#trying to source wild clay

[imalsorettish]

Ive been processing materials all week trying to make clay. Heres how it went, ill add to this as the days go by. this is just a recap

Gathered clay from my folks backyard. The soil there has always been shit to grow things in because its so high in clay. And the clay sits directly at the surface as well, its not just a foot down or anything. the whole fucking thing is clay. Ive tried to do this once when i was much younger, less even paced, and far more impulsive. It wasnt successful for a number of reasons.

- Got the material wet before i could even attempt to refine it down to just clay, which then meant id have to pick thru sludge with my hands to remove rocks and other debris.

- I decided to let the bucket sit to dry out, and then i never picked it up again.

- Straight up didnt know what i was doing. Well, i knew the essentials. It was obvious we had clay. I knew it had to be wet. It occurs to me now that i might have had an easy time recogbizing what was there and what to do because my grest grandparents were potters. My Mémé (Great grandma, ik it says meme. whats truly hilarious is she married a guy called pepe.) was a BITTER and mean woman. She and my grandmother would let me play with clay while i visited them, but i dont have good memories of this. I didnt investigate the craft due to the discouragement i got from them both. i found it intensely frustrating and it really clashed w my adhd.

- Clay takes a LOT of patience to work with. Even more to source it yourself and fiddle with the consistencies and ratios so u can manipulate into an actual piece, and EVEN THEN its not guaranteed that it will work well at ALL. Pieces often crack, dry incorrectly, shrink up, and even explode esp in the kiln. I do not nor have ever had a pottery wheel or a kiln. My only goal to satisfy doing this, then, was just to make clay and do nothing with it at all. Just to try it, see what my capabilities were, etc. There was absolutely no plan.

Since then, I found myself thinking about clay periodically. Every few months or so id return back only to the idea, and then brush it off. But ive never quite shaken it. I was 19 then. I turn 24 this march. Its been 5 years. So im trying it again, because i want to, and because i found pottery that finally interested me and i think would be fun and challenging to make.

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

Ive seen you reblobing a lot of evolotto (i love that little creature too) by any chance you have some headcanons about the little guy?

Or could you write some hcs about reader having one and showing it to the paldea gang, Carmine and kieran? Reader doesnt even remember when they found it.. one day evolotto just bonked its head on readers legs and hasnt stopped following them since.

((Sorry if im asking for a lot i just like that lil guy a lot and i love your writing))

YES EVOLOTTO MY BELOVED RAAHH

It is very special to me ofc I have some headcanons (both general and with the SV gang)

.......

General

Legend claims that Evolotto was Arceus' first attempt at creating a Pokemon; it was only intended to be a "template" for what the god wanted to bring into the world. But it was kept hidden away until it found its way to Earth all on its own.

Many have theorized that its power is the source of the Evolution phenomenon.

Stories claim that a single touch from this creature can evolve a Pokémon instantly regardless of stats, circumstances, or items. But this has yet to be proven.

Scientists keep trying to catch/observe its traits in the wild, hoping to understand its powers--without any success.

The only thing that has been documented thus far are its attempts to evolve, in which it takes forms resembling the various Pokemon body shapes, although it uses them more for self-defense than battling.

Despite this and its connections to Arceus, it's unclear if it can learn Transform, Judgement, or use any of the plates.

Has a texture akin to soft dough or clay.

Eviolites are said to be ordinary stones that were blessed by Evolotto from the moment it touched the earth.

Like Mew, Arceus Latias, Latios, and Mewtwo, it can understand human language and speak telepathically, but is rather shy about it, preferring to keep to itself.

Hcs with the SV Trio

The odds of you stumbling across Evolotto were one in a million...

And during your exploration of Paldea, you so-happened to be checking out some ruins when the creature lightly nudged against your leg.

While your pokedex provided very little information on it, you find it to be quite cute and so you decide to capture it.

Surprisingly, it rejects the pokeball, but doesn't break it.

You wonder how and why....but after Evolotto just stared at you with its beady red eyes, you stopped questioning it and decided to let it accompany you around Paldea.

It'll assume its more humanoid forms when it attends class with you, even sitting in a chair and listening to the professor like it was a student.

Eventually you tell your friends at the Academy about the new Pokémon you found, convincing it to demonstrate its abilities.

Nemona thinks it looks like some kid's art project in Hassel's class, only to be excited when it starts moving around and shows off some of its alternate forms.

She hoped to battle it, but after seeing it scurry behind you for protection, she feels bad and offers it candy as an apology.

Arven thought it was another food-themed Pokémon like Fidough, but not even you knew what it was supposed to be. No factual records at the academy's library existed on it that any of you could find.

It was all just speculation and theories, the most popular ones being "it was conceived by Arceus to make evolution possible" and "eviolites are ordinary stones blessed by it".

You decided to trust in these claims.

Even Penny was curious about it, although she thought it was...quite strange that nobody's been able to catch one. But it somehow warmed up to you.

Regardless, her Eevee team adored the fella, so it didn't really matter.

HCs with Carmine & Kieran

You brought Evolotto to Kitakami during your trip, simply because the little guy refused to leave your side.

And after getting to know the siblings better and wondering if they knew anything about it, you decided to show them....and both of them act like you just gave them a million dollars.

They've read about this Pokémon before! And it was in your hands!

It was real all along..

After calming down about it, Carmine lowkey gets annoyed that Evolotto doesn't wanna battle and just...sticks to you like glue, letting you carry it around like a puppy.

You keep telling her that it won't go into a pokeball (but she'll still tease you about trying to "show off" even when that's not your intention).

While Kieran finds it cute and defends it from his sister's rude remarks, he does get a bit jealous when you're also getting Ogerpon's attention.

But in the end, when she chose you over him, he vows to gain ownership over Evolotto as a "prize" for beating you in the championship battle when you arrive to BB Academy.

Of course...he doesn't win.

After you two reconcile, he asks if you've learned anything new about the Pokémon, but otherwise has regained enough respect from Evolotto to give it head pats occasionally.

[realitycanbewhateveridesire]

𝔞𝔯𝔠𝔞𝔫𝔢 ✧ 𝔡𝔢𝔰𝔦𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔯𝔢𝔞𝔩𝔦𝔱𝔶 𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔣

(yes, i am back on my bullshit again. and yes, it's another one. or rather...the og one. granted, my backstory and plot for this perticular dr was always weak. forgive me.)

(this is so pretentious...i'm sorry for being cringy. it makes no sense.)

SETTING THE STAGE: meet ℑRIS

stars in her eyes, moonlight in her hair, her lips are poison. she is cosmos trying to disguise itself as a teenage girl.

chaotic mess personified. a zaunite siren and teenage dirtbag rolled into one.

iris is the current cause of jayce talis' headaches and his source of nightmares. or so he claims, the overdramatic man.

but...let's start from the beggining.

born on the late morning/near noon of year 970 an, iris entered the world with a scream. her little fists already curled, as if with anger at the unjust world, that she was born into. unlike one of her soulmates, she didn't arrive into this world surrounded by wealth and splendors but instead within the walls of a small shack, rickety and barely holding together. located down-low, in the very depths of the sump.

this place would not become her home. neither the woman who birthed her would be known to the girl by the name of mother.

instead the child was left without a mother, in the arms of her freshly orphaned half-brother, viktor. and later on raised by her biological father, viktor leaving for the academy and piltover.

since iris' early years, the girl was influenced by zaun's revolutionary circles. with her daddy and his friends at it's very centre, little iris got first row seats to hearing her father's and uncle silco's speeches. both, damn bastards in their own rights. to her, they were icons. she burned their words, their teachings into her mind. drinking it all up.

among many other things, it was this fact that attributed to her greatest ambition becoming the desire to contribute to the cause of zaun, as well as improving the conditions of her home.

iris was a restless wild child. between that and the healing factor of her magic, it was easy for her to miss the signs of her soulmate connection. the random scrapes and bruises would heal themselves too fast to be noted (don't worry guys, i figured that vi was one of my soulmates later on in my childhood. we aren't a couple yet, cuz idk. i am kinda scared to be in relationship. so, i want it to unfold organically.). her father has put that energy to use. he had her trained in combat and firearms. exchanged favors to have the brightest minds he knew tutor her.

and when she started showing the first signs of inheriting his arcane abilities, he began mentoring her.

iris was a piece of clay to be molded, a blade to be sharpened, his prodigy. and she would develop both her skills and knowledge even after erik was killed. a few days prior to the day of ash.

by the current age of sixteen, iris was competent fighter, artist and tinkerer. and a teenage menace as well.

she was living with benzo and ekko then, the three of them a makeshift family. arguing with the former constantly, angered at vander's and the middle-aged man's passivity towards topside's treatment of the undercity.

somewhere in the trajectory of her life, iris attempted to rob the apartment/workshop of jayce talis alongside her friends. the group was unaware of the dangers posed by the volatile hex crystals stored inside. the resulting explosion has injured both iris and vi, with the former being hit with a powerful blast of hextech magic energy. and unbeknowst to them, their other soulmate was injured too. she was just a wall away, an irony of fate. their soulmate connection meant they kept hurting each other. the three of them would have died, if not for the white-haired girl's self-healing powers. but even those were limited when faced with magic-caused wounds.

violet's siblings: mylo, claggor and powder had reluctantly fled the scene of crime. remaining uncaptured by enforcers.

the three teens eventually recovered, the incident shining light to them being soulmates.

through the series of chaotic shenanigans, both vi and iris narrowly escaped being sentenced to the stillwater's hold prison. and the latter, somehow even managed to become councillor heimerdinger's apprentice. she has been (funnily enough) assigned to viktor and jayce as a student/apprentice thing, to talis' utter horror.

