calzephyr | Network

She has turnèd, she has turnèd, she has turnèd (everyone to her own way)-- I mean, for the first time in 75 years I am actually *glad* for the solstice. Sympathetic magic: may the returning light bring a lightening to this dark world, and may I soon read that big, beautiful obituary. Why yes, I have frequently wished someone dead, whatever it does to my karma, and still do.

Lie-in dream today was of being at a spa/ onsen of sorts which was also the family cottage but enlarged, with my cousin F but also my sister, and an unpleasant woman I was supposed to share a room with. Decided I couldn't hack this, I was going back to TO, but couldn't find the owner/ o-kamisan to tell her this and the mostly Asian staff didn't know where she'd got to. Told my sister but she couldn't help. Told F, who was in a bathing suit, who said something about her dad (dead 50 years this month) taking me back but he was at their real-life cottage, two over from ours. Did I make it home? I think I may have-- vague memory of counting the cars on the 401 highway, which is not the way you get to the cottage, that's the QEW, a sink.

Hit the LCBO and have vodka and Kahlua to see me through the hols. Many white russians in my future, since the black ones rot my guts. Gov't money comes in early so I splurge on alcohol and food banks, though am accablée that the Muslim one seems to operate only on the west coast. Will no one think of the Toronto delivery guys?

hrj

I'm chunking these posts based roughly on the number of books, so some cover one month, some two.

Tooth and Claw by Jo Walton -- (audio) What if Regency England social politics but murderous dragons? I found it a fascinating worldbuilding project. My notes say "peculiarly interesting." I felt that things wrapped up too tidily at the end with the "good guys" all getting rewarded and escaping consequences. I recall having some other thoughts about the gender politics but I'd have to go back and re-read to recall specifics.

The First Rebellion by M.C. Beaton -- (audio) I had signed up for a new audiobook outlet (Chirp) that often has significantly reduced sale prices, so I've periodically taken the opportunity to try some books that I wasn't specifically looking for. (In general, I've tended to be unsatisfied with the books I've picked for that reason, but you never know.) Straight historic romance. Supposedly a "naïve bluestocking rebel wins the heart of a rakish nobleman by being unruly and rude to him" but I found it really hard going. The characters were childish and unlikeable and the male lead isn't worth winning. DNF.

Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout -- (audio) Spotted this one when pulling titles for the podcast. An imaginative story coming up with a (fictional) backstory for events that inspired details in Frankenstein. My notes say "very literary and more than a bit Freudian." There is a sapphic plot thread but it doesn't have a happy ending. Content note for sexual grooming and abuse.

The Duke at Hazard by K.J. Charles -- (audio) A delightful homage to Georgette Heyer's The Foundling, featuring a naïve young duke and his quest to prove himself competent and independent. Utterly charming and satisfying. It combined enough parallels with the original to amuse the reader while diverging in enough points to be its own thing. Certain characters in the conclusion cross over with The Gentle Art of Fortune Hunting. (I've occasionally noodled f/f Heyer-homage plots and reading this got me thinking strongly about the social and economic logistics of how to do a sapphic version of Cotillion. To the extent that I have an outline-and-notes document for it.)

Craze by Margaret Vandenburg -- (audio) A history lesson about queer life in 1920s New York City, dressed up as a novel. Entertaining and informative, if occasionally overly erudite for some readers. Read in the context of interviewing the author for my podcast.

The Fire and the Place in the Forest by Jeannelle M. Ferreira -- (audio) Short fiction and poetry focusing on sapphic relationships, especially in historic settings. Even though my main format for fiction these days is audio, I'd buy Ferreira's work in that format no matter what because even her prose is poetic and that's the best way to receive it. (Advisory: I am not exactly unbiased as she has sold me stories.)

The Cloud Roads by Martha Wells -- (audio) Secondary world fantasy. I'd been wanting to check out some of Wells' earlier work and this came up on sale (if I recall correctly). Amazing worldbuilding, though with a bit of a "generic fantasy" feel in the prose. I did have the same issue I had with the first Murderbot story I read, which was feeling like it was overloaded with blow-by-blow fight scenes. (But maybe I'm alone in finding that a negative?) This is a romance novel at heart, with many standard tropes gender-flipped due to the social structure, which resembles that of social insects.

If I do one of this posts per day, I should be caught up by the end of December. That will be my goal.

loganberrybunny

Public

325/365: Yarnbombed pillar box, Stourbridge
Click for a larger, sharper image
This is a "yarnbombed" pillar box on the platform at Stourbridge Junction station. The actual box isn't visible here, but the knitted topper is the important bit in any case. It's a very festive example and it certainly gave me a smile today. :)

Current Mood: calm

cosmolinguist

Thanks for the nice comments on the previous entry. They, along with just writing it out in the first place and D holding me tight (normally I am the big spoon but he did a great job at it last night!) helped me have an okay night.

