Rudie V.

A little free library

Helped put up a little free library #littlefreelibrary #maryland #library

(cont.) too much of my happiness is wrapped up in gaining and trying to keep certain relationships. And they're not even toxic relationships, but as I said in my last blog post, you can't hold on to anything too tightly in this life. Joy has to be rooted in something deeper and lasting

Feeling so much better mentally and emotionally today...in part because I was finally able to put my finger on an issue I've had for a while but didn't know what it was, and able to definitively understand it: co-dependency. Too much of my happiness...(cont. below)

Had a weird nightmare last night that I was being interrogated intensely by the mafia for (either inadvertently or intentionally) talking to FBI agents, and one of the mafia guys was....Bill Cosby 🤔 I woke up right before they started beating me up, lol.

How does the brain come up with this stuff?

A rainbow pin in the colors of the trans pride flag — blue, pink, and white — on a denim jacket. Foreground text is a prayer for Transgender Remembrance Day.

On this Trans Day of Remembrance, we name and mourn the many transgender, nonbinary and gender non-conforming people murdered each year because of their identity; each of them a beloved child of God and a story cut tragically short. We invite you to share the names of who you are remembering today.

Definitely looks like Spotted Lanternfly to me; I've seen entire trees covered in them up in Maryland; not quite as severe an infestation in the Richmond area, best I can tell but have seen them around.

Earlier on the expedition we found the most beautiful flower, and here, my friends, is the biggest: Rafflesia arnoldi seen in full bloom today in the Sumatran jungle. This is the largest flower on earth and one of the greatest wonders of the natural world.

Youth-led projects are planting native species, building pollinator gardens, and bringing bees, birds, and biodiversity back to cities. Small actions are making a huge impact.🌱🐝#COP30 #ClimateAction #Youth4Biodiversity #RewildTheFuture #astralwavelength

My sweet mother-in-law suffered a major stroke this morning (with no apparent health issues prior) and will likely be taken off a ventilator this evening.

Hug your loved ones close and don't take for granted the time you have with them.

My closest Barnes and Noble had closed down for a while a few months ago while the shopping center did some re-apportioning of stores and tenants, and recently re-opened. The new format inside isn't nearly as cozy as before (the cafe is gone) but the book selection has improved immensely

Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica) can have wonderful fall color. On any individual tree, the range of color from one leaf to the next can vary. The fall fruit adds to the beauty and is very popular with birds. The first picture is a species tree while the second picture is a cultivar. #nativeplants

And just like that, POW 💥 starting the week off with this beautiful #Camellia loaded with flowers in my favorite color 💖💝

#Flowers #Gardening #Plants #GulfOfMexico #Autumn #November #FlowerReport

Daylily
#stunday #bloomscrolling #flowers #daylily #esstcosstkin #photography #macro #pink

Reluctantly watched #KPopDemonHunter with my wife this evening....but I'm glad I stuck with it, because underneath the surface-level silliness, there's some deep messaging that is really solid and that more people need to hear. Give it a go!

narrative of hosting an admin party for everyone to sit together with snacks, be merry, pay bills and make doctors appointments and manage life

props to WSJ for once on a useful notion, ADMIN PARTY for everybody

Beautiful Pink Robin #Birdsong #Birdwatching #Photography #FridayVibes

The free version gives you basic editing and some customization, but there's also a paid level if you want a more feature-rich experience. rudiev.pagecord.com

I've been looking around for a while for a #blogging platform that feels "just right" and decided a no-frills approach hits the spot. I've been enjoying PageCord now for the last month or two...a small one-person upstart operation.

Starbucks workers are striking today for better pay and working conditions. Support your locally owned coffee shops instead! #StarbucksStrike #UnionsForAll

Apparently the Northern Lights were so intense last night they were visible all the way down to the Gulf coast. But I got so used to not being able to see them (being in Virginia, which is usually too far south) that I didn’t bother to go outside. Hopefully it’ll still be going tonight...

Chuck @schumer.senate.gov is a national embarrassment, a disgrace to the Democratic Party, and should just hang it up already if he’s not going to put up a fight. Shit or get off the pot, as the saying goes. New York, you can do better. #GovernmentShutDown #TrumpShutDown #USPol

The one in the upper right, is that the ginger you can squeeze and it produces a natural shampoo? 😆

Chuck Schumer Helps Pull Democrats Back From Brink Of Courage

Chuck Schumer Helps Pull Democrats Back From Brink Of Courage

@kaine.senate.gov @markwarner.bsky.social Shame on all of you for capitulating to fascists and Nazis to save your own skin. You should’ve had more faith that voters would see through the lies and understand who’s truly at fault for the shutdown. The GOP owns it.

LOL at @mlb.com for getting cozy with sports betting companies then expecting players not to get caught up in sports betting. 🙄

Yesterday in the forest looking up #autumn #iPhone with a little post-processing to compensate for the contrast and no sound

A medium sized tree (Chinese pistache) lights up the edge of some woods, leaves electric shades of orange and red

Fothergilla ‘Mt. Airy’ (a relative of our native witch hazel) all lit up in yellows, oranges, and reds in my mom’s garden, , various other shrubs (still green) in the background

Peak #FallColor in my neck of the woods right now, despite a largely dry fall. I guess temperatures have been just right. Regardless, it’s a fantastic week to be outside!

Well, the sun came out today, but it's cold and quiet except for the wind. This is a video I took of the hummingbirds frolicking in late September. They're always extra frisky when they're about to set out on their southern migration. #birds #hummingbirds #gardening 🌱

I’ve worked at a plant nursery for years and had no idea you could use the berries! What’s the flavor like?

Giant pot of pyracantha berries, washed and ready for jelly-making.

My favorite part of November: pruning the neighbor's thorny pyracantha bushes & harvesting the berries for firethorn jelly!