(here is basically where i lose any idea what to script lol. sorry for this not making any sense.)

when it comes to fighting and powers, i have smoke-related powers and self-healing/regenerative powers. for the sake of combat, i also added spider-sense essentially, super speed and strength, as well as flexibilty, agility, etc.

i'm also not gonna lie, i am jinx's rip-off in my dr. i use explosives, guns and blades in combat. along with utilizing my smoke powers to confuse my enemies.

also, as you had guessed from the backstory...my dr is set in act 1 of season 1 more or less.

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH SOULMATES?

basically, soulmates are a thing in my arcane dr. the thing is...they're very, very rare occurance in runeterra. to the point of becoming a thing of myths/legends. i haven't really specified how the bond works in my dr, but i just headcanon that it manifests different depending on particular connection.

for mine, i take inspo/basically copy the idea from @/somewillwin's caitvi soulmates au. we share pain and injuries.

...

and...i guess that's all i have for now.

if you managed to get through that wall of text, then thank you <3

[artbecausewhynot]

Little witchy things I do as a baby witch-

So I decided to make a longer post about some simple things I do every day to help me keep connected with my witchy side. As a chronically ill person who also has PDA as part of my neurodivergence, it can often be very hard to do big rituals and spells, and also overwhelming looking at all those long lists of advice. Almost all of the things on this list are things that I’ve come to do by myself, with a bit of research of course.

- Cat’s whiskers. I collect my cat’s whiskers, for a few things. I leave a few in my bone draws, carry some in small tin with me, and leave a few around my room. There’s an old wives tale that says leaving cat’s whiskers in your wallet will bring money, and leaving them in your shoe brings good luck. I adjusted that a bit, in the hopes that leaving them in my bone drawers would bring more bones! They also are said to ward of evil spirits and bring protection, hence the other things. Bonus points if they’re the whiskers of a black cat!

- Colours. I try to think of a meaning for each colour, based off of how they feel to me. For example, red to me feels like strong emotions, whether good or bad, and black feels like protection, calm and comfort. So I try to wear a lot of those two colours, and incorporate them into my life (if you’ve seen any photos of me, or self portraits, you’ll know my hair is also dyed bright red!). I often struggle with expressing my emotions, and maybe haven’t always felt protected in the past, so I hope that by wearing these colours, I can avoid that in the future, and bring protection and expression.

- Plants! I grow loads of plants and herbs. There’s nothing more witch-y (to me) than raising a plant, and then using it in your cooking! It’s just…all the energy and love that went into raising that plant, is now going into that food/ drink. I don’t know. I just love it, and it also really helps me feel connected to nature.

- Taking a moment. If I notice I’m feeling a bit funky (and even if I’m not) I try to find the nearest natural source, and I just sort of. sit for a minute. If I notice the sky is looking particularly beautiful, or I can see more stars than usual, or something like that, I like to take a few deep breaths, and just appreciate it, maybe thank someone as well.

- Nighttime. So I personally am a lot more drawn to the night, and darkness, so I try to do more things during that time. I really like going for walks in the dark (if I am able to) and I also sleep with my curtains open. It helps me feel a lot more connected to nature, and the cycles of the moon and sun. I also feel like my room gets cleansed and charged by the moon and sun respectively.

- Tea! I love tea, and it has lots of meanings and connections in witchcraft. I drink at least three mugs of tea a day, and i try to always stir mine clockwise to bring in peace and just…good vibes. Alternatively, if you like coffee, there are also things you can do with that!

- Craft. I love making things out of clay, and giving them as gifts. I like to work intentions into the clay as I’m making it, by holding the intention right at the front of my mind as I work the clay. There’s something so special about creating something solid, with your fingers, to give to a loved one. It’s great.

- Bones. If you have seen my other posts, you will know that I also collect bones. The act of giving new life, and loving something that has already passed, is just magical to me. Also bone walks, and looking for carcasses helps me connect to nature, and the more wild and harsh side of it too.

- Walks. I already kind of mentioned it with the bones, but if I have the energy, walks are great for connecting with nature, and also collecting resources for spells when I can.

A couple things before you go-

- I am a baby witch, just starting my journey with this craft. I’m probably not the ideal person to take advice from, I’m just trying to share some small things that help me, in the hopes of maybe inspiring someone else.

- The journey is all yours! Enjoy it, and whatever feels right for you, is right. Listen to yourself, and don’t feel bad for not being able to regularly do big spells and rituals. That’s not realistic.

- You are always more witchy than you think. Magic is in your bones, it runs through your blood. You are a being of magic, and even if you don’t think it’s a lot, anything you do is just a little bit magical.

- And lastly, you are amazing, you are enough, and you will get there eventually!

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Fossil Novembirb 6: Tropical Denmark

Septencoracias by @quetzalpali-art

We have a whole host of early Eocene ecosystems filled to the brim with birds - such a reversal from the Cretaceous and the Paleocene! - that we had to keep highlighting these ecosystems. So, next on our list is the Fur Formation of Denmark - another very early Eocene ecosystem, right after the PETM, that shows how Neoavians diversified so rapidly in the wake of the K-Pg extinction.

Associated with volcanoes, this ecosystem was periodically buried in ash, leading to the exceptional preservation of its fossils. It was a tropical forest, like most of the world at that time, near the coast; allowing the fossils to preserve a variety of marine as well as arboreal species. So, good news for us bird lovers!

In fact, there are so many different birds in this ecosystem, I can't possibly list or talk about them all. So, I'm just going to have to do my best to summarize!

Eocypselus by @saint-nevermore

This formation shows the oldest known members of many bird groups still found today, which is an important piece of the puzzle of Neoavian evolution. The earliest Rollers, Trogons, Swifts, and Ibises are all known from this ecosystem - as well as a wide variety of other birds that have older representatives, such as the Lithornithids.

In fact, for all the absence of Palaeognaths in the Cretaceous and earliest Paleocene, around the PETM the Lithornithids really took off - pun intended! They were found all over North America and Europe, which may have given them a prime position from which to radiate to the rest of the world... and evolve into the Palaeognaths we have today? Maybe. More work on that question is, of course, necessary.

Other interesting birds include Morsoravis, the early Parrot-Passerine relative with flexibly zygodactyl feet and kinetic skulls, allowing them to manipulate food and climb around on trees - common in its ecosystem. What's wild is this was very similar to the foot of living mousebirds - which are nowhere closely related to Parrots or Passerines - showcasing this as a case of convergent evolution in avian feet! That happens a lot, actually...

Rhynchaeites by Diego Ortega

Septencoracias was another fantastic bird of this ecosystem, being the oldest known roller. Previously, it was thought that rollers only appeared in the Miocene, so this pushes back their origin by tens of millions of years and also indicates that modern-type rollers appeared very early on in avian evolution. Furthermore, Septencoracias was found with fish in its gut, indicating that rollers at the time had a wide variety of food sources!

Eocypselus was another fascinating fossil of an early swift-hummingbird, ie, a relative of both groups but not more closely related to either. This showcases that these birds evolved their small size first, before specializing into the niches they hold today. It was black in color, and was probably an insectivore, like its living relatives!

The first ibises showed the long beak distinctive of the group, as seen in Rhynchaeites/Mopsitta, and had long legs for wading just like in living members. And relatives of modern rails, Messelornithids in the form of Pellornis, were wading along the shoreline right with them.

