#spring yard zone

[fyeahsonicthehedgehog]

[wabbles-art-folder]

Yonder Yard Zone - Present [Inspired by Moonstriker]

[mahoutenshiko]

It's amazing how a few details can change the entire look of the stage

(Images are all taken from Sonic Retro and The Cutting Room Floor)

Spring Yard could've been one of the final stages of the game according to the level select in the prototype we have. That makes perfect sense to me, since had a lot of ominous neon buildings and a darker starry sky, similar to how the likes of Casino Night from Sonic 2.

Speaking of which...

This version of Casino Night looks so evil and I can't quite explain why. These bright blues and pinks look very artificial, it's a reminder of how removed the player is from nature.

The background also has these green buildings in the distance, creeping from the darkness in an ominous way, if feels like Sonic is completely surrounded!

The finalized Casino Night feels much wider, the buildings aren't dark shapes towering Sonic, instead, they are all shining there in the distance. The foreground also has a more grounded palette, feeling a lot less "unnatural" and "wicked" and more like an actual casino.

While I prefer the finalized version of these stages, these older incarnations have a very interesting vibe!

[person2k16]

spring yard zone

[wildandmoody]

Saying "oh, VIP Mix" to myself every time a video game corruption I'm watching causes the bgm to get fucked up in a remotely interesting way

[guinevereslancelot]

my saffron crocus didn't die :0

[switch]

in an era with video games designed for social media-scorched attention spans and brainless autorunners, "marble zone" is more important than ever

[fishgirl514]

SONIC 1 COMPLETE

[fyeahsonicthehedgehog]

[sonichedgeblog]

Early footage of Spring Yard Zone in 'Sonic 1' show some very spiky obstacles that were removed from the final level. Support us on Patreon

[breelandwalker]

Happy Turning Day!

This is the movable holiday in my personal calendar when the approach of autumn is celebrated. Turning Day marks the day when reddening maple leaves are first observed prior to the autumn solstice. In my area, this typically happens in early September.

Maple trees tend to be the first trees to display seasonal changes. They blossom in late winter/early spring, their seeds begin to drop in early summer, they often show the first signs of color change in early autumn, and their sap runs in winter the minute the weather starts to turn toward spring thaw. Thus I look to them in my practice as harbingers of change and the cycles of life, growth, and harvest.

Other personal holidays in my calendar include:

First Robin Day - the day on which the first wild robin is seen following the winter solstice, heralding the spring

First Flowers Day - the day on which early blooms are first observed in local gardens before the spring solstice

Planting Day - the day on which I plant my first round of seeds for the year

Dandelion Day - the day on which the first yellow dandelion appears in my yard in springtime, heralding the summer

Falling Flowers - the period during which blossoms from cherry or myrtle trees start to come loose and drift on the wind or collect in piles

Spirit Day - the day on which the local Spirit Halloween opens

First Frost - the day on which frost is first observed on windows ahead of the winter solstice

(Due to climate change and my local climate zone being different from the one I was raised in, seasonal changes are a bit off-kilter and solstices and equinoxes don't always directly align with the type of weather I grew up knowing. So watching for these little signs helps me to celebrate those changes and have something to look forward to.)

Note: This is my UPG (Unshared Personal Gnosis) and thus is not subject to peer review or approval, nor do I expect it to fit perfectly into or account for the beliefs of others. That being said, the creation of personal holidays and observances is a practice as old as humanity and I happily encourage others to try out the idea themselves if they feel so inclined.

(If you’re enjoying my content, please feel free to drop a little something in the tip jar or check out my published works on Amazon or in the Willow Wings Witch Shop. You can also check out my show Hex Positive on the Nerd & Tie Podcast Network and wherever fine podcasts are heard. 😊)

[person2k16]

3 videos in a year is good right???

