Claire Schen
LightNews LightNews
banner
profclaire.bsky.social
Claire Schen
@profclaire.bsky.social
3.9K followers 1.8K following 1.7K posts
Historian of early modern England at University at Buffalo and Associate Dean for Undergraduate Research in Undergraduate Education. Happy to talk DH, 1890s bicycling, and the history of Buffalo. Skiing and biking. Opinions my own. She/her.
Posts Replies Media Videos
profclaire.bsky.social
Hmmm
Small bamboo circular knitting needles with three rows of blue, green, and a range resting on Tempestry guidelines for making a record of daily emotions.
November 17, 2025 at 5:25 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Our Grandcat sporting his new puffer coat in VT. Mr Big Thoughts. @maddycherr.bsky.social #catsofbluesky
Grey cat sitting up on a wooden deck wearing a teal blue puffer cat coat with a “fur” collar. Woods and fallen leaves behind him. He looks alert with his big yellow green eyes looking into distance.
November 11, 2025 at 1:25 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Help us with this one, please? Is this a light morph of red tailed hawk? The feathering on legs makes me wonder. Western New York, late September, time stamp incorrect. The new trail cam catches some nice photos. #birds #birdsky #raptors
Raptor caught on trail cam landing in wooded area wings outstretched. Light colored breast underside of wings feathering on legs Same raptor now standing on leafy trail with trees around, wings folder to body. White breast circle of brown at belly and brown or russet head. Same raptor now closer to trail cam with claws capturing something, wings up and open. Head looking down at prey.
November 9, 2025 at 1:40 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
From a recent stop at Lock 52 Port Byron. So much skill, right down to the curved stone stairs.
Grey stone blocks of a dewatered canal lock. Stone stairs curve along opening of lock.
October 27, 2025 at 11:14 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
Barred owl. Western New York, summer 2025.
Barred owl with big round dark eyes looking down from leafy canopy of black cherry tree.
October 25, 2025 at 1:59 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
Small black and white dog under covers in bed
October 25, 2025 at 1:32 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
Traveling along the NYS Thruway on a Sunday and reminded of the franchises chosen to serve the traveling public. That chicken place. Lol I have so many possible topics for grousing about these new rest stops. #nysthruway e
Chil fil a closed to business on a Sunday in the NYS thruway rest stop.
October 19, 2025 at 9:17 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Close to the field, just us and 6,498 friends at Highmark Stadium for RIT Big Shot. Saying good bye before the move to the new behemoth across the way next season.
Man walking along first row of seating in Bills NFL stadium during the RIT Big Shot. Red edge of field and field to left along with goal posts in distance. Two people smiling with set up for the cameras mid-field behind them at stadium where Bills play football.
October 17, 2025 at 7:31 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Making a stop at Lock 52 Port Byron on Erie Canal.
Three smiling people standing in dry area of former Erie Canal lock in New York State. Image of now-dry nineteenth-century lock if Erie Canal. Grey stone in blocks with curve entrance into lock and carved steps.
October 17, 2025 at 7:23 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
A trip to the drug store is just a sh*t show.
The locked shelves of toothpaste at my local drug store.
September 21, 2025 at 5:20 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Last page of our visual essay for #AHR History Lab, “Embracing the Untamed Garden.” My daughter and I have talked for at least a few years about collaborating. I look forward to our next collaboration! ❤️ @maddycherr.bsky.social @ubuffalo.bsky.social @ubuffalohistory.bsky.social #skystorians
Hand drawn image of the two authors side by side with arms wrapped around each other, looking at a wild garden of flowers and pollinators, a thing of beauty.
September 16, 2025 at 4:34 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Besides my work work, helping undergraduate students engage in research and find joy in learning, I have other work like this. Learning to weave to show my parents’ life (bird) list in tribute to them and to let some new-found creativity flourish. Cardinal, bald eagle, cormorant, pelican, loon
Messy weaving of a beginner with multiple colors below of early trial stitches and patterns. At top representations of birds like cardinal with tufted head, white tail and yellow feet and beak of bald eagle, and my favorite the loon with black and white speckles and a red eye.
September 11, 2025 at 1:28 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
The memento mori arrived! Thank you! @stonkers.bsky.social @catsofyore.bsky.social #aknitomy
A handmade, knitted and felted memento mori with skull with fine marks in the bone made of felted wool, dark eye socket, jaw on a green knitted backdrop, in black frame.
September 7, 2025 at 3:53 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Late to #caturday with this memory of two good friends who have both gone over the rainbow bridge. What a pair!
Looking into a cardboard box at a gray tabby on left looking at the photographer with his pal the wheaten haired terrier looking the same way. Side by side.
September 7, 2025 at 4:52 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
The London Loop on Zwift sends you along some plywood in the Tube. Lol
My avatar on Zwift riding through the London Underground with lights above and posters to the left when I came into a station.
September 6, 2025 at 6:05 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Yearling eating apples outside my daughter’s place.
Black bear all stretched out on ground eating apples with window frame in foreground.
September 6, 2025 at 2:13 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
Goofing around at Griffis Sculpture Park. And the map made by @maddycherr.bsky.social .
Face of young man with only his eyes and nose visible poking out of silvery sculpture that looks like a fantastic animal or maybe a space ship! In background young woman with pretend ominous look Rust iron mask head with man inside the large sculpture looking out of one of the eyes. Map of Griffis Sculpture Park with design elements, like font and use of one of the sculptural elements. My arty photo looking through a space in one of the sculptures while out of focus through the framed view are a number of the massive figural sculptures through the field in the background.
August 24, 2025 at 5:43 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
A day out yesterday at the Griffis Sculpture Park. Besides the sculptures, the fields were filled with pollinators on wild flowers. Saw a bald eagle on the way home so low in a tree that we could see his yellow feet clearly.
Foreground of wildflowers and so-called weeds with ridge line in mid-view. Tall fantastical sculpture of woman with prominent calves and a space in her body striding across the ridge. A line of giant iron geese flying in front of her. Dramatic sky of white and darker grey clouds with blue sky behind.
August 24, 2025 at 5:35 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Finally. Now I know what to call this! Love the shared pics.
Gray cat doing the gam dangle while resting on an uncomfortable lower book shelf surrounded by books and computer stuff. Gam dangle is one leg hanging down in the air.
August 19, 2025 at 11:06 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
“Chatty” does not begin to describe our cat. He came down to prowl around during a basement bike ride and then had a few things to say.
Grey cat mid-meow with his sharp little white teeth showing. He is sitting on an exercise step-up in a basement with exercise and recreational stuff around him.
August 17, 2025 at 8:37 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
Getting in an #internationalcatday while away from Mr Big Thoughts for a few days. We will see him soon!
Grey cat all stretched out on his back with whole belly showing. Beige carpet below him, pink pillow nearby.
August 9, 2025 at 1:42 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
Map from the Vermont Ski and Snowboard Museum exhibit on the lost ski areas of Vermont. #lostskiareas #vermontskiandsnowboardmuseum
The map uses different dots to pinpoint locations of many lost ski areas, currently operating areas, and some areas that have opened and closed and reopened in Vermont.
August 8, 2025 at 11:44 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
A little time off. Covered railroad bridge, Wolcott, VT. Now part of an amazing rails to trails project.
Large wooden historic covered railroad bridge. Green grass and bank for old railed in foreground. Trees, hills in background. Clouds, blue sky, and some haze from Canadian wildfires. Crisscrossed beams making side walls. Picture taken inside bridge. Picture taken looking up at trusses making up the top of the bridge.
August 8, 2025 at 11:39 AM
profclaire.bsky.social
That’s quite a capture of the jay with the owl! Here’s a little iPhone pic of the elusive owl in some woods we frequent. Heard far more often than seen by us. A racket of birds usually alerts us to the chance of a sighting!
Barred owl high in black cherry tree in full leaf. Looking down, large dark eyes
August 1, 2025 at 6:11 PM
profclaire.bsky.social
A bit of outdoor beauty today at Allegheny State Park. Love the rocks, trees, mushrooms, birds, plants. Millepede or three, too.
Man on hiking trail going past large boulder showing angled uplift. Green ground cover and tall trees in full leaf. Sunshine.
July 26, 2025 at 12:09 AM