iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11h

With just the light on the tent is running at 75F day/65F night, which is just about perfect. I do not need the heat mats right now but later in the winter it may get colder so I left them in there. The smart plug I have the light attached to reports power […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A temperature graph from the sensor inside the tent. I only turned the light on yesterday afternoon.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11h

Part three of my winter tomato experiment! Long thread, scroll up. I finally got the plants set up in the tent yesterday. The big one was growing outside this summer and I just trimmed it way back and brought it in as-is. The two little ones to the left are […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A black and silver grow tent, well lit up inside, with four plants in cloth pots inside. The big plant in the back has a sketchy-looking trellis.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 19/10/2026

🧵 1/ Many of you were intrigued by my winter tomato experiment, so here is part 2. I've had other stuff to do so it's taken me a while to get the light installed in the tent and the power strung over to it. This is a brand new light I bought for this project […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A very large black and silver grow tent with the door open. There is a bright light hanging from the ceiling illuminating the inside of the tent.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/10/2026

Also because it is Ashland of course we must have Shakespeare-themed protest signs. #Ashland #RogueValley #NoKings

A hand-lettered protest sign that reads:
"It is a tale
told by an Idiot,
full of sound and fury,
Signifying Nothing."
Wm Shakespeare, MacBeth Act 5, Scene 5

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/10/2026

Small but Mighty Ashland, OR No Kings protest ✊🏻 #Ashland #RogueValley #NoKings

A view down the main drag of Ashland, Oregon, with people lining the street for the No Kings protest. There is a prominent shadow of me standing in the street to take this photo.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 16/10/2026

I was going to fold and put away the laundry, but, as you know, cat #Cats #CatsOfMastodon #Caturday

Piles of unfolded laundry on the laundry folding table, as well as one tabby cat turned upside down and being in the way.

Cato, a tabby cat, inside the clothes dyer and rubbing his nose against the opening

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 13/10/2026

Spent the last week-ish in the Bay Area and in southern California, hopefully our last road trip of the year. Here is your obligatory freeway photo of The Big Mountain.

A photo taken out the car window of a freeway rail, some scrubby brush on a tan hillside, a very blue sky with a few clouds, and a very large mountain (Mount Shasta) in the distance.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 05/10/2026

tl;dr I made it home 😪 Transcript: So here I am on the mountain, on the trail, and I've kind of made a mistake. This is an eight mile loop all the way around which I can do pretty easily if I feel good...but I'm not feeling all that good. And I got to 3 […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 04/10/2026

Here is Cato, a tabby cat, in his favorite spot on the top shelf of the closet. He picked that spot and it is his spot; we put a towel down to make him more comfortable. I bought an actual cat bed that would fit up there, but then Minna stole it for the […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

Cato, a tabby cat, sitting on a dark grey towel on a high shelf. There are clothes hangers on a rail just below him. He is looking adorable as usual, with one paw hanging over the edge.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 01/10/2026

Today in Master Gardener: this herb demonstration garden in front of the extension office has been essentially abandoned for years now. They put out a call for a new head gardener to take it over. Say hi to the new head gardener. 🤗 #Garden #Gardening #Herbs

An area in between a parking lot and a building with a sign that says "herb garden." It is full of plants and planters and mostly very overgrown weeds.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 30/09/2026

Putting advanced cannabis technology to work for a winter tomato experiment this year. 😏 #Garden #Gardening #Tomatoes (really, it's tomatoes)

A very large black and silver grow tent for cannabis set up in the basement.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 24/09/2026

You'll never guess who has been sitting in this window by the front door and getting really slobberingly excited about the arrival of delivery drivers.

The view of a black front door and a black entry mat through a glass window, which is very nearly obscured with cat slobber.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 21/09/2026

I was going to put the flour away onto the shelf in the pantry where it belongs but, as you know, cat #Cats #Caturday #CatsOfMastoton

Cato, a tabby cat, up on the shelf on the pantry and looking like he's going to jump onto an even higher shelf. There are bins of flour and grains all around him. He is blocking the one empty space a bin of flour would go.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 19/09/2026

Finally made it to Grant's Pass, a 45 minute drive, for the only banh mi shop in the entirety of the rogue valley. We have been absolutely dying for a banh mi since we moved. It was not exactly an authentic banh mi, but close enough. 😋 #RogueValley #Food #Banhmi

A fat banh mi sandwich in a paper bowl. It is short and squat and piled high with cilantro and jalaneos. (Inside it is pork.)

