#Fielding L. Wright

[politicaldilfs]

Mississippi Governor DILFs

Phil Bryant, Ross Barnett, Thomas Bailey, Paul B. Johnson Jr., Cliff Finch, Ronnie Musgrove, Fielding L. Wright, Wiliam Winter, James P. Coleman, Haley Barbour, Henry L. Whitfield, Hugh L. White, John Bell Williams, Kirk Fordice, Ray Mabus, Tate Reeves, Paul B. Johnson Sr., William Allain, Bill Waller

[camyfilms]

FORREST GUMP 1994

Jenny, I don't know if Momma was right or if, if it's Lieutenant Dan. I don't know if we each have a destiny, or if we're all just floating around accidental-like on a breeze, but I, I think maybe it's both. Maybe both is happening at the same time.

[legallybrunettedotcom]

BUFFY READING LIST

As promised @possession1981 and I have compiled a list of Buffy the Vampire Slayer (and Angel) related academic text and books. I think this is a good starting point for both a long time fan and for someone just getting into the show, or just someone interested in vampire lore. I have included several books about the vampire lore and myth in general as well. Most of these are available online.

BOOKS

Fighting the Forces: What's at Stake in Buffy the Vampire Slayer; edited by Rhonda V. Wilcox & David Lavery

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Philosophy - Fear and Trembling in Sunnydale by James B. South

Buffy Goes Dark: Essays on the Final Two Seasons of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on Television, edited by Lynne Y. Edwards, Elizabeth L. Rambo & James B. South

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: Myth, Metaphor and Morality by Mark Field

Televised Morality: The Case of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Gregory Stevenson

Undead TV: Essays on Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Elana Levine

The Aesthetics of Culture in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Matthew Pateman

Girls Who Bite Back: Witches, Mutants, Slayers and Freaks by Emily Pohl-Weary

Why Buffy Matters: The Art of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Ronda Wilcox

Into Every Generation a Slayer Is Born: How Buffy Staked Our Hearts by Evan Ross Katz

The Lure of the Vampire: Gender, Fiction, and Fandom from Bram Stoker to Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Milly Williamson

Blood Relations: Chosen Families in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel by Jes Battis

Sex and the Slayer: A Gender Studies Primer for the Buffy Fan by Lorna Jowett

Diseases of the Head: Essays on the Horrors of Speculative Philosophy; edited by Matt Rosen (chapter 2 Death of Horror)

Public Privates: Feminist Geographies of Mediated Spaces by Marcia R. England (chapter 1 Welcome to the Hellmouth: Paradoxical Spaces in Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Open Graves, Open Minds: Representations of Vampires and the Undead From the Enlightenment to the Present Day; edited by Sam George and Bill Hughes (chapter 8 ‘I feel strong. I feel different’: transformations, vampires and language in Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

The Contemporary Television Series; edited by Michael Hammond and Lucy Mazdon (chapter 9 Television, Horror and Everyday Life in Buffy the Vampire Slayer)

Joss Whedon and Race: Critical Essays; edited by Mary Ellen Iatropoulos and Lowery A. Woodall III

Buffy and the Heroine's Journey: Vampire Slayer as Feminine Chosen One by Valerie Estelle Frankel

The Existential Joss Whedon: Evil and Human Freedom in Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly and Serenity by J. Michael Richardson and J. Douglas Rabb

Buffy the Vampire Slayer 20 Years of Slaying: The Watcher's Guide Authorized by Christopher Golden

Reading the Vampire Slayer: The Complete, Unofficial Guide to 'Buffy' and 'Angel' by Roz Kaveney

Hollywood Vampire: The Unnoficial Guide to Angel by Keith Topping

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: The Monster Book by Christopher Golden

Slayer Slang: A Buffy the Vampire Slayer Lexicon by Michael Adams

What Would Buffy Do? The Vampire Slayer as Spiritual Guide by Jana Riess

ARTICLES, PAPERS ETC.

