The Wild Life and Times of a Botanical Geek

I'm partially posting this as a reminder to myself, and partially because I have to share.

Top 20 Unique Cupcake Finds of 2010

I don't know that I would call them the top 20, particularly since we're not quite halfway through the year, but DAMN I want to try just about all of these. The cherry Coke cupcakes, the cider cupcakes, and the margarita cupcakes look especially intriguing. I think trying them will have to be spread out pretty widely, though, else I turn into the Goodru Blimp.

In other news, I have a drop spindle now! I'm excited about this, as I've been interested in learning how to spin, but I didn't want to invest in a wheel, at least not right now. Not to mention there'd be no room for one. This promises to be hilarious, frustrating, satisfying, or all of the above. The instructions look pretty simple, but there's NO way it's as easy as it looks, I just know it. But I also have some silk roving that I'd looove to get spun into yarn. I figure I'll need to start with some wool roving first, though.

On the gardening front, stuff continues to grow! I'm very pleased with just about everything (and was pleasantly surprised to discover that a passionflower I had planted last year is still hanging on, and even thriving despite being bullied by some wild honeysuckle), although I'm starting to think the cucumbers I planted are Mongol cucumbers. They're trying VERY hard to take down all the other vegetables, particularly the corn and the tomatoes. I may need to teach them some manners if they don't behave. Alternatively, I think maybe next year we should consider a box just for Cucurbits, so I can plant pumpkins and cucumbers, and let them have epic battles for supremacy on their own without molesting the other plants.

The herb box, however, is thriving. I'm thinking at some point I need to make sauce and use some of the herbs, particularly the oregano. Actually, I could make it thesis sauce! i.e. Sauce that is monumental in the time it takes to make, but allows for time for other things, like working on the thesis. Hmm, I'm liking this idea!

On the RP front, Sushi and I have been poking at the idea of resurrecting Cosmic Windjammers. It wriggled its way into my heart, and I'd really love to see it reopen. If anyone's interested, I've started a brainstorming doc here. I've compiled a fair bit of things that were present before, but I'm also trying to add some new things in as well. If anyone has any suggestions, do toss them my way! <3

Final drabble is done! *is proud of self* Now to backtrack and work on the Valentine's ficlets I owe people. <3

For Relia. <3 Ed disapproves of Lolly and her dating ways!

( Edmund and Lorelei )

Because all I'm doing is compiling data right now, a meme! With Kali!

1.) Do you like this character?

OF COURSE! <3 Kali's my newest character, but that doesn't stop her from being endearing in her own special way.

2.) What name(s) do you call this character?

Mostly I just call her Kali, because it's easiest. Her full name is Kalyani Abjahasta, a.k.a. Byakko Seishi Subaru. She screws with time. <3

3.) What image / color do you associate with character?

It's PAINFULLY cliche, but white, being a seishi of Byakko and all. Red pops into my mind some too, mostly because of her reddish hair. Images include pretty sari dresses, and lots and lots of mechanical gears.

4.) What would this character rescue if their house were burning down?

Boy, hm. Well, ONCE her family was safely out, Kali would want to save her poetry. She would vehemently deny that it's anything but technical schematics, but that poetry's her heart and soul on paper in the end. She'd just rather not have you seeing it, even if she did just risk her life to save them.

5.) What blood type do you think this character is?

Hmm, probably type A, considering her tendency to be enthusiastic about her work and sometimes a little, um *too* enthusiastic.

6.) From all of the titles that feature this character, what other character do you think makes a good pairing with this character?

Boy, UM. I would have to say Agni. They bounce off each other really nicely, I think. Agni gets all excited over the fact that Kali makes her own tea and she goes 'GOD what is with you.' At the same time I think Agni will endear himself to Kali. He's not like the other Spoiled Rich Boys and has a brain in his head, even if she still occasionally wants to smack him upside it. XD

7.) What would you want to say to this character?

Don't be AFRAID to be girly. If any of the other mechanics give you issues, you can totally deck them one.

8.) What do you want to do with this character?

HAIR BRAIDING PARTY. <3 Although seriously, I'm just really looking forward to seeing her interact more with her fellow Byakko seishi. Right now she's the only girl on the Byakko seishi team, and she's the most outwardly manly, which I find hilarious. I really want to see how she works with them in a team setting, and how they bounce off each other.

9.) Please choose five friends with your choice of character.

I think a couple of these people have been tagged already for other characters, so don't feel pressured to do them. I'm just curious. <3

she_who_is_soc - Asiel
ambientfiligree - Odile
ellorgast - Moira
evilprodigy - Susanna
m0usegrrl - Willey

AND ANYONE ELSE. <3 <3 <3

So, I sometimes enjoy watching Spike TV, because they have shows like ST: TNG and CSI, and they like to show James Bond movies on occasion. However, the result of watching the channel is that I get treated to an onslaught of repetitive commercials, such as the same commercial for vodka.

One commercial they've been playing nonstop is the preview for "Hostel", which looks like it's touting itself as a horribly scary movie. There's something I've noticed through these constant reshowings of the commercial though. Amongst all this previewing of scaryness and death and blood and the ubiquitous Preview Guy with his ubiquitous Deep Voice narrating, there is an image of...a guy hosing down a wall with your average everyday hose. Now, I'm sure that he's supposed to be hosing down something UNSPEAKABLE, like gallons of blood or something, but taken out of context, I find it incredibly hilarous. So that's what you'll get in this scary movie. BLOOD. DEATH. DOOM. And a guy hosing down a wall. XD

In other news, the terrarium that I got as a Christmas present is off to a good start. It's a neat little kit called a Gothic Garden. I got it more for the plants in it (moonflowers, mimosa, aloes, and so on), but having little skulls in the garden is fun. XD The moonflowers and the mimosas are sprouting. The moonflowers look exceptionally healthy, and since I've known moonflowers, morning glories and the like, to be very aggressive, I went ahead and put in some little chopstick trellises to try and curb their tendency to try and EAT the other plants.

Also also, for my own reference:

( To-do List supplemental )