A Wholesome Bowl of 22 Black Cats to Bibbity Bobbity Boost Your Mood
Dec. 15th, 2025 08:00 pm![[syndicated profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/feed.png){kind=small}
icanhascheezburger_feedBibbity Bobbity boo…your wish for 22 purfectly-wholesome cat snapshots has come true. With tiny little whiskers and eyes shades of green, their soft purrring sound could send you into a dream! They're as mysterious as the night and move like a feather, yet remain brave enough to conquer any weather. Their footprints stain your dining room floor, and sometimes at night, they get Zoomies Galore! Like a little shadow, they follow you around, our purrrfect little pets, make us feel so very proud!
However, we don't want to keep all that joy to ourselves, so we've gathered all the best pics, from towers to shelves…So here we go, get ready to share, the ultimate black cat pic with a touch of sassy flair! We love them for their velvet fur and tiny nose: here's 22 pics of our black cats in their very best pose. Motion pics, tongues out, we've got it all…tremendous creatures with a silent crawl!
Typo du jour
Dec. 16th, 2025 02:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
fred_mouseThese are all from the same auto-transcription closed captioning.
- rosary phone (rotary phone)
- content scripture (content description)
- gaming council (gaming console)
This was from a presentation by an Irish group who teach cyber safety in schools. I don't remember how pronounced the presenter's accent was, but ah, those sure are some interesting errors.
Finally Updated My Media Tracker
Dec. 15th, 2025 10:11 pmmuccamukkWhich included a bunch of American Political movies, watches/rewatches of said being inspired in part by current events.
Dave and Independence Day: When the East Wing got it, in memory of the White House, and a time when we expected presidents to be non-terrible, or at least rational. Also, Nenya hadn't seen them.
Good Night and Good Luck: Following Keith Olbermann turning out to be the real villain in the Olivia Nuzzi scandal, and me remembering that even when I agreed with his takes (circa the Bush administration), I thought he had a hell of a lot of nerve to use that sign off. Also, Nenya hadn't seen it. Also, I couldn't find a good quality copy of the 1986 biopic I grew up watching (though I see there's a passible one on YouTube).
A Few Good Men: Because a man made a lot of art that mattered to a lot of people, and that should still mean something. Also, I'd never seen it.
Dave and Independence Day: When the East Wing got it, in memory of the White House, and a time when we expected presidents to be non-terrible, or at least rational. Also, Nenya hadn't seen them.
Good Night and Good Luck: Following Keith Olbermann turning out to be the real villain in the Olivia Nuzzi scandal, and me remembering that even when I agreed with his takes (circa the Bush administration), I thought he had a hell of a lot of nerve to use that sign off. Also, Nenya hadn't seen it. Also, I couldn't find a good quality copy of the 1986 biopic I grew up watching (though I see there's a passible one on YouTube).
A Few Good Men: Because a man made a lot of art that mattered to a lot of people, and that should still mean something. Also, I'd never seen it.
O Generous One! Origin of Carol of the Bells
Dec. 15th, 2025 10:16 pmsoniaO Generous One by Timothy Snyder, a Substack link with more history of Ukraine then and now. Excerpt below.
Excerpt from the article:
“Carol of the Bells” stands out because it arises from a different tradition: that of Ukrainian folk songs, and in particular ancient Ukrainian folk songs welcoming the new year, summoning the forces of nature to meet human labor and bring prosperity. These are called shchedrivky, “carols of cheer” or, a bit more literally, songs to the generous one. The word “magic” is used a good deal around Christmas; this song has its origins in rituals that were indeed magical. And perhaps this is exactly why it reaches us.
Before the advent of Christianity, and for that matter for centuries afterwards, these songs orchestrated and encounter with the forces that could bring what was sought, which was the bounty of spring after the cold of winter. The pagan new year began, reasonably, in February or March, with the arrival of the swallows or the equinox; the carols of cheer were pushed back towards January or December 31st by Christianity -- and one in particular was pushed deep into December by Americans, transformed into a Christmas carol.