[growingwildgardens]

Winter Sowing 🥶🍀🪻

Winter sowing is the act of planting seeds, particularly native northern plants and those that require cold stratification, in mid-Winter, rather than waiting for warmer weather 🌬🌧❄️

Winter sowing has several benefits ☃️✅️

-Best way to awaken dormancy from native/northern seeds that require 1-3 months of cold stratification and moist soil, especially those that need a false spring and then return to cold (as we're likely to have several of these in Zone 8b)

-Allows early germination and success of the strongest seeds most suited to your local environment

-When done in jugs or some other type of mini-greenhouse increases the temperature, and increases how early and vigorously seeds germinate

-Allows you to have many of your flowers, bushes, and fruit trees planted very early (mid-January to early March) so you can focus on annual food crops as your yard or greenhouse warm up

It's also a pretty easy process, mostly done with recycled materials! ♻️

The easiest way to winter sow seeds is to save excess plastic jugs - milk, juice, even vinegar bottles - anything with clear or slightly opaque plastic 🫙

1. Rinse out your jugs, use a wood burner/heated screwdriver/whatever is easiest to poke holes in the bottom

2. Cut them roughly in half, leaving a good amount of space in the bottom area

3. Fill with soil, ideally deeper and with slightly more starting nutrients than a typical seed mix - this will give you flexibility to let things grow in and not need immediate up-potting

4. Scatter your chosen seeds - prioritize wildflowers, native bushes/trees, fruit trees, and anything that says it requires cold stratification. Avoid hot weather annuals like tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants that will suffer in the cold nights

5. Cover very lightly with soil and water deeply, since this is a pretty closed system you'll only need to water about once a week until real growth or warmth sets in

6. Label inside and out, then use tape to reconnect the two halves. Put lids back on to retain heat and humidity, if can't be found can use styrofoam, aluminum foil, or plastic wrap rubber-banded on

Winter sowing is an easy process that let's you get a headstart on planting, increases germination rates in native plants and wildflowers, and uses recycled materials to grow more food 🌱🫐🍎🪻🌿

Message me for any questions, I'll discuss troubleshooting and alternatives later this week 💚

[ID: Two pictures; the first shows 3 1-gallon jugs, half full with dirt, and labeled things like "oregon grape" and "juneberries." The Second shows a long line of these jugs of varying types lined up against a garden fence, each closed and labeled.]

[warriorofthought]

Easter Day

Summary: You spend Easter with Bucky

Word count: 1142

Warnings: sweet fluff

Teen Bucky x Teen Reader

It’s Easter morning and you’re standing on the Barnes front porch, arms crossed over your light sweater as the spring air kisses your cheeks. The sun is just warm enough to make the day feel promising, and you can hear the sound of kids laughing a few houses down, probably already tearing through their Easter baskets.

Bucky opens the door, his hair slightly tousled and a shy grin pulling at the corners of his mouth. He’s holding something behind his back.

“You came” he says, as if you’d ever miss an invite from him.

“Of course I did” you reply, smiling. “You said something about chocolate and possibly humiliating egg hunts.”

He chuckles, stepping aside to let you in. “Right. But before that…” He pulls a small, decorated basket from behind his back. “This is for you.”

It’s not fancy, woven wood, some pastel ribbon, and a few chocolate eggs nestled in fake grass but you can tell he tried. There’s even a little folded note tucked between a caramel bunny and a purple peep.

“Bucky…” You blink, touched. “You didn’t have to.”

“I know” he says, shrugging, cheeks turning pink. “But I wanted to. I, uh, made sure to get the kind of chocolate you like.”

You glance at him, heart fluttering. “How’d you know?”

He scratches the back of his neck. “I pay attention.”

It hits you then, how he always seems to remember the little things. Like how you take your hot cocoa in the winter. Or the way you hum when you’re nervous. Or that time you mentioned your favorite candy in passing and he’d tucked it away like it meant something.

“I love it” you say, stepping closer. “Thank you.”

And suddenly you’re both standing there, in the quiet warmth of the living room, the scent of something sweet baking in the kitchen, and the world outside just a gentle blur. He’s looking at you with those blue eyes that never seem to hide anything and he swallows, like he’s building up to something.

“I was kind of hoping” he says slowly, “that maybe… after the egg hunt, we could hang out. Just us.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Like a date?”

He bites his lip, then nods. “Yeah. Like a date.”

You grin. “Only if I win the egg hunt.”

