Swap-bot Time: September 24, 2023 7:03 am
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riftvegan

riftvegan
Date Joined: May 29, 2011
Last Online: September 23, 2023

Country: United States
My Website
PostCrossing
GoodReads

About Me

Yay Vegan! Being vegan is the best and most important thing about me! I love being vegan!

I'm a reader: science fiction, animal fiction, mainstream, and random non-fiction: mostly science and nature, and some autobiographies.

I keep a paper journal. And a blog, occasionally.

I'm a photographer and I print my photos up as postcards.

I enjoy art in many forms. Mail Art is awesome... And I especially love handmade cards and postcards!

Favorite Crafts

Photography My focus is urban wildlife. I go for walks every weekend and take pictures of nature; I love trees, birds, flowers and any kinds of animals that I find, including a wide variety of bugs! Photography is definitely my passion, and I love sharing my photos with the world as postcards...

Postcards I've been involved in a (5 card) monthly postcard exchange since July 2008. It's mostly defunct, but it got me started! Now I send out 100 to 150 postcards every month! I use desktop publishing software to turn my photos into postcards, which I print at home on a (very temperamental) high-end printer.

Gardening I'm a terrible gardener, but I still end up with more cherry tomatoes than I can eat! I'm mostly there for the photo opportunities. ;)

Drawing I started a daily drawing project at the end of 2019, and I'm still at it now in 2021! For the most part, I sketch birds or animals in pencil on ATC sized paper. I'm not sure I'm getting any better, but I'm proud of my collection!

∞ Rarely: Crochet, Book Making, Making Bookmarks

Fav TV and Movies

I don't watch much tv, but there are a few shows I like... Doctor Who (I love the new, but it all started with the old!), and I'll watch Firefly over and over!

Movies: Legend (the one with Unicorns!), LadyHawke, The NeverEnding Story, Ever After, The Secret Life of Pets, Serenity

Favorites

2022 Feb/March... It's starting out to be the Year of the Hawks! For a while I was seeing a hawk or two most every time I go out walking!! Mostly Red Shoulder Hawks, but I've also seen a couple Red Tail Hawks and even two Cooper Hawks!! Not hawks, but still exciting: a juvenile Bald Eagle and a Turkey Vulture!

2021 It's taken a while to figure out who this year's critter is, but the Raccoons have definitely made an appearance in my l life!! 🦝🦝 It has been years since I've seen raccoons down at the little creek. But now we have a family of 4 kids (or 5?) who hang out near their den about 1/2 mile away. and there's a pair with one partner missing a tail (??!) And then there's just random sightings, not sure who they are, except they make me happy! :)

2020 Last year was my Year of the Lady Bug... and this year, seems to be the Year of the Roly-Poly! (also called Pill Bugs!) When they sense danger, they roll up into a sphere... if only humans could do that. Instead we are stuck with masks and social distancing!

2019 🐞 I keep coming across Lady Bugs! They are a symbol of good luck, and I need it. :)

Postcards and Notecards I'd love to receive nature, animals or art. But I'm not picky! I just like to get mail: send me anything, and then write something interesting in the text block! :) Also love handmade postcards and cards!

∞ Other than Nature and Animals, I am also interested in * Ocean themes * Skies, Clouds and Rainbows * Astronomy, Star Gazing and Outer Space themes

Animals I truly love all animals, even bugs, but here are a few of my most favorite! Bumble Bees & Beetles, Chickens & Turkeys, Crows, Dolphins, Elephants, Equines, Foxes, Frogs, Guinea Pigs, Humpback Whales, Mice & Rats, Octopuses, Raccoons, Sea Horses, Squirrels!

Favorite Books

Oh my gosh, I love to read! I also love to buy books, both dead-tree books and Kindle books! I tend to buy more than I have time to read. The words I live by: I can't die until I've read all my books! ;)

I enjoy reading science fiction, but lately I'm reading a lot of non-fiction. I love to read about nature and animals. And also an autobiography here and there.

