la_samtyr | Reading

Posted by john (the hubby of Jen)

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/barking-up-the-wrong-cake-2026

So there I was, looking through thousands of awful wedding cake pics - as one does on a typical Tuesday night (WHAT) - when I started to notice an odd trend: tree cakes.

I don't mean the beautiful blossoming vines we see so often:

Loverly.

And I don't mean stump cakes, which Jen has devoted a whole tag to in iPhoto because we have that many:

Stumperly.

No, I mean a dead tree plastered up the side of a wedding cake.

Like this:

We really don't get enough opportunities to eat things the color of wet concrete.

Sometimes, in an effort to make the tree look slightly less dead, a baker will add "leaves":

Or "flowers":

"It just so happens this tree is only mostly dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead... and all dead.

"Now hand me that knife, and we'll split the difference."

My favorite, though, is the baker who opted to liven up a dead tree with polka dots:

They're just so festive. In a pox-like kind of way. (Pox-ish?)

Like a festival of pox.
Woowoo!

Tell you what, bakers, why not stick to what we know? Simple, beautiful, blossoming vines.

Okay, maybe these could use a few polka dots.

Thanks to Amy L., Allison N., Daniel & Kim, Katy G., Layne L., Jon D., & Linda N. for branching out.

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/barking-up-the-wrong-cake-2026

technoshaman

I'm thankful for:
1) The slow return of executive function
2) Smoke for the BRANE BEEZ.... (these two are irrevocably intertwined)
3) Peter Magyar, and the Hungarian people who SHOWED UP...
4) Historians (Heather Cox Richardson, Joanne Freeman, and at least two of my mishpocheh, among others) (they really help with finding sanity amongst external chaos...)
5) Music... both as a way to connect, and sometimes a needed escape... (much less often the latter!)
6) Digital alternatives to crapitalism.
7) The return of the Muse!
8) RUSH is BACK... where I can get at them!!
9) Spring
10) Hopes, large and small
11) Kitchen witchery, both familiar and strange.

Current Mood: thankful
Current Location: The Wizard's Tower
Current Music: The Dark Morris - Steeleye Span

ysabetwordsmith

This year I'm doing Community Thursdays. Some of my activity will involve maintaining communities I run, and my favorites. Some will involve checking my list of subscriptions and posting in lower-traffic ones. Today I have interacted with the following communities...

* "Books" in

history

* "Female Leads" in

hooked_on_heroines

* "Follow Friday Master Post" in

interested_in_that

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Skills That Survived Every Economic Collapse in History

Every economic collapse in recorded history — from Weimar Germany to Argentina's default to Venezuela's currency crisis — followed the same brutal pattern: institutions failed, credentials evaporated, and the most "educated" people were often the first to starve. Doctors drove taxis. Engineers washed cars. PhDs traded cigarettes for potatoes.

So which skills actually survived? Not the ones you'd expect.

This video is an economic autopsy of seven major collapses across a century of data — drawing on NBER labor forensics, Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, World Bank research, and the real stories of Argentine mechanics, Cuban physicians, Russian dacha farmers, and Lebanese currency brokers — to identify the four structural categories of skills that have demonstrated resilience in every single collapse environment ever studied.

So let's take a look at what these are and how to use them...

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Queer Artists and Artworks We Love for World Art Day

Happy World Art Day! Our rec lists tend to be a bit book-centric, so we thought this’d be a great chance to share some artists and artworks we love.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

March heat in the U.S. was the largest temperature anomaly ever recorded

Heat usually doesn’t define March, a month that still carries a hint of winter’s last breath. This year, it felt more like a preview of late spring, and sometimes even early summer.

Across the United States, temperatures didn’t just creep up. They jumped far beyond what anyone would expect for that time of year.

The numbers tell a blunt story. The average temperature for March hit 50.85 degrees Fahrenheit. That is 9.35 degrees higher than the 20th-century average.

It is not just a record for March. It is the largest jump above normal for any month ever recorded in the Lower 48 states.

Daytime highs pushed even further, running 11.4 degrees above average, nearly matching what people usually feel in April.

Ya THINK? It hit 89 fucking degrees here in central Illinois. REPEATEDLY. We're also in drought conditions. I've had to water things already planted so they don't die, in what should be the wettest time of year. >_< I really don't want this to be another year of eight months watering.

Current Mood: frustrated

ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy and mild. It has been spitting a few drops of water now and then, but the promised storms have not arrived. :/

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- While we were out at Whiteside Garden, I picked up a generous clump of wild ginger. :D I also saw a red-headed woodpecker.

