ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Blackbirds are some of my favorites. When I was a kid, my grandpa and I would watch them together at his feeder. We had names for them all
Just in time to start my mystery knit along, I finished both yip yips. The knit eyes worked out really well. I’ve never laughed so much while knitting something, these were a really fun project [Pattern](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/yip-yips-knit)
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Being a cat is such hard work, we humans will never understand
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Great capture! I have a hard time getting a good shot of creepers since they so rarely stop moving
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Cherry for me. Common flavor in lots of fruity candy mixes but not my favorite. I do like cherry sours on their own though
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Canid and canine generally mean any of the dog-like animals: domestic dogs, wolves, fox, coyotes, dingoes, jackals, wild dogs
Parrot applies to members of the Psittacine family: parrots, macaws, parakeets, cockatiels, cockatoos, parrotlets, lorikeets
Herps and herpetofauna are used to collectively refer to amphibians and reptiles: frogs, salamanders, newts, lizards, turtles, snakes
Bear means all actual bear species but is also often used in reference to pandas and koalas (just don’t say it in front of my scientifically accurate kid)
Waterfowl is ducks, geese, swans
Depending on why or how you’re using categories, you can also group by characteristics: Do they have fur, feathers, or scales Do they lay eggs or give birth Are they predator or prey Do they eat meat, plants, fruit, pollen, or some combination
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
southsamurai has a great overall explanation. I would add it also depends on the age and any medical conditions of each.
We have a 45 pound dog (age 12) and a 15 pound cat (age 17). The dog is on senior/old man food but is otherwise in good health. The cat has kidney disease so we have to get only specific kinds. Per month the cat’s food is about $5 more than the dog’s, but that’s for a smaller amount.
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Well done. Anesthetizing birds is always so tricky
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
My cat will also do this. And if I put a blanket on his spot he’ll go sleep somewhere else
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Shows from my youth I’ve watched with my kid: The Muppets Full House Animaniacs
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
I think it’s going to be used to hold toys, but plants are a great idea!
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Yeah I’m gonna have to knit some for me now too. They’re just too fun not to
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
With the occasional “nooope” thrown in
Remember those “Martians” from Sesame Street? A friend asked me to make a couple of these for their kid. My first one is on the left and the pattern photo is on the right. I’m going to try to knit some eye balls instead of using ping pongs, we’ll see how that goes [Pattern](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/yip-yips-knit)
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Well damn, I was hoping it was for a good (happy) reason. I’ll make sure to keep an eye out for signs of OE in my native flower garden
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
Do you have a source for the monarchs not needing more milkweed planted? I’m hoping I missed some great news.
Last I heard the advice was still to plant more milkweed because we’re below the level needed to try and grow the population - since it’s being considered for protection under the Endangered Species Act and milkweed is the only plant the caterpillars can survive on. If we got that done or found a better way that’s awesome
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
$0.13213 per kWh plus a $0.58915 per day “customer charge”
ChaosCoati
Now
•
100%
First time I left my spouse and cat alone, my cat trapped them in the bathroom.
This came up unexpectedly and I’m waiting to see what it’ll be. I didn’t plant any squash or pumpkins this year. In fact I’ve never planted either in this garden bed. We affectionately call it our “pumquash” while we wait. I have it under a greenhouse because we had our first frost warning this weekend, and I’d really like at least one fruit to mature so we can solve the mystery. This is the furthest along.
Today’s our first frost date, and I haven’t had a single ripe tomato yet. Time to break out the plant covers and cross my fingers. I usually make green tomato relish. What are your favorite green tomato canning recipes?
Edit: Here’s the recipe. I couldn’t find a recipe that didn’t use already-made dill pickles, so I combined several recipes instead. I used the National Center for Home Food Preservation’s vinegar solution ratios [for sweet pickles](https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/pickle/cucumber-pickles/quick-sweet-pickles/) to make sure the pH was safe. Then I used a combo of spices from a [sweet dill](https://www.food.com/recipe/oh-so-good-sweet-dill-pickles-302646) recipe and a [sweet horseradish](http://lovinglittleleah.blogspot.com/2012/08/garlic-horseradish-bread-and-butter.html?m=1) recipe. My dill plants didn’t do well this year, so I used dried. It’s important to note, I’ve never made this recipe before and since I just canned yesterday I don’t know yet whether it’s good. Makes 4-5 pint jars - 4 lbs cucumbers - 1.5 cups apple cider vinegar - 1 cup white vinegar - 3.25 cups granulated sugar - 0.25 cup canning salt - In each clean, sterilized jar add: - 0.75 tsp mustard seed - 1 Tbsp dill weed - 1.5 tsp prepared horseradish Cut off a little of the blossom end. Slice and put in hot vinegar solution. When cucumbers are heated through, pack in jars. Add vinegar solution, leaving a 1/2” headspace. Water bath can for 10 minutes.
