thegardendude 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️🇵🇸

Husband, #dog dad to two goofball #Frenchies; #bi, #DemSocialist. Passionate about #gardening and wildlife/habitat restoration. Guitar and travel are my secondary interests and hobbies.

❌👑 and Free Palestine!

Public Key

npub1xhfyr6zf8tjj5hlkcth07fnhjmldhl7ve2cx2q0u0cmsu88q39qqrzy86l

NIP-05 Address

[email protected]

Profile Code

nprofile1qqsrt5jpapyn4ef2tlmv9mhlyemedlkmllxv4vr9q878udcwrnsgjsqpz3mhxue69uhhyetvv9ujuerpd46hxtnfduqs6amnwvaz7tmwdaejumr0dsknmh8f

Publishing to

relay.damus.io

nos.lol

Author Public Key

npub1xhfyr6zf8tjj5hlkcth07fnhjmldhl7ve2cx2q0u0cmsu88q39qqrzy86l

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Last Notes

2026-03-27 01:53:20 GMT

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@nprofile…sftd What’s a good Linux distro for someone new to Linux?

2026-03-20 23:15:29 GMT

The colors of #spring! #flowers #BloomScrolling
Flowering quince (Chaenomeles 'Scarlet Storm') and Chinese redbud (Cercis 'Don Egolf')
https://regenerate.s3proxy.de/media_attachments/files/116/264/029/736/735/232/original/c6a12b25343cb7d8.jpeg
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2025-08-24 13:07:32 GMT

#SilentSunday #Mosstodon
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2025-06-23 23:39:09 GMT

Decided to delete my BlueSky account. People there are just super into droning their anxieties and doom-posting. It’s become a super negative space where no one takes a break from politics to take care of their own mental health. This place, on the other hand, is full of people happily touching grass on a regular basis and it shows in all the delightful posts about hobbies and such! Good on ya, Mastodon!

2025-06-12 11:47:53 GMT

Friendly periodic reminder to please keep donating to your instance if you’re able to do so. I’ve seen several have to shut down in the last few months because donations dried up. The financial squeeze that the economy is putting people in makes me worried about the future of the #Fediverse. #Mastodon

2025-05-25 12:46:51 GMT

A mix of colors in my mom’s garden! #SilentSunday #Flowers #BloomScrolling
https://regenerate.s3proxy.de/media_attachments/files/114/568/532/642/191/768/original/24be9c704923dfdf.jpeg

2025-05-08 03:28:40 GMT

Found this little fella while weeding loriope this morning at the nursery 🐸 #frog #wildlife
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2025-03-29 19:55:21 GMT

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@nprofile…srdc Nice! What’s the growth rate on them? Do they need much pruning?

2025-03-29 18:27:20 GMT

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@nprofile…xzjz Always enjoy your posts about Summer….dogs are the best!

2025-03-29 14:34:13 GMT

Anyone growing beach plum or Chickasaw plum? Just learned about both last night and now I think I need some, both for myself and the wildlife! #gardening #growyourown

2025-03-11 22:53:16 GMT

This lady cardinal decided to stop for a snack on my mom’s Mahonia!
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2025-03-10 22:32:15 GMT

Camellias are blooming at the nursery! #flowers #BloomScrolling
https://regenerate.s3proxy.de/media_attachments/files/114/140/504/796/069/548/original/5582b877fd6a99ea.jpeg

2025-03-09 17:38:59 GMT

One of my favorite hashtags on this site is Mosstodon. There's something kind of comforting about #moss that I can't quite put my finger on...closest I can get is that maybe it's because you find a lot of moss in forests, and I'm a huge nemophile 🌲. In any case, I love the softness of it, how it feels on your bare feet and how it's such a natural "carpet"

2025-03-02 18:07:28 GMT

#Firefox removing a statement from their terms of service saying they'll never sell your data is pretty disconcerting, so I'm switching to #LibreWolf (a browser with Firefox underpinnings but much more dedicated to user privacy, lots of great features built in to stop data collection). https://librewolf.net

2025-03-02 15:13:25 GMT

I've seen a major increase in the number of people wanting to be more food-independent....fruit trees and shrubs are selling like hot cakes at the nursery. People having them tagged practically as they come off the truck. Makes sense though with impending tariffs and inflation. We need to do more though for the #pollinators that give us those fruits....they're still declining from pesticide use and loss of habitat. Yes, plant natives but also attend your local zoning board/planning commission meetings and remind them to keep wildlife in mind when making land use decisions!

