jessicasteiner | Reading

Here is my card for the Pride Fest Bingo over in

allbingo. The fest runs from June 1-30. (See all my 2025 bingo cards.)

If you'd like to sponsor a particular square, especially if you have an idea for what character, series, or situation it would fit -- talk to me and we'll work something out. I've had a few requests for this and the results have been awesome so far. This is a good opportunity for those of you with favorites that don't always mesh well with the themes of my monthly projects. I may still post some of the fills for free, because I'm using this to attract new readers; but if it brings in money, that means I can do more of it. That's part of why I'm crossing some of the bingo prompts with other projects, such as the Poetry Fishbowl.

Underlined prompts have been filled.

PRIDE FEST BINGO CARD

Friendship	Questioning	Growth	Support	Inclusion
Butch / Femme	Genderqueer	Curious	Aroace	Two-Spirit
Activism	Rainbow	WILD CARD	Found family	Queerplatonic
Identity	Bisexual / biromantic	Polyamorous	"I'd rather eat cake"	Hope
Unlabeled	Community	Comfort	Belonging	Validation

Current Mood: busy

Backyard feeders changed the shape of hummingbird beaks, scientists say

According to a recent study in Global Change Biology, a journal focused on environmental change, the use and prevalence of hummingbird feeders — like those red and clear plastic ones filled with homemade sugar water — changed the size and shape of the birds' beaks. The range of the hummingbird also spread from the southern part of California all the way up the West coast into Canada.

"Very simplified, the bills get longer and they become more slender, and that helps to have a larger tongue inside that can get more nectar from the feeder at a time," says Alejandro Rico-Guevara, a professor of biology at the University of Washington and senior author on the study.

Current Mood: busy

These are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Photos: South Lot
Photos: House Yard
Climate Change
Birdfeeding
National Pollinator Month
History
Activism
Climate Change
New Year's Resolutions Check In
Birdfeeding
Queernorm
Philosophical Questions: Country
Bingo
Follow Friday 5-30-25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Spring 2025 A-I
Birdfeeding
Mines
Domestic Labor and Community Building Rec List
Birdfeeding
Today's Adventures
Birdfeeding
Cuddle Party

"Not a Destination, But a Process" has 136 comments. "The Democratic Armada of the Caribbean" has 87 comments.

There will be a Poetry Fishbowl on Tuesday, June 3 with a theme of "Gentleness Is Strength." I hope to see you there!

"In the Heart of the Hidden Garden" belongs to the Antimatter and Stalwart Stan thread of the Polychrome Heroics series. It needs $86 to be fully funded. Lawrence shows Stan around the campus at the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

The weather was cool recently and is now warmer. Seen at the birdfeeders this week: a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, several mourning doves, several robins, a male and a female cardinal, two brown thrashers, a starling, a catbird, a blackbird, a grackle, an adult male fox squirrel, a young fox squirrel, and a skunk. Bats are flying overhead, and I saw the first fireflies! :D Asiatic lilies, astilbe, and snowball bush have flower buds. Irises, alliums, and Washington hawthorn are done blooming. Peonies are winding down. Currently blooming: dandelions, honeysuckle, pansies, violas, marigolds, petunias, red salvia, wild strawberries, verbena, lantana, sweet alyssum, zinnias, snapdragons, blue lobelia, perennial pinks, impatiens, oxalis, moss rose, yarrow, red coreopsis, anise hyssop, firecracker plant, tomatoes, tomatillos, privet, mock orange, dogwood. Raspberries, blackberries, and tomatoes have green fruit. Cherries and mulberries have pink fruit. Wild strawberries are ripe.

Current Mood: busy

Today is partly cloudy and warm.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I finished trimming along the south end of the forest garden. I still need to do the outside edge along the patio, before working on the interior.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I trimmed along the patio side of the forest garden.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I started trimming brush in the forest garden.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I trimmed more brush in the forest garden.

I've seen a fox squirrel.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I watered the new picnic table garden and the septic garden.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I watered the patio plants and the old picnic table garden.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I watered the telephone pole garden and the savanna seedlings.

EDIT 6/2/25 -- I watered the prairie garden patch.

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

Current Mood: busy

These photos of the south lot are from Sunday, but posted after midnight so it says Monday.

( Walk with me ... )

Current Mood: accomplished

These pictures are from Sunday, but it's after midnight, so the post says Monday.

( Walk with me ... )

Current Mood: accomplished

Science Newsfrom research organizations

Anthropologists have examined the societal consequences of global glacier loss. This article appears alongside new research that estimates that more than three-quarters of the world's glacier mass could disappear by the end of the century under current climate policies.

