#Anyway cucumbers are delicious

[ethereal-bumble-bee]

it’s me and my Tupperware container full of cucumber slices against the world

[uovoc]

Still I regret not getting a picture of that roadside sign that read "MONEY CAN'T BUY HAPPINESS.. BUT IT CAN BUY FOOD AND THAT'S ALMOST THE SAME THING"

[monsterbutch]

i love vinegar so much yum yum

[kethabali]

omg first cooked meal in ages and it did not disappoint hm i think i'm ready to go back to light cooking that was definitely worth it i think the issue is me trying to rush through it and not having any distractions to keep me patient but now i cracked the code to cook relaxed so i cook it exactly how i want

[no-one-hears-me]

the past is gone

[bethanydelleman]

I want to advocate for "do it lazy", because I see a lot of "do it badly" posts, but I think specifically with gardening, people are told they need to do it perfectly to succeed but no, you can make a lot of food with a half-effort.

Here is my garden:

It is so full of weeds I cannot even, but, look at all these peas!

I grew those! I just put seeds in the ground and watered them a few times and half-weeded. It worked out great!

This is my currant bush (asparagus in the back). Last year I made 6 jars of jam and a cake out of them. It just basically grows on it's own now. I also grow strawberries, something that also just mostly does it own thing and I prune occasionally:

I also grow herbs and they bloom really prettily:

(this is a chive and a sage) Now serious gardeners will tell you not to let them bloom for max production, but they still taste fine and they look nice and feed bees, so I just let them do their thing.

I grow tomatoes for sauce (picture right), basil for pesto (picture left), asparagus (comes up all on it's own now), potatoes, watermelon, cucumbers, and broccoli as well.

I have both a front and backyard garden (that little strip of tomatoes and peas is the backyard) because I think growing grass is dumb. I don't start my own seedlings indoors, for a combination of pet, kid, window, and time issues, I just buy seedlings. It did take a lot of effort one year to build my garden, but now it's pretty low maintenance. I have chickens so I put their waste in the garden as fertilizer. I water if it looks really dry.

So anyway, my point is, you can grow food. You can do it without investing your whole life into it. I admire my friend's and my dad's beautiful weeded and better planned garden, but mine does work and I spend like 10% of the time they do. Do it lazy! Eat some delicious home grown food.

(I am very lucky to own a house with a yard. I have also grown gardens in apartment buildings, using pots. My chive has actually travelled with me throughout my university career, often in a pot. You can grow a little herb garden or some cherry tomatoes on a windowsill. You may also be able to access a community garden if your city has that available.)

[tojigutz]

toji on your birthday🥺

He got you a big pink bear to snuggle with when he isn’t there and it’s just so cute !! It has a lace collar around its neck with a rose design, and a cute little heart on its cheek. He had told you he didn’t really have the money to be able to buy you something huge, but honestly who cares because he is all you need.

Or maybe it’s a diy spa day !! He could be sitting on the sofa with cucumbers on his eyes while you’re rubbing some type of moisturizer on him. He moves away from you as you rub it on his face… grunting in discomfort, “and what are you doing now sweetheart.” You giggle and grab more from the container before rubbing a bit on his forehead. “It’s just moisturizer.. it’s gonna help with dry skin.” He hums in appreciation as you clean ur hands off with a towel, and removing the cucumbers off his eyes.

Eventually it’s your turn to lay on the couch, and he has no idea what he’s doing. There is sunscreen in your eyes and he didn’t even put ur moisturizer on by the time your finished. “Im really really sorry sweetheart… honest.” He says as he kisses your forehead, “it was an accident.”

It’s already the afternoon and you decided to go out to McDonald’s for lunch. “Baby why did we have to eat here? The foods barely even real.” Even though he’s munching on two Cheeseburgers, “because it’s delicious.” You say with a stuffed mouth. He only glares back at you, but continues to eat anyways.

You snuggle up to him in bed as the day come to an end, the sun barely shining between the trees. Enola Holmes 2 is playing in the background and Toji is already fully asleep.

[martha-anne]

Scrumping Apples

I only know of 2 kinds of theft which have their own designated words: One can rustle cattle, and one can scrump apples. 

I scrumped some apples today for the first time - if it can be called that. The apple tree is in a public park so there was really no 'stealing' involved; but I had to crawl through a bramble hedge and then climb up the tree to get to the apples, which all felt highly illegal even if it wasn't actually.

This would have been far easier as a two-person job. Next time I will bring a friend to stand at the base of the tree and receive the picked apples. 

