The Wordsmith's Forge

We made this tonight. It is mind-blowingly delicious. The kitchen still smells of spiced mango. :D

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Today is partly sunny and mild.

I fed the birds.  I've seen sparrows, house finches, and  mourning doves today.

I picked up sticks from the barrel garden to the goldenrain tree.

EDIT 4/17/21 -- We cut brush in the prairie garden from the east edge, along the north path, down part of the west path.  Yay, progress!

Redbud trees and pie cherries are in full bloom.  Wild strawberries are starting to bloom.

EDIT 4/17/21 -- I finished picking up sticks from the yard by the house.

A newly discovered type of pterodactyl had opposable thumbs that it probably used to climb trees and grasp prey. 

This is today's freebie, inspired by alexseanchai. It also fills the "Memories" square in my 4-4-21 "Aspects" card for the Genderplay Bingo fest. It belongs to the series Arts and Crafts America.

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The one-hundredth crowdfunding Creative Jam is now open with a theme of "Good vs. Bad." :D 3q3q3q!!! Come give us prompts or claim some for your own inspiration. I'm hoping for a big turnout this time.


What I Have Written

"Flood Gifts" is today's freebie.

Your light/dark prompt inspired the free-verse poem "The Loving Embrace of Night." It features one of three species on a hot eyeball planet, the Ice People.
44 lines, Buy It Now = $20

Your Eloquent Souls prompt inspired the free-verse poem "The Transmigration of Soulmarks." Gender affirmation usually breaks up a pre-existing relationship, but sometimes that opens the way for new connections.
144 lines, Buy It Now = $72

Your garden prompt inspired the free-verse poem "Ouroboros Insects." Instead of eating raspberries, they eat each other.
21 lines, 6 verses, Buy It Now = $10

Your natural prompt inspired the free-verse poem "Breathing Through Eternity." Birth and death are both as natural and necessary as breathing in and breathing out.
33 lines, 13 verses, Buy It Now = $15

Your relearning prompt inspired the free-verse poem "Growing Through the Cracks." It focuses on the importance of being yourself.
32 lines, Buy It Now = $15


From My Prompts

A friend asked me about how to lower, rather than raise, property value in search of a lower assessment and thus lower taxes and purchase costs.

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Today is mostly sunny, mild, and almost calm.

I fed the birds.  I've seen sparrows, house finches, grackles, mourning doves, and a brown thrasher.

I picked up sticks along the driveway and dumped them in the firepit.  We may be able to burn tonight.  I also want to go back out and spray weeds, which I haven't been able to do because of wind.

Lilacs and cherries are blooming.

EDIT 4/16/21 -- I sprayed weeds along the north edge of the driveway, the south lot, and forest garden.

EDIT 4/16/21 -- We burned off the firepit.

The government has released reports on the infrastructure of each state in relation to the recent Jobs Plan.  Most states got C or C- grades.  None got higher than a C+ and there were multiple states with D or D- grades.  The4 government has done a piss-poor job of maintaining basic infrastructure over wide areas.  As they attempt to repair and replace the worst parts -- which is a good idea and urgently needed -- sooner or later someone in a position of actual power is going to notice the massive maintenance debt bedeviling most cities, and realize that the huge infrastructure bill just passed is a drop in the bucket of what's needed.  Regrettably the plan is likely to make matters worse.

This newsletter talks about fire vulnerability in California homes.

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