Today's Cooking
Jan. 19th, 2026 08:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithToday I made Crockpot Xawaash Chicken Stew. I added some chopped cherry tomatoes. They worked pretty well, but didn't cook very evenly.
I also made Sour Cream Biscuits. We had sour cream left over from a previous recipe. Honestly, I thought these were a failure because they didn't fluff up at all. The texture is more like a dumpling than a biscuit. But they have a great sour cream flavor, and they worked quite well with the stew. If you have spare sour cream, it's worth a try.
I also made Sour Cream Biscuits. We had sour cream left over from a previous recipe. Honestly, I thought these were a failure because they didn't fluff up at all. The texture is more like a dumpling than a biscuit. But they have a great sour cream flavor, and they worked quite well with the stew. If you have spare sour cream, it's worth a try.
Snowflake Challenge 10: Moodboard
Jan. 19th, 2026 05:25 pmysabetwordsmithChallenge #10: Big Mood (Board)
CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND CREATE A MINI MOOD COLLECTION OF THREE (or more) ITEMS THAT EVOKE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT IT. You don’t have to limit yourself to visual media, or collect the items into a special format like a square (though you can if you’d like).
I’ve seen other people put together visual moodboards – assembling colors, stock photos, character stills, and other images that go together and evoke the feeling of that fandom (or story, or character). I’m not that good with visuals, so I’ll often put together playlists, or song quotes, or some mix of all of the above.
I love freeform challenges that let you choose how you want to respond, so I hope you’ll like this one! (And if you’d like a bit more direction, I have some suggestions later in this post.)
( Read more... )
CHOOSE SOMETHING YOU LOVE AND CREATE A MINI MOOD COLLECTION OF THREE (or more) ITEMS THAT EVOKE YOUR FEELINGS ABOUT IT. You don’t have to limit yourself to visual media, or collect the items into a special format like a square (though you can if you’d like).
I’ve seen other people put together visual moodboards – assembling colors, stock photos, character stills, and other images that go together and evoke the feeling of that fandom (or story, or character). I’m not that good with visuals, so I’ll often put together playlists, or song quotes, or some mix of all of the above.
I love freeform challenges that let you choose how you want to respond, so I hope you’ll like this one! (And if you’d like a bit more direction, I have some suggestions later in this post.)
( Read more... )
Safety
Jan. 19th, 2026 05:23 pmysabetwordsmithScientists trace fertilizer microplastics from fields to beaches
Tiny plastic coatings from farm fertilizers are quietly reshaping the mystery of “missing plastics” in the ocean.
Plastic-coated fertilizers used on farms are emerging as a major but hidden source of ocean microplastics. A new study found that only a tiny fraction reaches beaches through rivers, while direct drainage from fields to the sea sends far more plastic back onto shore. Once there, waves and tides briefly trap the particles on beaches before many vanish again. This helps explain why so much plastic pollution seems to disappear after reaching the ocean.
That sounds like another problem that could be reduced with a ban on using plastic to make microbeads.
Tiny plastic coatings from farm fertilizers are quietly reshaping the mystery of “missing plastics” in the ocean.
Plastic-coated fertilizers used on farms are emerging as a major but hidden source of ocean microplastics. A new study found that only a tiny fraction reaches beaches through rivers, while direct drainage from fields to the sea sends far more plastic back onto shore. Once there, waves and tides briefly trap the particles on beaches before many vanish again. This helps explain why so much plastic pollution seems to disappear after reaching the ocean.
That sounds like another problem that could be reduced with a ban on using plastic to make microbeads.
Birdfeeding
Jan. 19th, 2026 03:09 pmysabetwordsmithToday is partly sunny and cold.
I fed the birds. I've seen a flock of sparrows and a lady cardinal.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen two starlings and a male cardinal.
EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night. 5:20 and I can still see light in the west. :D
I fed the birds. I've seen a flock of sparrows and a lady cardinal.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I've seen two starlings and a male cardinal.
EDIT 1/19/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night. 5:20 and I can still see light in the west. :D
Snowflake Challenge 2026 Day 8
Jan. 19th, 2026 08:09 pmtropicsbearLike Day 3's prompt, Day 7 felt familiar so I went digging and found the entry back in 2020. I'm opting to skip Day 7 since I can't think of anything else I'd like to list, and I don't want to just reuse what I already said.
Challenge #8
Talk about your creative process.
This one's a bit tricky because I don't really have a creative process 😆 But I'll do my best to outline what I do when I want to write fanfic.
- (Usually) wait until it's after dinner so there's less chances of people interrupting me.
- Close my door and if it's already night, I close all my shades. No one can perceive me, doesn't matter if I'm writing filth or fluff.
- Look for whichever WIP file piques my interest at the moment, based on the filenames.
- If I'm just starting out, I review whatever notes I've thrown into the file and begin writing from the very start of the story. If I've already written something, I'll re-read what I have so far.
- Follow the vibes throughout. Go with the flow of consciousness and see where it takes me.
- Delete anything that doesn't fit with the current vibe I'm trying to go for. If the section's already pretty long, see if it can be salvaged and reused for a different fic.