The melody that I heard in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Toronto as “Carol of the Bells” is a Ukrainian folk song. It was arranged as “Shchedryk” by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in the middle of the First World War, likely on the basis of a folk song from the Ukrainian region of Podilia. The four ancient guiding notes of the melody sound like the dripping of icicles joined by the singing of birds. Leontovych’s lyrics capture the earthy directness and incantatory purpose of the ancient songs. My English translation is no doubt inadequate and a little free -- in Ukrainian, for example, a dark-browed woman is by definition a beautiful woman, and so I have rendered her.
( Ukrainian text and English translation )
Excerpt from the article:
“Carol of the Bells” stands out because it arises from a different tradition: that of Ukrainian folk songs, and in particular ancient Ukrainian folk songs welcoming the new year, summoning the forces of nature to meet human labor and bring prosperity. These are called shchedrivky, “carols of cheer” or, a bit more literally, songs to the generous one. The word “magic” is used a good deal around Christmas; this song has its origins in rituals that were indeed magical. And perhaps this is exactly why it reaches us.
Before the advent of Christianity, and for that matter for centuries afterwards, these songs orchestrated and encounter with the forces that could bring what was sought, which was the bounty of spring after the cold of winter. The pagan new year began, reasonably, in February or March, with the arrival of the swallows or the equinox; the carols of cheer were pushed back towards January or December 31st by Christianity -- and one in particular was pushed deep into December by Americans, transformed into a Christmas carol.
The melody that I heard in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Toronto as “Carol of the Bells” is a Ukrainian folk song. It was arranged as “Shchedryk” by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in the middle of the First World War, likely on the basis of a folk song from the Ukrainian region of Podilia. The four ancient guiding notes of the melody sound like the dripping of icicles joined by the singing of birds. Leontovych’s lyrics capture the earthy directness and incantatory purpose of the ancient songs. My English translation is no doubt inadequate and a little free -- in Ukrainian, for example, a dark-browed woman is by definition a beautiful woman, and so I have rendered her.
( Ukrainian text and English translation )
Winds in the East...Mist Coming In... (Hugo Season Approaches)
Dec. 15th, 2025 09:54 pmrenay posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
ladybusinessIt's almost nomination time for the Hugo Awards! As someone invested in recommendations as a type of critique/conversation, I'm thriving.
Worldcon in 2026 will be in LA. If you'd like to nominate for the 2026 Hugo Award, you can do so by being a member of the Seattle Worldcon or purchasing at least a WSFS membership from LAcon V. There's a medium-length guide here on the whole process. Nomination is step one: Seattle and LA WSFS members build the short lists as a collective.
However! Even if you don't plan to become a member (the membership fee is $50 and times are hard), everyone can share the things they would nominate if they could via the Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, or make their own lists and post them on socials with the #HugoAward tag. Lots of people (it's me; I'm people) have gaps on their nomination forms and are looking for cool stuff to check out. Consider making a rec list/thread!
A disclaimer: the following are my personal nominations that I'll submit next year, not official Hugo finalists. I know the nominations/finalist language can be confusing. ( Read more... )
Worldcon in 2026 will be in LA. If you'd like to nominate for the 2026 Hugo Award, you can do so by being a member of the Seattle Worldcon or purchasing at least a WSFS membership from LAcon V. There's a medium-length guide here on the whole process. Nomination is step one: Seattle and LA WSFS members build the short lists as a collective.
However! Even if you don't plan to become a member (the membership fee is $50 and times are hard), everyone can share the things they would nominate if they could via the Hugo Spreadsheet of Doom, or make their own lists and post them on socials with the #HugoAward tag. Lots of people (it's me; I'm people) have gaps on their nomination forms and are looking for cool stuff to check out. Consider making a rec list/thread!
A disclaimer: the following are my personal nominations that I'll submit next year, not official Hugo finalists. I know the nominations/finalist language can be confusing. ( Read more... )
January Talking Meme
Dec. 16th, 2025 12:14 amaurumcalendulaPick a date in January and give me something to talk about! TV, books, movies, music, poetry, fandom, writing, food, travel, fictional characters (&/or pairings) and all of their feelings, whatever.
You don't have to be following me or ever have commented to request a topic. If you're doing the meme, I'll leave topics for you, too! Feel free to link me at any time if you want one.