Anyway, I was moderately successful and the ill-gotten goods have become a crumble.

I also made a sourdough focaccia today. It was risen outdoors by solar power, having been moved faithfully around the garden during its proving time to chase the patches of sun. I've tried and failed to make focaccia many times this year; this was my best attempt by far.

Summer crops have been a long time coming on account of there not being much summer here, but stuff is happening at last!

The first cucumber was picked and turned into fermented pickles. For some reason I've always thought fermented pickles would be quite a lot of effort and probably not as nice as shop ones. I was (happily) wrong. They're simple to make and more delicious than I could have imagined. 

Tomatoes are turning red and some little baby squashes are brewing :)

[thespiritssaidso]

Shawn Goes Grocery Shopping

Summary: Shawn doesn’t like the list of groceries Lassiter gave him, so he comes up with better alternatives.

Notes: First fic I’ve written in about *checks calendar* over two weeks holy shit. Anyways, enjoy!

Based off this tumblr post, which was sent to the Shassie discord. Thank you @the-heart-of-leo for the inspiration

—————

Deep breath, deep breath, Carlton. Remember, Shawn’s never had to get actual groceries for anyone but himself. Lassiter turned to face his husband, who was sitting on the kitchen counter. “Shawn. I’m gonna go through this with you again, just to make sure we’re on the same page. Okay?”

“Copy that, Lassinator.”

Reaching in his pocket, he pulled out a small list. “So, I sent you to the grocery store with this list to get some items we need, correct?”

Shawn nodded.

“And on of those things was a block of sharp cheddar cheese. Which I needed to make our Shepherds Pie for dinner tonight. What did you bring back?”

Reaching behind him, he grabbed one of the bags to reveal what he got. “I got cheese sticks for dinner tonight.”

“Cheese sticks.” Lassiter parroted. “Something that cannot go on a Shepherd’s Pie. Something that we are going to be having for dinner tonight instead, along with leftover pasta.”

“Sounds good to me, babe.” Shawn grinned.

Lassiter just sighed. “While on the topic of dinner, I also asked for carrots. What did you get instead?”

“Carrot cake, for when we finish eating the cheese sticks.”

“And when I asked for bananas, the thing I have for breakfast every morning, what did you bring back?”

“Banana bread. Which, honestly Lassie, is such an upgrade. You should be thanking me.”

It was better, if Lassiter was being honest. But that wasn’t the point. “I also asked for 6 kiwis. You know, to go with the bananas-”

“Wait, but I did get six kiwis, Lassie!”

“Shawn.” Lassiter sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose. “You got six boxes of kiwis. Ten kiwis per box. That’s sixty. Sixty kiwis.”

“I thought you really liked kiwis.”

“Since when-!” Calm down, calm down. “Okay, next thing. Croissants.”

“Cinnamon rolls are so much better Lassie. And I like it when you get up early just to bake them for breakfast. It makes the whole house smell like a delicious haven of sugary baked goods. They make me want to float to whatever windowsill they may be resting on while they cool off.”

Lassiter smiled a little bit at Shawn’s goofiness. Okay, maybe the substitute wasn’t terrible. He was still a little peeved though, since he had been craving croissants. He moved on to the next item.

“Cucumbers.” He reached over to grab said vegetable, and held it up. “These weren’t even on the list.”

“Oh, I had something else in mind for them, maybe later tonight?” Shawn bit his lip and winked.

Lassiter blushed a fiery red. “D- uhh- m-moving on.” He shook himself off. “Finally, when I said I needed chapstick-”

“I got you Vaseline. Pineapple Vaseline, which I’m surprised even exists. And really, who uses chapstick anymore? Vaseline is like, so much cheaper and it works the same!”

“Shawn, I don’t think you understand.” Again reaching over inside the bag next to Shawn, he grabbed the large tub his husband had bought. “I can’t take this anywhere with me.”

“Sure you can! Just… carry it like- like a…” Shawn faltered. “…a baby?”

“Like a baby?” He asked incredulously.

“Or something like that.”

Lassiter just sighed, and took another look at all of the groceries. “I think I should just go shopping for us from now on.”

