Nostr notes by H. Pettijohn

Stormguide. As this peregrine falcon streaks across the skies, it ...

2025-06-24T13:00:18Z

Stormguide. As this peregrine falcon streaks across the skies, it generates powerful thunderstorms in its wake.

Happy #FossilFriday, check out the skull of Eryops! This ...

2025-06-20T13:25:17Z

Happy #FossilFriday, check out the skull of Eryops! This inarguably adorable face was filled sharp teeth, perfect for holding onto slippery, wet prey. Often erroneously called an amphibian, this animal is instead a member of an order known as temnospondyls. (1/2)
#paleontology

As a crew member's unbridled grief begins to string them ...

2025-06-16T13:20:57Z

As a crew member's unbridled grief begins to string them through the Deep Astral, the party finds their spelljammer, The Blue Susan, unwillingly pulled toward a cosmic graveyard.

#DungeonsAndDragons #DND

Happy #FossilFriday, check out the skull of Protoreodon! While ...

2025-05-16T13:01:26Z

Happy #FossilFriday, check out the skull of Protoreodon! While the top of the skull is somewhat crushed, the teeth are overall well-preserved; take a look those cute little canines! This little animal is an ancient and distant relative to modern artiodactyls, such as deer and cattle.
#paleontology

Happy #FossilFriday! Excavations are officially over at the ...

2025-05-02T13:32:03Z

Happy #FossilFriday! Excavations are officially over at the Substation Quarry until next fall, so I wanted to show off some of my favorite fossils that have been found! From dinosaurs to fish to plants, this ancient lake truly supported a grand and diverse amount of life. (1/2)
#paleontology

Check out how much the Substation Quarry has changed since ...

2025-04-29T14:08:15Z

Check out how much the Substation Quarry has changed since excavations started! Each picture is roughly two weeks apart.
#paleontology

These teeth were found at the Substation Quarry in St. George, ...

2025-04-18T13:00:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…ts46
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These teeth were found at the Substation Quarry in St. George, Utah, and we only have a little over a week left to dig! If you'd like to see how you can help through donations, check out https://utahdinosaurs.org/quarry-substation-excavation-2025/! (2/2)

Happy #FossilFriday, check out some tiny tracks from the St. ...

2025-04-04T13:25:09Z

Happy #FossilFriday, check out some tiny tracks from the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site! These darling little traces were likely made by very young coelophysid theropods, perhaps making their first romp around the ancient lake they called home. (1/2)
#paleontology #ichnology

Happy #FossilFriday, I'm showing off a few of the smallest ...

2025-03-21T13:06:01Z

Happy #FossilFriday, I'm showing off a few of the smallest finds from the Substation Quarry in St. George, Utah! While dinosaur teeth and articulated fish are exciting, small fossils from plants and invertebrates can offer us a unique and diverse view of this ancient ecosystem.
#paleontology

Apologies for not being very active on here--I've been busy ...

2025-03-20T01:42:43Z

Apologies for not being very active on here--I've been busy with field work! As recompense, enjoy some beautifully articulated semionotid fish scales from the Substation Quarry, found by a volunteer!
#paleontology

A mute swan enjoying a grooming session on the water ...

2025-03-17T13:26:49Z

A mute swan enjoying a grooming session on the water

They might have tried to nibble on you a bit, but these were made ...

2025-03-14T13:50:08Z

In reply to nevent1q…2t2n
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They might have tried to nibble on you a bit, but these were made by pretty small animals, probably no more than a couple feet tall at the shoulder! Worst they could do is nip you pretty good!

The Substation Quarry dig by the St. George Dinosaur Discovery ...

2025-03-13T15:21:35Z

The Substation Quarry dig by the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site is going swimmingly! Great finds are popping up, and it's incredible how the community has come together to help with such a unique site.
#paleontology

These fossils are housed and on display at the St. George ...

2025-03-07T14:14:25Z

In reply to nevent1q…vzhs
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These fossils are housed and on display at the St. George Discovery Site--they're quite literally part of the ground the building is built over! The SGDS is currently working in more excavations nearby, and if you'd like to help, check out the image below for how you can do so! (2/2)

Happy #FossilFriday, check put some darling crocodylomorph ...

2025-03-07T14:14:07Z

Happy #FossilFriday, check put some darling crocodylomorph tracks! 200 million years ago, small and snappy distant-croc-relatives, like Protosuchus, darted and splashed along a ripple-marked lakeshore and through silty riverbeds, leaving behind their traces. (1/2)
#paleontology #ichnology

Spotted some intense beaver activity yesterday! ...

2025-03-03T14:05:15Z

Spotted some intense beaver activity yesterday!

