iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 04/09/2026

Soooo, yeah, that was actually a bit closer than I thought it was. Hope the road commission will move that one, it's too big for me to budge.

An alarmingly large branch of silver maple just brushing the side of a house.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

Me, if I see _one more fucking email_ because central Procurement screwed up:

The muppet Beaker with a chainsaw and a slightly manic expression.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 12/07/2026

Behold, the kitchen lights are converted from recessed lighting to pendant lights! And it looks damn fine, if I do say so myself.

Kitchen with pale walls and honey-oak cabinets, and extremely boring recessed lights.

Kitchen with pale walls and honey-oak cabinets, now looking downright swanky with handsome black-and-glass pendant lights.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

In closing, for the evening: behold the toe beans!

A large black cat is lying sacked out on the couch with his front paws tucked in but one back leg extended to display adorable black toe-beans.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 26/05/2026

It can happen any time now. Meanwhile, cat pics! Osanyin does a perfect curl and Kaya is a hotdog.

black cat curled up and hugging his own ankles adorably

Small black cat squished down next to her person's thigh in the crack of the couch cushions

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 14/05/2026

This amity lasted about three minutes before Kaya climbed down to the far arm and whacked Osanyin over the head.

A small black cat sitting loafed up on the back of an armchair while a much larger black cat is curled up on the seat, looking relaxed but with his eyes open. He knows she's about to come for him.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 21/03/2026

The laundry is done, but I _obviously_ can't get up to get it now.

Tiny black cat with her paws on my leg, looking up as if to say "you weren't thinking of moving, were you?"

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

The medical system sucks. Have a kitten in the sun.

A small, black cat curled up in a padded window-perch, in the sun, snoozing.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 11/01/2026

Osanyin's motto: all your catnip are belong to me.

A large black cat crouches over the new catnip toys he has shoved together, like a dragon with new shinies for his hoard.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 01/01/2026

The masquerade ensemble for the blind wine tasting:

A silver haired woman in black with a green velvet and lace jacket and a gold filigree mask.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 25/12/2025

House is clean, food is ready, C1 that little fucker has been shoved back in place so migraine is subsiding, and we are chilling on the couch while waiting for family to descend.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 21/12/2025

[hums for pitch before singing] On the evening of solstice, my true love gave to me... a proper winter sacrifice.

A small straw goat, standing on sticks just catching fire in a small grill.

A small straw goat burning vigorously inside a small grill.

The collapsed parts of a small straw goat, burning quite vigorously in a small grill.

The charred remains of a small straw goat on coals burning low in a small grill.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 04/12/2025

Kaya has the greatest resting bitch-face of any cat I have ever had. Look at this. She was, incidentally, purring loudly the entire time I took these.

Tiny black cat with a monumentally unimpressed expression, even while sitting on someone's lap and blocking the keyboard.

Tiny black cat, still with a monumentally unimpressed expression while having her ears skritched and purring loudly.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 01/12/2025

Crashing out is so infuriating. Like, you feel okayish and then you do A Thing, and boom. Have a pocket cat to virtually sit in your lap and poke your leg with tiny claws.

A small, silky black cat leaning on someone's thigh like it's her personal bar, giving the camera a "pet me now" look.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 30/11/2025

Cordless snowblowers: do recommend, for those in the "temperate" latitudes! Did the sidewalk and drive in one battery charge, and I am _not_ dropping in my tracks like I would be if I'd shoveled 4 wet, heavy inches by arm.

A snowy neighborhood, with the front half of a driveway and also the walk in front triumphally plowed and free of snow.

A snow-free driveway running back between two snowy houses.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 25/10/2025

Important breaking news: behold the rainbow snout of Ang, the anti-anxiety manatee.

A small stuffed manatee with a winsome expression and a stuffed seaweed ball to munch on sits on a monitor stand. A prism out of the frame is projecting a small rainbow on his fuzzy nose.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 17/09/2025

The cats are once again developing the provinces of North Mom and South Mom. One cat to a province, no exception.

A small black cat curled up in a croissant on the left side of the photographer.

A large black cat, loafed up and looking a bit disgruntled on the photographer's right side.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

So after I put my head down and breathed into a bag for a bit, I ordered a pancake electrical box, and today I broke out my hand saw and whacked the box into the board, and now I'm just waiting for the first coat of plaster over the ripped up wallpaper and board paper to dry.

A pancake electrical box screwed very firmly into the wood board behind it with romex wires properly fed in and clamped, thank you very much.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 26/07/2025

Saga of the Upstairs Bathroom: WTAF Chapter: So, I took down the light fixture and got a look behind it, and oh my god, people. The previous owners appear to have PULLED OUT THE REQUIRED-BY-CODE ELECTRICAL BOX so they could run a board between studs to anchor the fixture screws.

A hole in plaster wall with very torn-up plaster and paper around it, and two wires hanging ominously free with no electrical box to be seen.

An electrical-box sized hole in a wall with, notably, no electrical box to be seen, just the romex cable and bare wires hanging out in the air.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

So I decided to put down laminate floor tiles in dark brown, over-stain the mirror and light fixture dark brown, switch out the fittings for brushed nickel, and pray that would make the marbled gray tile on the walls less terrible. It worked! [does Vanna White hands at the new pictures]

Half a small bathroom, in which the horrible brown and cream marbled sink at least blends in better with the sleek, modern dark wood floor, mirror, and lights. The nickel fixtures help lighten things up and blend with the gray marbled wall tile.

Other half of a small bathroom, in which the dark wood flooring makes the white walls and gray marbled wall tile look much calmer. The flooring around the curves of the bathtub is exceedingly well-cut, if I do say so myself.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 24/07/2025

So, the saga of the upstairs bathroom. The first thing to understand is that it was a genuine eyesore, apparently decorated via a 10$ lucky grab bag in five different patterns. You wouldn't think an all-neutrals palette could clash, AND YET. [gestures at the picture evidence]

Half of a small bathroom, with gray marbled tile on the walls and black and white marbled diamond tile on the floors, with white walls and navy blue towels trying desperately to contribute some sobriety to the scene.

Other half of a small bathroom where it gets worse, with a dark brown vanity under a cream and brown marbled sink, with medium brown mirror and light fixture above. One wall is the marbled gray tile, and the floor is a white and black marbled diamond pattern, which is just truly over the top.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 21/07/2025

Triumph! It is not quite _perfectly_ square, but for being done freehand with a jigsaw, I’m calling it a great success. Osanyin has been through and back once already, and will probably be happier once the paint-smell is all gone.

Side view of a white wood enclosure, covering the space between a window cat-door and a Catio.

Catio-side view of a white wood enclosure covering the space between a window cat-door and the Catio in question.

View from inside of a white wood enclosure covering the space between a window cat-door and a Catio, which extremely clever cut-outs to accommodate the window sill if I do say so myself.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 20/07/2025

It's whacked together with nails and drying a coat of paint before I put in the finishing L-brackets. I have swept sawdust off the laundry-table/workbench, vacuumed off my house slippers, and now it is time for a fucking mojito.

An upside-down three-sided wood enclosure with careful and slightly odd-looking slots cut in two corners, painted white. The concrete it's on is also rather painted, but that will wear off.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 18/07/2025

My feet are so sore, I need to hydrate some more, and I just had to make a transfer from savings. No regrets at all. Also, the dress:

A silver haired woman in a fitted dress and over-vest all in burgundy and eggplant colors, fabric painted with copper outlines of flowers.

Side view of a woman in an ankle length dress and over-vest, showing the burgundy color with sage green edging at the bottom.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 14/07/2025

Today I visited the humane society and brought home a beautiful little princess to join the family! She’s still fairly shy, but will come out for skritches. And, of course, food.

Small black cat, loafed up in the back of a felt cat condo. She does not look thrilled to have her picture taken, but she supposed she’ll put up with it.

Little black cat face in the window of a felt cat condo. She looks a bit suspicious of the outside.

Small black cat, half emerging from her felt cat condo to delicately taste the offered wet food.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 10/03/2025

Radiation completed! That's the major/invasive treatments done with. I got to ring a little celebratory bell at the nursing station and everyone applauded, which was extremely cute and did not make me tear up at all, no, what are you talking about.

Extremely cute certificate of Radiation Treatment completion, with little notes and stickers from the nursing staff.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 23/12/2024

The gods of alcohol have smiled upon me, and I have secured two boxes of my very favorite New Year champagne, Sofia blanc de blanc, in their adorable hot-pink mini-cans. So even if I can't actually drink at New Year, being one day out from surgery, I can drink this week!

A tiny, hot pink can of champagne sits demurely in front of an equally pink hexagonal box with fancy silver scrolls on it.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 12/10/2024

Pumpkins are carved! Whether I’ll be able to put them outside, given our rapacious fucking tree rats, I do not yet know, but they’re carved!

Two pumpkins, one carved with an alarmingly wide and fangy smile, the other carved with the kind of smirk that begs to be named “Vinny”.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 06/10/2024

So, on the one hand, the thieving tree rats have eaten all my tomatoes, but on the other I just got back from Coleman's market, where I secured three pounds of _perfectly_ ripe tomatoes, and also two really excellent pumpkins.

Two lovely, round pumpkins sitting on a kitchen counter, the larger one easily 16 inches across.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 21/07/2024

And, of course, my primary target this year: blue mugs for the upstairs bathroom, to match the other blue stuff up there! It's extremely hard to find dark blue bathroom ceramics just at this moment, and these are infinitely cooler anyway.

two elegantly tapered pottery mugs with dragonfly patterns wrapping around them

a bathtub and shelf with blue glass candle holders and bottles stacked here and there

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 21/07/2024

The first day I got glass flowers in light blue and apricot, to round out my summer-season glass art for the office. I'm very fond of that vendor, and they're Art Fair regulars.

three glass flowers sitting on a shelf in direct sun, so they glow

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 21/07/2024

Second day also secured the last orange-red glass flower at that stall, to go with the other orange-red glass in the downstairs bathroom:

a six petaled glass flower with a twisted base in a bright, summery orange

an arrangement of silk flowers in a tall vase with a heavy, glass tealight holder in front of it, both in warm, intense shades of orange

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 21/07/2024

I have successfully Art Faired, and my legs didn't even fall off! So it's time to post the swag. Behold the scarf I impulse-purchased during my second day speed raid for a giftmas present (also successfully secured):

a long scarf with a shifting, watery pattern in blue and teal, draped off a book of MC Escher prints for display

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 15/02/2024

Last course! Accompanied by another glass of bubbly and very interested cats.

A generous plate of rice and miso-glazed salmon.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 14/02/2024

Now pleasantly buzzed. Louis Bouillot Cremant De Bourgogne Rose Sparkling Wine, can recommend. Time for the first course!

A small plate with a set of nicely fried rice cakes and a dipping bowl of miso sauce.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 14/02/2024

Okay, it's four o'clock, my inbox is cleared, I declare that it's time to kick off this year's Singles Appreciation Day dinner.

Artfully arranged tableaux of a vase with three roses, a glass of pink champagne and a box of pink and gold dusted chocolates.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 09/02/2024

Personal lunar new year celebration: a story in four pictures.

Generous-looking red cocktail in a water glass.

Three fried sausage-and-rice balls and an overflowing cup of spicy looking sauce.

A large, shallow bowl of rich, brown gumbo with a spoonful of rice at one side and plump shrimp scattered through it.

An empty cup with a few last smears of pudding, and an equally empty, smaller cup with just a trace of whipped cream.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 23/01/2024

Have a cat who has found a lovely, soft cave of covers to lurk in while I changed the sheets.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 17/01/2024

Have an Atalanta enjoying her throne.

Striped cat curled up in a saucer chair, lording it over her little brother, a black cat curled up beside the chair.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 04/01/2024

A close-up of my cat at the water fountain shows that she has her little princess paws placed very neatly and precisely on the splash-mat. So fastidious. Probably why she bellows for someone to come scoop the litter box for her every time she uses it.

A short-hair cat leaning over her water bowl, which is on a plastic mat over carpet.

Close-up of furry little cat feet, carefully placed on about an inch worth of plastic mat.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 01/01/2024

At the Pearl for my annual dose of Party. This year’s theme is Barbie. So much pink omg. My outfit is Splash of Silver.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 24/11/2023

Ornamentation is accomplished! Well done, self, on nailing down that copper tinsel, it was just the thing.

A window with wildly over grown planters; a stained glass panel of mission-style red, green, and gold; and four long blown glass ornaments candy-striped with red.

A tall pine tree wrapped in fluffy tinsel and hung about with blue, gold, and copper ornaments. Blue and gold wrapped presents lurk underneath.

A half-wall topped with a pine garland, with three stockings hanging from the edge. Two of them are printed with cat paws.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 23/11/2023

Step one of Decoration is accomplished! The tree is assembled, fluffed, and lighted. Friday is for ornamentation, when it will supply a crucial timed dose of displacement organizing and pretty-things serotonin.

Seven foot artificial pine tree with white lights tucked among the carefully fluffed and positioned branches.

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Branch @branchandroot.bsky.social · 04/11/2023

I feel much better, now, as soon as I got done sniffling again. <3<3<3

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