[reyggtv]

I LOVE JOHANNA

Guys. I have to admit. I love Johanna. Johanna is THE perfect mother of all mothers in all of cartoon history. Why? First of all, most of her time was spent on raising one kid and one kid only because dumb ANDERS thinks that he can just get away with all of his problems including child support, and despite all of that, the fact is Johanna loves and supports Hilda more than anything. She is and WAS willing to give up EVERYTHING just so her own daughter could live a better and longer life. Two, she is an excellent graphic and art designer!! Her designs are truly iconic in the Trolberg architecture, even if that meant nearly having her soul taken away in the Tide Mice episode. She is a talented woman who absolutely deserves more recognition for her work. Three, SHE MAKES THE BEST CUCUMEBR SANDWICHES!!! How can you go wrong with Johanna's cucumber sandwiches?!?! I mean seriously, what other cucumber sandwiches have you tried before that could even remotely compare to the level of quality and perfection that is Johanna's delicious cucumber sandwiches. If you don't know how to make them, the recipe is in the Hilda's Sparrow Scout Badge Guide book, though honestly I would highly recommend reaching to Johanna and asking her to make you a cucumber sandwich herself, it’s is the definitive way to eat her cucumber sandwiches. And finally number four, SHE IS SO PRETTY LIKE OHMAYGAWD 😍😍❤️❤️ JOHANNA IS LITERALLY THEEEE MOST PRETTIEST WOMAN ON THE PLANET‼️‼️ I have a feeling that when they were choosing a voice actress for her, they wanted to have someone in mind who had the richest, soothing, and relaxing mother voice in the world and I think that Daisy Haggard voicing her was the best decision the Hilda team could have ever made. Not to mention her beautiful hair style and smile, Anders was fucking stupid for trying to leave her in the first place, but now I wish he wasn’t with us at all because I really really would like to date her now so can someone at Netflix please remove Anders out of the new season so I can be in it instead please? Thank you.

Anyways in conclusion, Johanna is the not only the best mother in the world, she's the best art designer, cucumber sandwich maker, store clerk, and everything in between as well as being the best looking woman in all of cartoon history don't debate me on that I don't care nothing is better than her unless maybe Bandit Heeler from Bluey thank you for coming to my TED talk.

[sanjerina]

If you aren’t sure if you like a particular vegetable or how to prepare it, try this.

Get a sheet pan. Put the raw vegetable on it, washed and maybe chopped into bite sizes. Put some olive oil, salt, and pepper on it. Roast it in the oven at, like 400-425 degrees Fahrenheit (200-225 C or thereabouts) until it looks brown and/or you can stick a fork in it.

Let it cool. Put it in your face. And then if you *still* don’t like that vegetable, you don’t like that vegetable.

Lettuce and cucumbers don’t do well with this, obviously, and I’m sure there are other counter examples? but in general I’ve yet to find another vegetable that can’t be prepared this way and have it suddenly become utterly delicious, even if I thought I didn’t like it before.

You can get fancy with it and make like tray bakes and so on — chicken thighs are also delicious like this, for example. Anyway, I hated most vegetables until I was 20, and today I had some absolutely glorious roasted red cabbage, so I thought I would share this little life hack.

[the-chosen-fanfiction]

Andrew | Out Of Sight, On My Mind | Romantic

Dialogue prompt: "You wrote me letters?"

When Andrew returns to Capernaum, you give him the pile of letters you have written him over his absence.

Requested by Syd

Your fingers slide over the pomegranates, apples, pears and cucumbers as you try to select the finest ones for your own home, sliding them into your basket as you find them looking delicious enough. Allowing the familiar merchant behind the stall to keep the change, you continue traversing the market with an already well-loaded wicker basket around your arm. 

It’s busy today; It has been busy for a few weeks now, ever since Jesus’ sermon on the Korazim Plateau. The encampment on the outskirts of the village has evolved into a small town in and of itself and you wonder if the pilgrims outnumber the inhabitants of Capernaum. Frankly, you wouldn’t be surprised. Needless to say, the traders around the place have never been more lucky with their bartering and fish is completely in fashion nowadays. Had your husband still been in the fishing industry, you’re sure he’d have earned a good amount of denarii. Still, his current occupation means wealth in a different way, and you’ve never been more supportive.

You buy a loaf of rye bread and consider a few sweet treats for yourself but decide against it, then continue your walk to purchase a skin of red wine and a bunch of flowers for the kitchen table. Slowly but surely, your weekly groceries are starting to compile in your basket, until one item is left on the list. Your favourite one, no less.

An old lady named Shiloh sells her late husband’s wares from a worn-down carpet on the corner of the street. The guards have been turning a blind eye on the fact that the elderly woman does not have a permit in exchange for occasional parchment and wax so that they can write home to their wives about how horrible Capernaum-duty is to them. Whether it’s because of the people not fond of their presence or because of their tyrant of a Praetor is not disclosed in said letters.

