Birdfeeding

Jan. 25th, 2026 12:32 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
It snowed yesterday, probably about 4 inches.  The ground is covered.  The trees still have a little sticking to them, but this is light fluffy snow so most has already fallen off.  The temperature is frigid.

I haven't been out to feed the birds yet, but they're active.  I've seen a flock of sparrows, a flock of mourning doves, two starlings, and a downy woodpecker.









.
 

Today's Cooking

Jan. 24th, 2026 11:57 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today I'm making  Healthy Spice Quick Bread. This way we'll have something that isn't cold to go with the apple topping.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- The spice bread turned out pretty well.  The flavor is good, not particularly strong, a little on the dry side -- but it works great with the apple topping and probably would with any other wet topping. \o/

Free Epic Poll

Jan. 24th, 2026 11:53 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
The January 6, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl has made its $200 goal, so you get a free epic. Everyone is eligible to vote in this poll. I will keep it open at least until Sunday night. If there's a clear answer then, I'll close it; otherwise I may leave it open a little while longer. Here are your options...


"A Fountain of Energy"
Johan practices with his abilities.
70 lines

"Once the Avalanche Has Begun"
A foolish choice in a neighboring town makes life challenging for Shaeth's followers.
70 lines


Poll #34116 Free Epic for the January 6, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 8


Which of these should be the free epic?

View Answers

"A Fountain of Energy"
2 (25.0%)

"Once the Avalanche Has Begun"
6 (75.0%)

Poem: "lacquerware poet"

Jan. 24th, 2026 09:26 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
This poem came out of the January 6, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from [personal profile] siliconshaman. It has been sponsored by [personal profile] fuzzyred.


lacquerware poet
haiku in and haiku out --
beauty? or cheating?


* * *

Notes:

Haiku is a form of poetry, first made popular in Japan, which has become appreciated around the world. Haiku poets are challenged to convey a vivid message in only 17 syllables.

The Machines Are Coming, and They Write Really Bad Poetry

Warming Spices

Jan. 24th, 2026 02:28 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Warming spices have hot, aromatic qualities. They encourage body heat; they go well with other thermogenic foods. Their scent evokes warmth and comfort. That makes them ideal for cold days. Browse a list of warming spices; you probably have some in your cabinet already. Here is a FAQ list. Screw winter, make something redolent.

Read more... )

music collection review, more, again

Jan. 24th, 2026 04:09 pm
thedarlingone: MacGyver captioned "im in ur library shushin ur books" (shushin ur books)
[personal profile] thedarlingone
okay, where did I leave off... right, Big Band Hits of the '30s, for which Sovay has helped me identify the correct artist but I do not have the energy right now to match instrumental tracks by ear. I can tackle that at some other point.

Read more... )

I think I'll call it there at least for a bit. I'm having a very low energy day.

(no subject)

Jan. 24th, 2026 07:55 pm
thisbluespirit: (winslow boy)
[personal profile] thisbluespirit
Some things that I have had stashed away for a little while:

1. [personal profile] sovay very kindly sent me a copy of Exit Through the Fireplace by Kate Dunn, which was waiting for me at the new house when I got here. It is about repertory theatre with lots of accounts on every aspect from actors and others involved, including a lot of people I have watched in old telly, so I enjoyed it a lot.

But having only recently before tried to make a post explaining what I loved about Terence Rattigan's plays, including floundering about trying to say how effective his dialogue is, I was v pleased to find this quote:

John Moffatt: (On being in rep, and the difficulty of remembering the lines, doing a new play every week): "You got to know who the good writers were. With Rattigan you barely had to learn it at all, even after just blocking it you almost knew it because it is so beautifully written. The only way to reply to something that has just been said is what he's written."


2. Talking of people being kind, [personal profile] swordznsorcery wrote me a lovely Sapphire & Steel story with a new Element and a stealth crossover very RTMI here, and if you also like S&S, I recommend taking a look, as it's great! <3


3. The book I was reading introduced me to the utterly untrue but very S&S like urban myth/ghost story of the Zanetti Train. Sounds like an Assignment to me, or a film I would watch, anyway. (It seems to have been taken from a Ukrainian work of fiction, most likely - certainly not one detail of it has any truth in it).


4. Making personalised bingo cards proved to be exactly in my wheelhouse right now, so I had fun with that. If anyone missed it the other day and would like one, feel free to still ask! (Here or there, whatever).