2025-02-27 01:26:57 GMT

Just want to again thank everyone who uses a content warning for their political-related posts. Your consideration for the mental health struggles of others is deeply appreciated 🫶

2025-02-11 23:50:59 GMT

Starting to sour on BlueSky. The engagement/interaction there (at least in my experience) is so much less than here on Mastodon. And the lack of interaction really takes away from the enjoyment of it. Also, the doom posting is WAY worse over there 😬

2024-12-16 15:35:13 GMT

Alt text: You know, if you don’t rake your leaves they turn into soil; they don’t break into your house and drink all your wine.
From: @nprofile…xg0r
https://mastodon.social/@entropealabs/113663182869995848

2024-09-08 17:17:29 GMT

Wife just fixed a big batch of Thai coconut soup and I loved it so much I practically inhaled it, lol!
Chicken, oyster mushrooms, peppers, green onions, tofu, cilantro
Immediately added to my favorites! #Food #Soup

2024-09-07 18:04:02 GMT

I love lantana, need to plant more of this next year! Heat and drought tolerant and attracts butterflies! #flowers #Bloomscrolling
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2024-08-25 15:26:37 GMT

As governor, Tim Walz tore down burdensome regulations that slowed the transition to renewable energy https://reasonstobecheerful.world/permeable-pavement-stormwater-flooding-new-york-city/

2024-08-16 22:06:02 GMT

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@npub1y98…gke7 Richmond, VA in the U.S. zone 7

2024-08-10 19:13:40 GMT

#Hummingbirds have been sipping from my salvia nearly non stop the past few weeks! Gearing up for migration?
https://regenerate.s3proxy.de/media_attachments/files/112/939/310/588/567/579/original/3a05876e9d7dbf1a.mp4

2024-08-07 19:36:39 GMT

Roses and hibiscus and lilies oh my! #flowers #BloomScrolling #gardens
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2024-07-30 03:53:51 GMT

You’re a good gardener! #gardening
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2024-07-27 15:07:27 GMT

Watching #Olympics gymnastics this morning and absolutely in awe of the talent and fitness and discipline necessary to execute these routines. I'd need hip replacement immediately after pummel horse, lol.
Go Ukraine! 🇺🇦

2024-07-20 15:29:08 GMT

Arborists in Virginia unionize to become the first union residential tree company in the country https://www.goiam.org/news/territories/southern/arborists-in-virginia-vote-to-join-iam-become-first-ever-residential-tree-care-workers-to-unionize-in-u-s/

2024-07-19 22:20:15 GMT

Found a neat place in downtown Richmond today called Plant House. Besides (obviously) selling houseplant and houseplant accessories (said in Hank Hill voice)...they have tables where they host workshops for building your own terrariums, they supply all the materials! Not cheap, but seems like a great way for beginners to #houseplants and #terrariums to get their hands dirty and start building their knowledge!

2024-07-15 21:42:25 GMT

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@npub1se6…cmph seems like more to me

2024-07-15 21:21:28 GMT

Friendly reminder to check yourselves for ticks if you’ve been out in nature at all. Removed three in the last week.

2024-07-14 18:30:24 GMT

Seeing a precipitous decline in the use of alt-text unfortunately. Please remember to make an attempt at describing images you upload so this space can be as accessible as possible for as many people as possible. A lot of people depend on screen readers. #Fediverse #accessibility

2024-07-07 20:23:09 GMT

I see that France just joined the UK in utterly rejecting far-right politics but I'm a little confused given that far-right parties gained seats in the EU Parliament. I'm assuming that the far-right gains were in countries other than the UK and France given the resounding defeat for conservative parties in those two countries just now.

2024-07-06 13:09:47 GMT

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@npub1uld…xht3 (edit) whoops, didn't realize it wasn't actually basil, lol.

2024-07-05 16:12:17 GMT

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@npub1se6…cmph social media breaks are always good. Whatever you decide to do, be well!

2024-06-28 02:37:44 GMT

I am so not mentally prepared for the presidential election this November.

2024-06-23 17:02:43 GMT

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@npub1se6…cmph LOL! Yeah I don't think I've ever seen lawns improved by letting the clippings lie in place. Just looks messy to me.

2024-06-23 14:58:29 GMT

I really need to mow the yard but it's 10:50 eastern time and already nearly 90ºF (32ºC). Better for the grass anyway to not cut it short during really hot, dry weather so I think I'll wait until it cools off a bit mid-week (and hopefully will get some rain by then)

2024-06-20 22:40:33 GMT

I think my run of trying fruit trees is coming to a close. I just checked on our dwarf peach tree and every developing fruit on it is rotting. Two of our three dwarf apple trees already kicked the bucket from some kind of root rot or something.
I think certain fruit trees are only for those who have the time to commit to the constant spraying and fertilizing and pruning they need to reach their full harvest potential.

