Toad Ya

 Walkin' and Readin' Wednesday!

Eastern Cottontail

Kid's Toy in a sidewalk hole.

New to me ginger kitty!

Haven't seen this grey kitty before either.

Fowler's Toad

Have been out in the neighborhood early in the day, and then later in the evening, and I see new critters often.

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Recent audiobooks:

American Creation: Triumphs and Tragedies at the Founding of the Republic

Author: Joseph J. Ellis 

Narrator: John H. Mayer

Published October 30, 2007

Non-fiction work covering 1775 to the Louisiana Purchase in 1803, detailing the political and ethical struggles of creating a government unlike any other.  

Who were making decisions: white males, often wealthy ones.

Who was left out: Women, slavery, indigenous peoples.

This book holds up a magnifying glass to the intent behind each person, and whether they stood by their own values as turmoil burgeoned.

Jaga and the Devil Trilogy

Devil's Deal, Book #1 published June 21, 2024

Devil's Doom, Book #2, published March 20, 2025

Devil's Dance, Book #3, published December 21, 2025

Author: Layla Fae

Narrators: Helena Walters and Troy Duran

Synopsis found online: "A completed Slavic-inspired dark fantasy romance trilogy, that follows a fierce mortal woman who defies a possessive devil, leading to a toxic, high-stakes enemies-to-lovers dynamic."

There are trigger warnings, and this series is Adult, with a capital A.

An Artful Dodge

Author:  Karen Odden

Narrator: Anna Burnett

Published June 2, 2026

Goodreads blurb: "Victorian London comes to vivid life in this riveting heist novel about an all-female thieving gang, and one young woman’s heroic plan to escape a life of crime."

Clever, with engaging characters, good mystery, and love the narrator's accents.

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Social Watch

 June 30 is Social Media Day AND Meteor Watch Day.

Where did I get this cool chart?

You've guessed it: from social media!

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Have been a meteor shower watcher since forever.

Have fond memories of laying in the backyard, wrapped in a sleeping bag, looking up!

The Hubby went with me on a few adventures, but he hates mosquitoes...and being cold...and being up late, so I run solo when the heavens put on a show.

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6/29 to 7/23: Woo Woo

What Is Mercury in Retrograde?

"In astrology, Mercury governs communication, technology, travel, and intellectual processes. When Mercury is in retrograde, it appears to move backward in its orbit when observed from Earth. Of course, it’s not actually reversing; it’s an optical illusion caused by the relative positions of Mercury and Earth in their orbits around the Sun.

Astrologers interpret this phenomenon as a time when Mercury's influence is "reversed," leading to disruptions in the areas it rules: communication, technology, travel, and intellectual processes. Mercury retrograde happens about three to four times a year, lasting approximately three weeks each time."

Learn more here.

And now, for some funnies, with adult language:

Why not blame all the craziness on the planets, right?

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And, to add to the craziness, the Full Strawberry Moon is Monday, June 29, 2026, at 7:57 p.m. EDT.

12:57 a.m. BST (British Summer Time) on June 30, 2026.

Photo taken at Eastside Cats on June 26, 2026.