“Shalom (Y/n),” In spite of her poor eyes, Shiloh always recognises you from a distance. “The usual, I suppose?” She smiles at you, visibly missing a few teeth. The old woman is pushing sixty-eight.

“Shalom, Shiloh. Yes please.” 

She hums and packs your weekly order from her - a small roll of parchment and an ink refill, as well as a nice sharpened stylus to replace your previous one. 

“You have been writing again, no?” 

“You know me.” you breathe with a small nod of your head.

An amused sound leaves the elderly woman as she reaches out to you with a bony hand, giving you the items you always buy from her. 

“I got you another few inches of parchment, free of charge.” 

“Thank you.” you whisper. “God bless you.” 

You hand her the money you owe her and she gives you a kind smile, the corners of her eyes crinkling even further than they already are, and she squeezes your fingers with a force that is surprisingly firm for her age. “Adonai bless you too, (Y/n). As well as your husband. Have you heard from him?” 

“Not since he left for the ministry.” 

“I’m certain he’s doing alright. You must be very proud of him.”

“I am.” 

A beat of silence as Shiloh gives you a small nod. “Anyways, I won’t keep you any longer. I’m sure you’ve got something to take care of.” 

You nod to mirror her expression.

“Shalom shalom, Shiloh.”

“Shalom shalom.” 

As you start walking off, tucking your newly acquired items into your basket, a familiar figure flashes in the corner of your eye, causing your heart to skip a beat. 

“Zee?” 

Simon the former Zealot halts in his tracks and smiles as he recognises you as the wife of his friend.

“Ah, hello (Y/n). It’s good to see you again. I hope things went well in our absence.” 

“Have you seen—” you pause, realising it’s more polite to ask about the ministry first. “How did your travels go? What have you been up to?” 

Simon’s face lights up with a glittering smile as he recalls what has been happening. “Oh, (Y/n), things went just wonderfully. Of course people were quite cautious with us, which is understandable, but we’ve been healing the sick and lame in the name of our Lord, and— Ah, I could tell you so much about it, but I need to go somewhere right now. Let’s talk about it later, alright?” 

“Sure—”

He already brushes past you on his way to his meeting, when you call out after him.

“Simon?” 

He stops and turns to you. “Yes?”

“Have you seen Andrew?” 

Zee shrugs and shakes his head. “No, not yet. Maybe he went straight home?” 

That must be it. You breathe a thank you and wish him a good day before heading back home as fast as your feet can carry you, your heart hammering inside your chest as if you’re going to see your teenage crush instead of your husband of three years. That same heart clenches unpleasantly the second you set foot over the threshold of your shared homestead only to find it empty. 

Perhaps he has gone to the place where they usually went whenever Jesus required all of them in one place — the house of your sibling in-laws Simon and Eden — and upon putting down your basket onto the kitchen table, you rush that way just as fast. 

Upon arriving there, you find a few familiar faces, but Andrew not among them.

“Is everyone back yet?” you query. 

Nathanael shakes his head.

“Not that I know of.”

Eden puts a hand on your shoulder. Something has been laced in her features since a few weeks but you haven’t dared to ask about it yet. You reckon it’s just because she had been missing Simon as much as you have been missing Andrew.

“Why don’t you go wait for him at your own home, and I’ll send one of the boys over in case he shows up here. Okay?” 

You sigh and nod at her, giving her a grateful smile before heading back to your house, playing the waiting game for a while longer.

Around the evening, however, he has not returned yet. The moment you have to light the candles, there is still no sign of the man you so dearly love. Your heart weighs inside your chest like a heavy stone, concern and longing swirling together in a way that has you tossing and turning all night. 

The spot on the bed next to you is way too cold and empty even though you had been managing in the past weeks. Sleep does not come to you, for you are too worried that something might have happened. You watch through the bedroom window how the first rays of sunlight creep through the gap between the curtains. 

Your mind is heavy when you rise that morning. As you get ready for the day, adjusting your veil onto your head, your gaze goes to the pile of letters you had compiled over the weeks of Andrew’s absence. Messages ranging from how dearly you missed him to how proud of him you were. Every roll of parchment contains a date written meticulously next to the seal so that Andrew can figure out which letter had been written on which day. After all, you had received no address to send them to, no clue where he was at any time. This had been your second-best option.

