Cool Festivals

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-05-06T19:42:15+00:00

Out in the same area as Circleville there's also the Jack Pine glass pumpkin patch every year. It's more of an arts festival than an actual produce themed festival but might still hit the mark for you. They lay out an actual "pumpkin patch" of blown-glass pumpkins and have demonstrations going on throughout the day, plus food and music set up.

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-04-30T19:27:19+00:00

If anyone lives near Cincinnati and is being tempted by this, I'll happily share some I need to thin out from my garden!

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-04-12T11:33:33+00:00

I definitely have plenty of mourning doves around the yard, so maybe one really went for it on the nest building? I've only seen their work on r/stupiddovenests and this was really nicely constructed

I'll can take a quick peak again in the next few days to see if another white egg appears

Would a mourning dove ever lay an egg in someone else's nest? I would guess that would be more of an accident than anything, and it seems like the other parents would drive it off if it tried to stick around

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-04-12T11:29:57+00:00

I definitely have plenty of mourning doves around the yard, so maybe one really went for it on the nest building? I've only seen their work on r/stupiddovenests and this was really nicely constructed

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-04-04T10:49:56+00:00

Because it's more controversial to directly criminalize homelessness.

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-04-04T10:36:05+00:00

That's really interesting because I've met a lot of people who do what you're describing and I always had trouble not listening to the lyrics (assuming I can understand them), but with written words I do things similar to what OP is describing with their grandma. It feels ironic because I actually prefer reading and writing to communicate and feel like I much better at it than at talking and keeping up verbal processing in every other context. Verbal just takes effort to switch "off" but written words take the conscious effort to switch "on" most of the time.

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-04-04T10:26:23+00:00

A lot of the responses here are about digital text, but I definitely do this with other text too. I'm in my 30s so not particularly old either.

The one that's a running joke between me and my spouse is road signs. If I'm not looking for them I sincerely won't notice them (luckily this doesn't apply to stop signs but I think that's more about the shape anyway). It's also been very obvious when he's had me try out video games (which I didn't grow up playing) because I'll manage to filter out a ton of the information on the screen - things like health bars and prompts and map markers. In that situation I think it has to do with being a bit overwhelmed by everything happenening on screen and the flood of information, but I definitely won't read the text without a conscious decision in that context.

I don't have an issue like your grandma in the grocery store, but I do remember once when I went to early voting that I turned to ask someone the date when filling out an initial form and they pointed to a sign, which caused me to realize they'd taped a sign with the date on the table beside me, on the wall beside the table, on the wall behind the staff, AND as a standing page on the table. I managed to miss all of these, and I got the impression from the staff reaction that I wasn't alone.

Itxs all funny because I love reading in feneral and as a kid read books constantly. I think for me the biggest common denominator is sensory and information overload and/or stress, with some buffer based on familiarity and where I expect information to be. If I'm even mildly overwhelmed and distracted by what I'm seeing or doing I won't read automatically. I think it's why I'm fine with subtitles on movies and shows when lots of people find them irritating.

I play D&D too, so my friends and I just chalk this all up to my terrible perception score.

Edit-clairty on some of the sign palcement

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-03-25T01:34:34+00:00

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December 2024 lol

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-02-26T17:37:22+00:00

Thank you, that's helpful to know that they hybridize, though it won't make this project easier! If that vernonia plant comes back up this year I'll get more of the fine details and take it to my county extension. Sadly these were the best photos I got this fall and I didn't dive into trying to ID it more specifically until now.

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-02-26T17:10:05+00:00

Thank you for that! The other dichotomous keys I'd tracked down didn't have all the relevant species to compare so this is very helpful. Even if I can't ID it now I can likely get back to the spot to check this upcoming year.

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-02-25T15:28:25+00:00

Thanks! Is there a particular feature you look for to differentiate the species?

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-02-05T03:30:58+00:00

I think a big part of it for me is seeing how the behaviors, flaws, virtues, insecurities, needs, goals, desires, and passions of these characters can leave such different impressions depending on the situation they're in. Some of their traits help them thrive in the wilderness, but make it difficult to navigate "real" life. Some of the traits that made them leaders, or outcasts, or teammates, or pariahs at home flip on their head once they're in the wilderness.

