rice seasoning during today's grocery run. It's for trail food, and if that doesn't use up one packet, then they aren't worth getting again.
It's part of the new system: Each week, a couple of older/half-used items get separated out to be used for hiking food, meal planning, ingredients, whatever happens to be going on. Eventually the old stock gets cleared out, and there's a sane use:replace ratio going on.
Based on the pantry-clearing soda breads, the method is working. The sugar/nut/dried fruits shelf is half-empty now and today I could reorganize enough that there's floor space in there. It's half as crowded as it was a month ago.
- Ron S (he/him)
The lesson was learned: I only bought ONE replacement rice seasoning during today's grocery run. It's for trail food, and if that doesn't use up one packet, then they aren't worth getting again.
It's part of the new system: Each week, a couple of older/half-used items get separated out to be used for hiking food, meal planning, ingredients, whatever happens to be going on. Eventually the old stock gets cleared out, and there's a sane use:replace ratio going on.
Based on the pantry-clearing soda breads, the method is working. The sugar/nut/dried fruits shelf is half-empty now and today I could reorganize enough that there's floor space in there. It's half as crowded as it was a month ago.
- Ron S (he/him)
In the April woods
Apr. 18th, 2025 02:00 pmpuddleshark posting in common_nature
Set off to follow the path through the oak woods in the rain. Only a gentle rain at first, not cold. Not much light this morning, but still the oaks and the birches bright with new leaves, and the woods full of the song of robins, blackbirds and thrushes.
( Come and get rained on )
Remember where you were and what you were doing on 8 April 2024?
Apr. 18th, 2025 01:16 amfull_metal_ox posting in common_natureI sure do!
I’m something of an astronomy nerd; you have to understand that the great solar eclipse of 8 April 2024 was something I’d been counting down to my whole life. In my native Dayton, Ohio, I’d gotten to witness the strange begrimed 40-watt sunlight (1) and dappled crescent shadows of the partial solar eclipses of 10 May 1994 and 21 August 2017, after having gotten a fleeting confirmatory glance through SolarShields under welder’s goggles: the exercise was a bit like hunting basilisks or Medusa.
Another point is that I’m acutely homesick for the seasonal markers of the place where I spent 90+% of my life: the violets and wild chives and flowering crabapples, and the two equinoctial yellows of Moraine honeylocusts: neon chartreuse foliage in the spring, and in the fall flaming saffron—turning to orange piles of cornflake crunch beneath the feet. Even the lawn weeds here are unfamiliar.
Until a couple years in advance—by which time it was too late—I had not anticipated that, by the time the total solar eclipse at long last came to Dayton, I would be gone; behold the southern Gulf Coast of Florida’s experience of the Grand Portentuous Celestial Event.
( Continue. )
I’m something of an astronomy nerd; you have to understand that the great solar eclipse of 8 April 2024 was something I’d been counting down to my whole life. In my native Dayton, Ohio, I’d gotten to witness the strange begrimed 40-watt sunlight (1) and dappled crescent shadows of the partial solar eclipses of 10 May 1994 and 21 August 2017, after having gotten a fleeting confirmatory glance through SolarShields under welder’s goggles: the exercise was a bit like hunting basilisks or Medusa.
Another point is that I’m acutely homesick for the seasonal markers of the place where I spent 90+% of my life: the violets and wild chives and flowering crabapples, and the two equinoctial yellows of Moraine honeylocusts: neon chartreuse foliage in the spring, and in the fall flaming saffron—turning to orange piles of cornflake crunch beneath the feet. Even the lawn weeds here are unfamiliar.
Until a couple years in advance—by which time it was too late—I had not anticipated that, by the time the total solar eclipse at long last came to Dayton, I would be gone; behold the southern Gulf Coast of Florida’s experience of the Grand Portentuous Celestial Event.
( Continue. )
Sidetracks - April 17, 2025
Apr. 17th, 2025 08:46 pmhelloladies posting in ladybusinessSidetracks is a collaborative project featuring various essays, videos, reviews, or other Internet content that we want to share with each other. All past and current links for the Sidetracks project can be found in our Sidetracks tag. You can also support Sidetracks and our other work on Patreon.
( Read more... )
Accessible Zoo Visit
Apr. 17th, 2025 07:38 pmsoc_puppet posting in access_fandomNot sure if this quite qualifies here, but people are fans of animals, so why not!