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/09/2026

We spent a few days back in the Bay Area earlier this week. The good: excellent Mexican food, excellent breakfasts, long visit with former neighbors, boba, views of the big mountain The bad: traffic, expensive gasoline, tech bros, traffic

Mount Shasta, the big mountain, from the freeway. There are fluffy clouds and a blue sky above it. It could use more snow.

The bar at Andalé Taqueria in Los Gatos.

A cup of roasted barley milk boba tea from Tea Era in Mountain View.

The prices at the Chevron station in Santa Cruz. Regular is $6.25 a gallon cash price. Diesel is $8.49.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 17/09/2026

Huuuuuge storm rainbow a bit ago (no sound)

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 10/09/2026

This is Just to Say (by Cato, a tabby cat): I have stolen the plums that were on the counter and which you probably would have preferred I did not I'm not sorry they were so rolly so fun I put them under the couch #Caturday #CaturdayEveryday #Cags #CatsOfMastodon

A container of small purple plums on the counter. Some of them have tooth marks.

Cato, a tabby cat, looking innocent. (He is not)

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 08/09/2026

So, one beam that holds up the porch is about six inches lower than all the other beams. I found this out because I walked into it at high speed. 😵‍💫 Smashed my head so hard it flipped me over backwards and I landed on my shoulder. My bad shoulder, the one I […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A terrible photo of my legs in sweat pants stretched out on the couch. Cato, a tabby cat, is wedged up against my leg with his head tucked under his paw on top of my knee. He looks adorable.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 05/09/2026

I was going to get up on this step stool to put stuff away on a shelf but, as you know, cat (I did not put the step stool on top of the cat. The cat crawls into it through the holes in the side because he thinks it is fun) #Caturday #Cats #CatsOfMastodon

This is a black plastic folding step stool with white polka dots all over the top of it. Underneath the stool and inside the open space for a handle there is a tabby cat paw sticking out, and a little pink nose and whiskers next to it.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 03/09/2026

Working on designing quadrant 2 of the new fenced garden. It's triangular because there's a steep hillside on the right. The only settled part of this triangle is the circular herb bed in the middle (10' diameter) and I'm still trying to figure out paths and […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

Vector drawing of a triangular-shaped garden. There are various brown and black stripes indicating fences and walls, and one circular shape in the middle for an herb garden. A diagonal green stripe along the right side indicates a long narrow bed.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 02/09/2026

I was going to fold the laundry and put it away, but, as you know, cat #CaturdayEveryday #Cats #CatsOfMastodon

A white plastic laundry basket with holes in it. There is a tabby paw hanging off the rim of the basket and a small pink tabby nose sticking through one of the holes

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 01/09/2026

I love my fancy one-button espresso machine but I was curious if I could actually do latte art with it. The answer is ....ehhh ☹️ I still have my old semi-manual espresso machine and a lot of residual nostalgia for the rocks and sticks approach to making […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

Top-down photo of a a latte cup with a small misshapen leaf pattern in the milk skewed off to one side. It's not very pretty.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 29/08/2026

Cato's adoption description: This little kitty is so friendly! He loves people! He wants to help with whatever you're doing at all times! Us: Aww how cute 😻 Cato: HI HI WHAT ARE YOU DOING? CAN I HELP?? #Caturday #Cats #CatsOfMastodon

Cato, a tabby cat, in a tight closeup. He has a big pink nose and big green eyes looking directly into the camera

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 28/08/2026

I had to travel every fence line we have to get these so I'm pretty sure this is the last blackberry harvest of the summer. (the strawberries were easy)

A bowl of very ripe blackberries. There are also two strawberries in the top left corner.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 27/08/2026

I was going to get up off the couch and have lunch but, as you know, cat #Caturday #CatsOfMastodon #CaturdayEveryday

Minna, a void cat, curled up on my lap with her paw in front of her face. In that background you can see my arm/hand and the computer that barely fits on the tips of my knees.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 27/08/2026

While I'm here grousing, peach season abruptly ended last week in the valley, so I bought some supermarket peaches. Oh my god look at this awful brown thing. 😭 😭 😭

A quarter peach on a black tablecloth with a knife next to it. The flesh of the peach is a yellow-ish streaky brown. The area around the pit is darker brown and has what looks like mold on it. gross

