I’m watching a two-part documentary on honey bees on the National Geographic channel. It reminded me that many plants are not, strictly speaking, vegan. AIUI, vegans believe that animals must not be exploited. Ergo, honey is not vegan. Since so many crops rely on the commercial exploitation of bees for pollination, they can’t, under The Rules, be vegan because the bees are being exploited (and millions of them die) in the process. Not to start a debate; it’s just something I think of whenever I think of honey bees.
This is good, yes?
I’d throw on a fun necklace with that tunic. Could be something short that stays above the shirt’s neckline, or go for something long, like 20s flapper style.
But I love jewelry, so that’s just one random stranger’s opinion, worth precisely what you paid for it.
Y’all, work was Da Bomb today.
- It was Manager-In-Training day off.
- We got our tip cash.
- The mom of Alternate Manager is doing that pantry clean-out thing, and knows nearly anything she sends over will find a new home & I scored the most amazing freebie.
It’s a jar of “bacon-pepper dip” (basically jazzed-up jam) and she let us try it at work. I was the only one who did, so she told me to take it home.
It’s sooooooo good.
Ah, it’s this stuff (if I get the link to work) and yeah, I bet it WOULD be good with cream cheese.
Any other ideas?
They left the jalapeños out of the description, so it does have a kick to it.
Up, caffeinated, and sheveled. Off to heave. It’s 75 degrees Ferret Height(23.889 Centipedes) with a Heat Index of 83F(28.333C). There’s a Heat Advisory for today.
Mornin’
Tis a little cloudy and and cool, but I think the rain is visiting down south today, where people may appreciate it more. I don’t think you need to get cookies and tidy up for rain visiting.
I’m with you.. An Englishman’s house is their castle and if they want to paint it like a rainbow threw up on it so be it, and if anyone objects, I shall build a giant wicker nose on the side of the building- like this - and thumb it at them.
Flyboy IMO that level of veganism is a bit on the selective side- are we exploiting worms and other critters in making compost and soil? Does picking off a caterpillar eating the crop make said crop non-vegan? If you follow the concept to its logical point, we need to grow stuff hydroponically in a sterile environment to be 100% inarguably vegan.
Though I am saying that as someone with some issues about the US honeybee management- in the UK moving a hive under 4 times a year is considered best practice, while in the US selling pollination services is a much bigger deal and it can be as often as every 2 weeks over the season. To get enough bees for the almond crop, hives can be moved there before they’ve even broken dormancy in spring. Moving the hive stresses the colony and makes it more vulnerable to disease, so this practice of regular movement makes bee hives a major vector for disease spread to native species, and often leads to them either dying out, or being intentionally destroyed so they don’t pass said diseases on to other hives.
IMO if you’re keeping an animal, you have some responsibility to consider its welfare as well as your own wishes, even if it’s only a bee, and spreading diseases to wild animals for money really isn’t OK.
I need to get some bees again, I miss having them, but I need an apiary site…
Morning, mumpers! It’s currently 16c/60f with a predicted high of 20c/68f and mostly cloudy. Weather app says “Fucking cloudy with the occasional sunny fart.”
Sadly, we are having changes forced on us by the company that owns the background system we’re using. Apparently we have had so many bespoke bits and pieces added over the last 20 years, the background system will explode if we do any more, and the parent company aren’t able to support it now. So we have to ditch all our bespoke pages and stuff, and use the main background system instead.
Mollie I hope all goes well with your appointment today 
I rate your look as a solid 9/10 but only because there’s always something that could be better, right? I think you’re right that darker colours suit you better, but the sleeveless look is good. If you have good shoulders, flaunt 'em! Tunic top and leggings is pretty much my standard outfit for work (except today, 'cos I’m wearing a band t-shirt).
Nut We are planning to have a new bathroom fitted sometime soon, one of the things I’ll be demanding is a mixer tap on the sink. We have one in the kitchen which was a vast improvement on the separate ones, so the bathroom setup will be the next to change.
flyboy One of my friends is an evangelical vegan - I daren’t mention bees to her, she’ll probably implode!
Yesterday was a busy day for meetings and whatnot, but not for actual work. I left on time and was home without any problems. 'im indoors provided dinner, I tended to the needs of cats, and we watched some tellybox stuff before it was time for me to head to bed.
This morning I was up before the alarm went off, cats were fed, litter trays were cleaned, and the kitchen bin was emptied. I got to work before my scheduled start time so might sneak out a few minutes early this afternoon. I have a meeting with Troublesome Minion with morning, during which she will want to know what “will be done to her” (her words from an earlier conversation) because the incoming student numbers on her programmes are very small. I know, but I cannot reveal anything, so I will have to feign ignorance.