Bibliographic Good vs. Evil in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by GraceAnne A. DeCandido

Undead Letters: Searches and Researches in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by William Wandless

Weaponised information: The role of information and metaphor in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Jacob Ericson

Buffy, Dark Romance and Female Horror Fans by Lorna Jowett

My Vampire Boyfriend: Postfeminism, "Perfect" Masculinity, and the Contemporary Appeal of Paranormal Romance by Ananya Mukherjea

Buffy, The Vampire Slayer as Spectacular Allegory: A Diagnostic Critique by Douglas Kellner

"Buffy the Vampire Slayer": Technology, Mysticism, and the Constructed Body by Sara Raffel

When Horror Becomes Human: Living Conditions in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" by Jeroen Gerrits

Post-Vampire: The Politics of Drinking Humans and Animals in "Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Twilight", and "True Blood" by Laura Wright

Cops, Teachers, and Vampire Slayers: Buffy as Street-Level Bureaucrat by Andrea E. Mayo

"Not Like Other Men"?: The Vampire Body in Joss Whedon's "Angel" by Lorna Jowett

Buffy the Vampire Slayer and the Domestic Church: Revisioning Family and the Common Good by Reid B. Locklin

“Buffy vs. Dracula”’s Use of Count Famous (Not drawing “crazy conclusions about the unholy prince”) by Tara Elliott

A Little Less Ritual and a Little More Fun: The Modern Vampire in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Stacey Abbott

Undressing the Vampire: An Investigation of the Fashion of Sunnydale’s Vampires by Robbie Dale

"And Yet": The Limits of Buffy Feminism by Renee St. Louis & Miriam Riggs

Meet the Cullens: Family, Romance and Female Agency in Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Twilight by Kirsten Stevens

Bliss and Time: Death, Drugs, and Posthumanism in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Rob Cover

That Girl: Bella, Buffy, and the Feminist Ethics of Choice in Twilight and Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Catherine Coker

A Slayer Comes to Town: An Essay on Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Scott Westerfeld 

Undead Objects of a “Queer Gaze” : A Visual Approach to Buffy’s Vampires Using Lacan’s Extended RSI Model by Marcus Recht

When You Kiss Me, I Want to Die: Gothic Relationships and Identity on Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Ananya Mukherjeea

Necrophilia and SM: The Deviant Side of Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Terry L. Spaise

Queering the Bitch: Spike, Transgression and Erotic Empowerment by Dee Amy-Chinn

“I Want To Be A Macho Man”: Examining Rape Culture, Adolescent Female Sexuality, and the Destabilization of Gender Binaries in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Angelica De Vido

Staking Her Claim: Buffy the Vampire Slayer as Transgressive Woman Warrior by Frances H. Early

Actualizing Abjection: Drusilla, the Whedonversees’ Queen of Queerness by Anthony Stepniak

“Life Isn’t A Story”: Xander, Andrew and Queer Disavowal in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Steven Greenwood

S/He’s a Rebel: The James Dean Trope in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Kathryn Hill

“Once More, with Feeling”: Emotional Self-Discipline in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Gwynnee Kennedy and Jennifer Dworshack-Kinter

“The Hardest Thing in This World Is To Live In It”: Identity and Mental Health in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Alex Fixler

"Love's Bitch But Man Enough to Admit It": Spikes Hybridized Gender by Arwen Spicer

Negotiations After Hegemony: Buffy and Gender by Franklin D. Worrell

Double Trouble: Gothic Shadows and Self-Discovery in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Elizabeth Gilliland

'What If I'm Still There? What If I Never Left That Clinic?': Faërian Drama in Buffy's "Normal Again" by Janet Brennan Croft

Not Gay Enough So You’d Notice: Poaching Fuffy by Jennifer DeRoss

Throwing Like A Slayer: A Phenomenology of Gender Hybridity and Female Resilience in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Debra Jackson

“You Can’t Charge Innocent People for Saving Their Lives!” Work in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Matt Davies

Ambiguity and Sexuality in Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Sartrean Analysis by Vivien Burr

Imagining the Family: Representations of Alternative Lifestyles in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Vivien Burr and Christine Jarvis

Working-Class Hero? Fighting Neoliberal Precarity in Buffy’s Sixth Season by Michelle Maloney-Mangold

A Corpse by Any Other Name: Romancing the Language of the Body in Mary Shelley's Frankenstein for the Adam Storyline in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Amber P. Hodge

Sensibility Gone Mad: Or, Drusilla, Buffy and the (D)evolution of the Heroine of Sensibility by Claire Knowles

"It's good to be me": Buffy's Resistance to Renaming by Janet Brennan Croft

Death as a Gift in J.R.R. Tolkien’s Work and Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Gaelle Abalea

“All Torment, Trouble, Wonder, and Amazement Inhabits Here": The Vicissitudes of Technology in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by James B. South