Eoglaucidium (a Sandcoleid), photograph by Ghedoghedo

In fact, one thing that's becoming clear about birds is that they tend to repeat the same ideas - locked in to certain developmental constraints, such as not re-evolving arms, they try out different ecologies that work well and continuously convergently evolve those adaptations over and over again. Wading, flexible feet, climbing and perching, the list goes on!

We'll see that continue throughout this series, but of course, unique adaptations will continue to come up in spades! These are birds we're talking about here.

Sources:

Mayr, G. M., A. C. Kitchener. 2023. A new fossil from the London Clay documents the convergent origin of a “mousebird-like” tarsometatarsus in an early Eocene near-passerine bird. Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 68 (1): 1-11.

Mayr, 2022. Paleogene Fossil Birds, 2nd Edition. Springer Cham.

Mayr, 2017. Avian Evolution: The Fossil Record of Birds and its Paleobiological Significance (TOPA Topics in Paleobiology). Wiley Blackwell.

[lost-technology]

Earning the Nickname

Tri-Tober Fanfic shorts Prompt 2: Stampede Setting: Trigun Stampede with Badlands Rumble references. Rating: General Summary: And this is why you might see a wild toma someday.

Prompt 2: Stampede Earning the Nickname   There was a time before infamy for Vash – a time for first crimes.  He'd come to stay in small towns during his early days wandering the sandy planet in his searches for Nai and seeing to the welfare of his sisters, who would call to him in his dreams.  Tomas were invaluable friends then, pack animals and mounts that were the hardiest of hardy creatures, save perhaps the worms, but far friendlier to humans and human-like Plants.  They had been brought over from old Earth, stored as embryos and Vash was never certain if they were bred down from something called an “emu” (which had apparently won an actual war that humans had waged on them once in the wilds of their own territory), if they were genetic-constructs with origins similar to Plants or if they were a project to bring back some extinct species, some kind of “elephant bird” that Rem had once told him about and that he couldn’t wrap his head around imagining.  In any case, Brad back Home had showed him how to care for them.  You had to keep your mount happy if you had any chance of coming back Home from a trip to the desert, after all.  It wasn’t very long before the survivors of the Big Fall started using their valuable steed-birds for other purposes.  Eggs as a food source were, of course, a given.  Meat followed afterward.  While Vash could never imagine eating his own mounts, he understood the survival needs of the population.  It also, he hated to admit, took some pressure of the Plants to have livestock around.  It took him a bit longer to take to eating toma-meat himself, but when he did, he found that he’d liked it.  It could be dried rock-hard into something that could be taken off a fossilized chunk in slivers and made for a good long-term, long-distance ration that was surprisingly filling for how little one could flake off with a knife at a time.  Regardless of knowing what these cute, big goofy birds tasted like, Vash could not stand to see them in any kind of ill-treatment.  Even birds doomed to slaughter deserved to be fed and watered in the meantime.  So, when a young Vash, one who was not yet the subject of pursuits and wanted posters came upon a small ranching town where he saw a pen of toma panting and swaying, rolling and suffering in the dust from thirst-induced bloat and inquired about empty troughs and got an answer from a farm owner that it just didn’t matter if the birds were watered because they weren’t long for this world, anyway – “We’ll just take the fresh ones and any that die in the pen can be used for leather,” well, that didn’t quite sit well with Vash.  The town had a Plant-source reservoir not an isle away.  He took out his big gun and blew off the locks on the main gate.  “Oops, looks like your fence is broken!”  “Why you!”  Seeing freedom and smelling water, the toma flowed as one.  The ground shook and people dove for doorways or looked out of windows at the dust and covered their ears for all the squawking.  After the creatures had made their way to the reservoir and drunk their fill, none of the resident ranchers were able to round up a single one.  The place became known for its population of wily feral tomas that lived among the canyon rocks and the scant flora scrub eating small worms and stealing garbage.  The town was renamed from something forgotten to Big Bird Gulch.  There was a war fought against them to try to rein them in, but in the end, like their ancestors before them, the toma won.  They retained their right to live and to continue to be a local nuisance.  In exchange for all of the loud nighttime trash-scavenging outside the homes, businesses, bars and brothels, they became quite a tourist-attraction.  Artists in the town painted pictures and made little clay sculptures that sold well as souvenirs. People from all around brought money into Big Bird Gulch going on tours around the scrub in hopes of catching a glimpse of one of the world’s only “wild toma.”    And a young man named Vash became Vash the Stampede ever since. 

[thewapolls]

this one's a smaller family tree but covers a surprising amount of ground...

CLAY PUPPET and EARTHEN FIGURE are both actually rather enduring figures in the franchise bestiary individually, but I'm bundling them together here because they're not just recolors they're synonyms. They don't have any apparent source material nor any obtuse meaning, they just both describe a humanoid made of clay or dirt/soil. On the one hand these are fairly generic, with maybe a certain archeological tone to them, but they're also pretty obviously some iteration on the Jewish Golem, whether directly or thru a chain of other influences. Also probably some parallel evocation of things like dogu and haniwa in Japanese archeology.

WENDIGO is a kind of evil spirit cited in the lore of several different Native American groups. It is attributed with the possession of human hosts that it drives to violence and cannibalism (among other typified behaviors) most often in the onset or depths of winter and/or far northern regions where and when food scarcity and starvation would threaten a community. There is a... fraught history, to say the least, of the Wendigo being grossly appropriated in western media that really ramped up since the 1980s, probably peaking with the extremely tacky and insensitive use of it in the 2013 Hannibal TV show.

WIGHT in a really neat kind of obtuse reference with a lot of history. So on the one hand the Wight is also a D&D monster, but as a fairly generic undead warrior, which isn't the reference being made in WA2. In lieu of that you might be tempted to look to J.R.R. Tolkein's use of the full word Barrow-Wight and undoubtedly the root of its pop culture presence. But there too they're just undead warriors. No the root of this reference (and a similar line of thought goes into the Wights of Game of Thrones) is that William Morris's 1869 English transaltion of the Nordic Grettis Saga invented the term "Barrow-Wight" as a translation of Haugbúi --haugr refering to a kind of burial cairn or mound +‎ bui meaning “dweller,” both being old norse. But because William Morris was something of a pioneer and eccentric he opted to try and retain the archaic sound of the old norse, and so instead of translating the term literally into contemporary English, he used "Barrow" a type of burial mound native to britain dating back to pre-christian eras, and "Wight" a term that was already archaic by Morris's time, used in the middle ages, to refer to a person but in a derogatory or vilifying manner, all together to give both the literal meaning and an archaic and ancient tone. So it is once again referring to the undead, and specifically characters who were warrior kings, but also this original use carries with it the connotation of Norsemen, and that is where the affiliation with the ice and cold comes from, hence the white furred yeti-like model in WA2, and the soldiers of the long winter in GoT/SoIaF.

WRAITH is another historical English term referring rather vaguely to ghosts or figures of the dead in the underworld. Dating back to the 1500s in a translation of Virgil's Aeneid.

GASNOID 1ST is a fun one as it kind of cleverly recontextualizes the shared model with WIGHT and WRAITH as gaseous rather than spectral. But it's also an obtuse reference to the Japanese 1960 horror/sci-fi movie, GAS Ningen Dai-ichigo[ガス人間第1号]: "Gas Human #No.1." (the English title is The Human Vapor) Although the name in Wild Arms gives the impression of THE FIRST... in a European style lineage of a ...GASNOID family. The actual Japanese used in the game is in fact, GASNOID1st[ガスノイド1st]. (I wasn't actually thinking about it when I compiled the image, but it's possible that the enemy EM BEING is actually a reference to Denso Ningen[電送人間]: "ElectricalTransmission Human" (aka The Secret of the Telegian) a rival movie that came out in the same year as Human Vapor.)

SHAITAN a super late addition to the franchise, but it shares its model with GASNOID in WA5. It's actually just the Arabic borrowing of the Hebrew Satan[שטן]. And as you'd guess it refers to any of a variety of evil spirits and tempters basically hitting all the marks of its Christian and Hebrew predecessors while also adding in a pretty robust array of unique Islamic lore in the Quran. That's a pretty severe over simplification of things but I'm not about to jump down that rabbit hole because there's just no room here, and stupid William Morris already took up so much...

[bishiglomper]

You know dad called me the other day to check up on us. Whenever he calls I keep reminiscing about the trip to New York 😗 (Also every time I get a low glucose. Because I'm always like "at least its not as bad as that time..")

And the latest fixation is. When we got back to the hotel for the night he suggested I go out drinking. Alone.

In New York.

And I panicked for a second like. I am fuckin' autistic man, I'm super dependant- I cannot be trusted to wander a city like New York and not fuckin die 8D I also get lost super easily. Even trying to find the hotel room by myself is anxiety inducing. I am just not fit to be released into the wild, okay? That's why I dragged him there in the first place.