![[tumblr.com profile]](https://www.tumblr.com/favicon.ico)
why-animals-do-the-thing had a colleague reach out and ask if they could help get some feedback on setting up a zoo tour for people with low vision. Honestly, I read the suggestions, and they sound pretty great, IMO.
You can check out the outlined plan over here. If you don't have a Tumblr account of your own, I'd be happy to pass on any feedback on your behalf.
You can check out the outlined plan over here. If you don't have a Tumblr account of your own, I'd be happy to pass on any feedback on your behalf.
The Friday Five for 18 April 2025
Apr. 17th, 2025 07:58 pmanais_pf posting in thefridayfiveToday's questions were brought to you by ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
tallblue.
1. Who was your first crush?
2. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
3. What is your favorite non-sexual thing you like to do with the love of your life?
4. What is one quirky habit your partner does that either annoys you or makes you grin?
5. Do you believe in monogamous relationships?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
tallblue.1. Who was your first crush?
2. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?
3. What is your favorite non-sexual thing you like to do with the love of your life?
4. What is one quirky habit your partner does that either annoys you or makes you grin?
5. Do you believe in monogamous relationships?
Copy and paste to your own journal, then reply to this post with a link to your answers. If your journal is private or friends-only, you can post your full answers in the comments below.
If you'd like to suggest questions for a future Friday Five, then do so on DreamWidth or LiveJournal. Old sets that were used have been deleted, so we encourage you to suggest some more!
Worldbuilding Ex Pinch Hits Due 22 April
Apr. 17th, 2025 06:14 pmwbv2mod posting in yuletideThanks very much if you can help! worldbuilding_exchange is a gift exchange for exploring worldbuilding topics. We have two post-deadline pinch hits for which we are seeking creators. These are due 11pm EDT on Tuesday 22 April and you can see our exchange rules here.
PH #5 - fic - Psychonauts (Video Games), Higurashi no Naku Koro ni | Higurashi When They Cry, Umineko no Naku Koro ni | When the Seagulls Cry, Mortal Kombat (Video Games 1992-2020)
PH #18 - fic for all requests, meta* for some requests - Bionicle (Generation 1) x3, Minecraft: Story Mode (Video Game, Tron - All Media Types x2, Pluto (Manga), Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies) x2
*In this exchange, "in-universe meta" is a text fanwork written in the style of a document that might be written or produced within the fictional universe.
Please see details at this post to claim!
worldbuilding_exchange is a gift exchange for exploring worldbuilding topics. We have two post-deadline pinch hits for which we are seeking creators. These are due 11pm EDT on Tuesday 22 April and you can see our exchange rules here.PH #5 - fic - Psychonauts (Video Games), Higurashi no Naku Koro ni | Higurashi When They Cry, Umineko no Naku Koro ni | When the Seagulls Cry, Mortal Kombat (Video Games 1992-2020)
PH #18 - fic for all requests, meta* for some requests - Bionicle (Generation 1) x3, Minecraft: Story Mode (Video Game, Tron - All Media Types x2, Pluto (Manga), Pirates of the Caribbean (Movies) x2
*In this exchange, "in-universe meta" is a text fanwork written in the style of a document that might be written or produced within the fictional universe.
Please see details at this post to claim!
Let's Get Literate! A Soft Apocalypse
Apr. 14th, 2025 11:56 pmrenay posting in ladybusinessAs we watch the United States get rocked by authoritarian weirdos and must weather the consequences of their dire decisions, I've been thinking a lot about apocalypses.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Trump must abide by SCOTUS in the case of Abrego Garcia: Contact your Representative
Apr. 14th, 2025 08:22 pmpetra posting in thisfinecrewWhen the Supreme Court has made a decision, as it has in the case of the wrongfully-deported Abrego Garcia, the response from the Executive cannot be "Nah." If there is no check on Trump, even in the case of his hand-picked court saying he's wrong, the Constitution is no longer functional.
( Letter for your Representative, written by a friend who wishes to remain anonymous )
Mods, can we get a "deportation" tag?
( Letter for your Representative, written by a friend who wishes to remain anonymous )
Mods, can we get a "deportation" tag?
A walk in the Nant Gwernol valley
Apr. 14th, 2025 09:07 pmcmcmck posting in common_natureAcross the footbridge into a landscape of water and rock in the Welsh hills.
