Evan
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ektidwell.bsky.social
Evan
@ektidwell.bsky.social
100 followers 210 following 37 posts
PhD student studying American visual rhetoric, suburban gardener, ephemera collector, nighttime crafter, dreamer
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ektidwell.bsky.social
Currently reading #ShadowsAtDawn #AmericanStudies
A photo containing a keyboard, notepad, and book
December 1, 2025 at 4:25 AM
ektidwell.bsky.social
Another day, another book 📖
A photo of the book ‘Soul by Soul’ by Walter Johnson
October 9, 2025 at 5:13 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
Is there anything friendlier than a newly bloomed pansy?
This is a photo of blue-violet pansies in a bed of black mulch.
March 14, 2025 at 5:34 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
This postcard betrays its sender Laura who may have had big plans for 1911 but didn’t get around to wishing her friend a Happy New Year until January 24th—and even wrote her message upside down! #MaterialRhetoric #MaterialCulture #Americana #VintagePostcard #Ephemera
Front of the Postcard: The front of the postcard features a vibrant vintage illustration with the text "Do It Now!" boldly displayed at the bottom. At the top left, a red calendar page with "Jan 1" marks New Year's Day. A plaid-sleeved hand drops coins into another hand, symbolizing financial transactions or repayment. To the right, a handwritten note on a "Memoranda" card reads, "Some of these fine days I am going to stop borrowing from my friends and settle down to business!" Floral decorations adorn the corners, adding a classic touch. Back of the Postcard: The reverse side of the postcard shows a standard early-20th-century layout, with the address on the right and a handwritten note on the left. A green one-cent U.S. postage stamp featuring Benjamin Franklin is affixed in the upper right corner. The cancellation stamp reads "Belmont, Jan 24, 1911." The postcard is addressed to "Mrs. L. J. Moyer, 515 E. 7th St., Mt. Carmel, Ill." The sender, Laura, wrote her note upside down in a cursive script. The informal message, possibly referencing the humorous resolution on the front, shows the lighthearted tone of this charming correspondence: "Dear Goldi-- You can send my mail to Bellmont. I'll go to the office Friday Evening if not before. Hope you are all well. Laura."
January 1, 2025 at 12:02 AM
ektidwell.bsky.social
A rare sight in vintage (and contemporary) advertising: a boy featured in a sewing ad. In this trade card (ca. 1870-1890), Clark's highlights their 'Fast Black' thread. A small but striking detail in marketing history. #MaterialRhetoric #MaterialCulture #Ephemera #Vintage #Antique #Americana
This is a vintage advertisement for Clark's O.N.T. spool cotton. The ad features a young boy sitting on a wooden box, holding a needle threaded with black cotton. He has short curly hair, wears a black cap, a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves, patched brown pants, and lace-up boots. His expression is cheerful, with a slight smirk. A large spool of Clark's O.N.T. "Fast Black" thread is prominently placed in the foreground, showcasing the brand's label. In the background, there’s a store display with the words “SPOOL COTTON” visible. The tagline at the bottom reads, "This is FAST BLACK and d’ont you forget it!" This is a vintage advertisement for Clark's O.N.T. Spool Cotton, presented in a decorative, text-heavy design. The top headline reads, "USE THE BEST!" followed by the prominent brand name, "CLARK'S O.N.T." in bold, ornate lettering within a rectangular banner. Below, the ad emphasizes the product's availability "IN WHITE, FAST BLACK, AND ALL THE NEW COLORS." The body text highlights the quality and innovation of their "FAST BLACK SPOOL COTTON," describing a new dyeing process that ensures the black is "completely FAST" without weakening the thread. It assures readers that garments sewn with their thread will not show white at the seams, even after being worn or washed. At the bottom, the ad mentions "MILWARDS HELIX NEEDLES," ensuring "EACH NEEDLE PERFECT." The layout features intricate border details, emphasizing elegance and craftsmanship.