D had asked me, after we turned the lights off, if there was anything I wanted to do today -- the family had no real plans beyond making the homemade vegan wellington for my birthday dinner that D's sister had suggested and I'd gotten excited about before I remembered quite how much work it was last year, oops. But D and I helped and it felt a lot less of a production this year.

Anyway, before that we had no plans and I thought it might be nice to get out of the house and see something of Birmingham. We didn't actually make it as far as the city centre but the local high street allowed D to browse charity shops while I got a long-overdue haircut (I went from the longest hair I've had in quite a while to the highest skin fade I've maybe ever had, so it feels like a dramatic difference!), and we went for a very nice birthday lunch.

My birthday present from D might still be trapped in DRM hell but he told me what it is, and The Feminist Art of Walking by his old pal Morag goes very nicely with the birthday present I've already gotten from angelofthenorth, of short walks/hikes around Greater Manchester. I also got a bookshop.org voucher from D's mum, which can be added to the one that comprised the other part of my birthday present from Miriam, so I have to decide what to get there too, which is so fun.

Weirdly, my birthday also marks a year since Gary died. It feels so long ago but also I can still conjure him so clearly in my memory, and there probably hasn't been a day all year that I haven't thought of him. I still miss him so much.

I've had a much better day, and I'm looking forward to being home tomorrow.

scrubjayspeaks

For those planning to make exercise part of their lifestyle in the New Year but unenthusiastic about lifting dumbbells or running on a treadmill in a gym, we have an alternative opportunity. Through partnerships organized by the community clinic, you can be paired with another local in need of help at home due to injury, disability, or other life circumstances, and get your exercise from activities like hauling groceries or walking pets. Clinic staff have sorted chores according to skills built, from strength training to cardio to psychic resistance, so you can improve yourself and serve your community.

---

LL#1346

meningioma posting in

everykindofcraft

Made this little quilted book cover for my sister
( Read more... )

ribirdnerd posting in

birdfeeding

Sunday was more mild than usual so it was nice to take a walk and see some birds along the trails - White breasted Nuthatches, Blue jays, Tufted Titmouse and Chickadees.

Today it is cold and windy again and not much going on except for some House Sparrow and Blue Jays.

ysabetwordsmith posting in

birdfeeding

Today is cloudy and cool.

I fed the birds. I put out a new suet cake. I've seen a huge flock of mostly sparrows.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 12/22/25 -- I filled the trolley twice with berry-laden twigs from the brushpile in the parking lot, and put those in the firepit.

I saw the great horned owl fly from somewhere near the parking lot into the trees around ritual meadow. I heard woodpeckers squeaking but didn't see them.

EDIT 12/22/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

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

Current Mood: busy

james_davis_nicoll

The DIE roleplaying game designed by the Image comic's creators, Kieron Gillen and Stephanie Hans, plus three volumes of adventures for an unbeatable bargain price!

Bundle of Holding: DIE the RPG

offcntr

We had our annual Pottery Smash on Sunday, before the Market opened. It's a charity auction to benefit Market's Kareng/Caring Fund, an emergency relief fund for artists in need. Four long tables of donations, mostly pottery, but also some glass, prayer flags, duck and beaver and frog flappy kids toys, canned albacore. We always bring a few completely unsalable pieces, for the joy of smashing. When the bidders starting getting drowsy, a little Crash! wakes 'em right up. And then there's the vendor who bids on pots specifically to break them. When Nome is bidding against someone, it tends to run up the price.

I took last year off from auctioneering, didn't have the energy, so they recruited Kevin, the partner of one of the clothing artists, who brings a lot of manic energy to the mix. Potter Jon and I were both back this year, though Alex was just recovering from a hospital trip, so Fiona did his shifts. Between the four of us, we managed to clear the tables with two minutes to go before opening. Just time to sweep up the shards and tally the sales--over $5000.

offcntr

A mom and eight or nine-year-old daughter stopped in my booth Sunday, asking if I had a yarn bowl for grandma? I had exactly one, in the bottom box of the stack. I don't usually put them out until I've run out of something else--there isn't room--but I do like to have them. As I'm digging it out, I ask, Can you guess what animal is on it? Daughter has no guess, but Mom says Cat! With a ta-daa! I show that it is indeed a cat, tuxedo kitty leaping at the yarn hole. They're both delighted, but Dad has the card, so Mom has to track him down. Does daughter want to come with? No, she'll stay in the booth, holding the bowl.

So we talk a bit. Her name is Clara, and she makes art too. Drawings, mostly, though she'd recently started playing with watercolors, so I show her our watercolor cards. Her Grandma is an artist too, and gets her whatever art supplies she wants to try next; they're doing watercolors together. And this past summer, she and a friend set up an art sale table on their front lawn, and made $20! Which they split evenly. I tell her I'd love to see her art someday; she says maybe she'll get a booth here next year! In the meantime, I suggested she take a few pictures and email them to me, to which she agrees.