But I have yet to tell him about being autistic because he is the type of person (autistic) that does extensive research on any and all topics and cites all his sources. Even if its just suggesting a vitamin for me.

And my self-diagnosis comes from a few years of crowd-sourced experiences I've related to and referenced to form my own diagnosis. I don't know of any articles that could sum that up specifically enough to convince him without further debate over it.

And I am not very good at organizing my thoughts enough to have that conversation 😐

I dont mind explaining my chronic illnesses because those can be in itemized lists and practically graphed but autism cannot. 😅 How I feel and react to things are not so easily categorized.

It's just. So frustrating.

And one of the things I know that frustrates him is my lack of motivation to do things. It's bugged him my whole life

And i have determined I never had/have any ambition because i lack the dopamine. Even the things I LIKE arent enough to give me the juice i need to push it further.

Like with my crafts, I could try to do those sculptures he wanted, clay used to be a decade long hyperfixation. I could look up and learn all the techniques i need to learn to get it done. ....but also, I dont want to. I've been wanting to do some clay. But not enough for all that. And it's frustrating for all parties involved when that happens. I was born with literally 0 fortitude and a shitty constitution

And I know I'm a whiny pissbaby over it, I admit I was definitely spoiled. But alas, still don't have the fucks to give to change it.

I wish I were just gay, that would be easier to explain. 😂 I already told him I was asexual. Maybe didnt use the label, but explained.

Btw his only response was a sad look and the comment "But you should have someone to rub your butt. D: "

I mean. That was a new one, at least. 🤔

[coconut-jungle-and-cooking-class]

How to Cook Authentic Vietnamese Dishes with Fresh Ingredients from the Coconut Jungle

Vietnamese cuisine is celebrated worldwide for its vibrant flavors and fresh ingredients, and there’s no better place to source inspiration than the lush Coconut Jungle. How to Cook Authentic Vietnamese Dishes with Fresh Ingredients from the Coconut Jungle is your guide to mastering this culinary art. Whether you’re recreating pho, spring rolls, or a fragrant curry, the secret lies in using the freshest tropical produce and time-honored techniques. This article will walk you through every step to bring the taste of Vietnam to your kitchen with a Coconut Jungle twist.

Vietnamese Cooking with Coconut Jungle: Why It’s Special

The Coconut Jungle offers a unique spin on Vietnamese cooking with Coconut Jungle ingredients like coconut milk, lemongrass, and tropical herbs. These elements add depth and authenticity to your dishes. Start by understanding the region’s bounty—coconuts for richness, fresh greens for brightness, and fish sauce for umami. Visit a local market or source similar ingredients to mimic the jungle’s freshness. This foundation sets the stage for an authentic Vietnamese experience right at home.

Exploring Vietnamese cooking with Coconut Jungle ingredients.

Authentic Vietnamese Recipes to Try

Mastering authentic Vietnamese recipes is easier than you think with the right approach. Start with classics like pho bo (beef noodle soup), using Coconut Jungle coconut water for a subtle sweetness in the broth. Or try goi cuon (fresh spring rolls) with jungle-sourced mint and shrimp. These recipes rely on balance—sweet, sour, salty, and spicy—so taste as you go. Write down your favorites to refine them over time, ensuring each dish stays true to its roots.

Crafting authentic Vietnamese recipes with a jungle twist.

Fresh Coconut Jungle Ingredients: The Heart of the Dish

The magic of this cuisine lies in fresh Coconut Jungle ingredients. Think just-picked basil, ripe coconuts, and wild-caught fish. If you’re in the jungle, harvest them yourself; if not, seek out the freshest options at a farmer’s market. Freshness enhances flavor—coconut milk pressed from scratch beats canned versions every time. Store ingredients properly (refrigerate herbs, use coconut milk quickly) to preserve their quality for cooking.

Using fresh Coconut Jungle ingredients for unbeatable taste.

Vietnamese Cuisine Tips for Success

To excel, follow these Vietnamese cuisine tips: prep ingredients ahead (chop herbs, soak noodles), use a sharp knife for precision, and don’t rush the process. Vietnamese cooking is about layering flavors—simmer broths slowly and adjust seasonings gradually. If you’re new to fish sauce or chili, start small and build up. These small habits will elevate your dishes from good to unforgettable.

Top Vietnamese cuisine tips for perfect prep.

Tropical Vietnamese Cooking Guide: Step-by-Step

Consider this your tropical Vietnamese cooking guide. Begin with a light dish like banh xeo (crispy pancakes) using coconut milk batter. Heat your pan, pour the mix, and add fillings like shrimp and bean sprouts—all staples of the jungle. Next, tackle a hearty dish like ca kho to (caramelized fish in clay pot), enriched with coconut water. Each step teaches you to blend tropical and traditional Vietnamese elements seamlessly.

Your tropical Vietnamese cooking guide in action.

Coconut Jungle Flavor Secrets: Unlocking Taste

The Coconut Jungle flavor secrets lie in its natural resources. Roast coconut flakes for a nutty crunch, or use fresh turmeric for vibrant color and earthiness. Balance these with classic Vietnamese staples like lime and garlic. Experiment with jungle-inspired twists—swap water for coconut juice in rice or broths. These subtle tweaks make your dishes sing with authenticity and innovation.

Discovering Coconut Jungle flavor secrets.

Traditional Vietnamese Dishes with a Jungle Twist

Focus on traditional Vietnamese dishes like bun cha (grilled pork with noodles) or thit kho (braised pork). Add a Coconut Jungle flair—grill pork over coconut husks or braise with coconut milk. These adaptations honor tradition while embracing the tropical setting. Serve with fresh herbs and a side of nuoc cham (dipping sauce) for a complete meal that transports you to Vietnam.

Savoring traditional Vietnamese dishes with a jungle touch.

Cooking Vietnamese Food at Home: Bringing It All Together

You don’t need a jungle nearby for cooking Vietnamese food at home. Stock your pantry with essentials—rice noodles, fish sauce, and coconut products—and source fresh produce weekly. Recreate the class vibe with music or open windows for a breezy feel. Practice recipes regularly to build confidence, and soon, you’ll be hosting Vietnamese dinner parties with ease.

Master cooking Vietnamese food at home.

Coconut Jungle Culinary Adventure: Beyond the Plate

Cooking is just part of the Coconut Jungle culinary adventure. Imagine foraging for ingredients or learning from local cooks in the jungle. Even at home, research Vietnamese culture or watch tutorials to deepen your connection. This holistic approach turns every dish into a story of flavor and heritage.

The Coconut Jungle culinary adventure begins!

Discover Central Vietnam with Viet Dove Travel

Embark on an unforgettable journey through Vietnam with Viet Dove Travel! Discover the rich culture, stunning landscapes, and unique experiences of Central Vietnam through our expertly crafted tours. From iconic landmarks to hidden gems, our itineraries cater to every traveler, ensuring a seamless and memorable adventure. Visit our homepage to explore all our exciting tour options and start planning your dream trip today!

Conclusion: Master How to Cook Authentic Vietnamese Dishes with Fresh Ingredients from the Coconut Jungle

With the right ingredients, techniques, and passion, How to Cook Authentic Vietnamese Dishes with Fr

Discover the enchanting beauty of Central Vietnam with our curated tours!

 Visit the iconic Golden Hand Bridge at Ba Na Hills for breathtaking views, or explore the ancient ruins on a My Son Sanctuary Sunrise Tour. Marvel at the natural wonders of the Marble Mountains & Lady Buddha Tour, and immerse yourself in the charm of the Hoi An Ancient Town & Night Tour. For a unique experience, join the Coconut Jungle & Cooking Class in Hoi An. Dive into history with our Hue City Tours, or enjoy a comprehensive adventure with the Hoi An & Da Nang 3D2N Package Tour. Book now for an unforgettable journey!

[thejajoftravel]

Summer in Ireland: A Journey Through Castlemartyr, Sheen Falls Lodge & Ballyfin

There’s something about summer in Ireland that feels like a secret you’re lucky to stumble upon. The days stretch long and golden, with soft light that lingers well into the evening. Wildflowers line the country roads, emerald hills roll into the distance, and the air carries a faint trace of the sea. It’s a season made for slow mornings, spontaneous detours, and evenings spent by a crackling fire.

If you’re looking to experience the best of Ireland’s countryside, a journey through Castlemartyr Resort, Sheen Falls Lodge, and Ballyfin is the perfect way to do it. Each place offers something different—historic estates, warm hospitality, and landscapes that feel like they’ve stepped out of a storybook. Together, they create an itinerary that captures the beauty of an Irish summer, with just the right mix of adventure, relaxation, and a touch of old-world charm.

