Facets of Serenity

08/09/2026

A magnificent Bumble visits the entire garden! Some great close-ups! Sorry for the camera movement in spots. I don’t have time to edit rn. I did try to zoom out more when tracking in the latter half of the video.

08/08/2026

I finally wrote something! It’s just a little intro, but it’s a start! Help me celebrate with a read, a like, or a follow! And thank you for your interest - there is more to come!

Starting somewhere...

08/02/2026

Blinding exists in clinical trials to control for expectancy bias, the idea that believing a treatment will work can improve outcomes. But with psychedelics, blinding often fails because participants know they've received the drug.

You'd expect expectancy effects to be huge. Surprisingly, several studies suggest otherwise. In Imperial College's psilocybin vs escitalopram trial, higher expectations predicted better outcomes with escitalopram, but not with psilocybin. Similar findings have appeared in small studies of fibromyalgia, anorexia and other conditions.

One explanation comes from the REBUS model, which proposes that psychedelics temporarily loosen rigid beliefs rather than simply amplify existing ones. Supporting this, Imperial researchers found that suggestibility, not expectancy, predicted who benefited most.

If confirmed in larger trials, psychedelics may challenge one of medicine's oldest assumptions: that belief drives healing, rather than healing reshaping belief.

Image by in .

07/23/2026

07/19/2026

She’s a puffy one! Pretty much a thanksgiving centrepiece. 😜

07/11/2026

Back for a closeup!!!

07/11/2026

Just missed him upside down preening on the stamens. So cool.

07/10/2026

Region of Waterloo Library is launching a new collection of Cognitive Care Kits designed to support people living with dementia, memory loss, or declining cognitive skills, and their families and caregivers.

The kits are intended to help residents make meaningful social connections while promoting brain health through simple, engaging activities. Each Cognitive Care Kit contains a variety of items such as puzzles, games, books, and sensory activities that encourage people living with dementia to interact, manipulate, sort, and organize objects.

“Region of Waterloo Library is committed to creating accessible and inclusive services that meet people where they are,” said Regional Chair, Karen Redman. “By offering Cognitive Care Kits, the library is providing individuals, families and caregivers with practical resources that encourage connection, engagement and meaningful time together.”

The kits are also designed to inspire reminiscence and casual conversation with family members and friends, helping create moments of connection and engagement. As a support for families, each kits contains ‘A caregiver's guide to dementia’, describing the use of activities and other techniques to prevent, reduce and manage the behavioral symptoms of dementia.

In total, the Region of Waterloo Library is launching 12 kits. Six kits designed for people in the early to mid stages of dementia and six kits for those experiencing mid to late-stage symptoms.

The release of the Cognitive Care Kits reflects RWL’s ongoing commitment to expand its collection and accessible services for the community. In addition to the kits, the library recently introduced Adaptive Gaming Controllers and Sensory Support Kits, providing more inclusive and supportive options for patrons of all ages and abilities.

Cognitive Care Kits are available to borrow through Region of Waterloo Library. Patrons can learn more by visiting rwlibrary.ca/cognitivecarekits or contacting their local branch.

06/21/2026

Happy Solstice and Happy Father’s Day! A potent concurrence. May the season rejuvenate your spirit as it does your garden. 🌱🙏