thoughts about accessible gardening?

Jul. 26th, 2025 05:26 pm
rafiwinters: (grow all the things!)
[personal profile] rafiwinters posting in [community profile] gardening
Hello lovely gardener friends. I have various physical limitations which frustrate me when trying to do traditional gardening--you know, in the ground, where you have to bend, kneel, squat, use heavy long-handled tools, etc. My wife and I managed a few tomato plants and one cucumber plant this year but I want to do more, yet to do it without hurting myself. So I'm doing research for next year. If it helps to know, I'm in New England in the U.S.

What are your favorite ways to make gardening easier on your body?

So far I've come across the following ideas: planter boxes on legs, and vertical gardening. Any further ideas are welcome, as are any elaborations on the raised boxes and the vertical gardening.

Mostly my interests are in growing vegetables, stawberries, and herbs. We get lots of sun in our yard.

Thanks!

Just one thing: 27 July 2025

Jul. 26th, 2025 12:35 pm
[personal profile] jazzyjj posting in [community profile] awesomeers
It's challenge time!

Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.

Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished!

Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!

Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.

Go!

Events of note

Jul. 26th, 2025 01:16 pm
rmc28: Rachel in hockey gear on the frozen fen at Upware, near Cambridge (Default)
[personal profile] rmc28

I last updated about 4 weeks ago, in Portsmouth. That was a good mini break, and I'm really glad R and I decided to do it: fun activities and good company. The heatwave hitting most of the country that weekend was less bad in Portsmouth, but despite reapplying sunscreen we both got burned on the walk back from the pier at Southsea, and didn't realise until the long (made longer by speed restrictions) train journey home was nearly over. The trains had aircon, on comfortable rather than arctic setting, so the journey was fine but stepping out into the humid heat at Cambridge came as a shock.

I took a taxi home, staying just long enough to dump my suitcase and pick up my hockey kit, and cycled (in the heat, ugh) to the rink for a scrimmage marking the last Monday night Warbirds practice, before the rink timetable change in July. Got home again a bit after midnight, and then back to work and the rest of "life as usual" from Tuesday morning.

Life as usual continues to be: work, family, ice hockey. A little cricket (playing), a little football (watching), and a theatre trip that reminded me I should go to the theatre more often.

ExpandFamily )

ExpandIce hockey )

ExpandCricket )

ExpandFootball )

ExpandTheatre )

On the topic of both theatre and schedule, I have a livestream ticket to Phoebe Kemp's all trans/nb production of Twelfth Night (introduced by Ian McKellan); the livestream was last night but I have two weeks to watch the recording. My calendar says my best bets for time to watch it is this afternoon, or next Saturday afternoon. I'm going to try for this afternoon.

A walk to Dothill

Jul. 26th, 2025 12:35 pm
cmcmck: (Default)
[personal profile] cmcmck posting in [community profile] common_nature
Dothill is on the moorland side of town and is an interesting combo of marshland, wetland and lakes.

This path takes you in once you walk through Donnerville Spinney to get there:



ExpandMore pics! )

Just One Thing (26 July 2025)

Jul. 26th, 2025 08:18 am
nanila: me (Default)
[personal profile] nanila posting in [community profile] awesomeers
It's challenge time!

Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.

Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!

Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.

Go!

Starvation Falls

Jul. 25th, 2025 05:36 pm
yourlibrarian: Small Green Waterfall (NAT-Waterfall-niki_vakita)
[personal profile] yourlibrarian posting in [community profile] common_nature


Our last waterfall of the trip, Starvation Falls. Smaller than the others with a little creek running down near the parking lot.

ExpandRead more... )
kiaa: (3d)
[personal profile] kiaa posting in [community profile] talkpolitics
In the desert city of Yazd, Iran, over 700 ancient windcatchers (called badgirs) have been cooling homes for 2500 years, lowering indoor temperatures by up to 15C without using electricity. These tall, beautifully designed brick towers capture and channel wind through internal chambers, cooling it naturally via water, evaporation and thick walls, while simultaneously pushing out hot air.

This passive cooling system is so effective that it keeps interiors around 25–30C even when it's 45C outside. Built into clay brick homes with smart design features, badgirs are now studied as sustainable models for modern architecture. UNESCO has recognized Yazd as a World Heritage Site not only for its beauty, but for showcasing how ancient technology can outperform modern air conditioning:

Follow Friday 7-25-25

Jul. 25th, 2025 12:57 am
ysabetwordsmith: Cartoon of me in Wordsmith persona (Default)
[personal profile] ysabetwordsmith posting in [community profile] followfriday
Got any Follow Friday-related posts to share this week? Comment here with the link(s).