He laughs, eyes lighting up. “You’re on.”

_________________

The backyard is scattered with colorful plastic eggs and a few half-hearted decorations. Paper bunnies swaying from the porch rail and a handmade “EGG HUNT ZONE” sign hanging slightly crooked. There’s a table off to the side with cupcakes, mostly decorated as Bunnies but also as colorful eggs and sweet lemonade and a few neighborhood kids darting between bushes and flowerbeds in full sugar-fueled chaos.

You’re crouched low near the hedge, clutching a yellow egg in one hand and scanning for your next target. Bucky’s a few feet away, trying to act casual as he pretends not to be watching you but he’s terrible at it. You catch him peeking every time you glance over, his smile growing wider with each egg you find.

“You’re going down, Barnes” you call, holding up your latest prize like a trophy.

He raises a playful eyebrow. “You sure about that? Cause I’ve got five and a half eggs.”

You squint. “Half an egg?”

He opens his palm to reveal a cracked one, candy leaking from the seam. “Battle scars” he says with a dramatic sigh. “I’ll never be the same.”

You roll your eyes, laughing, but your heart skips all the same. There’s something about how he looks at you, like this whole silly egg hunt could stretch into forever and he wouldn’t mind one bit.

Eventually, the game winds down. You end up winning by two eggs, which you don’t let him forget for a solid ten minutes. He pretends to be outraged, even demands a rematch next Easter, but he’s smiling the whole time. And then, when the yard quiets down and the sun starts to dip behind the trees, he pulls you aside nervous again, but determined.

You’re sitting on the porch steps, your basket between you, the note he gave you earlier still tucked inside.

“Hey” he says softly, brushing his shoulder against yours. “Remember the deal?”

You glance at him sideways. “The date?”

He nods. “If you still want to.”

Your chest feels warm, not just from the fading sun. “I do.”

He beams full-on, teeth and all and your breath catches a little because he’s actually beautiful when he lets himself shine like that.

There’s a beat of silence, the kind that feels warm and charged instead of awkward. The sun’s dipping lower in the sky now, casting a golden glow over the yard. Somewhere behind you, someone turns on a radio, soft music drifting through the spring air.

Bucky reaches into his hoodie pocket, pulling out a tiny chocolate egg wrapped in silver foil. “Then I officially owe you this” he says, holding it out. “Winner’s prize.”

You take it, fingers brushing his and suddenly his hand is holding yours for just a second longer than needed. He’s still close, eyes flicking from your hand to your face like he’s trying to memorize everything.

“I had this whole speech” Bucky says suddenly, voice low.

You blink. “A speech?”

He nods, eyes fixed on the horizon. “For today. Thought maybe I’d give you the basket, say something smooth. Tell you I… like you.” He winces, glancing at you. “That came out way less cool than it sounded in my head.”

Your heart does this flip-flop thing, and you can’t help but smile. “You don’t need a speech.”

“I don’t?”

“Nope.” You reach into your basket, pull out a little foil-wrapped chocolate, and hold it out to him. “You already got the message across.”

He takes the candy, brushing your fingers in the process, and smiles, slow, genuine, a little shy. “So… you like me back?”

You nod, biting your lip. “Kind of hard not to.”

“I like you too, Bucky” you say simply, to make him understand it fully.

His whole expression changes, like something clicks into place. He lets out a slow breath and smiles, not a wide, goofy grin this time, but something smaller. More real.

“Okay” he says, nodding, “cool. That’s... really cool.”

He exhales like he’s been holding his breath all day. He looks down, then back at you, nudging your shoulder again, gentler this time.

“You wanna come back inside?” he asks. “Ma made cinnamon rolls and I might share one if you say please.”

You raise an eyebrow. “Only one?”

“Well” he says with a smirk, standing up and offering you his hand “maybe two. Depends how nicely you ask.”

You take his hand and when he pulls you up, he doesn’t let go right away.

You don’t mind at all.

[theoats99]

Party time - Simon Kelleher

Summary - You go to a party with Simon and Janae, Simon has other plans though after seeing you in the dress you came in.

Word count - 2,862

Warnings - Smut, drinking, female receiving oral, protected sex.