Between earwigs and wildlife this year, the only plants producing are the ones in my porch boxes. The cucumbers are gherkins so I’ve been picking them small so I can make them into sweet pickles. I have 3 jars put up already and enough cucumbers to make #4 this weekend. I just wish I had a small deep pot to can in, it’s such a waste to pull out my big canner. But until I can find one that at least fits pint jars I have to keep using the big pot. I planted more peas this week and plan to do some more fall planting this weekend. I’m about 2 weeks behind but better late than never. Edit: I forgot to mention, the leaves in the photo are just for our bunny’s breakfast. Although I will soon be drying some raspberry and blackberry leaves for her to enjoy in the winter.
Fewer people at home this week, so I made a half recipe of my usual Soft French Bread (that’s what the recipe calls it) and baked it in a sandwich loaf pan. Forgot the egg wash but it’s still tasty! Edit: here’s the recipe - 230g warm water - 1 Tbsp sugar - 1-1/2 tsp salt - 1 Tbsp oil (I usually use olive oil) - 355g all purpose flour - 1-1/8 tsp instant yeast - Mix all ingredients in bread machine on dough cycle. Let rise until end of dough cycle. Shape into loaf and let rise 30 minutes. Bake at 375F for about 25 minutes.
www.nbcolympics.com
I don’t get much knitting done in the summer, so I thought I’d share someone else’s project. Saw him in the stands tonight watching the men’s doubles final and it looks like he’s already cast on something else.
Off and on this week I’ve been having trouble with some sites and apps - mainly Amazon, Walmart, Bing, Pinterest and Peacock - where they won’t load. Other sites and apps are working just fine, and I don’t think it’s our internet as I’ll have videos streaming while those sites just sit and spin. I’ve also tried them on several devices (phone, tablet, computer) but no difference. Is this maybe some carry over from last week’s CrowdStrike issues?
Earwigs or some other insect have been voraciously nibbling on my bean and radish leaves. I saw it mentioned in several places to put out a dish with oil and a little soy sauce. I figured it’s worth a shot. Do you have a favorite way to keep the tiny critters away from your leaves?
We’ve noticed we don’t find monarch caterpillars on milkweed plants that have ants on them. We’ve also noticed if ants start coming on a plant with a caterpillar on it, the caterpillar disappears. It doesn’t seem to show up on a neighboring milkweed plant either. I’m wondering if anyone has a way they keep ants off these plants so the caterpillars can continue their life cycle in peace.
Didn’t spot this one right away so it got away from me. They’re gherkins, I plan to make sweet pickles. Not with this monster though, we ate it fresh and it was delicious.
First try at making hot dog buns today. Next time I’m definitely going to do 8 buns instead of 6. Other than that, do you have any tips or tricks to shaping them?
Just have to vent, because I’m struggling to finish this sweater. The body was knit with US 17s (12mm). Now I’m doing the sleeves on US 19s (16mm) because my gauge was too tight with the 17s. I have discovered I don’t like knitting with these size needles. They’re uncomfortable for me to hold and knitting with them feels like a chore. Vent over. Hopefully I’ll get this sweater off the needles today or tomorrow, and now I know to avoid any more projects using these needles.
Newly emerged. Landed on some netting while I was gardening, seems to be settled in for the night.
Mixed and did first rise in my bread machine [Recipe](https://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-hamburger-buns-bread-machine-80413?photo=196343)
Slow but steady progress on my socks Pattern: [Hermoine’s Everyday Sock](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hermiones-everyday-socks)
Someone snuck a slice before I could get the photo
Needed a new car knitting project as my Kelowna sweater is too big now to work on comfortably. So I cast on some socks for me. Pattern: [Hermoine’s Everyday Socks](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hermiones-everyday-socks) Yarn: Knit Picks Felici in Palm Springs colorway
Decided to get sleeve island out of the way. I’m worried I won’t have enough yarn even though I’m on gauge. I am using different yarn than the pattern and it’s definitely not the bulkiest bulky yarn I’ve ever used. I picked up 12 stitches in the underarm (instead of the pattern’s 6) because I was worried about holes. I may have some small ones to close up at the end but we’ll see how they look after blocking. Pattern: [Kelowna sweater](https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/kelowna-sweater)
Now