Here's the plan: every Friday, let's recommend some people and/or communities to follow on Dreamwidth. That's it. No complicated rules, no "pass this on to 7.328 friends or your cat will die".

[syndicated profile] savagelove_feed

Posted by Dan Savage

Okay, let’s struuuuuugle… Haven’t gotten an email like this one in a while… I happen to pickup this publication newspaper that you happen to write a column in as I proceeded to read it and listen to your horrendous language your use of curse words I was appalled. How could a publication put your column … Read More »

The post STRUGGLE SESSION: Potty Mouths, Gift Cards, Death Wishes and More! appeared first on Dan Savage.

The only outcome of the Ukraine war

Jul. 24th, 2025 02:58 pm
asthfghl: (You may kiss me now!)
[personal profile] asthfghl posting in [community profile] talkpolitics
The war in Ukraine will end when Putin loses, or at least when he realizes he can't win. Many in the West still mistakenly believe a deal can be struck with him. But we've got to realize Putin isn't just waging a war over territory, he's trying to erase Ukrainian identity, destroy post-WW2 international norms, and challenge the democratic ideals that threaten his regime.

Sure, Trump's relationship with Putin is complex. He admires unchecked power and sees Putin as a kind of ally, even friend. Over decades, Trump has benefited financially from Russian ties, this isn't a conspiracy, it's well documented. And while some in Washington are pushing for stronger sanctions, there are still people in his orbit looking to cut deals with Russia for personal or financial gain.

Putin, meanwhile, miscalculated the whole thing right from the start. He underestimated Ukraine's resistance and the West's willingness to support it. Now, his strategy has always had 3 parts:

1. Rebuild a Russian empire, with Ukraine forcibly brought back into the fold.

2. Crush the democratic and anti-corruption ideas born from the 2014 Maidan revolution.

3. Undermine the global rules-based order to build a world where might makes right.

Countries like Hungary and Slovakia have taken different stances, largely due to internal corruption, economic dependence, or political self-interest. Hungary's leader, Viktor Orban, has openly chosen to side with Russia, even while facing protests at home. The EU needs to rethink its approach to such members, maybe even consider a suspension of their voting rights - that could be a start. They're a hindrance to Europe's geopolitical position, and a "useful idiot", Russia's Trojan horse.

It's no surprise that Putin doesn't understand the power of democratic ideas or the depth of Ukraine's national identity. But the West must understand this: the war ends only when Putin fails. If he doesn't, the rest of us in Eastern Europe are next.

Volunteer social thread #156

Jul. 24th, 2025 03:42 pm
pauamma: Cartooney crab wearing hot pink and acid green facemask holding drink with straw (Default)
[personal profile] pauamma posting in [site community profile] dw_volunteers
26 years ago today, I was putting out what turned out to be my last cigarette.

How's everyone else doing?

Just One Thing (24 July 2025)

Jul. 24th, 2025 05:45 am
nanila: me (Default)
[personal profile] nanila posting in [community profile] awesomeers
It's challenge time!

Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.

Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!

Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.

Go!

carnivorous pitcher plant

Jul. 23rd, 2025 12:00 pm
pauraque: heart-shaped leaf (heart leaf)
[personal profile] pauraque posting in [community profile] common_nature
While hiking in a conserved wetland, I saw an informational sign about native pitcher plants. I had no idea we had these in New England; I always thought of carnivorous plants as a tropical thing. But I took a look around and they were certainly there!

three cups formed out of green leaves with red veins

This appears to be Sarracenia purpurea which has a lot of names in English, including Common Pitcher Plant. The specialized leaves form cup-shaped traps with nectar at the bottom that attracts bugs, which can't escape and are digested to provide nutrition for the plant. In this species the traps sit on the ground, and I don't know if I would have noticed them if I hadn't been looking.

Expandpitcher plant flower and habitat (2 photos) )

My 2 cents on the monthly subject: AI

Jul. 23rd, 2025 02:34 pm
nairiporter: (Default)
[personal profile] nairiporter posting in [community profile] talkpolitics
AI is changing our world fast - helping with tasks, generating text, even thinking for us. It's tempting and convenient, and that's exactly the danger: it feeds our natural laziness. Especially for younger people, it's easy to stop making effort when a machine can do it all.

