I was wrong about the Embark Breed & Health DNA test. There is a place on their website that addresses the question, "Why did my sample fail?" which says the two most likely reasons are 1) insufficient DNA on the swab (this might be us, we'll know in a few weeks) and 2) contamination, usually with DNA from another pet via shared food or drink. Embark says if either of these is the case they'll know right away and they can send a free replacement kit by request. So that's nice.

In researching this I learned more about how the test works, and according to reddit (source of all wisdom), Embark acknowledges that breeds are not a science, but rather (like human race or the definition of a continent*) something that a bunch of people agree is true without consistently delineable and replicable evidence. Therefore, Embark asks the people in charge of gatekeeping breeds to provide DNA from animals those people agree are representative, and Embark uses that as their standard.

So now I'm much more interested in what Embark thinks about Daphne's DNA, because apparently it's really based on something. (Does the something matter? Only as much as you want it to. I appreciate it when people trying to convince me of something (in this case by offering their service in exchange for money) acknowledge this and are straightforward about limitations as well as strengths.)

Also, reportedly people with purebred dogs often get a "100%" result on DNA tests, which I was skeptical of prior to my reddit investigation. I don't have a DNA test for Whinnie (supposedly a purebred Cairn despite her size and color), but I have one for Mimi and it looks like this: Chow, Shetland Sheepdog, Shih Tzu, Mixed Breed, Mixed Breed, Mixed Breed, Mixed Breed, Mixed Breed. I mean, fair, right? But in her lifetime I met two other dogs who looked very similar like her and heard of a third, unlike Whinnie, who remains entirely unique in my experience. (I get that you can't tell by looking. But I hear phenotype is still a 20-30% indicator, which isn't much but it isn't nothing either.)

...This was going to be like a three-sentence post, so that's typical.

*The continent thing is really funny though; if you're bored you should definitely google "why isn't Greenland a continent?" (Don't ask AI; the synthesized LLM answer is boring. This is a great discussion, though: Why Greenland is an Island and Australia is a Continent, by Emily Upton, which includes a variety of post-scripts with comments including, "The truest part of the article is the implication that the whole concept of continents is borderline incoherent.")

Anyway, as I was about to say, almost half of the winter sowing containers have germinated seeds! Here they are on the porch, getting some air. (Just the containers, the seeds are basically invisible. You might have to take my word that sprouts exist. The lupines are big though, and the gay feathers are red, so it's neat to see some variety even when they're tiny.)

( pictures )

And down the hill by the dogwood garden, we have: dogs! Sometimes you decide to clean out a garden and dogs show up; it's so great. Especially when they entertain your dog and keep her from wandering off.

( pictures )

♥ Dog
DNA test has been administered. This will test the requirement that the swab be in the dog's mouth for at least 30 seconds, as Daphne was not super keen on that idea, and it is unclear how much DNA is actually on the swab as a result. That's okay! I'm sure they receive questionable tests all the time, and there was nothing on their website about what happens if the swab is insufficient. Perhaps a small amount of DNA is acceptable for a small dog?

♥ Plants
Dahlias are not quite touching the light above them and still show no signs of sunburn, so I have not yet intervened. I did turn down the replacement light in the other room, as the inch plant has turned a vibrant purple and the leaves of the multi-colored geranium are now variegated, both of which indicate high light levels. This particular light has five levels of brightness, and of course I started it on the brightest setting. Turning it down is less straightforward, since I bought it because I already have one just like it that the plants love.

The issue is that the brightness can only be adjusted by remote control, and the remote control is not light-specific. This has already meant that the two lights are always both on or both off, so they're on the same schedule, which is fine. But now it has a new effect, which oddly is not "the lights are always at the same brightness level." Instead, apparently I can have both lights very bright, I can have one light at half-brightness and the other at full, or I can have one light at the lowest setting and the other at half. I am not sure why this is. (I have tried aiming the remote at each of the lights, aiming the remote away from each of the lights, etc., though I have not done dedicated proximity research, so it's still possible the effect of the remote can be further isolated.)

For now I have one bright and one half-bright. It's a partly cloudy day on that side of the room.

♥ The Untamed
( Episode 1 )
( Episode 2 )

I think I mentioned that I got another plant light, not for the dahlias, but to replace the second light I wanted to give the dahlias. Fall is usually when I take stock of my plant lights, see which ones are still working and how much area they cover, and then if the weather stays warm long enough, run out of light anyway as I bring in more and more plants to overwinter inside.

(Relatedly, last fall when I was clearing one of the giant gourd vines from the dogwood garden, I found one of three succulents I had bought earlier in the year, planted, and largely forgot about. This one was still alive and I was sure it wasn't hardy to zone 6, let alone the 4-5 they tell you to plan for in areas with wet snow, so I dug it up and brought it in. It survived the winter handily and looks better now than it did then, which is frankly a surprise to me. But the great part is, a few days ago I was taking pictures of all the little sprouts in that garden and what did I find but two succulents coming back! I promised to return their friend as soon as it warms up enough.)

Then of course spring is when I realize I don't have enough light to start more plants, so here we are.

( dahlias and sprouts )

Also I rechecked every winter seed sowing container today and found one lupine and several yarrow sprouts ♥

PS, Daphne waiting on the stairs for me while I watered the dahlias. We'd just come inside so she's still wearing her little glowing collar that makes her more visible in the dark.

( picture )

March! I'm like the gray cat in that meme where it's looking in one direction going, "What was that?!" and then the image is flipped so it's looking in the other direction going, "What was that?!"

Those cannas are up because of course they are, a couple of dwarf irises bloomed in the front garden this week (first flowers!) and the mystery sprouts out back are definitely probably crocuses. Just, maybe, very large crocuses? One of them has a bud so we'll know for sure soon. Yay crocuses!

Also I just ordered a DNA test for Daphne, my head hurts, and 75fluent starts on Tuesday. Luckily I've already given up so it shouldn't be too hard. None of those things are related. I mean, I assume.

Ima go to sleep but know that I love you ♥

today's bilingualisms

♥ Stella: “不要judge我的化妆技术。”

"Don't judge my makeup skills.

♥ 竹子：“我用筷子 - uh-oh - 我用筷子夹黄瓜，有点难夹住。”（“我hold不住笑。”）

"I'm using chopstics - uh-oh - I'm using chopsticks to pick up cucumber, it's a little hard." ("I can't help laughing.")

♥ Cherry：“。。。加一杯黑咖啡，actually it's 美式咖啡我觉得。”

"...with black coffee, actually it's American coffee I think."

♥ Dawn’s guest：“他们那个音乐一响起来，那个welcome to 西双版纳就是特别吸引人。”

"When their music starts playing, that welcome to Xishuanbanna really draws you in."