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 26/08/2026

This week I'm working on the design of one quadrant of my new fenced garden area. This is going to be the more formal, close-in and accessible garden that I hope I can still use when I get older and less mobile eg raised beds, wide paths, a patio and a big […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A screen shot of a vector drawing of a square garden area. There are several raised beds in green, a large grey square marked "pergola" and paths marked in brown.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 22/08/2026

Is Cato Still Fetching? Yes, but only with the good toys, when he's in the right mood. #Caturday #Cats #CatsOfMastodon

Cato, a tabby cat, carrying a yellow yarn toy in his mouth onto the bed with a determined expression.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 19/08/2026

I found a stand of organically-grown vegan hot dogs on a stick. 😏 #BloomScrolling

A stand of cattails (the plant) against a blue sky with clouds.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 15/08/2026

Me, looking at last week's nighttime security camera footage: Deer, deer, bird, deer, moth, deer, deer, ... uhhhh 😳

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/08/2026

I did bake sour cream blackberry muffins, though. (I messed up the crumble top so it looks weird but still tastes good.) #Fruit #Peaches #RogueValley

A muffin on a white plate with crumble top bunched up on one half.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/08/2026

But wait, you think. Where is the baking? Surely you baked something tasty with the peaches?? I would have baked, but I also have blackberries. 😋 #Fruit #Peaches #RogueValley

Two half-gallon containers full of wild blackberries.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/08/2026

I have nine peaches left. Not shown: all the peaches I ate. I ate too many peaches. 😋 🤢 (these are on a baking tray because if I left them out flat on the counter Cato would gleefully push them all off onto the floor) #Fruit #Peaches #RogueValley

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/08/2026

Five jars of peach halves, in syrup 🍑 🍑 🍑 🍑 🍑 #Fruit #Peaches #RogueValley

Five pint jars of very orange canned peaches on a black towel.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/08/2026

Five jars of Peach-Maple-Vanilla jam (one is in the fridge) 🍑 🍑 🍑 🍑 🍑 #Fruit #Peaches #RogueValley

Four small jam jars on a black countertop containing peach jam. On the left are tomatoes and onions in a bowl.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/08/2026

Four gallon bags of peeled, pitted, and sliced peaches (frozen) 🍑 🍑 🍑 🍑 #Fruit #Peaches #RogueValley

A hand holding a big gallon bag full or frozen peach slices in front of an open freezer drawer

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 11/08/2026

🧵Peach processing inventory!! Five pints of frozen peach sauce (just chopped and cooked peaches, no sugar) 🍑 🍑 🍑 🍑 🍑 #Fruit #Peaches #RogueValley

A view into the freezer of two deli containers with an orangey peach sauce inside. To the right are gallon bags of blackberries.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 07/08/2026

The AQI is bad but not *that* bad today, but I have a splitting headache and my eyes are burning. There's a new fire just to the west of us and the smoke is blowing over into the valley. I had experienced plenty of bad AQI in the past but now I'm discovering […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A screenshot of the purple air web site showing AQI numbers in the mid-100s all throughout the southern rogue valley.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 06/08/2026

Me: (buys $5 of superlative peaches at the local farmstand) Farmstand Owner: Oh we also have these other peaches, they are ugly so they are free. Me: ... Me: Can I take the whole box? FO: Sure! Me: I can bring the empty box back next week. FO: (laughs) that's […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A full bushel box of peaches on the kitchen counter. There are also peaches stacked up on either side of the box.

Many, many, many peaches laid out on the kitchen counter (and taking up most of it).

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 03/08/2026

It is my first summer here so I don't know if weeks of >95F weather is normal for the Rogue Valley, but: It is very very hot, and my tomatoes are darn unhappy about it. I repurposed these ugly tarps from a former chicken yard to shade the temporary garden […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

A small fenced area next to a dry hillside full of pots of tomato plants. There are black shade-cloth tarps draped on top of the structure in a very ugly (but effective) way.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 30/07/2026

I was worried about the state of peaches in the Rogue Valley a month ago when all my friends in the bay area were gushing over how great the peaches were. Turns out peach season is just later here, there has been an explosion of peaches here, they are […] [Original post on mastodon.social]

Twelve enormous ripe peaches on a black countertop.

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laura lemay @lemay.mastodon.social.ap.brid.gy · 28/07/2026

First tomato day. 😋 (I was like 6 weeks late planting the tomato plants so I'm happy I'm only 3 weeks late for tomatoes) #Garden #Gardening #Tomatoes

A hand holding nine orange and yellow cherry tomatoes.

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