Nant Gwernol in Welsh means Gwernol Stream and it's a pretty spectacular stream!
( More pics! )
Nant Gwernol in Welsh means Gwernol Stream and it's a pretty spectacular stream!
( More pics! )
Saturday Night Moon
Apr. 14th, 2025 02:51 pmyourlibrarian posting in common_nature
Wonderful color on the moon last Saturday. Several photos came out like the one below, just a bright ball of light. But we did get a few pics of the color, and I like the way the branches framed it.
( Read more... )
Week 3 - Clear Spaces
Apr. 14th, 2025 07:04 pmpeaceful_sands posting in bitesizedcleaningMoving on to week three and our clearing spaces challenges, we’re turning our attention to the kitchen. You may have an area that you want to focus on and that’s great, but if you’re searching for inspiration, try standing at the entrance to your kitchen and cast your gaze around and see what it settles on and start there. You might clear a worktop (or part of one), or you might be looking at shelves or cupboards or drawers. The aim is to clear a space to make your time in the kitchen easier.
Feel free to tell us about your achievements, even if your focus stays on another part of your home.
Have a great week.
Feel free to tell us about your achievements, even if your focus stays on another part of your home.
Have a great week.
The Forms of Decluttering
Apr. 13th, 2025 06:50 pmthe_broken_tower posting in unclutter... over the past month have been Baking and Beading.
Weekly bread has been a solution to clearing out the last of the Mysterious Unlabeled Cabinet Flour (it appears to be spelt) and various dried fruits, roots, and nuts that were lingering in their last dregs.
This week's bread contains the last of the spelt flour, crystallized ginger, and toasted almond slivers, as well as part of a container of dried currants.
Beading projects currently involve using up the last small bags of loose beads in the beading box. It's working reasonably well.
- Jack Mesa (he/him)
Weekly bread has been a solution to clearing out the last of the Mysterious Unlabeled Cabinet Flour (it appears to be spelt) and various dried fruits, roots, and nuts that were lingering in their last dregs.
This week's bread contains the last of the spelt flour, crystallized ginger, and toasted almond slivers, as well as part of a container of dried currants.
Beading projects currently involve using up the last small bags of loose beads in the beading box. It's working reasonably well.
- Jack Mesa (he/him)
Update on my decluttering
Apr. 13th, 2025 01:09 pmvysila posting in unclutterAbout two and a half weeks ago I posted that I am working hard on decluttering in prep for a cross-country move. After several years of doing the huge cleanouts, I'm down to the small stuff, the emotional/sentimental items and wow, it is so much harder now.
But in the last two weeks I found homes for 44 of my fanzines. 34 remain but I am hopeful that perhaps some of those will find homes as well. The bad news? Is that this are zines from just one of my fandoms and many boxes of zines from another fandom remain upstairs in a closet. But still, I am going to count progress because 44 zines is a very big pile!
The other project I am focusing on is to curate the family photographs and must admit I've done no work on this project in the last couple weeks. However, I have cleared my afternoon today to sort through a large pile and make decisions on them. Last time I posted here,stonepicnicking_okapi had some advice from her own photo curation project, which I plan taking to heart: 1) no photos without people 2) no photos of people I don't like and 3) no photos of people I don't know.
Onward and upward!
But in the last two weeks I found homes for 44 of my fanzines. 34 remain but I am hopeful that perhaps some of those will find homes as well. The bad news? Is that this are zines from just one of my fandoms and many boxes of zines from another fandom remain upstairs in a closet. But still, I am going to count progress because 44 zines is a very big pile!
The other project I am focusing on is to curate the family photographs and must admit I've done no work on this project in the last couple weeks. However, I have cleared my afternoon today to sort through a large pile and make decisions on them. Last time I posted here,
stonepicnicking_okapi had some advice from her own photo curation project, which I plan taking to heart: 1) no photos without people 2) no photos of people I don't like and 3) no photos of people I don't know.Onward and upward!
Spring in Northern Germany
Apr. 12th, 2025 09:03 pmrodo posting in common_natureI finally got a new camera - just in time for spring to hit. Most of the trees around here don't have any leaves yet, but a lot have started to blossom. Here's a couple of closeups from the last couple of days and weeks, as well as two pictures that show off how good my new camera is at making things look a bit moody:
First up, Purple-leaf plum blossoms:
( More under the cut )
First up, Purple-leaf plum blossoms:
( More under the cut )