Staking Her Colonial Claim: Colonial Discourses, Assimilation, Soul-making, and Ass-kicking in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Jessica Hautsch

“I Run To Death”: Renaissance Sensibilities in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Christine Jarvis

Dressed To Kill: Fashion and Leadership in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Christine Jarvis and Don Adams

Queer Eye Of That Vampire Guy: Spike and the Aesthetics of Camp by Cynthea Masson and Marni Stanley

“Sounds Like Kinky Business To Me”: Subtextual and Textual Representations of Erotic Power in Buffyverse by Lewis Call

“Did Anyone Ever Explain to You What ‘Secret Identity’ Means?”: Race and Displacement in Buffy and Dark Angel  by Cynthia Fuchs

“It’s About Power”: Buffy, Foucault, and the Quest for Self by Julie Sloan Brannon

Why We Love the Monsters: How Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer Wound Up Dating the Enemy by Hilary M. Leon

Why We Can’t Spike Spike?: Moral Themes in Buffy the Vampire Slayer by Richard Greene and Wayne Yuen

Buffy, the Scooby Gang, and Monstrous Authority: BtVS and the Subversion of Authority by Daniel A. Clark & P. Andrew Miller

Are Vampires Evil?: Categorizations of Vampires, and Angelus and Spike as the Immoral and the Amoral by Gert Magnusson

BOOKS ABOUT VAMPIRE LORE AND MYTH IN GENERAL

The Vampire Lectures by Laurence A. Rickels 

Our Vampires, Ourselves by Nina Auerbach

Vampires, Burial, and Death: Folklore and Reality by Paul Barber

The Secret History of Vampires: Their Multiple Forms and Hidden Purposes by Claude Lecouteux

The Vampire Cinema by David Pirie

The Living and the Undead: Slaying Vampires, Exterminating Zombies by Gregory A. Waller

Vampire Forensics: Uncovering the Origins of an Enduring Legend by Mark Jenkins

Slayers and Their Vampires: A Cultural History of Killing the Dead by Bruce A. McClelland

The History and Folklore of Vampires: The Stories and Legends Behind the Mythical Beings by Charles River Editors

Encyclopedia of Vampire Mythology by Theresa Bane

Vampires of Lore: Traits and Modern Misconceptions by A. P. Sylvia

The Vampire: A New History by Nick Groom

Vampyres: Genesis and Resurrection: from Count Dracula to Vampirella by Christopher Frayling

Race in the Vampire Narrative by U. Melissa Anyiwo

Vampires, Race, and Transnational Hollywoods by Dale Hudson

[longwuzhere]

Here are some cool Easter eggs that I found the newest My Adventures with Superman episode, “Let’s Go to Ivo Tower, You Say”. Links to the easter eggs post:

Episode 1 is here

Episode 2 is here

Episode 3 is here

Episode 5 is here

Episode 6 is here

Episode 7 is here and here

Episode 8 is here

Episode 9 is here

Episode 10 is here

My Easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman comic issue 1 post is here

SPOILERS if you have not seen the episode of course:

Perry assigns our intern trio to go get interviews about Anthony Ivo. I previously mentioned Ivo's deal in the comics in this post, but we'll talk more about this version of Ivo later.

Shout out to Lois' hanbok! As a kid in the 90s my first exposure to the DC was through the DC Animated Universe. Because of the way some of the characters like Lois, Clark, Bruce, Dick, Tim, and Terry, were designed, as a kid, I thought they were Asian. Very cool to see this version of Lois be Korean.

Before Lois shows up for their black tie event at Ivo Tower, Jimmy knocks down a stack of papers and magazine and Clark goes to pick it up and stumbles upon the Metropolis Star with a cover that shows him as a kid flying 15 years ago.

The Metropolis star is a rival newspaper to the Daily Planet in the comics. The publisher makes its first appearance in Superman #9 (1987) (W&P: John Byrne, I: Karl Kesel, C: Tony Ziuko, L: John Costanza).

When our intern trio makes it to Ivo Tower, Lois spots some very interesting powerful and political figures of Metropolis, the CEO of Galaxy Communications and Mayor Fleming.

Galaxy Communications makes its first appearance in Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen #133 (1970) where it was headed by Morgan Edge, the then leader of Intergang. In the comics Clark and Lois does work for Galaxy communications thanks to it buying out the Daily Planet forcing Clark to be the evening news anchor. The Galaxy Communications panels here are from Swamp Thing #68 (1988) (W&P: Rick Veitch, I: Alfredo Alcala, C: Tajana Wood, L: John Costanza).

