IcooIey

IcooIey, 1 day ago to wildflowers

Mayapple with wild ginger growing beneath.
#wildflowers
#Bloomscrolling

IcooIey, 7 days ago to random

Yesterday evening our scout troops placed flags on veterans’ graves, a service we do every year. I spoke before we started about how do this to remember the sacrifices of those lost to war, show families and descendants their loved one isn’t forgotten.
1/3

IcooIey, 11 days ago to random

There’s two places to go in our town for sky stuff. Up the hill or down to the dam. We went down this time, it’s darker, with a narrower view. But far less light pollution. Connecticut, US 22:47 10 May 2024.

#auroraborealis #aurora

Image shows a celestial scene with shades of purple and pink aurora colored night sky with visible stars. Taken directly up towards zenith. There are bands and rays of pink and purple, though the color is misty a diffuse wash across the dark blue sky.

IcooIey, 11 days ago to random

The clouds broke just enough! #aurora Connecticut, US 22:44 10 May 2024
Incredible, so happy!

IcooIey, 20 days ago to random

Last year I dug and sorted the tulip bulbs after they faded and replanted in the fall not expecting much. Very pleased! And they are fragrant, too! Cutting for bouquets today.

A bed of pink and yellow tulips and other green plants with a chain link fence protecting them from deer behind and yellow and white daffodils blooming along the outside of the fence and a grassy lawn beyond.

IcooIey, 23 days ago to scouting

Two days in the woods, messing around, botanizing, greeting spring ephemerals and returning migrants like old friends. Eating ramps on fire cooked hotdogs under 125 ft tall white oaks. Meeting an 85 yr old land steward who still plans for the future. Watching the scouts play, learn, read, breathe in the wild. Soul refreshing. I want this for every one.

#scouting

Person resting by a forest stream with their feet in hiking boots visible in the foreground, surrounded by fallen leaves and trees.

IcooIey, 24 days ago to Bloomscrolling

Camping with the scouts this weekend. 30 deg F at dawn, 62 now. Glorious.
#Bloomscrolling
#waterfall
#Sunrise

A forested area with a waterfall cascading over layered rocks, with a fallen tree trunk angled above the water.
A red trillium flower blooming in a natural woodland setting with rocks and leaf litter.
Sunrise over a forested landscape with rock outcrops in the foreground and bare trees framing the view. Mist rises in the river valley below in the distance.

IcooIey, 1 month ago to climate

Some days my job is really freaky. Working on guidelines for climate resilient regulation. It's best practices to recommend native vegetation. But, what trees should you plant today if the trees live 100 years? Found this USDA story map with sliders showing current plant hardiness, growing degree days, and heat zones. It's one thing to KNOW the climate is changing, it's another to see a data visualization. Connecticut could be Georgia in 80 years.

https://storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/9ee0cc0a070c409cbde0e3a1d87a487c

#ClimateChange

IcooIey, 1 month ago to Birding

In 1979, Ohio (US) had 4 nesting pairs of bald eagles. Today there are 800 pairs. Banning DDT and federal protection through the Endangered Species Act worked.

One of the three nests we saw today. This pair, known to locals as Jack and Diane, are feeding a pair of eaglets in Magee Marsh, near Lake Erie.

#birding #law #BirdLaw #MarshMadness

A bald eagle landing on a large nest in a bare tree. Feet stretched out and wings wide.
A bald eagle on a nest in a leafless tree against a cloudy sky, with a small bird flying in the distance. The eagle is looking down at its young (not seen) in the nest.
An eagle flying near a large nest built in a leafless tree.

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

Data I want to see on an overlay map: child poverty, domestic violence stats, minimum wage, educational attainment, single parent households.

From: @NPR
https://press.coop/@NPR/112251778263600514

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

Needed an image of a storm surge barrier. Who does this well? The Dutch. Right, searching…

Holy cow!! Always wonderful to correct one’s woeful ignorance. If you don’t know about the Maeslant barrier—this is the wormhole for you. WOW!

https://www.netherlandswaterpartnership.com/news/maeslant-storm-surge-barrier-largest-moveable-object-world-was-closed-last-night-first-time#:~:text=Maeslant%20Barrier&text=It%20is%20a%20vital%20part,and%20the%20Port%20of%20Rotterdam.

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

What I have learned today:

Far more colander design diversity than expected.

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

It’s Caturday somewhere.
Have felt very curmudgeonly today, but at least Fish is amusing me. Immediately colonized a very small box compressing himself as only cats can to perfectly fit a space he should be too big for. He may think he is invisible.

A gray cat with wide eyes peeking out from inside a cardboard box. Looking at the diagonal head on with his little face squished into the corner. How is he fitting in this box? This can’t be comfortable.

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

My oldest recently started a job in Corporate America™ and it’s been fun watching their eyes be opened to how jobs work. Has had many meetings peppered with techno-corporate speak. No one does anything, they leverage things.

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

“Look, I don’t get this egg nonsense. Just save time and hunt the bird. The BIRD!”

IcooIey, 1 month ago to Bloomscrolling

Good Morning!
Spring #Bloomscrolling

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

Very satisfying to work today as an #election official in #CT US. Light turn out for our first day ever of early voting. Great to discuss with the registrars of voters (during the lulls when no voters were present) ways barriers to voting could be reduced and real process challenges that make change difficult.

And, early voters get a special sticker !

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

#MarshMadness

Unexpected bit of beauty.

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

Forgot to mention this morning, Fish (who is 4) has never paid attention to the TV. His first time watching the waterhole. There was no sound, just images. Rapt!

#Caturday

A cat sitting on a patterned carpet and watching a group of ostriches on a TV screen, with text indicating "Namib Desert - Namibia" displayed on the TV.

IcooIey, 1 month ago to random

I have no idea how any of this works, but I have a question.

Was curious to see how me blocking a domain would play out in practice. So, I blocked threads.net. Just checked and, yes, it is blocked from my account (but not on my instance).
Have not seen any posts when using the desktop interface.
But! I do see threads.net posts when using mobil app ice cubes.
Why? How? what's the point of blocking a domain if it doesn't always block the domain?
Mysterious.

IcooIey, 2 months ago to random

Three sunsets and a sunrise.

Spring Equinox 2024
Winter Solstice 2023
Fall Equinox 2023
Summer Solstice 2023

Horsebarn Hill, Storrs CT, US

#sun #solstice #equinox

IcooIey, 2 months ago to random

#MarshMadness

Three frogs and a toad. All can be found in New England marsh habitats.

#frogs

A magnificent Bullfrog, our largest North American frog, sitting amongst grass and small plants. Bullfrogs are a dark olive on the dorsal side, with bright green below the large eyes and round tympanum and darker stripes and blotches on the legs. There are no dorsolateral ridges. The frogs skin looks moist and glistens.
A close-up of a pickerel frog on wet ground with debris. Pickerel frogs have golden brown dorsolateral stripes bordered by rows of olive green rounded rectangular spots on a brown ground. Their legs have olive green stripes. Their smoothish skin is moist and they are usually found in water.
An American Toad resting on a green lily pad. What is it doing here? Very odd. Looking down on the top of the toad, it has a light stripe down the center of the back and a brown skin with groups of irregular warty bumps. Its outline is more broad and round than a frog.

IcooIey, 2 months ago to random

#MarshMadness

Green frog friend

#frogs

IcooIey, 2 months ago to random

#SilentSunday
#MarshMadness

IcooIey, 2 months ago to random

#MarshMadness

Look at the new growth! Spring is coming!