Today is World Wetlands Day. We are celebrating the connection of wetlands to traditional knowledge and cultural heritage by highlighting a successful wetland restoration project led by the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation that spurred the natural return of wapato.

We will not allow this administration to turn our nation into an authoritarian regime. My response to ICE and their unconstitutional actions, and how we're preparing.

Norway maple, Acer platanoides, is now a Class C Noxious Weed in Washington. This popular street tree takes a while to start to impact forests, but when it reaches sexual maturity they quickly outcompete native understory plants. www.nwcb.wa.gov/weeds/norway... #pnw #invasiveplants

I hope you'll read this statement from Alex Pretti’s family. None of us should allow the Trump administration to lie about this man. Help get the truth out.

🎉 Can you believe Wikipedia is 25 years old? 🎂 A quarter-century of free knowledge—built on a simple but powerful idea: show your sources. That commitment to citations is one of our favorite things about Wikipedia. ℹ️📚🔍 🧵⬇️ (1/5) #Wikipedia25 #WikipediaDay @wikipedia.org

How did @mayorofseattle.bsky.social Katie Wilson win?! And why?!? READ: jacobin.com/2026/01/kati... We lay out exactly how in this piece with @jacobinmag.bsky.social. This was our playbook. Take what we learned in Seattle and adapt it to your city.

Introducing the Garrett Skidder

From the day we began publishing in 2008, ProPublica has pursued a clear mission: We hope to write stories that are so grounded in verifiable facts, they spur real-world changes in behaviors, policies or laws. Fuel journalism that makes an impact: https://propub.li/4aX9AP9

Our tax system is way too regressive. Let’s use resources from a Millionaires’ Tax to provide tax credits for Washingtonians and make sure small business owners pay less in taxes.

In 2025, editors across hundreds of languages made these changes to keep information accurate, neutral, and up to date. It’s a scale of contribution that few platforms can match, and none replicate for free.

Slime mold fruiting on a local weed (some variety of aster)

happy solstice from a local 50 yard line

The proposed rule targeting healthcare for transgender and gender diverse people is cruel, and unnecessary. Under the law in WA, necessary healthcare for transgender people is lawful and legally protected. Proposed rules are not the law – nothing has changed in WA.

WA: Washington’s flooding has been declared a state of emergency. If your property has been impacted by the atmospheric rivers, there are financial relief options available to you.  www.kuow.org/stories/wash...

LET YOUR NEIGHBORS KNOW: STAY OUT OF FLOOD WATER! Help spread the word and keep doing your part to stay safe!

This interesting specimen is called the jelly antler.

The National Water Prediction Service is forecasting 18 major floods and 15 moderate floods in our state.  Catastrophic flooding is likely. Please pay close attention to local officials and sign up for emergency alerts with your county. Find a list here: mil.wa.gov/alerts

Lichen on a branch here in the Pacific Northwest.

Yours truly investigating some probable Marasmiellus alliiodorus here in the #PNW

Elfin saddle.

What makes these lines or grids of holes in our trees? #bird #birds #birding #birder #birdwatcher #birdwatching #wildlife #animal #tree #trees #forest #ecology

One of the people who designed some of the Muppets was named (from birth!) Kermit Love. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kermit_...

Inky cap

One of the stranger things Duolingo has taught me to say

Is cheese made of Moon

A sneak peek at the cover of next week’s issue, which celebrates Zohran Mamdani’s historic win. #NewYorkerCovers https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/451hFM

How old is this guy? I think I might be older than the Quaker Oats guy

Conservative education activists such as Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice have access to the top levers of the government. “If America’s public schools cease to exist tomorrow, America would be a better place,” Justice told ProPublica. @megomatz.bsky.social @jsmithrichards.bsky.social

Bird's nest fungus. I take a picture of these every year. They just blow my mind.

“D’Angelo was a generational talent—an unusually artful singer, and an experimental and idiosyncratic songwriter.” Amanda Petrusich remembers the R. & B. singer D’Angelo, who died this week at 51.

I've started to think of autumn as "mushroom spring".

I do not believe we need a "zen mode" or a "zone out" space. Those, for me, are offline. What we need online is a "high trust mode," where verified experts share deep content rich content. I'd love to see @bsky.app implement some sort of concentrating mechanism for this high-trust social media...

Hazelnut leaves

I'm worried about the 80,000 Washingtonians who are expected to lose access to checkups and preventive care because they can no longer afford health insurance once the ACA tax credits expire. (1/4)

A mostly fallen tree.

I love finding typos like this in old books. You never see such in new books; it's all caught by spellcheck. When I saw this, it stopped me cold. I stared at it, thinking, "How wonderful." Feeling like we've lost something--some unnameable knowlegt we used to have. #books #writing

imagine if a family of beavers randomly showed up right now and finished whatever thing you've been putting off

The new season of my #newsletter starts this Friday. Steven Richard newsletter is twice-monthly creative writing essays about fictional people and things. stevenarntson.com/steven-richa...