Wildlife
Sep. 13th, 2025 02:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithNo one knows what these strange larvae grow into
Constructing the tree of life for parasitic barnacles and their relatives.
Not all barnacles just sit on rocks and ships. Some invade crabs, growing like a parasitic root system that hijacks their bodies. A mysterious group called y-larvae has baffled scientists for over a century, with no known adult stage. Genetic evidence now reveals they’re related to barnacles and may also be parasites — lurking unseen inside other creatures.
Constructing the tree of life for parasitic barnacles and their relatives.
Not all barnacles just sit on rocks and ships. Some invade crabs, growing like a parasitic root system that hijacks their bodies. A mysterious group called y-larvae has baffled scientists for over a century, with no known adult stage. Genetic evidence now reveals they’re related to barnacles and may also be parasites — lurking unseen inside other creatures.
Birdfeeding
Sep. 13th, 2025 01:57 pmysabetwordsmithToday is partly sunny and hot.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds. The honeybees had drained the metal birdbath again.
9/13/25 -- I assembled the large terrarium with a polka dot plant and a fern.
9/13/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
9/13/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
9/13/25 -- I watered the patio plants.
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.
I put out water for the birds. The honeybees had drained the metal birdbath again.
9/13/25 -- I assembled the large terrarium with a polka dot plant and a fern.
9/13/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
9/13/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
9/13/25 -- I watered the patio plants.
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
Safety
Sep. 13th, 2025 12:41 pmysabetwordsmithI’m exhausted but am surviving. How can I heal from burnout without expensive time off?
You can't. Burnout comes from exceeding your capacity over the long term, doing more than your body and mind can handle sustainably. It can permanently injure you. It can kill you. As long as you continue overworking yourself, burnout will get worse. Before you can heal a knife wound, you must first remove the knife.
( Read more... )
You can't. Burnout comes from exceeding your capacity over the long term, doing more than your body and mind can handle sustainably. It can permanently injure you. It can kill you. As long as you continue overworking yourself, burnout will get worse. Before you can heal a knife wound, you must first remove the knife.
( Read more... )
Philosophical Questions: Rights
Sep. 13th, 2025 03:24 amysabetwordsmithPeople have expressed interest in deep topics, so this list focuses on philosophical questions.
What is the most important right our government allows for?
Liberty. With that, you can get most of the others; without it, you're screwed.
Life is also important, but America has ample evidence of people valuing freedom over mere survival.
Though I should point out that the government is terrible at supporting rights. Most things have devolved in to paid privileges or prizes for winning the crotch lottery.
What is the most important right our government allows for?
Liberty. With that, you can get most of the others; without it, you're screwed.
Life is also important, but America has ample evidence of people valuing freedom over mere survival.
Though I should point out that the government is terrible at supporting rights. Most things have devolved in to paid privileges or prizes for winning the crotch lottery.
Poem: "The Most Precious Heritage"
Sep. 12th, 2025 10:17 pmysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the August 5, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from librarygeek, chanter1944, and see_also_friend. It also fills the Deep Waters square in my 8-1-25 card for the Crime Classics Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony Barrette. It belongs to the Rutledge thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.
Warning: This poem is mostly fluff about a language nest, but it contains a few intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes refugees, a grandmother raising two grandchildren as the last survivors of their extended family, impact of war on childhood development, family adoption due to child marriage and a deadbeat father, children playacting graphic scenes of war and death, reference to parental death in a car crash, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
librarygeek, chanter1944, and see_also_friend. It also fills the Deep Waters square in my 8-1-25 card for the Crime Classics Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony Barrette. It belongs to the Rutledge thread of the Polychrome Heroics series.Warning: This poem is mostly fluff about a language nest, but it contains a few intense and controversial topics. Highlight to read the warnings, some of which are spoilers. It includes refugees, a grandmother raising two grandchildren as the last survivors of their extended family, impact of war on childhood development, family adoption due to child marriage and a deadbeat father, children playacting graphic scenes of war and death, reference to parental death in a car crash, and other challenges. If these are sensitive issues for you, please consider your tastes and headspace before reading onward.
( Read more... )
Low-Carb Meatloaf Recipes
Sep. 12th, 2025 12:41 pmysabetwordsmithI got to talking about low-carb meatloaf ideas with a friend. There are plenty of options. I'll sort out some ingredient lists and include some recipes. If I were starting from scratch, though, I'd probably go with meat, onions, and mushrooms at 1:1:1 because that is delicious, moist, meaty in texture, low in carbs, and lower in calories than pure meat. Sage, juniper, and sea salt is a traditional seasoning but you can use others. Then just think what binder to add, probably egg.
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Birdfeeding
Sep. 12th, 2025 05:52 pmysabetwordsmithToday is partly sunny and hot. It's 89°F in mid-September. :P
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches. I saw a fox squirrel running through the trees along the east edge of the yard.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 9/12/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 9/12/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 9/12/25 -- I watered the new picnic table, telephone pole garden, and a few of the savanna seedlings.
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches. I saw a fox squirrel running through the trees along the east edge of the yard.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 9/12/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 9/12/25 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 9/12/25 -- I watered the new picnic table, telephone pole garden, and a few of the savanna seedlings.
As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
Sustainability
Sep. 11th, 2025 11:01 pmysabetwordsmithDesigning for Decay
The products of growth-driven design are easy to recognize. They gleam. They dominate. They shout, “I will last forever.” From reinforced skyscrapers to single-use electronics, the ideology is the same: resist entropy at all costs.
( Read more... )
The products of growth-driven design are easy to recognize. They gleam. They dominate. They shout, “I will last forever.” From reinforced skyscrapers to single-use electronics, the ideology is the same: resist entropy at all costs.
( Read more... )
Poem: "But an Empty Shell"
Sep. 11th, 2025 04:25 pmysabetwordsmithThis poem came out of the July 1, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by a prompt from dialecticdreamer. It also fills the "Independent Woman" square in my 7-1-25 card for the Western Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony Barrette. It belongs to the Kraken thread of the Polychrome Heroics series and is the prequel to "Beautiful, Damn Hard, Increasingly Useful."
( Read more... )
dialecticdreamer. It also fills the "Independent Woman" square in my 7-1-25 card for the Western Bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by Anthony Barrette. It belongs to the Kraken thread of the Polychrome Heroics series and is the prequel to "Beautiful, Damn Hard, Increasingly Useful."( Read more... )
Today's Cooking
Sep. 11th, 2025 05:09 pmysabetwordsmithToday I'm making Edwards family meatloaf. :D This should go well with what's left of the tomato-basil bread, which is about half gone now.