News of new E-W VA bus route led me to check other routes. I could put together an overnight itinerary to Staunton to see a play at Blackfriars, starting and ending at the West Falls Church Metro station. Depart at 10:15a and return at 1:40p next day. virginiabreeze.drpt.virginia.gov/routes/
Excellent overview for anyone intrigued by the buzz around peptides, especially folks with chronic health challenges.
open.substack.com/pub/yourloca...
Nailed it! I hope I never need to hold my nose like that again.
I would like a Secretary of Defense who has read one (1) book on the history of warfare; preferably one that discusses the impact of disease on armies.
Immensely clarifying essay on how a BSer is more dangerous than a liar because of their intention to disrupt communal imagination. Also, why Quentin Tarrentino is a better theologian than the Secretary of Defense. Ongoing discussion in comments. lizbucar.substack.com/p/this-is-bu...
We got a bunch of rocks from our Buy Nothing group a couple of years ago, and when we dumped them on the ground, they pretty much told us that they wanted to form a mini-henge. And I always listen to what rocks have to say.
Dynamic filler layer -- I moved in 4 columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) and a dozen or so self-seeded golden alexanders (Zizia aurea) in groups of 3 or more. 7/7
Ground cover -- 50 plugs of Wood's sedge (Carex woodii), an outstanding performer in the Mt. Cuba trials. I also expect that over time plenty of violets will move in, as they do everywhere else in our yard. 6/7
Seasonal theme -- 8 Jacob's ladder (Polymonium reptans), transplanted from the shady back garden for early spring interest. These are bushy enough that they could even be considered part of the structural layer. The rest of the year, I'm mostly interested in having this bed stay green and low. 5/7
I roughly followed Thomas Rainer's strategy of building a dense layer of forbs to echo a woodland edge:
Structural -- Virginia sweetspire (Itea virginica) 'Little Henry' at the street end + a mini-henge of upright stones at the end nearest the house 4/7
Bed preparation took place during one warmish spell in January. I edged the straight runs with tile scavenged from home projects and my Buy Nothing group and the round edge with some leftover plastic edging, then layered on cardboard and 6" of Arlington County leaf mulch. 3/7
We wanted the bed to have a round section to feature the "mini-henge" that was less visible elsewhere in the yard. The site gets part-shade with morning sun. All the plants but one species are those with which I'm already familiar. 2/7
Shady garden bed next to paver sidewalk on one side and green lawn on the other. Small circle of stones at one end, green plants scattered amid dark brown mulch.
Small circle of upright stones on dark mulched garden bed, surrounded by small green plants with narrow leaves, larger plants at left.
Green shrub with upright stems in dark mulched garden bed next to paver walk, more green plants of varying sizes scattered in the bed.
Today I finished planting our 4th round of lawn reclamation, this strip having shifted from full sun to part shade over the years. The design echoes the front sidewalk, which follows a short, straight line until it expands into a rounded area next to the front steps. #ArlingtonVA #NativePlants 1/7
Screen shot from https://city.ridewithvia.com/art Why do I have to walk to meet my ride? This shared ride microtransit service operates corner to corner instead of door to door. This means you might have to walk a short distance to your pickup point. To keep things running smoothly and efficiently, our system assigns you to a 'virtual bus stop' - which are pickup and dropoff points that are usually at a nearby corner. This is how we’re able to pick up multiple passengers without adding a significant amount of time to each rider’s journey.
As a shared ride service designed to fill in gaps in scheduled transit service, it's described as corner-to-corner service rather than door-to-door. I was the only passenger on my first ride, and my walks to pickup and from dropoff were less than 2 minutes each.
So, if someone books a ride not with the app by calling (571) 517-4181, how is payment handled? Do they go through a one-time account setup process?
Of course! I did get my driver's OK to snap a photo so that I could brag about my ride.
