Cuddle Party

Everyone needs contact comfort sometimes. Not everyone has ample opportunities for this in facetime. So here is a chance for a cuddle party in cyberspace. Virtual cuddling can help people feel better.

We have a cuddle room that comes with fort cushions, fort frames, sheets for draping, and a weighted blanket. A nest full of colorful egg pillows sits in one corner. There is a basket of grooming brushes, hairbrushes, and styling combs. A bin holds textured pillows. There is a big basket of craft supplies along with art markers, coloring pages, and blank paper. The kitchen has a popcorn machine. Labels are available to mark dietary needs, recipe ingredients, and level of spiciness. Here is the bathroom, open to everyone. There is a lawn tent and an outdoor hot tub. Bathers should post a sign for nude or clothed activity. Come snuggle up!

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Birdfeeding

Today is raw outside.  It is cloudy, cold, windy, and wet.  It's been raining off and on last night and today.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a large mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, several mourning doves, a male cardinal, and a male downy woodpecker.  When I went outside I flushed a fox squirrel from somewhere near the forest garden, who ran up the maple tree.

While walking around the house yard a bit to check on what's growing, I found a fallen branch broken into multiple pieces, all completely covered with lichens.  :D  They are the perfect size to go in a terrarium, and I love lichens.  So I set them by the log garden where they'll be safe until I start building a terrarium.  Or several.  It's been years, so I might do a bit of experimenting before I build the big one, which is itself intended as a test run before I go shopping for a big beehive one like we had when I was little.  Hmm, and if I see those tiny red cup things (possibly scarlet elf cup) this spring, I'm totally going to grab them and try growing them under glass because they are gorgeous.  As you can see, my yard is highly responsive to my thoughts.  I wasn't even actively searching for materials, just scouting, and my yard was all, "Oh, we're terrarium building again?  Would you like some spectacular lichens?"  Yes, yes I would, thank you very much. <3

EDIT 3/5/25 -- I ran out of pumpkin spice blend at lunch, so I put the fresh bottle in its place.  Then I washed the old bottle and made a tiny terrarium in it.  Because why not.

EDIT 3/5/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

It's gone from spitting rain to spitting little balls of snow.

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

Poem: "Weeping Over the Trail They Almost Walked"

This poem came out of the March 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from siliconshaman and readera. It also fills the "tears" square in my 3-1-25 card for the Tolkien Bingo Fest. This poem has been sponsored by siliconshaman. It belongs to the Bear Tunnels series.

WARNING: This poem touches on genocide and historic trauma in the prime timeline, which is upsetting people in the alternate timeline. Please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.

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Recommended Reading List for the Trail of Tears Nonfiction

This is supporting material for the poem "Weeping Over the Trail They Almost Walked" sponsored by siliconshaman. While researching that, I found there were plenty of reading lists for fiction, but I couldn't find a good one for nonfiction. So I made one. Go read some history books written by the losers as well as the winners.

WARNING: The following materials cover acts of genocide and other atrocities. Please consider your tastes and headspace before deciding whether this is something you want to read.

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Watch as Mars’ moons trade places in the sky

Watch as Mars’ moons trade places in the sky in this animation on EarthSky.  I fucking love science.  :D

Making a Tiny Terrarium in a Spice Jar for Lichens

Today I made a tiny terrarium in a spice jar to hold some lichen-covered twigs.  Earlier I was out walking and spotted some good ones.  Then at lunch, I used the last of the pumpkin spice blend, so I put the fresh bottle in its place.  Then I washed the new bottle and used it to make a tiny terrarium for the lichens.

I recently bought a big jar to make a terrarium.  Spotting the twigs and spice jar reminded me of making terrariums out of random containers when I was little, usually using all found materials rather than purchased ones.  Everything but the jar came from my yard.  Total cost: $0.  Technically the jar of pumpkin spice was $4.75 but since I bought it for the spice instead of the jar, that doesn't count.  I didn't buy anything just for this project.  You can do the same thing with a bigger jar if you like.  Juice jars are often lovely, with a slightly wider mouth and sometimes decorative designs near the top.

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