u/Fun_Response253

It's very small, but it has everything I need

I already have a simple setup that I’ve used for hydrosols and essential oils, and I’m curious whether coffee beans or brewed coffee would give anything useful through steam or water distillation. Would the aroma compounds actually carry over, or would it just end up smelling flat burnt or weak?

I always love this kind of space: warm air, dense foliage, glass above, and plants from completely different climates all living under one roof. It felt like walking through a small tropical world inside Beijing.

Nothing fancy, just plants, light, and a lot of daily checking.

Picked up a Japanese glow toy and got curious about the chemistry.

It comes with two parts: one salt-like material that dissolves in water, and one oily liquid. When mixed, it gives off a surprisingly bright green glow.

It doesn’t seem like luminol to me. Is this more likely some kind of glow-stick-style oxalate chemiluminescence with a dye?

Also curious what the usual toxicity/handling concerns are for this kind of consumer glow chemistry. Not trying to recreate it, just trying to understand the mechanism.

Some photos from my home plants and rooftop garden.

A mix of leafy houseplants, tomatoes, peppers, and whatever survives my sunny windows. It’s a small space, but it makes home feel much more alive.

Found some old photos from a DIY aquaponic setup I built before.

started the greens from seed, raised the seedlings, then moved them into a small PVC hydroponic rack. Fish lived in the tank below, and the water circulated up through the vegetables

Not the prettiest setup, but watching tiny seedlings turn into full leafy greens indoors was really satisfying

Made some lavender essential oil and hydrosol from dried lavender, using only purified water.

The lavender smell came out really strong, but honestly I still prefer the rose oil I made before. People always say lavender helps with sleep, but it doesn’t seem to do much for me.

Good part: the oil yield seems way better than rose.

Next, planning to try cinnamon oil. Kind of obsessed with cinnamon right now — I keep grabbing a piece of Ceylon cinnamon just to smell it.

distilled some frozen salt-cured rose petals at home.

The essential oil yield was very small, but the hydrosol came out incredibly fragrant. Soft, fresh, rosy, and much better than I expected from preserved petals

Tiny oil, amazing hydrosol. I’d call it a success.

A few photos from the greenhouse at Bogotá Botanical Garden. Loved the humidity, filtered light, and dense tropical plants inside

I’ve been enjoying this set of natural history stamps from Monaco. There’s something charming about how much detail they fit into such a small space, almost like a miniature museum page

After sharing my TAAF engraved stamps last post, I had to share this Greenland set I just received, from 1991 to 2000.

From the Antarctic south to Greenland’s north. And oh man, that little white whale is so cute!

Only downside: I still prefer the texture of engraved stamps

Thought this sub might enjoy these greenhouse pics

Recently picked up this set of TAAF stamps, completely in love with them. Somehow, they bring a little Antarctic sea breeze into my home!