Anna Urbanek
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annaurbanek.bsky.social
Anna Urbanek
@annaurbanek.bsky.social
180 followers 89 following 170 posts
Writer, graphic designer, witch. I write books on magic and natural sciences. Trying to live slow and sustainably in Tampere, Finland.
50% of the @doubleproficiency.com, 0% generative AI. she/her
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annaurbanek.bsky.social
I'm playing Shadowrun Returns to scratch an itch between Shadowrun sessions, and I'm just visiting Universal Brotherhood who invited me with a slogan: Build a Better Tomorrow.

Little do they know, my PC is called Tomorrow, and she's there to eat free cafeteria lunch and wreck stuff.
A screenshot from Shadowrun Returns video game. A building front to a church-like building on a cyberpunk street. The text above the entrance reads: Universal Brotherhood. Build a Better Tomorrow. A dwarven usher in front of the door says in a speech bubble: "Join us and change the world!"
November 17, 2025 at 5:29 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 23. Looks like we moved to The Other season! Poinsettia's red leaves are equivalent to Christmas here!

One day, my cats stop eating every single plant I house, and I'll be free to have some of those 😅
Colors of Finland, 10th November 2025. A photograph of poinsettias (Euphorbia pulcherrima) in a store. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: yellowish greens and reds.
November 11, 2025 at 7:52 AM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 22. Uh-oh. We're getting there.

A month and a half, and it'll start getting brighter!
Colors of Finland, 9th November 2025. A photograph of a darkening sky framed by two leafless trees towering above. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: a gradient of mostly blues.
November 10, 2025 at 5:47 AM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 21.

Coming soon to Monster Manuals near you, the angry snowflake demon!
Colors of Finland, 8th November 2025. A photograph of a double-bulb lamp post with a lit up snowflake decoration placed below and between the bulbs. Thanks to the light blur, it looks like an angry moster. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: grays, blues and yellows.
November 8, 2025 at 2:50 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 20.

Some people in our town did not yet remove their Halloween decorations.

Pros: I got to see them.
Cons: I got jump-scared by a fake giant spider last night.
Colors of Finland, 7th November 2025. A photograph of a Halloween decoration: a fake giant spider on a spiderweb stretched over a tree. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: dark blues, street-light yellow and off-whites.
November 8, 2025 at 11:20 AM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 19.

Y'all. This is not a drill. I need y'all to witness it.

We have a blue sky. I repeat, we have a blue sky.

Might be the last this year!
Colors of Finland, 6th November 2025. A photograph of a blue sky above autumn trees. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: a gradient of sky blues.
November 6, 2025 at 1:27 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 18. Our blackcurrant bushes are weirdly hopeful. Alas, it's still November.
Colors of Finland, 5th November 2025. A photograph of hopeful leaf buds on a blackcurrant bush. Against a background of dying vegetation, because it's November in Finland. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: pastel greens and purplish-browns.
November 5, 2025 at 3:23 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 17. Our garden provided some nice mushrooms for all of us to enjoy. They're so jiggly*!

*Professional mycologist vocabulary.
Colors of Finland, 4th November 2025. A photograph of brown jelly fungi on a branch of lilac. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: a gradient of warm and purplish browns.
November 4, 2025 at 1:01 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 16. In Poland, we call this time of the year "Golden Polish Autumn." Finland's not that lucky (darker and more moist on average), but there's still some gold to be found.
Colors of Finland, 3rd November 2025. A photograph yard trees covered in yellow-golden leaves. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: golden yellows and olive green.
November 3, 2025 at 1:48 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 15*. Found something that's not yellow/orange/brown!

Back-posted for yesterday, because I and consistency have an on-again-off-again relationship.
Colors of Finland, 2nd November 2025. A photograph of red-leaved dog rose bush. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: from hot pink-red to pastel oranges to green.
November 3, 2025 at 1:37 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 14. Last year, we already had the first snow. For now, it's still relatively warm (6 C) and pleasant. Our neighbors have a magnificent chestnut tree (Aesculus hippocastanum) right next to an equally magnificent oak, and together, they create the nicest leaf arrangements.
Colors of Finland, 1st November 2025. A photograph of a yellow horse chestnut leaf among fallen oak and birch leaves. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: yellow, browns, and grass green.
November 1, 2025 at 1:12 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 13 (boo! spooky!)

In tune with the season, it's baking time.
In tune with the season, all the eggs I used today turned out to be mutants.
Colors of Finland, 31st October 2025. A photograph of three double-yolk eggs floating in a bowl. In the background, a batch of apples about to become apple sauce. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: apple reds, yolk sunny oranges, and green from the bowl.
October 31, 2025 at 1:31 PM
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#ColorsOfFinland day 12. We had some sunlight today, even managed to get out of the house for a bit. Not that dreary, this autumn.
Colors of Finland, 30th October 2025. A photograph of white berries left over on a branch in dense plant arrangement. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: warm off-white and pinks plus two grass greens.
October 30, 2025 at 4:38 PM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland, day 11. The sky is still ash gray, but our neighbor supplies us with a guide to recognize trees from a distance.

No. 1: The Larch.
Colors of Finland, 29th October 2025. A photograph of larch tree branches turning from green to orange against a background of a white and burgundy wooden fence. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: olive green, warm yellow and orange, purplish reds.
October 29, 2025 at 8:15 AM
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#ColorsOfFinland day 10. Still wet and gray - but we've got moss and lichen aplenty!
Colors of Finland, 28th October 2025. A photograph of moss and lichen on a rock. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: grays and greens.
October 28, 2025 at 12:13 PM
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#ColorsOfFinland day 9. Attention! I found a freshly grown green thingie! And there was a patch of blue on the sky! (Disappeared before I grabbed my phone for a photo.) Not all is lost 🍂
Colors of Finland, 27th October 2025. A photograph of spring-green sapling with barely developed leaves against the ground covered in plant litter. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: a nice brown-yellow-green gradient.
October 27, 2025 at 9:49 AM
annaurbanek.bsky.social
#ColorsOfFinland day 8. No matter the weather, moss never disappoints.
Colors of Finland, 26th October 2025. A photograph of moss on a waterlogged apple tree branch. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: a nice green-yellow-brown gradient.
October 26, 2025 at 10:44 AM
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It's still raining. Sounds like I have a perfect excuse to draw birds all day for the new book.
A screen cap from "Zoologist's Primer, vol. 1: Birds" showing the five first entries, from albatross to blue jay.
October 26, 2025 at 7:44 AM
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#ColorsOfFinland day 7. Still raining, and the sky is flat gray, so it's best to look under your feet.
Colors of Finland, 25th October 2025. A photograph of wet, brown maple leaves on a meadow-type lawn. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: greens, browns, and orange.
October 25, 2025 at 2:01 PM
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#ColorsOfFinland day 6. It's rainy and gloomy today, but the calendulas in the garden are still doing their best despite the weather. So, I guess I might as well 🌻
Colors of Finland, 24th October 2025. A photograph of calendulas covered in rain drops. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: greens, yellow, orange and red.
October 24, 2025 at 9:08 AM
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#ColorsOfFinland, day 5. Behold, the last blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) of the season in our garden. We always leave the last batch for the birds.
Colors of Finland, 23rd October 2025. A photograph of autumn highbush blueberry, with a single berry left over, surrounded by pale yellow leaves spotted red. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: blueberry blues, yellow, golden, and pinkish red.
October 23, 2025 at 12:19 PM
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#ColorsOfFinland Day 4: Every time we go to "The Big Lake", we travel through an underground pass with the most adorable street art. Meet Hoot the Hoot.
Colors of Finland, 22nd October 2025. A photograph of street art on an underground passage: an owl sitting on a white birch branch against multi-hued sky background. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: shades of blue, off-white, and orange-brown.
October 22, 2025 at 8:53 AM
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#ColorsOfFinland Day 3. Our new neighbors are coming closer and closer. Soon, they'll be close enough to take a good photo.
Colors of Finland, 21st October 2025. A photograph of a bunch of finches, robins, and tits rummaging through maple leaves. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: oranges, pinks, soft grays, and pale green.
October 21, 2025 at 9:15 AM
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Day two of #ColorsOfFinland. Our garden is still messy, but at least it has some color in it!
Colors of Finland, 20th October 2025. A photograph of pink heathers against a rocky garden. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: two hues of purple-pink, two deep greens, and a soft pale mint green.
October 20, 2025 at 7:36 AM
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As we head into 6 months of winter, I've decided to do my best and find color in this challenging (to me, at least) time.

19th October: The first frost.
Colors of Finland, 19th October 2025. A photograph of ice-covered nasturtium flowers and leaves. On the side, five colors chosen from the photo: two hues of warm orange, two soft greens, and off-white.
October 19, 2025 at 8:06 AM