Thank you! I agree, there's something just delightful about ...

2025-02-28T04:09:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…epxm
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Thank you! I agree, there's something just delightful about more organic ships. They just feel like they'd fly better!

And, yeah, a regular sailing ship can feel out of place! Granted, it IS really funny to just fight a galleon full of pirates in space, but I do think that spaceships should be more than, well, ships!

Steadily working on our party's spelljammer/spaceship design! ...

2025-02-27T18:33:14Z

Steadily working on our party's spelljammer/spaceship design!
#DungeonsAndDragons #DND

Very fond of this skull on display at the Natural History Museum ...

2025-02-26T14:10:34Z

In reply to nevent1q…qey3
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Very fond of this skull on display at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah! Note that the horn core is visible on the left.

Nostr event nevent1qqs9fvvl5ag5zgdx2auypgmjfsze7nh44kn4fqmn2ep67k2d4yx3whczyqlfwl3ls5e0zsthx9sgxl68weg45p2avxy3uqntx7qx6tuv6cczqsz9kaf

2025-02-26T14:10:27Z

Bighorn

LOL yes, that little hippo is based off of Moo Deng! :^) As cute ...

2025-02-24T18:16:37Z

In reply to nevent1q…c39m
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LOL yes, that little hippo is based off of Moo Deng! :^) As cute as they are, something tells me Crumbs isn't donating to that charity...

Some sketches of our spelljammer and its interior + a couple of ...

2025-02-24T01:25:32Z

Some sketches of our spelljammer and its interior + a couple of goofy portraits of Crumbs!
#DungeonsAndDragons #DND

Ooh, very cool! I can definitely see some one-person ...

2025-02-23T16:04:47Z

In reply to nevent1q…ul99
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Ooh, very cool! I can definitely see some one-person spelljammers--kind of like merrenoloths and their vessels. It would be very unnerving to go up against a powerful lich in a souped-up ship!

In the current campaign I'm playing in, the spelljammers are manned similar to sailing ships, though the spelljammer's pilot tends to act as both helmsman, navigator, and sometimes captain. My character is the current pilot, though she avoids acting as a captain as much as she can!

Thanks so much! :^)

2025-02-22T16:23:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…w783
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Thanks so much! :^)

Patron of the hunt ...

2025-02-22T14:02:25Z

Patron of the hunt

You can get a better look at those teeth in a post I made here! ...

2025-02-21T14:18:28Z

In reply to nevent1q…h307
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You can get a better look at those teeth in a post I made here!
https://sauropods.win/@punkpaleo/113912010576313243

This fossil is housed at the Natural History Museum of Utah in ...

2025-02-21T14:16:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…gult
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This fossil is housed at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City, Utah, and it was on display for an event. (2/2)

Happy #FossilFriday, take a look at the skull of Teratophoneus! ...

2025-02-21T14:16:49Z

Happy #FossilFriday, take a look at the skull of Teratophoneus! This tyrannosaur made southern Utah its stomping grounds roughly 76 million years ago, and it may have used those massive teeth to prey upon hadrosaurs such as Gryposaurus and Parasaurolophus. (1/2)
#paleontology

She looks pretty cool here, but what I DIDN'T show is her ...

2025-02-18T14:16:22Z

In reply to nevent1q…y4mw
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She looks pretty cool here, but what I DIDN'T show is her losing half of her HP about two seconds after this after a scavver scored a crit on her. She likes to only remember the part where she wasn't full of shark teeth.

This is a scene from a recent DnD session in the Spelljammer ...

2025-02-18T14:16:15Z

In reply to nevent1q…0ksy
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This is a scene from a recent DnD session in the Spelljammer universe! Normally, Crumbs prefers to stick to jamming/piloting, but when two of her crew members kept failing their check to reel in another crew member that went overboard, she decided to step in with some cover fire.

Unwilling to have bite-sized chunks taken out of her ship, Crumbs ...

2025-02-18T14:16:06Z

Unwilling to have bite-sized chunks taken out of her ship, Crumbs heads up to the top deck blast some marauding scavvers.
#DungeonsAndDragons #DND

Photo from this article! Check it out for more information on how ...

2025-02-14T19:40:32Z

In reply to nevent1q…rfzw
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Photo from this article! Check it out for more information on how so many of these couples ended up fossilized here! :^)
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsbl.2012.0361

Thinking of the (many) mating turtles from the Messel Pit this ...

2025-02-14T19:37:32Z

Thinking of the (many) mating turtles from the Messel Pit this Valentine's Day and #FossilFriday! May your love be as everlasting as this fossil, but perhaps not as deadly. ;^)

They certainly can seem alien, but they're very much of this ...

