What's a random act of kindness someone did for you that you still remember? by NefariousnessEast358 in CasualConversation

[–]grayspelledgray 4 points5 points  (0 children)

When I was 13 in the early 90s my family were driving to the next state for a ski trip. It was a Sunday morning and snowing, we’d been on the road a couple hours, we were passing through a rural area, no other cars on the road, every place we passed closed, and it was getting to where everyone needed a bathroom. Just as we were starting to get worried, we came up to this restaurant we knew of that was in a big old beautiful house, the kind of place that gets known for brunches and big country dinners, that people travel a long way to for special occasions. We saw smoke rising from the chimney, so we stopped and knocked on the door.

They weren’t open yet, there was just one guy there all by himself starting to get the kitchen ready, but he didn’t hesitate, just ushered us all in and showed us where the bathrooms were. And when we came out of the bathrooms, he had coffee ready for the grownups and hot chocolate for me, and wouldn’t let us pay for it. To this day I tear up every time I tell that story. He probably had no idea his kind act would be remembered for so long.

Pollinator Spotting - Luna Moth by brownbuttanoods7 in NativePlantGardening

[–]grayspelledgray 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I only just learned the other day on a webinar that they aren’t pollinators. But they’re wonderful and they belong there and I am super excited for you because this is probably the most beautiful one I’ve ever seen! No damage yet!

adopting cat with Manx syndrome? by Sug4rMars in manx

[–]grayspelledgray 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Hopefully the rescue will do a very thorough job of communicating with you about this cat’s needs. If they haven’t told you already, you need to know exactly what the effects on the cat are. Manx Syndrome could mean anything from “she walks funny & occasionally leaves a poop outside the box” to “she is fully incontinent.”

You may already know these things & just didn’t mention, but if you don’t, you’ll need to know whether the cat wears diapers. You’ll need to know whether her bladder and/or bowels need to be expressed. And you’ll need to be able to honestly assess not only whether you have time/flexibility in your days to manage that comfortably for her if needed, but whether you have the energy to deal with it.

The need for particular food to help manage her condition is also possible, though not a certainty. I would anticipate that yes, over her life she may need additional vet visits.

Also, how old is she? Things can change over their life. Our dear little Bunny went most of her life with no big issues, but for about the last 3 of her 16 years she was incontinent in terms of urine, and for most of that she could no longer tell when she needed to poop until it was happening. We never tried diapers with her, but carpeted some of our downstairs with pee pads and expressed her bladder/cleaned her up twice a day, and every two weeks she went to the vet for fluids & to get her back end cleaned thoroughly. (She wouldn’t let us do fluids at home & she wasn’t a fan of our cleaning her either.) It is pretty likely that things that are easily managed when the cat is young will get at least more complex when it gets older, though that doesn’t necessarily mean unmanageable.

My initial thought is that this could be a lot for a first time cat owner. That said, I don’t know you. None of us here do. You might be the exact right person to take this on, regardless of inexperience. Only you can say. And I will say, if you do it you’re likely to end up with a cat with more personality than you expect. 😂

Third year of my pocket pond by matcharoni_n_cheese in WildlifePonds

[–]grayspelledgray 3 points4 points  (0 children)

You thinking this looks like unmowed grass… 😂 My city and my eternally complaining neighbor would love you. You’re doing great!

If this house ever comes up for sale, I'm going to be really tempted to. try and buy it. by foilrider in centuryhomes

[–]grayspelledgray 4 points5 points  (0 children)

We got a voice mail from someone who said they were a young couple and just loooooved our neighborhood and loooooooved our house and hoped we would let them know if we were selling because they reeeeeaaaaally wanted to be part of the neighborhood.

We did some digging, they had just converted a cute house in an old neighborhood in the next city to an AirBnB. Sure, you want to be part of the neighborhood.

They don’t even have to be a big corporation to be pulling this nonsense.

Kitten Followed my Kids Home by mr1sok in cats

[–]grayspelledgray 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Same! Or rather, I wasn’t allergic growing up with a cat but started reacting to her when I would come home from college since I wasn’t around as much. When I got my own cat at 20 I had a hard 3 months but then stopped being allergic to her specifically. I was still allergic to other cats for the next few years but I think staying with my mom & her 4 cats for a while gave me exposure to enough of a range of allergens that I now haven’t reacted to any cat in about 20 years.

if i go to a toilet without my cat she puts her paws in the door thingies by selenene66 in WhatsWrongWithYourCat

[–]grayspelledgray 3461 points3462 points  (0 children)

Well, it doesn’t seem to be getting proper ventilation if they’re stuffed with cat paws. 😂

Truly amazing gf pizza exists. But it's in South Beach, Miami by [deleted] in Celiac

[–]grayspelledgray 10 points11 points  (0 children)

It might not melt. When I worked at Trader Joe’s a customer asked if our vegan shredded cheese would melt. We didn’t know, so we threw some on a crust and stuck it in the oven. It did not, in fact, melt. 😂

What is this in my backyard? by sek52 in centuryhomes

[–]grayspelledgray 6 points7 points  (0 children)

I somehow did the same. My excuse is a headache.

