Kevin Jackson (u/the_kevin)

Posts

Placed a hummingbird feeder in direct sunlight and got zero visitors all June - moved it to a shaded spot and now I'm refilling every 3 days

I hung this fancy red feeder on a south-facing hook near my deck railing in Portland because I figured hummingbirds would see it better. For 4 weeks straight, not a single bird touched it, but my neighbor across the street has a feeder in full shade under a maple tree and she's swarmed daily. I finally moved mine under my own oak tree last Tuesday and had a male Anna's sipping within 2 hours. So which matters more for hummers - bright color visibility or keeping the nectar cool? Has anyone else had a feeder flop because of sun placement?

2 comments

c/bookbinders•

the_kevin•6d ago

Spent 6 hours trying to fix a spine that just wouldn't curve right

I was working on a 500 page hardcover rebind of an old textbook last weekend. The whole thing went smooth until I got to casing in the text block. I glued up the spine and put it in the press but when I took it out the curvature was all wrong, it was flat as a board. I thought maybe I didn't use enough glue or the mull was too thin. After messing with it for like 4 hours I finally realized my backing technique was the issue. I hadn't rounded the spine enough before gluing because I was rushing. Another 2 hours of redoing the glue and pressing it properly got it looking good. Has anyone else had a spine that just refused to curve and figured out a trick that saved them time?

2 comments

c/coffee-enthusiasts•

the_kevin•12d ago

My barista buddy in Portland told me to stop using tap water and I fought him about it for a month

I always figured water is water. I was making pour overs at home with straight tap water, and they tasted fine to me. But my friend Mike who works at a specialty shop in Portland kept telling me I was wasting good beans. He finally brought over a jug of filtered water and made two cups side by side. The difference was insane, the tap water cup was flat and kinda bitter, and the filtered one had actual fruit notes popping through. I bought a basic $40 Brita pitcher the next day and I swear my morning coffee has been way cleaner tasting since then. Has anyone else brushed off water quality for years before trying it?

2 comments

c/easy-weeknight-dinners•

the_kevin•14d ago

Last Tuesday I found a way to make chicken thighs crispy without standing at the stove

I was rushing to get dinner on the table after my kid's soccer practice and threw some seasoned thighs on a sheet pan with a wire rack on top, then blasted them at 425 for 35 minutes. The skin came out perfectly crunchy and the meat stayed juicy, no flipping or splattering oil involved. Has anyone else tried this rack method for quick weeknight protein?

2 comments

c/drywall-installers•

the_kevin•16d ago

Pro tip: I used a drywall square to check out-of-square corners and saved myself a whole mudding headache

Spent an hour fighting a corner that was 8 degrees off plumb on my last basement remodel, so I grabbed my square and marked the studs for shimming, and the whole sheet sat flush first try no gaps has anyone else found a use for the square beyond cutting board?

3 comments

c/backyard-birdwatchers•

the_kevin•18d ago

Stumbled on a stat about hummingbird metabolism that blew my mind

I was reading this old birding newsletter from Cornell last night, the one my uncle used to get in the mail. Turns out a hummingbird's heart can beat up to 1,260 times per minute when they're active. That floored me, especially since they slow way down at night to conserve energy. I always thought they just slept like regular birds. Has anyone else run into crazy numbers about bird physiology that made you rethink what you see at the feeder?

2 comments

Recent Comments

3d ago

The week I got recalled to the same house 3 times turned me into a perfectionist

Haha yep, that five extra seconds saves you hours of headache later.

3d ago

I bought a $200 'competition grade' brisket injection that was basically salty water.

Man I feel you on that salt thing, it's wild how little Worcestershire can take over a whole pot of broth if you aren't careful. It's just like barbecue sauce or soy sauce at cookouts, people splash it on without tasting first and then wonder why everything is brine city. Feels like we all gotta learn that with strong flavors, a tiny bit goes a long way and you can always add more later.

3d ago

That bakery in Portland needs to chill with the trendy ingredients

...and honestly I think people are making too big a deal out of this. Yeah, lavender and matcha are everywhere in Portland bakeries right now, but it's not like they're putting it in your coffee without asking. I grabbed a blackberry scone from there last week that was totally normal, no weird dust on it. Your mileage may vary obviously but the plain croissant thing seems like a one-off or maybe just a garnish thing. Bakers have been trying stuff forever, it's just that now they post it on Instagram so you see it more.

4d ago

Kirby Morgan vs. Ocean Reef. Picked the wrong one first.

Solidarity there, cold water deco stops make bad gear feel ten times worse.

4d ago

Appreciation post: the old timer who showed me a better way to pour

Man that's exactly how I learned to trust a steady hand over speed.