15 June 2025 @ 04:38 pm
This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the "support" square in my 6-2-25 card for the Pride Fest Bingo. It is posted as a gift to Anthony Barrette for Father's Day.  This is the last of that batch.  Check the Poem tag to see the others; it's a batch of 6 total, all with that red gift icon.  \o/


"Fatherhood Is Support"


Fatherhood is
more than just DNA,
more than just being
married to a mother.

Fatherhood is
about support.

It's a treetrunk leg
for a baby to cling to,
strong arms tossing
a toddler into the air.

It's a hand on the back
of the bicycle right after
the training wheels come off --
and knowing when to let go.

It's clapping at recitals,
at school plays, at all
of the sporting events
or other performances.

It's a calm voice from
the passenger seat
while learning to drive.

It's paying for college
and going to graduation.

It's the everyday words
that become an inner voice,
heard and remembered,
absorbed and echoed:

I knew you could do it.

 
 
Current Mood: busy
 
 
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 03:24 pm
This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the "found family" square in my 6-2-25 card for the Pride Fest Bingo. It is posted as a gift to Anthony Barrette for Father's Day.

Read more... )
 
 
Current Mood: busy
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 03:19 pm
This poem was written as part of fishbowl week in July 2024, based on a conversation with [personal profile] a_natural_beauty. It is posted as a gift to Anthony Barrette for Father's Day.

Read more... )
 
 
Current Mood: busy
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 02:56 pm
Theme Prompt: #262 - Soulmates
Title: A Change In A New World
Fandom: Original (based on 'Trucks' by Stephen King)
Rating/Warnings: PG | Mechanophilia
Bonus: Yes
Word Count: 699
Summary: Can man and machine be friends ?

Given the story and the header, I'm not sure what orientation to call this. Maybe queerplatonic or quasiromantic. In any case, it's not the usual sex/romance between two humans, and it is a very sweet relationship across species.
 
 
Current Mood: busy
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 02:45 pm
Today is partly sunny, mild, and humid.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/15/25 -- I finished building the chimney for the core of the new bonfire.

I heard a squirrel chattering in the trees but didn't see it.

EDIT 6/15/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/15/25 -- Out of 6 yellow wild indigo pots, 4 sprouted, 3 of them with 2 seedlings.  I planted these in the house yard under the contorta willow, apricot tree, golden rain tree, and barrel garden.






.
 
 
 
Current Mood: busy
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 11:59 am
Challenge 195: Mermay 2025 - Sea Life & Seascapes
Extended one week!

Now closing Saturday, June 21, 2025 at 11pm (PDST time)
⏰ {New Countdown}
🧜🏽‍β™€οΈβ›΅πŸ§œπŸ«§πŸ§œπŸΎ‍♂️
Currently, there are there are three mer-velous participants.
Your icon entries/posts may be edited until the close of the challenge.
Entries will be accepted until I make the "challenge is closed" post.


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15 June 2025 @ 01:21 pm
Pride Month Banner 
 
 
Current Mood: amused
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 06:51 pm
Title: meddling
Fandom: Star Trek: Voyager
Rating: G
Length: 119 words
Content notes: no leola root was harmed in writing this slightly over-drabble length fic😜
Author notes: A little off-screen shenanigans sometime around State Of Flux in season one.
Summary:

Meddling )
 
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 03:35 am
This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the "cape(d)" square in my 5-1-24 card for the Superhero Bingo fest. It is posted as a gift to Anthony Barrette for Father's Day.

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Current Mood: busy
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 03:14 am
This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the "lavender" square in my 2-1-24 card for the Valentines Bingo fest. It is posted as a gift to Anthony Barrette for Father's Day.

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Current Mood: busy
 
 
15 June 2025 @ 03:01 am
This poem was written outside the regular prompt calls. It fills the Earth Day square in my 3-1-23 card for the March Is... fest. It is posted as a gift to Anthony Barrette for Father's Day.

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Current Mood: busy
 
 
Yesterday we found patty pan squash, which I've been wanting to try. So today we made this. :D It turned out delicious.

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Tags: ,
 
 
Current Mood: accomplished
 
 
14 June 2025 @ 04:48 pm
Today we went down to Toledo for the Thrift'n'Sip Indoor Rummage Sale. We were keenly interested in the indoor rummage sale but not the alcohol consumption. So we got up early in hopes of beating the crowd, which worked out well.

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Current Mood: happy
 
 
14 June 2025 @ 03:10 pm
French Polynesia created the world’s largest marine protected area

At the U.N. Ocean Conference this week, French Polynesia announced the creation of the world’s largest marine protected area, covering nearly 5 million square kilometers, or over 1.9 million square miles. It also plans to add another 500,000 square kilometers by next World Ocean Day.

Of that area, 1.1 million square kilometers (424,712 square miles) will be designated as highly or fully protected, meaning only traditional coastal fishing, ecotourism, and scientific research are allowed
.


It's a step forward, but my standard of FULLY protected means "humans don't go there." That's what is required for many edge-sensitive and disturbance-sensitive species. On land, if there is so much as a road through it, those species will avoid the area even if there are no vehicles using the road most of the time.
 
 
Current Mood: busy
 
 
14 June 2025 @ 11:11 am
Today is cloudy, mild, and damp.  It rained off and on yesterday.

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

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I put out water for the birds.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

I've seen a skunk on the patio.

I checked the new picnic table and septic garden.  The first of the 'Chocolate Sprinkles' tomatoes is showing color.  :D  One of the chocolate cherry tomatoes has its first green fruit, and so does the 'Carmen' Italian sweet pepper.  The yellow squash just bloomed.  The zucchini has flower buds.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I started trimming some low-hanging branches from the Home Base mulberry tree.  I filled a trolley with twigs and leaves, then dumped it in the brush pile.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I trimmed more branches, filling another trolley.

I've seen a catbird and a mourning dove.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I trimmed more branches, filling another trolley.

I found the first couple of ripe raspberries along the south fence in the ritual meadow.  I'll have to check the prairie garden tomorrow.

EDIT 6/14/25 -- I found a second log for the base of the next bonfire and put that in the firepit.  I started building the criss-cross chimney above it but then it got too dark to find the right kind of sticks.  I'll have to finish that tomorrow.

The fireflies are coming out.  :D  There are lots more tonight.  They love this warm damp weather. 

I saw at least 2 and probably 3 bats.  They're quite large for microbats, so likely big brown bats.  See bats of Illinois.  I'm thrilled to have bats, because the mosquitoes are also coming out.  Fly, my pretties, fly! \o/

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.
 
 
 
Current Mood: busy
 
 
14 June 2025 @ 12:21 pm
Title: Picking Blackberries
Fandom: Miss Marple
Rating: G
Length: 336 words
Summary: As usual Miss Marple has a suitable example to illustrate her point


 
 
14 June 2025 @ 01:29 am
The June [community profile] crowdfunding Creative Jam is now open with a theme of "Good vs. Bad."  Come give us prompts, or claim some for your own inspiration.


What I Have Written



From My Prompts




 
 
Current Mood: creative