Feel free to suggest multiple topics/dates (or to just leave a topic and no date - I'll fill it in).
(I reserve the right to decline topics I don't feel up to answering)
January 1 -
January 2 -
January 3 - 'Which tv shows (new or old) are you looking forward to watching in 2026?' forgoss
January 4 -
January 5 -
January 6 - 'what are your three favorite F/F pairings from live-action media?' formaggie33
January 7 -
January 8 -
January 9 -
January 10 - 'I think my main problem with Section 31 was that what was clearly intended as the first season of a show, plot wise, was hacked together to make the plot of a movie. Provided you'd knew in advance there would be only room for a Georgiou movie, and bearing real life restrictions in mind (i.e. guest stars from other Trek shows can only appear as they are today or have to be recast), what should a mirror Georgiou centric movie have been about?' forselenak
January 11 -
January 12 -
January 13 - 'What have you read lately that has stuck with you, either for good reasons or for bad reasons?' forserrico
January 14 -
January 15 -
January 16 -
January 17 - 'If you could wave a magic wand and get a new season of a show or new book (or movie) in a series, what would it be? And why would you pick it? (i.e. did it end on a cliffhanger, or you always wanted more, etc)' fordonutsweeper
January 18 - 'if you could assemble a crew out of every Star Trek there is, who would you choose and why?' forgoodbyebird
January 19 -
January 20 -
January 21 -
January 22 -
January 23 -
January 24 -
January 25 -
January 26 - 'if given the opportunity, where would you like to travel in 2026?' forgoodbyebird
January 27 - 'What are your vidding ambitions for 2026?' forserrico
January 28 -
January 29 -
January 30 -
January 31 -
You don't have to be following me or ever have commented to request a topic. If you're doing the meme, I'll leave topics for you, too! Feel free to link me at any time if you want one.
Feel free to suggest multiple topics/dates (or to just leave a topic and no date - I'll fill it in).
(I reserve the right to decline topics I don't feel up to answering)
January 1 -
January 2 -
January 3 - 'Which tv shows (new or old) are you looking forward to watching in 2026?' for
gossJanuary 4 -
January 5 -
January 6 - 'what are your three favorite F/F pairings from live-action media?' for
maggie33January 7 -
January 8 -
January 9 -
January 10 - 'I think my main problem with Section 31 was that what was clearly intended as the first season of a show, plot wise, was hacked together to make the plot of a movie. Provided you'd knew in advance there would be only room for a Georgiou movie, and bearing real life restrictions in mind (i.e. guest stars from other Trek shows can only appear as they are today or have to be recast), what should a mirror Georgiou centric movie have been about?' for
selenakJanuary 11 -
January 12 -
January 13 - 'What have you read lately that has stuck with you, either for good reasons or for bad reasons?' for
serricoJanuary 14 -
January 15 -
January 16 -
January 17 - 'If you could wave a magic wand and get a new season of a show or new book (or movie) in a series, what would it be? And why would you pick it? (i.e. did it end on a cliffhanger, or you always wanted more, etc)' for
donutsweeperJanuary 18 - 'if you could assemble a crew out of every Star Trek there is, who would you choose and why?' for
goodbyebirdJanuary 19 -
January 20 -
January 21 -
January 22 -
January 23 -
January 24 -
January 25 -
January 26 - 'if given the opportunity, where would you like to travel in 2026?' for
goodbyebirdJanuary 27 - 'What are your vidding ambitions for 2026?' for
serricoJanuary 28 -
January 29 -
January 30 -
January 31 -
Water gardening with & without ducks
Dec. 16th, 2025 04:48 pmmificI've always loved water in gardens, but for some years I only managed that through bird baths, which are also handy for emergency plant watering. Then I discovered my local big box store had cheap plastic half barrels, which I've used to repot a couple of small trees, but it occurred to me one would be perfect as a water garden. They came with no drainage holes, but I cut those with a hole saw in the two used as planters. So I got a couple of small water lilies and a black taro (they like sitting in water), and another marginal plant, planted them up in some old perforated peg baskets, and hey presto. Mosquitoes are easily managed by putting a chunk of mozzie dunk in the water (it releases bacillus thuringiensis that kills mozzie larvae, harmless to anything else).
