Mouse Trekking

Today is partly sunny, breezy, and cool. There is a frost warning for tonight, so I'm doing non-planting tasks today.

I set out my flats of plants to get some sun.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I fed the birds. I've seen a few house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I wanted to waterseal the solid-top pallet today. But while I was trying to lay out the dropcloth for that, the wind picked up so much that it wouldn't lay still no matter how I weighted the edges or middle. I had to give up and undo everything. >_< Frustrating.

EDIT 4/19/26 -- I started finishing the apothecary cabinet that I plan to use as a spice cabinet. It has doors over the shelves to block light. We set up the worktable in the garden shed and covered it with a garbage bag, then set the cabinet on top. I used an old hand towel to spread the finish, which is made of orange oil and beeswax, very pleasant to work with. I wanted something reasonably natural for a spice cabinet, although it doesn't need a finish meant for food preparation like butcher block wax. I spread on a very thin coat over the top and sides, and that will need some time to dry before I do another section. I still need to coat the inside and the back. While I don't have the woodworking skills of my parents and grandparents, I did pick up the "assistant" level skills, so I'm very pleased that I still know how to finish a piece of furniture that someone else constructed. :D






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This is the freebie for the April 2026 crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by fan art from gs_silva, plus comments on "Walnut Park" from chanter1944, wispfox, and readera. It also fills the "match" square in my 4-1-26 card for the Flower Fest Bingo. This poem belongs to the Broken Angels thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.

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Sid Krofft has passed away. He and his brother Marty created the TV show Land of the Lost, among a great many other things.  I remember that show fondly.  The age shows now, but at the time, it looked pretty cool.


Carry on the Work

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Scientists build 'living reefs' that protect coasts and keep growing

This new approach centers on a hybrid reef system. It starts with engineered materials, then lets living organisms take over.

Over time, oysters and other marine life settle in, turning the structure into a living reef that keeps getting stronger.


It turns out that humans are actually quite good at inventing reef structures that turn into excellent habitat. Various models exist for different kinds of water conditions and target species. In general though, do watch for designs with negative space inside, because those hollows provide better protection for wildlife from predators and a larger volume of habitat.

Today is cloudy and cold.  We got a good soaking rain last night.  :D

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/18/26 -- We went up to the Third Saturday Bazaar in the Otto Center, and also stopped at a greenhouse where I bought a flat of flowers and a couple extra petunias.  But then I got home to find a frost warning for Sunday night. *headdesk*

EDIT 4/18/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/18/26 -- I filled a trolley with sticks from the south lot and dumped those in the firepit.

EDIT 4/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I am done for the night.

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

How important is freedom of the press to a healthy society?

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Today is mostly cloudy and hot. It's 83°F already. :/

We went out to Market on the Prairie at the fairgrounds. This was mostly flea market stuff and a few crafters. I picked up a couple of hand-painted bookmarks and three plant stands. \o/

We also stopped at Whiteside Gardens for the last day of their Spring Spectacular. They had a craft table and a bubble station out. :D I picked up a celandine poppy and Doug got a yellow-green hosta.

The first field is sprouting with corn, which is odd because corn is a warm-season crop that won't sprout well in cold weather. Soybeans are usually sown first. The only thing I can think of is that, if someone's planting by measuring soil temperature, things are really fucked up for the soil to be corn-warm in mid-April.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I planted the new hosta with others in the forest garden.

I also moved a couple of indoor flats outside to get some sun, and uncovered the mixed plants in the water jug greenhouses.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I planted the celandine poppy in the new shade garden at the east end of the savanna.

I've seen a male cardinal and a fox squirrel with nipples. I've seen a male cardinal and a fox squirrel with nipples. I heard a bluejay screaming but didn't see it.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I was going to do more planting, but the wind has picked up so much that I just brought in the flats of seedlings instead. :/

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- We picked up sticks from about the first third of the south lot, starting at the garden shed in the east and working down to the birdgift tree. So that will be ready to mow later.

EDIT 4/17/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

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

These are the content notes for "Walnut Park."

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