Lunar Eclipse

The lunar eclipse has reached totality here in central Illinois and we have a nice clear sky.  It's a very dark eclipse, blotting out the moon almost completely and making the sky quite dark.  Most I've seen have just had a red or pink tint but the moon remained fairly visible.  If your sky is cloudy, there are livestreams like this one.

Gully Stuffing

This video explains how to repair eroded gullies by cramming them with cut brush.  Compare with gabions, which are rock walls also used to slow water, trap sediment and biomass, and let that sink into the ground.  Gully stuffing is another technique for fixing what humans broke and restoring habitat.  The improved watershed then benefits humans as well as wildlife.

Birdfeeding

Today is sunny, windy, and warm. It was 71°F outside last I checked.

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

I put out water for the birds.

The first daffodil is starting to bloom under the maple tree! :D 3q3q3q!!!

EDIT 3/14/25 -- I started trimming grass around the wildflower garden, so I can later access the middle for clearing. This will be a LOT of work, and already the weather is warm for it -- I should need a jacket before the work warms me up. :/

I saw a bumblebee in the rain garden again. :D I also spotted a phoebe, a robin, and two crows.

EDIT 3/14/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I've seen several mourning doves and several grackles.

The temperature is up to 77°F and Doug said the car was reading 83°F when he went out earlier.  O_O

EDIT 3/14/25 -- I finished trimming around the border of the wildflower garden. However, I'm starting to get tender spots on my hands from using the grass shears. That means I need to switch to a different task.

See "How to Avoid Blisters from Yardening."

EDIT 3/14/25 -- I raked leaves away from two saplings in the savanna.

I've seen a male cardinal and a fox squirrel in the forest garden.

EDIT 3/14/25 -- I raked leaves away from the oak sapling in the savanna.

EDIT 3/14/25 -- I raked leaves away from the redbud tree in the savanna.

EDIT 3/14/25 -- I raked leaves away from three saplings in the savanna.

I looked for the tiny female flowers on the hazelnut bush, and there they were, right at the tips of the twigs!  They look like tiny, kissing lips painted fuck-me red, smaller than a pinhead.  :D  I had never noticed them before, they're that small.

I am done for the night.

How to Plan a Food Forest

Yesterday we talked about growing plants. Today we've refined that to starting a food forest with a primary focus on fruit.

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How to Avoid Blisters from Yardening

Refer back to this post for safety tips.  Gosh, it's 10 years old now!  :D 

Bird Apocalypse

US bird populations continue alarming decline

2025 State of the Birds Report calls for urgent conservation action.
The 2025 U. S. State of the Birds Report, produced by a coalition of leading science and conservation organizations, reveals continued widespread declines in American bird populations across all mainland and marine habitats, with 229 species requiring urgent conservation action.

The release of the 2025 U.S. State of the Birds report was announced today at the 90th annual North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Louisville, Kentucky. The report, produced by a coalition of leading science and conservation organizations, reveals continued widespread declines in American bird populations across all mainland and marine habitats, with 229 species requiring urgent conservation action. The report comes five years after the landmark 2019 study that documented the loss of 3 billion birds in North America over 50 years.

Key findings from the new report show that more than one-third of U.S. bird species are of high or moderate conservation concern, including 112 Tipping Point species that have lost more than 50% of their populations in the last 50 years. That includes 42 red-alert species facing perilously low populations, such as Allen's Hummingbird, Tricolored Blackbird, and Saltmarsh Sparrow -- birds that are at risk without immediate intervention.


Remember what I just said about the butterfly apocalypse? No butterflies and moths --> no caterpillars --> no birds, because most terrestrial birds raise their chicks on nature's hotdogs.

Poem: "Of Greater Value"

Based on an audience poll, this is the freebie for the March 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl reaching its $200 goal. It came out of the February 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from alchemicink and also fills the "Our Special Place" square in my 2-1-25 card for the Valentines Bingofest. This poem belongs to the series Daughters of the Apocalypse.

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Follow Friday 3-14-25: Ghosts

Today's theme is Ghosts.  See my Follow Friday Master Post for more topics.

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Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos Part 2b: What Is a Fanifesto? cast list & character study"

This is a new meta entry for marchmetamatterschallenge 2025. See my tracking post here. Also, the first writing prompt is to write a fanifesto.

Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 1: The Importance of Fanifestos
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 2a: What Is a Fanifesto? intro & canon guide
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 2b: What Is a Fanifesto? cast list & character study
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 2c: What Is a Fanifesto? ship manifesto & milieu study
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 2d: What Is a Fanifesto? plot analysis & crossovers
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 2e: What Is a Fanifesto? trope manifesto & format guide
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 2f: What Is a Fanifesto? personal manifesto & others
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 3: Benefits of Fanifestos
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 4: Drawbacks of Fanifestos
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 5a: Contents of a Fanifesto statement to tropes
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 5b: fanon to other aspects
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 6: How to Write a Fanifesto
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 7a: Where to Find Fanifestos location types & communities
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 7b: fanifestos A-E
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 7c: fanifestos F-I
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 7d: fanifestos J-R
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 7e: fanifestos S-Z
Meta: "Why We Need Fanifestos" Part 8: My Fanifestos

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