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The Milkweed Lands: An Epic Story of One Plant- Its Nature and Ecology
Eric Lee-Mäder
Illustrations by Beverly Duncan
114 Pages
Yall what an interesting random library book I picked up. Now, I was picking up a book I had on hold and then because the holds are near the newly cataloged books. What a dangerous combination for me. I always go in to pick up my 1 book and return out with like 4.
I picked this one up because Milkweed is growing at my local nature center/ job right now. I’ve had some cool interactions teaching visitors about its importance as we see the beautiful butterflies and other critters enjoying its presence. However besides my usual few facts, I do not know much about the plant.
Now thanks to this book, I definitely know a lot more. Some of it will stick with me for a while, while others I totally need to buy the book to reference. A good portion of the book focuses on western Milkweed and the California area (and I’m Southeastern United States so not even close), but it is still a great learning opportunity.
The information in the book isn’t technically dense and it was very engaging (at least for a nature nerd). I think the beautiful watercolor-like illustrations really helped in one giving view to any technical portions mentioned, anatomy of organisms, etc And just being a great supplement.
Looks like I’m gonna be spending some money soon. And interesting enough, I just got some swamp Milkweed seeds to plant in my garden. Great timing!
10/7/2024
15/?
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I feel like enough time has passed since Steven Universe ending to say this: inventing your own alter ego and then launching a war against yourself is an iconic move actually. It’s like if Batman and Bruce Wayne had public beef except if entire armies were involved. She really Did That. She said “go big or go home” and then went so big that no-one could ever go home, and then changed the fate of the entire galaxy by faking her own death. She slutted it up bisexually and broke countless hearts along the way. Iconic move after iconic move. Non-stop slaying. A queen an icon a legend. No-one does it like her.
Imagine living in the universe where you have to admit that your entire shit got rocked and you got played like a goddamn fiddle by this living powder puff:
What a ledge.
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Legend has it she still flops around ireland👀
EVERYBODY WATCH THIS RIGHT NOW!!!
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found the artist’s name in the notes and went looking because this slaps (it’s called A Place Where I’ll Dance) and its not even their best song. check this shit out:
Oh this slaps actually
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Happy Earth Day!
Deborah Hopkinson
A Little Golden Book
24 pages
No real review, but this is a cute book my mom found for me. Totally a kid simplification of Earth Day importance, but so very cute and needed.
16/?
10/17/2023
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Boring old werewolf instincts:
Sexual jealousy
Constant aggression
Rigid hierarchy
Must win sports
Homophobia And Sexism Is Normal™
Eat people
Cool new werewolf instincts:
There is no five second rule
Corvids are friends
Hang out as a pack
Karaoke
Gotta pee
Also consider:
Separation anxiety
Unconditional love and loyalty
Being able to sleep in almost any situation or position
Irresistible urge to chase squirrels and rabbits
Hating the vacuum cleaner
Wanting to do everything with friends
Loudly and repeatedly announcing to housemates that someone is at the door
Long, shouted conversations to other werewolves across the neighborhood (bonus points at 2am)
Taking advantage of any and all free food
Werewolf-vampire solidarity
Fighting any animal that trespasses into the backyard
Boundless energy
Too much energy
Eating out of the trash if it smells tasty
Being bad at sports because you don’t want to let anyone else take the ball from you. Then destroying the ball in front of everyone because you want to make a point
Trying to fight things 10x your size like a fucking idiot
Being unable to hold a grudge for more than a few hours
Trying to make people feel bad for you over mundane things that aren’t actually that bad. And somehow succeeding.
Snoring
Needing to try a bit of your friends’ food, even if you’ve tried it 5645674 times before and have never once liked it
Getting way too friendly with random strangers
Being in a love-hate relationship with water
Digging. For no reason.
Thinking you’re a badass despite being a hyperactive ball of emotions and hedonism
Loud sobbing while pressing yourself up against the sliding glass door at your friends who locked you out because they were tired of your bullshit and wanted some goddamn peace and quiet
Okay this one is a gem:
“ Loudly and repeatedly announcing to housemates that someone is at the door “
So most of these are very dog oriented, which makes sense to me, since dogs are just wolves that have co-evolved with us for thousands and thousands of years BUT I wanted to add a few that are wild wolf based:
- Multigenerational households!
- Kids get really excited when someone comes home with groceries
- “I can HELP put away the food!” “Oh, and have you whisk away the ice cream like last week? I’m fine, dear.”
- Love to travel and follow food trends
- Mostly very social and must have roommates/family/significant other/kids/friends around
- However, not uncommon to travel alone for periods of time, especially after leaving home
- Big friendly communal meals with lots of ritual around who gets served in what order
- “Let grandma take her pick of the turkey first. It’s respectful, and she won’t take kindly to you cutting the line.”
- Full pantries, stocking up on basics, the kind of people who always have extra oatmeal, or batteries, or a jump cable
- Can hold conversations using body language and eye contact without saying a word
- Cuddlers, especially with the social group
- Yelling to get everyone to gather, and phone chains for anyone who lives further away
- Lots of singing, the pack has a bunch of favorite songs that everyone knows by heart, and some may be song writers
- “Can you smell this? Does this smell weird? Does this smell good?”
- Lots of candles and incense with unusual scents
- Passing houses and farms and land down through generations
- Love home renovation
- Communal child care and sometimes communal nursing
- Kids are all really into wrestling and being outside
- When someone is ready to leave the household, the younger they leave the further they tend to travel. Someone who leaves at 18 might go to another country, but someone who leaves at 26 might just move a town away.
- Whether someone moves far or close to home, it’s not unusual to move back in at home a few times before settling down
- “You know the futon is always open for you. Your cousins are in your old bedroom, but you’re always welcome!”
- Kinda grumpy about neighbors pushing property boundaries
- “Why do they have to let the damn mulberry tree hang over OUR driveway?”
- Good endurance runners
- Late walks at night, naps in the middle of the day
- Really playful, especially with kids
- Lots of rough housing and board game nights!
I’ve been looking for the one with the wolf-aspects added for a while and I found it again! Reblogging for A+ extra wolfy content!
I love love love everything about this










- Multigenerational households!