Everything was lovely until two weeks later when I came out one morning to find the tub filled with mud and ripped up water lilies. Ducks. The bastards had gotten in and savaged the plants, rooted about in the planters, and bitten off all the water lily leaves. Not eaten the leaves, just ripped them off. That was when I remembered why I'd never tried to make a water garden here before.
But I had a water garden now, although it took a day to lift and redo the peg basket planters, replanting the sadly denuded lily roots in each one and running the water in the tub clear with a hose. I wasn't going to let the duck pack get the better of me!
One thing I enjoy with gardening is DIYing things. I've made tripods and more complex plant supports, mesh cubes to cover brassicas for my wheelibeds, and so forth. I lay awake in bed trying to figure out how to keep the damn ducks out, and finally had a plan. The duck dome. (shown lifted up off the water garden tub)
1. A circle of hose, joined by jamming a 4 inch bit of thick bamboo in to hold the ends together (a system I often use to make small hose circles to raise pots up for drainage).
2. Four 4-inch bits of hose attached to that circle with the bottom side slit open so as to fit over the lip of the plastic tub. Easier to take it on and off with just a few attachment points.
3. A number of long, thin privet branches slotted into holes drilled in the main hose circle, bent over to make the dome and tied where they cross. I wasted some time researching where to get willow slips for this, then realised I had what I needed already - several Chinese privets that are invasive but provide shade, and I keep them trimmed so they don't flower. They have long, straight branches which I've been using for a while as plant supports.
All that remained was to assemble the bits. It went pretty smoothly, although the privet branches weren't perfectly straight, but it adds to the rustic look. I'm happy with it, and it's been duckproof so far. The water lilies are both making a comeback, as well.
In other news, I posted pics of our local reservoir dam on common nature, here.
And I'm now completely obsessed with Heated Rivalry on TV. In between episodes I look at all the meta, gifs and despairing posts from other similarly obsessed fans on tumblr, have read the books, am now listening to the audiobooks (Connor Storrie does a vastly better Russian accent than the readers manage - I gather real Russians think he's actually Russian!), and am trying not to rewatch the eps too many times in the gaping voids between Fridays. It's bloody inconvenient, as I have less than a week to finish my due South and SGA Santa fics, but I'll get there. Here are three meta pieces about how THE SEX IS THE POINT, two collected bymachinistm, and one by Gav at the rec centre. Jacob Tierney is a fucking genius, and has taken Rachel Reid's (very readable) books to a new level, like Peter Jackson's loving LotR adaptations. Not to mention the explosive chemistry of Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. Storrie is getting a little more attention as his performance of Ilya is spectacular, but I'm very fond of Hudson's Shane and when you see clips of Hudson being himself you realize how well and subtly he's performing the role. Plus Shane's such a sub; I just love him. God, four days to get through until Friday, but that's one ep a day, right? And then number five drops at 7pm. Not that I'm desperate, or anything...
Everything was lovely until two weeks later when I came out one morning to find the tub filled with mud and ripped up water lilies. Ducks. The bastards had gotten in and savaged the plants, rooted about in the planters, and bitten off all the water lily leaves. Not eaten the leaves, just ripped them off. That was when I remembered why I'd never tried to make a water garden here before.
But I had a water garden now, although it took a day to lift and redo the peg basket planters, replanting the sadly denuded lily roots in each one and running the water in the tub clear with a hose. I wasn't going to let the duck pack get the better of me!
One thing I enjoy with gardening is DIYing things. I've made tripods and more complex plant supports, mesh cubes to cover brassicas for my wheelibeds, and so forth. I lay awake in bed trying to figure out how to keep the damn ducks out, and finally had a plan. The duck dome. (shown lifted up off the water garden tub)
1. A circle of hose, joined by jamming a 4 inch bit of thick bamboo in to hold the ends together (a system I often use to make small hose circles to raise pots up for drainage).
2. Four 4-inch bits of hose attached to that circle with the bottom side slit open so as to fit over the lip of the plastic tub. Easier to take it on and off with just a few attachment points.