5. Random AO3 tag found while wrangling that is currently amusing me: It is literally just Twelfth Night but with Moomins.


Otherwise still slowly progressing and all that etc etc etc.

Snow

Jan. 24th, 2026 02:03 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
A major storm is sweeping over America.  Here it has just started to snow.

Here is a post about keeping water liquid for birds. If you have feeders, make sure they're full.

Looking for something to do?  Buy Nothing Day has links to many crafts and other activities.

Birdfeeding

Jan. 24th, 2026 01:28 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is cloudy and frigid.  The first fine snowflakes are beginning to fall.  Much snow is predicted for the weekend.

I fed the birds.  I've seen several sparrows, a pair of cardinals plus an extra male, and a starling.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I also put  more seed in the hopper feeder, so that's full in case snow covers the ground.  I've seen one female and four male cardinals.

Snow is still dusting down, just enough to leave a white film over flat things and pockets in the grassl.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

The birds have disappeared, likely holed up somewhere sheltered.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- I brought in more firewood for the woodstove.

I've seen birds off and on, plus a fox squirrel.

EDIT 1/25/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

Snow has made a light layer of frosting over everything.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.


catness: (flowers)
[personal profile] catness
Snowflake Challenge: A warmly light quaint street of shops at night with heavy snow falling.

Challenge #12

Make an appreciation post to those who enhance your fandom life. Appreciate them in bullet points, prose, poetry, a moodboard, a song... whatever moves you!


ugh

Jan. 24th, 2026 11:00 am
scifirenegade: (unimpressed | jessica)
[personal profile] scifirenegade
This is the second spam comment I get on AO3. Logged-in account. The bots are getting accounts! Both affected fics were from teeny-tiny fandoms (one was Denouement, which has been there for a year, so it's not like they're only targetting new fics).

It's also really funny they want me to "commission them". Most of my stuff IS art. If I want to "bring my stories to life" I can just go and do it without getting scammed :)

I'm lucky I haven't gotten the nasty ones who insult me or whatever.

Watch "Stay at Home"

Jan. 24th, 2026 04:43 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
A friend from Tennessee shared this video made by a nearby police station, a parody of "Let It Snow." Bear in mind that they're expecting a lot of snow, in an area that rarely gets any, so folks have neither the experience nor the equipment to deal with heavy snow safely.

Philosophical Questions: Rights

Jan. 24th, 2026 01:01 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

Under our government are there any rights that you have but shouldn’t? How about rights you don’t have but should?

Read more... )


Recipe: "Apple Topping"

Jan. 23rd, 2026 11:52 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today I made apple topping. A slight tactical error: all we have to pour it over is vanilla ice cream, and the weather is currently subzero. 0_o Perhaps tomorrow I'll make something else to go with it.

Read more... )

New Year's Resolutions Check In

Jan. 23rd, 2026 08:04 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
We've passed the third week of January. This includes more of the dropoff days: January 17, January 19, and the third Friday.

It's good for people to make their own plans, with help if wanted or needed. Variations of "How is that working for you?" are used to gauge progress. Here's an example from Brief Action Planning with a flow chart. This concept applies to most problem-solving situations, and it's something that anyone can learn to use.

The above approach is a shorthand version of the engineer problem-solving method. It requires following several steps such as defining a problem, brainstorming solutions, testing a solution, evaluating results, and making changes if necessary.

Read more... )


Affordable Housing

Jan. 23rd, 2026 03:07 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Cities Must Fix Inspections

Think permitting and inspections reform don't matter? Listen to this hellish account.

Read more... )

Birdfeeding

Jan. 23rd, 2026 01:42 pm
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Today is partly sunny and cold.  Heavy snow and deep cold are predicted for the weekend. :/

I fed the birds.  I've seen a small flock of sparrows and a male cardinal.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 1/23/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen a large flock of sparrows and a female downy woodpecker.

EDIT 1/23/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 1/23/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night. 

Snowflake Challenge 12: Appreciation

Jan. 23rd, 2026 04:02 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith
Snowflake Challenge 12: Appreciation

Today's challenge is all about delivering appreciation where it's due. Who makes your fandom life better?

Make an appreciation post to those who enhance your fandom life. Appreciate them in bullet points, prose, poetry, a moodboard, a song... whatever moves you!



An old-fashioned ornament of two young girls bundled up in coats and walking side by side is nestled amidst pine boughs.

Read more... )

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