meeks

This poem is spillover from the September 1, 2020 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from librarygeek. It also fills the "How do you want to do this?" square in my 9-1-20 card for the I Want Fries With That! Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series Not Quite Kansas.

Warning: This poem contains intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the more detailed warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes feeling lost, a headless chicken running around, a fight with bit character fatalities, moderate injuries to a main character, messy medical details, an imprisoned demon, torture, binding magic, demonic healing, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.

( Read more... )

Today is cloudy and cold.

I fed the birds. I've seen a large flock of sparrows plus one female and two male cardinals separately.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 2/22/26 -- I planted 3 peonies 'Sorbet Mixed' under the apricot tree. The mix includes white, light pink, and dark pink. These cost $14.98, so about $5 a root. That's a great bargain for peonies, which average $20-30 each and catalogs and the high end is downright exorbitant. So if you want peonies, look for cheap ones at home or garden stores this time of year. Due to the unseasonal warmth, the ground here is unfrozen, so I was able to plant them immediately. \o/

EDIT 2/22/26 -- I labeled and mulched the new peonies.

I put out a fresh cake of peanut suet.

EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 2/22/26 -- I started the process of trimming dead stems from the wildflower garden, which is going to take a while.

EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more trimming in the wildflower garden. I discovered a little wildflower putting up leaves, probably echinacea, possibly penstemon or something else.

EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more trimming in the wildflower garden.

EDIT 2/22/26 -- We hauled in the potting mix bags from last night.

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

EDIT 2/22/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

Today we went to the Crimson Market and made a few other stops.

( Read more... )

Today is partly sunny and chilly.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 2/21/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I put out more birdseed in the hopper feeder.

I am done for the night.

Time and Date has a [Bad username or unknown identity: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/list.html]meteor shower calendar. Next up:

Apr 22–23, 2026
Lyrids
Both Hemispheres

I picked out what to get from Edible Landscaping. There's not much left this season. I should try them in fall to see if they have a better selection then.

( Read more... )

Today's project was creating an enclosure behind the log garden. I dragged some more logs back there so I can dump dead leaves inside. That way, they'll stay put, create habitat, hold moisture, and remain available in case I want some leaf litter during the warm season. This is a good use for old logs if you have any lying around.

( Walk with me ... )

Today is partly cloudy, chilly, and windy.

I haven't fed the birds yet.  Already I've seen one male and two female house finches, plus a male cardinal.  :D

EDIT 2/20/26 -- I fed the birds.  I've seen a fox squirrel at the hopper feeder.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 2/20/26 -- Under the big mulberry tree in the house yard, I hauled several logs toward the log garden.  I am working on creating a sort of enclosure there where I can pile dead leaves.  That will contain raked-off leaves, create habitat, store moisture, and keep the leaf litter available into the growing season.

EDIT 2/20/26 -- I hauled more logs to complete the enclosure. \o/

I flushed the great horned owl from the ritual meadow when I went back there.

EDIT 2/20/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I took a few pictures of the log garden enclosure.

I've seen a large flock of sparrows and a mourning dove.

EDIT 2/20/26 -- I raked leaves away from the base of the barrel garden.  So many tulips are sprouting there!  :D

EDIT 2/20/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

New sodium ion battery stores twice the energy and desalinates seawater

A surprising breakthrough could help sodium-ion batteries rival lithium—and even turn seawater into drinking water. Scientists discovered that keeping water inside a key battery material, instead of removing it as traditionally done, dramatically boosts performance. The “wet” version stores nearly twice as much charge, charges faster, and remains stable for hundreds of cycles, placing it among the top-performing sodium battery materials ever reported.


This is super exciting because of its double benefit: battery materials and drinking water.  Also awesome, unlike rare minerals used in many batteries, sodium is something Earth has in great abundance. \o/