3. A number of long, thin privet branches slotted into holes drilled in the main hose circle, bent over to make the dome and tied where they cross. I wasted some time researching where to get willow slips for this, then realised I had what I needed already - several Chinese privets that are invasive but provide shade, and I keep them trimmed so they don't flower. They have long, straight branches which I've been using for a while as plant supports.
All that remained was to assemble the bits. It went pretty smoothly, although the privet branches weren't perfectly straight, but it adds to the rustic look. I'm happy with it, and it's been duckproof so far. The water lilies are both making a comeback, as well.
In other news, I posted pics of our local reservoir dam on common nature, here.
And I'm now completely obsessed with Heated Rivalry on TV. In between episodes I look at all the meta, gifs and despairing posts from other similarly obsessed fans on tumblr, have read the books, am now listening to the audiobooks (Connor Storrie does a vastly better Russian accent than the readers manage - I gather real Russians think he's actually Russian!), and am trying not to rewatch the eps too many times in the gaping voids between Fridays. It's bloody inconvenient, as I have less than a week to finish my due South and SGA Santa fics, but I'll get there. Here are three meta pieces about how THE SEX IS THE POINT, two collected by
machinistm, and one by Gav at the rec centre. Jacob Tierney is a fucking genius, and has taken Rachel Reid's (very readable) books to a new level, like Peter Jackson's loving LotR adaptations. Not to mention the explosive chemistry of Hudson Williams and Connor Storrie. Storrie is getting a little more attention as his performance of Ilya is spectacular, but I'm very fond of Hudson's Shane and when you see clips of Hudson being himself you realize how well and subtly he's performing the role. Plus Shane's such a sub; I just love him. God, four days to get through until Friday, but that's one ep a day, right? And then number five drops at 7pm. Not that I'm desperate, or anything...
(no subject)
Dec. 15th, 2025 10:42 pmharpers_child1. There's a local meme going around talking about how the weather lately is like picking lotto numbers. Saturday night was high 70s / low 80s. Last night (Sunday) was the first freeze of the season. I have been dying on the couch for a couple weeks now with migraines and body aches. It's been super fun. /sarcasm
2. I am done with holiday gift shopping! We're waiting for a few things arrive. Some things haven't shipped yet, but spouse and I don't care if our gifts are late.
2b. Spouse did most of his own gift shopping this year. Most of it went into a new vest from Volante (indie clothing brand with fandom inspired designs of various obviousness) and a handful of things from the official Critical Role shop. I got him a few other things from his list, but TBH it was a big relief to not have to shop for one person on the list.
3. I am really enjoying all the new CR fanart for both CR4 and the Mighty Nein.
2. I am done with holiday gift shopping! We're waiting for a few things arrive. Some things haven't shipped yet, but spouse and I don't care if our gifts are late.
2b. Spouse did most of his own gift shopping this year. Most of it went into a new vest from Volante (indie clothing brand with fandom inspired designs of various obviousness) and a handful of things from the official Critical Role shop. I got him a few other things from his list, but TBH it was a big relief to not have to shop for one person on the list.
3. I am really enjoying all the new CR fanart for both CR4 and the Mighty Nein.
Could have done without that
Dec. 15th, 2025 10:15 pmcornerofmadnessI mean I had a decent day and I'm sitting down to my dinner of crunchy roll sushi and I dropped my plate. It hits my pint glass of water. The water hits and destroys 100$ worth of coupons I would have used, destroys a pile of research articles. Sushi sails everywhere. It gets cat hair on it and I have to pick it out because that's all I have for dinner. Gah.
I got my blood drawn. It was easy and she left no marks. I had time to go to the coffee shop for breakfast and coffee.
Look how cute that is
Went to the school, got the stuff printed that I needed and got my plants into the greenhouse and signed up for my shit new insurance before I forgot.
And then somehow it was dinner.
And then I saw this latest insult from the monster in charge ( cut because not everyone wants to see what Trump tweeted about Rob Reiner )
Music Monday - the prompt this week is A song you like from a movie soundtrack
One of the few things I liked from this movie
Ditto this movie
I got my blood drawn. It was easy and she left no marks. I had time to go to the coffee shop for breakfast and coffee.