We stopped at Home Depot and bought 12 concrete blocks, the kind with two holes, and water sealer. I'm going to make a planting bench with the solid-top pallet that we obtained earlier.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I planted the clump of wild ginger at the east end of the savanna where moss is growing. I'm going to try establishing a woodland garden there.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did some work around the patio.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I planted the mountain mint in the wildflower garden. This looks similar to the mystery wild mint that I had before, which is among the most popular pollinator plants. If so, that boosts genetic diversity.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 4/15/26 -- I did more work around the patio.

I hauled 6 of the 12 concrete blocks out of the car. For some reason the guy putting them on the flatbed trolley gave me two different kinds; some have flat ends and some have ridges sticking out, and these aren't the kind of blocks meant to interlock.

I am done for the night.

Current Mood: busy

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by Jen

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/a-yelp-for-help-2026

Most chain bakeries have numbered order books, so you can just write down the code for the design you want.

For example, at this place, if you want a picture of a trophy you write down "SB1."

NAILED IT.

Beth S. didn't want any mix-ups, though, so to be EXTRA careful she wrote down the name of the design she wanted, not the number:

...which is how Beth ended up with this:

Doggone it.

Ok, you're thinking, but surely - SURELY - if you draw an actual diagram of the cake yourself, clearly labeled, this won't happen. Right?

Linsay K. agreed, so she carefully mapped out directions for drawing the Quebec flag on her friend's birthday cake:

She picked the color blue, then used a piece of paper to show the bakers just where to draw the four fleur-de-lis.

I think you'll agree, minions, that all of Linsay's hard work really paid off:

Eh?

Thanks to Veronica L. Beth S., & Linsay K. for giving me a new fleur-de-lis on life.

*****

P.S. I recently reviewed this book over on Epbot, and it's making big waves over there:

Organizing Solutions For People With ADHD

The title says it all, but this book is so much more, minions. Check out my review where I share my top 5 tips from the book; total game changers if you have ADHD or live with someone who does.

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/a-yelp-for-help-2026

shipperslist

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ysabetwordsmith

Good news includes all the things which make us happy or otherwise feel good. It can be personal or public. We never know when something wonderful will happen, and when it does, most people want to share it with someone. It's disappointing when nobody is there to appreciate it. Happily, blogging allows us to share our joys and pat each other on the back.

What good news have you had recently? Are you anticipating any more? Have you found a cute picture or a video that makes you smile? Is there anything your online friends could do to make your life a little happier?

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

wavesagainstrocks posted questions about how people do fandom:

Those that actively engage with media or fandom (or both!) in your day-to-day life, do you find it hard to be into multiple things at once? Or can you easily switch between interests? Say, you can equally balance your attention between two or more shows? Please elaborate in the comments if you can!

Same goes for those on the flip-side. Do you feel like you can only be into one or very few things at one time? Do you have to let the one "main" obsession run its course for you to be able to move onto something else? Comment your thoughts!

I've already replied there, but I think it's a fun conversation. The blogger would like to reach a wider audience, so I'm hoping mine will pitch in.

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

The April 7, 2026 Poetry Fishbowl met its $300 goal, so there will be a half-price sale in Polychrome Heroics from Monday, April 20 through Sunday, April 26. Mark your calendars, and I hope to see you then!

Current Mood: busy

me_ya_ri

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Current Mood: artistic

ysabetwordsmith

You Have More Land Than You Think

Clever design creates more housing on small sites.

You might assume that squeezing small units onto small lots might end up feeling claustrophobic, but a few simple design principles can actually lead to housing that is welcoming, comforting, and feels spacious. Best of all, a smaller house is more affordable, and land costs are spread amongst more units, creating greater affordability without subsidy.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Mammal ancestors laid eggs, and this 250-million-year-old fossil finally proves it

A 250-million-year-old fossil egg just revealed how an ancient survivor beat Earth’s deadliest extinction.

In the aftermath of Earth’s most catastrophic extinction event, one unlikely survivor rose to dominate a shattered world: Lystrosaurus. Now, a stunning fossil discovery—an ancient egg containing a curled-up embryo—has finally answered a decades-old mystery about whether mammal ancestors laid eggs. Using advanced imaging technology, scientists confirmed that these resilient creatures did reproduce this way, likely producing large, soft-shelled eggs packed with nutrients.

In terms of world domination, Lystrosaurus was arguably the most successful lifeform on Earth.

Current Mood: busy

shipperslist

( You're about to view content that the journal owner has marked as possibly inappropriate for anyone under the age of 18. )

ysabetwordsmith

Today is cloudy, breezy, and mild.

