Today is cloudy and cool.  It rained last night.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I planted 10 greenish-yellow 'Alicia' and 10 red 'Doubna' gladioli in the septic garden. 

I saw a skunk on the patio.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I planted a red portulaca and a purple torenia iin pots.

I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 5/28/25 -- I watered the newly planted things.

I've seen a catbird.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Today is cloudy and mild.

I haven't fed the birds yet, but I've seen sparrows and house finches at the feeders.

EDIT 5/27/25 -- I fed the birds. I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches, a catbird, and a mourning dove. Three fox squirrels were chasing each other around the trees. :D I heard a blue jay but didn't see it.

I put out water for the birds.

An iris is blooming brilliant primary yellow under the maple tree. :D It smells slightly sweet but not as strong as some others.

EDIT 5/27/25 -- I planted 4 green pear seeds in pots.

I watered the patio plants including the strawberry towers.

EDIT 5/27/25 -- I watered the septic garden.

EDIT 5/27/25 -- Of the 6 pots of Ozark coneflowers sowed 2/3/25, 4 pots had two sprouts and 2 pots had one sprout, making this among the most successful winter efforts and definitely one to repeat. I planted these toward the north end of the west strip of the prairie garden.

Yellow coreopsis and pink sweet William are blooming in the prairie garden. :D

EDIT 5/27/25 -- Of the 6 pots of prairie coneflowers sowed 2/3/25, 1 pot had two sprouts and 4 pots had one sprout, making this among the most successful winter efforts. I planted these toward the north end of the west strip of the prairie garden.

EDIT 5/27/25 -- Of the 6 pots of grayhead prairie coneflowers and 6 pots of black-eyed Susans sowed 2/23/25, none sprouted, so I probably won't bother with those again.

I sowed 6 pots with side-oats grama, 6 pots with river oats, and 6 pots with switchgrass. 

EDIT 5/27/25 -- Of the 6 pots of purple prairie clover sowed 2/3/25, 1 had a single sprout and 1 had several sprouts.  Another pot for a different species also had 1 sprout, not sure how that happened.  I planted those in the notch of the prairie garden.

EDIT 5/27/25 -- I watered the newly planted things in the prairie garden.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

This is an advance announcement for the Tuesday, June 3, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. This time the theme will be "Gentleness Is Strength." I'll be soliciting ideas for caregivers, first responders, clergy, outreach workers, philanthropists, an anonymous benefactor, activists, volunteers, teachers, parents, comares, strongmen, tough guys, superheroes, supervillains, other gentle and strong people, caregiving, feeding each other, babysitting, brushing or braiding hair, catching someone who's falling, lifting heavy things, volunteering, supporting people in hard times, offering crash space, helping someone move, creating intimacy, making friends, getting to know each other, cooking together, discovering things, improvising, adapting, cooperating, bartering, sharing, fixing what's broke, changing the world, accomplishing the impossible, Triton Teen Centers, the Peace Store, charities, homeless shelters, clothing banks, food pantries, soup kitchens, sobering centers, mentor circles, support groups, gyms, churches, sharehouses, intentional communities, other polyhomes, social justice departments in schools, clubs, quiet rooms, inclusive workplaces, Thalassia, the Maldives, community gardens, other helper hangouts, self-control, intentional neighboring, altruism, harm reduction, diversity, inclusivity, activist symbols, interfaith work, family dynamics, alternative family structures, partnerships not based on sex/romance, emotional closeness, first contact, rescue, interspecies relationships, trial and error, teamwork, found family, complementary strengths and weaknesses, personal growth, and poetic forms in particular.

Among my more relevant series for the main theme:

The Blueshift Troupers travel the galaxy helping colonies solve problems.

Clay of Life depends on the friendship between a blacksmith and a golem.

Daughters of the Apocalypse relies a lot on kindness for survival.

Frankenstein's Family has diverse subgroups interacting, of which the vampires in particular are gentle with others.

The Moon Door features a women's chronic pain support group, which is all about being gentle with each other.

One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis is about Shaeth learnng how to take care of his new followers.

Path of the Paladins balances gentleness and strength.

Peculiar Obligations is about Quakers and pirates learning to help each other.

Polychrome Heroics is largely about people helping people. Threads particularly focused on this include Antimatter and Stalwart Stan, Aquariana, the Big One, Iron Horses, Officer Pink, Rutledge, and Trichromatic Attachments.

Quixotic Ideas is fantasy with a gentle angle.

Schrodinger's Heroes save the world from alternate dimensions, and they take care of each other.

Or you can ask for something new.

Linkbacks reveal a verse of any open linkback poem.

If you're interested, mark the date on your calendar, and please hold actual prompts until the "Poetry Fishbowl Open" post next week. (If you're not available that day, or you live in a time zone that makes it hard to reach me, you can leave advance prompts. I am now.) Meanwhile, if you want to help with promotion, please feel free to link back here or repost this on your blog.

( New to the fishbowl? Read all about it! )