Jen Grogan 🐙📖📚
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eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Jen Grogan 🐙📖📚
@eightarmsedits.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.1K following 2.5K posts
Writer, freelance editor / nonprofit admin / web content person, walker, knitter, museum docent, mom. She/her. RTs=/=endorsements. Opinions are my own. jengrogan.com
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eightarmsedits.bsky.social
We’re officially decorated. (Please disregard the tv.)
Decorated Christmas tree to the right. To the left an entertainment center in front of a mantel, which is decorated with paper garlands. Atop it is an advent box, two nutcrackers, a ceramic pumpkin with a huge red bow, and an elf headband. A tiny pumpkin wears a festive hat, and a gourd bird wears a scarf.
November 29, 2025 at 10:31 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Today, the Squidling, husband and I completed a 300 piece puzzle, among other things.
Completed 300 piece puzzle with four sauropods, two ceratopsians, two small theropods, a meganeura, and a bunch of pteranodons. Oh, and a volcano.
November 29, 2025 at 12:27 AM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Get you a man who not only can make pretzel rolls, but does so for at least one holiday every year.
An egg-themed yellow and white tea towel has been folded back to reveal a double batch of beautiful pretzel rolls resting on a rack.
November 27, 2025 at 4:35 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
You just died.

The 6th picture in your phone gallery is what killed you.

Turns out I will be killed by the spider that the Squidling colored at the science center today.
A bright blue, orange, and violet spider, clearly colored in crayon on paper, scuttles across a background of leaves. Text at the bottom reads “Burrower.”
November 27, 2025 at 2:51 AM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Some totally perfect fly agaric mushrooms I saw yesterday. 🍄
Two little fly agaric mushrooms huddle under the broad umbrella of a big one. All three have white stalks and bright orange-red cups with white dots.
November 22, 2025 at 4:29 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
I have new glasses.
Woman wearing a gray hat with a multicolored flower on it, a braid, a knitted scarf, and a herringbone patterned wool coat. Oh, and new brown glasses.
November 18, 2025 at 8:36 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
We went to Archaeology Family Day at the Burke Museum today, and in addition to geeking about archaeology, I spent a lot of time in awe of their exhibit on Coast Salish weaving.

Sooooo pretty….
Bag/purse and skirt woven of mountain goat wool. Back of the same skirt and bag. The skirt was so unbelievably gorgeous! Blanket robe, also of mountain goat wool, closed with a carved bone pin. I’m in love with the pattern on this.
November 16, 2025 at 11:09 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
The Squidling went on a field trip to a pumpkin patch today, so you get a picture. 🎃
Smallish child holds a pumpkin in front of their face while sitting at a white table in a 2000s-era kitchen.
October 30, 2025 at 11:21 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
In honor of #NationalBlackCatDay, I present to you my beloved neighborhood void, the queen of lower Phinney, Miss Mouse.

Please form an orderly queue to pay her respects.
A fluffy black cat, shining brown in the sunshine looks up with golden eyes from her place lying in Sphinx pose on garden pavers.
October 27, 2025 at 11:23 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Behold, the biryani is complete!
Vegetarian biryani in an orange Dutch oven. Peas, raisins, purple cauliflower, and cashews, among other things, are visible.
October 19, 2025 at 11:50 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
No protest for me today (Squidling can’t handle the crowds), but I’m with you all in spirit.

I have ancestors who came over on the Mayflower and ancestors who came, poor and desperate for hope, through Ellis Island.

Every one of them would agree that in this country we have NO KINGS.
Street sign indicating a stop sign ahead has “Don’t Stop Believin’” written on the stop sign. The Space Needle can just barely be seen in the distance.
October 18, 2025 at 4:31 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Saw something strange and wonderful on a #StetWalk this morning: a ghost-blue iris blooming in October!
A white-blue iris, pale as a ghost, blooms in a sidewalk garden on a gray Seattle morning.
October 18, 2025 at 4:05 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
One more picture from the exhibit. In a video, the artist talked about the viewer becoming part of the art. Not wrong.
A human shadow (mine) is mixed in with the filigree shadows on a turquoise blue wall.
October 16, 2025 at 9:35 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Visited the new exhibit at the Seattle Asian Art Museum today: Anila Quayyum Agha: Geometry of Light.
In the middle of a blue room with a wooden floor is a house-shaped box of white light with cut out shapes of flowers and vines, which cast complex floral shadows on the walls. A cerulean blue filigree cube casts patterned shadows on a dar rose wall, white ceiling, and golden-brown wood floor. The blue box from the previous photo stands to the left, while the White House-shaped box seems to look in from the room beyond, which is the same shade of blue. A black filigree diamond stands off from a rose wall. Light from above and below by four lights, it casts four identical patterned shadows around it.
October 16, 2025 at 9:29 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
It’s a bit “rustic”—I was short on cream cheese—but it’s a carrot cake with lots of spices and chopped candied orange on top. I’m pretty pleased.
Cake with white frosting covered in bits of candied orange sits on a sky blue plate on a black stovetop.
October 15, 2025 at 11:55 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
My husband’s latest Gundam model has an important message for everyone. 💙
A white, yellow and red Gundam model sits on a white table. Its right hand displays the ‘live long and prosper’ gesture.
September 13, 2025 at 3:08 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Folks in and around Edmonton, please help @premeemohamed.com find her kitty, Fiasco, who escaped from a window with a broken screen. See her account for updates/details.

Franca, the darker and younger cat listed below has been found. But Fiasco (see attached photos) is still missing. He has a chip.
Gray, medium-haired tabby cat with white toes sits on a cat tree. Gray, medium-haired tabby cat with shows his gray belly and fangs. Gray, medium-haired tabby cat lays as a loaf on a blue bath mat. In this picture it is clear he has a white bib.
August 31, 2025 at 7:27 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
If it makes you feel any better, this gorgeous idiot once escaped the house, and after I scoured the neighborhood and PANICKED about him for twelve hours... it turned out he'd been in our backyard hiding in the bushes the ENTIRE TIME.

Thinking good thoughts for your kitties getting home soon. 💙💙💙
A very noble-looking buff and cream cat lays on an ottoman in front of the lower body of a sitting woman. Beside him is a can of Black Raven Brewing Company's Kitty Kat Blues beer.
August 30, 2025 at 3:52 AM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
The Squidling was painting, so I colored one of the summer coloring sheets from PCC. Pretty pleased with the results, so I thought I’d share.
Coloring sheet with papaya, leaves, and flowers, colored in orange, yellow, melon pinks, and greens.
August 13, 2025 at 12:05 AM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Vegetarian West-African-style peanut stew gently simmering on its way to being dinner for the week. To be served with brown rice.

Managed to get fresh okra at PCC today, along with eggplant, sweet potatoes and yams, collards, and sweet peppers, so this should be especially good.

Now with picture!
Big orange pot on a black induction stove, full of creamy peanut butter and tomato base, collards, red peppers, sweet potatoes, yam, okra, chickpeas, and peanuts.
August 10, 2025 at 11:22 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
I hear it is International Cat Day, so I present to you all the eternal king of my heart, the great Theoden, who now rests with Bastet.

We had a glorious time for 17 years, and I miss him.
Fluffy pale orange and cream cat laying on a blue blanket with his feet all mixed up. Fluffy light orange and cream cat shows his immense belly fluff in a very silly curved pose. Fluffy light orange and cream cat lays on a carpeted floor next to the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition.
August 8, 2025 at 8:08 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Turned in my ballot today. Vote, Seattle!
A woman in a straw hat, sunglasses, and a pink t-shirt with lemons on it poses, grinning, in front of the ballot collection box at Green Lake Community Center in Seattle.
July 29, 2025 at 11:33 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Bee-hold my finished embroidery project! 🐝
An embroidery hoop holds black fabric onto which a large bee and four sprigs of flowers have been embroidered. French knots make stars or pollen hanging in the air around the bee; beaded drops of honey drip on the central background. There’s a star on the bee’s back.
July 9, 2025 at 8:12 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
Friends, if an outdoor wedding invite for the Seattle suburbs in June says "cocktail attire" and then says "floral dresses and button up shirts will be perfect"... is this dress too informal, or a correct choice with a wrap?

Specifically for the not-*super*-close older step-sister of the groom?
Woman wearing sky blue calf-length dress covered in red, yellow, and green birds. The dress has sort of a boat neck and is sleeveless. Please disregard the sandals, the bubble wand, and my wacky pose; this photo was clipped from a family photo shoot.
May 19, 2025 at 5:41 PM
eightarmsedits.bsky.social
The Squidling made me this gorgeous Lego plum blossom branch for Mothers Day with just a little help from his daddy!

Happy Mothers Day to all who celebrate. 🌸
A branch of red plum blossoms in a blue vase on a brown stand, all made of Lego, rest on a white windowsill.
May 11, 2025 at 3:09 PM