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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 12h

So I went back to my car very happy, even if I feel like I still haven't truly warmed up again, hours later.

Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 12h

Female and immature bluebirds have a much more muted blue.

But then! They flew along the trail in front of me into the sunshine and I saw the brightest flashes of striking blue!

Identification of the Female Eastern Bluebird - Avian Report

The identification of female eastern bluebirds is easy when she is next to a male. A female alone can be confused with other common birds.

avianreport.com

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 12h

I don't know what made me think bluebirds? But I thought, it's cold, maybe the blue on bluebirds fades to grey for winter? I don't see them often enough to know.

So I go back and replace grey with blue, then swipe through the bluebird photos and there is my bird!

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 12h

They were TINY! Grey backs and an orange patch on the breast, but white lower on the belly. My first thought when I saw them was European Robin, but obviously not.

I entered grey, orange, and white and got garbage answers. So I went back and replaced orange with russet, but it still wasn't my bird.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 12h

Moment that made it all worth it:

When I am almost done, I stop to look at a pair of tiny birds. I can't ID them, so I pull out my bird app, they are too far for a picture so I am going through the questions: size of bird, up to three colors, where was it when you saw it...

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 14h

For. Real.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 15h

Next time I am looking for a nature trail the day after the first long soaking rain in a while? Remind me to pick a mushroom trail, not a marshy trail, please. My toes are wet and I am so cold.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 15h

Of course I do not turn back. Instead I change my mind and decide to take the longest, dampest trail loop.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 15h

I had a jacket in my car this morning, as I was preparing to go on a short nature walk. But I thought, nah, it's not that cold

10 m down the trail, I see a woman in knit hat and puffy jacket. I am wearing a skirt and sandals.

The first corner I turn into the shade, I see my breath.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 17h

Conversation from last night's Banned Book Read-In:

💗: I can't remember, why was that book banned?

💙: I feel like it was an m-word? Either marijuana or masturbation.

💗: Well, there was definitely masturbation.

💙: Which teenagers definitely wouldn't know about unless they read about it in books.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 1d

🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉

Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 1d

I didn't even know I somehow got my copy early! Sign up if you want slightly pulpy very trans hiveminds and fungal intelligence and neurospiciness and space opera noir-ish and Diaspora feels and righteous crankiness and competitive community art and I WANNA EAT THE THING

Bogi Takács / SONG OF SPORES coming Nov 2025! @bogiperson.bsky.social · 2d

REVIEWERS: I have e-ARC copies of SONG OF SPORES, my weird trans, intersex space opera book coming Nov 4 from Broken Eye Books!

You can request a copy here:

forms.gle/XZamWpmBUGwH...

I will be offline soon for Sukkot, so tell your friends in the meanwhile & I'll respond on Wed night (G-d willing)

Get an e-ARC of SONG OF SPORES!

This is for reviewers to request a copy (epub, pdf) of the weird trans, intersex space opera book Song of Spores by Bogi Takács, Broken Eye Books (upcoming Nov 4 2025). Please do not self-reject :) I ...

forms.gle

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 1d

Nearly midnight when I should be in bed but don't feel well enough to go to sleep is the correct time to reorganize my bookshelves, right?

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

and elbow

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

The other concert pics, though:

Opening act Mike Kota

Mike Kota, a white woman with long curly hair, stands on a foggy stage lit up with magenta light, is playing an acoustic guitar

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

So Oreo Reese's should be this whatever of a snack, where they replace the chocolate on the top with an Oreo filling flavored layer? WHY ARE YOU GIVING ME LESS CHOCOLATE? But then they "make up for it" with Oreo cookie bits in the peanut butter filling? WHY AM I GETTING LESS PEANUT BUTTER?

meh.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

*Listen. Reese's Oreo and Oreo Reese's have the wrong names. Reese's modifies the Oreos, so Reese's Oreos should mean the Reese's flavored Oreos, which are AMAZING, 10/10, how are they so much better than just peanut butter Oreos?

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

Sour Punch filled straws, cherry limeade flavor: 7/10
Good flavor, good punch, too dry somehow?

SweetTarts ropes bites, mixed fruit: 11/10
Amazing. Best candy. I ate one and ten minutes later could still feel the tartness in the insides of my cheeks

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

In less important news, I needed a Diet Dr. Pepper to live so we stopped at a gas station on the way out of town and we loaded up on snacks I have never tried before. My verdicts:

Reese's Oreo*: 3/10
Aggressively meh

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

I regret to inform you that I have fallen in love with the sax player, Sarah Field (seen here playing trumpet? Babes, I don't know from brass) and will be throwing aside all responsibilities to follow elbow on tour.

Sarah Field and Carol Jarvis play brass instruments on the left side of the stage during the elbow concert.

I don't know what the else to tell you.
There is rose gold lighting and geometric lines on the back of the stage.

Behind them are two women playing violin.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

Me, before the show: If they don't play "Bones of You" I'm gonna riot.

Also me: Somehow surprised I cried through the whole song.

Elbow - The Bones Of You (Official Music Video)

YouTube video by ElbowVEVO

youtu.be

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

Best shirt at the show:

A guy had a white teeshirt that just said POETS in big black letters. Please do not tell me if there is some band or something called Poets, I want to believe he is just excited about poets, thank you.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 3d

Thanks to the generosity of a friend, our current situation.

Marquee at Royal Oak Music Theatre
It reads:
AEG
presents

ELBOW

Oct 5

Doors Open 7 pm

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 5d

I mean, there was a little more to the interaction than her just saying the word eco-fiction, but still.

So I guess count this as day one of my campaign to get Stelliform Press a featured table at my local bookstore.

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Jennifer Crispin || Dancing Star Press @greeniezona.bsky.social · 5d

And I am like, MY GIRL, HAVE YOU HEARD THE GOOD WORD ABOUT @stelliform.press!?

and she is like, no, and looks it up on her phone and immediately is THIS SOUNDS AMAZING AND ENTIRELY MY THING I AM GOING TO CHECK ALL OF THIS OUT, THANK YOU.

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