Stop 1: Castlemartyr Resort – Where History Meets Countryside Charm

Start your journey on Ireland’s southern coast at Castlemartyr Resort, a five-star retreat where modern comfort meets centuries of history. The heart of the estate is a castle ruin that stands as a reminder of the past, while the surrounding 220 acres of parkland offer plenty of space to wander and breathe.

Mornings here begin slowly—maybe a coffee on the terrace, with nothing but birdsong and the soft rustle of leaves in the breeze. If you’re looking to explore, Castlemartyr’s walking routes offer a perfect way to experience the landscape. Stroll through ancient woodlands, follow sun-dappled trails along the lake, or wander open meadows where wildflowers bloom. The paths are designed for both leisurely walks and longer hikes, with plenty of spots to pause and take in the scenery.

For those seeking a bit more activity, there’s also clay pigeon shooting and a championship golf course to enjoy. And if relaxation is the goal, the spa’s indoor pool and wellness treatments are waiting.

Beyond the estate, Castlemartyr Resort’s location makes it easy to explore the surrounding area, where offsite activities add another layer to your stay. Whiskey enthusiasts can indulge in a guided whiskey tasting experience, sampling premium Irish whiskeys paired with artisan chocolates. For food lovers, a visit to the Ballymaloe Cookery School offers the chance to learn culinary techniques using ingredients sourced from their organic farm.

If you’re in the mood for fresh sea air, head to Ballycotton Island Lighthouse for a guided tour with panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean. And for families traveling with children, Leahy’s Open Farm is a must—offering hands-on experiences with farm animals, tractor rides, and a playground perfect for younger visitors.

As the sun dips lower, the air cools, and the lights of Terre, the resort’s Michelin-starred restaurant, glow warmly through the windows. Dinner here is more than a meal—it’s an experience, with seasonal Irish ingredients transformed into dishes that are both creative and comforting. And after a long day of fresh air and good food, sinking into a plush bed in one of the resort’s elegant suites feels like the perfect ending.

Stop 2: Sheen Falls Lodge – Riverfront Beauty & Outdoor Adventure

From Castlemartyr, head west toward Kenmare, a small town that feels like the gateway to Ireland’s wild heart. Here, on the banks of the Sheen River, you’ll find Sheen Falls Lodge—a place where nature takes center stage, and every day feels like an invitation to explore.

This is the kind of place where you wake up to the sound of water rushing over rocks, where the air smells faintly of salt from the nearby bay, and where the mountains seem to shift color with the changing light. The estate’s onsite activities offer something for every kind of traveler. Try your hand at fly fishing in the river or falconry, where you’ll have the chance to handle majestic birds of prey and learn the art of this ancient tradition. For those who prefer a more leisurely pace, a stroll along the riverside or a picnic in the estate’s woodlands is just as rewarding.

But the adventure doesn’t stop there. Offsite experiences add even more depth to your stay. Take a short drive to Lorge Chocolatier, where you can participate in a hands-on chocolate-making experience led by one of Ireland’s most talented chocolatiers—perfect for families, especially those with children who love getting creative in the kitchen. For a taste of rural life, visit a nearby working farm to watch a skilled border collie herd sheep across the Iveragh Peninsula—an unforgettable experience, especially during spring when playful lambs can be found on-site.

And for those with Irish roots—or simply a love of history—Sheen Falls Lodge offers something truly special: a private genealogy consultation. With the help of an expert genealogist, guests can trace their family history, uncovering connections to Ireland that span generations.

In the evening, head to The Falls Restaurant, where the menu is a love letter to the region—think freshly caught seafood, locally raised lamb, and vegetables straight from the garden. And if the night feels too perfect to end, the lodge’s cozy lounge is the place to be, with deep armchairs, a crackling fire, and a whiskey selection that could tempt even the most dedicated wine drinker.

Stop 3: Ballyfin – Timeless Elegance and Restful Retreat

After days of exploring Ireland’s southern coast and western countryside, Ballyfin is the perfect place to pause, unwind, and simply be. Set within 614 acres of private grounds, this Georgian country house is a world of its own—where the pace of life slows, and every detail feels designed to help you relax, reflect, and recharge.

The days here unfold at their own rhythm. Start with a stroll through the estate’s gardens, where manicured lawns, classical follies, and winding paths invite leisurely wandering. Or take a rowboat out onto the lake, where the only sound is the gentle splash of oars against the water. For those seeking a bit of adventure, archery, falconry, and cycling are all available—but there’s no pressure to fill your time with activities. In fact, Ballyfin is the kind of place where doing nothing feels like a luxury in itself.

Inside the house, elegance and comfort go hand in hand. The drawing rooms, adorned with antique furniture and original artwork, offer the perfect setting to sip afternoon tea or lose yourself in a good book. And if the mood strikes, the library, with its collection of rare books and hidden doors, is well worth exploring.

As evening falls, the experience becomes even more special. Ballyfin’s restaurant has recently been awarded its first Michelin star, a testament to the culinary excellence that awaits. Dinner is a celebration of Irish ingredients, prepared with creativity and care—served in an atmosphere that’s both refined and welcoming. Afterward, a glass of wine by the fire or a moonlit stroll through the gardens is the perfect way to close the day.

Unlike the other stops on this journey, Ballyfin is a place to stay put—a retreat designed for rest and rejuvenation after an adventure-filled week. Whether you spend your time exploring the estate or simply enjoying the peace and quiet, one thing is certain: you’ll leave feeling refreshed, restored, and already dreaming of your return.

A Summer to Remember

From the coastal charm of Castlemartyr Resort to the riverside beauty of Sheen Falls Lodge and the timeless elegance of Ballyfin, this journey through Ireland is more than just a vacation—it’s a chance to slow down, connect with nature, and experience the warmth and beauty of an Irish summer.

Whether you’re exploring woodland trails, savoring farm-to-table cuisine, or simply watching the sun set over rolling green hills, one thing is certain: you’ll leave with stories to tell and memories that stay with you long after you’ve returned home.

For more information, please visit:

[stalkedbytrains]

Untouched Horizons Timeline 10/-

The Great Trade Ways and Rise of the Home Party

-400

Si Yàzt does some trade via waterways with the islands and the twice yearly route down to Chile for cotton (and of course cotton harvesting is a thing and Si Yazt wants wool)

Glass foodwear is prevalent, which helps reduce clay cooking vessel borne diseases and death, as is Zlifian honey mead

-391

One of the tribes in Cuba are tired of trading with Si Yàzt at their leisure 

They sail to and attack Untouched Horizons, which was “prepared for this” but never really had to deal with it so they were pretty slack

The tribe was able to get it and smash and grab some stuff

Untouched Horizons is deeply shamed, and defenses were vastly increased

Now whenever an unapproved vessel approaches they are warned then sunk

Some of the domesticated deer have gotten out

-390

Defense setups start and a dramatic overhaul, especially for the two scouting houses as boat technology is starting to flourish in the native populations

Another renaissance happening and a movement to dig up ye old wikipeia and start reexamining all that stuff leading to advancements and the reexamining of ideas taken from the space ship's archives

A side effect is a lot more power going to the senate to align more with the “enlightened people of yore”

All this leads to the eventually distasteful “Home Party” politic movement that are very “old ways are best ways” but like… that world doesn’t exist any more bro

But for a while it works

-389

The technological renaissance is going strong

The Home Party is making lots of improvements

As a result of "returning to the old ways" there's a bit of a split in the orthodoxy split in the sun church

Sun is all good versus sun is everything both good and bad (life from light through photosynthesis; fire destroys)

Raiders are repelled more frequently (not constantly, but more than 1 time every few years)

-371

A combination disease, almost a flu, starts to spread through the scouting houses and is starting to sweep through the Caribbean

It doesn’t do a lot of damage to Horizon and Skies but when a few people get sick and die from it a serious discussion is had, the the scouts are tempered by their, alone, dealing with the natives and the illnesses they have, the rest of the island is not doing so well

-370

The scientific community is dispatched to do nothing but tackle this immunity problem

Really the only solution, until they get stable sources of metal, is to do blood transfusions and hope that the scouting house’s antibodies transfer or do more exposure and sending people into the scouting houses to get exposed

There’s several attempts to do blood transfusions for antibodies that has some moderate success but that isn’t exactly a fast thing

-369

As they try to deal with the various diseases they are coming aware that can kill everyone a wild fire breaks out in the west burning a whole section zones, destroying 1 hive and severely damaging two more

The lackluster response of the government to all these disasters (not entirely their fault) results in a no confidence vote for the executive who is ousted mid term for a Home Party rabble-rouser

Of course little changes

-368

The hives are rebuilt and resettled

-362

The revival of Old Yàzt style musical instruments results in a musical resurgence but it is only now that the true masters of the new-old instruments are made and true Zlilfian music is happening again and it is good

-351

A series of tempered glass experiments are done to try and build a glass submersible to voyage to the crashed ship as bees and water don’t mix

The glass and wood submersible is a resounding failure as it cannot survive the depths needed nor does it allow movement and dexterity to recover things

-331

The Home Party finds most of its support in the SW areas

The Orthodoxy Church is very annoyed that they have to use “orthodoxy” or “old” in their names as they feel like they are the first, the other Church of the Life Giving Sun is the orthodoxy but its also not critical for the large majority of people

A stunning Orthodox church is built in the last standing zones of the Reunification Wars where the Home Party is strongest

-307

Having felt that given the limits of what they have to work with and their advancements at the time, Horizons tries to make a trip across the Atlantic

Everyone calls it an unnecessary risk but they want to try

The First Atlantic Expedition is launched, but never heard from again

-301

Another metallurgic quest is sent out through the Americas

Fuck! We found horses!

Successful in finding a copper deposit

They have some success getting metal from Peru, Ecuador, and Chile and inadvertently jump start the practice in Panama and Costa Rica

Mexico doesn’t quite get the memo as they don’t spend a lot of time with the Maya

-300

Bad bad hurricane hits

Zlicchaser has it bad, as the first city a lot of it is old old old and badly in need of repair

But now it is just fucked so the Zlicchaser revival starts

-292

The Zlicchaser revival is finished and is a modern marvel, lots of wood, as stone is hard to find and they don’t like it too much as it is too cold, and also lots of glass art, like so much art

-278

A formalized sport league, a riff on the popular Mayan ball games but with flying is created, giving rise to a professional athlete class within the house structure

-274

The Home Party squishes an attempt to set up a small colony in South America to have more ready access to trade and such; they refuse, harshly, to allow Zlilfian influence to directly effect the natives

However they do allow trade ships to visit Skies and Horizon but no further into the island

-267

The Home Party’s HQ and Orthodox Church in the South forces their established Library to move as the ongoing conflicts between the Library and Old World views are causing a ratcheting up in tensions

This is a huge scandal that the Library is leaving, having been maintained by one house for so long but the “outside knowledge and history is perverting and leading astray of the good Zlilfian people and away from Yàzt” etc. etc. and the Library simply will not stand for it

They become a client house of Horizons and pack up and move, leaving an entire zone unoccupied, it is a hugely stunning display of disrespect to the Home Party

-261

Another house, a new addition, split from one of the bigger houses is given permission to settle the estates left open by the Library’s departure

-255

The first of a series of incredibly dry years

[greenpanda-basicfakewitch]

Artistic Ideas for Wicca/Witches

For Modern witches I kinda wonder if you're an artistic witch how would you incorporate that into your craft? (Personally I forget what day it is and kinda see Witches doing...ALOT of stuff that I just don't have the time or energy for since I put so much focus into my art)

Draw a Mandela or create illustrations with Wicca symbols, like the Triquetta or triple goddess symbol

2. Creating a clay chalice/deity with molding clay.

In the UK the works have a clay mold to create your own creations. Creating a clay chalice or moulding one even without the extensive no-how or even a professional pottery wheel [Yeah if anyones seen the movie ghost just know when I did pottery in art class in school and found we couldn’t USE the spinny disk thing and instead only use our hands I was disappointed to not use a pottery spinny wheel so sad. TT^TT]

3. Henna. (So far I think Henna is free to use) Henna a temporary tattoo, and easily accesable as most people can buy them from local shops.

4. Use photography, use textiles to create outfits and even sew in sigils. In the past warriors had charms of luck sewn into the thread on the inside of their cloaks.

5. Calligraphy skills and apply them to your Book of shadows/grimoire.

6. Charcoal is used as a banishing ingredient in spellcraft. If you use charcoal for drawing, apply this by drawing something you want to remove from your life. Then burn it [aw man how can I draw something then burn it-but yeah watch as the smoke floats it away from your life so dont make a masterpiece XD]

7. Eco-Friendly artistic expressions:

Foraging or natural materials, try collecting natural materials [like pine cones, flowers to press] but don't take it from the source! Only if it’s fallen to the ground can you take them. 

And instead of using glue, use tree sap/other types of sap or wild berry juice as paint.

Most people online can create watercolour pigments from rose petals or other things that can dye your fingers [be safe and look at extensive information first!]

Sometimes if theres a page I want to look ‘olde’ I was told to chuck cheap paper in the oven BUT what I usually do [as a brit] after making a cup of tea I use the still hot tea bag and toss it onto a piece of paper and dot it around to create tea stains and let it dry. 

[kunoevokeexperiences]

Kuno Forest Retreat: A Culinary Delight In The Heart Of Madhya Pradesh

Nestled amidst the breathtaking natural beauty of Kuno National Park lies Kuno Forest Retreat, a haven for both nature enthusiasts and food connoisseurs. This unique destination offers a harmonious blend of modern comfort and the raw beauty of the wilderness, complemented by an array of culinary delights that will tantalize the senses of even the most discerning palate.

Embark on a gastronomic adventure that celebrates the rich culinary heritage of Madhya Pradesh, where the fusion of local flavors and aromatic spices creates a symphony of taste and tradition.

Bhuna Gosht: Lamb Perfection Slow-Cooked To Excellence

For those who crave the rich flavors of lamb, Bhuna Gosht is a must-try. This slow-cooked delicacy is a testament to the culinary expertise of the region, where tender pieces of lamb are infused with aromatic spices and yoghurt, creating a dish that is both indulgent and deeply satisfying.

Dhokla: A Steamed Savory Sensation

For a lighter vegetarian option, Dhokla is a delightful surprise. This steamed savory cake, made from fermented chickpea and rice batter, offers a burst of flavor and a light, airy texture that will leave you wanting more.

Kadaknath Chicken: A Rare Culinary Treat

Indulge in the rare and exquisite Kadaknath chicken, a native breed of Madhya Pradesh known for its tender meat and distinct flavor. Prepared with aromatic spices and cooked to perfection, this delicacy is a must-try for meat lovers seeking a culinary adventure.

Kachori: A Crunchy Delight From The North

Satisfy your cravings with Kachori, a fried sensation from the North of India. Made from soft, smooth dough and filled with a variety of savory options, ranging from spiced lentils in Dal Kachori to zesty chopped onions, Kachori offers a delightful crunch and a symphony of flavors.

Jalebi: Sweet Crispy Indulgence

For a sweet treat that will tantalize your taste buds, indulge in Jalebi. These deep-fried sweets, made from a batter of all-purpose flour and sugar, create a crispy and syrup-soaked indulgence that is a beloved favorite across India.

Kulhad Chai: A Cultural Tradition

Complete your culinary journey with Kulhad Chai, a cultural experience that connects people to the roots of Indian tea traditions. Served in traditional clay or earthenware cups known as ‘kulhad’, this aromatic tea enhances the flavor and adds a touch of nostalgia and rustic charm to the tea-drinking ritual.

Farm-To-Table Experience: A Commitment To Freshness And Authenticity

Kuno Forest Retreat is committed to showcasing the culinary treasures of Madhya Pradesh using fresh, locally sourced ingredients. They partner with local farmers for meat and poultry, procure fruits and vegetables from nearby villages, and source spices from local markets. This farm-to-table dining experience ensures that guests enjoy meals prepared with the freshest, seasonal ingredients, capturing the true essence of the region’s flavors.

A Culinary Adventure Awaits

As you immerse yourself in the wilderness of Madhya Pradesh, don’t forget to embark on a culinary adventure at Kuno Forest Retreat. From the rare Kadaknath chicken to the nostalgic charm of Kulhad Chai, every bite and sip tells a story of the region’s rich heritage and flavors. Discover the best of both worlds – the untamed beauty of nature and the culinary delights of Madhya Pradesh. Embrace the wild, savor the local delicacies, and make memories that will last a lifetime at Kuno Forest Retreat.

[nunubug99]

Surprise!!

I guess I’m :

✨💖 Back on my bullshit 💖✨

Thinking about how Bruce and Clark land on the idea of swapping partners to spice things up. Although it was an of hand joke made under the influence, neither could let the idea go.

