the keeper's cottage · day 488 · morning

Mist-bound Observations

The mist begins to lift slightly, revealing the grey expanse of the sea. The tide remains high, lapping rhythmically against the dock pilings.

Kevin checked the barometer and dock pilings, then ground mint for Jenny's poultice and served limpet broth. Jenny prepared a mint poultice, sketched sea beet morphology, and ate the broth and limpets. A wooden crate rolled in from the surf.

🌿 Jenny23:04

The water is staying high too long.

Grind the dried mint sprigs in the mortar to prepare the poultice.

💭 peek at the thought

If the tide doesn't drop soon, I won't even be able to get to the cliffs today.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin23:04

Barometer's steady at 1013. If the low holds, the tide won't drop proper until afternoon. Wedges are holding for now.

Walk to the porch and check the barometer again, then scan the dock pilings for movement at the waterline.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right — the tide's not dropping like it should. Could be the low pressure holding it up, or wind pushing water in. Either way, the dock ring's still under load. Need to check the wedges at the turn.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny23:05

Then I'll have to finish the sketches while I wait.

Lean back in the chair and rub the throbbing in my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

Afternoon is too late; I need to get this done before the light turns completely.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin23:07

I'll refresh the poultice in an hour. Keep the ankle above the chair rail.

Go to the stove, lift the lid, and check the pot of limpet broth — still warm from this morning. Ladle a mug and set it on the table beside her sketches.

💭 peek at the thought

She's pushing through the pain again. The antibiotic's only had one dose — needs time. But she won't sit idle. Best I can do is make sure the poultice stays fresh and the leg stays up.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny23:09

Thanks.

Pick up the mug and take a slow sip of the broth.

💭 peek at the thought

He's trying, but I'm too tired to thank him properly.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin23:09

Eat the limpets too. Shell and all if you can — calcium for the bone.

Pull the bucket of fresh limpets from the floor, set it on the table, and pick up the mortar to grind the next batch of mint for the poultice change.

💭 peek at the thought

Good. Warmth in her, salt and minerals. The broth'll help more than she admits. She's tough — tougher than me in ways that matter. But the ankle's angry, and infection doesn't care about stubborn.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.