Mayor Fleming makes her first appearance in Action Comics #894 (2010) (W: Nick Spencer, P: R.B. Silva, I: Denis Freitas, C: Dave McCaig, L: Rob Leigh) where she appoints Jimmy Olsen and Sebastien Mallory as a welcoming committee for Dalwythians aliens. Like her MAwS counterpart she is obviously the Mayor of Metropolis.

Later, Lois goes and questions Senator Sackett at the party/event.

In the comics Sackett was a councilman not a senator who makes his first appearance in Superman #130 (1997) (W: Dan Jurgens, P: Norm Breyfogle, I: Joe Rubenstein, C: Glenn Whitmore and Digital Chameleon, L: John Costanza) depicted here in the issue's panel wearing a Superman costume. Sackett in the comics is in Luthor's pocket.

I am like 99.99% sure this is Lex Luthor like who else in Metropolis is named Alex, has red hair (if this is Lex Luthor and he shows up again, I'll talk about him and what I mean by this in another post.), and works in the science and tech field.

We finally meet Ivo and he is as I was hoping he'd be a major techbro tool. The way he acts in his introduction and his meeting with Clark is very much like Lex and Clark's meeting in Batman v Superman. Both Ivo and Lex upon meeting Clark know how strong he is. In MAwS Ivo punches his chest and it hurts him and in BvS you heard an audible thud when Lex knocks on Clark's chest. Very similar vibes between both scenes.

Clark confronts Ivo about one of his deals and name drops one of Metropolis' mob families.

Bobby Gazzo, head of the Gazzo crime family in Metropolis, makes his first appearance in Batman: Dark Victory #1 (W: Jeph Loeb, P&I: Tim Sale, C: Gregory Wright and Heroic Age, L: Richard Starkings). Fantastic sequel to Long Halloween, highly recommend reading both books.

After Clark gets thrown out and Lois offers to repair his jacket, we see Lois mentioning her dad, Sam Lane a military general and if the person at the end of the second part of the first episode is Sam Lane...

...and he shows up again in the show I'll talk more about it in another post. For now this is all just speculation.

Might be reading into this but maybe a subtle nod to how the words "Superman" and "pal" are often used together. Both have been used as a comic book title, "Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen" as I've mentioned in these posts a few times.

The show here did a very clever thing with Ivo. Normally any other media pertaining to Ivo would give the audience his power and weakness stealing robot Amazo, but here the MAwS team was able to combine both Ivo and another villain in Superman's rogues gallery, Parasite.

The first Parasite, Raymond Jensen, makes his first appearance in Action Comics #340 (1966) (Cover Art by Curt Swan, George Klein, and Ira Schnapp). All iterations of Parasite have the ability to temporarily steal away anyone's energy, strength, and their knowledge. As I've said there have been other Parasites that Superman fought, the second and most recurring Parasite is Rudy Jones, the Parasite I'm more familiar with, who makes his first appearance in Firestorm #58 (1987).

Cover Art by Joe Brozowski, Bruce Peterson, and Tom Ziuko Alex and Alexandra Allston the third and fourth Parasite (green Parasite and purple Parasite respectively) first appeared in the Adventures of Superman #633 (2004).

Cover art by Gene Ha and Art Lyon

The latest Parasite, Joshua Allen, makes his first appearance in Superman #23.4 (2013).

Cover art by Aaron Kuder and Dan Brown So yeah there are similarities between the Amazo robot and Parasite and it was smart of the MAwS team to just combine Ivo with Parasite to avoid redundancies. Besides the Amazo robot is more of a Justice League villain anyways.

Near the end of the episode, after the Parasite suit wrecks Ivo's body, he begins to look more like his recent iterations in the comics now. The panel here is from Justice League of America #4 (2013) (W: Geoff Johns, P: Brett Booth, I: Norm Rapmund, C: Andrew Dalhouse, L: Rob Leigh). Hope you all had a wonderful time checking this post out. Like I said at the beginning my other MAwS easter egg posts are:

Episode 1 is here

Episode 2 is here

Episode 3 is here

Episode 5 is here

Episode 6 is here

Episode 7 is here and here

Episode 8 is here

Episode 9 is here

Episode 10 is here

My Easter eggs and references in My Adventures with Superman comic issue 1 post is here

[forthedancingandthethriving]

Had 2 ficlet ideas for Song of a Usurper that I've been trying to wright but haven't been coming out right.