With a sigh, you grab the parchment you purchased yesterday and sit down at your desk, grabbing a fresh stylus as well as your new inkwell to refill your old one with, before starting on yet another letter, featuring today’s date. For a moment, you look out the window before you, a yearning hum leaving your lungs. 

The words come easily. Paragraph after paragraph leaves your pen as you write about how much you miss him, how much you hope he is safe and how worried you are that he hasn’t returned opposed to his peers, who have been trickling back into Capernaum over the past two days. You suddenly have to fight the tears that have welled up without your knowledge. Once the parchment is scribbled full until the final line, you sign it with your name.

It takes a few minutes to dry as you stare out of the window, hoping to see a familiar head of curls pop up. However, the street outside your home remains painfully empty, apart from the regulars walking about. 

You seal the letter and add it to the pile, making sure to put the date on the outside of it, and go about your day. Or at least, you try to. It’s hard to focus on anything now that you’re even more worried than you were, for it can’t mean anything good that he and Philip are still on the road.

A few days pass, and your thoughts are filled with all kinds of scenarios that you’d rather not think about. Images of Andrew being hurt on the side of the road, pursued by an unwilling audience looking to stone him, the idea of him in prison not much unlike John the Baptist, who he always admires so much. At night, you are plagued with terrors of Andrew laying dead in a dry creek somewhere, desecrated by the people who didn’t want to hear the message of the Gospel. You startle up in cold sweat and tears every time the nightmare comes to the part where it shows you his marred face. In your waking hours, you continuously pray for his well-being.

Part of you begs for it to not be a vision of the future. 

Preparing proper meals is also getting tough for some reason, even though you enjoy cooking itself thoroughly. Only one plate, one portion a day, no sneaky thievery of your husband stealing bits and crumbs from the counter behind your back; a taste test, as he always calls it. Even the scent of the herbs you add to your loaves doesn’t bring you the joy it used to. 

You’re just kneading the dough after the second rise when you suddenly feel a pair of hands on your hips and you gasp, spinning around with a handful of proofed dough, ready to slap the intruder across the cheek with it. The moment you hear a familiar chuckle and look into an even more familiar pair of dark eyes, you feel your hammering heart start to relax and race again just as fast.

“Andrew!” 

The moment the name leaves your lips, your throat is tight as you start to sob. “Andrew, you’re home!”

“Yes, I’m here, love. Did you miss me?” 

You put down the dough and embrace him, making sure to not touch him with your palms now that your hands are sticky,. You bury your nose into his neck and inhale deeply, laughing and crying at the same time. 

“I thought something bad had happened to you! That you had been…” 

The solemn expression on his face makes you trail off.

“That I’d been imprisoned?”

“Killed.” 

The silence isn’t at all reassuring. “Well, not everything went the way it should have.” Andrew whispers, deciding that being honest with his wife in spite of her concern is best. “Philip and I left quite the impression at the Decapolis, and let’s just say that not everyone was very receptive when it came to our message, but… Oh. Oh, love, no, don’t cry. I’m home now, aren’t I? Nothing happened, we weren’t hurt.” 

He thumbs away your tears as you rub your hands clean on your apron so that you can touch him, too. 

“Well, Philip tripped over a rock on our way back and injured his toe pretty bad, but that has nothing to do with it. He was pretty miffed about it.”  

The mental image of Philip whining as Andrew has to help him stumble home is somewhat amusing, causing you to smile through your tears. 

“The rest of the group was home already,” you sniffle, “I was really worried about you.” 

“I know. I’m sorry for keeping you waiting for a few days longer, my love.” 

He presses a soft kiss against your forehead, a sensation that you had dearly missed. Once he lets you go, you step away to properly wash your hands.

“You’re lucky I decided to bake an extra loaf today,” you murmur, “So you can tell me all about what happened at the Decapolis. I reckon you have a lot to tell me.” 

Andrew chuckles and rubs his neck a little awkwardly. 

“Yeah, you could say that. Is it alright if I tell you later? I suppose that Philip and I need to discuss the matter with Jesus first.” 

“Of course.” you murmur, “Take all the time you need. As long as you’re here with me for at least a while, alright? I’ve missed you way too much to let you go again so quickly.” 

Andrew hums and squeezes your waist. 

“Of course, I’ll be all yours for a few days. I’ve missed you too, my love.” 

“Hmm. Go freshen up, you smell.” 

The former fisherman lets out a noise. “I thought you liked the scent of sweat on me.” 