2024-06-18 21:28:08 GMT

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@npub1zg9…nh26 Let me know how it works for you! As someone with chronic allergies and sinus problems, I'm always on the lookout for effective treatments for it

2024-06-17 23:55:08 GMT

I really need to dust off the garden blog and start posting about plants again! Decided to treat myself and brought home a Hydrangea 'Miss Saori' which is a dark-leaf cultivar with pink double-florets. It'll go in a large container next to our side door. The purple coloration seems to hold up fairly well even in the heat and some sun. #plants #hydrangeas #flowers
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2024-06-10 18:39:07 GMT

I feel like clover doesn’t get enough attention as a really important source of nectar for bees 🐝 and butterflies 🦋
It’s not flashy but I always see tons of pollinators on it

2024-06-08 02:20:08 GMT

Started using this app called TooGoodToGo that connects you with restaurants/cafes/coffee shops in your area that have food left over by closing time for $5 you can reserve and pick up a "mystery bag" or box with a few things that would've otherwise been thrown out. So now I have a box of pastries from Brecotea 👌

2024-06-06 13:52:19 GMT

The problem with fig trees is that they'll really test your patience once the branches are loaded with fruits. In zone 7 at least, it takes forever for them to ripen for picking. I'm staring at all these big plump figs, chomping at the bit to make some fig jam and preserves, and I have to wait another month before I can start picking 😭

2024-06-03 22:21:48 GMT

Read an article recently on how carbon credits/offsets work, and came away 100% believing the whole thing is a scam. "The market" will never solve climate change because "the market" has a vested interest in unsustainable levels of consumption and production of goods as cheaply and quickly as possible, which more often than not results in all manner of environmental degradation. Because profit remains the central goal.

2024-05-18 02:30:14 GMT

Those who say protestors are "out of line" for occupying buildings and other violations of "the law" seem to forget that the Civil Rights Act would not have happened if civil rights leaders and all those crying out for racial justice had obliged every law on the books regarding property rights, trespassing, etc. Remember, the law is not always just. It's why people feel compelled to protest in the first place.

2024-05-05 20:40:07 GMT

R.I.P Bernard Hill, the last king of Rohan! #LordOfTheRings
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2024-05-05 02:16:35 GMT

"Composting our emotions." - How climate action cultivates mental wellbeing https://reasonstobecheerful.world/young-people-climate-distress-therapy/

2024-04-18 23:48:24 GMT

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@npub14ha…pqf0 Not great, but there's already an effort underway to stop it from happening, which I'm obviously going to lend my efforts to

2024-04-18 21:42:16 GMT

Saddened and a touch angry to learn that one of my local community colleges, the one I got my degree in horticulture from, is going to be shuttering the campus that hosted the hort. program, and then selling the land (presumably to a developer that wants to put in 400k luxury condos). This will rob people in our area of the most affordable way to major in horticulture and hamper the hiring efforts of local nurseries in their ability to find workers with pre-existing plant knowledge. 😡

2024-04-11 22:02:53 GMT

"Food Inc. 2" revisits America's food system post-pandemic https://apnews.com/article/movie-review-food-inc-88ea36ca17a3864039caf86cf9f4af74

2024-03-31 20:33:35 GMT

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@npub1x70…cxkp No worries, your hate-filled server will be de-federated completely in no time. Leaving you with your sad little echo chamber.

2024-03-31 20:31:43 GMT

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@npub1se6…cmph Haha, yeah this isn't Twitter/X. That shit isn't going to fly.

2024-03-31 20:30:50 GMT

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@npub1x70…cxkp Yep, reported it first thing.

2024-03-31 20:16:33 GMT

Hey all, please block and report @[email protected] who is promoting white supremacy and Christian nationalism in their harassing and trolling replies to people. They seem to be particularly targeting trans accounts.

2024-03-31 19:34:49 GMT

Happy #TransgenderDayOfVisibility! Be yourself, unapologetically. 🏳️‍⚧️

2024-03-30 21:49:42 GMT

Anyone have a battery powered lawnmower they can recommend?

2024-03-28 03:15:36 GMT

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@npub1pcu…axps Weird. Not sure why the newest post doesn't show up when I go to my Pixelfed profile from Mastodon. I only see it when I go into the Pixelfed app.

