Birdfeeding

Today is mostly sunny and cool.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 2/24/25 -- I filled 10 pots in a flat on the new picnic table. That's the last of the current bag of potting soil. I've been using Kellogg Garden Organics All-Purpose Indoor Potting Soil Organic.  It's what I could find indoors at this time of year, in a bag big enough to be worthwhile.  It's lighter than I find ideal, but hopefully it'll work.  I admit that it's much easier to carry around than the kinds I find later in spring.  I've had little luck with official seed-starting media in the past, so we'll see how this does.  It's supposed to be good for starting seeds or growing plants.  I need to get another bag, though.

EDIT 2/24/25 -- I sowed 10 pots of Little Bluestem grass, then watered them.

EDIT 2/24/25 -- I put out a new peanut suet cake for the birds.

I've seen a downy woodpecker.

EDIT 2/24/25 -- I walked around the yard looking to see what's up.  Many of the spring bulbs have sprouted and the irises have green shoots or bases of leaves.

EDIT 2/24/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 2/24/25 -- I walked around the forest yard looking for places to sow persimmon seeds.

I am done for the night.

Monday Update 2-24-25

These are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Picture Books for the Blind
Birdfeeding
Recipe: "Halloumi, Lamb, and Tomato Skillet Dish"
Birdfeeding
Philosophical Questions: Government
Poetry Fishbowl Report for February 4, 2025
Unsold Poems for the February 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl
Bullshit Jobs
Recipe: Halloumi Veggie Burgers
Birdfeeding
Communities
Follow Friday 2/21/25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Winter 2024-2025 A-I
Today's Adventures
Animal Architects
Birdfeeding
Hobbies: Candle Making
Poem: "The Brown Time"
Poem: "The Possibility of Self-actualization"
Abundance
Birdfeeding
Good News

"Not a Destination, But a Process" has 112 comments. "Online Friends Are Real Friends" has 44 comments. "The Democratic Armada of the Caribbean" has 59 comments.


The 2025 Rose and Bay Awards are still open for voting. We could use more activity in all categories, but Art, Webcomic, and Other Project have the fewest votes and thus the highest need for more. This is the last Monday notice before the polls close at the end of this month.

These are the handlers for the 2025 award season:

Art: fuzzyred Nominate art! Vote for art! (1 vote)
Fiction: curiosity Nominate fiction! Vote for fiction! (4 votes)
Poetry: fuzzyred Nominate poetry! Vote for poetry! (4 votes)
Webcomic: ysabetwordsmith Nominate webcomics! Vote for webcomics! (2 votes)
Other Project: ysabetwordsmith Nominate other projects! Vote for other projects! (2 votes)
Patron: curiosity Nominate patrons! Vote for patrons! (4 votes)

There is one open epic at present.

"Babes in the Pineywoods" belongs to the Big One. It belongs to the Big One thread of Polychrome Heroics. Bo-Art and Creamjeans talk with the Black Doctor.


The weather has been chilly and wet here. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a large flock of mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a large flock of starlings, a large flock of mourning doves, a pair of cardinals, a tufted titmouse, a goldfinch, and a downy woodpecker. Many spring bulbs are sprouting; some have been visible for months.

Rebel Badge Book

Rebel Badge Book is an option for adults who enjoyed earning scout badges and want to keep doing similar activities.  Choose your projects and earn badges!

This kind of thing is common in Terramagne, where people love using certifications to show what they've learned to do.  Activity Scouts is just one of several programs, and there are scouting options for all ages.

Moment of Silence: Roberta Flack

Singer Roberta Flack has passed away. You may know her from songs like "Where Is the Love," "The Closer I Get to You," "If Ever I See You Again," "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," and "Killing Me Softly with His Song." She will be missed.

( Read more... )

Climate Change

Arctic study urges stronger climate action to prevent catastrophic warming

Remember when 2 degrees Celsius of global warming was the doomsday scenario? Well, we're now staring down the barrel of something much worse. From the fish on your plate to the weather outside your window, everything's about to change. A new study underscores the grave risks posed by insufficient national commitments to reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
[---8<---]
The research underscores that current nationally determined contributions (NDCs) -- the promises made by nations under the Paris Agreement -- will not suffice to achieve the 2°C target, which is the threshold marking a known tipping point beyond which widespread and severe global impacts are expected. Without substantial increases in these commitments, a future characterized by extreme temperatures and profound ecological disruptions appears unavoidable. This also suggests that scientific and policy efforts to understand the future risks of climate change need to now consider what a +3 or +4 degree world means.


People aren't really trying to meet the Paris agreement. So now things are rapidly getting worse. >_<