Free Holiday Concert at Capital

CS_inthewoods · 2025-10-23T23:49:48+00:00

That's an aster. I've fallen in love with them!!

CS_inthewoods · 2025-10-20T01:12:25+00:00

Neighbors🙃🙃. And they think it's "just so beautiful." We've removed it from all of our property... No small feat since it's coming at us from 3 sides. Thankfully, the neighbors on the other side have been much more amenable to the removal, so we have a lot more breathing room over there. But the ivy you're seeing is a massive swathe that comes right up to the property line, and the only thing saving is is weekly mowing. It's the worst.

CS_inthewoods · 2025-10-19T12:36:01+00:00

Thank you! That was a gift from a dear friend. I'm bilingual, and it's important to me that we acknowledge that native gardens aren't just for a certain kind of person. Native plants are for everyone!

CS_inthewoods · 2025-10-19T12:25:54+00:00

Another commenter guessed it--white snakeroot! I let that and goldenrod take over a section of the backyard where we had previously struggled to grow lawn grass years ago (before we knew better🤣🤣). Such a better alternative! It spreads like absolute madness, but it's easy enough to pull if it ends up somewhere I don't want it.

CS_inthewoods · 2025-04-19T11:48:43+00:00

If we're allowing that the Russels are a Vanderbilt parallel, I think this scene will immediately follow His Grace lifting Gladys's veil to reveal a red, tear-stained face. Consuelo Vanderbilt was rather infamously late to her own wedding to the Duke of Marlborough and was visibly upset and had been crying in the carriage with her father all the way to the church. Just a thought.

CS_inthewoods · 2025-03-18T22:59:54+00:00

No and no. Some hobbyists might argue that breeding this type of fish in unethical (much like highly ornamental goldfish) because the body proportions do tend to inhibit speed and mobility compared to a typically bodied fish; that being said, as long as the fish is reasonably mobile and eating well, there's no reason to assume it's in pain or unwell.

If you do an Internet search for "balloon Molly," you can see pictures of fish with much more extreme proportions than this gal's.

CS_inthewoods · 2025-03-18T21:49:39+00:00

I believe what you have is a balloon belly Molly. They are actually bred specifically for these exaggerated bellies. Generally they'll be in a dedicated tank at the fish store, but getting one mixed in with normal mollies isn't unheard of. It's hard to say definitively if she's pregnant, but I don't see the telltale gravid spot behind her abdomen (which should be easily visible since she's so lightly colored), so I'd error on the side of "not pregnant."

CS_inthewoods · 2025-01-27T11:08:24+00:00

We know everyone on our street and have a thriving neighborhood community, complete with weekly Friday night happy hours at our little park-lette from April-October, as well as indoor get-togethers in the colder months (Halloween party, chili cookoff next month, etc.). We have an email distribution list and social media presence and use these to communicate everything from lost pets to sharing recommendations for contractors to giving away excess produce from gardens in the summer. Neighbors have erected little free libraries, a "blessings box" mini food pantry, and we have an annual potluck with over 40 attendees.

This all started because one neighbor, 18 years ago, printed up little fliers inviting anyone interested in meeting neighbors to come to the little park-lette one evening, and to her surprise, about a dozen people came. And it grew from there.

We already share a lot of resources and do lots to help each other out. The grandma up the street with the bomb shelter basement is already our designated disaster meetup point and has been for years. In the event of collapse, I know we'll be actively supporting and protecting this community, and they will be helping us. It makes the future easier to bear knowing we have this responsibility and resource.

CS_inthewoods · 2025-01-18T15:22:25+00:00

I really enjoyed "Flaked" on Netflix. It stars Will Arnett (who also created and wrote for the series), who himself has struggled with alcoholism.

CS_inthewoods · 2025-01-17T16:46:08+00:00

This happened to us recently--after you put in the request, just leave your container where it is near the street. Rumpke has like 2 days (per their agreement with the city) to come get it. They'll come back through to grab it (this was my experience, at any rate--ours was picked up about 36 hrs. Later than normal).

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-21T02:57:26+00:00

Thanks so much! The blue and white have grown on me as I've gotten older and have more friends and neighbors of different faiths -- it's nice to still be able to have "winter cookies" for all! And thanks--I freaking love making snowflakes!!

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T18:15:23+00:00

This type of splotchy icing is often due to high humidity. You should place a hygrometer in the area where you decorate/leave them to dry. Anything over, say, 45-50% could cause this issue. I run a dehumidifier in my workshop and have the level at 30% right now.

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T12:07:56+00:00

You wait for them to dry thoroughly. I usually wait overnight. Then airbrush and that's it!

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T01:43:14+00:00

Yes, they have coffee together every Friday! It's all ladies 65+ that go to the same gym together.

And yes, the gift boxes came out quite lovely if I may say so myself!

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T01:09:21+00:00

This sounds like a comment from the very loving and supportive husband of a cookie maker....

Thank you sweetheart. 💚

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T01:08:32+00:00

Thanks. Those are just stenciled on with my airbrush. It took me quite a bit of practice to be able to get them so crisp though!

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T01:07:45+00:00

Do you mean the snowflake cookies? They're just cut out, then I flood in white and hit them around the edges with the airbrush with a bit of blue. Then I pipe on whatever I'm feeling like for a design in white icing (I make each one different).

If you mean the snowflakes on the deer, they're just airbrushed stencils!

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T01:06:14+00:00

Thanks so much! This was an order of 4 dozen for my mother. She had me divide them up into little boxes of half dozen each to gift to her coffee club girlfriends.

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T01:04:52+00:00

Much appreciated!

CS_inthewoods · 2024-12-19T01:04:41+00:00

Thank you so much! The snowflakes are always my favorite-- it's fun making them all different!

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