Look how cute that is
Went to the school, got the stuff printed that I needed and got my plants into the greenhouse and signed up for my shit new insurance before I forgot.
And then somehow it was dinner.
And then I saw this latest insult from the monster in charge ( cut because not everyone wants to see what Trump tweeted about Rob Reiner )
Music Monday - the prompt this week is A song you like from a movie soundtrack
One of the few things I liked from this movie
Ditto this movie
Video of the Day – The War Between The Land And The Sea, 2025
Dec. 16th, 2025 04:00 amblogtorwho_feedThe post Video of the Day – The War Between The Land And The Sea, 2025 appeared first on Blogtor Who.
Tag wrangling diaries: This fandom-dropping process
Dec. 15th, 2025 11:02 pmerinptahAbout a month ago, TW chairs announced a new limit: each wrangler should have a maximum of 450 assigned fandoms. Of the 400+ wranglers in the committee, only 3 actually had more than 450 fandoms, so for most people this was going to make no difference in their lives at all.
So, hey, I’m one of the 3! Figured I’d write about it.
To be clear, the limit is for admin reasons. There hasn’t been any allegation of “you’re falling behind in wrangling because you have too many fandoms to keep up with.” Not to me, and I have no reason to believe it’s happened to either of the others, either.
The thing is, my habit for a while now has been “check the Unassigned Fandoms list for webcomic fandoms with less than 5 works, pick them up, tidy up whatever tags they have, and then just…keep them.”
( I’ll take tiny fandoms in other areas of personal interest, too... )
Falling on my head like a memory
Dec. 15th, 2025 10:35 pmviridian5
I have now gone through my Saks Fifth Avenue Christmas/holiday window photos, chosen which to work on, and posted them to my Flickr. They're... okay. I certainly like them better than the really low effort put into last year's. They're not the kind of thing that impresses me though, especially not when I remember series like "Land of 1,000 Delights," "The Winter Palace," "Land of the Bubblemakers," "An Enchanted Experience," "Let's Holiday," "A Brilliant Holiday," and "Once Upon a Holiday." (Okay, they're not so great with naming them.) I know what Saks can do in their Christmas displays. It's like how I know Bloomingdale's can give us this, this, this, and this, but then this year they gave us this for Christmas/holiday 2025.
The Saks part of my 2025 Christmas photo run was further marred by two brightly lit food trucks reflecting on some windows and Saks staff storing the barriers they use to corral passersby during the day up against the windows at night. No thanks, all of you. That's why there are some whole or partial displays missing here.
+++
Alternately, Chag sameach!
+++
I woke up today feeling somewhat shiftless and undirected. In one afternoon, I then managed to
- make a dermatologist appointment,
- get the date and time for my pain management appointment changed since it would conflict with the dermatologist appointment,
- call in a refill for a prescription and find out if I have a different one on file already (I don't, so I have to get it during my pain management appointment,)
- try to get my neurologist and pharmacy to stop punting the ball on a new medication back and forth without giving it to me at last,
- pick up two prescriptions from the pharmacy, neither of which is the neurologist one but I'm trying.
22 Wholesome Memes of Cats Who Are Definitely On the Nice List This Year
Dec. 15th, 2025 05:00 pmicanhascheezburger_feedThese wholesome cat memes all give off the same unmistakable energy: these cats are firmly on the nice list and they know it. There's a softness to them that feels intentional, like they've collectively agreed this is the season to be gentle, charming, and quietly impressive. No mischief, no chaos, just cats radiating pure "good behavior" vibes without trying too hard.
What makes it funny is how convincing it all feels. Their expressions alone could win awards. Calm, proud, slightly smug, but in a lovable way. It's as if they're fully aware that kindness counts extra this time of year, and they're leaning into it. You scroll past and immediately trust them. These are cats who would never steal treats. Probably.
There's something especially comforting about seeing that kind of sweetness during the holidays. It slows everything down for a second. These cats don't need big moments or antics to stand out. They're warm, reassuring, and quietly funny just by existing the way they do. In a season full of noise and stress, they feel like a soft pause. If being nice earns rewards, these cats absolutely understood the assignment.