“I do, but not like this. Now go.” 

With a small laugh, Andrew withdraws to your private chambers to put on something clean whilst you continue your baking. Now in a lighter mood, you find yourself humming a song whilst you can hear Andrew rummage around in the background. 

“Hey, love,” he pipes up from behind you as he walks in, wearing a clean tunic, with his hair a little brushed out. “What are these?” 

When you turn to him, you feel your cheeks flush as he’s holding three out of the countless rolls of parchment that are still on the desk in your bedroom. 

“Oh! Uh, those… Those are letters.” 

“Letters? To whom?” 

“Well, to you, but I had no address to send them to, so I decided to write all my thoughts, hopes and fears down so that I could give them all to you once you returned home—” 

“You wrote me letters?” 

Your face is a little pink as he watches you in slight disbelief. His voice is so gentle, as are his eyes.

“Ah, well, I… I wanted to tell you just how much I missed you, and how much you mean to me. Do you think it’s silly?”

“Silly?” Andrew lets out a scoff, “Of course not, don’t be ridiculous! I think it’s wonderful! Adorable, even. I don’t even deserve such love. How many are there?” 

You turn away your gaze and swallow hard, still a little embarrassed. 

“At least thirty.” 

“Thirty...?” Andrew whispers in response, stepping closer to you, placing his hand under your chin to tilt it up towards him. “My love…” 

You let your gaze meet his and he smiles, a sight that never fails to get you weak at the knees, and you hum in slight shyness as you avert your gaze.

“I thank Adonai every day for you, you know that?” Andrew murmurs, “I’ve never met anyone quite like you, my dearest (Y/n).” 

You hum and dare to lock eyes with him again, smiling up at your husband.

“I love you so much.”

“I love you, too.” Andrew whispers back, pressing his forehead against yours. You stand like that for a few long moments before he speaks up again.

“How about…” he starts, “How about tonight, we spend some time together. I will read every letter out loud while you lay in my arms at the fireplace, and we’ll enjoy some wine and bread together. How does that sound?” 

Your heart flutters at the thought and you nod eagerly, a fond smile spreading over your features. 

“I think that’s a great idea, my love.” you answer him, sighing happily. “And until then, you go and rest for a bit, okay? You must be exhausted.” 

“Well, you are likely tired too. Worrying about me all day and night. I know you. We’re not that different in that regard, you and I.”

You give a soft sigh and smile at him, swatting his shoulder playfully.

“Alright, you got me. But you go and take a nap. I’ll join you as soon as the bread is out of the oven.”

“I’ll keep you to that.” Andrew muses, giving you a quick peck on the lips before sauntering towards the bedroom, having difficulty suppressing a yawn. Even though it is the middle of the day, he is bound to be sleeping like a brick the moment you are done here. 

With a fond smile, you watch how he walks off, a grateful feeling in your gut as you silently thank God for Andrew’s return, turning back to your work in the hopes of finishing your baking as soon as you can.

[tomorrowsgardennc]

garden update // june 25th 2024

parsley has been keeping an eye out for rain for me. still no sign of any anytime soon. rainbarrels have run dry, and i'm scared to open my water bill.

my pumpkin plants are going absolutely bonkers. one of my favorite parts of having a raised bed is letting the plants flow out. be free, plants, be freeeeee!! i actually want the pumpkins to take over, i can't wait. i have been pinching back the male flowers, though, so the plant can focus its energy elsewhere. but there were a few flowers i couldn't tell if male or female, so i let them bloom. turns out they were male, but the bees are drunk with pollen. maybe i shouldn't be pinching them back as often...

my carrots are going to seed, which wasn't my intention actually 😅 i grow carrots purely for the carrot tops - absolutely delicious when treated like an herb. i don't even thin my carrots out when they germinate. i'm starting to pull some anyway, with parsley's help of course.

last year i started ground cherry seeds in june, and they grew exactly like tomatillos and i got a bountiful harvest in august. this year i started the seeds (saved from last year) at the same time as the tomatoes, and they're dwarf sized!! not even 2 feet tall. they're starting to produce, though. i mean, if they stay dwarf thalen by all means! but at the same time... i hope they do get taller and i get another bountiful harvest in late summer. my favorite tomato is starting to produce, too - the green doctor cherry tomatoes. i'm going to be entering them into a contest in 2 weeks, so i hope i get a lot more by then!!

i took some cuttings from a pomegranate tree about... uhh... 2 months ago now?? and they're starting to grow new leaves!! no roots, though... i might need to transfer them into soil rather than water for root development. probably be on this week's to do.

my dwarf cucumbers and dwarf cantelope are chugging along. they need lots of water, but hopefully that water bill will be worth it in the end.

