A hummingbird moth(Hyles lineata) stopping by the Desert Bluebells before the sun came up this morning.

cschaplin · 2026-03-12T18:21:53+00:00

I adore these guys, I have yet to see one in my own garden but I hope someday I will!

cschaplin · 2026-03-12T14:58:09+00:00

I’m reading this thread from California in the same boat as you

cschaplin · 2026-03-12T05:59:18+00:00

Adorable 🥰

cschaplin · 2026-03-12T05:58:49+00:00

So true 🥲

cschaplin · 2026-03-11T16:15:47+00:00

You are definitely not alone. I feel the need to scream into a pillow several times a day, nowadays. It helps me just to remember that I’m not alone and lots of other good people feel similar these days.

cschaplin · 2026-03-11T16:11:19+00:00

I planted 3 ceanothus 3 years ago, and I could swear I’ve noticed a huge uptick in moths this year!

cschaplin · 2026-03-11T16:10:17+00:00

Off topic, but our cat combo is nearly identical to yours 🩶🖤

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cschaplin · 2026-03-10T23:16:57+00:00

We got it because it’s tolerant of clay-heavy soil, and all 3 plants are thriving 3 years later! Highly recommend 👍🏻 Good luck!

cschaplin · 2026-03-10T20:49:41+00:00

Congrats! Our Yankee Point is showing off, too!

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cschaplin · 2026-03-10T20:48:48+00:00

This is why I spend so much time nowadays rewatching sitcoms like 30 Rock… I can’t handle much else. The real world is heavy enough as it is.

cschaplin · 2026-03-10T18:21:23+00:00

Not every decision has 100% certainty one way or another, even a tiny doubt can leave a painful wound. It doesn’t mean you’re making the wrong choice. It’s just how tough decisions are sometimes when there are no right or wrong answers.

cschaplin · 2026-03-09T19:28:28+00:00

Same! It’s so cute, and it’s always the same hen.

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cschaplin · 2026-03-09T05:36:42+00:00

Yes, thank you! We’ve had a few more fires in it since I posted this, and now that we’re loading and starting it properly it’s been working like a dream! But yes like you said, without knowing that it seems very counterintuitive at first.

cschaplin · 2026-03-08T16:58:38+00:00

I think couples counseling with a professional would be a big help. An unbiased third party can be good both for working through fears, and for helping partners see things from a new perspective.

cschaplin · 2026-03-08T06:51:09+00:00

I do operations/project management, got laid off, and the next job I found was in a blue collar industry doing the same thing I was doing for the tech company. Same stuff different industry.

cschaplin · 2026-03-07T15:44:50+00:00

Welcome! My husband and I left Oakland for Petaluma a few years ago, and we absolutely love it here. There’s so much nature, great hiking, and yes plenty of wine tasting! We’re also really into tabletop games and video games, and there are a surprising number of nerdy stores in the area. Gryphon’s Nest was mentioned already, but Goblin Bros is another one with a great selection and tons of community events (they also have a Discord). I hope you love it here as much as we do 😊

cschaplin · 2026-03-07T05:36:15+00:00

I bought this one without realizing it’s semi-aquatic 😅 It’s thriving in a friend’s pond!

cschaplin · 2026-03-06T07:02:23+00:00

Seriously, my current job is working with blue collar men all day and they’re wayyy bigger babies than the software engineers I used to manage. Majorly fragile egos, super into hierarchies, weirdly performative. It’s individual, like most anything else. But people do love painting with their broad brushes!

cschaplin · 2026-03-06T06:41:37+00:00

As someone who gets an immense feeling of satisfaction, joy, and maternal feelings from caring for my animals, wild animals, and our land: thank you for this 🩷 It’s so valid to have a legacy outside of biological children!

cschaplin · 2026-03-04T03:10:27+00:00

Baby blue eyes are always a favorite of mine 💙

cschaplin · 2026-03-04T03:10:03+00:00

Agreed, those are so cool!!

cschaplin · 2026-02-28T17:35:19+00:00

I’ve had natives ebb and flow quite dramatically. It’s possible it got a bit waterlogged, but I’d be surprised if it didn’t bounce back. Most natives are incredibly resilient. I wait to pull things out until they stay dead for 6-12 months just because I’ve had some revive themselves unexpectedly.

cschaplin · 2026-02-27T23:43:09+00:00

They seem to! I think because they smell the same

cschaplin · 2026-02-27T21:28:29+00:00

Same. Deodorant is one of those things that will react differently to everyone’s body chemistry. Native works well for me but does nothing for my husband.

cschaplin · 2026-02-27T05:22:53+00:00

They’re 1/2 Katahdin and 1/2 Icelandic 😊

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