June 2020

Free Plants!

Yesterday one of our local feed stores was getting rid of dozens of free plants, which I really appreciate. Rather than let them die, like many stores might do, they just give them away. That made me wonder about how you might find free plants elsewhere.

Turtle Tea

Recently I learned about another cool indie tea company called Happy Turtle Tea. Yes, they have a lot of fandom blends, which is how I learned about them in the first place, but holy smokes do their blends look appealing! Some of them even have marshmallows, and there's one that is supposed to taste close to coffee!

This Week's Reads

The other night, I spent the entire night up reading. It was the most luxurious thing I think I've done all year. I knew I had work to do and homeschooling to prep, but it really is my favorite thing to do. I read Magic in the Wind and Naked in Death, both books starters to a series, and while I wasn't a big fan of either of them, it was a nice escape and I've decided to continue reading both series.

Most Seattle Diners Not Ready To Dine Out

I live in one of those areas where everyone can't WAIT to dine out. You know that meme going around of the lady who can't live without cheese on her fajitas? That's what it's like where I am. Yeah. So we are DEFINITELY not eating out in restaurants and social distancing like crazy. But in a place like Seattle, where more precautions are being taken, do you feel safe going out yet?

How Do You Flavor Your Drinks?

There are so many great ways to flavor drinks that I wonder why people even go to Starbucks anymore! OK, Starbucks is delicious, but I can make most of what they make at home for way fewer calories and carbs. Jodran's Skinny Syrups is one of my favorite methods in doing so, but I've been finding lots of other great low-calorie, low-carb alternatives lately. One that I can't wait to try is One on One Flavors.

Fun LGBTQ Crafts For Pride Month

Many are using Pride Month to stand up for Black voices and to protest, which is deep within the roots of Pride to begin with. We can thank trans Black women, most notably Marsha P. Johnson, for Pride to begin with. That doesn't mean you can't make some fun crafts at home to also celebrate, especially if you have kids involved. Making these together is a wonderful way to celebrate your kids' gender identities and sexual orientations.

Psychedelic Kicks

Grateful Dead swag has never been in short supply, but a pair of Grateful Dead shoes is especially fun. Sanuk Shoes featuring Grateful Dead designs are unisex, come in both sandals and flip-flops and are perfect for summer.

These sweet shoes range from $32 to $70 and are made for all ages. They feature tie dye and the Dead's well-known skull and roses pattern, making them easily representative of the band.

Gilead's Bottom Line: Thousands For Coronavirus Treatment

Who decides to charge people $2,340 to $3,120 for treatment during a pandemic? Gilead does. That's what they've announced as the prices for treatment for those on government healthcare plans and those who have private insurance, respectively. And who makes this kind of outrageous pricing available? The American government, of course.

Poetry For Difficult Times

The value of art is sometimes seen in the everyday by those who routinely appreciate it, but in difficult times it's especially soothing to those who struggle with daily life. Like their close cousins, songs, poems have an ability to connect us, inspire us and help us express our feelings and hopes in a way that conversation--especially in the digital age--sometimes fails to do.

SCOTUS Strikes Down Abortion Law In Louisiana

John Roberts might be one of the more moderate (ish) voices on the Supreme Court, and plenty of people are saying that his help in not only passing LGBTQ workplace protection in accordance with the Civil Rights Act and the more recent ruling against the abortion restrictions in Louisiana points toward his ability to separate his views from his rulings... but I'm still quite wary. For starters, that's simply not always the case with Justice Roberts.

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