Watermelon History

 They used to look different.

Racism in Action

 ... but this time, against a German guy.

This is why we can't have nice things.  Not just because they reject someone for being foreign or coming from somewhere they don't like.  But because he's trying to do cultural outreach to give people a glimpse of another lifestyle, and he gets attacked for it.  Racism persists because the people who try to overcome it get beaten down, run out of town, or occasionally murdered.  It's very disturbing.

Carrot History

 Thanks to technoshaman for this fascinating page about the development of domestic carrots in various colors.

Breaking Gender Stereotypes

Here's a video about breaking gender stereotypes, from the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault.

Part of what caught my attention was the opening scene with a female football player, because I write one.  Stan's teammate Fortney gets a lot of that flack.  T-America has a rule that if a school doesn't have separate teams for boys and girls, the team has to let everyone play.  Sadly they can't make everyone be nice about it, and some people are still jerks.  That doesn't just affect Fortney; it affects her teammates, too, and the people around her due to her interactions with them.

Hunt-activated Cat Feeder

Check out this video of a cat feeder.  The cat hunts around the house to find several balls.  Placing each ball into the hopper releases a small amount of cat food.

Poem: "American Wings"

This poem came out of the August 4, 2015 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from Anthony Barrette, based on his ancestor John Dunsworth Barrette. It also fills the "such a gentleman" square in my 6-1-15 card for the June Relationship Bingo fest.   This poem has been sponsored by Anthony & Shirley Barrette.


"American Wings"


John Dunsworth Barrette moved
from Baltimore, Cork, Ireland 
to America in search of
a better life for himself
and his family to be.

He toiled for years before
he saved up enough money --
such a gentleman! -- to bring
Margaret Elizabeth Maybanks
over the sea to join him.

They exchanged rings on May 25, 1851
in New Orleans, Jefferson, Louisiana.

Together they had
four daughters and four sons,
who spread out across the nation,
nestlings taking flight as soon
as their wings were grown.

From Louisiana to Illinois to Nebraska
to lands beyond they flew, always
seeking new opportunities

in a land where dreams grew
thick and golden as corn.

Poem: "The Trees That Came for a Wedding"

This poem came out of the August 4, 2015 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from Shirley Barrette and this photo. It also fills the "rejuvenation" square in my 8-1-15 card for the As You Like It Bingo fest.  This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles and Anthony & Shirley Barrette.

Warning: This poem references World War II and contains melancholy thoughts. Consider your taste and headspace before reading onward.

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Poem: "The Surface Tension of Injured Souls"

This poem is from the August 4, 2015 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from alexseanchai and moonvoice. It has been sponsored by janetmiles, Anthony & Shirley Barrette. This poem belongs to the series Polychrome Heroics.

Warning: This poem contains some intense topics. Highlight to read detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. There are descriptions of PTSD, hypervigilance, intrusive ideation, social anxiety, relationship problems, sexual harassment, canon-typical violence, and other challenges. Current support is variable. Please consider your taste and headspace before reading onward.

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Poem: "Walking with a Friend in the Dark"

This poem came out of the August 4, 2015 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from lynnoconnacht, wyld_dandelyon, and janetmiles. It also fills the "walking" square in my 5-20-15 card for the Wellness Toolbox Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It belongs to the series Hart's Farm.

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