From NSFW Prompts 1,4,5 and 8.

Parties were not usually my thing, the crowds, the over the top music, the smells. Parties are hardly how I would want to spend any of my free time. But when Simon had come to be and begged me to join him going to a party, well, it’s hard to say no to Simon. He’d told me that Jake was throwing a party over spring break and how he wanted to go in case something happened, so he could of course write about it. 

But I also agreed because of Janae, she knew for a fact that Maeve Rojas would be at this party. Janae has been harboring quite the crush on the girl, so I also agreed to come to the party for moral support. But I still feel wary as I wait for Simon on my front porch to pick me up, but also I feel bare. When I had told my mother about going to a ‘group gathering’ with Simon and Janae she had insisted that I wear something nice, something ‘pretty' as she had put it. 

So she insisted I wear one of the sundresses I had gotten last summer. My usual wardrobe is jeans or tights, with a nice comfy sweater or baggy tee. So saying tonight was me stepping out of my comfort zone would be an understatement. I perk as I see Simon’s car roll up, as I get in the car I take a moment to admire him. He’s in the one green short sleeve button up, a shirt I absolutely love on him. 

“I like the dress, it looks really nice.” His compliment turns me red in seconds.

“Thanks, my mom insisted I look pretty, since I’ll be at a friendly gathering.” He laughs.

“Well, you always look pretty, and this is way more than some gathering. Jake throws huge parties, always the best place to catch people at their weakest, the drugs and alcohol get folks chatting.” I give him a raised brow, he starts the drive.

“I know that, but she doesn’t need to know that dummy. She would have locked me in my room if she knew.” He gives me a side eye, his signature smirk on his lips. He rests his one hand on my knee, thumb running over the outside of my thigh for the rest of the drive. When we arrive at the party it’s insane. I see almost everyone who’s in our grade as we enter the house, and I’m not blind to the looks people are giving Simon.

Simon most likely wasn’t invited, not that it mattered. Simon always found out about these things one way or another, I try to keep track of him but the crowd ends up separating us. I huff and try to escape the mess of sweaty bodies around me, I make my way outside where I also spot Janae.

“Hey! When did you get here?” She’s over the top as she comes over to hug me, I speculate she’s high. Janae is always much more affectionate when she’s high, all hugs and kisses, I hug her back of course. 

“You look really nice, I bet Simon’s just foaming at the mouth!” She laughs, so hard she even snorts. I just shake my head.

“It’s just a dress, Janae, and it’s not like he hasn’t seen me naked, he knows what's under this so why does it matter.” She shakes her head wildly.

“I didn’t need to know that, it’s like hearing my parents talk about sex. And it matters because when pretty girls wear pretty things other people start to wonder how they look under it.” I shake my head.

“Uh huh, so where is Maeve?” I ask, trying to get away from the previous topic. 

“I don’t know, I haven’t seen her yet. But she told me she’d be here at school last week.” She frowns, I know how much Janae has been looking forward to getting to see her. They’d gotten closer recently, which only made Janae’s crush deepen. 

“But fuck this yard, let’s go inside. Have a drink with me? Please?” I laugh at her, she’s giving me her best puppy look, so I relent and nod. She takes my hand and guides me inside.

“Okay, but only two drinks max Janae. I’m not going home shit faced, my mom would kill me.” She smiles like someone who just won the lottery as she hands me a cup. It tastes horrible, burning its way down my throat. After the first one is finished she begs me to dance with her, pulling her best pout on me again, so I again reluctantly agree. 

We do that for a while, jumping to the music together, but then I spot someone. It’s Maeve, she’s searching for someone it looks like, so I turn Janae in the direction of Maeve. I tell her I need a break and she boos me loudly but doesn’t follow me outside. Instead she goes in the direction of Maeve, I smile as I see them hug before I’m out the door.

The fresh air is cool against my sweaty skin, I still feel the effects of the drink from earlier. Thankful that hardly no one is outside. I see someone in the back corner of the yard, I think his name is Nate. He’s talking to another kid in our grade, I walk away a little bit, not wanting to intrude in whatever conversation they may be having. I’m closer to what I think is the kitchen window when I spot Simon for the first time since arriving at the party.