Black van with "MICRO arlington microtransit" sign at bus stop in shady neighborhood
Enjoyed my first #ArlingtonVA Microtransit ride. Waited 7 minutes on a shady neighborhood street just off Langston for a friendly driver in this clean, quiet VW electric van. Arrived a few minutes later at the bus stop nearest my house. First 6 rides free until 5/13. city.ridewithvia.com/art
Black van with "MICRO arlington microtransit" sign at bus stop on shady neighborhood street
Enjoyed my first ride this morning. Clean, quiet, and convenient solution for one of my weekly errands. #ArlingtonVA
Shady garden with masses of knee high plants with ice blue flowers, in foreground small plants with white flowers and behind, some plums with pink flowers
You are in for a treat! My two Amsonia tabernaemontana plants in Arlington are showstoppers, coexisting nicely with the wild geraniums, perfoliate bellwort, and wild strawberries that bloom at the same time. Planted in late spring 2021. #NativePlants
I'm planning to stop by tonight to talk about changes to the Residential Parking Permit program that have taken users by surprise. Billed in public materials as an "option" that would "not fundamentally change the program," we now know what's planned is a full move to all-digital permits.
Softly rolling mountain ridges against blue sky with wispy clouds. In foreground trees, some beginning to leaf out.
Pink flower with three petals, three leaves, and a yellow center against gray and brown woodland floor
Two pink flowers with three petals, three leaves, and a yellow center against gray and brown woodland floor. Small white flower viewed from the side at lower right.
Yellow flowers and green leaves against gray and brown woodland floor
Slowed down, took an unplanned detour along a few miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway, and stopped at a favorite overlook. After a few minutes of looking at mountains, my gaze softened enough to notice the trilliums, star chickweed, and downy yellow violets all around me. #NativePlants
Screenshot of text: NATO was never a subscription service where everyone Venmos their fair share for global security. It was a trade: We provide the security umbrella. They provide the strategic environment that makes that umbrella useful. You break that, and you don't punish Europe. You blind and deafen yourself. You lose: • Forward basing • Rapid deployment corridors • Integrated intelligence networks • Coalition legitimacy In other words, you trade a system that amplifies American power for the comforting illusion of not being taken advantage of. It's the geopolitical equivalent of selling your factory because the electricity bill annoys you. Now, could NATO be criticized? Of course. Expansion created complications. Some members contribute more politically than militarily. Others are run by leaders who would struggle to manage a homeowners' association, much less a state. Fine. That's all arguable. But none of that changes the underlying reality: NATO gave the United States unmatched strategic reach at a discounted cost.
Kudos to the neighbor who has been flying the NATO flag. “NATO was never a subscription service where everyone Venmos their fair share for global security. It was a trade…. NATO gave the United States unmatched strategic reach at a discounted cost.”https://substack.com/@bdelmonte/note/c-241260525
Autocorrect on my iPad is getting weirder and weirder. It just changed “quaich” to “riding.” The only things those two words have in common are length (6 letters) and the letter “i.” So random.
Street scene with two houses, 1 one-story and 1 two-story, overshadowed by two large trees against blue sky.
Early evening sun silhouetting two large trees next to one-story brick rambler house
Meanwhile, on my neighborhood walk yesterday, I spotted these two beauties already marked with the red X of destruction — one a willow oak, maybe both. The house has a nice little garden in front, too, very well maintained. Such a shame.
Commander of Artemis II tells students not to be afraid to fail. That might be the best advice given from space.
Close-up view of flowering shrub with shiny oval leaves with end points and serrated edges and white flowers with dark pink stamens
Hip-high stems of white-flowering shrub in sun with trees near by
I started with one black chokeberry plant, local ecotype from Earth Sangha, 5 years ago, and now I have a lovely thicket of Aronia melanocarpa. Northern Virginia, morning part sun, afternoon shade. Maybe one day, it will be dense enough to forage for berries. #NativePlants
View of ground with brown leaf fragments and grass at right corners, and at center, a plant with long flat green leaves.
Oh the joy of finding more blue-eyed grass that I can rescue from the lawn and move to somewhere it will never be mowed! I think those are baby shrubby St John's wort at the top left. They'll get a new home, too. #NativePlants
Please do not look away. This is the account of just one day. If you reach a point where it feels too painful to read on, think for a moment about the fear, loss, and suffering in Minneapolis, ICE detention centers, Iran, etc. My despair is minor by comparison.
open.substack.com/pub/heatherd...
“We have no practical way to stop them, save calling on other groups and leaders to describe their plan in the starkest possible terms.”
I urge all leaders and civil society groups to speak out. As for myself, not being a leader nor an influencer, all I can say is — Not. In. My. Name.
Our contest winners have their book! “One Day in a Very Long Dominion War” is now available for free via @tranquilitypress.bsky.social. Because certain #scifi franchises belong to everyone, so everyone should have a chance to contribute: