iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Current reading. Some is sort of pulp fiction, some deeper. Completed "Forever War". Not usually a fan of sci fi war stories, but has anti-war vibe & influenced by author's Vietnam experiences. Also has a surprising gay storyline. It was in Kobo Plus. #reading #booksky #pulpfiction #sci-fi #books

Current reading list on Kobo Eclipse e-reader. I read several books at a time to keep my interest active.

Some of the stats are inaccurate. I think because I reopened Forever War it is 1% read but I actually finished the book,

The Clive Cussler book is light reading adventure, similar style to Indian Jones. Relaxing and fun reading, not to be taken too seriously.

I have to take occasional breaks from the Larson books. Great reading, I learn a lot but so pack with information I need time to digest it.

E-reader cover of The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Written in mid 1970s. Considered a classic of Sci Fi. Haldeman was a purple heart awardee during Vietnam War. My impression is that the book is affected by those experiences and by government actions not only regarding the inhumanity, cruelty, and waste of wars of choice, but also that governments lie to the people and senselessly waste the precious lives of those who are drafted or are compelled by circumstances to enlist.

I was never interest in this book. But it was included in Kobo Plus so I downloaded it. Glad I did, I couldn't put it down. It gave me new or reinforced insights and was a compelling reading experience.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

My constant companion. I don't know if he's looking at me with appetite or love. Maybe both. #dogs #dogsofbluesky #rufus

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Watching original Mission Impossible series. Cold war stories told during cold war. Much better than now. Barbara Bain, calm, understated, perfect. Greg Morris exudes quiet genius. Martin Landaum clever & fast. Steven Hill is good (Peter Graves was better). Peter Lupus was solid. #classictv #dvd

Mission Impossible cover from Castfacts.com

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Midway through Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (2002). Pulitzer Prize winner. Has sold 4M copies. So I am late to this book. I got a lot out of the Turkish ethnic cleansing of Greek Anatolia via point of view of survivors, and their experiences as immigrants. So far ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. #Booksky #Reading

Cover of the book Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides as posted on Kobo website where I downloaded the book. Compelling book, hard to put down. The experiences of survivors of Turkish invasion / ethnic cleansing of Greek Anatolia, through the eyes of survivors, is very compelling. And their experiences as immigrants to Detroit, and the life of the intersex gene being carried forward through generations. Engagingly written. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Just finished Carl Hiassen's "Skin Tight". Kind of fun, sardonic, light reading. Read as e-book via library. Probably not politically correct in spots but fits the era. Fun and got me anxious to read more. Written before AI slop era started. Got me reading more again. #reading #books #Hiaasen

Book cover via internet image search. This was a fun read. I downloaded to Kobo e-reader via Outlook / Libby from the Fort Vancouver Regional Library System.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I added some more books to my Kobo library. It takes time to decondition from internet slop & scrolling & sky is falling. Even if it is, we can't always look up. Also use Kobo to check out library books. Most of these were on deep sale. No AI in older books. #reading #Kobo #classics #e-reader

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

"Dead" philodendron now. Sat in unused room for 2 yrs, no water or a/c. Just a tip of green remained. I cut off dead roots, stem rot, dead leaves, gave TLC. Initially wrapped in moist paper towel, then seed starting medium, then potting soil. Pics 2 & 3 were cleaned up stem. #houseplants #cuttings

Revived philodendron plant, about 6 weeks after cleaning up remaining piece from neglected, almost dead plant. Now a big new shiny green leaf.

Cleaned up growth point and remaining stem from dying neglected philodendron plant.

View of cut stem from philodendron tip. Stem and center pulp appears clean, alive, no rot.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

My first try making red lentil bred. Recipe source in alt txt. Pureed uncooked red lentils, greek yogurt, eggs, baking powder, salt, and I added garlic powder. Really pretty tasty, and basically no carbs (no flour). #baking #lentilbread #vegetarian #lowcarb #recessionfood

Loaf of red lentil bread. recipe source https://theyummybowl.com/healthy-flourless-lentil-bread/

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I transplanted the Playboy rose start into a larger container with fresh potting soil. I took this cutting mid June. It's a nice rose and I wanted it for the new house. Photos show root development; repotted rose start; original bush in May. #RosePropagation #cuttings 🌱 #gardening

Playboy cutting taken mid June. Photo is 30 Aug. The cutting is well rooted and showing lots of top growth.

Repotted Playboy rose cutting, about 2 months and 2 weeks after taking cutting.

Playboy rose bush, the source if the cutting. Photo May 2026.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 31/08/2026

I transplanted the remaining four St Johns Wort cuttings that I started mid June. Very rewarding. I wish more people started plants themselves. Lots of roots and fast top growth. Now each has its own container and they are in actual potting soil. #gardening #plantpropagation #cuttings

Cutting pot containing four St. Johns Wort cuttings. They are green and vigorous. Wooly black dog in background.

Two of the St Johns Wort cuttings showing nice root production.

St Johns Wort cuttings right out of the pot. Nice root growth but not overcrowded. They were easy to separate.

The four St. Johns Wort plants in new containers and fresh potting soil.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

My final legacy from my old garden. I started this fig tree 2 or 3 years ago by air layer. Lattarula or White Marseilles fig. Most productive and reliable in my yard. I also grew its parent from a cutting, two houses ago. A bit droopy after replanting. Fingers crossed. 🌱 #homeorchard #figs

Fig tree out of the ground for transplanting. It was out of the ground a few hours for transplant and digging. I think 90% of the roots are intact. I pruned a few broken ones.

I cut the top 2 feet or so, leaving about 3.5 feet. Cut to decrease transpiration.

Despite the bad transplanting season and sone wilting, I hope that with sone TLC it will survive and grow.

Transplanted Lattarula fig tree, late August 2926. There is some first- day wilting but I think it will recover with plenty of watering and some TLC and good luck.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 24/08/2026

Some cuttings I took in June for the new house. This gives me a sense of continuity. #gardening #cuttings #plantpropagation

Cutting of Playboy rose, two months old. I removed the terminal flower bud.

St John's wort cuttings at about 3 months old. Most of the visible leaves are new.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I dug up six clumps of Chinese Chives from my old garden. I wanted to take them before the house is photographed for sale. August isn't the easiest time but they are tough. They look messy but I think they will be OK. 🌱 #ChineseVegetable #gardening #PerennialVegetable #Dumplings

Three clumps of Chinese chives in a plant container

Another container with slightly disheveled Chinese Chives plants

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 23/08/2026

I made another lentil loaf. The one I made last week held together nicely. This one was more crumbly. I don't know why. But still good. I used one egg and 1/3 cup coarsely chopped oatmeal flakes for binders. I like it with some mustard. #vegetarian #plantprotein #frugalcooking

Slices of lentil loaf with some mustard.

Lentil loaf still in baking dish with parchment paper liner.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Last night I made keto cheesecake. Crust - almond flour, softened butter, monkfruit sweetener, vanilla. Filling - cream cheese, sour cream, vanilla, eggs, stevia powder. it had decadent texture and flavor. Topping- sugarfree strawberry jam. Blood sugar level remainedgood. #keto #baking

Slice of keto cheese cake with sugar free strawberry jam

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

Sourdough pancakes, from starter discard. Starter was golden wheat or whole wheat flour. The flour portion was unbleached all purpose flour. I used 1 tbsp stevia flour for the 2 tbsp sugar. recipe from link. #SourdoughPancakes #SourdoughStarterDiscard www.farmhouseonboone.com/quick-sourdo...

Sourdough pancakes made with starter discard. The recipe link is here - https://www.farmhouseonboone.com/quick-sourdough-discard-pancakes/

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 16/08/2026

First sourdough loaf at the new house. This one is half "golden wheat" flour and half unbleached bread flour. Golden wheat flour is whole wheat but a different variety of wheat grain. The starter recovered after a few transfers, nice and bubbly. #baking #sourdough #bread

Sourdough bread loaf, half golden wheat and half unbleached bread flour

Bubbly sourdough starter in small Ball jar, using golden wheat flour and water. I had let it get a little old while moving to new home. After a few transfers, it's active and bubbly again.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 15/08/2026

The Saint John's Wort cuttings have initiated new growth on top. No additional roots emerging from bottom but I imagine they have a hidden burst of growth. The plan is for them to be colorful border next year. Bee friendly and dry tolerant. #gardening #cuttings #plantpropagation

Saint Johns Wort cuttings with new top growth, in black cutting pots.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

I found an old giant philodendron that was forgotten in a corner of an unused room. I'm certain it went without water for 18 months. Leaves crispy brown and roots rotted off. I cut off the dead stuff. Let it dry. There is a tiny green shoot and root bumps. Will it grow? #revivingplants

Cut stem section from a giant philodendron. I let it dry two days, then wrapped in moist paper towel to see if it grows.

Side view of giant philodendron stem top. There is a viable-looking stem tip at the top, and root nubs on the sides.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Rufus looks like I feel now. I took him for a walk early this morning to avoid the heat. The new neighborhood is flat - no hills. Much more doable for an old guy. Still, this moving process takes a toll. As everyone knows. Glad I didn't wait another year! #Moving #dogs #DogsOfBlueSky #Rufus

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

Nice crop of garlic this year. These are the variety "Music" which has very large cloves and strong bite. #kitchengarden

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

I've never had onions grow this big before. Supposed to be generic yellow onions. #kitchengarden

Senior citizen gardener holding very large yellow onions.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 04/08/2026

The big move from country into town is underway. I managed to keep container plants for front porch. The dry-overwintered mandevillas have just started blooming. Lots of buds. I gave them all some diluted bloom booster to get them going stronger. #ContainerGardening

red geranium, pink mandevilla, yellow marigold, magenta geranium in containers.

Miniature zinnias, yellow marigold, salmon geranium, red mandevilla just beginning to bloom, red geranium, in containers

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 26/07/2026

This morning's sourdough loaf. I think the starter has been up to speed for a while now. This one was unbleached bread flour but the starter was whole wheat so there's a little of that in there. I think I got the hang of all the shaping steps now. #sourdough #baking

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

23rd day progress note for rose stem cuttings. These were treated exactly the same way as the St. John's Wort cuttings I posted separately. Two have roots showing through drainage holes. A fair number of leaves dropped. Happy 😀. #RoseCuttings #PlantPropagation #RosePropagation

Roots emerging through rose cutting drainage holes.

Too of rose cuttings. A few leaves dropped.

Roots emerging from drainage holes of "Playboy" rose cutting.

Tops of "Playboy" rose cutting. Most leaves dropped. I think they will put on new growth soon.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

23 days follow up for St. John's Wort cuttings. Roots are peeking through drainage holes. Tops have expanding growth buds. I used seed starting medium, East window, plastic bag tent, mid strength Dip'n'Grow. These will be for the yard of my new house. #Cuttings #PlantPropagation #StJohnsWort

Roots showing through drainage holes of container with St. John's Wort cuttings.

Top of St. Johns Wort cuttings, showing swelling buds.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 15/07/2026

#Sourdough loaf #5. I think I'm getting better. Rise and shoulders are higher. Missed one shaping step, oops. Still very happy with this one. Unbleached bread flour. The ear is a little burnt. The 2nd image shows a little blistering. I like that. #sourdoughbread #baking

Artisan method home made sourdough loaf.

Sliced view of home made sourdough loaf.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

Some of the container vegetables. Tomato plants, eggplants, peppers. 🌱 #KitchenHarden #AccessibleGardening #ContainerGardening

Container tomato plant. This is a container variety.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 13/07/2026

The Regal Geraniums are doing well now. I've never grown them before. The original flowers got messed up by rain and hail. Some bloom booster seems to have helped. 🌱 #Gardening

container Regal geranium with pink and white toned flowers

Container Regal geranium with shades of deep and lighter purple flowers

Container Regal geranium with mostly white flowers with touches of magenta

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 08/07/2026

Sourdough loaf #3. This one is half whole wheat flour and half bread flour. I think my technique is gradually improving. Still needs some work. This is less dense than 100% whole wheat and rose better for me. Next loaf will include walnuts and cranberries. #sourdough #baking #bread

Sourdough bread loaf, dutch oven method. Flour is 50:50 whole wheat:unbleached bread flour.

Sliced sourdough bread, half whole wheat and half unbkeached bread flour.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 05/07/2026

White bean skillet meal, sautéd diced onions in olive oil, removed, sauted tomato paste (splatter!), then 30oz pre-cooked beans, onions, roasted garlic, seasoned salt, cayenne & black pepper, heat, top with hatch pepper salsa then mozzarella cheese. then in hot oven 5 min. #beans #vegetarian

White bean skillet bake covered in mozzarella cheese and baked in hot oven 5 min to melt and slightly brown the cheese,

White bean skillet bake.

I used dry beans. I pre-cooked them in instant pot earlier in the day before making the skillet meal. Very tender.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

Sourdough loaf #2. This was just bread flour, water, homemade starter, and a touch of salt. The oven-split was very nice. I still need to work on things but this was really tasty. Will a sourdough-crust pizza be next? #Sourdough #BreadBaking

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 04/07/2026

I watered thoroughly on Thursday and gave some dilute fertilizer today. I think it will have a burst of growth now. It will be interesting to see if it blooms before winter. This was the same Brugmansia a few years ago.

Pale yellow Brugmansia among potted zinnias and roses

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

This is sort of crazy. I was cleaning up and looking for plant containers behind the compost pile. Two years ago I gave up on this brugmansia, cut it down, and left it there through two winters and summer with no watering. And now it's growing! I'll see if I can rebloom it again. #gardening 🌱

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

Today I dug these up, before I have the yard cleaned up for selling the house. They'll have to sit in pots for a month before moving them to the new house. If they don't live, that's OK. It's about the worst time of year to do this. Siberian iris, lavender, crocosmia. #gardening 🌱

Crocosmia in temporary containers for transplanting

Spanish lavender in temporary container for transplanting

Siberian iris in temporary container for transplanting

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Black bean bake - Black beans, onions, roasted garlic, smoked paprika, seared tomato paste, cumin, pepper flakes, olive oil, topped with Hatch pepper salsa, shredded cheddar, and a touch of shredded Romano. Roasted a few minutes in hot oven. Yum! #cooking #beans #vegetarian

Black bean casserole, topped wth cheddar cheese, in stainless steel skillet

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 29/06/2026

My first attempt at a whole wheat, artisan-type sourdough loaf. It came out OK. A bit heavy. Maybe I should try 50:5o or even just bread flour, next time. #sourdough #baking

Whole wheat sourdough bread loaf on wooden cutting board.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

Bad Quilting! Pillow shams. No big deal, I bought cheap at estate sale. After washing cold, gentle, I saw the blue bled into the whites, & lots of disintegrating seams. I don't think they used 1/4 inch seams, & no prewashing of dark fabrics. Will use until I make some myself. #quiltsky #quilting

Quilted pillow sham in blue and white. There is some blue leaching into the white.

Close up of quilt showing fraying seams and blue leaching into white at seams.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 28/06/2026

St. John's Wort, now making berries. This is a shrub-shaped variety, not the ground cover type. #StJohnsWort 🌱

St. John's Wort plant with water drops on leaves, new red berries, and a few yellow flowers.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Whole wheat #sourdough pancakes from starter discard stored in fridge. 1 cup starter, 1 tsp wh. wheat flour, 1 tsp monkfruit sweetner (sugar would do, but I'm avoiding it), 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2-tsp baking soda. I stirred and cooked on skillet like pancake. Different, not too bad! #pancakes

Whole wheat sourdough starter "discard" pancake. The recipe made a bunch more. Almost savory, tangy, not too sweet at all.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 26/06/2026

Day #5 of serial feedings of whole wheat #sourdough starter starting. Overnight, foamy and bubbly, yay! Nice alcoholic sour aroma too. Will keep going a few more days, then try making a loaf. I used to make sourdough bread when I first retired, but with bread flour. #BreadMaking #SourdoughBread

Whole wheat sourdough starter after 5 days of feeding and removing 1/3 cup amounts. It's a lot more bubbly foamy slimy now.

Side view of developing whole wheat sourdough starter showing bubbles, overnight after removing 1/3 cup old starter and adding 1/3 cup whole wheat flour & 1/3 cup water.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

St. Johns Wort bush with lots of bees. #Bumblebees, #Honeybees and others. Blooming for more than a month now. #StJohnsWort

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

I took cuttings of St. Johns Wort bushes to plant at the new house as a low hedge. This is a busy type. Very bee friendly, colorful deep green leaves, yellow flowers, red berries. #StJohnsWort #Cuttings #Propagation #BeeFlowers

St Johns Wort cuttings inside plastic bags for humidity.

St Johns Wort bush with yellow flowers and red berries

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

I took cuttings of these red roses and two other favorites, to move to the new house. It will be much smaller garden. I usually start roses in fall, but have started some during summer successfully. They are all 25 to 30 year old bushes. #RoseCuttings #RosePropagation

Red roses in vase. African violets and orchids nearby.

Three sets of rose cuttings, covered with plastic bags for humidity.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

It's been years since I baked #sourdough loaves. Starting over again, this time 100% whole wheat. I used 2 tbsp each flour and water, sat for a day, then added 2 more tbsp each. Today, day 3, I added 1/4 cup each. I'm seeing frothy activity. Transferred to pint jar. #baking

Starting whole wheat sourdough starter. Day # 3, looking frothy and sticky.

Transferred sourdough starter to pint jar, added 1/4 cup each whole wheat flour and water. Line indicates starting point to see if it rises.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 17/06/2026

I had a doctor's appointment today and needed to stop in the rest room. I saw this sign. It seems like wise advice, but I wonder about the necessity. #Don'tDrinkTheWater #Advice

Restroom sign saying don't drink out of the toilet.

Rest room sign warning against drinking toilet water.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 15/06/2026

Easier starch recipe for #quilting. My store stopped selling spray starch. Soaking fabric in liquid home-made starch, then squeezing, can deform & stretch fabric. Reworked for hand spray bottle. Spray on fabric, let dry, then press. Much easier. See alt txt for recipe #MenWhoQuilt #QuiltSky

Corn starch, spray bottle, on yellow batik fabric.

Recipe. Boil 3 cups water. Mix 2 tbsp corn starch with 1/2 cup room temp water. Pour starch mixture into boiling water. Stir while boiling, 5 min. Let cool overnight. Whisk to break up any globs. Pour through sieve into glass measuring cup to remove globs. Pour into spray bottle. Ready to spray.

I saturate the fabric pretty thoroughly, then let it air dry on a towel. Easy. No stretching, squeezing, or deforming. This fabric is fairly absorbent. Lighter fabric might need repeat spraying.

Starched batik fabric. The purple fabric has been starched and dried. It's about as stiff as copy paper, before ironing. This helps me with accuracy and good edges and points.

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Daniel & Rufus @danielrufus.bsky.social · 07/06/2026

More roses in bloom. Tropical Lightning (very vigorous and thorny), unknown cream colored English-type rose, Vanessa Bell English rose, Mme Boll old garden rose - the most fragrant in my garden, I grew from a cutting. Mme Boll is French, from 1800s. #Roses

Tropical Lightning rose. Sold as a climber but more like a very vigorous shrub rose.

Unknown variety of English Rose. I don't recall ever buying a cream colored rose.

Mme Boll old garden rose. Rose - pink color. Highly fragrant. I grew this from a cutting, three years ago. It's still a fairly small shrub. It's worth the effort for fragrance alone but also has fine thorns and unusual pale green leaves.

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