He’s talking to someone, a girl to be exact, and I recognize her from school. I feel something as I watch her touch Simon’s arm, I feel it even more when she leans into him. It’s like an out of body experience, I don’t remember going back inside and navigating my way through the bodies to get to the kitchen. But yet here I am, standing in the doorway. I knock on the frame, making the girl's head turn so fast I was half convinced it was about to fall off, Simon looks calm though, always composed.

“Hey, I’ve been looking for you.” I tell Simon, voice as soft as I can muster underneath the burning fire I feel. 

“You found me.” He teases back at me, the girl looks annoyed and mutters something before shuffling away.

“What was that all about?” I ask him as I walk over to him, he shrugs.

“Nothing, why?” Simon knows me well enough to see my tells, he knows I was jealous, and he’s teasing me about it.

“Well, I just don’t know why she had her hand on you is all.” He cocks his head to the side a little, smirking.

“So you were watching me?” He’s smug, I want so badly to punch that smug look off his face.

“Me and Janae were dancing, and Maeve came so I excused myself to take a breather. When I was outside I saw you talk to her through the window. That's all, maybe this could be an About That post. The voyeuristic tendencies at parties.” He laughs, he’s still leaning against the counter. “So, have you even gotten anything to write about?” I ask him, going to lean next to him.

“Yeah, a few interesting things, but not as interesting as you.” I shake my head, scoffing at him.

“Sure, how am I more interesting then?” I see the mischief in his eyes, he leaves the counter and stands in front of me.

“Well, for starters you look just about good enough to eat in that dress.” He tells me, I’m not sure if he can even see the flush the rises over my skin, the liquor haven had given me a flush as well. He looks over my face for a moment before he bends down to kiss me, when we connect it’s like a switch goes off in him.

The kiss is frantic almost, as it continues I push him away. He looks confused and even wounded as he pulls away.

“We shouldn’t be doing this here, anyone could walk in.” I pant out, I feel out of breath. He nods and thinks for a moment, I can practically see the cogs in his head turning. He grabs my hand and starts walking, I of course follow him. He takes a side door out of the kitchen and walks towards the stairs. He knows the layout of this place, I think to myself, as he directs away from the loud clatter of the party.

“Where are we going?” I ask him, he stops and looks back at me.

“Do you trust me?” He asks, the question seems silly.

“Of course I trust you Simon.” I answer back immediately, he’s satisfied with my answer and continues taking me to our destination. We arrive at a door that once opens shows a bedroom, though it doesn’t look lived in. The walls are bare, just a bed, a dresser, and a tv adorn the room.

“It’s one of their guest rooms, they have I think three or four of them.” He explains to me as he shuts and locks the door behind himself. I don’t get much time to survey the room before he’s back to me, lips on my own, his hands on my hips. He pushes me towards the dresser, my hips smack against it. 

His hands on my hips go lower, bunching the dress up to gain access to my thighs. He breaks from my lips to trail down my neck, while his hands play at the elastic band of my panties. I feel like a mess, panting from the kisses and from the way he’s biting my neck now, his hand slips under the elastic then. 

“You like it that much, hm? You're already wet.” He smirks at me, I again wish I could punch the look off his face. Instead I grip the dresser behind me harder, knuckles white. I close my eyes as he moves his fingers against my folds, and I sigh when he enters two of them inside of me.

He kisses me again before taking his fingers out, I snap my eyes open, he’s on his knees now looking up at me this time. He keeps eye contact with me as he slides my panties down, I kick them to the side. He only looks away when he goes under the fabric of my dress, I feel his lips on me immediately, a moan coming out. 

Simon moves his hand to bunch the dress up again, keeping one hand on my hip holding the fabric and one hand on my thigh as he keeps going. I’m squirming as he moves his tongue over my clit, his hand on my thigh moving up and he moves his head back to again put two fingers inside me. I again closed my eyes, jaw clenched tightly, trying so hard to not let any sounds out. But it’s impossible with him hitting the same spot over and over again, I keep most of the moans locked away but the whimpers escape my mouth. When I muster my eyes open I see Simon looking up at my face, making eye contact, immediately he rises to his feet, not stopping his fingers.