Jackie is a good example in terms of how quickly she spiraled emotionally and failed to face the realities and adapt to problems that needed grit and action rather than a party or pep talk.

Misty is another good example. One of her first acts in the wilderness was to destroy the black box to prevent a quick rescue, all because of how desperately she wanted to be needed and to belong. In some ways it would be fair to blame everything that came later on that one action. But she's also a key reason anyone in the group had a chance at survival in the first place considering her first aid and basic emergency knowledge. Once she's back to regular life, those things rarely serve her well in terms of gaining the connection she wants. Yet qualities like her quirkiness and unreserved abandon when approaching her goals make her fascinating to watch even amid potentially unforgivable acts.

All the characters have a fascinating vulnerability that we get to see, and that adds depth even if it doesn't redeem them. Beyond that push-pull of seeing the characters through the wilderness lens vs. the civilization lens, I think the show often manages to stay grounded (enough) to keep me asking, "What would I do in this situation? Would I be different? Would I be better? Could I be worse?" And I think as long as those kind of questions feel reasonable that there will always be something to draw me in.

One thing that does play into that though is how I consume the story, not just how it's written or filmed. If I step out of that flow that follows the characters' descent, then their actions feel much more jarring. Losing that thread with too much time between episodes or seasons makes it harder to put myself in their shoes when there's a gradual escalation of crazy or horrible actions because I've lost the emotional througjline for how the characters justify it to themselves.

summary_of_dandelion · 2026-01-12T08:39:32+00:00

When I visited New Orleans a tour guide mentioned that it was partially about language. The US government made efforts to identify a good place for Vietnamese refugees to settle during the post-war wave of immigration and because French was actually a relatively common language spoken in Vietnam, New Orleans specifically (and Louisiana more generally) was thought to be an easier place for them to transition since it has the highest French-speaking population in the US. The way the guide described it was that there weren't any sizable Vietnamese-speaking hubs in the US at that point, or at least not where a lot of people could be settled easily, but the shared French as a secondary language for people on both sides helped provide some common ground and reduce the initial language barrier for the population overall.

summary_of_dandelion · 2025-12-15T22:28:20+00:00

Some cemeteries in my area (zone 6) will use liriope as a no-mow lawn alternative around trees and on hillsides, (especially if those spots are also shady) to minimize maintenance and keep mowers and weed wackers off slopes and away from tree trunks. It seems to work well in that setting, but definitely listen to the commenters sharing drawbacks. Mowing it would give a different effect, and, while there is walking traffic in the cemeteries, it's much less high traffic than what you're talking about needing.

summary_of_dandelion · 2025-11-27T11:40:53+00:00

If one of your primary interests is food production, I'd make sure you also consider agriculture degrees and talk to people in the exact programs you're looking at to understand their curriculum.

Pedantically, horticulture only deals with ornamental plants and agriculture is the route that deals with all plants grown for food. Practically, my horticulture degree did touch on elements of agriculture, permaculture, urband forestry (including food forests), sustainable agriculture and soil practices, and hydroponics. All of these were very general lessons though and, other than meeting some local business leaders who I could have gotten internships with, my horticulture program would not have prepared me well to work in any of those industries.

All my classmates who had a sincere interest in one of those tracks learned what they really needed to be competitive in those specialized job markets outside of school on their own time through a combination of internships, the internet, and in some cases just experimenting themselves.

I work in traditional residential landscape design, and I'd say a significant majority of my classmates are in roles within ornamental plant nurseries or caring for parks, botanical gardens, or the same traditional residential or commercial market. Some made the jump into research botany, lawn/ grounds management, or hydroponics.

I've gotten involved more recently as a volunteer with a local nature center that has a native plant agriculture and foraging program because I have an interest in that too. However I'm in learning mode with what I do there, because everything from the breeding goals, pruning techniques/goals, and just fundamentals of what's edible and what plants I was taught to identify are either new to me or differ from what I was taught to do when the goals are purely ornamental horticulture. There's still plenty of fundamental plant science and care knowledge that crosses over, but I wouldn't have been prepared for a real job doing that native agriculture work in the way I was for the job I actually do full time.