It’s my turn to cook tonight, I took some chicken out of the freezer but have not decided what I’m making. Tarragon sauce is tempting at the moment. We’ll see…
Good Mornin’ Y’all! Up and caffeinatin’. YAWN 'Tis 72 Amurrkin out and clear with a predicted high of 97 and sunny. We shall have some quality cee-mint pond today and then spend the rest of the day inside in the a/c as all civilized humans would. Sup will be grilled chikin strips over a nice, crisp sallit and garlic breadsticks.
red hope all goes well today.
shoe I would most definitely eat that over cream cheese. I like pepper jelly and pepper jelly poured over cream cheese is a southern appetizer staple.
Now I need more caffeine and to feed rumbly tummy. Then, onward into the day! Rah.
Happy Thursday Y’all!
I must not have a very finely-tuned palate because other than detecting the difference between a good premium ice cream and a cheap store-brand “frozen dairy dessert”, to me, pretty much all treats of that nature are the same. If you set multiple bowls in front of me with the different types, I’m not sure I could tell you which was which, tho I don’t like Breyer’s brand - something about the texture (or maybe it was just that one carton that one time…) And once you add hot fudge and nuts and whipped cream and a cherry on top… < drool >
I remember a book I read eons ago (can’t recall the title, tho) about a place where rules about acceptable foods evolved. It started with not killing any animals for food, and suddenly lots of critters were “dying” of mysterious natural causes. Then all animal-related products were forbidden under any circumstances, then no fruits or veggies could be picked from the plant - they had to fall naturally. It just got more and more specific about eating anything that was alive till the entire population died off. I’m pretty sure it was a book and not a weird dream.
I didn’t look at the thermometer, but I think we’ve started around 70 Ferrets, and the forecast takes us to upper 80s with a chance of rain and t-boomer later and thru the night, and maybe tomorrow. I’m not sure what my day will hold but I’ll figure something out. There’s always general tidying in one room or another.
Theoretically we’ll go out on the boat tomorrow. SIL has 2 friends who asked about a day on the water and FCD has invited them several times, so we’ll see. But SIL was sick yesterday, so who knows?? Que sera sera!
Happy Thursday!
My HOA has a no-fence rule, too. That allows the mower-folks to zoom around on their riding mowers, like the whole street’s lawns are one big lawn.
Yes. The documentary showed a beekeeper loading up a semi in snow-covered Milton-Freewater, Oregon, and transporting them to California’s central valley. As the truck passed through warmer climes, the bees began waking. At the destination, he found piles of bees that had frozen to death. Of course, many bees die on their missions. I don’t remember if it was this guy, someone else, or the industry in general, but I do recall hearing a figure of more than 50% of the bees dying. At the end, the guy was plowing his land and sowing wildflower seeds (different ones that bloomed at different times) to feed his bees. I can’t recall if they said he was getting out of the almond pollination business.
Morning all. Up, pilled and breakfasted, so that much of the morning is complete. Nothing much else on the agenda, should be a quiet day, 92F is the high with a 50-50 chance of rain. Need to get the Firday shopping list done (ought to be short) and do a few things around the house, but nothing major planned.
Interesting discussion about bees, I knew there was a potential crisis there due to de- depopulation, but guess I’ll have to watch/read more about it. Not vegan at all (I didn’t claw my way to the top of the food chain to only eat vegetables) but do know that pollination is slightly important on maintaining life on Earth…
shoe, I am the blandest eater on the planet, but that bacon-pepper dip does look intriguing.
Nut, thanks for the morning grin, the English humor is something I do appreciate.
boo fae, yeah, they are apparently shutting down one of the wedsites we use to manage coaches/players and getting the new one up and learning it has taken patience.
FCM, you are undoubtedly correct, I ate gelato while in Europe this spring and had no problem with it, but for some reason I cannot explain yogurt just does not…sound…palatable to me. One of these days I will try it and find it’s just fine and dandy, but today is not that day…and I’ve managed not to get further into the frozen custard today…yet… If I continue to resist, might even consider buying ice cream at the grocery. As for the book, it rings no bells, Andy_L has a thread to identify SF stories, maybe ask it over there?
And that’s all for the morning report. Need to check out my webcomics and get on and about the day. Have a good one all.
Good morning.
It’s 57F and clear outside. The sun has not risen yet, but the day will be sunny with a daytime high of 87F.
Johnny, I’ve watched a few documentaries about honeybees, and several included the shipping of bees for almond pollination, as well as for other crops that bloom. It was disturbing, for sure.