2024-03-28 02:19:03 GMT

Trying to boost my most recent #Pixelfed post here, but I'm not seeing my most recent upload (from this evening). I guess it takes a few hours to federate? If I go into the Pixelfed app itself, I see my newest upload there, but not from Mastodon.

2024-03-27 18:45:25 GMT

Another cold, wet and miserable day. 😰 Hot shower, soft PJs and some hot cider pronto when I get home.

2024-03-26 10:13:12 GMT

Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapses after being struck by cargo ship https://edition.cnn.com/us/live-news/baltimore-bridge-collapse-03-26-24-intl-hnk/h_37c8054b979d2edbc55a1ff515518d33

2024-03-25 17:28:33 GMT

I have some questions about the name of this Cercidiphyllum cultivar. Way too close to something R rated 😳
https://regenerate.s3proxy.de/media_attachments/files/112/157/497/437/408/183/original/1f68d06cef8aff04.jpeg

2024-03-22 00:47:18 GMT

Just got home from the quarterly general meeting of the Richmond chapter of DSA (Democratic Socialists of America); my resolution to re-start the environmental working group was officially approved, and I was able to recruit two members into the working group! Hopefully will pick up a few more folks in the coming week, and then get to work for environmental justice in the greater Richmond area!

2024-03-17 15:40:36 GMT

Picked up this book at Strand Books the other day (Climate Change as Class War, by Matthew Huber) and the intro alone is fountain of great perspective on what needs to change to make meaningful progress on the climate crisis, like this quote: “By linking climate solutions to practical improvements in workers' everyday lives, climate politics need not remain so reliant upon masses "learning the truth" of the greenhouse effect or experiencing the effects of climate breakdown. Climate politics will simply mean improvements in one's material life—the ecology that counts for most people. “ #ClimateChange
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2024-03-16 12:38:15 GMT

No particular plan this morning, which is fine. I'm not quite ready to head back out onto the streets and duck an dodge people and mopeds, lol. Might hit up a farmer's market and then grab a slice or two of New York pizza for lunch

2024-03-15 17:54:48 GMT

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@npub1dwe…x8af So true! I kept looking for the spot where Kevin from Home Alone encountered the bird lady!

2024-03-15 17:43:27 GMT

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@npub1dwe…x8af I can't get over how massive it is. This is our second visit to New York City and we're still only halfway through Central Park!

2024-03-15 17:28:20 GMT

Welp. Never made it to New York Botanical Gardens. Not today, anyway. I didn't thoroughly look at a map of the NY subway system and so we couldn't find a train we were supposed to transfer to. So we walked around more of Central Park, which was fine because things are just starting to bloom here. If I don't make it to the gardens tomorrow, then I'll make up for it by visiting Norfolk Botanical Gardens sometime in the next few weeks.

2024-03-15 16:44:48 GMT

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@npub1pf2…cs6s never made it 😣 Got all turned around on the subway and couldn’t figure out how to get there. Might try again tomorrow after closer study of the subway lines

2024-03-15 15:28:39 GMT

Views of and from Central Park #nyc
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2024-03-15 12:56:43 GMT

Off to New York Botanical Gardens this morning!

2024-03-14 13:48:05 GMT

The Highline! A must see if you visit NYC in spring or summer
https://regenerate.s3proxy.de/media_attachments/files/112/094/352/733/741/435/original/f669a4b56638b4f9.jpeg
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2024-03-13 16:26:55 GMT

The food on this Amtrak train is surprisingly good. Just had a chicken bahn-mi sandwich for lunch 😋

2024-03-13 13:50:11 GMT

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@npub17jh…es50 "I'm sure I could use this with something else" and other lies I tell myself 😂

2024-03-13 13:42:52 GMT

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@npub1xs8…zrh5 Oh dear 🤢 Here in the U.S. our stinky tree is the Bradford pear, which smells of rotting fish. Incredibly invasive too, so they're all over the place.

2024-03-12 22:08:06 GMT

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@npub1se6…cmph They are, and some are only available online, which would not have worked for us in this particular situation, lol.

2024-03-12 21:59:42 GMT

Crisis averted! The vet clarified they do still provide food, it's just an extra charge now. Whew!
Still, it was nearly a major problem. In large part because what's sold at PetCo and PetSmart mostly have a lot of bad ingredients, reflecting this country's low standards for what's allowed in food for both humans and animals. I don't know the exact percentage, but a substantial number of food products sold in the U.S. are banned in Europe, for good reason.

