iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

First time making acorn flour muffins. (50% acorn flour). And yes, I ran out of muffin cups. Taste? Great, especially with the chopped apple I added.

12-cup muffin pan with medium brown muffins. Small apple bits are visible on the top of some. Only 7 of the 12 have muffin cups.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

First SS check in checking account. I think that means I'm officially old.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

#Caturday Shout out to the drug store clerk who looked at the price of my cat's heart meds, said "that can't be right," clicked something and took off 2/3 of the price. (I think she unclicked "veterinary" but I saw *nothing.*) See Alt Text for baseball stuff in background.

Clancy, a large orange tabby cat, sitting on a three-legged cat scratcher staring into the camera. He has one paw draped over the side of the top of the scratcher. Behind him is a shelf with baseball memorabilia including baseballs in their storage cubes, a Richie Hebner bobblehead in a box, and the St. Paul Saints 2020 bobblehead "Astro as the Grouch in a Trash Can." Bonus--that one has a button that when pressed, will say "fastball" or "curveball." And yes, Clancy will occasionally press it and startle me.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 01/09/2026

If anyone is a Donors Choose teacher (or knows one) who has a gardening or sewing project on the Donors Choose site, please respond with the details so I can find it.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

#caturday Stacked cats. Only item I've ever bought due to influencers--two cats named Paprika and Blue seemed to like this scratcher. Lucy and Clancy are happy with my purchase (easy to assemble and has held up well).

A two-level cardboard cat scratcher with two 16-inch circular concave disks connected by cardboard columns. A light orange cat (Lucy) occupies the top and a dark orange cat (Clancy) is staring at the camera from the bottom disk. There are two other sisal cat scratchers in the photo, as well as a wooden tower ball toy for the cats.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 21/08/2026

Skipper on my celosia. He’s been hanging around for a few days. Zinnias and spiderflowers in the background.

Deep pink triangular flower with small brown butterfly perched on top. Several pink zinnias and other pink flowers are in the background.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

Lucy looks a little precarious . I’m waiting for a gravity episode. #caturday

Orange tabby cat is poised precariously in a cat tree. Half the cat is hanging out of the tube that forms the bottom of the tree. There is a stack of books on top of the tree. Titles include Decoding Your Cat.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 08/08/2026

Picked up Clancy's heart medication at a major drug store. There are no special inserts for non-human use of these medications, so I have been informed that the patient should not operate machinery until he knows how it affects him. I guess pushing slippers around with his face is probably okay.

Large orange tabby cat has his head in a slipper and is pushing it across the wooden floor. The other slipper is to his left. The cat's back end is still on the oriental rug as he is pushing the slipper around the corner of an uninteresting white cabinet.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Exhibit at the League Park museum in Cleveland. @bbl-astrophyscs.bsky.social thought of you.

Exhibit shows how to assemble a baseball. Starts with a red rubber core on tge left, adding layers of grey, white, dark grey, and white yarns. Then the leather and stitching are shown, with a completed baseball on the right. The exhibit is on the glass top of a glass and wood display case.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 30/07/2026

Female house finch making her annual visit to eat seeds on our balcony. Last year the couple brought a fledgling, so this could be her.

Small brown bird clinging to a plant stem while pulling seeds off the plant. White balcony railing at bottom. Brick wall with small white window in background.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 16/07/2026

Now with identity: Cleome or Spiderflowers.

For detailed description, see previous post (same photo--just someone found the name for me).

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

A lady in Lyon Park (Arlington VA) gave me these seeds last year and they're thriving. Anyone know what they are?

Five stems of pink flowers grow from a blue mesh pot. The flowers are about 3 feet tall, growing from a mass of foliage. The leaves are clusters of five leaves: each cluster has two small, two medium, and one larger leaf. The largest leaf is about 3 inches long. The flowers are light pink with one to two dozen florets topping each stem. There are also spindly pink streamers as well as the florets. Each flower is only about an inch tall, but the streamers stick out 4 to 6 inches from the stem.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Thanks to Patrick Hope's distribution of zinnia seeds, I have a nice crop this year.

Top view of 10 zinnia flowers. Large ones (3-4 inches across): one orange, one lavender, and two red ones with multi-layered petals. Smaller ones (3 inches with single layer of petals): yellow, 2 reds, white, lavender, and pink. Background is the green petals, a gray balcony railing, and the concrete roof tiles (the zinnias are in a container, which is not visible due to flowers and leaves). A red celosia is visible at the bottom of the photo, overhanging its pot.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 07/07/2026

Stopped by the Field of Dreams. There was a game going on. She legged out a single.