He takes the hand holding my dress and runs it through my hair as he brings me into a kiss, he soaks in the moan I let loose against his lips, he runs the palm of his hand against my clit and suddenly it feels like too much. My body feels sensitive with the attack on my inside and outside.

“Please Simon, enough,please, I can’t take it anymore!” I beg him, trying to grab his wrist to stop him, but he’s not having any of it. Swatting my wrist away, he rests his forehead against my own. 

“No, I think you can. I know you can, actually. You can come for me, I know you can.” He sounds so sweet, staring into my eyes as he says it. Like he’s not making me feel like I’m melting inside. But his words snap something in me, bringing me to the edge, I close my eyes whimpering again against him. When he stops and when his fingers are out, he guides me to the bed, pushing me onto it.

I feel like jelly, and he’s on top of me in seconds. He kisses me again, and we move together like this for a while before I feel one hand go to the strap of the dress. His fingers play with it before sliding it down, and he mimics the motion on the other strap. He leans up, pushing the straps completely down with my help, he bunches the dress down exposing my chest. He looks at me for a moment, heavy breathing. 

“When you got into the car I wished we didn’t have to come here, I just wanted to do this. This dress really is pretty.” He admits to me. “And when I saw you outside earlier you looked so beautiful, I barely even noticed that girl touching my arm. Honest.” He continues.

“I saw you out there and just couldn’t stop thinking about how I wanted to go out there, grab you, and drag you away. But then you came to me instead.” He smiles down at me, and I’m speechless. He saw me out there, watched me. I bring my hands to his belt, and he raises a brow at me.

“Well, it’s only fair. We need to even the score here, I’m all exposed, and you’re completely dressed.” He huffs, his own hands replacing my own as he undresses, but when I go to slip the dress off he stops me. “What?”

“I want the dress to stay on, I want to fucking ruin you in this dress.” His words send a shock through my body, he fishes something out of his pants and then he’s back to me. The item is a condom, which he slides on before he grabs my hips to bring me to him, hiking them up a little. 

He starts sliding into me, the familiar stretch stinging through my body. When his hips are flush against my own he grabs my calves and brings them to his shoulders, then he starts to move. The position he has my legs makes it all so much tighter, I can feel all of him move inside me, I sigh his name, it must snap something in him. He snaps his hips back to my own, and he does it again, the movements making my whole body jolt. My hands are grabbing at the comforter, more like gripping onto the blanket for dear life. He thrusts continue like that, snapping against me, and I can’t stop the moans this time. 

He bends over, bending my legs with him, to put one hand over my mouth. All I can think is how the new position feels, he’s even deeper now and it’s driving me wild.

“I don’t want anyone to hear this, don’t want anyone else to ever hear the way you sound like this.” He pants out, I nod and he moves his other hand to my chest. Pinching and rolling one of my nipples, the action draws me closer to the edge again. I bring one hand to the back of his neck, clawing at the hair there trying to bring him down, only then does he remove the hand over my mouth.

“‘M close Simon, please.” He nods, bringing both hands to my face bringing me in for a kiss, I lean up onto my elbow up to meet him. And when he breaks the kiss he goes to lean back up, one arm wrapped around my legs and the other rubbing my clit again. This is what drags me over the edge, I fall back down on the bed, jaw clenched tightly as I come, he isn’t too far behind as I feel him pulse and hear him groan. 

Neither of us move for some time, my senses returning to me. Simon eventually pulls away and out of me, I watch him disappear to a side door, I assume it’s a bathroom. Because of course the guest rooms need their own bathrooms I think to myself. He returns with a glass of water, I take it gratefully and take a sip.

“Thanks.” I tell him, going to sit up against the headboard. He grabs his pants and pulls them on before he joins me back on the bed. He sits against the board with me, head back with his eyes closed. I take the moment to admire him, his side profile is beautiful, I bring the glass back to my lips for more. Setting it on the bedside table once I’m done.

“So all of this over a dress?”