#Appellation

[oh-dear-so-queer]

In a vivid example of the marginalization that often surrounds discussion of animal homosexuality, scientists sometimes find their own descriptions of same-sex activity published with "amendments", "asides", or "explanations" inserted by journal or reprint editors who are uncomfortable with the content or appellation.

"Biological Exuberance: Animal Homosexuality and Natural Diversity" - Bruce Bagemihl

[hedgehog-moss]

Good news! I managed to find the last dandelions of the season :) I really thought I'd missed the window to harvest them this year; it's usually a late-April activity for me but it rained so much in the past couple of months, it just ruined my flower-harvest schedule.

The only dandelions left where I live are all in their wish-granting puffball phase, but I thought I'd try my luck at higher elevations—yesterday I called a neighbour who lives 150 metres higher, it went something like "Hello I would like to inquire about your dandelions and what stage of their life cycle they have reached." Neighbour told me if I hadn't introduced myself first she would have assumed I was a salesperson cold-calling to pitch a product ("You sounded so professional.") But she confirmed that she saw a few still-yellow dandelions during her last walk! Pandolf and I were immediately on our way.

Neighbour also told me that the cows were out in one of the pastures I was about to cross, but I didn't tell Pan, it was a surprise. He was so happy! Look at him bouncing his way towards them:

I was ready to call him back if the cows looked nervous, but instead more cows arrived to meet this visitor, to Pandolf's extreme delight (I had to call him twice before he deigned to stop greeting cows and join me on my dandelion search.)

Usually I just sit in a pasture covered with thousands of dandelions and I barely have to move to fill my basket, but in late May the harvestable dandelions are few and far between, so I had to walk long distances to find a couple here, a couple there—and I had to really inspect the tall grass, where they are much better-hidden than in April grass.

And guess what else I found in the tall grass?

A lion!

Worse! it's Texas :) I guess he is officially a recurring character. (Here's Texas' memorable introduction, for those who missed it.)

He makes Pandolf look small and scrawny!

I went to say hello to his owner but she wasn't home, so we returned to our dandelion field, followed closely by a suspicious Texas.

Sure, I'd scritched his ears and it was nice, but he's a diligent guard dog and unlike Pandolf he doesn't think friendly ear-scratching and malicious intent are two circles that can't overlap. But once I showed him my harvest he lost interest in us. Catching dandelion thieves is not in his job description.

Another animal I had to negotiate with were pollinators, who were clinging to the last few dandelions even though there were other wildflowers for them to feed from. They probably thought I was being similarly unreasonable with my single-minded focus.

I also found an adorable tiny spider in my harvest—she was dandelion-yellow and perfectly camouflaged to hunt insects in there! Here she is giving me a tiny spider high-five (or maybe angrily shaking her fist at me as I deprived her of this ideal hunting ground)

I let the llamas out to eat the weeds in my (still not planted) vegetable garden, like last week, as I started the long and meticulous process of destemming 400 dandelion flowers one by one. It started raining at some point but I had to stay outside to keep an eye on Pampe—it wasn't cold at all, and after the initial "oh no! rain" reaction, it started feeling pretty nice and meditative, sitting outside in the soft spring rain with the animals while preparing flowers.

I proudly told my mother that despite being one month late I managed to make 5 jars of dandelion honey just like last year, and she complained about shrinkflation seeing as I used significantly smaller jars than last year. I'm sorry but that's just called making clever use of packaging to meet unreasonable customer expectations in difficult times. Plus, I used 1 more lemon than usual in my recipe, so what this product lost in quantity it gained in quality. ("That's what they all say," she tutted)

(If my hen looks grumpy it's because she was sheltering from the rain under the table and I unceremoniously caught her and dropped her on top of it to enliven my photo. Not only did she get wet but she felt used, like a mere prop. She's back in her sheltered spot and it's been over 10min but you can still hear muffled resentful clucks when you walk past the table.)

[carriesthewind]

"But this characterization confuses IA’s practices with traditional library lending of print books. IA does not perform the traditional functions of a library; it prepares derivatives of Publishers’ Works and delivers those derivatives to its users in full. That Section 108 allows libraries to make a small number of copies for preservation and replacement purposes does not mean that IA can prepare and distribute derivative works en masse and assert that it is simply performing the traditional functions of a library." Hachette Book Group, Inc. v. Internet Archive, No. 23-1260, at 31 (2nd Cir. Sept. 4, 2024).

[thunderstruck9]

Helene Appel (German, 1976), Chopped Fennel, 2021. Oil and watercolour on linen, 37.5 x 50 cm.

[zemfruit]

[fure-dcmk]

kansai gang for maid day

[wojtekaneko]

unspecified pluto doodles

[lunentity]

𓉸♰ doll / puppet names & pronouns ₊ ˚ ⊹ 🎭

꒰ names ﹕ mariolle. dollian. figurina. celaine. dorothea. annequin. myme. puppette.

꒰ pronouns ﹕ doll / dolls. toy / toys. frai / frail. lace / laces. plu / plush. che / cherish . bow / bows. fri / frill. char / charm. fragi / fragile. cu / cute.

✧﹒ notes ⊰ bolded names are names i use as well.

[meirimerens]

quatre milliards de pitchouns orphelins dans cette ville c'est vraiment terrible. dans quel monde vit-on.

[jareckiworld]

Karel Appel (1921‑2006) — Standing Nude No.3 [acrylic, polaroid, rope on wood, on an iron base, 1987]

[meltymoth]

reblog if her greed sickens you too #appel

[caressthosecheekbones]

"Klimafreundlich, unkompliziert und günstig mit Bus und Bahn unterwegs sein – das bedeutet das 49-Euro-Ticket für Millionen Menschen in Deutschland. Doch damit könnte bald Schluss sein. Verkehrsminister Volker Wissing (FDP) will für das Erfolgsprojekt die nötigen Finanzmittel nicht mehr bereitstellen. Mach ihm jetzt klar: Das 49-Euro-Ticket muss bleiben!"

Hey Leute, habt ihr zwei Minuten? Dann unterzeichnet doch bitte eben kurz. 🙏😁 Dankeschöön!!

[nobrashfestivity]

Karel Appel, Cat, 1951

[blappel]

[thunderstruck9]

Helene Appel (German, 1976), Spaghetti, 2018. Acrylic and oil on linen, 30 1/4 x 18 1/8 in.

[hedgehog-moss]

Je ne sais pas comment je m'attendais à voir l'année 2023 se terminer sur le plan politique en France, mais j'aurais peut-être quand même eu du mal à le croire si vous m'aviez prédit que dans la première semaine de décembre, le gouvernement réussirait à faire un geste religieux critiqué par les juifs, les chrétiens, les musulmans et les non-croyants tout à la fois, puis trois jours plus tard à proposer une loi immigration qui serait accueillie par une motion de rejet votée par des députés de gauche, extrême-gauche, droite et extrême-droite et qui conduirait le ministre de l'Intérieur à proposer sa démission. Rien à ajouter, c'est un bingo, en avant pour les JO