Baseball field in Iowa, bright sunny afternoon. A dad is pitching to his daughter. Who is swinging a bat just shorter than she is. Mom is filming her at-bat, while her brother runs to cover first. Light standards, snack shack, and trees in the background. There are small wooden stands that could seat about 30.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 24/06/2026

According to the email from Purina, today is World Cat Domination Day. Here are our cats plotting domination (and then forgetting about it and taking a nap instead). Lucy is the lighter one, Clancy the darker one.

Two orange tabby cats in a cat gym, both staring seriously into the camera. There are baseballs in plastic cubes in the background.

Same two orange tabbies in the same cat gym, sound asleep. Baseballs in plastic cubes and baseball bobbleheads in the background.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 22/06/2026

Happy fifth birthday to Lucy, who's been entertaining us for the past 4+ years. Here's to many, many more! Here is a rare moment of calm (probably before a catnip-induced storm).

An orange tabby cat is curled peacefully asleep in an oval red wicker basket sitting on a light hardwood floor. The cat fully fills the basket. A bookcase is in the upper right, the edge of a woven rug in the lower left corner.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

So I went to the farmer's market and bought a bunch of French breakfast radishes. Here's Lucy enjoying the radish greens (no accounting for taste!).

Orange tabby cat chewing on the radish leaves of a bunch of French breakfast radishes. Those radishes are about 2 inches long, pink and white, rather than the typical round red radishes. FYI, they are milder than the round red ones. The background is a white large-tiled floor. The radish bunch is sitting on a mesh produce bag.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Probably the first time a fan brought a sign to a game saying "Here for the Ump Show!" (and wasn't being sarcastic). Here's my story of Jen Pawol's debut as a major league umpire. sabr.org/gamesproj/ga...

sabr.org

August 9, 2025: Jen Pawol becomes first woman to umpire MLB game as Braves defeat Marlins – Society for American Baseball Research

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Remembering my great-uncles the Carlson brothers. Served with the Canadian forces in WWI. Survived gas and shrapnel. Lived long enough that I remember meeting Uncle Van when I was 8 or so. Even in the nursing home he would play practical jokes on the nurses. Never lost his sense of humor.

Sepia-toned photograph of two rather handsome young men in winter military garb. The one on the left is wearing a woolen uniform and wool overcoat. The one on the right has a shirt and tie under his overcoat. Both are wearing caps that seem a bit large for their heads.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

Yes, so many salt-free seasoning blends (for those of us who want those). Took a Smithsonian Associates class on world spices. The instructor recommended Penzey's cinnamon blend as her first choice. High praise. They also have recipes on their website if you need ideas to go with your discounts.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 20/05/2026

And this is why boxes don't get recycled around here. (That's Clancy by the window and Lucy closer to me).

Orange tabby cats tucked in neatly in cardboard boxes. Boxes are about 16 x 20 inches, so plenty of room for even large kitties. Some packing paper is visible around the cats. A catnip toy tube is hanging out of the closer box. Decorative pillows are visible to the side of the boxes, as these boxes are on a futon.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 26/04/2026

I don't only write about the Nationals. Here's an unusual game: 11-6 in extra innings is an odd score, and the Padres ran out of players. sabr.org/gamesproj/ga...

sabr.org

April 16, 2021: Padres use all their players, lose 11-6 to Dodgers in 12 innings – Society for American Baseball Research

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Lucy managed to get cozy and turn into a tripping hazard.

Large striped rag rug on a grey carpet. An orange tabby cat is barely visible under the rug, which she has turned into a cozy cave. She is awake and looking out from under the rug.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

I accidentally doubled the amount of cheddar cheese in this recipe. Do I regret it? No. Would I do it again? Absolutely.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 05/03/2026

Planted 46 radish seeds today (Cherry Belle and Easter Egg). Radish seeds are tiny and not very interesting, so here's some of last year's Easter Egg radish crop. Put some coffee grounds in the soil this year for the first time.

Three radishes on a grey counter. They have just been picked and washed, so they are complete with roots and leaves with water drops. Two are yellow, one red.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 21/02/2026

Did I buy a baby ninja potato?

Purple potato about 4 inches long and 3/4 inch wide, with yellow markings. Each yellow marking is a flattened diamond shape. The top three markings give the potato the look of a serious face, and given the dark potato skin, the look of a ninja. The potato has a slight narrowing below the "face," giving the look of a head and body, resembling a pupa. There is a normal small yellow potato in the background. Both sitting on a vinyl cutting sheet on a grey granite countertop.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 12/02/2026

A bit of good news: my hyacinths appear to have survived spending 2 weeks under the Arlington Virginia snowcrete. Also good--enough ice melted that I could go out on the terrace to check on them without slipping on said snowcrete.