Their article appears alongside new research that estimates that more than three-quarters of the world's glacier mass could disappear by the end of the century under current climate policies. While the study projects the physical outcomes of glacial melt, Howe and Boyer highlight the social impacts and human stories behind the statistics -- from disrupted ecosystems and endangered cultural heritage to funeral rites held for vanished ice.

Current Mood: busy

Today is partly cloudy and mild.

I haven't fed the birds yet. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, two mourning doves, and a blackbird.

I took some pictures in the house yard and south lot.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I fed the birds.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.

The 'Pink Berkeley' has a green tomato, second to fruit after the two 'Chocolate Sprinkles' plants.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I watered the patio plants.

I started trimming weeds around the forest garden.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I watered the new picnic table and other plants around the house yard.

I watered the septic garden.

I've seen a fox squirrel.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I watered seedlings in the savanna.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I planted 3 white peach seeds in pots.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I trimmed more weeds around the forest garden.

Pie cherries and mulberries have pink fruit. Astilbe and snowball bush have buds.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I trimmed more weeds around the forest garden.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I trimmed more weeds around the forest garden.

EDIT 6/1/25 -- I trimmed more weeds around the forest garden.

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

Current Mood: busy

June is National Pollinator Month. The most famous pollinators are butterflies and bees. However, other animals such as bats and rodents also serve. Among birds, the best known are hummingbirds (North and South America), but sunbirds (Africa) and honeyeaters (Australia) are important too. Also bear in mind that caterpillars are nature's hot dogs, so attracting butterflies and moths will also feed birds. It takes about 10,000 caterpillars to fledge a clutch of chickadees! Here are some ways to celebrate National Pollinator Month ...

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

The Best Part of Researching Trans History Is When I’m Wrong

Lost pieces are being found, and pictures are coming together after generations of obscurity.

If you or your people are being hunted, write down your history and culture. Copy it. And then scatter it as widely as you possibly can. Hide it in walls, under floorboards, tuck it into other books. Stamp it on clay, fire it, and drop the tablets into a landfill because archaeologists always know to look for middens. Fling the copies so far that your enemies will never find them all. And then you can speak your truth to the future and the listening ears who come after.

Now is the perfect time for this kind of activism. It's something anyone can do. It's cheap and easy. Just pick any thing the fuckwits in charge want to suppress, and work against that to preserve it. You can do this every time they piss you off.

Current Mood: busy

"In our America: All people are Equal; Love Wins; Black Lives Matter; Immigrants & Refugees are Welcome; Disabilities are Respected; Women are in Charge of their Bodies; People & Planet are Valued over Profits; Diversity is Celebrated."

Available as a flag, sign, sticker, and various other formats.

Regrettably in local-America, people will probably vandalize this, but it's there if you want it anyway. *ponder* Or as bait if you're trying to trap thugs.

Current Mood: busy

Scientists believe penguin poop might be cooling Antarctica — here's how

In a paper published on Thursday in the journal Communications Earth and Environment, they describe how ammonia wafting off the droppings of 60,000 birds contributed to the formation of clouds that might be insulating Antarctica, helping cool down an otherwise rapidly warming continent.

Current Mood: busy

We made it to the end of May! \o/ If you have completed some of your short-term goals or subgoals, and/or you're still chugging away at your ongoing goals, then pat yourself on the back. You worked hard for that. We've also passed through of spring. If you're doing seasonal goals, hopefully you have finished the spring one(s), so you can look ahead to the summer batch.

This year I'm trying something new, continuing to track goals at the end of each month. So far it seems to be helping, so that's encouraging. I'm looking at my goal list more often and trying to keep ticking off more of them. The main drawback is that this update becomes more of a chore each month.

These are the previous check in posts:
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 4
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 10
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 17
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 24
New Year's Resolutions Check In January 31
New Year's Resolutions Check In February 28
New Year's Resolutions Check In March 31
New Year's Resolutions Check In April 30

( Read more... )

Current Mood: accomplished

Today is partly sunny and mild.

I haven't fed the birds yet. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches. Recently the house finches have been all over the thistle feeder.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I fed the birds. I've seen a grackle and a robin.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I pulled and trimmed weeds around the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I pulled and trimmed more weeds around the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I pulled and trimmed more weeds around the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I pulled and trimmed more weeds around the purple-and-white garden. I am most of the way around the outside now.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I finished trimming weeds around the outside of the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I started trimming weeds inside of the purple-and-white garden.

I've seen a male cardinal and a male fox squirrel. Several sparrows were splashing in the red birdbath. I've seen a skunk on the patio.

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I started trimming weeds inside of the purple-and-white garden. \o/

EDIT 5/31/25 -- I watered the patio plants.

Privet is blooming, with a heavy, honeyed scent, a little salty.

