Catherine Lancaster
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catlancaster.bsky.social
Catherine Lancaster
@catlancaster.bsky.social
1.6K followers 1.3K following 780 posts
Seattle. Lover of animals, music, cooking, arts & culture, and statistics & economics. Trying to see as much of the world as possible while I'm still here.
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catlancaster.bsky.social
Catherine Lancaster @catlancaster.bsky.social · Nov 25
My home office here in Seattle, specifically the Fremont neighborhood.

As silly as it may seem, I try to add a little bit of joy, whimsy, and warmth to work and home 🦋
catlancaster.bsky.social
I have been out if town for 5 days and it's the first time my 2 yo kittens have has a cat sitter.

She NEVER saw Aloysius and this is the best she got with Bjorn.

I know they're fine, but I *can't wait* to get home to them tonight as I know just how scared they are 💚

#caturday ##catsofbluesky
A terrified black kitten is hiding in the bottom of a closet.
January 31, 2026 at 3:13 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Has anyone heard yet who the Seahawks are going to be sold to?

#Seattle #Seahawks
catlancaster.bsky.social Catherine Lancaster @catlancaster.bsky.social · 1d
Wow! The Seattle Seahawks are going to be sold after the Superbowl!

I don't know to whom, but that's kinda crazy. And why didn't they wait until after the game to tell the fans? Especially Seattle fans due to history (Sonics).
January 30, 2026 at 11:01 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Wow! The Seattle Seahawks are going to be sold after the Superbowl!

I don't know to whom, but that's kinda crazy. And why didn't they wait until after the game to tell the fans? Especially Seattle fans due to history (Sonics).
January 30, 2026 at 10:50 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
One of the suggestions is the play: "Here There Are Blueberries."

I saw this last week and loved it.

Amazing production designs which added extra intensity to a profound and deeply troubling play about the every day lives of the officers and day workers at Auschwitz and how normal they found it.
seattletimes.com The Seattle Times @seattletimes.com · 2d
From Tacoma’s best restaurants to thought-provoking and beloved theater productions, here are the latest local things to do around the Seattle area.
11 things to do around the Seattle area this weekend
www.seattletimes.com
January 30, 2026 at 7:31 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
And next will be Ohio, b/c they're a red state, and he'll expect that there won't be any protesters. Or at least, very few.

My guess is they'll try to use that to change the narrative...
jkarsh.bsky.social Jason Karsh @jkarsh.bsky.social · 2d
And there you have it. The feral government’s violent assault on the people of Minnesota will continue.
atrupar.com Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · 2d
Q: So you're not pulling back in Minnesota?

TRUMP: No no. Not at all.
January 30, 2026 at 5:00 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Tonight I saw the play: "Here There Are Blueberries" and thought the stage production almost rivaled "Dear Evan Hansen" in staging - it was brilliant.

I also cried almost through the whole play, and I think others did too.

I went to Auschwitz on January 28th 2001 - the day after 'liberation day'
January 23, 2026 at 6:16 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Yesterday's baking project was: shortbread-esque cookies filled w/ punched-up Nutella.

I don't have a recipe for this one, but I'll put the steps in a second post.

These are super easy & a huge hit every time. More than once I have brought these for the first day of a new job, & became a hero 😉🍪
The finished shortbread-esque cookies with extra chocolatey Nutella centers, and a dab of filling on the top w/ crushed hazelnuts. 11 shortbread-esque sandwich cookies, cooling on a rack before being filled.
January 15, 2026 at 11:35 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Yesterday, I made graham cracker mini-tarts b/c the shells were taking up space in my pantry & I actually don't like them 😉

I made an almond butter & maple syrup paste, pressing it gently up the sides.

Then filled them w/ chocolate granche & will serve w/ whipped cream.

#baking #chocolatetarts
January 14, 2026 at 11:12 PM
Reposted by Catherine Lancaster
catlancaster.bsky.social
I am v concerned about Iran right now & the lack of info coming out due to the blackouts.

I'm also immensely proud of the ppl protesting but also deeply worried about loss of life.

I'm sharing some pics from my trip there in 2015; a beautiful country w/ amazing ppl. (more in Alt text)

#iran
I (a woman) am standing behind a large boulder with five young children standing next to and with me. We're in the village of Fars, near the Sarab-e Bahram reliefs. There are other boulders and gravel behind us, as well as shrubs and trees. Everyone is laughing and joyful. A gate/front door to a house in the village of Fars in Iran. The door is approximately 12 feet across and has intricate, curved metal work, and stained glass in various shades of orange on the sides and one long piece on the top. Right below the orange glass on the top, is a grey piece of glass that spans the whole 12 foot gate. A decorated door in the village of Fars in Iran. The door/gate is painted a very light blue, with downward stripes of various widths in a light green. Decorations on the doors are in the shape of diamonds, and protrude from the flat surface. One large diamond is blue and has a smaller peach colored one its center. Next to it are two other peach colored diamonds. A door/gate in the village of Fars in Iran. The structure is about 12 feet wide and has six panels to it. Each panel has a white background, is trimmed in green, and have a deep blue elongated shape in the center.
January 11, 2026 at 1:45 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
I am v concerned about Iran right now & the lack of info coming out due to the blackouts.

I'm also immensely proud of the ppl protesting but also deeply worried about loss of life.

I'm sharing some pics from my trip there in 2015; a beautiful country w/ amazing ppl. (more in Alt text)

#iran
I (a woman) am standing behind a large boulder with five young children standing next to and with me. We're in the village of Fars, near the Sarab-e Bahram reliefs. There are other boulders and gravel behind us, as well as shrubs and trees. Everyone is laughing and joyful. A gate/front door to a house in the village of Fars in Iran. The door is approximately 12 feet across and has intricate, curved metal work, and stained glass in various shades of orange on the sides and one long piece on the top. Right below the orange glass on the top, is a grey piece of glass that spans the whole 12 foot gate. A decorated door in the village of Fars in Iran. The door/gate is painted a very light blue, with downward stripes of various widths in a light green. Decorations on the doors are in the shape of diamonds, and protrude from the flat surface. One large diamond is blue and has a smaller peach colored one its center. Next to it are two other peach colored diamonds. A door/gate in the village of Fars in Iran. The structure is about 12 feet wide and has six panels to it. Each panel has a white background, is trimmed in green, and have a deep blue elongated shape in the center.
January 11, 2026 at 1:45 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Continuing w/ baking projects, last night I made Ina Garten's Outrageous Brownies.

I'm including a copies of the recipes for what I'm making & a note on this one: The original made 24 HUGE brownies & used 2lbs of chocolate. I scaled it down for a 9X9 pan & 16 normal sized pieces.

#baking #brownies
Brownie squares are on a clear glass plate which is sitting on a blue placemat. The block of brownies as they came out of the oven and while they are cooling. They have not yet been cut, so it's a 9X9 square sitting on a piece of parchment paper. The Ina Gartner's recipe for Outrageous Brownies that I used in making these, however, it has been scaled for a 9X9 inch pan. This makes for 16 normal sized brownies versus the original recipe that made 24 extra large brownies and used 2 pounds of chocolate.
January 10, 2026 at 1:08 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
This is beautiful and made by elementary school kids. What a great way to learn while being creative and having fun 🐋

#deceptionpass #wastateparks
whaletalesorg.bsky.social Whale Tales @whaletalesorg.bsky.social · 24d
Check out this mural in Deception Pass State Park! It was made by students at Hillcrest Elementary School in Oak Harbor, WA made of plastic lids that couldn’t be recycled. ⠀

#TalesOfSavingWhales #WhaleTales #BePlasticWise
January 8, 2026 at 7:11 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
I am job hunting, which means I have way too much empty time.

There are only so many jobs being posted and even applying for EVERYTHING I'm qualified for only takes about an hour a day.

So, to fill the void - I've been doing more baking. Last night was:

Coconut Macaroons w/Chocolate 🥥 🍫
#baking
Chocolate covered coconut macaroons are on a round plate that is sitting on a kitchen counter. In the background are canisters containing nuts, dried fruit, and chocolate chips. Coconut macaroons that have been freshly drizzled w/ chocolate are sitting on a wire mesh atop a sheet pan lined with wax paper. The recipe that was used to make the coconut macaroons with chocolate.
January 8, 2026 at 5:26 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
I'm feeling the need for a little levity this evening...
It's a picture of the musician The Weekend in an outfit that makes him appear like the character Wednesday from the Netflix show, and was originally created by Charles Addams. The caption reads: "When you think it's the The Weekend But it's only Wednesday"
January 8, 2026 at 3:04 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Scandinavia has been on my mind more than normal lately, and I think that's driving my nostalgia and why I'm going through old trip pictures, but these are the last.

I think part of me is worried travel will become more difficult for Americans soon and I am dreading that immensely...

#Iceland
The door to the Women's room at the Kex Hostel in Reykjavik, Iceland. On the door is a picture of a woman in 1930's style one-piece undergarment. The various components of the undergarment are labeled with what they are (e.g., strap, cup, garter, etc.) in a very dry, and professional manner. A mural on the basement window of a row house. The mural is painted on the window itself, and it is rows of cute, little songbirds in white. The Sun Voyager statue in Reykjavik, Iceland. The statue is sitting on a platform in front of a large bay with mountains visible on the other side of the water. A taxidermied artic fox is curled around as if sleeping on a desk in the lounge of a hotel in Iceland. The fox is light brown (it must have died during the summer b/c they don't get their white coats each year until winter starts), and is wearing a scarf around its neck. There is a lamp behind the desk the fox is on, and a window behind. Out the window are snow capped mountains and a small frozen lake.
January 7, 2026 at 3:53 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
I'm sharing pics of the N/A wines I drink at home, as I know more people are getting curious about these wines & there are so many now that it can be daunting...

This is a nice 'everyday red' from Odd Bird that went wonderfully w/ a steak salad. Odd Bird is one of the best.🍷

#nawines #dryjanuary
A wine glass that's half full sits on a kitchen counter next to the bottle of the N/A wine that it was poured from. The wine is Odd Bird, and they are one of the better N/A wine producers. A close up of the front of the bottle, showing the brand name - Odd Bird - and which grapes were used in the wine: Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre. A picture of the back of the bottle with the nutritional labels.
January 6, 2026 at 1:47 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
January 4, 2018 in Iceland.

We picked up the rental car at 11AM as the moon was still high in the sky and it wasn't yet light. True daylight was pretty much b/w noon and 3PM, which I enjoyed while I was there, but it did make driving in the country a little harrowing.
A street scene with buildings (hotel & office) and parked cars on the side of the road. It's 11AM but the sky is dark and a full moon is sitting at 6:00, somewhat low in the sky. This was in Reykjavik, Iceland. A stone wall in the foreground below a raised plateau on which a small, wooden, black church sits. The ground near the church is clear with winter's dried grasses and there is a small amount of snow near the base of the stone wall. Snow capped mountains are in the background. This is at the Búðakirkja or "Black Church" on the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, in Iceland. A woman (me), is standing on gravel with the Norwegian Sea in the background. This is at the Dyrhólaey Nature Reserve, formerly known by seamen as Cape Portland, and is a small promontory located on the south coast of Iceland, not far from the village Vík
January 4, 2026 at 9:07 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
My first time contributing (very!) amateur pics to the #BirdOfTheDay
Today's theme is #caughtinmotion captured in movement #birds

Blue-headed & Red-and-Green Macaws at the Tambopata Clay licks in Bolivia. I took these in 2006 w/ a crappy camera b/c I didn't have a good one to take on that trip...
Red-and-Green Macaws flying to and from the Tambopata Clay licks in Bolivia as they are eating. Blue-Headed Macaws flying to-and-fro at the Tambopata Clay licks in Bolivia.
January 3, 2026 at 10:35 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
I have been drinking N/A wines at home for a couple of years now.

It took me awhile to find ones that I liked, but now I have a good selection of 'everyday' reds & whites & a couple of especially nice reds.

I still try new bottles though & this is the one I tried tonight:

#dryjanuary #nawines
A half-full glass of white wine sits on a counter next to the open bottle of the wine that was just poured. The cork is on the counter in front. The wine is from Band of Vintners and is an non-alcoholic one. A close of picture of a bottle of N/A wine from Band of Vintners.
January 3, 2026 at 3:29 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
I spent a week at Xmas in Copenhagen seven years ago. My hotel was just a few blocks from the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum, where I fell in love w/ a particular marble statue.

I ended up going there for breakfast more than once so I could see my new friends again :-)

#copenhagen #carlsbergmuseum
Marble statue in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark of a man on his kneeling in front of a woman on a pedestal as he is kissing her legs. Looking skyward, on a grey winter's day - the atrium in the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek Museum. The atrium is filled with tropical plants & trees, and this is where the tables are for eating meals at the museum. A breakfast table in the museum, with a cup of coffee, a croissant, and a glass of orange juice.
January 2, 2026 at 11:38 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
New Year's day 2018 in Oslo, Norway.

I had seen the fox the night before during a snow storm and wanted to go back the next day. Most of the snow was gone already, and there was a 2" (5cm) layer of ice that was wicked slippery to walk on.

#foxes #publicart #Oslo #NYD
Oslo, Norway a public art statue of an orange fox in a park that is iced over after a snow storm. A woman (me) is wearing all black, except for bright orange gloves that match the color of the fox, and bend towards it. Oslo, Norway a public art statue of an orange fox in a park at night covered in snow.
January 1, 2026 at 9:50 PM
catlancaster.bsky.social
What's the deal with all the 'flash bangs' for celebrations?

That's new...
January 1, 2026 at 7:44 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
The Space Needle NYE show doesn't start until 11:45, so A&B are 'chilling' to get ready!

(Not really, as I don't think they could care less. I have never met two kitties who have zero fear of fireworks or the noise associated with them...)
A black cat draped over a person's legs (its human mom) - while I'm sure it's thinking of nothing but joy and good tidings in 2026 for all 💚 The backside of a brown tabby cat sticking out from under a coffee table next to a blue lit Christmas tree.
January 1, 2026 at 4:08 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Today, I finished my New Yorkers through June '22 & am damn proud of myself!

During the pandemic, I cleared my backlog from 2010 to 2019 (huge!) but today, it's more babysteps, though always thrilled w/ progress!

These ads however, remind me how much change can happen in a short period of time...😉
The cover of the June 13th, 2022 The New Yorker. An ad in The New Yorker magazine with Sam Bankman-Fried talking up FTX, with the ad copy: "I'm in on Crypto because I want to make the biggest global impact for good" An ad in the same issue of The New Yorker with Gisele Bündchen for FTX, with the ad copy: "I'm in on FTX because we share a passion for creating positive change."
December 31, 2025 at 1:52 AM
catlancaster.bsky.social
Wow, I actually went through and *looked* at each of these photos, I didn't just scroll through, because they were so amazing.

As someone who goes to a fair amount of music events, I pay special attention to concert photos - and these are truly some of the best quality shots I've seen.
December 28, 2025 at 9:19 PM