"The Novelist Laments in Verse"
Dec. 15th, 2025 06:24 pmswan_tower
(I have finished a draft of The Worst Monk in Omnu, just in time to kick back for the holidays!)
12/14/2025 Crab Cove, Elsie Roemer, and Garretson Pt
Dec. 15th, 2025 04:27 pmmrkinchThis is Christmas Count season, when everyone is out finding unexpected birds, so today rather than meeting in Tilden we went looking for two of them, a Yellow-billed Loon and a Green-tailed Towhee, with mixed success. The loon was amazing and easy to see, a walk-up in that as we walked out to the point at Crab Cove a birder called out, she's coming towards you, she'll be there in two minutes! And there she was, a huge loon, lighter than a Common Loon overall, with a big, ivory-colored bill, so close to shore I didn't need bins. She more than made up for some of the birds we've dipped on recently. There were other good birds there, in particular an Eurasian Wigeon, something I always look for in a flock of American Wigeon. And of course a Spotted Sandpiper. ( The first list: )
I'd seen one back in 1976 but I never made an historical ebird entry for it. I'm pretty sure I didn't see it so well as I saw this one, so that was very satisfying. Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary is on the way to Garretson Point so we stopped briefly. The tide was still high but there was a nice selection of shorebirds including a large flock of Dunlin flying around, and Forster's Terns lined up on a distant breakwater, each one exactly the same distance from the next. ( The second list: )
The second rare bird was the Green-tailed Towhee at Garretson Point, part of MLK Jr Regional Shoreline. U saw the bird, Chris got a glimpse, and I missed it entirely, not an unusual result.:) ( The third list: )
But I saw my first Ruddy Duck of the season, surprisingly late. And on the way back to the car we were treated to a small flock of Black Turnstones on an even smaller rock yelling at each other. They are very loud.:)
I'd seen one back in 1976 but I never made an historical ebird entry for it. I'm pretty sure I didn't see it so well as I saw this one, so that was very satisfying. Elsie Roemer Bird Sanctuary is on the way to Garretson Point so we stopped briefly. The tide was still high but there was a nice selection of shorebirds including a large flock of Dunlin flying around, and Forster's Terns lined up on a distant breakwater, each one exactly the same distance from the next. ( The second list: )
The second rare bird was the Green-tailed Towhee at Garretson Point, part of MLK Jr Regional Shoreline. U saw the bird, Chris got a glimpse, and I missed it entirely, not an unusual result.:) ( The third list: )
But I saw my first Ruddy Duck of the season, surprisingly late. And on the way back to the car we were treated to a small flock of Black Turnstones on an even smaller rock yelling at each other. They are very loud.:)
12 Days (til) Christmas Day 3
Dec. 15th, 2025 05:11 pmashkittySo the many times I wrote for the K/S Advent Calendar mean there are more Star Trek fics on this list than anything else. This was 2010’s offering, in which Spock convinces Jim to go home to Iowa and see his family for Christmas. We do spend a bit of time grappling with nu!Trek Jim’s troubled childhood, but it’s still ultimately a happy story about growing up, and coming home.
Delusions of our Childhood Days (Star Trek, Kirk/Spock)
‘He glanced over at Spock. “Sick of hearing this shit yet? Ready to tell me it’s illogical?”
“Jim,” Spock answered patiently, “I agreed to accompany you on this outing. I am aware I influenced you in choosing to pursue it in the first place for the sole purpose of confronting the emotional upheaval of your past. Since then I have partaken of an intoxicating substance and am sitting with you, in subzero temperatures, on the roof. No part of this scenario is the least bit logical.”
Jim reached for Spock’s hand, holding it between his own, still gazing off toward the trees. “But you’re here.”’
A song to go with it: Thunder Road (not a Christmas song, but relevant to the story)
And a fic rec:The Cold Days of Winter (Eight Days of Luke, David/Luke) by Daegaer
Rated G
So it's probably important to know the canon for this one (and the more about Norse mythology the better) but if you do it's exquisite. There are moments - David's hesitation to light a match, not because he's afraid Luke will appear but because he's afraid he won't, and he'll have to let go of the idea that it was ever more than his imagination. Luke's fierce protectiveness is lovely, but there's a very definite shudder of dark things to come at the end. A good fic for a cold night!