2025-02-07T22:07:06Z

In reply to nevent1q…2npz
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They certainly can seem alien, but they're very much of this Earth! :^)

The crinoid in the first post is housed at the Natural History ...

2025-02-07T14:07:23Z

In reply to nevent1q…qm9x
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The crinoid in the first post is housed at the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Late City, Utah, and it was on display for an event. The crinoid in the second post is housed at the Museum of Ancient Life in Lehi, Utah. (3/3)

Not only are they gorgeous on the outside, some specimens can ...

2025-02-07T14:07:13Z

In reply to nevent1q…cg2x
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Not only are they gorgeous on the outside, some specimens can have particularly beautiful interiors, like this crinoid stalk with a flower-shaped body cavity. This stalk once held a crinoid to the ocean floor, securing it against the currents as it filtered the water for nutrients. (2/3)

Happy #FossilFriday, check out this beautifully preserved ...

2025-02-07T14:06:08Z

Happy #FossilFriday, check out this beautifully preserved crinoid! These animals have inhabited the oceans for 480 million years, and they're relatives of sea urchins and sea stars. This specimen is long fossilized, but looks like it just died and fell into the seabed's embrace. (1/3)
#paleontology

As a side note, this isn't a form he can transform into or ...

2025-02-06T14:54:59Z

In reply to nevent1q…92p0
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As a side note, this isn't a form he can transform into or anything. This is just what he looks like in a game called Reach of the River that I play daily!

Reference sheet for Tobias' canid form! What do you reckon he ...

2025-02-06T14:53:59Z

Reference sheet for Tobias' canid form! What do you reckon he has more of: bark or bite?

Just comparing a couple portraits of Tobias! He's about 10 ...

2025-02-02T14:16:11Z

In reply to nevent1q…30lt
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Just comparing a couple portraits of Tobias! He's about 10 years old in the first picture, and in his early 30s in the second.

20 years can change a lot. #OC #DungeonsAndDragons ...

2025-02-02T14:16:04Z

20 years can change a lot.
#OC #DungeonsAndDragons

Skeletal mounts at the Natural History Museum of Utah. ...

2025-02-01T14:21:28Z

Skeletal mounts at the Natural History Museum of Utah.
#paleontology

hands you this ...

2025-01-30T14:23:18Z

hands you this

Feel free to take guesses as to what you think these are! :^) ...

2025-01-29T14:02:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…89ay
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Feel free to take guesses as to what you think these are! :^) There are IDs in the alt text.

Series of abstract fossil photos from the Natural History Museum ...

2025-01-29T14:02:21Z

Series of abstract fossil photos from the Natural History Museum of Utah.
#paleontology

DinoFest 2025 was wonderful! I have many, many photos to go ...

2025-01-27T15:28:40Z

DinoFest 2025 was wonderful! I have many, many photos to go through, but here's just a few of my favorites!

It could! All the same, I did wish it had a better home when I ...

2025-01-24T19:29:45Z

In reply to nevent1q…jc87
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It could! All the same, I did wish it had a better home when I worked at that museum. It's definitely not an ideal tank!

It sure is! Shows just how close that big old nose was to that ...

2025-01-24T14:23:29Z

In reply to nevent1q…qerl
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It sure is! Shows just how close that big old nose was to that eyeball!

I genuinely just LOVE when googly eyes are put on a skull for ...

2025-01-24T14:22:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…nnvk
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I genuinely just LOVE when googly eyes are put on a skull for education! It's a quick way to give information, and it's just so stinking cute. :^)

This skull is currently being prepared at the St. George Dinosaur ...

2025-01-24T14:19:10Z

In reply to nevent1q…8xsp
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This skull is currently being prepared at the St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site in St. George, Utah, and it can be seen through the prep lab window! (3/3)

While superficially similar to crocodiles, phytosaurs have a few ...

2025-01-24T14:18:57Z

In reply to nevent1q…j0aq
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While superficially similar to crocodiles, phytosaurs have a few key differences; one of the main ones is that their nostrils are located close to their eyes. Some species have particularly large nasal crests, and individual variation in crest size has been suggested to be sexual dimorphism. (2/3)

Happy #FossilFriday, check out this phytosaur skull being ...

2025-01-24T14:18:34Z

Happy #FossilFriday, check out this phytosaur skull being prepared! Phytosaurs slunk around waterways during the Late Triassic, likely snapping up any animals that ventured too close to the shoreline. (1/3)
#paleontology

I love that! :^) It's always important to do what we can, and ...

2025-01-23T15:16:05Z

In reply to nevent1q…4zqs
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I love that! :^) It's always important to do what we can, and in most places, clover is a much better ground cover option than grass. I hope your clover continues to grow healthy and strong!

