Carolyn
@caslon.bsky.social
Hobbies: conservation gardening, soft-core birding, painting, knitting, hiking. Interested in green infrastructure, urban ecology, and adult art camps. Ecoregion 65: Southeastern Plains, ALX, Acidic oak hickory forest. Unprofessional account. she/her.
Was telling a colleague that a certain process was murky, and this being civic tech, he thought it was an acronym for an actual process, like RICE or SAFe. So I present to you MURKY:
Messy,
Unstructured,
Reactive
Krap-shoot –
YOLO!
Messy,
Unstructured,
Reactive
Krap-shoot –
YOLO!
December 17, 2025 at 3:33 PM
Was telling a colleague that a certain process was murky, and this being civic tech, he thought it was an acronym for an actual process, like RICE or SAFe. So I present to you MURKY:
Messy,
Unstructured,
Reactive
Krap-shoot –
YOLO!
Messy,
Unstructured,
Reactive
Krap-shoot –
YOLO!
We are on our regular holiday schedule of having no decorations up until probably this weekend, after which they will stay up until March (excepting the tree, I expect that to last through most of January).
December 15, 2025 at 1:42 PM
We are on our regular holiday schedule of having no decorations up until probably this weekend, after which they will stay up until March (excepting the tree, I expect that to last through most of January).
Borb (Northern flicker from a few days ago).
December 14, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Borb (Northern flicker from a few days ago).
Currently working on replacing our old outdoor floodlights with Dark Sky approved ones that have hoods, motion detectors, and warm-toned lightbulbs. Next I will swap out the light fixtures by the front door
We’ll be one tiny dark patch in a sea of artificial light, but at least it’s a start.
We’ll be one tiny dark patch in a sea of artificial light, but at least it’s a start.
Sky brightness increased by seven to 10% per year (and 9.6% on average).
In Europe, they found a 6.5 per cent increase in brightness per year matched the data; in North America, it’s 10.4 per cent.
www.forbes.com/sites/jamiec...
In Europe, they found a 6.5 per cent increase in brightness per year matched the data; in North America, it’s 10.4 per cent.
www.forbes.com/sites/jamiec...
The Death Of Night: Light Pollution In North America Is Now Spiking By 10% Every Year, Says Landmark Study
Sky brightness is increasing even faster than satellite measurements of artificial light suggest, says a new study.
www.forbes.com
December 12, 2025 at 11:14 PM
Currently working on replacing our old outdoor floodlights with Dark Sky approved ones that have hoods, motion detectors, and warm-toned lightbulbs. Next I will swap out the light fixtures by the front door
We’ll be one tiny dark patch in a sea of artificial light, but at least it’s a start.
We’ll be one tiny dark patch in a sea of artificial light, but at least it’s a start.
Any recommendations for an electrician in Alexandria who could take on a relatively small job (that hopefully won‘t balloon into a large, expensive job)?
December 11, 2025 at 10:16 PM
Any recommendations for an electrician in Alexandria who could take on a relatively small job (that hopefully won‘t balloon into a large, expensive job)?
So weird to see Moriarty hiding out as a rural NY parishioner in Wake Up Dead Man.
December 11, 2025 at 3:22 AM
So weird to see Moriarty hiding out as a rural NY parishioner in Wake Up Dead Man.
Luxuriating in cat snuggles before heading home tomorrow.
December 9, 2025 at 1:29 AM
Luxuriating in cat snuggles before heading home tomorrow.
The butterfly, the cabbage white,
(His honest idiocy of flight)
Will never now, it is too late
Master the art of flying straight,
(start of Flying Crooked by Robert Graves)
(His honest idiocy of flight)
Will never now, it is too late
Master the art of flying straight,
(start of Flying Crooked by Robert Graves)
Which lines of poetry live rent-free in your head?
December 8, 2025 at 1:07 AM
The butterfly, the cabbage white,
(His honest idiocy of flight)
Will never now, it is too late
Master the art of flying straight,
(start of Flying Crooked by Robert Graves)
(His honest idiocy of flight)
Will never now, it is too late
Master the art of flying straight,
(start of Flying Crooked by Robert Graves)
California shit.
The nice thing about hiking on the west coast is I have no idea what plants are invasive or not so I’m not perpetually disappointed.
Except eucalyptus. I know that one.
The nice thing about hiking on the west coast is I have no idea what plants are invasive or not so I’m not perpetually disappointed.
Except eucalyptus. I know that one.
December 6, 2025 at 12:27 AM
California shit.
The nice thing about hiking on the west coast is I have no idea what plants are invasive or not so I’m not perpetually disappointed.
Except eucalyptus. I know that one.
The nice thing about hiking on the west coast is I have no idea what plants are invasive or not so I’m not perpetually disappointed.
Except eucalyptus. I know that one.
Went for a “hike” today and ended watching the mating display of a couple make Anna’s hummingbirds, likely displaying for the same female. They fly up many feet in the air, hover a bit, and then plummet towards the ground. Wild.
December 5, 2025 at 10:47 PM
Went for a “hike” today and ended watching the mating display of a couple make Anna’s hummingbirds, likely displaying for the same female. They fly up many feet in the air, hover a bit, and then plummet towards the ground. Wild.
Visiting a friend. I’ve missed having a kitty. 🥺
December 5, 2025 at 3:48 AM
Visiting a friend. I’ve missed having a kitty. 🥺
You know how you’re so familiar with something your entire life until one day you’re staring at it and it suddenly occurs to you, “wait, where the hell are that duck’s wings!?!”