I've seen two bats flying around the edges of the yard, and the first several fireflies. :D

Current Mood: busy

Linkspam: Metas on SFFsetting Queernormativity and D/s (Reply)

My feelings about queernormative worlds in SFF is that I can often enjoy it, but I rarely believe it.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

People have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.

If you could start a country from scratch, what would it be like?

Like this. :D

"The Evolution of Society as a Whole"

"The Most Effective Weapons"

Current Mood: busy

This is the May community post for

allbingo. What were your bingo activities during May? What are your plans for June?

For May we had:
[new] Colors Bingo Fest hosted by

silvercat17
Inspired by the kind of prompts in

rainbowlists, this is a bingo format challenge based on creative color names and related concepts.
Posting will be from May 1-31.

For June we will have:
[new]
Pride Fest hosted by

drabblewriter
Celebrate ALL the orientations!
Posting will be June 1-30.

Current Mood: busy

I have made bingo down the N column of my 5-1-25 card for the Colors Fest bingo. I also have 4 extra fills.

Bingo Badge

N1 (true colors) -- "Show My True Colors" (Polychrome Heroics: Farce)
N2 (all that glitters is not gold) -- "Liberosis" (A Poesy of Obscure Sorrows)
N3 (WILD CARD: deep blue sea) -- "Ruling from Beneath" (Polychrome Heroics: Kraken)
N4 (silver-tongued) -- "Heartspur" (A Poesy of Obscure Sorrows)
N5 (riot of color) -- "Cause a Riot of Color" (Polychrome Heroics: The Big One and Shiv)

B4 (the green stuff) -- Cookie Jar Terrarium Part 2: Planting

I5 (grey area) -- "A Lens of Ice" (Polychrome Heroics: Rutledge)

G3 (caught red-handed) -- "The Care and Feeding of Supervillains" (Polychrome Heroics: Dr. Infanta and Kraken)
G4 (pale imitation) -- "The More Bizarre It Gets" (Polychrome Heroics: Trichromatic Attachments)

Current Mood: accomplished

These are active communities in Dreamwidth from Spring 2025. They include things I've posted, but only the active ones; the thematic posts also list dormant communities of interest. This list includes some communities that I've found and saved but haven't made it into thematic posts yet. This post covers A-I.

See my Follow Friday Master Post for more topics.

Highly active with multiple posts per day, daily posts, or too many to count easily
Active with (one, multiple, many) posts in (current or recent month)
Somewhat active (latest post within current year, not in last month or few)
Low traffic (latest post in previous year)
Dormant (latest post before previous year, but could be revived because membership is open and posting is open to all members or anyone)
Dead (not listed because there are no recent posts, plus membership and/or posting are moderated)
Note that some communities are only active during a limited time, or only have gather posts on a certain schedule.

Themes
Follow Friday 3-7-25: Meta
Follow Friday 3-14-25: Ghosts
Follow Friday 3-21-25: Glee
Follow Friday 3-28-25: Good Omens
Follow Friday 4-4-25: Goth
Follow Friday 4-11-25: Graphic Design
Follow Friday 4-18-25: Graphics
Follow Friday 4-25-25: Halloween
Follow Friday 5-2-25: Hannibal
Follow Friday 5-9-25: Harry Potter
Follow Friday 5-16-25: Heroes
Follow Friday 5-23-25: Het

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

Today is mostly sunny and mild with a nice breeze.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/30/25 -- I trimmed grass along the west edge of the new picnic table.

EDIT 5/30/25 -- I started trimming weeds around the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 5/30/25 -- I trimmed brush along the north side of the path to the ritual meadow. That filled two trolleys.

EDIT 5/30/25 -- I trimmed more brush along the north side of the path to the ritual meadow. That filled two trolleys.

EDIT 5/30/25 -- I finished trimming brush along the north side of the path to the ritual meadow.

EDIT 5/30/25 -- I trimmed weeds around the birdgift apple tree.

I've seen a catbird, a mourning dove, and a fox squirrel.

EDIT 5/30/25 -- I pulled weeds around the maple tree and the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 5/30/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

.

Current Mood: busy

Profile

Jessica Steiner

February 2016

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Page generated Jun. 10th, 2025 05:10 am

Lawyer and Writer

Reading

Pride Fest Bingo Card 6-2-25

Hummingbirds

Monday Update 6-2-25

Birdfeeding

Photos: South Lot

Photos: House Yard

Climate Change

Birdfeeding

National Pollinator Month

History

Activism

Climate Change

New Year's Resolutions Check In

Birdfeeding

Queernorm

Philosophical Questions: Country

May Monthly Post

Bingo

Follow Friday 5-30-25: Active Communities on Dreamwidth Spring 2025 A-I

Birdfeeding

Profile

February 2016

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Page Summary

Style Credit

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