She's my favorite out of the NPC crew for that very same ...

2025-01-22T22:09:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…l4xn
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She's my favorite out of the NPC crew for that very same reason! Insects (and all other arthropods) are just so neat :^)

A pair of sketchy NPC portraits from my current Spelljammer ...

2025-01-22T14:31:38Z

A pair of sketchy NPC portraits from my current Spelljammer campaign!
#DungeonsAndDragons #DND

Someone didn't get the memo for the costume party! ...

2025-01-20T15:01:53Z

Someone didn't get the memo for the costume party!

Same! There's something nice about having physical material ...

2025-01-20T03:37:51Z

In reply to nevent1q…l5wp
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Same! There's something nice about having physical material that you can mess around with. And I'll be sure to pass on the compliment to him! :^)

Haha, the names ARE super fun! :^) My partner, who is running our ...

2025-01-19T20:15:53Z

In reply to nevent1q…4yhh
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Haha, the names ARE super fun! :^) My partner, who is running our campaign, came up with them!

Showing off this spacesuit sheet I made for our current ...

2025-01-19T15:00:27Z

Showing off this spacesuit sheet I made for our current Spelljammer campaign! Since we have modular spacesuits with all sorts of components to keep track of, I wanted to consolidate all the info into one place.
#DungeonsAndDragons #DND

"Where do you work out?" "The library." ...

2025-01-07T15:33:11Z

"Where do you work out?"
"The library."

Oh, I'll still be posting here! :^) I just literally cannot ...

2024-11-21T14:19:16Z

In reply to nevent1q…8lqt
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Oh, I'll still be posting here! :^) I just literally cannot check my notifications without the app crashing, so I've already missed some replies/mentions from people on here. I just want folks to know they have another place to reach me if necessary!

This is a good time to remind ya'll that my notifications are ...

2024-11-21T14:15:42Z

This is a good time to remind ya'll that my notifications are pretty busted here, and that I'm way more active on Bluesky! If you want to make sure I see that thing you tag me in, or if you want to see more of the things I like, this place is your best bet!

Ooh, I haven't, but my partner and I have enough extra pieces ...

2024-11-19T18:16:43Z

In reply to nevent1q…qe9n
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Ooh, I haven't, but my partner and I have enough extra pieces that we could probably figure something out! I'll bet there's a few guides online too

I figured ya'll might like to see the Dungeons and Dragons ...

2024-11-19T18:09:49Z

I figured ya'll might like to see the Dungeons and Dragons wall in my home :^)

Not only have I been having to deal with getting tagged in an ...

2024-10-15T23:36:16Z

Not only have I been having to deal with getting tagged in an insane number of spam posts, now this app keeps crashing every time I try to check my notifications so I can report one. 😭 Anyone else having similar issues?

A young Juniper investigates her grove's newest visitor, ...

2024-10-12T13:45:25Z

A young Juniper investigates her grove's newest visitor, unaware that a hag has placed a target on her head--or rather, her horn.
#DungeonsAndDragons #DND #unicorn

For a size comparison, here's me next to a replica of a ...

2024-09-20T13:37:41Z

In reply to nevent1q…ysgv
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For a size comparison, here's me next to a replica of a Brachiosaurus shoulder bone, otherwise known as a scapulocoracoid. These bones help form the pectoral girdle in dinosaurs, and in sauropods, they also provided a sturdy attachment point for their pillar-like forelegs. (2/3)

Happy #FossilFriday, check out these hip (right) and shoulder ...

2024-09-20T13:37:15Z

Happy #FossilFriday, check out these hip (right) and shoulder (left) bones from Supersaurus! These huge sauropods wandered wide playas and fringes of thin forests during the Late Jurassic, and they were among the longest of their kind, possibly reaching up to 130 feet in length. (1/3)
#paleontology

Based on this photo! ...

2024-08-24T13:29:12Z

In reply to nevent1q…73mx
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Based on this photo!

Some zookeepers find Triceratops difficult to handle well before ...

2024-08-24T13:28:56Z

Some zookeepers find Triceratops difficult to handle well before they're fully grown.
#paleoart

For sure, those are osteoderms, or boney armor plates! ...

2024-08-07T16:53:20Z

In reply to nevent1q…5r2p
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For sure, those are osteoderms, or boney armor plates! They're smilar to the osteoderms on ankylosaurs, like Ankylosaurus, but Ceratosaurus had just a line of them running down its back (and possibly other ones elsewhere on its body, it's difficult to say). They may have provided additional protection during scuffles with other predators, and/or they may have been used for display. Below is a picture of some Ceratosaurus osteoderms housed at the Natural History Museum of Utah.