Anyway I went down a rabbit hole yesterday. www.birdwatchingdaily.com/birds/david-...
Anyway I went down a rabbit hole yesterday. www.birdwatchingdaily.com/birds/david-...
How waterfowl hide their wings
Contributing Editor David Sibley explains how certain feathers on waterfowl hide the birds' wings while they are swimming.
www.birdwatchingdaily.com
November 30, 2025 at 11:59 PM
You know how you’re so familiar with something your entire life until one day you’re staring at it and it suddenly occurs to you, “wait, where the hell are that duck’s wings!?!”
Anyway I went down a rabbit hole yesterday. www.birdwatchingdaily.com/birds/david-...
Anyway I went down a rabbit hole yesterday. www.birdwatchingdaily.com/birds/david-...
Definitely don’t go to the chump advisers across town.
November 29, 2025 at 4:22 PM
Definitely don’t go to the chump advisers across town.
Four mile hike today.
November 29, 2025 at 1:20 AM
Four mile hike today.
Midlife is icing one part of your body while simultaneously using the heating pad on another part of your body.
November 28, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Midlife is icing one part of your body while simultaneously using the heating pad on another part of your body.
A meme I can get behind (and go overboard with):
Introduce yourself with five animals you have seen in the wild:
Today edition:
Gadwell
Pintail
Ring-necked duck
Bald Eagle
Pileated woodpecker
Introduce yourself with five animals you have seen in the wild:
Today edition:
Gadwell
Pintail
Ring-necked duck
Bald Eagle
Pileated woodpecker
Introduce yourself with five animals you have seen in the wild:
Piping plover
Woodland box turtle
Cricket frog
Beaver
Wavy-lined emerald caterpillar
Piping plover
Woodland box turtle
Cricket frog
Beaver
Wavy-lined emerald caterpillar
Introduce yourself with five animals you have seen in the wild:
Octopus
Marmot
Tanuki
Owl
Orca
Octopus
Marmot
Tanuki
Owl
Orca
November 28, 2025 at 7:01 PM
A meme I can get behind (and go overboard with):
Introduce yourself with five animals you have seen in the wild:
Today edition:
Gadwell
Pintail
Ring-necked duck
Bald Eagle
Pileated woodpecker
Introduce yourself with five animals you have seen in the wild:
Today edition:
Gadwell
Pintail
Ring-necked duck
Bald Eagle
Pileated woodpecker
I would like a word with whoever designed the piriformis.
November 25, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I would like a word with whoever designed the piriformis.
Told the smol one that adults should try to limit their added sugar intake to 20g per day (it’s actually a little higher than that but whatever). He protested, “but I’m a kid!” So I said “so even less then.” Which he thought was absurd, as if kids should get *more* sugar, nutritionally.
November 23, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Told the smol one that adults should try to limit their added sugar intake to 20g per day (it’s actually a little higher than that but whatever). He protested, “but I’m a kid!” So I said “so even less then.” Which he thought was absurd, as if kids should get *more* sugar, nutritionally.
4k cameras are here although many of the birds have left at this point! Anyway here’s a blue jay and a chipmunk having an encounter.
November 21, 2025 at 4:26 PM
4k cameras are here although many of the birds have left at this point! Anyway here’s a blue jay and a chipmunk having an encounter.
My hip/si joint finally let me walk down to Holmes Run Trail and back for the first time in weeks. I had to do an alignment reset halfway through but hey, it’s progress.
Meanwhile these black vultures were betting against me.
Meanwhile these black vultures were betting against me.
November 16, 2025 at 5:36 PM
My hip/si joint finally let me walk down to Holmes Run Trail and back for the first time in weeks. I had to do an alignment reset halfway through but hey, it’s progress.
Meanwhile these black vultures were betting against me.
Meanwhile these black vultures were betting against me.
Highly recommend volunteering for one of Four Mile Run Conservancy’s kayak clean-up events. It’s like getting a free kayak rental, as long as you pick up some trash along the way.
November 15, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Highly recommend volunteering for one of Four Mile Run Conservancy’s kayak clean-up events. It’s like getting a free kayak rental, as long as you pick up some trash along the way.
My kingdom for a tool that will update my OoO in my employer Slack, employer Gmail and Gcal, client Slack, client Outlook, our product roadmap, and all the other places I’m supposed to put this info.
November 13, 2025 at 3:59 PM
My kingdom for a tool that will update my OoO in my employer Slack, employer Gmail and Gcal, client Slack, client Outlook, our product roadmap, and all the other places I’m supposed to put this info.
“Why it called pupcorn if not for pups?”
November 12, 2025 at 10:58 PM
“Why it called pupcorn if not for pups?”
The other Carolyn who sometimes enters my email into forms just bought herself a tasteful gold necklace with a small diamond. I hope she enjoys it.
Should I print out the email receipt and mail it to her? It contains her shipping address.
Should I print out the email receipt and mail it to her? It contains her shipping address.
November 11, 2025 at 7:54 PM
The other Carolyn who sometimes enters my email into forms just bought herself a tasteful gold necklace with a small diamond. I hope she enjoys it.
Should I print out the email receipt and mail it to her? It contains her shipping address.
Should I print out the email receipt and mail it to her? It contains her shipping address.