Favorites in Random Order:

  • Silent Spring by Rachel Carson
  • Octavia Butler's Xenogenesis Series
  • The Best of All Possible Worlds by Karen Lord
  • Ancillary Justice and the Imperial Radch series by Ann Leckie
  • Anything by James Tiptree, Jr
  • I think To Kill A Mockingbird is the perfect novel
  • I seek out winners of the Burroughs Medal (nature writing), the Tiptree Award (gender identity), and occasionally Hugo and Nebula winners.
  • Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men This is such an important and informative book, I think Everyone should read it! And fortunately there's an easy solution to all the problems listed... more women in leadership positions, and more men Listening to women!
  • 2021 addition... Murderbot!!!

Someday, I'd Like to TRY...

crochet amigurumi

stamp carving

drawing and colouring my own postcards

I ♥ Swap-Bot

Yay, Mailbox Joy! I love to create and send mail! I enjoy sharing my nature photography as postcards and notecards. I like to read profiles and figure out what I have that will make my mailing partner happy. I enjoy challenging myself occasionally with different kinds of swaps.

∞ 500 Swaps!

500 Swaps completed on 28 April 2019

750 Swaps on 30 August 2021

Whee! And I can't wait for the next 500!!

∞ Hosting

All of the swaps I create are International and Newbie Friendly. Both of these things are important to me, and I'm especially passionate about International swaps.

Ratings

colleenbUSA rated for Email Accountability Swap #17 on Sep 21, 2023
5
rating
Comment: I'm sorry that some of your items aren't bringing you joy anymore. I hope that improves! I always get the blahs in the fall!
spacefoxsupreme rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #360 on Sep 20, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Nice being matched with you again, I love your garden and animal updates. How lucky that you saw all these birds! I have never seen tomatillos, I assume they don't grow here.
excalibur rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #358 on Sep 14, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Hi, friend! Thanks so much for the lovely notecard and interesting photos! I had such a great time reading it and looking at the pictures. Cheers!
krspellman rated for Email Accountability Swap #16 on Sep 6, 2023
5
rating
Comment: I hope your enthusiasm picks back up next month :-) sorry for the bummer about the door :-(
Vickyen rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #359 on Sep 5, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Hi Rift! So happy to have you as my partner, as it does seem like it has been ages since we have visited! The funny thing is that I had you to write to in #360! Your nc is lovely and of course the photos always make me smile! Are you feeling better? Your community garden sounds like it did great this year! We ran into the something, it got so hot that much of it was done - we are getting a few tomatoes and watermelons - we are spoiled though and only like seedless now - oops! The animals are loving what we don't eat! LOL! Do you make salsa with the tomatoes? The hubby has made two batches and so many pickles with the cucumbers - thankfully he has lots of folks he is giving them to, as I can only eat so many! LOL! Loved getting a visit from you and thanks so much for hosting this swap! All the best! Hugs and Happy Swapping! ;)
5
rating
Comment: Thank you so much for the pretty daisy card and fun letter inside. My son lives in the same town as you do. I have been there 3 times this year. Your community garden sounds amazing. Have a lovely day.
Candace rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #357 on Aug 22, 2023
5
rating
Comment: What a great picture of the squirrel! Hope it's cooled off a bit for you.
lob rated for Email Accountability Swap #15 on Aug 16, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Great job with all the cleaning and chores!
MelissaLB rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #356 on Aug 12, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Thank you for the beautiful cards! My garden has been so odd this year. My tomatoes have not ripened! I’m usually canning by now. Woodchucks ate my green beans so I replanted those a few weeks ago. They seem to be doing well. Some of my flowers are late to open. August should be an interesting month.
PinotAndPostcards rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #355 on Aug 10, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Thanks so much. Did you take these photos? They’re beautiful!
RedheadLady rated for PC - No worries #2 INTL on Jul 27, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Thank you for the PC.
mejulia rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #354 on Jul 27, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Always wonderful to have you as a partner. Thank you for sharing your weekend with e.
5
rating
Comment: Love the hummingbird - they make it through here on their migration - I think they're wonderful!
Luvchickadees rated for Postcard roulette july 2023 on Jul 24, 2023
5
rating
Comment: I love the bee card and your story < some of the writing is missing but I got enough to understand what you said). I hope you got some extra cards 😄
Candace rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #353 on Jul 22, 2023
5
rating
Comment: You made me hungry with all of the veggies! Awesome photo of the dragon fly.
hellojett rated for TGIF Weekend Notecard #351 on Jul 21, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Thank you for your nice note card with the bee and flower photo. How are the swallows doing? So nice to be able to watch their growth up close. We have swifts here at the moment, I love to see them. On holidays we saw a lot of storks with their babies, 2-3 per nest and each village had a stork nest! Also red kites and hawks. I never heard of Patty Pan before, they look so cute! I wish we had more space to grow things here, the balcony is full!
5
rating
Comment: Thank you so much for your nice note card ! Crazy to have a note card of your nemesis cat ahah, I love it so much ! I love guinea pigs, I had one called Tibillicoco (I'm wondering how English speaking people can pronounce that lol), but he died a couple days before my 11th birthday and it broke my heart way too much to get another one.. Maybe some day ! Have a great day !
MamaKek rated for Email Accountability Swap #13 on Jul 17, 2023
5
rating
Comment: Great job tackling things AND realizing sometimes some things are just going to be what they are.
5
rating
Comment: Rift, I can’t believe they returned the PC to you b/c a carrier stuck it in the wrong mailbox!….but I love the package you sent me❣️THANK YOU! Your photos are Amazing! Such detail! Yes, I love the baby swallows, with their oversized mouths, mud straw & feather nest & their spiky itty hairs! Did you photograph that scrub jay? That’s a photo worthy of being in a bird ID book. I’m going to look at your sites! Thx for the resend. You’re very kind to create a 2nd swap❣️
JustSmurfie rated for What I'm reading PC - USA only 1 on Jul 14, 2023
5
rating
Comment: I love sci-fi fantasy, haven't read anything by Ann Leckie yet though. I am working through the Murderbot series by Martha Wells. Very good, would recommend. ;) Thanks for the cute kitty postcard.

