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ANNA'S CURIO CABINET
A growing collection of writing, nature, animals, science, art, geography, and other fun curiosities.

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Listicle Oct. 12, 2025
Was out squeezing the last bit of summer out of autumn last month. Time to catch up. Maple and me in the Pine Barrens of NJ last weekend....
aobriendvm
2 days ago2 min read
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Listicle Aug. 23, 2025
Late summer shenanigans. Fave video: please enjoy this clip of Maple the pony enjoying Oreos during a ride in New Jersey last weekend. It...
aobriendvm
Aug 232 min read
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Listicle July 31, 2025
All bikes. All the time. RAGBRAI . Stands for Register's Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. 20,000 of your closest friends gather at the...
aobriendvm
Jul 311 min read
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Listicle July 13, 2025
Fave local bike route: Tour de Bullfrog. You've heard of the Tour de France and there's an actual local bike ride called the Tour de...
aobriendvm
Jul 132 min read
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Listicle June 29, 2025
Peak summer here in Maryland, folks. Summer Anna is very happy, indeed. Here are a few samplings of why. Fave wildflowers: the colors...
aobriendvm
Jun 292 min read
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Listicle June 10, 2025
Honeybee on a blackberry bloom Credit: A O'Brien Fave feast: the smells of summer! Late spring and the air in central Maryland is filled...
aobriendvm
Jun 101 min read
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Listicle May 5, 2025
Ponies, Pine Barrens, and Petunias. Here are 5 things to put in the Curio Cabinet this week. Endurance. In all senses, but in this...
aobriendvm
May 52 min read
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Listicle April 17, 2025
Outdoors, outdoors, outdoors. The neighbor's magnolia all dressed up. Credit A O'Brien Fave time of year: now. Spring in all her finest,...
aobriendvm
Apr 172 min read
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Listicle March 25, 2025
Time is expanding then contracting and doing all sorts of weird things, so here's a mid-month listicle a bit later than mid-month....
aobriendvm
Mar 251 min read
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Listicle March 1, 2025
The mighty mares Credit: A. O'Brien Damn you, February, with your number of days divisible by four! But you're over and now there are...
aobriendvm
Mar 11 min read
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Listicle Feb. 15, 2025
I'm a sucker for latte art. Credit: A. O'Brien Still winter? Peeks outside. Yep. Right. Just checking. Here are five things that kept me...
aobriendvm
Feb 152 min read
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Solid Openers
Penny, queen of winter weather. This girl does not feel the cold. Credit: A O'Brien Here's to the end of a month that's felt like a year....
aobriendvm
Jan 302 min read
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Let's Do This
Trying out a new format in 2025. Opening new drawers in the ol' cabinet, if you will. Some writers I enjoy often employ a solid listicle...
aobriendvm
Jan 152 min read
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40 Reads from 2024
2024 Reads (credit: A O'Brien) 366 days come and gone, 40 books consumed. Here's my 2024 list of books read in chronological order....
aobriendvm
Jan 12 min read
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You May Often. . . or The 2 pm Blues
Sunset on the winter solstice. This is one of my favorite color palettes. (Credit: Anna O'Brien) My most despised time of day is 2 pm....
aobriendvm
Dec 25, 20242 min read
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In the Spirit of Fear and Loathing
What I wouldn't give for Hunter S. Thompson to be alive right now. He's always on my to-read list but recent events have pushed one of...
aobriendvm
Nov 14, 20241 min read
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Every New Cycle
Although I've mentally been in the #fallvibes since August, the autumnal equinox passed last Sunday without my noticing. I am aware of is...
aobriendvm
Sep 27, 20242 min read
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A Photo Essay
I've been thinking a lot about wrestling lately. Most of it has to do with watching The Iron Claw . But also: cats are great wrestlers....
aobriendvm
Aug 27, 20241 min read
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Summer Vibes
I will admit a love/hate relationship with the word "vibes." It feels overused and therefore trite and there's probably more than a bit...
aobriendvm
Jul 8, 20241 min read
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Publication News!
After quite a drought, I am very pleased to announce the publication of one of my sci-fi short stories! "Hatch, Beast, Flew Away" has...
aobriendvm
Jun 5, 20241 min read
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