Ryuukashi

A stepping-stone path with shoulder-high, stringy looking greenery on the left and double that height, broad leafy greenery on the left, topped with small starbursts of bright yellow sunflowers.

These are my sunchokes beginning to bloom. They are one season old, and will die back to the ground this Winter. Each stalk should net me up to 10 pounds of super nutritious potato-like tubers. All I did was put them in the ground, no watering or weeding #nativegardening

To the National Guard
You are not alone. If you are given an order that violates the Constitution or asks you to act unlawfully against citizens: call 877-477-4487.
There is support there.
The GI Rights hotline.
Don't do something you can't live with.

5 Places to Turn for Accurate Health Information (Gift Article) Changes to federal health websites have raised concerns about their reliability. These independent sources offer an alternative.

Good list for anyone seeking reliable guidance to counter the steady stream of health disinformation from this administration.

www.nytimes.com/2025/04/28/w...

Hyacinth just beginning to sprout green leaves and baby flowerbuds above ground through the leaf mulch

Amaranth seedlings in a pot under a purple grow light, almost an inch tall with only their first two seedling leaves

Snow blanketing my garden path

Spring is creeping closer. Hyacinths are not native or edible, but they bring me joy so I keep them in my garden. Amaranth for greens and grains will be planted as soon as they are 3 inches tall and temps don't threaten to freeze again

Anyone who must interact with them should wear N95 masks.

Avoid entering rooms for 2 hours after an infected person was in it.

Disinfect surfaces & clothing to limit potential transmission.

Seek medical care if symptoms worsen.

🧵

None of us can be sure what will “work.” You try multiple things and find your way in. Read some histories of the Civil Rights Movement by those who participated. They were never “sure” of what would work. Some campaigns fizzled out. But persistence, creativity, determination, and focus were key.

How to Summarize Government Work in Five Easy Bullets - Bergeson & Campbell, P.C. It was reported this weekend that all federal employees received an e-mail from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) telling employees to report “five

www.lawbc.com/how-to-summa...

Very similar. Highly recommend.

What radicalized me?

For your Friday fun.

The Department of Ed has a form to snitch on DEI policies in schools.

I’d be a shame if we broke it with thousands of responses… enddei.ed.gov

I also want to note that CBS is the reporting agency here. Mainstream is finally picking up the truth.

A comic of two foxes, one of whom is blue, the other is green. In this one, Blue arrives to the scene as Green is sulking on the floor, next to a collection of wilting potted plants. Blue looks at Green with concern. Blue: What's wrong? Green: Everything is bad, my plants are dying, my life is falling apart. Blue offers Green a glass of water and a straw. Green drinks, without moving from his place on the floor. Blue: Drink some water. Green: Can't see how that helps, but sure. Blue watches with mild surprise as Green jumps up, suddenly energetic, obliviously knocking over the glass. Green: Hey, I have energy again! I think I'll water my plants! Soon, a caption above the foxes states "minutes later:". The formerly wilted plants are flourishing, and Green looks at them with surprise and delight. Blue, saying nothing, is looking at blue. Green: Blue, look! My plants are ok! They just needed some water and were being dramatic about it!

Yay!! A federal judge in California sided with a coalition of unions, temporarily barring the Office of Personnel Management from ordering federal agencies to terminate probationary workers, stating that the firings were ‘illegal, should be stopped, and rescinded.’

An awesome woman named Beth Kelley shared this with me and wanted me to share it with you.

If you're wondering what we, as little people caught in a big web can do, Beth has you covered:

Here is her Advice:

It may not be cool or hip in some circles, but we legitimately do need a massive amount of people to run for office.

Flood the school boards, councils, county seats, state legislatures, Congress, etc.

Big changes at the top happen when the ground shifts at the bottom. And that can start now.

👀 NEW: the current under secretary of State for Management, Ambassador Tibor Nagy, has sent an email regarding OPM's request for five accomplishments: "No employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their department chain of command."

Are you bored tonight? Send your five accomplishments, maybe your shopping list, or your five thoughts on Elon from the past week to OPM at HR@opm.gov.

If your state officials are not doing their jobs… you can gather together, speak up, and fight back! Demand recalls where needed, info on doing so found here:

Read the whole thread. It's 20 or 30 posts. Keep going.

So... I want to try to articulate some thoughts that have been forming in my head the past few days. They're still coming together (which I know is risky #onhere) but I feel like I want to "talk" through them.... (1/)

I know things are bleak and scary right now. But I promise you that you - yes YOU - can get through this.

You don't have to fight all of this on your own. Find one person you can help, and help them. Make the life of one person better every day.

Hold onto your joy.

That's how we win.

Here in Illinois, ten years ago we saw the consequences of a rampant ideological gutting of government.

It genuinely harmed people. Our citizens hated it.

Trust me – I was elected based in part on just how much they hated it.

Trump's appeal on ending birthright citizenship has failed. The 9th Circuit panel (including a Trump appointee) all ruled against him.

You are not a waste. You are not trash to be discarded. You are wanted, you are needed, and we see you. Hang in there. Do what you can, we understand that it may not be much. We will get through this together.

Tyranny requires your fear, your silence, and your compliance.

Democracy requires your courage.

🗣️ @aoc.bsky.social out fighting for the people & federal workers: “Every day our job is to wake up and say ‘what can I do today?’ — There is no act too small. Every action matters.” 🇺🇸

Pst. Hey. Federal workers. We know you're not just "waste." We know you're not doing fraud. We know that your work is just as important as anything we do, sometimes more. This show of naming you "waste" so you can be eliminated does not change your true value. Hand in there. We'll make it through.

On Tyranny Twenty lessons from the 20th century by Timothy Snyder 1. Do not oney in advance. 2. Defend institutions. 3. Beware the one-party state. 4. Take responsibility for the face of the world. 5. Remember professional ethics. 6. Be wary of paramilitaries. 7. Be reflective if you must be armed. 8. Stand out. 9. Be kind to our language. 10. Believe in truth. 11. Investigate. 12. Make eye contact and small talk. 13. Practice corporeal politics. 14. Establish a private life. 15. Contribute to good causes. 16. Learn from peers in other countries. 17. Listen for dangerous words. 18. Be calm when the unthinkable arrives. 19. Be a patriot. 20. Be as courageous as you can.

Remember folks, "Do not obey in advance" is Chapter 1. There are 20 chapters. Nothing is over unless we give up.

This list is... 🥹 It's a list of institutions to choose from and put your weight behind. Support the institutions doing good work. Help them do more if you can. Spread the word if you can't.

Screenshot of the "Report to Bluesky Moderation Service" screen, reporting the DOGE account for "Not a congressionally approved or allocated government agency"