Like most any hobby, dickering around with (as brynwulf so aptly called my Lotions & Potions) alchemy - which sounds so much more grand - can get expensive. I mean, the basics don't have to be expensive. You can make a very basic lotion with water, oil and an emulsifier but where's the fun in that? Technically you don't even have to have a ( Read more... )

So it's just past midnight and my vacation ends in a little less than 24 hours. For the last 10 days my days and nights have flipped back around completely to take advantage of the great weather. Even when it was grey and raining it was warm. And most days had at least some sunshine in it. I did manage to sleep until noon today...er, yesterday, and ( Read more... )

I keep meaning to do a Tiny House planning update (and I will!), but not today. This is just to touch base and let everyone know I'm still kicking ( Read more... )

So here it is, nearly noon in the middle of July. The apartment has been opened up since early yesterday evening. I've had to put on a heavier t-shirt and socks to be comfortable. It got down to 54 last night and right now it's an incredible 69 degrees! Absolutely gorgeous! It'll only get up to around 74 today, maybe a couple of degrees warmer ( Read more... )

Not that all the hummingbirds that visit my balcony aren't Ruby Throated Hummingbirds but only the mature males have the actual red throat and until this morning I'd never seen one ( Read more... )

Jesus fuck! There's an apparently suicidal hummingbird that keeps twittering and chirruping away on the balcony (not unusual). What is unusual is that this one, with the full knowledge that Phouka is sitting right out there, keeps hovering down to around 4 ft - totally and easily within Phouka reach. *headdesk ( Read more... )

I know that there are at least 3 hummingbirds making regular pit-stops at my feeder and that a certain amount of nectar can be lost to evaporation (though it hasn't been that warm of windy the last few days), but my god! Those little thistle-down fluffs with wings can certainly suck down the nectar ( Read more... )

Yesterday morning it was so cool that I not only didn't roll down my car windows on the way to work, I actually turned off the vents. And when I got off work it was beautiful - in the mid-80s with sunshine, low humidity and a nice breeze. With inadequate apartment ventilation it was a little too warm to open up the apartment when I got home, but ( Read more... )

Yesterday about halfway through work I began getting that tell-tale tickly/raw feeling in my throat, and began feeling more and more like I'd been dragged through a hedge backwards. Right now about every third person in the store is down with a virulent, but thankfully short-lived crud so I was prepared ( Read more... )

Well, I had intended to go to work today - fixed my lunch and laid out my clothes and prepped for breakfast this morning - but after a truly crappy night's sleep and a back that still feels wonky I decided to take advantage of the fact that one more day wouldn't earn me any more points at work and since it's on another pay period it won't have such ( Read more... )