For many years, I just wanted a large piece of property, away from neighbors, where I could keep bees and grow veggies and trees. I dreamt of sowing wildflower meadows for the bees, and tending to my veggies. That will probably never happen now. Property is expensive here, and starting from the ground up seems pretty daunting right now.
Mollie, a top that complements your eye color would be nice, too. But, as others have suggested, a necklace to accessorize would work.
We are allowed fences in our HOA, and even had a common fence (the one that ran across all our backyards. However, as the original fence started to disintegrate, they weren’t good about getting it repaired. A few other homeowners and I repaired our sections of the shared fence (back fence) ourselves and had the CCRS amended to make each homeowner responsible for their section of the common fence. We all pay for upkeep on the fences surrounding the retention ponds, for maintenance of the retention ponds, and for upkeep of the common areas, which really isn’t all that much. My HOA is basically toothless, so that’s why I don’t think much of it. I don’t want to be draconian, but I don’t think our cul-de-sacs should be parking lots for people with multiple cars while their driveways remain empty. Park in your own driveway and garage, damn it, and stop making it difficult for people to get in and out of their driveways!
I have to leave for my appointment at the optometrist in a couple of hours. Since I’ll be out and about anyway, I’ll probably wander around for a bit, with a stop for doggy ice cream before finally returning home. The dogs are out of dessert, and we can’t have that!
Once I return home, I’ll have to dust and rollsuck since we have someone coming out tomorrow to measure for the new patio slider. I should probably wash the floor, too.
Well, I suppose I should get going. Please take care of yourselves.
What do you do with it, though? Scoop it up with crackers?
… use spoon, open mouth?
The idea of doing extra housework just cuz someone is coming by with a measuring tape … let’s just say you & I live in different worlds.
(Mine may be dustier.)
Ursala Kitteh looking pensive
Good morning. I woke up with my walking alarm, heard a big crash of thunder, said “Fuck that noise,” and went back to bed for another hour. It’s been storming for the last several hours. According to the USGS station up the road from us, we’ve gotten half an inch of rain in the last five hours. Hopefully, that’s gentle enough for the ground to soak it up, so it doesn’t all just run off.
Squeaky and Mrs Magill have their first show football game tonight. They haven’t been able to practice as much as usual this season, the heat advisories had forced them indoors, where there is not enough room on the gym floor for a hundred-fifty kids to march.
Very. Without ever actually saying it, she heavily implied that I was on the right road, and that y’all’s support has been invaluable.
I have a couple of short necklaces, but nothing super-long like that. I’m glad you had a good day at work. You needed that.
That sounds amazing. My In-Laws bought me some bacon onion jam a couple of years ago. So good.
Thank you and noted. I’m also wearing a band t-shirt. I don’t think they’re the same band, though.
Spread it, as you would pimento cheese.
WetOne - Ursala Kitteh looks just like a cat I had years ago. Gomez was the coolest cat in the world.
Is that Gibbs from NCIS? If so, what’s the connection?
Better, I suppose, than being a useless amasser of data.
That 81 was the high for the day; it’s currently (1000) 80 out of a predicted 79.
Gibbs would build boats in his basement, and no one ever know how he would get them out.
Pensive, or plotting???
Made a quick run to Food Lion to replenish FCD’s diet coke supply - he prefers cans while I like bottles. As it happened, his preferred root beer is also on sale, so I got some of that. Go me!
And I just finished making some deviled eggs - that will be the protein for supper - not sure what the sides will be. And I harvested some more cherry 'maters and one undersized beefsteak 'mater. The plants are very sad looking, but I won’t get rid of them till they stop producing.
Now… what? Dunno…
Woke up achy, headachy, and a bit dizzy. Managed to make breakfast, then went back for a lie-down after taking meds and a couple of Excedrin for the aches. Sadie kept me company. Feeling better now and the dizziness seems to have subsided. I probably overdid the exercise yesterday and tweaked something that should have been twerked.
Local weather was predicting the possibility of heavy weather today sometime, including the possibility of golf ball-sized hail. But the MSN weather shows nothing of the sort. It’s overcast, but not ominous.
Thursday is housekeeper day, which will happen soon.
The carnitas I made in the new slow cooker were awesome. I did them real Mexican style: slow simmered in pork fat for hours, then slightly shredded and given a quick sear to make them crusty. I served them as tacos with plenty of guacamole and lime wedges. Onions and cilantro too.
Now I’m at the dermatologist to see what this rash around my mouth is. I’m thinking it might be due to my use of a lip balm with hydrocortisone in it, but that’s for the doc to decide. Curse dry air conditioned air and this heat wave.