Rating Overview

Overall Hearts Stars Hosted
5.0000 1068 337 337
Completed Fives Threes Ones
966 1233 0 0
Type 1 Type 2 Type 3 Uncategorized
66 843 57 0
View all

Comments

Fullsteampowell on Aug 16, 2023:

Thankee for the bonus Postcard Roulette card! It was a nice surprise.

ensigncelery on Aug 11, 2023:

This squirrel postcard you sent is SO cute! I don't think I've ever gotten close enough to a squirrel to appreciate how pretty their coloration can be. The Eastern Fox Squirrel you chose is really beautiful. What a lovely red tummy! 💜 Thank you for choosing me as a surprise partner for the postcard roulette!

veronicallama on Aug 3, 2023:

Thanks so much, rift, for the beautiful photo postcard (wooden bridge amidst leafiness). So kind of you!

Aleesha on Aug 3, 2023:

Thank you for the surprise bonus pc from the July PC Roulette swap! Is that your own dragonfly photo? It’s an awesome photo.

Leekoba on Jul 30, 2023:

Thank you for the lovely postcard for the PC Roulette July 2023! The kitty is so pretty!

explore on May 5, 2023:

Rift, thank you for the surprise postcard! I still send RAKs on swap-bot, just no more swaps or ratings. I have joined many handmade card swaps on FB which is a lot of fun. I am making stickers too for the new groups 😉

explore on Apr 15, 2023:

Rift, thank you for taking the time to send me a thank you postcard - first one I have received so far 😉. Have a wonderful April!

nanadiana on Jun 8, 2022:

Thank you for angeling the TGIF #259 swap. I really enjoyed hearing about your weekend and the pictures of the birds. So pretty! You made my day much brighter and I thank you for that. Good luck with your garden and those pesky beetles. :)

PrincessLeia on Jan 27, 2022:

Hello Rift, Thankyou for your lovely tree frog PC. He’s very cute. His skin looks quite rough compared to ours. They are really smooth and feel quite clammy if i have to pick them up and move them out of harms way. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

MarHelene on Jan 7, 2022:

Thank you fro being my angel for the TGIF Nc #265. I LOVE the pictures, especially the hawk!

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