It looks like just pinpricks of lights flicking off and on. It's some of the hundreds to thousands of fireflies in my yard, after years of fostering their environment.
It's come a long way since I moved in. It used to be that I could stand in the yard during firefly season and count 30+ seconds before seeing a flash. It's still not at the level I remember seeing in local areas a couple decades ago, when fields would practically glow with how many fireflies lit the air above them. But it's not nothing. And maybe my yard doesn't make a huge difference on its own, but when you multiply it by hundreds, by thousands, by millions... it adds up.
Did you know it takes years, multiple, for firefly larvae to mature into beetles? You won't see immediate, drastic effects if you start trying to help them. But when you believe in the long game, you'll see it improve over time. I don't have to wait 30 seconds to see the glow of a firefly in my yard anymore. In fact I can't count seconds anymore. There's always a light on.
I stopped stopping them. I leave my lawn to grow long during their breeding season and when mowing don't mow to the ground, I leave the fallen leaves from my trees (we will rake some out of our paths, but we mostly leave them alone), and I pull out non-native flora when I can ID it. Leaving outdoor lights off (like porch lights) can help as well, as it allows them to see each other blinking.
Pupping season is winding down as summer begins, but the harbor seal spectacular is just getting started!
After giving birth, harbor seals will linger at the rookery as mothers bond with their pups and teach them the ways of the water. The little ones follow in momās flipper-steps, learningĀ important life skills like hunting, galumphing, and riding waves onto the beach for a well-deserved nap. Itās tough work, but somebodyās gotta do it! š¦
Harbor seals are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972,Ā a key U.S. law that protects seals, whales, otters, and other beloved aquatic species from harmful human activity.Ā
If you venture out for some seal spotting this summer, stay quiet and keep a distance of 50 yards. Itās more than just the right thing to doāgetting too close to marine mammals like harbor seals can mean big fines and even jail time for a law-breaking human!
So mellow out, settle in, and enjoy your day on the bay with the chill vibes of a sleepy harbor seal. šļøāļø
People leaving comments on my posts about Indigenous knowledge as a science and its relationship with Western science like, "I know Indigenous knowledge is extremely valuable and important, but I only trust verified science." You're just racist. I'm not going to be polite.
Today, many scientists acknowledge the troubling attitudes that have long plagued research projects in Indigenous communities [...] But some Indigenous groups feel that despite such well-intentioned initiatives, their inclusion in research is only a token gesture to satisfy a funding agency.
That's you. You only want tokens for optics. You can't say, "I respect Indigenous knowledge butā" No, you don't respect Indigenous knowledge. Western science is not the only "real" science and your attempts to argue otherwise are racist. There is no argument.
It's like I'm talking to a wall. All the time when I discuss my work as a wildlife & fisheries biologist, I discuss what I have learned directly from Indigenous people in my everyday work yet it's so clear that so many people hear that and think I'm bringing it up for what reason? To appear somehow progressive?
Has everyone just believed this whole time that I bring it up for optics?
Everyone nods, "of course he mentions Indigenous people," because they believe it would simply look bad for me if I didn't.
In fact Indigenous knowledge is a constant topic of conversation and point of reference when I discuss my work as a scientist who uses Western science because my work is useless without it.
I work with endangered species which are endangered solely due to continual colonial violence against people and the land. I can follow the Western scientific method all I want and publish 100 papers on how to fix salmon populationsāand get nowhere without Indigenous knowledge and sovereignty.
Indigenous knowledge is not an afterthought to reference as back up to Western science. Believe it or not, we can and should lead any number of scientific projects with Indigenous knowledge.
You need to change how you regard Indigenous knowledge on a fundamental level.
bagele chilisa's book 'indigenous research methodologies' was published in 2019, btw. it's focused on decolonizing current western research practices, but obviously to decolonize you have to understand how and why indigenous sciences deserve consideration in the first place, and what counts as evidence when we look at a body of research.
State officials in New York say the Salmon River district's special education program confined young children with disabilities in wooden bo
CW for seclusion, abuse.
A school in New York confined disabled Native children in wooden boxes. Indigenous children and disabled children have a long history of experiencing mistreatment and harm in schools. Everyone deserves an education free from seclusion and restraint.
For more information on the harms of seclusion, check outĀ the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint.
The Heartstopper webcomicās first update dropped on September 1st 2016. Today, on April 11th 2026, the story has concluded.
I donāt quite know how to put all of my feelings into one letter. Heartstopper means more to me than words can express, but Iāll try my best.
Heartstopper has defined the past decade of my life. It started as a fun side project and quickly grew into something much bigger, eventually becoming my career. Despite that huge and unexpected change, making the Heartstopper comic feels the same to me as it did on day one. When I sit down to make Heartstopper, I feel at peace. When the world feels so scary and difficult, I have been able to return to Heartstopper, and everything feels okay again for a little while.Ā
Nick and Charlie first appeared as supporting characters in my first novel, āSolitaireā. In Solitaire, Nick and Charlie represent the idea that hope, love, joy and connection can persist and thrive despite the trials and tribulations of being alive. So maybe itās ironic that Nick and Charlie have come to represent this in my own life. They have brought me joy. They have given me purpose. They have given me everything, really. And Iām so grateful for every moment I have spent with them.
Heartstopper is profoundly special to me. Which makes it extremely hard to say goodbye.
But it is time. I always knew that Nick going to university would be the end point of the story. And despite how sad I am to be bidding farewell to these characters, I am so, so proud and excited to have made it to the end and concluded the story exactly the way I wanted to.
Any webcomic creator can tell you that making a webcomic requires a heavy amount of determination and endurance. To draw a page almost every day for the past ten years has required a lot of sacrifice and a lot of energy. But every moment was worth it. And now that it is complete, Nick and Charlieās story can be experienced from beginning to end, for the rest of forever.
I wouldnāt have made it here alone. From the very start, Heartstopperās readers have offered so much support, love, community, conversation, and enthusiasm. Knowing that there are people out there who love these characters just like I do has given me the strength to keep going. Iāve also had the support of many colleagues, friends, and family members, whoāve all helped in different ways at various points in the past decade. Thank you so, so much to everyone who has been here for the journey.Ā
I have no idea what Iāll make next. For now, Iām taking a break. And I know that Nick and Charlie wonāt simply vanish. I expect I will always return to drawing them and writing about them, probably in smaller ways, for the rest of my life, as long as my body allows.
Nick and Charlie will forever be in my heart, hand in hand on a beach somewhere.
Look at this muppet (Paradoxophyla sp., maybe a new species? we aren't sure yet). Just look at his hilarious face. This is not the face a frog is supposed to have. What are you doing with that NOSE?Āæ?Āæ?
It's our last Show and Tell Saturday of the month! I've acquired far too many types of glue in an effort to attach silicone to fabric - hopefully something sticks :) What's new in your world this week?
Also my insulated lunch box broke and Iām really good at holding grudges and wasnāt about to break my Target boycott to get a new one, so instead I spent two nights making a new one.
These are both so good - I'm so fond of anything with a space theme, so your lunch box is wonderful! Great job on the socks as well they look very cozy :)
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