Clark bringing it up to you, another meta, and Bruce to Selina. Clark blushes and fumbles through the confession, but eventually he asks what you think. Shock hits you first, but then the more you think about it, the more appealing it becomes.

The 4 of you decide that this will be a way to explore yourself and your partner better. Almost like a couples retreat! Although you all are excited to learn new tips, tricks, and honest feedback that you wouldn’t otherwise get, you all agree it’s best to come up with rules and safe words ahead of time.

Let’s meet our cast shall we? :

Y/N :

The Jack of all trades. Making a name for herself along the eastern seaboard, Y/N is a black freelance artist who works as a museum curator. Her power allows her to have superhuman strength, speed and endurance, while her meta gene allows her to bend, absorb, and manipulate solar energy. Much like Clark, her power comes from the sun. Known as the Golden Gladiator, her heroics are only brought up in times of severe crisis. She often prefers her civilian life and the privileges it affords, as her secret identity has only been shared with those she can trust. Wild card : Likes when she and Clark can let go of being cautious and careful. Since they both have similar energy sources, their lovemaking can actually be a way to transfer solar radiation. Whether it’s in the middle of a battle or at home, this has proven to be extremely rewarding over the course of their relationship. Because the two of them are metas, they can focus on each other rather than their ✨destructive✨ actions. Extra Bonus : Y/N is curious to see how this experience will improve her skills and impact their relationship.

Note : Although this is not an OC, as I write Y/N I am imagining some of Teyonah Paris’s characteristics.

Kal / Clark :

Strong and Sensitive. This big boy is the definition of the “Country boy I love youuu!” Vine. Between his responsibilities as a reporter and as earths biggest hero, he always makes sure he has time for you. His biggest asset is his attention to your senses. Over the last few years of marriage, you’ve found that he can always tell how you’re feeling before the words even leave your mouth. His size comes as an added bonus, but his wild card is using it in his knack for overstimulation. As an attentive partner, he’ll make sure that all your needs are taken care of and catered to at the utmost importance. All he asks in return is that you try to keep up with him. :) King of Aftercare. Will talk you through it while showering you with his praise. Both physical touch and words of affirmation are his ways of showing his devotion. Extra bonus : He becomes a slight tease when you’re loopy. He’ll ask you to tell him what you want or how you want it; and when you can’t deliver, he’ll keep going until you can.

Bruce :

Calculating and Experienced. The opposite of the man from Smallville in almost every way. Where Clark likes to be soft as if he was working with clay, Bruce is more equipped to be as efficient and in control as possible like a botanist with a bonsai tree. King of edging. Won’t let you cum until he thinks you deserve it. Will make you beg in the best way. Has a knack for public play and shibari. All his travel and escapades has made him extremely aware of his likes and dislikes, so it’s very unlikely you’ll surprise him with any requests. He’s usually playing brat tamer so this will be a nice change of pace. Wild card : Is not afraid of his sexuality or pushing his limits. He shows his adoration in gifts rather than words. His past consistent lovers would usually be showered in parting gifts, for example Selina’s Tiara collection. You would be no exception to this rule and in his aftercare you will look up things you want. He will get annoyed if you speak up about prices; and as punishment he’ll make you add more to your cart. Extra bonus: Can and will make you cum without touching you. His biggest goal is to beat his personal record of withholding your release.

Selina :

Sensual and Clever. Selina will play her partners like a symphony. The woman is the perfect match for the man who plans for everything. This cat found her way to Gotham City after trying to find a fresh start when her first life was taken from her. Her objective is to leave them wanting her more than they ever thought possible. Wild card : She revels in the idea of being both a brat and a dominatrix. So being able to play with both roles has her more excited than anyone. Before getting down to business, she usually likes to set the mood for the evening. Whether it’s roleplay or even a drink, she finds that the most alluring part to her is the foreplay before the fun begins. Bonus : Although her hands are usually tied up, she’s actually very intentional about her nails during play. Because of this, she dabbles in both S&M as well as sensory play whenever she can.

(Taking inspiration from both the Harley Quinn series and the Catwoman movie featuring Halle Berry)

Although I mainly thought of this because of the endless possibilities that a chaotic superhuman wifeswap would entail; I do credit some of the inspiration from the “Listening Party” Series by @canumoveurseatup-no Aka Bexie. Literally one of the greatest writers of our time! I can only hope that one day I’m able to express my thoughts and ideas like they can 💖

Due to my schedule, Idk when I’m gonna actually post 😬 However I will be working on the first installment this week so we’ll see what happens 🤷🏾‍♀️

[franceblr]

half-baked headcanon #2

initially, sasori didn’t understand deidara’s preference for keeping his hair long; it’s very difficult to mantain, takes up a lot of deidara’s time, is unpractical, attracts attention, and is an inconvenient handle for opponents to grab onto in battle. despite silently appreciating the aesthetic value of deidara’s blonde locks, sasori often made pointed remarks about his partner’s hair, openly suggesting deidara cut it off short for the sake of practicality. deidara of course never even considered the idea, as his mane is a great source of pride and vanity for him. like most neglected children, initially deidara didn’t have a very strong concept of self care and hygiene; sasori, who always keeps his clothes, puppets and workspace pristine and tidy, couldn’t bear to share his living space with a grubby and chaotic teenager, and he took it up on himself to correct deidara’s messiness, and teach him the very basics. but even back when deidara was a wild and filthy child, deidara always took great care of his hair.

this debate reached its climax when deidara was 16, and they were tasked by pein with a mission which required to track down three missing nin and extort the intel they possessed. easy enough. except they proved to be extremely hostile and caught sasori and deidara off guard, who in turn had to take on a more aggressive approach. sasori ended up taking on two of the missing nin, opting to keep one alive for the interrogation, but as he was finishing them off he was interrupted by the sound of deidara screeching nearby. Making quick work of disposing of his opponents, sasori rushes to deidara’s aid, finding him on the ground, clay pouches cut off and thrown to the side, fruitlessly struggling against the broader and heavier nin straddling him, clawing at his arms; head bent backwards by a hand harshly pulling his hair, holding him in place, sasori barely has any time to notice the glint of the kunai against deidara’s throat and the blood blooming underneath it, before the ninja drops agonizing on top of deidara, all blood and silent screams and no information. now, deidara is a formidable long distance fighter; but he’s still rather small, developing muscles not yet strong enough to take down an opponent without his explosions, and he’s no match in hand to hand combat against a skilled shinobi. but sasori sees red. his mission has been an absolute disaster: he failed to interrogate any of the missing nin, has no information to relay to pein, efforts and time wasted in pointless travel and preparation, simply because this fucking brat could not hold his own, and decided to keep his hair down. had it not been for sasori’s intervention, deidara would be choking on his own blood right now! hadn’t sasori told him that long hair was the most obvious of liabilities in battle? shaking with rage and deciding to teach deidara a lesson about pride, vanity and listening to his elders, sasori gets out of hiruko stalking over to deidara, fists his hand in his hair and grits out that now he’s fucking done it, violently dragging him away from underneath the ninja’s bloody corpse. deidara seizes with fear, resisting, pulls at his hands and kicks, screams and begs, something sasori has never heard him do, but his resolve is of iron. he gathers all of deidara’s hair in one hand, and that’s when the realization hits deidara: sasori’s going to cut all of his hair off. he pleads with sasori, apologizing, twisting his head to try and look at his face with tearful eyes and beg sasori to spare his hair. he cries loudly as sasori chops his hair off with a kunai, jagged strands hitting the back of his neck as the blade unevenly cuts through his beautiful golden mane. after sasori is done, he snakes his hand underneath deidara’s jaw, the blood trickling from the wound on his throat stains his wooden fingers, and he forces deidara to recline his head and look at sasori’s face, at his ire, as he cruelly seals his punishment spitting out that if deidara’s irresponsibility sabotages one more mission for the team, he’ll cut off all four of his tongues next. deidara says nothing to this, stays on the ground crying bitter tears even after sasori is done patting down the bodies of the dead shinobi searching for any clues on the information sasori and deidara were looking for.

