I cannot believe Strands would do me dirty like this on a writing day

Thank you for the update. I hope things go better than expected for you healthwise. The ballistic missile comment made me laugh bc we used to have some of those drop from a backyard tree at a previous house. 16 pound cat provided for scale.

There’s a critical shortage of donated blood right now. If you can, if you have the time / medical clearance, please consider donating. Especially if you are O- or O+

This is the most amazing manuscript.

I was too young to remember 1976 but in sorting through my late aunt’s estate this summer I found so many mementoes of it among her things. I am using some of them again today (she had a Happy Birthday USA! pin which I have attached to my hat).

“Someone needs a cat pic?”

And there it is

Weirdly I inherited that exact loon from my aunt. It’s by Ken Kantro, Lovell Designs. In case that helps you figure it out

Little free libraries for all the things

Botanical gardens. This one is at Filoli House in Woodside CA

Yes, I know, it's another picture of Yosemite, but seriously, y'all, our national park system is a national treasure. Just look at that. We get to live here, and visit that.

public libraries in every size and shape

Our network of national parks. This photo taken at Yosemite

Freedom of speech, which perhaps I should have put first (photo from 2017)

Natural History Museums, and especially the Field

Fourth of July Kids' parades

Public transportation, especially trains

NASA

Watching my kid absorb history as we travel around the States

Being out for a walk in the summertime and stumbling upon a quirky local history museum with a special-interest exhibit

Voting in a multilingual neighborhood

My husband's biscuit and bacon breakfast

The "Give me a Ring: A Telephone Retrospective" exhibit in SFO's Terminal 2 now through August 16, 2026.

Context for the article:

Oh I love this! My once little one is now in college (!), but here is a rainbow on my cat’s shoulder to celebrate your book.

Look at the smile on this woman’s face.

Anyway that how I learned two things: 1) the Patriots are playing this year (don’t @ me, I’ve been reading other things) 2) that the superbowl stadium is actually much closer to San Jose than San Francisco Go team?

Sadly my library doesn’t have that one… but thanks to your recommendation I did discover that Naomi Alderman contributes to a BBC radio series featuring odd but true tales from the history of science that looks to be exactly the sort of thing I love. Thanks for sharing your reading with us!

Decorating the tree today and found some ornaments I made the last time I took a pottery class (for beginners), which I now know was in 2016.

Absolutely gorgeous. Here’s my orange guy who has recently discovered the value of 21/7 snuggles (he needs a little time to himself)