rad-rat-with-a-tophat

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

jon and gerry coulda been friends

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

“Are you the witch who turned eleven princes into swans?”

The old woman stared at the figure on the front step of her cottage and considered her options. It was the kind of question usually backed up by a mob with meaningful torches, and the kind of question she tried to avoid.

Coming from a single dusty, tired housewife, it should’ve held no terrors.

“You a cop?”

The housewife twisted the hem of her apron. “No,” she muttered. “I’m a swan.”

A raven croaked somewhere in the woods. Wind whispered in the autumn leaves.

Then: “I think I can guess,” the old woman said slowly. “Husband stole your swan skin and forced you to marry him?”

A nod.

“And you can’t turn back into a swan until you find your skin again.”

A nod.

“But I reckon he’s hidden it, or burned it, or keeps it locked up so you can’t touch it.”

A tiny, miserable nod.

“And then you hear that old Granny Rothbart who lives out in the woods is really a batty old witch whose father taught her how to turn princes into swans,” the old woman sighed. “And you think, ‘Hey, stuff the old skin, I can just turn into a swan again this way.’

“But even if that was true – which I haven’t said if it is or if it isn’t – I’d say that I can only do it to make people miserable. I’m an awful person. I can’t do it out of the goodness of my heart. I have no goodness. I can’t use magic to make you feel better. I only wish I could.”

Another pause. “If I was a witch,” she added.

The housewife chewed the inside of her cheek. Then she drew herself up and, for the first time, looked the old woman in the eyes.

“Can you do it to make my husband miserable?”

The old woman considered her options. Then she pulled the wand out from the umbrella stand by the door. It was long, and silver, and a tiny glass swan with open wings stood perched on the tip.

“I can work with that,” said the witch.

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

@webhoard submitted: We're heading for a freeze the next few days and we were worried about this monarch chrysalis in a truly awful spot. We read instructions online about how to safely move a monarch chrysalis, and we did it!! It'll be nice and warm inside until it hatches. Austin TX on Jan 5, 2025. And here's the instructions for anyone interested:

I hope it makes it! Feel free to update when it emerges if it does :)

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

I have come into possession of an ornithology book from the 1930's and they had such a way of describing birds back then, modern publishers of birding booking should take note! Here are some of the bangers.

yes, this book refers to the anhinga as a water-turkey

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

Have they ever interacted? No BUT FOOLISH OF YOU TO THINK THATLL STOP ME

It just works so well THIS IS SPECIFICALLY MY FRIEND, @toomanyferrets ‘s, DESIGN OF NEEDLES CHECK THEM OUT RN

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

✨New stickers in shop!✨

3x3" sticker: $4cad

2x2" shiny sticker: $3cad

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

Todays izutsumi: bundled up

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

Hi everyone! Here's your Daily Reminder to Click for Palestine!

And if you can spare a dollar, donate to ANERA!

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

"Not even Jesus Christ was scrutinized this heavily"

-pukicho 14:10

Thanks for crudely plastering me over the man. This is great for my image.

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

you're disgusting. an utter failure. fuck you. go kill yourself. we all hate you here. stop pretending like it'll get better. pull the trigger

What's better than this!! Just good old 2014 classic hate mail! No deep psychological incitement of my character, no scathing takedown of my art or work or body or whatever. Just big, grand general statements, one after the other. Boom boom boom.

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

I have no horse in this race

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

Neon Day Gecko aka Yellow-headed Day Gecko (Phelsuma klemmeri), family Gekkonidae, NW Madagascar

ENDANGERED.

Inhabits bamboo stands.

Found in 2 distant forests, one in central-western and the other in NW Madagascar

Endangered due to habitat loss.

photos: Hectonichus, Reptile Store.ca, Marshall Arachnids, & Krizu

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

oh you hate musicals? oh so youre allergic to all fun and whimsy then? youre against all joy and giddiness brought in front of you huh? you just hate any and all happiness and silly times dont you?

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

i made a lot more of these guys actually

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

My anthro professor has three forbidden words for his essays: problematic, interesting, and large. Point being they’re all filler words, he wants you to just skip straight to why it’s interesting or why it’s problematic. But anyway, any time I disagree with him in class I say to him “mm, interesting, but largely problematic.”

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]

As an adult you must cultivate the skill of “Gross! Oh, well. Not my business.”

[rad-rat-with-a-tophat]