@followthebluebell / followthebluebell.tumblr.com
ok, new rule.
I’m no longer going to answer asks along the lines of ‘What do you think about X Youtuber?’
I feel like I’ve already made it clear that I don’t watch ANY pet youtubers. I don’t WANT to watch any pet youtubers. I’m not going to watch them just so I can form an opinion on them. That’s homework and I’ve earned the right to never do homework again.
reverse gatekeeping. I am on my knees begging people to engage with the source material
I am a friend to all cats. Yes even the mean ones. They have their reasons.
Don't mind me, I was scrolling your blog and found the post about owl cafes, and now I'm too curious and horrified for my own good about a KEA being in a cafe? What was that about?
A couple of years back, a kea (Nestor notabilis) was found for sale in Japan in a bird cafe. We don't know how it got there. Like. We literally do not know how it is there. It's a pretty endangered bird--- beyond that, New Zealand has some of the strictest animal export laws in the world, right up there with Australia; hell, it only JUST lifted its export ban last year. The last kea export that I know of was in the late 90's and that was to a zoological facility in the States.
A cafe spokesman claims that the bird was imported from Europe, bred from animals obtained before the export ban in 1986. This... yeah, it's definitely possible, and is the only legal way the bird could be there. More than just the legal stuff, it's hard to imagine a single kea doing well in captivity.
These are amazingly social and demanding birds. All parrots need a substantial amount of social interaction, but kea are beyond even that. They've been filmed creating and using tools. Isolated individuals do badly even in professional zoos. I can't imagine a private home keeping one well. They also regularly take apart cars for fun, so again: not really a great animal to keep in a home.
Random question; anything I should be wary about in regards to valerian toys with my cat? She doesn't really react to nip and my vet didnt have any objections to her using it but valerian isn't common in Ireland so I'm a bit more nervous that I might be missing something
(I have looked using all combination of buzz words to no warning signs just wanted to ask an expert)
(I get her toys from German, the website I buy her food from stocks them: they moved the Irish fulfilment operations there after Brexit)
Valerian root is perfectly safe for cats c: Personally, I think the toys smell really bad. Just... kind of foul, really. A little bit like fish that's gone just slightly off, kind of? Thankfully it's not super strong. It's definitely noticeable when you're holding the toy, though.
I think I know which company you got it from too. I got a massive donation of their toys at the rescue a while back. I don't remember the name anymore and the packaging is long gone, but I'm pretty sure it's literally called Bavarian Cat Toy. The cats like them well enough. We've still got most of them, so they're really well made.
"You want the nuttyness in your face."
another instance where i simply have to post a puppy because well... i'm sure you can tell why
(not sharing the link because the breeder seems ... very sus)
I think that the real reason that Terry Pratchett is my favourite fantasy writer is that he’s the only one who really centres working people in his stories. I mean, Game of Thrones is almost entirely about the antics of rival aristocrats; Harry Potter is heir to two family fortunes and the subject of a prophecy and goes to an elite boarding school; even the Hobbits (save Sam) in The Lord of the Rings are minor gentry. Meanwhile, who are the main protagonists in Discworld? A recovering-alcoholic cop; an old peasant woman who lives in a cottage; a conman who was forced to take over the post-office. Pratchett writes entire novels about classes of people that other writers treat as background characters. He’s not condescending in his depictions; he’s willing to show enlisted soldiers as people, rather than arrow-fodder; and he’s aware that even ‘simple peasants’ know detailed information about things that wizards and knights can’t be arsed to care about; that everything about the world takes a hell of a lot of work that goes on behind the scenes and that most people never see, And he makes sure that you know this, too.
Discworld Heritage Post
Calling scam victims stupid, much like cult members, serves to do nothing but make you feel superior, blame victims for the wrongs done to them, and in turn actually makes you more vulnerable to scams (and cults, and so on). "Look at these people! Morons! I could never be one of them because I am smart, unlike these people who fell for them because they are stupid. It is not about vulnerability and luck, both of which are factors that could affect me, it is all simply a matter of in-born intelligence, which is why I, a better human, don't have to worry about falling for them."