- If stuck or running into writer's block, do a quick canon review of the specific moment that inspired me to write the fanfic.
Get distracted and end up going on a mini-binge-watch/binge-read of canon.
Honorable mentions:
- I used to not be able to write without some sort of music in the background but these days I go without.
- Very, very rarely I'll have a very rough outline for the fanfic. If I do, I'll go through one bullet point at a time, fleshing it out before deleting the bullet point.
Roundup
Jan. 19th, 2026 07:09 pmtropicsbear💼 Spent most of my work morning in calls which wasn't fun but they didn't drag as long as they could've, so I'll take it.
📺 Watched Jigokuraku S02E02 and fully jumped onto the Choubei/Touma ship. Meanwhile, I continue to view Gabimaru + Sagiri as a queerplatonic relationship because y'all cannot convince me that Gabimaru is interested in anyone romantically aside from his wife.
🍗 Had Bonchon for lunch! I've been thinking about their soy garlic chicken since the other day and decided that it was time to give into the craving. Meanwhile, dinner was a peanut butter and banana milkshake, and Vietnamese spring rolls.
Monday Update 1-19-26
Jan. 19th, 2026 02:55 amysabetwordsmithThese are some posts from the later part of last week in case you missed them:
Communities
OPN Seed Order
Website Updates
Climate Change
Birdfeeding
Poem: The Flavors of Our Days
Poetry Fishbowl Themes for Early 2026
Creative Jam
Today's Adventures
Birdfeeding
Philosophical Questions: Democracy
Greenland Defense Front
2025 Photos
Photos: Three for the Memories from 2025
New Year's Resolutions Check In
Birdfeeding
Poem: "People of Every Ethnic Persuasion"
Follow Friday 1-16-26: Leverage
Poem: "There's an Art to It"
Read "Hordes of the Khan"
Wildlife
Neighborhood Poetry
Birdfeeding
Community Thursdays
Birdfeeding
Poem: "The Most Dangerous Animal in the Zoo"
Cuddle Party
Animal Communication has 30 comments. Food has 53 comments. Trauma has 51 comments. Affordable Housing has 84 comments. Robotics has 125 comments.
( Read more... )
Communities
OPN Seed Order
Website Updates
Climate Change
Birdfeeding
Poem: The Flavors of Our Days
Poetry Fishbowl Themes for Early 2026
Creative Jam
Today's Adventures
Birdfeeding
Philosophical Questions: Democracy
Greenland Defense Front
2025 Photos
Photos: Three for the Memories from 2025
New Year's Resolutions Check In
Birdfeeding
Poem: "People of Every Ethnic Persuasion"
Follow Friday 1-16-26: Leverage
Poem: "There's an Art to It"
Read "Hordes of the Khan"
Wildlife
Neighborhood Poetry
Birdfeeding
Community Thursdays
Birdfeeding
Poem: "The Most Dangerous Animal in the Zoo"
Cuddle Party
Animal Communication has 30 comments. Food has 53 comments. Trauma has 51 comments. Affordable Housing has 84 comments. Robotics has 125 comments.
( Read more... )
Communities
Jan. 18th, 2026 09:48 pmysabetwordsmithRadical Neighbouring: The Farm Where Nothing is for Sale
This video asks a compelling question: What does a human look like who isn't a consumer?
( Read more... )
This video asks a compelling question: What does a human look like who isn't a consumer?
( Read more... )
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OPN Seed Order
Jan. 18th, 2026 05:38 pmysabetwordsmithToday we ordered seeds from OPN Seed. This completes my goal of making at least 2 catalog orders by the end of February. I still have more catalogs to go through, but I got two of the most important done. \o/
( Read more... )
( Read more... )
Art
Jan. 18th, 2026 04:24 pmysabetwordsmithxt1me posted samples of Avatar: The Last Airbender playing cards, very well designed.Website Updates
Jan. 18th, 2026 03:11 pmysabetwordsmithArtists of Destruction, Coracle Shores, Crystal Wood, Strike of the Thunderbirds, and The Wandering are all up on the Serial Poetry page. These are all small series with just a few poems, but they can grow if readers like them enough to prompt for more. Big thanks to fuzzyred for posting these.
fuzzyred for posting these.Climate Change
Jan. 18th, 2026 02:48 pmysabetwordsmithStudy explains longstanding mystery of why trees don't grow faster when CO2 levels are high
The authors are clear that their framework is a foundation, not a finish line. It explains a big, stubborn piece of the puzzle – the coupling of CO2 gain to water loss – and does so at the leaf-to-tree scale where decisions are made.
The next challenge is scaling those decisions up into regional and global climate models without smoothing away the very dynamics that matter.
( Read more... )
The authors are clear that their framework is a foundation, not a finish line. It explains a big, stubborn piece of the puzzle – the coupling of CO2 gain to water loss – and does so at the leaf-to-tree scale where decisions are made.
The next challenge is scaling those decisions up into regional and global climate models without smoothing away the very dynamics that matter.
