Laura Blanchard

I think that Daylight Savings time should start later so we don't have those dark mornings.

Will Noel contemplates an unusual acquisition -- a short sword fabricated from a narwhal horn.

Are you a friend, colleague, or admirer of the open access work of the late, great Will Noel? Nominate an open access project for the Noel Prize Award (deadline March 15). Details: pacscl.org/what-we-do/f...

This is good stuff...

Photo of Hippeastrum 'La Paz,' a cybister hybrid, with slender red and green tepals.

A cleanse for your feed as the level of political angst rises: my beautiful Hippeastrum 'La Paz,' a cybister hybrid, now opening on my windowsill. You're welcome.

Proud non-user of this sinister device.

How a Black history tour kept the story of the President’s House alive after the Trump administration tried to erase it The National Park Service began restoring slavery exhibits at the President's House on Thursday, but in the last few weeks Philadelphians made sure the story was told despite the bare walls.

The signage is back at The President's House historic site. For now.
share.inquirer.com/Wi6KW4

I want the hat! Unfortunately, it's out of stock -- for a preorder???

The only thing better than reading about the Supreme Court's tariff decision is reading about the reaction of that man in the White House.

How devastating.

Whoa.

Indeed. That hair is epic. So is the velvet tunic.

Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue

Welp, so much for my plan to order some red yarn...

Awwww...

Photo of a brooding August Derleth with impossibly wavy hair.

They're both wrong. It's clearly August Derleth.

Photo of an iPad screen with Edward G. Pettit and Dr Sara Brown discussing Chapter Two of The Hobbit, with a bowl of popcorn in the foreground.

When I'm not doomscrolling, caregiving, preparing for the Flower Show, or protesting, there's always Tolkien. This online read-through of The Hobbit is definitely popcorn-worthy. The sessions are live-streamed on YouTube with recordings available later.
www.rosenbach.org/programs/bib...

Poster of a rally in support of the restoration of signage at the president's house site: February 10, 2026, 3:30 PM, sixth and market Street in Philadelphia.

More opportunities to support the restoration of the President's House signage...

My prediction: PMA knows that it has to change or die, and there will perforce continue to be changes.

"Philadelphia Art Museum" does not flow as smoothly as "Philadelphia Museum of Art." It becomes Philadelphyart Museum. They've kept the redesign but not the rebranding and I am fine with that. The new griffin rocks.

Sign the Petition Tell The Truth: Restore the President’s House Slavery Memorial

I signed the petition to restore the interpretive signage at the President's House, where George Washington Washington evaded Pennsylvania's gradual emancipation law.
www.change.org/RestoreOurHi...

What if we donated a penny?

Closeup of a shocking pink Schlumbergera truncata, showing several blooms in various stages of maturity.

The weather and the news are both frightful but the holiday cactus doesn't care.

Judge chastises Trump administration attorney in hearing over dismantled President’s House exhibits The city wants the judge to order that no more exhibits be removed and that the already-removed exhibits be protected as the litigation continues.

Gift link:
share.inquirer.com/VgnUJX

The administration's removal of signage about slavery at the President's House in Philadelphia included a panel about the venerable Pennsylvania Abolition Society. Today they issued a statement.

paabolition.org/presidents_h...

Not here...

Close-up of the tabby cat known as Buddy staring imploringly at me from my lap. "Don't get up!" his green eyes beg me wordlessly. In the background: computer keyboard and other office paraphernalia.

I am stirred up about ICE, Trump's multifarious malefactions, and the attempt to erase George Washington's shenanigans over his enslaved house servants at Independence Park, but Buddy says he has a warm lap and all is well.

Those who try to erase this particular past are about to learn a lesson of a different sort.

I think that there are some much better photos out there. I think the Inquirer ran some today in an explainer about what the NPS reviewers objected to.

DEADLINE APPLICATION: January 26, 2026 for Pennsylvania Abolition Society grants.

Our gift to the snowbound: something to do between bouts of shoveling. Grab an electronic copy of your 501(c)(3) letter and think about what you might do with another $1,000 or so.

Paabolition.org/grants.html

This hurts my soul.