Brittany Sutherland
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sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Brittany Sutherland
@sutherlandbl.bsky.social
2.7K followers 850 following 3.2K posts
Assistant Professor, George Mason University
Polyploidy, Evolution, Plants, Mating Systems

Plants and Cats and Plants and Cats and
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sutherlandbl.bsky.social
If we can’t get a temperature above freezing for eight days, at least the full moon and bare trees are doing pretty things to the backyard ice shell.
A three-second exposure of an ice-covered backyard in bright moonlight. The snow and ice are undisturbed, leaving a clear surface to project tree shadows from the moon overhead.
February 2, 2026 at 4:26 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Dire Pikachu (left) vs Colossal Dire Pikachu (right)
Cartoon image of Pikachu, the yellow rat-like electric Pokemon. He is waving and has a big grin and bright eyes. Cartoon image of a Ditto pokemon impersonating a Pikachu. You can tell he's an imposted by the pinpoint eyes and flat mouth line.
January 15, 2026 at 4:51 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Had he told you a Dad Joke?
A black and white husky holding a small stuffed toy in its front paws. It's looking at the camera and appears to have a broad grin, so though amused at telling a bad joke and waiting for your reaction.
January 12, 2026 at 12:09 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
It is important, if you have both a food dehydrator and cats, to make sure the dehydrator is securely covered when not in use.
A Len brand Excalibur-style black food dehydrator out on our back porch in winter storage. The front cover is off and the trays are not stored inside it. The resulting open plastic chamber has been claimed by our medium-hair grey and black tabby point girl, who is lounging comfortably and looking at me calmly. A Len brand Excalibur-style black food dehydrator out on our back porch in winter storage. The front cover is off and the trays are not stored inside it. The resulting open plastic chamber has been claimed by our medium-hair grey and black tabby point girl, who is lounging comfortably and looking at me calmly. A slightly different view, this time taken from slightly higher and showing the cover resting on top of the tray.
January 11, 2026 at 5:34 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
We went to @rogue151.bsky.social's coworker's house this morning. She has birds.

As I entered the birds' room, a flurry of movement hovered in my face as this guy screeched what I assume was "Hi new person!" in cockatiel, and landed on my head.

He was very cute and friendly, but...warn a woman.
A chubby woman with messy brown hair from just coming in from rain. She is wearing wire-rim glasses, an army green t-shirt, and a grey and black speckled cockatiel with yellow crest on her head.
January 11, 2026 at 5:17 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Literally from my take-out tonight.

Fortune cookie manufacturers know we're going through it right now.
A fortune cookie slip being held on a hand. The text says, "Seek professional help when needed for your mental health".
January 6, 2026 at 2:27 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Sometimes you have to listen to the work/life balance officer. This one starts bugging me if I haven’t started winding down by 11 PM.
Grey and black tabby stripped cat with white muzzle, chest, and forelegs laying against a black t-shirted woman’s chest in dim light. He is curled up but looking away from the woman, in the direction of a laptop screen off camera.
December 27, 2025 at 4:14 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Iroh enjoying the Christmas fishy.

Photos are @rogue151.bsky.social who is a far better photographer than I am!
A large mostly white cat with grey and black stripes on his head and front legs. He is laying with his belly up on some discarded brown gift ribbon next to an orange goldfish string toy. He appears to be about to paw at the camera. A large mostly white cat with grey and black stripes on his head and front legs. He is laying with his belly up on some discarded brown gift ribbon next to an orange goldfish string toy. He is staring off into space and this shot shows all of his belly and lefs stretched out on a navy blue couch. A large mostly white cat with grey and black stripes on his head and front legs. He is laying with his belly up on some discarded brown gift ribbon next to an orange goldfish string toy. He is looking directly at the camera and has his front paws tucked. Having tired himself out, Iroh is now laying on his belly on the pile of brown paisley ribbon with his eyes closed. The bright orange fish toy is in the foreground.
December 25, 2025 at 7:08 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
One of the new toys, courtesy of my MIL.
December 25, 2025 at 2:09 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
A very Merry Christmas to all who celebrate, a lovely Thursday to everyone else, and entertaining bird-watching from ours cats to yours.
December 25, 2025 at 1:10 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Personally I was wondering what gummy candies had done…
Package of Albanese brand gummy bears. A white bag with red left stripe and red oval logo, and twelve gummy bears all arranged in a circle.
December 19, 2025 at 7:24 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
If you see this, we IMPLORE YOU to post a picture from whatever device you're using, without explanation.
A photo of a lake covered in ice that's begun spring melt. The shape of the lake and the ice is...slightly anatomical.
December 16, 2025 at 5:49 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
A visual representation of the single feline brain cell, captured by @rogue151.bsky.social in Iroh as he contemplates (destroying) the Christmas tree.
A large black and grey tabby cat with white muzzle, chest, and belly laying under a Christmas tree. He is staring at the tree and a reflection in the camera makes it look like a green Christmas light is emanating from his right temple.
December 15, 2025 at 4:35 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Be Cat, Do Crimes