If she follows through, I'll definitely share them here.

offcntr

I sold a tyrannosaurus bank to a paleontologist on Saturday.

Best. Day. Ever.

offcntr

I love the fact that, in the darkest days of the year, camellia bushes say, F**k this. We're gonna bloom!

Love you guys.

offcntr

I've always complained about how long my poticas take to rise. Four, five hours, sitting on a heating pad, or in a post-firing warm studio; my house doesn't feel that cold!

Finally, this time, I remembered reading in James Beard's Beard on Bread where he recommends using a tablespoon of instant yeast rather than the 2-1/4 teaspoons that come in the standard packet. Since this is a half-recipe of the dough, I bumped my yeast from 1-1/8 tsp. up to 1-1/2--half a tablespoon.

It worked! Dough was visibly puffy in half an hour, nicely risen by hour two. I've gone ahead and updated the potica recipe at my website to reflect the change.

summersgate

I took this last evening while we were walking down back. This is what I was kinda wanting to recreate in the painting I did yesterday. I was dissatisfied with the painting at the time because I failed at showing THIS. Which I think is beautiful in its way. But then I got sidetracked into putting other shapes and things in that weren't there - decorating it up. I feel drawn back and forth between doing something realistic (isn't that the BEST and most skilled painting?) or doing something psychological and weird. I admire people who can paint realistically immensely but the other kind of painting (painting for paint's sake) comes so much easier to me.

I was getting started in cleaning for the holiday and I needed to get the puppet off the living room table so I wrapped her up in her blanket and put it/her on my pillow. Rainy came in and was very curious. I watched them for a while and got this picture and then we both left. When I came back the doll was out of her blanket and was moved about a foot away from it on the bed. It had wet marks on it's tummy, from I assume Rainy. If Andy had moved it he would have taken it clear out to the living room to give it to Dave (retriever mentality). I thought Rainy must have gotten over her fear of it after that but when I put it on like a puppet and talked to her with it she was very scared again.

I've been putting off cleaning and readying the house to be at a "holiday level" of clean house so today I must finally get busy.

conuly

So, I'm reading something about an abusive relationship. So toxic, in every tiny respect. But the commenters! You've got a handful of them happily chirping things like "Oh, Abuser is trying so hard! He's really just controlling because he's worried, but look, he's trying to make Abusee happy!" and we've got another handful saying things like "I don't get why Abusee doesn't just leave. I mean, he's in public, is he scared of getting hit? In public? Like, geez."

Like... do you people know what sort of story you're even reading? Or, in the latter case, do you know anything about humans!?

Some people should not be allowed to comment on anything. WTF.

(Though, that having been said, the very first rule of running away and changing your name is never pick a fake name that has any connection to your real life. And because of this, our protagonist got kidnapped back by his abuser and his goon squad. Again. Well, the plot had to happen somehow, I guess, but still.)

***********************

( Read more... )

bitterlawngnome

A black backdrop, textured. On it a very pale blue-green celadon plate. On that, a pair of the flat type of persimmons, still attached to their twig. They have been on the tree quite late and so are a bit beat up, with cracks, scratches, and spots. There are water droplets on the plate.
Diospyris kaki, persimmon
©Bill Pusztai 2025

profiterole_reads

In Netflix's j-movie 10Dance, a ballroom dance champion and a Latin dance champion train each other and their partners to join the 10Dance competition.

It was pretty great, but the beginning felt too much like a caricature. They probably should have released it a month earlier, instead of in the middle of Heated Rivalry, where the writing/directing/acting is full of subtleties.

There's major m/m, and more to come if they keep adapting the manga.

minoanmiss posting in

agonyaunt

( Read more... )

Current Mood: annoyed

loganberrybunny

Public

I'm not sure this is all that well known outside the UK, but the Imgur image host is blocked here. Unless I mess around with VPNs, I cannot see any pictures hosted there. You don't need to change what works for you, of course – just be aware that I won't be able to view or comment on your pics if you use Imgur.

Current Mood: irritated

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calzephyr

December 2025

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Page generated Dec. 23rd, 2025 12:17 am

Got to be birds flying higher

in a sky more blue

Network

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Books I've Read: October 2024

Yarnbomb!

44

Lake Lewisia #1346

Quilted book cover

Birds

Birdfeeding

Bundle of Holding: DIE the RPG

Smashing success

The future of art

For science!

In bloom

An update

monday

I'm about ready to say something to the commenters to this fic

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10Dance

Ask a Manager, Update: "is this guy harassing me or just annoying?

I cannot see images hosted on Imgur

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December 2025

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