I fed the birds. I haven't seen any yet.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- We went to Whiteside Garden again. This time I picked up a clump of wildflowers fused together: a couple of tiny ferns, and even tinier columbine, and some yellow violet.

We stopped to chat with a friend. His yard has several red-headed woodpeckers. I heard them drumming and spotted one as it flew away. These used to be the dominant woodpecker around here, but have been largely replaced by downies and are now rarer to see.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I planted the new wildflowers. One yellow violet had come loose, so I put that with my others. The rest of the cluster went into the mossy part of the savanna which already has a woodland feel.

And now I'm hearing thunder, on what was supposed to be my main planting day. *sigh*

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I planted the sedum from yesterday and watered the newly planted things.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I planted the holly from yesterday at the east edge of the Midwinter grove.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I watered and mulched the holly.

It's 83°F outside now, too hot to do as much yardwork as I hoped. At least I got the Whiteside things planted.

I've seen a few sparrows and house finches, plus a fox squirrel.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I watered the pansies and violas. The hot wind is just stripping the moisture out of everything. :(

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.

I saw a brown thrasher foraging in the house yard.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I raked a section of orchard.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I sowed some grass seed in the orchard.

EDIT 4/14/26 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

.

Current Mood: busy

cakewrecks_feed

Posted by John Yates

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/adowable-widdle-wrecks-2026

Sometimes I see cakes that are so undeniably Wrecky that I'm almost ashamed of myself for thinking they're cute. I'm not sure how such a thing is possible, either - are they flukes? Slips of the piping bags? The inevitable result of a million Wreckerators working on a million cupcakes? The world may never know. Or care.

Who's a cute widdle turd!?

Sure, it may look like a pile of poo on the banks of the Jungle Cruise*, but it's actually supposed to be a cat. Or maybe a lion. With a monkey tail. Regardless, see how the decorator compels us to overlook its blatant turdiness with his/her skillful application of puppy...cat eyes?

* Explanation for Non-Disney Geeks - See, the water on the Jungle Cruise ride at Disney is often dyed a shocking shade of blue-green. I think you have to be decontaminated if you fall in.**

**Follow-up from Jen: Puh-lease, "decontaminated"? It's just a little tetanus shot.

This next one makes use of the "two-cupcakes-drowning-in-icing-on-an-oversized-cakeboard" approach:

See? It's a cow. Or maybe ground beef. ("What do you call a cow with no legs, Alex?") Or Beef Stroganoff. ("A cow with noodles for legs?")

How can I tell it's a cow, and not a spotted dog with an awesome bouffant 'do sitting on a robot*? By reading the "moo" in the barren desert of cake board, that's how. [tapping temple] Skills. I gots 'em.

*Picture the nostrils as eyes for a minute - you'll see it. (Note: alcohol helps.)

Here's another one, fortified with rich, healthy irony:

An embarrassed skunk letting out a little toot, or a Wreckerator letting out a little workplace aggression? More importantly: which makes you hungrier?

Next is a real fluke; it's both the Wreckiest and the cutest cake for today:

A Wreckerator sets out to make a frog and ends up with a sloppy cross-eyed face with jowls, and yet it's still adorable? Now that's luck. (Dig the candle horns.)

And finally, we have the origin of the term “duck lips.”

Better take a selfie before the swelling goes down.

Thanks to Wreckporters Tim, Megan, Kristi M., Leigh S., and Linden S.!

*****

P.S. Here's a (hilarious) reminder that English is almost as confusing as these cakes:

P Is for Pterodactyl: The Worst Alphabet Book Ever

*****

And from my other blog, Epbot:

https://www.cakewrecks.com/home/adowable-widdle-wrecks-2026

ysabetwordsmith

Hurricanes are slowing down - and dumping far more rain than before

If you’ve ever watched a hurricane stall on a weather map and became worried, you’re picking up on something scientists are increasingly concerned about.

A new study suggests that rapid ocean warming isn’t just making tropical cyclones dump more rain.

It may also be slowing some of them down while they’re still in their tropical phase, which is basically the worst combo if you’re on the coast or anywhere downstream.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: busy

ysabetwordsmith

Today we did a bunch of different things, including a Charleston loop in the morning and a Champaign loop in the afternoon.

( Read more... )

Current Mood: happy

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Sounds of laughter, shades of life

Reading

Barking Up The Wrong Cake

Thankful Thorsday (hey, consistent??)

Community Thursdays

Survival Skills

Art

Climate Change

Birdfeeding

A Yelp For Help

Reading Wednesday 2026, #15

Good News

Fandom Questions

Half-Price Sale in Polychrome Heroics

When Life Gives You Limes...

Affordable Housing

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stop the press: a Magnus Archive Novel is coming!!11

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