That last sentence ... It's just mind-blowingly effed up.

In the park this evening, the previously breathtaking red-orange maples were mostly stripped of their leaves. It recalled to me some lines from this poem by A. N. Maikov that helped me get through a tough time in Russia 10 years ago. Still relevant: randianderson.com/russian-poem...

My favorite song on "Legends" ... honestly choked me up. #Sabaton open.spotify.com/track/1t1g8m...

Sabaton is the kind of band of which I might say (if I didn't like them) "all their songs sound the saaaaame" ... But I love them, so I dgaf, and don't you dare come after my epic Swedish metal dudes. 😂🎸🤘 I've been listening to "Legends" on loop. #metal #Sabaton

Also, hello again, Bluesky. I've been away on account of my mentals, but here are some fall pictures from my local park. #getoutside #fallcolors

Can we stop overusing "quietly" in headlines? When I see that word, I generally assume the article is clickbait.

I've been super sad and scared and angry lately, so I made a trip to confession and then went on an early fall hike with my bub. Nature is healing. #getoutside

THIS is why they got rid of de minimis? Their justification is even stupider than I expected.

Reading Algernon Blackwood's "The Wendigo," and the first thing I'm noticing -- besides a lot of racist statements and wording, as you'd expect -- is how much he talks about Odours.

Really trying to hang in there. I know what Trump is doing is unsustainable and will not last forever, but I worry intensely about the many comparatively blameless people whose lives he'll destroy first. robertreich.substack.com/p/sunday-tho...

Much stress lately, so this week I've turned back to painting for some restorative creative time. This is a Rose of Sharon study (with bee!), oil on canvas, 12x12 inches. Almost done! #oilpainting #botanicalart

I submitted my novel (or rather the cover letter, synopsis, and sample chapters) to a publisher this morning. Feels weird. I used to do this all the time, but now I'm out of practice! #writesky

"Edelweiss," oil on panel, 12x9 inches. Inspired by watching THE MAN IN THE HIGH CASTLE as well as the 60th anniversary of THE SOUND OF MUSIC. #oilpainting #botanicalart

“What is hell? I maintain that it is the suffering of being unable to love.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky

I saw a Dracula mug at B&N that read, "I have crossed oceans of time to find you." Did they not know that quote is not in the novel, or did they just not care?

Tonight, instead of trying to be "productive," I sat out on the porch and watched the moon rise while listening to the crickets.

Plein air in the Finger Lakes. 🩵 This watercolor sketch was done over a glass of dry rosé at Living Roots overlooking Keuka Lake. #pleinair #watercolorpainting

End-of-July garden beauties. 💚🌱 The cardinal flowers have so many visitors, including two hummingbirds (Ruby and Reuben) and plenty of bumblebees. #garden4wildlife

Did a little plein air at a fundraiser event today! This is a view from the RE Farm Cafe at Windswept Farm in State College, PA. Oil on 10x8 gessobord. #oilpainting #getoutside #pleinair

I heard a rustle in my front garden and thought it was a dirty chipmunk at first. 😂 Ah, backyard wildlife. #toads #wildlifegarden #garden4wildlife

THE THOUSAND NAMES by Django Wexler was languishing on my TBR list for way too long. I love me some flintlock fantasy, and so far this one is not disappointing! (Mode: listening to the audiobook and reading the ebook at the same time. Fwiw, the print/ebook cover is better.) #booksky 📚

For July 20's "moon" prompt, we have the start of an unpleasant vision. #WIPsnips #writesky #writingcommunity #epicfantasy

This was the first day in a while that the weather was actually reasonable (looking at you, humidity), so I went out in the garden for some #pleinair practice after work. 😊 #oilpainting #getoutside

I don't understand how people don't fly into a rage or burst into tears every time they go grocery shopping. Things just keep going up.

Past me saved present me a lot of trouble by having ALREADY WRITTEN A SYNOPSIS, which I now just need to edit. 💪 #writesky

This snippet is from THE WHITEMAIDEN, in which the immigrant MC faces the disdain of authorities raiding her community. This was written a decade ago. 🤦‍♀️ #WIPsnips July 13 word prompt: "random" #writingcommunity #writesky #epicfantasy

I love Lord Huron's "The Night We Met" (feat. Phoebe Bridgers), but I find I can't listen to it anymore. It makes me too sad.

Despite the hammam weather, I successfully finished my street painting at the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the Arts! It's a Turk's cap lily in the Smoky Mountains, based on an oil painting I did last fall after a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. #chalkart #streetpainting

So, question for the gardening community, especially those in zone 6b or nearby. Every time I grow carrots in spring, they take much longer to grow than I anticipate. 🥕 It's hot now. Should I just let these grow until fall or what? 🌱

Interestingly enough, I had NO instances of "somebody" in my current draft! So my July 6 #WIPsnips post will have to be "someone," namely a minor character with outsized attitude when she comes to the defense of another woman. I love her. #writingcommunity #writesky #epicfantasy

The big bad thing that I've been dreading for several weeks happened a couple of days ago. Stuff has not been good. Fortunately, I have a Golden Retriever of a partner who knows I love flowers.

Felix is unsure whether this is a dream or something more... #WIPsnips prompt for July 3 is "deep," and this is a twofer! #writesky #writingcommunity #epicfantasy

Weird stuff makes me choke up anymore. I was just re-learning John Anderson's "Seminole Wind" on the guitar and kept getting the urge to sob in the second verse.

This has been a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad month, but look at these beauties in my garden. 🌱 #bloomscrolling

Okay, it's been years since I've done #WIPsnips, but I'll give it a go! Word prompt: "whistle." This is from PROPHETFIRE, the sequel to a #fantasybook I'm editing for publication. The drafting's been on hold for a while, but I'm getting into it again, yay! #writesky #writingcommunity #epicfantasy

Hoping for at least a WINDOW of #pleinair friendly weather this weekend. 🤞 I admire the folks who paint even in the rain and foul weather, but alas, I'm not to that level.

ONE WEEK LEFT!We are accepting submissions only through June 30. Please help us spread the word about this contest by sharing this link, which includes information on how to submit your art and contest details: friendsofmidway.org/call-to-art/ #PapahānaumokuākeaMarineDebrisProject #Birds

I got this false goat's beard (Astilbe) a couple of years ago at a native plant sale, and I look forward to its blooms every year. 🩷🌱 #bloomscrolling

Anyone in the gardening community 🌱 have any good remedies against rose worms (rose sawfly larvae)? Hand-picking hasn't been working.

In spite of being ill, Dmitry Andreevich decided he wanted to go for a nighttime stroll. #catsofbluesky

I look forward to seeing The Lindy Sisters in Talleyrand Park every year. 😍

Also this poor little buddy has been very sick for weeks now. I'm drained. Send prayers and good vibes 🙏✨

I needed to read this today. Thought someone else might need it too.

Silent on BlueSky lately because I have nothing nice or helpful to say. Too angry about everything this dumbass president and his administration of orcs are doing.

Launching the U.S. into what could be yet another unpopular and costly forever war, while simultaneously pushing for an unpopular budget bill at home that will take food and healthcare away from millions of people. The "peace president."

😍😍😍

These buggers are back. #cicadas

I can't tell whether these are orchid roots or shoots but I love them.

Ugggghhhh definitely need to spend more time on the innocuous hobby portions of BlueSky. I'm tired of feeling outrage whenever I log on.