[beansnpeets]

So work at the kennel includes helping with the garden because sled dog guy sells produce at farmers markets to help fund kennel stuff.

Yesterday I picked 3 rows of cucumbers. Some of them were really huge! But anyway, I got to take some home. I brought a couple over to my next door neighbour. I met her granddaughter. She seems to be kinda around my age. Anyway, they told me about how one night last week there was a vehicle stopped by the rcmp at like 3am right in front of my house. I didn't notice at all. But they seemed worried. We exchanged phone numbers since neighbour mentioned she wasn't sure if she could come bother me or what lol I told her it's fine, she can come knock on my door to talk whenever. She seems so nice.

I also got to start learning how to use the fancy new freeze dryer at the kennel! He has started with produce, but wants to also do dog food. He had me try a few things. Freeze dried zucchini is delicious btw.

I am so so glad he asked me to come work more when he did. It really is good timing. He mentioned that it's a great idea to have Jewels board with me for the winter. Better than the idea he had to try to build some kind of special shelter for the dogs he is worried about this winter. Zeus is another, but I can't take both of them. Zeus will be okay tho.

[misc-obeyme]

For the prompt event, maybe garden + barbatos? Thank you and i hope you have a nice day! 😊

Hi there, anon!

Soooo I actually really wanted to write a little fic about Barbatos and his garden lol. Ever since I got the daily chat about him having too many vegetables, I'm just imagining him out there in his little butler outfit and some gardening gloves. But I also think he'd use a garden to grow stuff for tea, so I ended up writing about that, too.

Anyway, I really enjoyed writing this and I hope you like it!

Thank you for participating!

GN!MC x Barbatos with prompt Garden

Warnings: none!

You listened as you walked beside Barbatos through the vegetable garden he had begun behind the Demon Lord's Castle. He was speaking quite in depth about the differences in varieties of demon cucumber. You had already listened to the detailed explanation on how to raise behemoth pumpkins, so you were content with this slight change in topic.

Barbatos wasn't exactly a talkative demon, so you were more than happy to listen to him even if he was only really lecturing you about vegetables.

Something changed in his demeanor when you reached the herb and tea garden, though. He smiled at you, gesturing to a plant that looked especially healthy.

"This is darkness thyme," he said. "It is difficult to cultivate and thus is somewhat rare."

You didn't even need to get too close to the plant to smell its fragrant aroma. "It looks great," you said. "You really know what you're doing, don't you?"

Barbatos chuckled. "I have taken the time to learn what must be done."

You followed him as he showed you the other plants in this area - most of them were herbs that he used to create his own unique tea blends.

You continued to listen as he finished showing you the last of the plants, all of which were flourishing under his care.

You looked around at the garden, taking in the neat rows of vegetables and herbs. "You really enjoy doing this, don't you?"

Barbatos smiled. "I suppose I do."

He reached out to take your hand, leading you out of the back garden and into a little gazebo that was nearby. He indicated that you should sit down on the bench inside of it.

"Did you ever manage to get Diavolo to eat any of your homemade pickles?" you asked, remembering how Barbatos told you this was his reason for starting the garden to begin with.

Barbatos shook his head. "I'm afraid I have given up on that endeavor for now. I fear the Young Master will never be able to enjoy pickles."

You laughed and shook your head.

Barbatos went to a small table within the gazebo that held several tea things. You weren't surprised he was already prepared to serve you some tea. He gave you a steaming cup with a delicious fragrance.

"This is a blend I made using the herbs in this garden," Barbatos said. "I would like to have your opinion on the flavor."

You sipped the tea. It had a subtle, but sweet flavor that seemed to fill you with comfort. You hummed in appreciation, eyes closed. "I love it," you said.

Your eyes were still closed, but you felt Barbatos move to sit beside you on the bench. "I am happy to hear that, MC," he said. "This particular blend has some special properties."

"Oh? Like what?" you asked. You took another sip, keeping your eyes closed and savoring the flavor.

"The flavor changes depending on your current feelings," Barbatos said.

You finally opened your eyes to look at him. "What does that mean?"

He met your gaze. "If you are angry, the tea will have a spiced flavor. If you are sad, it will taste richer and darker. If you are happy, it will be brighter and more floral."

