Dreaming Cosmos

Today I am making Tomato-Basil Bread from Hello! 365 Tomato Recipes: Best Tomato Cookbook Ever For Beginners, the yeast version from page 32.  We're out of parmesan cheese, so I substituted Manchego which is dry enough to grate and has a similarly sharp taste.  Already the dough is a very pretty salmon-pink, currently rising in a bowl set inside a bowl of warm water to help maintain temperature.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- Bread punched down and set for second rise.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- Bread in oven.

EDIT 11/2/25 -- It's done!  :D  This is better than the earlier quickbread I tried.  When baked, it is a bright, true salmon color thanks to the tomato sauce.  The outside is crusty, the inside is springy and chewy, with a mild tomato flavor and herbal hints.  If I make it again, I want to try the Little Italy Pizza Seasoning instead of plain crushed red pepper.  The loaf is small and round, yielding oval slices.  That's too small for grilled cheese sandwiches but would probably work for Bulgarian breakfast bread.

New study: Viewing art in galleries 'immediately' reduces cortisol levels, boosts health

“Our unique and original study provides compelling evidence that viewing art in a gallery is ‘good for you’ and helps to further our understanding of its fundamental benefits,” Dr. Tony Woods, the study’s senior author, said.

“In essence, art doesn’t just move us emotionally — it calms the body too.”

More specifically, cortisol levels — a key stress hormone in the human body — fell by an average of 22% in the gallery group, compared to just 8% in the control group.

( Read more... )

Here is my card for the Fairy Tales and Fantasy Stories Bingo over in allbingo. The fest runs from November 1-30. (See all my 2025 bingo cards.)

If you'd like to sponsor a particular square, especially if you have an idea for what character, series, or situation it would fit -- talk to me and we'll work something out. I've had a few requests for this and the results have been awesome so far. This is a good opportunity for those of you with favorites that don't always mesh well with the themes of my monthly projects. I may still post some of the fills for free, because I'm using this to attract new readers; but if it brings in money, that means I can do more of it. That's part of why I'm crossing some of the bingo prompts with other projects, such as the Poetry Fishbowl.

Underlined prompts have been filled.


FAIRY TALES BINGO CARD

Pixie	The Nightingale	The deeds of ordinary folks keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.	Vision	Castle
Glory	Hero	Elves	Journey	Enchanted
Music	Very little worth knowing is taught by fear.	WILD CARD	Golden Hair	Fairies
Fairy Ring	Solitude	Shadow	The Dark Tower	Twilight
Golem	Trickster	Once Upon a Time	I didn't want power. All I wanted was control. Over my life.	Magical Power

Tonight we held our Samhain ritual, with a theme of Hekate.  It rained a few days ago so we were able to light the bonfire.  \o/  We had a really good time. 

Today is mostly sunny and mild.

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

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 10/31/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 10/31/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 10/31/25 -- I did more work around the patio.

EDIT 10/31/25 -- We set up for our Samhain ritual.

A great horned owl is hoo-hooing outside.  :D

I am done for the night.
 

libraries as resistance

In a system that wants to dismantle education and undermine critical thought, libraries become sanctuaries of truth, radical hope, and quiet rebellion.


Generously stocked, freely accessible, public libraries are ideal.

However, if the government destroys them, we have another option: private libraries run by actual bookworms. A library can be stocked quite cheaply with used books, hence the Little Free Library movement and swap shelves. But if you have or can afford to rent or buy space in a building, then you can provide a bigger collection. A private library is not at the mercy of the government, and you are free to do things like ban censorship.

Revisit those who have passed during the year. These entries from my "Moment of Silence" tag highlight those who have died recently. Some of my posts have a "Carry on the Work" section regarding the person's accomplishments in case anyone else wants to explore those.

Browse ways to celebrate Dia de los Muertos.

Here are some things to do for Samhain. See the Greenhaven Coven page for Samhain and its recipes.

Does anyone else have names to remember?