December 29, 2024 at 2:16 AM
ektidwell.bsky.social
Postcard throwback to 1911: A snowy countryside, telegrams by the fire, and "Merry Christmas" traveling over the wires coalesce in this celebration of modern technology and new possibilities for familial connection. #MaterialRhetoric #MaterialCulture #Ephemera #VintageChristmas #Christmas #Americana
December 28, 2024 at 4:27 AM
ektidwell.bsky.social
Recently acquired this ad for New Home sewing machines. Due to the placement of the flag (top-center) and the copyright date (1882), I wonder if the children are meant to represent the “New Immigrants” who entered the U.S. circa 1880-1920? #TradeCard #Americana #MaterialCulture #MaterialRhetoric
This image shows an antique trade card advertising New Home sewing machines. The illustration features a group of children crowded in a window frame, with lively expressions. One child holds a small American flag. The title above the window reads: "Some of Our Neighbor's Children." Below the illustration is a poetic caption: "Each winsome face with smiles is fraught, Each voice a merry tune has caught, For Papa dear has gone and bought A New Home Sewing Machine." The text at the bottom notes the location, "Orange, Mass." The card is copyrighted to 1882 by N. Morgan & Co., Cleveland, O. The overall aesthetic is nostalgic and patriotic, with warm, bright colors and detailed drawings typical of 19th-century advertisements. The trade card depicted rests on a background of lined paper.
December 26, 2024 at 11:39 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
“Now and then, in this work-a-day world, things do happen in the delightful story-book fashion, and what a comfort that is.” #LittleWomen #Christmas #Winter #Holidays #AmericanLit
This is an image of the cover of Little Women: 150th Anniversary Illustrated Edition. The cover design features a decorative floral pattern with curling vines, leaves, and tulip-like flowers in blue and gold. The illustrations include a gold book, a gold hand mirror, and a gold paintbrush positioned vertically in the center. The title “Little Women” is written in elegant brown script below the illustrations, and the subtitle “150th Anniversary Illustrated Edition” is printed in smaller brown text beneath it. In the background, there is a faintly lit Christmas tree with colorful lights.
December 15, 2024 at 12:36 AM
ektidwell.bsky.social
It’s pumpkin pie time.🥧🦃🍁 What’s your favorite holiday dish? #Thanksgiving2024
November 28, 2024 at 8:44 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
Scored this Peperomia variegata for $4.50 at a local nursery.😍 #peperomia #houseplant #plantopedia #fall
The images depict a small, vibrant green plant with variegated leaves in a decorative two-tone planter. The plant, variegated Peperomia, has broad, waxy leaves featuring patterns of light and dark green. The planter is simple yet stylish, with a top section in white and a bottom section in a light blue color. The setup is placed on a dark surface near a natural light source, which highlights the plant’s glossy foliage. A Monstera leaf and woven basket are visible in the background, contributing to a cozy and natural aesthetic. The images depict a small, vibrant green plant with variegated leaves in a decorative two-tone planter. The plant, variegated Peperomia, has broad, waxy leaves featuring patterns of light and dark green. The planter is simple yet stylish, with a top section in white and a bottom section in a light blue color. The setup is placed on a dark surface near a natural light source, which highlights the plant’s glossy foliage. A Monstera leaf and woven basket are visible in the background, contributing to a cozy and natural aesthetic. This image is a page from Plantopedia by Camilleri and Kaplan. The text reads: There are a few cultivars of this species, from the grey-green, gold and ivory tones of the Peperomia obtusifolia 'albo-marginata' to the whiter and brighter green shades of the Peperomia obtusifolia 'variegata. The variegated plants require more light than their non-variegated cousins, but for both, bright, indirect light, with a little direct gentle morning sun, is best. Because it has a shallow root system, the baby rubber plant won't require regular repotting, but when you do, make sure you only increase the pot size just slightly; otherwise, like all peperomias, the excess potting mix will risk the plant's root system becoming waterlogged and rotten. On this note, it only needs a low to moderate amount of water, so make sure that half the potting mix has dried out before watering again, and water even more sparingly in winter. Fertilise monthly with a half-strength liquid fertiliser, and pinch off leggy growth to encourage a more bushy appearance. Better yet, take cuttings from your prunings and propagate your plant. A single leaf with a small stem attached will do. Just allow the cutting to dry out for a day before inserting into fresh potting mix and keep warm until it roots
November 25, 2024 at 3:33 AM
ektidwell.bsky.social
The end of another semester.📚🖊️ #rhetoric #americanstudies #disabilitystudies #communications #history #phd
The picture contains a stack of books: Here are the titles along with their publication dates: 1. Cultural Studies and Political Theory (edited by Jodi Dean) – Published on September 26, 2000.  2. Publics and Counterpublics (by Michael Warner) – Published on June 15, 2002.  3. Narrative Prosthesis: Disability and the Dependencies of Discourse (by David T. Mitchell and Sharon L. Snyder) – Published in 2000. 4. Doing Rhetorical History: Concepts and Cases (edited by Kathleen J. Turner) – Published in 1998. 5. The Queen of America Goes to Washington City: Essays on Sex and Citizenship (by Lauren Berlant) – Published in 1997. 6. No Caption Needed: Iconic Photographs, Public Culture, and Liberal Democracy (by Robert Hariman and John Louis Lucaites) – Published in 2007. 7. Consuming Traditions: Modernity, Modernism, and the Commodified Authentic (by Elizabeth Outka) – Published in 2009. 8. An All-Consuming Century: Why Commercialism Won in Modern America (by Gary Cross) – Published in 2000. 9. American Culture, American Tastes: Social Change and the 20th Century (by Michael Kammen) – Published in 1999.
November 24, 2024 at 4:48 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
New day, new leaf 🍃 #pinkprincess #philodendronpinkprincess
The picture shows a highly variegated Pink Princess philodendron leaf. Half of the leaf is pink; half is speckled with pink and green pigmentation.
November 24, 2024 at 4:11 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
Had fun at one of my favorite nurseries today.💚👨🏼‍🌾🪴 #snakeplant #philodendronmoonlight #nursery #houseplants #plant #dracaena
This picture shows a greenhouse filled with vibrant rows of plants. In the foreground, there is a large cluster of snake plants (Sansevieria), easily recognizable by their upright, sword-like leaves with green horizontal patterns bordered by bright yellow edges. Behind the snake plants, there are splashes of red from flowering Bromeliads, adding a vivid contrast to the greenery. This picture shows a vibrant display of Philodendron moonlight plants. The foreground is dominated by bright green foliage with a striking yellow tint. Behind them, there is a layer of colorful Croton plants with deep green leaves marked with red, orange, and yellow patterns.
November 24, 2024 at 4:00 AM
ektidwell.bsky.social
I bought this Thanksgiving cactus three years ago, and it’s become one of my favorite plants. Every year, it blooms on time; and every year, I’m still amazed. #thanksgivingcactus #junglecactus #houseplants #thanksgiving #bloom
The cream-colored bloom of a Thanksgiving cactus. The picture depicts the cream-colored blooms of a Thanksgiving cactus in a terracotta pot. The terracotta pot sits in a clear plastic tray on top of a wooden table. The picture depicts the cream-colored blooms of a Thanksgiving cactus in a terracotta pot. The terracotta pot sits in a clear plastic tray on top of a wooden table.
November 23, 2024 at 2:54 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
A certain slant of light this morning on a Scindapsus pictus exotica (aka silver satin pothos).🪴 #scindapsus #pothos #houseplants #fall #home
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Excerpt from ‘Plantopedia’ by Camilleri and Kaplan.
November 17, 2024 at 7:23 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
I wasn’t expecting my Prince of Orange to put out two new leaves in November, but here we are. Do you have a favorite philodendron? #philodendron #princeoforange #philodendronprinceoforange #houseplants #plantdad
November 13, 2024 at 6:07 PM
ektidwell.bsky.social
I rescued these from Lowe’s clearance a couple weeks ago, and they’re now happy, adjusted, and ready to see me through winter. Does anyone else think of Disney’s ‘Alice in Wonderland’ whenever they see pansies? #pansies #pansy #blue #indigo #flowers
November 12, 2024 at 7:20 PM