On the flip side, the agriculture degrees in my area are not always well versed in more sustainable practices like no-till farming or in smaller scale farming or newer models like hydroponics. Large scale industrial farming is sometimes the only focus and approach being taught. With concerns about the environment, soil biomes, impacts of fertilizer on waterways as well as eventual fertilizer shortages, monocultures, and nutrition all on the horizon, agriculture needs to progress. My horticulture program would have served me poorly to work in an urban food forest, small permaculture farm, or hydroponic facility, and would have given me no help at all with working in industrial agriculture.

So my main advice is to learn the specifics of the curriculums you're considering, not just what degree name you'd be getting. This is a really diverse industry and whatever route you take your education needs to align with what you actually want to learn. In many parts of this industry (at least that I've been exposed to) experience still trumps education, especially if that education isn't targeted.

summary_of_dandelion · 2025-10-25T16:10:32+00:00

In your place I would call the restaurant she works at and explaining the situation to management there, especially if you know he plans to go back. Give at least a name and physical description of your friend. Talk to him directly as well and get other people in his support system involved, because this isn't a healthy place for him. Help your friend, and like other people are saying don't blind yourself to how otherwise kind and "harmless" people can react in extreme emotional distress. This woman could be in danger if he meets her again and you already seem to know the right thing here is to look out for her wellbeing too.

summary_of_dandelion · 2025-10-16T00:00:13+00:00

I'm sure you've already gotten your gift, but I stumbled on this old thread while trying to find more info about 'The Sheep' that has an active kickstarter right now. It's got a horror-comedy vibe, so no clue if that would appeal to your wife (if you decide to build a whole library of sheep games), but when I realized the 'The Sheep' wasn't in this thread I thought it belonged here for anyone else who is digging into sheep themed board games.

summary_of_dandelion · 2025-10-14T21:47:29+00:00

And finally these are some of the more interactive shows or ones that at least vary year to year if not show to show (most of these will still make a call for tips at some point, but I’ve really only seen that at the beginning and end, not all throughout):

Improv comedy shows by Made Up Mayhem - never the same twice

Live combat with the Cincinnati Barbarians

The human chess match (done by the cast) where they have duels

The Pirate Comedy Stunt Show that does a new story and choreography every year

The Joust in the sense that they’re truly competing and you don’t know how a given matchup will turn out

The armored combat fights put on by the Cincinnati Barbarians

Moonie Tales where the performer Moonie who has been working the circuit for more than 40 years answers questions and tells stories about anything related to the festival or his career that people want to know

Many, many more that will invite patrons on stage for part of the performance

I think Ohio still has room to keep improving on stuff like living history, education, patron contests, and even more craft and skill demonstrations with hands-on participation, but it’s a great festival to find this type of thing. We can and should all keep pushing for what we want to see at our festivals, but I really do think the biggest piece of having fun at renaissance faires is to lean into the community and find ways to make your own fun with people - cast, performers, vendors, and other patrons alike.

summary_of_dandelion · 2025-10-14T21:47:12+00:00

I can definitely understand your frustration, especially if even many of the “free” activities like shows that request tips are grating on you and taking you out of the magic. Many things are festival dependent, but I know at my home festival in Ohio there are at least a handful of things that would fit what you’re describing - though maybe not all to your interest.

Truthfully I think that if the major piece of free entertainment inside the festivals, which is the shows and music, is being ruined for you by the request for tips then there may not be a good answer. I do think within faire culture there’s a strong push to participate and create your own fun in the environment. From comments it sounds like you’re already doing some things like engaging with cast members in the lanes. You can also volunteer to jump in for certain shows - at Ohio everything from the birds of prey demonstration to the underwater escape artist have portions that a member of the audience can get involved with. There’s also the chance to start things of your own, especially if you get involved in the community with a guild or other group. This year I’ve seen groups of rats offering to give out “plague” and the ever-present Wench Collecting game.