2024-03-10 02:07:19 GMT

#Wordle 994 4/6
⬛🟨⬛⬛🟨
🟨⬛⬛🟩⬛
⬛⬛⬛🟩🟩
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩

2024-03-10 01:09:39 GMT

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@npub1e4y…e5j0 Several people have recommended that one so far, I'm going to check it out!

2024-03-09 20:50:05 GMT

Any fellow gardeners recommend a good brand of shea butter hand moisturizer you like? My hands are getting rather leathery

2024-03-09 01:38:48 GMT

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@npub1se6…cmph Someone mentioned to me that comfrey can spread aggressively, but I reckon I can plant it in a large container if that's the case. I love that you can make a liquid fertilizer out of it

2024-03-08 22:58:29 GMT

Anyone have a particular plant you're just itching to add to your garden this year (ornamental)? I've become quite enamored with Red Hot Poker (Kniphophia spp.) I think it'll look lovely contrasting with the pink/purple blooms of coneflower and the purples of Monarda

2024-03-08 01:34:00 GMT

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@npub1se6…cmph Definitely on the agenda! I loved everything I ate last time we were there!

2024-03-05 17:15:31 GMT

Today’s work space. Top dressing field #trees with fertilizer.
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2024-03-04 22:27:11 GMT

Way too early for the cherries to be blooming but the splash of color is always welcome!
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2024-03-02 21:24:46 GMT

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@npub1h33…l2sr When I start my seeds, for whatever I'm starting indoors, I've found good success with Jiffy peat pods. I just follow the package directions for seed depth, drop a seed or two into each pod (after they've expanded of course), then give the try of pods a good misting, put the cover on it, and then wait for germination. Once the seeds have started germinating, I take the lid off, and put the trays under my grow lights, which I keep a few inches above the seedlings. Then, it's just a matter of raising the grow lights as the seedlings grow, and keeping them watered until ready to thin and transplant outside into individual pots or into your garden beds.

2024-03-02 20:17:33 GMT

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@npub1h33…l2sr What would you like to know?

2024-03-02 19:03:34 GMT

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@npub1s0u…s3us Just as long as one isn't sensitive to THC. I tried some Delta 8 one time and had a really scary panic attack that lasted over an hour. After that experience I just stick to CBD, lol.

2024-02-27 23:18:01 GMT

Anyone here using Bookwyrm to log and share what you're reading? So far I'm liking it but I feel like the user interface could be cleaned up a bit and better organized.

2024-02-25 19:53:30 GMT

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@npub19tc…ecl2 I need to start keeping a garden journal of some kind. Every year I think I’m going to remember what exactly I did the previous season lol.

2024-02-23 10:56:20 GMT

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@npub1q9z…hpx4 Single most relatable meme on the internet today.

2024-02-22 14:03:04 GMT

Pesticide linked to reproductive problems found in oat based foods in U.S. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/cheerios-quaker-oats-infertility-chemicals-in-cereal-ewg/

2024-02-20 23:52:05 GMT

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@npub1flh…v0kl I'm using uBlock Origin and it works really well

2024-02-20 18:48:06 GMT

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@npub1nty…r9yx exactly. 😠

2024-02-15 13:25:18 GMT

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@npub18jg…mm9c Do you know what woodpecker that is? I haven’t seen that one before in my area

2024-02-15 00:48:29 GMT

Grow Your Aloe Vera Plant Collection With This Easy Propagation Trick
https://flip.it/NLEn5t

2024-02-11 19:05:11 GMT

Puppy Bowl time! Go whichever team has the French Bulldog on it! 😂😍

2024-02-04 20:33:45 GMT

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Context is, the frameless hinge on one of our cabinets broke, and apparently the cabinet is custom, as was the hardware (of course). So Home Depot, Ace Hardware, and Lowes didn't have the right sized/shaped hinge. Had to search for it online, and thankfully the broken hinge had the model number on it. All's good now, but being forced to buy 10 or more of a hardware part at the box stores when you only need one or two is kind of bonkers.

2024-02-04 18:09:10 GMT

Another sign of society’s decline is not being able to buy exactly the amount of hardware you need.

2024-01-22 02:43:15 GMT

How and when to prune an oakleaf hydrangea – pick the right moment or risk missing out on a year of flowers
https://flip.it/W1YW4D

2024-01-21 15:42:36 GMT

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@npub1vsg…kdr5 Unfortunately my local library system doesn't work with Kanopy. But Hoopla is working great so far.