At least 14 hyacinth bulbs poking their little green heads up from the soil in a rectangular 1 x 3 foot beige plastic planter. None are more than an inch tall, but all have broken through the soil.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 02/02/2026

Groundhog? Crocus? Nope. “Pitchers and Catchers Report” Is my sign of Spring!

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Please wish Clancy a happy 12th birthday. As you can see, he's celebrating by digging in the catnip bowl (notice he's licking his chops) so I'm thinking a very happy birthday is underway!

A large orange tabby cat has his front feet in a large plastic bowl containing freshly served catnip. He's licking his lips. There are catnip toys in front of the catnip bowl--two bananas, a catnip cigar and a cloth-covered spring. The floor is hardwood.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 02/01/2026

The original Knickerbocker rules of baseball. Because that's the only way I'll be able to get my hands on it! (But The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy is probably more practical).

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

Good news to finish the year--12-year-old Clancy got a "stable" evaluation from his kitty cardiologist! (despite having spit up this morning's medication along with a hairball). "Stable" refers to his heart, not necessarily his mental state!

Large orange tabby cat, sitting up, on a hardwood floor surrounded by six catnip toys that he's pulled out of a blue bowl that contains another dozen or so catnip toys including a blue fish and a pineapple. He has a catnip banana at his feet. He is staring at the camera with a "who, me?" look. Catnip toys in the background include a carrot, a crayon, another banana, two soft balls, and a catnip joint. A cat toy rolling track with balls is visible in the upper left corner.

Large orange tabby cat has stuffed his head into a soft house slipper and is pushing the slipper off an oriental rug and across the hardwood floor. The other slipper is visible next to the cat.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 30/12/2025

I watched Volpone at the Barns at Wolf Trap sitting next to Ruth Bader Ginsburg. A polite hello was all we exchanged, but I noticed she laughed at all the lawyer jokes.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 26/12/2025

Reynard enjoyed Boxing Day in true cat style.

Large orange tabby cat sleeping in a box full of crumpled brown paper.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

My annual contribution to the festivities!

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 19/12/2025

Dear Internet: I have purchased all my holiday gifts and food and made my year-end donations. I get along with my family* just fine. So you can stop with the last-minute gifts, donations, and tips on how to get along with your family. *at least the ones I am likely to see in the next two weeks.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 15/12/2025

Well, that was frigging amazing! I applied online to renew my passport and passport card on Dec 5 and the card arrived in my mailbox today Dec 15. I am not buying any lottery tickets this month as I have used up all my luck. PS TSA lists passport card as acceptable ID (just not for int'l travel).

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

#Nationals Kiebert Ruiz is iffy: Health and play not good. So Tobani made a trade, As fans thought he should. He sent Ferrer to the M's, Got Ford back in return. Who'll be the starting catcher? In West Palm we will learn.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 05/12/2025

Yeah, I know the snow will kill the celosia, but it looks so pretty in the meantime.

Red-orange celosia flowers covered lightly with snow. Snow-dusted gazania in the background. Both in pots on snow-covered deck.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 03/12/2025

Welcome to Whoopsie Wednesday, when you realize what Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, Cyber Monday, and Giving Tuesday have done to your finances.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

To all the charities that have been nagging me about Giving Tuesday since Thanksgiving: (1)I am capable of finding Tuesday without help and (2) you’re off my donation list.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

My friend has a guide dog. Clancy loves it when they visit--Clancy runs up and rubs his face on the dog, who is generally glad to have a cat friend to play with.

A yellow lab dog wearing a guide dog harness is sitting down. A large orange tabby cat is nose-to-nose with the dog. The cat appears enthusiastic and the dog appears nonplussed. Wooden floor, oriental carpet, and white cabinets are the background.

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 29/11/2025

No matter your baseball team loyalty, the story of Vin Scully's farewell broadcast is worth the read. sabr.org/gamesproj/ga...

sabr.org

October 2, 2016: Vin Scully calls his final game as Giants beat Dodgers to clinch wild card – Society for American Baseball Research

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Laura Peebles @arvafan55.bsky.social · 27/11/2025

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! (Don’t worry—there are two other types of cranberry sauce so everyone has their favorite). I am just pleased I got it out of the can!

Jellied cranberry sauce, perfectly in the shape of the can, on a pumpkin shaped plate. Silver jelly knife on the plate.

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