Back to Day 2 | On to Day 4
Delusions of our Childhood Days (Star Trek, Kirk/Spock)
‘He glanced over at Spock. “Sick of hearing this shit yet? Ready to tell me it’s illogical?”
“Jim,” Spock answered patiently, “I agreed to accompany you on this outing. I am aware I influenced you in choosing to pursue it in the first place for the sole purpose of confronting the emotional upheaval of your past. Since then I have partaken of an intoxicating substance and am sitting with you, in subzero temperatures, on the roof. No part of this scenario is the least bit logical.”
Jim reached for Spock’s hand, holding it between his own, still gazing off toward the trees. “But you’re here.”’
A song to go with it: Thunder Road (not a Christmas song, but relevant to the story)
And a fic rec:The Cold Days of Winter (Eight Days of Luke, David/Luke) by Daegaer
Rated G
So it's probably important to know the canon for this one (and the more about Norse mythology the better) but if you do it's exquisite. There are moments - David's hesitation to light a match, not because he's afraid Luke will appear but because he's afraid he won't, and he'll have to let go of the idea that it was ever more than his imagination. Luke's fierce protectiveness is lovely, but there's a very definite shudder of dark things to come at the end. A good fic for a cold night!
Back to Day 2 | On to Day 4
Lake Lewisia #1343
Dec. 15th, 2025 05:15 pmscrubjayspeaksWith the weather taking a sharp turn to colder daytime temperatures, we are happy to announce that Old Man Anatole has been able to emerge from his yearly hibernation in the cryostasis lab at the community college. Trapped on a mountain unknown centuries ago, Anatole was found frozen by local archaeologists and was revived somewhat successfully, apart from his inability to survive in warmer temperatures. When you see him wandering coatless about town, stop to say hello and tell him about something pleasant for you from the past year, as he always enjoys catching up on what he misses during his seasonal sleep.
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LL#1343
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LL#1343
Tuesday – Krampusnacht
Dec. 16th, 2025 12:25 amToday's theme is Krampusnacht. We have just passed Krampusnacht and there are so many interesting darker side of the season stories and folklore, this time of year. Draw from them. It doesn’t have to be all Krampus. Jam the Yule Cat in there if you’d like. Southern hemisphere folk is there some light and bright folklore for this time of year for you?
Just a few rules:
No more than five prompts in a row.
No more than three prompts in the same fandom.
Use the character's full names and the fandom's full name
No spoilers in prompts for a month after airing, or use the spoiler cut option found here.
If your fill contains spoilers, warn and leave plenty of space, or use the above-mentioned spoiler cut.
If your story has possible triggers, please warn for them in the subject line!
Prompts should be formatted as follows: [Use the character's full names and fandom's full name]
Fandom, Character +/ Character, Prompt
Some examples to get the ball rolling...
+ Prodigal Son Malcolm Bright + any, someone has killed ‘Krampus’ in Central Park
+ Star Trek (the original series), Spock + any, why do humans have such dark lore?
+ The Owl House, Luz Noceda/Amity Blight + Vee + Willow Park+ Gus Porter+ Hunter, the Boiling Isle crew does not quite grasp that Krampus isn’t real
+Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Buffy Summers + any, Krampus and Frau Perchta
We are now using AO3 to bookmark filled prompts. If you fill a prompt and post it to AO3 please add it to the Bite Sized Bits of Fic from 2025 collection. See further notes on this new option here.
Not feeling any of today’s prompts? You can use LJ’s advanced search options to limit keyword results to only comments in this community.
While the use of LJ's advanced search options is available, bookmarking the links of prompts you like might work better for searching in the future.
If you are viewing this post on our Dreamwidth site, please know that fills posted here will not show up as comments on our LiveJournal site but you are still more than welcome to participate.
If you have a Dreamwidth account and would feel more comfortable participating there, please feel free to do so…and spread the word!
tag= krampusnacht