Courtesy of @rogue151.bsky.social
A medium-hair black, grey, and white tabby sitting at the edge of a Christmas tree skirt, staring intently at a purple Christmas ornament.
December 15, 2025 at 4:32 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
They're lined up in the opposite order, but it's a nice comparison of the cats. The angle makes it slightly misleading: In the adult photo, Kyoshi (Bottom) and Opal (Middle) are the same weight, she's just 50% fluff. Iroh (Top) is our 17 pound chungus.

All so very clearly colorpoints.
Three roughly six-month old kittens lined up eating out of three bowls on cheap landlord-special beige carpet. All have begun changing color and have dark ears and tails with mostly cream-colored bodies. The same three cats lined up eating on a wooden floor. They are in the opposite order (top kitten from other photo is bottom cat, etc). All three are MUCH darker. The top two are grey and black tabbies with significant white patches. The middle cat is a medium hair and much fluffier than her brothers. The bottom cat is a dark brown with black tail and ears. Slightly lighter brown areas can be see at hips and shoulders where he runs slightly warmer.
December 15, 2025 at 2:57 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
I love citrus sodas. I love ginger ale.

Despite being Kentucky born and raised, I do not love them together.
A green glass bottle with a white and red label that says ALE8 1
December 14, 2025 at 6:07 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Relaxing in his chair fort.
December 13, 2025 at 1:40 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
This is my @rogue151.bsky.social’s fancy gaming chair covered with one of our small blankets.

Why, you may ask? Because Kyoshi is a very spoiled cat and has come to expect his mother to set up his little tent before she goes to work.
A high backed light purple office-style chair with a red, navy, and cream block and plaid blanket draped over the back and arms in such a way that there is a cavity between the blanket and seat. Side view of the chair and blanket setup, where a dark seal point cat can be seen curled up and giving the camera side-eye.
December 13, 2025 at 1:37 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Making cookies for the department holiday shindig. Opal decided to supervise the making of the cream cheese frosting.
A medium-hair black, grey, and white tabby cat with blue eyes standing on top of a black refrigerator. A hand in the bottom right holds a discarded cream cheese wrapper up, and the cat is caught mid-lick.
December 11, 2025 at 4:07 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
First flower of this experimental round!

Also, because my cohort of undergrads are huge dorks this go-round, this plant was named Usain, because it was also the first to Bolt. 😂🙄
Small purple five-petalled corolla open to reveal stalk-like style and shriveled anthers.
December 3, 2025 at 2:23 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?

Reeeealllly think this could go either way and is very dependent on who, specifically, we're talking about.
Ensemble image from the Mighty Nein, an animated spinoff of the Critical Role web series. Seven people of different Dungeons and Dragons races are depicted.
November 26, 2025 at 2:08 AM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
No teaching today, but since SOMEONE took a header while carrying a box of unsecured plant labels, I’m spending time in the office playing the world’s worst game of solitaire. 😁
Labels for plant tags, ready to be put in pots once they’re in order.
November 25, 2025 at 6:09 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
At the late ni-morning, double-feature, picture show…
November 21, 2025 at 7:04 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
The plant tag quality inspection team is working hard this morning!
A dark seal-point cat with blue eyes is crouched on top of a sheet of plant labels that have just emerged from a laser printer. A medium-hair grey, black, and white cat with blue eyes is pawing curiously at a sheet of plant labels that have just emerged from a laser printer.
November 20, 2025 at 2:42 PM
sutherlandbl.bsky.social
Relevant to the newly described Australian horned bee:
How do YOU pronounce Megachile?

1) MEG-uh-KYE-lee

2) MEG-uh-CHILL-ee

3) SOMEthing ELSE

(Photo tax: Megachile campanulae taken with a dissecting scope last summer in Canada)
Small black and grey bodied bee with light greyish hairs taken under a microscope (the bee is anesthetized and flew away after a short recovery). A small cllump of light purple pollen is stuck to its right rear foot.
November 19, 2025 at 1:46 AM