deidara doesn’t say a single word for a very long time after that. not that night at the inn, when he assesses in the bathroom the damage sasori’s done to his hair (sasori had shown a little mercy, his choppy hair reaching slightly below his jaw, long enough for a small bun); not when they return to the base and all deidara keeps on getting from other akatsuki members is double takes and awkward silence. it’s clear it wasn’t something deidara did himself, and nobody dares to ask whether sasori really did do just that. shearing one’s partner felt like such a huge overstepping of lines that shouldn’t be crossed among teammates. but then again none of the other akatsuki were tasked with essentially raising and training an out of control teenager into a functional member of an international terrorist organization. or so sasori reasoned to himself. truth be told, he hadn’t thought much about the consequences when he did it, too blinded by his wrath and too fed up with deidara’s antics. but deidara going that quiet on him was something sasori would have never seen coming. he expected violent oubursts, screaming matches, dramatics and retaliation. he expected deidara to try and set hiruko on fire. he didn’t expect deidara to not be able to look at him, to not stand being in the same room as him. never had it occurred to him that instead of defiance and vengeance, he could be met with betrayal and avoidance. he didn’t know when that started to bother him; didn’t notice when deidara’s silence became defeaning instead of a relief. sasori didn’t feel guilty, but he didn’t expect his actions to have this big of a repercussion either. somewhere in the back of his mind sasori knew that if the mission had failed, it wasn’t entirely because deidara refused to tie up his hair, and that he was just as much to blame. somewhere deep within him grew the awareness that cutting deidara’s hair was less about the mission and more of a big show of power, of sasori’s dominance in their partnership; a tangible reminder that sasori was in charge, that he was to be respected and feared, and there would be sore consequences if deidara were to disobey him again. it wasn’t quite regret, but it was a growing weight in sasori’s mind, making him uncomfortable, and making him want to avoid deidara even more than usual.

it came to the point where pein had to summon both of them and tell them they had to straighten their shit out for the sake of the organization. once dismissed, back in their shared room, with a leaden tongue sasori gives his best shot at an apology. it does little to soothe deidara’s distress. truth is, despite deidara’s provocations, stubborness and rude speech, he really did respect sasori, and considered them to be kindred spirits to an extent; he didn’t expect the same level of consideration from sasori, he made it clear deidara wouldn’t get as much. nor was it the first time sasori got physical with deidara, his patience so thin and deidara reveling in any attention he was shown. but this… this felt personal and nasty to a whole new level, and it made his chest ache and his throat close up. it left him lonely and ashamed, and so very desperate. desperate to leave, desperate to retaliate, desperate to set the entire base ablaze, desperate to cling to sasori’s knees and beg for comfort, beg to be soothed, beg for forgiveness, or whatever it is sasori would give him. it left him feeling small and battered. yet sasori’s the only one he’s ever gotten this close with, even if the sentiment is one-sided, and deidara has nowhere else to go, the akatsuki will make sure of that. so deidara breathes in, and takes it for what it is, and quietly buries it all deep where he stores things like these. by the time his hair begins to grow back, he’s erased the incident and their relationship goes back to normal fairly quickly, but sasori doesn’t miss how when deidara smiles at him, it never reaches his eyes.

[dulcetash]

In Which I Claw Off My Blinders So That I May Examine Them

So, I’ve been having a high old time with Dracula Daily, and I’m learning fascinating new things along the way.  A dear friend shared how formative Jonathan Harker’s May 16th entry in Dracula had been for her from earliest memory, in response to my reblog of this post, wherein I’d encountered an enlightening, new-to-me definition of “swoon.”

Her words led me to confront something about myself that has been creeping around the edges of my brain for awhile.  I’m truly bothered by my lack of awareness and lack of-, of impressionability, in my own youth, to this kind of formative influence.  To put it bluntly, I am a basic, basic bitch.

I started to respond on the original post, but my thoughts rapidly spun out in a way that would derail that post’s thesis, so I’m giving them their own space here.  I rarely share of myself in public this way, but it seems necessary tonight. So here is my reply:

... it’s a fantastic passage.  And the first time I read it, probably when I was in my 20s, it went right over my head.  So many things that I’m now finally learning to see as queer-coded, or even just sexually coded, were a gigantic blind spot for me until, well, pretty much my 40s (likewise, some of these meta posts on DD are teaching me to see anti-semitic coding that I had NO IDEA about: separate issue, same source).  And this “bit of well-known shorthand,” with regard to swooning?  It certainly wasn’t known by me, AND I WAS AN ENGLISH MAJOR.  

All those jokes you see today about those dense heteronormative scholars who say, “these women who wrote about the joys of undressing each other, you must understand it was merely a form of social bonding that indicated emotional closeness and the discomfort of corsetry, blah blah blah...” I have been that dense reader for most of my life.  My own formative coming-of-age literature went from Beverly Cleary and Laura Ingalls Wilder and Louisa May Alcott and even friggin’ Sweet Valley High, directly to rapey 80’s bodice-rippers and Stephen King.  There was no transition or middle ground between tender/sweet/romantic/sexless and titillating/explicit/traumatic.  And for whatever reason, I never thought to imagine any.

In that Jane Eyre podcast I’ve been listening to, one of the hosts mentioned Rochester’s threat to rape Jane, and I was like, *record scratch* -wait WHAT?  She referred to this:

“Jane! will you hear reason?' (he stooped and approached his lips to my ear) 'because, if you won't, I'll try violence.”

And I… I never thought about what that meant.  I was raised without physical violence (thank god), but I was also raised to feel that a man being angry at me was the most terrifying possible circumstance.  I never once imagined what the anger might lead to; the anger itself was The Bad Thing to be avoided.  So if I HAD been asked to imagine what form Rochester’s violence might take, it would have been, like, hurling crockery or some similar tantrum.  Jane Eyre fell into the tender/sweet/romantic/sexless category for me, so anything else was literally unthinkable. 

Later, In the same scene, he gets more explicit:

"Never," said he, as he ground his teeth, "never was anything at once so frail and so indomitable. A mere reed she feels in my hand!" (And he shook me with the force of his hold.) "I could bend her with my finger and thumb: and what good would it do if I bent, if I uptore, if I crushed her? Consider that eye: consider the resolute, wild, free thing looking out of it, defying me, with more than courage--with a stern triumph. Whatever I do with its cage, I cannot get at it--the savage, beautiful creature! If I tear, if I rend the slight prison, my outrage will only let the captive loose. Conqueror I might be of the house; but the inmate would escape to heaven before I could call myself possessor of its clay dwelling-place. And it is you, spirit--with will and energy, and virtue and purity--that I want: not alone your brittle frame. Of yourself you could come with soft flight and nestle against my heart, if you would: seized against your will, you will elude the grasp like an essence--you will vanish ere I inhale your fragrance. Oh, Jane! come, Jane, come!"

And STILL.  I’m like, yeah, Rochester’s a drama-llama all right, he imagines that tearing her chest open to get at her spirit might just be a fresh alternative to locking her in his attic, what a character.  It never occurred to me that he was thinking, “I could sexually compromise her, and then she’d be ruined and have no choice but to stay with me.”  It’s not like you even have to squint to see it, I just… had these huge blinders.  

For fuck’s sake, I’m one of those sweet summer children who thought for way too long that “Netflix and Chill” literally meant to relax and watch movies together.  Thank god I was never really on the dating scene; I thought “inviting someone up for coffee” was literally an invitation to sit around and drink coffee and converse about life.  In a previous century I’d have been that ditz nerding out over the chance to see etchings.  I NEVER KNEW ABOUT THE SEX CODE.

I find that I am angry and disappointed in the culture that raised me not to see, much less analyze, various forms of physical desire.  This culture was also deeply homophobic, not in an openly hostile or aggressive sense, but in a true “fear of” sense that manifested as nobody talking about it.  Ever.  Sometimes there were hushed whispers, quickly shut down by firm denials.  It was just weird.  Not a reason to be MEAN to someone, oh no, but as a default, Don’t Think About It; it’s an embarrassing affliction, and it’s not polite to point.  So I didn’t.  And what you don’t think about, you don’t see.  

But I also find that I am angry and disappointed in myself, about my own lack of curiosity about all of those locked doors.  About my own complacency - complicity? - in Not Thinking About Things.  As I became an adult and started to encounter People On the Internet who avidly DID think about queer romance, I was perplexed by all of these folks who seemed so determined to see things in media that - *tsk* - just weren’t there.  “People can love and care about each other without it being SEXUAL,” I’d think, because for me, the sweetest, least-problematic examples of love in media had always culminated in a kiss. And apparently, I need things explicitly spelled out.  I mean, clearly, who I am today versus who I was 20 years ago means I can learn and evolve, but also, clearly, I am the walking cautionary tale on Why Representation Matters.

*sigh*  Without knowing the code, I’ve missed out on so much.  And my own self-concept has been stunted.  Once I’m done processing and mourning that, I can look forward to rediscovering old literary and cinematic favorites through a more enlightened lens.  No wonder Wizard of Oz and rainbows are queer touchstones.  It’s like seeing colors after a greyscaled lifetime of dismissing them as a vanishingly rare phenomenon.