Hobbies: Board Games

Folks have mentioned an interest in questions and conversations that make them think. So I've decided to offer more of those. This batch features hobbies.

Board games or tabletop games date back at least as far as behaviorally modern humanity, and possibly quite a lot farther. They involve some sort of playing piece(s), often a playing surface (originally the ground rather than a table), a set of rules, and 2+ players usually facing each other over the game area. They exist in diverse forms all around the world, but with a lot of repeating features that suggest either they travel far and wide, or they predate humanity's dispersal -- possibly both. Note that this hobby actually breaks down into a bunch of subhobbies such as designing, collecting, and playing board games as well as offshoots like studying game history, game theory and mathematics, cultural import (like chess in Europe or mah jong in Asia), touring game shops or cafés, etc.

:D This hobby has a huge list of resources for adaptive / accessible / inclusive / diverse gaming. \o/

WARNING: Flypaper for eyeballs ahead.

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Birdfeeding

Today is sunny and mild.

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

I put out water for the birds.

Grape hyacinths are blooming in more places. The pale blue ones around the forest garden are blooming. There's a purple volunteer in the middle of the house yard. :D

I put compost and mulch around the bleeding hearts to hold the jugs in place better.

A guy bought the old car sitting in the parking lot. (He's been at it half an hour at least and has finally got one end up on the flatbed truck.) With the unmovable vehicle removed from the parking lot, we want to find someone to remove the rest of the brush and put down fresh gravel. That will A) make the parking lot more functional and B) save me a ton of work bushwhacking.

EDIT 3/21/24 -- The old car is gone! \o/

I planted one of the two 'Karl Rosenfeld' peonies under the apricot tree. Then I spread compost, covered it with a jug, labeled it, and put mulch around it.

EDIT 3/21/24 -- I planted the second 'Karl Rosenfeld' peony, covered and mulched it.

EDIT 3/21/24 -- I planted one 'Festiva Maxima' white peony at the east edge of the tulip bed, covered and mulched it. This is a very old variety and probably what came with the yard back when my parents bought it.

EDIT 3/21/24 -- I planted the new bag of bleeding hearts. Once again, it contained extras.  I put the first big one in the rain garden, the second big one and four extras along the log garden under the mulberry tree.

I've seen a pair of mourning doves under the hopper feeder.

EDIT 3/21/24 -- I watered plants.

I raked brush off the driveway.

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

Harlem Renaissance

 ... started 100 years ago tonight with a dinner party, according to one source.

You never know when you're going to make history.

Birthday

My main birthday present arrived early.  :D

I've been wanting an apothecary cabinet to hold my bitters and other kitchen alchemy supplies.  This is what I found.  It has two shelves in the middle, so three interior places to put stuff, plus the exterior top for spice jars or whatever, and it has three little pegs on the bottom for dishtowels.  It's solid pine wood except for the lightweight backboard, heavy, the kind of construction you don't find much anymore.  It's not cheap but it's built like a brick shithouse.  :D 

It didn't come with any kind of hanger, so I took measurements and we'll see what kind of hardware we can find for that.  I also need to pick up some sort of natural finisher, like linseed oil or a wax blend.  Again, I'll have to look at what's available.  I am reasonably confident of my ability to manage a decent finish with simple materials, since I've done that before.  It reminds me of stuff we used to buy at the Unfinished Furniture Store when I was little, and finish at home usually with stain.