( Read more... )
Birdfeeding
Jan. 18th, 2026 01:53 pmysabetwordsmithToday is cloudy and cold.
I fed the birds. A few sparrows approached as soon as I put seed in the fly-through feeder.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 1/18/26 -- I put out a fresh peanut suet cake.
I've seen a flock of sparrows and two male cardinals.
EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
I fed the birds. A few sparrows approached as soon as I put seed in the fly-through feeder.
I put out water for the birds.
EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.
EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
EDIT 1/18/26 -- I put out a fresh peanut suet cake.
I've seen a flock of sparrows and two male cardinals.
EDIT 1/18/26 -- I did more work around the patio.
I am done for the night.
Something l’m annoyed about
Jan. 18th, 2026 03:06 pmlexinSo, my friend “J” sent out a round robin email wishing our gaming group a Happy New Year, and outlining that he was planning a gaming get together fairly soon at a venue yet to be chosen and a time yet to be decided on. I replied, saying I’d like to come but it depends on the cost.
Nothing happened for a couple of weeks.
Then I got the following email: Me: “I’m up for it if I can afford it.”
“Him”: That's not the main issue: I'm sure we could have a whip round or something.
“I have now looked at various venues but it will be difficult to make a decision as they are so good, if diverse. Even if I confined this decision to those with bedrooms on the ground floor and disabled access, I am still doubtful that you could even manage. You could barely walk in August and I don't feel you could travel for 2-4 hours on public transport without a carer/plus size wheelchair now. Anyway, I don't want the risk of you collapsing in transit on my conscience.
“Unless I find somewhere I feel is particularly possible, participation doesn't seem viable to me. Sorry about that. I hope you understand.”
What this boils down to, shorn of its verbiage, is: I have decided that as a disabled person, you can’t manage, so I have decided you can’t come. I therefore rescind my invitation. Plus, I can’t be arsed to find a suitable venue.
Now, I don’t want to go somewhere where I wouldn’t be welcome, but I’m also well pissed off that he didn’t even ask me what kind of venue I would need.
Nothing happened for a couple of weeks.
Then I got the following email: Me: “I’m up for it if I can afford it.”
“Him”: That's not the main issue: I'm sure we could have a whip round or something.
“I have now looked at various venues but it will be difficult to make a decision as they are so good, if diverse. Even if I confined this decision to those with bedrooms on the ground floor and disabled access, I am still doubtful that you could even manage. You could barely walk in August and I don't feel you could travel for 2-4 hours on public transport without a carer/plus size wheelchair now. Anyway, I don't want the risk of you collapsing in transit on my conscience.
“Unless I find somewhere I feel is particularly possible, participation doesn't seem viable to me. Sorry about that. I hope you understand.”
What this boils down to, shorn of its verbiage, is: I have decided that as a disabled person, you can’t manage, so I have decided you can’t come. I therefore rescind my invitation. Plus, I can’t be arsed to find a suitable venue.
Now, I don’t want to go somewhere where I wouldn’t be welcome, but I’m also well pissed off that he didn’t even ask me what kind of venue I would need.
Character notes for "People of Every Ethnic Persuasion" Part 4 Everyone Else
Jan. 18th, 2026 01:41 amysabetwordsmithThese are the character notes for "People of Every Ethnic Persuasion" Part 4 Everyone Else.
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( Read more... )
Poem: The Flavors of Our Days
Jan. 17th, 2026 11:54 pmysabetwordsmithThis is the freebie for today's ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from fuzzyred. It also fills the "body and soul" square in my 1-1-26 card for the Public Domain Day Bingo fest.
( Read more... )
crowdfunding Creative Jam. It was inspired by a prompt from fuzzyred. It also fills the "body and soul" square in my 1-1-26 card for the Public Domain Day Bingo fest.( Read more... )
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Poetry Fishbowl Themes for Early 2026
Jan. 17th, 2026 11:28 pmysabetwordsmithBased on an audience poll, these are the Poetry Fishbowl themes for early 2026:
February 3 -- Books and Literacy
March 3 -- World Cuisine
April 7 -- I am SO done with this!
May 5 -- Older Series and Forgotten Characters
June 2 -- Fun with Language
February 3 -- Books and Literacy
March 3 -- World Cuisine
April 7 -- I am SO done with this!
May 5 -- Older Series and Forgotten Characters
June 2 -- Fun with Language
Creative Jam
Jan. 17th, 2026 10:37 pmysabetwordsmithThe crowdfunding Creative Jam is now open with a theme of "Memories." Come give us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration! This is our 150th session, so I hope to see lots of excitement.
What I Have Written:
"The Flavors of Our Days" is today's freebie.
"Memories Like a Blanket"
Summary: Memories keep us warm inside.
22 lines, Buy It Now = $10
From My Prompts:
.
crowdfunding Creative Jam is now open with a theme of "Memories." Come give us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration! This is our 150th session, so I hope to see lots of excitement.What I Have Written:
"The Flavors of Our Days" is today's freebie.
"Memories Like a Blanket"
Summary: Memories keep us warm inside.
22 lines, Buy It Now = $10
From My Prompts:
.
Tags: