Rachel
@raythewren.bsky.social
Bird watcher and word botcher. Data engineer professionally; hobbyist birder, gardener, stained glass artist, and indie game developer. Crohn's patient with deep interest in healthcare policy due to my dependence on Very Expensive medications.
I sit down and about two seconds later this guy shows up and just makes himself comfortable
November 26, 2025 at 11:43 PM
I sit down and about two seconds later this guy shows up and just makes himself comfortable
CW: dead fish (though not gross looking imo)
Today I went on a hike with a friend and the highlight was this strange sight: a fish that seemingly tried to eat another smaller fish and couldn't get it down and they both died
Today I went on a hike with a friend and the highlight was this strange sight: a fish that seemingly tried to eat another smaller fish and couldn't get it down and they both died
November 22, 2025 at 9:04 PM
CW: dead fish (though not gross looking imo)
Today I went on a hike with a friend and the highlight was this strange sight: a fish that seemingly tried to eat another smaller fish and couldn't get it down and they both died
Today I went on a hike with a friend and the highlight was this strange sight: a fish that seemingly tried to eat another smaller fish and couldn't get it down and they both died
Obsessed with this scene in"Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret" in which a northern red bishop, an African bird, shows up in New Jersey and sings the song of an American goldfinch
November 14, 2025 at 3:44 AM
Obsessed with this scene in"Are you there, God? It's me, Margaret" in which a northern red bishop, an African bird, shows up in New Jersey and sings the song of an American goldfinch
🥹 she's a lil baby!! And she and Pepper could literally be twins lol
November 13, 2025 at 4:01 AM
🥹 she's a lil baby!! And she and Pepper could literally be twins lol
His name: Pepper
What we actually call him: Peppy, Pepperoni, Pepperino, Peppy boy, little baby, sweet Peppy baby, Sargeant Pepper, Dr. Pepper, Squiggle, The Pepster, Pepperoncini, the baby, the child, Goof, Loaf, Weirdo
What we actually call him: Peppy, Pepperoni, Pepperino, Peppy boy, little baby, sweet Peppy baby, Sargeant Pepper, Dr. Pepper, Squiggle, The Pepster, Pepperoncini, the baby, the child, Goof, Loaf, Weirdo
November 13, 2025 at 12:19 AM
His name: Pepper
What we actually call him: Peppy, Pepperoni, Pepperino, Peppy boy, little baby, sweet Peppy baby, Sargeant Pepper, Dr. Pepper, Squiggle, The Pepster, Pepperoncini, the baby, the child, Goof, Loaf, Weirdo
What we actually call him: Peppy, Pepperoni, Pepperino, Peppy boy, little baby, sweet Peppy baby, Sargeant Pepper, Dr. Pepper, Squiggle, The Pepster, Pepperoncini, the baby, the child, Goof, Loaf, Weirdo
Very proud of this pretty little painting I did on some glass yesterday. It'll be one piece in a larger stained glass project I'm working on.
November 7, 2025 at 8:21 PM
Very proud of this pretty little painting I did on some glass yesterday. It'll be one piece in a larger stained glass project I'm working on.
Fall color on the native saplings. The dogwood is a lovely dark red and the serviceberry is orange. First fall with the serviceberry, we just planted it in the spring!
October 31, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Fall color on the native saplings. The dogwood is a lovely dark red and the serviceberry is orange. First fall with the serviceberry, we just planted it in the spring!
Somebody tell these spring blooming bulbs I just planted to stop this nonsense! It is not spring!!
October 31, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Somebody tell these spring blooming bulbs I just planted to stop this nonsense! It is not spring!!
Lil man has been glued to my lap ever since it started to get cooler.
October 28, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Lil man has been glued to my lap ever since it started to get cooler.
We have two large pine trees and I love that they just give me free, beautiful mulch every fall. Can't believe I used to bag these up and have them sent away. Live and learn!
October 18, 2025 at 4:48 PM
We have two large pine trees and I love that they just give me free, beautiful mulch every fall. Can't believe I used to bag these up and have them sent away. Live and learn!
Pepper looking like the angel he is
October 18, 2025 at 4:24 PM
Pepper looking like the angel he is
My latest stained glass! This was my first time using glass paints. They are great for adding practical little details like the flicker's polka dots, but I also went *wild* with them around the border, and that was a lot of fun. I made his lil feets out of wire and solder.
October 18, 2025 at 1:35 PM
My latest stained glass! This was my first time using glass paints. They are great for adding practical little details like the flicker's polka dots, but I also went *wild* with them around the border, and that was a lot of fun. I made his lil feets out of wire and solder.
My idea of a nice Saturday night
October 12, 2025 at 2:33 AM
My idea of a nice Saturday night
The cute interpretation: my cat likes to play hide and seek with me
The probably more accurate interpretation: my cat likes to stalk and hunt me
The probably more accurate interpretation: my cat likes to stalk and hunt me
October 11, 2025 at 2:54 AM
The cute interpretation: my cat likes to play hide and seek with me
The probably more accurate interpretation: my cat likes to stalk and hunt me
The probably more accurate interpretation: my cat likes to stalk and hunt me
Scenes from the fall garden. The golden Alexanders, which bloom in early spring, are having a strange second wind. The New England asters are incandescent. And the muhly grass is making its pink cloud of seeds.
October 4, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Scenes from the fall garden. The golden Alexanders, which bloom in early spring, are having a strange second wind. The New England asters are incandescent. And the muhly grass is making its pink cloud of seeds.
haha UHC has denied Matt's one-night hospital stay following his thyroidectomy saying that it was medically unnecessary
October 2, 2025 at 2:01 AM
haha UHC has denied Matt's one-night hospital stay following his thyroidectomy saying that it was medically unnecessary
What are you doing here! You gotta get going!
September 28, 2025 at 9:10 PM
What are you doing here! You gotta get going!
Wish I'd caught a photo of him in the act but I only got this one of him just afterwards
September 25, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Wish I'd caught a photo of him in the act but I only got this one of him just afterwards
These little cages work great for keeping rabbits away from young plants. But today I looked out the window and saw a fat ole woodchuck perched on the top of the cage just going to town on the asters 💀
September 25, 2025 at 10:18 PM
These little cages work great for keeping rabbits away from young plants. But today I looked out the window and saw a fat ole woodchuck perched on the top of the cage just going to town on the asters 💀
Spending the weekend letting the soft animal of my body love what it loves
September 20, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Spending the weekend letting the soft animal of my body love what it loves
New York asters. I expected the light blue flowers, but what's the deal with the part that's blooming white? The leaves are also broader on that part.
I want it to be some kind of cool mutation. Probably though it's just a second plant of a different species that was in the nursery pot I bought? 🤔
I want it to be some kind of cool mutation. Probably though it's just a second plant of a different species that was in the nursery pot I bought? 🤔
September 17, 2025 at 5:20 PM
New York asters. I expected the light blue flowers, but what's the deal with the part that's blooming white? The leaves are also broader on that part.
I want it to be some kind of cool mutation. Probably though it's just a second plant of a different species that was in the nursery pot I bought? 🤔
I want it to be some kind of cool mutation. Probably though it's just a second plant of a different species that was in the nursery pot I bought? 🤔
The first bloom on the New England aster. The various asters and goldenrods are the last holdouts in my garden that haven't yet bloomed, this late in the summer.
September 5, 2025 at 5:37 PM
The first bloom on the New England aster. The various asters and goldenrods are the last holdouts in my garden that haven't yet bloomed, this late in the summer.
This is my favorite thing I've made in a *while*
September 1, 2025 at 11:50 PM
This is my favorite thing I've made in a *while*
Look who I just found!!! I thought I was striking out on caterpillars this year.
August 24, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Look who I just found!!! I thought I was striking out on caterpillars this year.
They didn't listen :( meadow got mowed again this year.
I think I found a more proper channel for making a stink about this so I'm gonna try again 🤞
I think I found a more proper channel for making a stink about this so I'm gonna try again 🤞
August 23, 2025 at 11:45 PM
They didn't listen :( meadow got mowed again this year.
I think I found a more proper channel for making a stink about this so I'm gonna try again 🤞
I think I found a more proper channel for making a stink about this so I'm gonna try again 🤞