The Wordsmith's Forge

 This video shows origami math.

Today is sunny and mild.

I fed the birds.  Not much activity today, just a few doves and house finches.

We pulled some garbage out of the basement, which is now merely damp.  \o/ 

EDIT 5/30/21 -- I cleared 3 spots in the prairie garden.

EDIT 5/30/21 -- I cleared 3 spots in the prairie garden.

EDIT 5/30/21 -- I planted the last of the white and mixed hollyhocks in the septic garden.  I planted the last of the pale purple and yellow coneflowers in the prairie garden, along with some purple asters.

EDIT 5/30/21 -- I planted 2 more spots of wildflowers in the prairie garden.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Trailers are an established form of affordable housing. They are small enough to be cheap, big enough to fit a family of several people (or housemates), and straightforward to move in case of environmental foreclosure. One main drawback, abusive landlords, is easily solved by placing the trailers on a lot owned by a community collective. This also creates an opportunity for government restitution to abused groups such as Native American or black communities, by giving them a patch of land for use as affordable housing. Another issue is their vulnerability to storms. Every trailer should have a storm porch, but the whole trailer park should have communal shelters capable of holding all souls on board plus an extra 10-20% for guests and refugees.

Today is sunny and cool.

I fed the birds.  I've only seen a few at the feeders -- sparrows, house finches, a brown thrasher, and a robin. 

I pulled weeds from the strip garden.

EDIT 5/29/21 -- I started trimming grass around the telephone pole near the street.  It looks like the lilies and the hollyhock have flower buds on them.  \o/

EDIT 5/29/21 -- I trimmed more grass around the telephone pole.

EDIT 5/29/21 -- I spread topsoil and planted hollyhocks near the telephone pole.

I saw an indigo bunting several times in about the same part of the streetside yard, near the serviceberry tree.  They like margins.

For my current set of tips, I'm using the list "101 Small Ways You Can Improve Your City.

74. Learn to give a great presentation. Community improvements always need ace advocates, and in addition to taking the time to listen to your neighbors, becoming a better speaker can help you spread the word and get local government on your side. The Neighborhood Design Center has a great guide.

Wikipedia main page on Public Speaking

Public Speaking Tips

Today is cloudy, chilly, and damp.  It rained again last night and earlier today.

I fed the birds.  I haven't seen much activity today, just a few house finches, and screaming crows in the south lot.

I potted a couple of catnip plants for a friend. 

EDIT 5/28/21 -- I planted 3 Firecracker Sedums in the purple-and-white garden.  Just as I finished that, it started spitting rain again.

EDIT 5/28/21 -- I spread some grass seed.  It's mizzling at the moment.

EDIT 5/28/21 -- I sowed shortgrass prairie mix wildflowers in two spots in the prairie garden.

... takes the form of eastereggs drawn on maps.  I am reminded of "Here there be dragons."

We watched the first episode of "High on the Hog" tonight.  It traces the roots of soul food from Africa through America.  This episode features Benin and foods like yams (the original, not the sweet potato substitute), okra, and black-eyed peas.  It's a lot heavier than most food shows, but it has great culinary and historical detail, with black people exploring and telling their own stories.  If you appreciate ethnic history and food, this is a wonderful of example of history written by someone other than the winners.  Most highly recommended.

Today is cloudy, breezy, and mild.  It rained for a while, so everything is wet.

I fed the birds.  I've seen mostly house finches and a few doves, along with two squirrels and several rabbits. 

EDIT 5/27/21 -- After supper, it wasn't raining, so I went out and cleared more space around the purple-and-white garden.

EDIT 5/27/21 -- I finished trimming around the purple-and-white garden.  It'll probably need some more touchup when I go to plant things in it, but it's mostly accessible now.  Progress!

Some of the alliums are setting seed.  The peonies are in full bloom and the hostas are nicely leafed out.  The sedums are barely visible through the peonie leaves.

Here's an article suggesting that weird dreams minimize the tendency to become too dependent on ordinary patterns.

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