You frowned. None of those things sounded like what you were tasting. "What if it tastes kind of sweet? More like berries?"

"Oya," Barbatos said, his eyes widening a little before he made his expression neutral again. He smiled softly. "That is what you will taste when you are in love."

You stared at him for a moment, feeling a slight flush come over you. "O-oh," you said. "And… what does it taste like to you?"

You noticed in that moment that Barbatos had not poured himself a cup of the tea. He reached out, cupping your cheek and leaning forward to kiss you. His lips lingered for a long moment before he pulled away.

Barbatos looked into your eyes and said, "It tastes like your love, MC."

You closed your eyes briefly as your insides fluttered, a pleasantly nervous feeling. This was Barbatos's way of telling you how he felt about you - subtly and with tea. It was so him you couldn't help but smile.

You put down your teacup, which was empty by now anyway, and turned to Barbatos. His hand was still on your cheek and you leaned further into his touch before kissing him again. The two of you spent the entire afternoon there in the gazebo by the garden.

the original prompt list

masterlist | Thank you for reading!

[roseeycreates-blog]

Back to playing Stardew Valley because I'm not feeling great, haha. ANYWAY, I had this Linzin idea for the Farmer AU. So, imagine this: there’s a traveling merchant fleet docked at Republic City, with merchants from all nations. They’ve got shows, different cuisines at the food stalls—it’s a whole vibe!

Tenzin asked Lin to join him, and she eagerly agreed. They headed to the night market, and Lin was buzzing with excitement. There was so much to explore: free samples, clothing, food, and even seedlings, farm tools, and decorations. As they strolled through the bustling bazaar, Lin’s eyes sparkled at the sight of seedling displays with a variety of herbs and vegetables. She paused to admire a booth selling heirloom seeds and farm tools, chatting animatedly with the vendor about the best techniques for growing tomatoes and cucumbers.

Tenzin couldn’t help but watch her with a smile, noticing how Lin’s passion for farming lit up her face. She picked up a few gardening tools and excitedly demonstrated their features, as if she was right back on her farm. Tenzin couldn’t help but watch her with a smile, feeling his affection for her deepen with every moment.

They stopped to watch some performers bending and trying out a variety of delicious foods. Tenzin noticed a small, intricate clip at one of the stalls and decided to buy it for Lin. She tried to insist on paying, but Tenzin waved her off. “It’s a gift,” he said with a smile. “Celebrating your first time at the night market.” They continued their adventure, visiting a booth showcasing crafts from the Air Temples. The booth also offered refreshing juices and veggie rolls. To Lin’s surprise, she recognized some of the young acolytes from the Air Temple Island who had been with Tenzin the first time they met in Republic City (link).

One of the acolytes offered Tenzin some veggie rolls, and he took them, offering Lin a bite. She hesitated at first but noticed Tenzin waiting expectantly and decided to try it. “It’s delicious,” she said, as Tenzin finished off the rest of the roll.

The acolytes, however, weren’t pleased with the scene. They shot sharp, disapproving glances at Lin. Then, one of them “accidentally” spilled juice onto Lin’s shirt. She said, “Sorry,” but it was pretty clear it wasn’t an accident. The juice stain made her binder more noticeable and highlighted her chest. Tenzin noticed and quickly looked away.

Tenzin handed Lin his handkerchief and took off his jacket, draping it over her shoulders. He then led her to a booth that sold shirts and bought one so she could change. The merchant handed him two shirts, saying they were a couple's set. They ended up buying both shirts. The shirt design featured two flying bisons that form a heart when worn together by a couple.

Lin changed quickly, and as she walked out of the ladies' room, she saw Tenzin wearing his shirt. Lin chuckled at the sight of Tenzin in his shirt and said, “You know, you really didn’t have to wear it.” Tenzin grinned and said, “The design wouldn’t make much sense if only one of us was wearing it.” He tried to hide his blush as he added, “Besides, it’s a nice reminder of today.”

Lin reached for Tenzin’s arm and said with a teasing smile, "Well, I guess we’re a couple now." Her playful comment made Tenzin blush even more. Although they had been dating for a few months since Lin arrived in the city, Tenzin hadn’t formally asked her to be his girlfriend, so hearing Lin say it made him feel overjoyed and his heart skip a beat. Lin then pulled Tenzin over to where the group of girls was and made sure they saw the couple shirts. She flashed a smug smile at them, while Tenzin was still processing Lin’s words and the feeling of her arm around his, along with the fact that they were both wearing couple shirts.