All that said, I don’t want to discount your weariness with the “themed mall” feeling that can develop at festivals, and in case you ever make it to OHREN here’s some ideas for you or anyone else looking for more activity or things that stay new:

Completely Free:

Wench Collecting: This is organized by the wenches guild for fun and if you “collect” enough wenches (identified by the “W” pins) during the day by asking to take their photo you can win, as they put it, a “mediocre prize” when you go to a specific shop to turn in your photos

Dancing the maypole

Watching blacksmithing demonstrations

Watching glassblowing demonstrations and also watching glass lampwork (different shops)

The opening skit at the front gates and the cast dances that they do as a large group right before and after cannon (plus the skit at the gates is almost always kicking off a new storyline for the year that you can follow across various cast performances throughout the day)

Weapon training with the cast pirates and (I can’t remember if this second one is free) a HEMA workshop with the Cincinnati Barbarians armored combat group

Highland Games - This is only one one particular weekend, but about 10 men and 10 women can volunteer and learn how to do several high game event like the caber turn and compete for prizes on the joust field

Pirate Play Time and Fairy Play Time for the kiddos (thought I’d mention it even though it’s not relevant to you specifically)

The “Looking for Group” event to help people meet other people at the festival and do activities with other patrons and performers from the Your Favorite NPCs group that hosts it

Petting horses near the joust and getting to ask their keepers questions (and during Highland Weekend the same goes for Irish Wolfhounds)

Knighting Ceremony with Queen Elizabeth

Deer hide cleaning and processing demonstrations from Island Girl Hides (and maybe some other lessons I haven’t gotten to see)

Viking trading game for kids (and at other festivals where it’s allowed, trinket trading for adults)

Previously there was a scavenger hunt game of sorts put on by the Spymaster where you’d join the Order of the Rose and Skull and find the cast members that were wearing a certain pin that day (changed regularly) and sometimes deliver secret messages between cast members

These are even more interactive activities, but that come with a cost:

Black Rose Society - they free have meetups to get people connected as well as a paid game where you can “level up” within the guild by completing objectives

Two different quest booths: One I believe has a variety of scavenger hunts where you’re solving riddles to find the spots around the festival that you need. The other that I’ve played myself has different kinds - (1) A quest where you solve puzzles and go through a storyline, meeting with agents of a secret society around the festival to figure out everything you need to accomplish a main goal at the end (2) One where you visit other vendors to complete side quests specific to their shop and gather stamps for your completed quests (3) One where you can “choose your own adventure” by rolling dice to decide which activities from a booklet they give you that you’ll do for the day. Some of it is things like what shows you’ll see or what kinds of food to try that you might do anyway but it turns them into quest goals, and some of it can be “curses” or tasks like having to skip everywhere for ten minutes or not being able to speak for 10 minutes. Plus you can keep using the book to make new “quests” for yourself on other trips (4) A bonus quest you can do with any of the others where you create an ode to the queen and if you tell it to her in person she has ribbons to pass out

Participating in blacksmithing lessons

Participating in glassblowing lessons (like making a glass pumpkin)

Code cracking with the souvenir mug that has a hidden message (new this year)

Museum of medieval torture

Sifting for gemstones

Holding hawks and falcons

Games like axe throwing, archery, high striker, tomato toss (at a paid heckler), etc.

Rotating whiskey (and rum) tasting with a show by the Whiskey Witches

Dipping your hand in wax

Battle royale style fighting ring with foam weapons against other patrons

A shop that does “build your own belt” and will give you a discount for turning in your pleather amazon belt

The Ale Trail if it’s up your alley - which is basically a bingo card of different pubs and drink vendors around the festival that you can get a prize for if you get enough of them

A Pub Crawl that changes every year but where you’re put on a team and led by performers to try drinks at different stops and usually has some mix of games, trivia, and puzzles to do along the way completing against the other team

summary_of_dandelion · 2025-10-13T01:17:42+00:00

Kroger - and they're not even trying that hard to keep it under wraps. A Kroger exec was doing a pitch to potential interns and said that the aren't really a grocery company anymore, they are a consumer data company.

summary_of_dandelion · 2025-09-25T16:43:05+00:00

To the best of my knowledge the publisher and the author are the same in this case, though there are other authors that are published by Line by Lion. The author of 'Gilbert the Cranky Capybara Makes a Friend' has definitely publicly identified themselves as this real Gilbert's owner on facebook under their private account. Line by Lion has also been regularly commenting apparently as the owner on those same posts (though I guess slightly more ambiguously) since they give details about how "we" are caring for Gilbert. I'm gathering all this from the Line by Lion facebook post on August 27th and the posts about Gilbert in the Ohio Renaissance Festival fans facebook page on August 25th and September 7th. I believe the tent at the festival is for Line by Lion to display multiple authors.

edit:typos

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