But AI isn't the enemy. Like every big invention - the printing press, photography, the internet - it causes fear at first. Eventually though we adapt and find balance. The key is to stay active as thinkers, creators and humans. If we do, AI can amplify our work, not replace us.

In fields like history, AI might even help us face uncomfortable truths. It can detect lies, patterns and gaps in the stories we've been told. But it won't rewrite history for us - it'll just make it harder to ignore the facts.

AI doesn't bring truth - it brings pressure for truth. And whether we use it to grow or to hide will say more about us than about the machine.

Just One Thing (23 July 2025)

Jul. 23rd, 2025 09:13 am
nanila: me (Default)
[personal profile] nanila posting in [community profile] awesomeers
It's challenge time!

Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.

Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished! Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!

Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.

Go!

kites in the sky

Jul. 22nd, 2025 08:22 pm
turlough: young man on big dappled grey horse,  art by John Bauer ((other) ut i vida världen)
[personal profile] turlough posting in [community profile] common_nature
The only birds of prey I see here in my tiny town in south-eastern Sweden are Red Kites (Milvus milvus). They're usually soaring far too high up and away over the forest to get acceptable photos of. This morning however a pair was kind enough to come down low enough I could take Expandthese... )

voter registration shenanigans

Jul. 22nd, 2025 08:22 am
gingicat: Bengal tiger looking peeved (anger/protectiveness - tigerbright)
[personal profile] gingicat posting in [community profile] thisfinecrew
The three registered voters in our household each got a folded postcard from our local Board of Elections in a small Massachusetts city. On the outside, one side has the name and address; on the other side, it has a voter confirmation form. On the *inside*, there's the following:

"Dear Voter:
Our records show that you have not answered the annual street listing (census) as required by law (Massachusettes General Law Ch. 51 S. 4). Therefore, your name will be designated as "inactive" on the voting list.
If you have not moved or if you have moved to a new address in the City of Medford, please return the attached postage-paid postcard and you will be restored immediately to active voter status.
If you have moved to another City/Town or State, complete, sign and return the attached postage-paid postcard and your name will be removed from the voter list in Medford. You must register to vote in your new City/Town. You may use a mail-in form or online at www.registertovotema.com to register in Massachusetts .
If you do not return the attached postcard, your name will be removed from the voting list if you do not vote in at least one of the next two federal elections or take other action that would reinstate you as an active voter. (per M. G. L. Ch. 51 S. 37A)"

N.B. - I returned our city census and we have all voted in the last three elections.

So yeah, voter suppression exists even in this very blue state, and they're probably hoping people will ignore this reminder in a local elections year. Check your mail! And you can find out how to check your voter registration in another state at vote.org.

Consensual Non-Consent Conundrum

Jul. 22nd, 2025 11:00 am
[syndicated profile] savagelove_feed

Posted by Nancy Hartunian

A woman’s boyfriend wants her to drug him, have her way with him and share him with her friends. He did this before with an ex, and loved it. She’s intrigued, but cautious. Should she do it? A straight man is miffed when women act like they want to meet for a second time, but … Read More »

The post Consensual Non-Consent Conundrum appeared first on Dan Savage.

Fading Away

Jul. 22nd, 2025 11:00 am
[syndicated profile] savagelove_feed

Posted by Patrick Kearney

I’m a cis bisexual American woman in my 30s, married to a man. I’ve been living in Europe for the past decade. I’m self-employed, and it’s a pretty lonely existence sometimes. I don’t speak the local language well. It’s a very tight-knit culture, and everybody seems like they’ve had their friend groups since birth.  I’ve … Read More »

The post Fading Away appeared first on Dan Savage.

Just one thing: 22 July 2025

Jul. 22nd, 2025 06:30 am
[personal profile] jazzyjj posting in [community profile] awesomeers
It's challenge time!

Comment with Just One Thing you've accomplished in the last 24 hours or so. It doesn't have to be a hard thing, or even a thing that you think is particularly awesome. Just a thing that you did.

Feel free to share more than one thing if you're feeling particularly accomplished!

Extra credit: find someone in the comments and give them props for what they achieved!

Nothing is too big, too small, too strange or too cryptic. And in case you'd rather do this in private, anonymous comments are screened. I will only unscreen if you ask me to.

Go!

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