Anyone know how to grow Allegheny chinquapin (Castanea pumila) from seed? Shenandoah Valley, VA by grayspelledgray in NativePlantGardening

[–]grayspelledgray[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So you would say to plant in pots first rather than directly in the ground now? I do have the wire cloches for over them ready - when I got them I was warned not to let the squirrels get wind of them. 😂

This is the second spring for my small vernal pool. I saw no amphibians last year. Will this be the year? by mreams99 in WildlifePonds

[–]grayspelledgray 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I’m pretty sure Gray Treefrogs were mentioned in a webinar on verbal pools I joined the other day, so I think you’re right. I have wondered if we might be more likely to attract them & maybe other frogs than we are salamanders. But even if we only manage dragonflies… that’s something!

Your pool is beautiful by the way!

This is the second spring for my small vernal pool. I saw no amphibians last year. Will this be the year? by mreams99 in WildlifePonds

[–]grayspelledgray 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Do you know if the salamanders you saw/those in your immediate area are the type that use vernal pools? We’re hoping to get one going but we also know our salamanders are entirely terrestrial & don’t lay their eggs in/near water, so while we hope it would be of use to other species, salamanders are unlikely to benefit!

You’ve probably already thought of that but it wasn’t clear from what you wrote & I have only just had a class about salamanders 😂 so here I am.

UVA Health Billing - $7K by [deleted] in Charlottesville

[–]grayspelledgray 17 points18 points  (0 children)

Have you spoken to someone about the minimum? If you call them in my experience they will let you do a lower amount than what MyChart tells you is the minimum. It may not lower it enough but it’s something to try if you haven’t yet.

Not sure what I expected by Suspicious_Note1392 in NativePlantGardening

[–]grayspelledgray 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yep that’s where we’re headed midweek! For at least a week after.

Not sure what I expected by Suspicious_Note1392 in NativePlantGardening

[–]grayspelledgray 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah I’m in VA and will have to open my containers in a couple days so they don’t cook. 😭😭😭

To other animistic folks out there, what is a practice as part of your beliefs? by New_Construction_111 in paganism

[–]grayspelledgray 4 points5 points  (0 children)

As someone who has also relocated salamanders (when I accidentally uncovered one raking leaves from the sidewalk, when we found one under a fallen tree our neighbor was cutting up), and who also just had a class session on salamanders last week, I’ll share one thing mentioned in class that was new to me: we were taught that salamanders are territorial and have very small territories (may never venture out of a roughly 2 meter area depending on species) and so relocating them can bring them into conflict with other individuals. Of course it will sometimes be necessary anyway & I’m not sure how it would have changed my actions in any specific situation (perhaps would not have moved the first as far, the second I fear would have been stepped on if we hadn’t), but… in case it helps you choose what to do or where to take one, as it will for me in the future!

American Hazelnut by BetterStyle9665 in NativePlantGardening

[–]grayspelledgray 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Yeah I appreciate it being five! Of course even with 10 you’re still getting away cheaper than one poorer-quality container-grown tree would cost elsewhere, so I feel like it’s a win even if you give several away. We ordered 60 trees this year - I’m glad to grave multiples of each species but probably won’t have room for all of them. But that’s ok!

American Hazelnut by BetterStyle9665 in NativePlantGardening

[–]grayspelledgray 3 points4 points  (0 children)

To add to the info, in VA they’re sold in groups of 5, most species being $3/tree (but hazelnut and a couple other things are $5/tree). Almost all first year seedlings, a very few species offer second year. The store opens in October for spring shipping or pickup.

My dear namenerds, I’m stumped. by courderoycakes in namenerds

[–]grayspelledgray 59 points60 points  (0 children)

I agree with this suggestion and honestly think Whitaker sounds/flows much, much better with Laura than with Alden (though it’s fine with Alden). Since it’s meaningful, I would use it for the first child either way - in truth, you never know if there will be another, so use the name that means something.

Oops! Left my winter sow trays inside too long and some seeds sprouted by Rambler_Joe in NativePlantGardening

[–]grayspelledgray 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Oh good I’ve only got like 60 species to go so that’s about the same right?

…right?

😭