And boom, you have already let your guard down - you would never fall for a scam (or cult, etc.) so you can safely click on that link or read that pamphlet because if it was a scam you'd have identified it as such immediately, because you are smart. You don't need to stop and question. You're too smart. And, really, if they didn't want to get scammed they shouldn't have gone out dressed like that.
We're all potential victims. Every single one of us has been at one point or another been at vulnerable to a scammer, or a pickpocket, or any other number of external force trying to harm you for their own benefit. Blaming the victims feels good but it doesn't help shit in the long run.
Being Cautious makes life really hard...everybody wants me to scan a QR code for some shit or click a link or sign in using an account or put information into a google form etc etc etc just for basic stuff and being like "I don't trust it" makes you seem weird
Its National Coyote Day! I look to them as my guiding animal, a true spirit of resilience, resistance, and growth. Every day I am grateful to embody and honor them.
got a major pest problem this year actually
UGH is is literally so much to ask that I have time and money to learn how to tailor clothes and embroider and knit and make cakes and bake bread and do makeup and hair and nails and do all my own diy projects around the house and
like I know this is probably so hard to make but my brain says I could do that and I need to do that
btw since this I have been beautifully and painfully trying to learn to cook, crochet, sew, paint etc and oh boy am I mediocre at a bunch of things but I’m having fun
Back for another attempt at croissants and this one turned out really well! They have almost exactly the taste I'm looking for: flaky, buttery, a little savory, and still bready. Still not quite there, but I am making progress. :)
Here is the recipe I followed. I added a bit more milk at the beginning because the dough was STILL too dry to come together, and I added less flour than instructed. I used three cups of flour rather than the 3 1/4.
Tips:
Brush a little water or milk onto your dough between lamination steps to ensure proper adhesion between layers.
Do not skip the egg wash. Yes, I know egg prices are absurd in the US. Just use the leftover wash for scrambled eggs and enjoy a breakfast croissant later.
Shape the croissants and let them proof for an hour, THEN put them in the fridge overnight (or at least 8 hours). You want them to be as cool as possible before they go into the oven to prevent butter from baking out.
this is how it feels to be genderfluid in a homophobic surrounding
I am beginning to believe that the werewolf is not the problem here.
the average rap battle has nothing on people who are still deeply in love after twenty years
Happy new year!!! I hope this year treats you well and that all the cats remain in good health with minimal trips to the vet!!!
For new years, I will refrain from asking about cat butts. Instead, i wanted to get some tips on cat play? I don't know if my cat's temperament is just lazy, but she used to dash around the house way more and any wand toy would have her skidding like the worst F1 racer. Now, she just flops and bats pathetically at it. That, or she watches us drag the toy around so it feels like I'm doing the workout, not her. She's not particularly food motivated either
Is there anything I can do to get her to move more? She's not obese or anything, but figured exercise is still good for her.
Thanks for always filling my feed with gatitos!! It always brightens my day!
Thank you! Roomba has been doing remarkably well lately, so my hope is that she continues to thrive! Which... is pretty good for a cat I swore was dying just a few weeks ago >>;; I guess I got a little panicky over a little bit of pancreatitis.
alright, so any cat who's suddenly lost interest in their usual activities should be seen by a vet, just to eliminate the possibility of some health problem, etc, etc. We all think of arthritis as an old age thing (and it can be), but it can affect cats of all ages, just like people.
Now that that's out of the way, take a look at the toys you've got on offer. Are they all pretty much the same design? It could be that she's just bored of the same thing and could use some variety. Even if all she likes are wand toys, there are a few variations. Like my cats absolutely lose their shit over worm-ona-string. Da Bird toy is pretty popular among my work cats. The only reason i don't have one at home is because Saia destroys them. Quickly.
The Cat Dancer is VERY traditional. I don't think the design has changed in like 40 years and that's because it doesn't need to. It's perfect.
At work, I'm more likely to use a toy like this one, tbh, because it's easier to direct in a smaller space.
For non-wand toys, plastic springs are beloved. Your cat also might appreciate a tunnel to play in, if you've got the room for one. And keeping a few catnip toys lying around can be a hit too; I recommend this toy banana or this toy carrot. They fall into that ideal 'small enough to carry, but also large enough to kick' range that keeps a lot of cats happy.
I know you didn't ask for toy reccs, but variety may be just the thing your cat needs for a little encouragement.
Good luck and happy new year!