First is Tonio and Piper meeting up near what looks like a bandit camp next to one of the seals, which is actually inhabited by the Teeth in the Dark who have similar camps near the other seals as well on Damien's behalf. The two of them are actually aware of who the Teeth are, partly because some of their lower level members have ended up in the way of their heists recently. They compare notes on the group, with Tonio explaining who they are, the fact that they went dark years ago and shouldn't be this strong a force now, and explains what he knows of the Seals, while Piper identifies their new emblem as a coyote, which Harmonia doesn't have, so it's now clear that their comeback was likely facilitated by an off-worlder.

Then Agent Zed (who's on comms since he's Piper's mission control guy when she's in the field) chimes in with the reveal that according to the readings he's getting compared to a normal copy of the game, the seals are weakening, possibly deliberately considering the Teeth. So, they're gonna have to prepare for a ghost apocalypse. First on the list is finding ways to actually fight ghosts, which shouldn't be too hard given the fact that the Grid has access to the Danny Phantom universe and its technology via Anchor Timmy's server.

Second involves Hoopa (the one Ash knows from that one movie) ending up in Harmonia because he tends to wander and explore now that he actually can and the whole Digital Multiverse thing added a whole bunch of new places to explore. He finds Tama who's having a Bad Time (as is typical in this arc) and decides to help.

By summoning Pokemon.

Because that's his solution to everything.

He ends up summoning several of Ash's traveling group's Pokemon (notably including Pikachu, Kirlia and Miku's Ghost Meowth), several of Team Rocket's Pokemon (plus the Doodoll that follows them around who they haven't realized they could probably catch no problem yet. 'cause they're idiots), the Pichu Brothers (lord help us), a few of Ash's pokemon from Oak's Ranch, and a wild Absol. He also nabs Jub Jub and his Smallfry friend kinda-sorta by accident. This results in the usual Pichu Brothers Short misadventures with an added dose of Memes, which to Hoopa's credit does take Tama's mind off of Things for a while, and by the end they're in a big napping pile in the castle garden. Well, most of them are napping. Absol's fully awake and alert, keeping watch over all of them and a bit tense in preparation for something, though she is still being part of the pile.

That's what Nimbus and Ash's crews (and Boopkins) see when the Trainers come to pick up their Pokemon (none of them were too concerned about things since Pikachu has access to the Avatar group chat and explained right away what happened. Well, Boopkins was still worried but he's Boopkins). Obviously they're all happy that Tama's feeling better, even if it's only for an afternoon, though Ash does note that Pichu Brother episodes tend to come right before the kind of Big Events that end up in the movies. The fact that Absol's on high alert also isn't a good sign given the species' Whole Thing being the ability to sense incoming disasters. After naptime's over the Pokemon get recollected, though Absol refuses to leave Tama's side and Hoopa and the Pichu Bros also decide to stick around for a while (no reason for them not to, they are wild after all).

So Nimbus's crew is now at least aware that something is coming, though out of everyone involved they have the least idea what, and Tama now has a big, fluffy, highly competent, precognitive bodyguard.

(and of course they now have Hoopa hanging around, who'll probably respond to the incoming ghost apocalypse by throwing Legendaries at it until it's no longer a problem. Because according to Hoopa Logic if you can't solve a problem by throwing Pokemon at it you're just not throwing enough Pokemon)

Oh! I love both of these SO MUCH! If it's cool with you, I'd love to write about both of them!

[shivering-isles-cryptid]

The Curse of an Arkham Psycologist | The Riddler x Therapist Reader

Summary: Arkham Asylum was very careful when hiring their newest psychologist, they didnt want another Harley Quinn case. But all their worries seems to be for nothing when they hired Dr. L/n. Top of his class. Ivy League Graduate. He's their perfect candidate, and is hired on the spot. All their fears seem like nothing more than that, fears. Until they assign him the Riddler.

Request: Yes / No

Warnings: Talks of murder, abuse, and mental illness, graphic depictions of violence, language, multiple sex jokes, incompetent policemen, Batman pining for the reader if you squint

The Hiring Interview

Y/n tapped his fingers on his knee, staring at the three men in front of him. The Arkham Asylum warden, Warden Wright, Gotham City Police Commissioner Jim Gordon, and Batman. Thr three men stared into y/n, which normally being alone in a room with 3 muscular men would have been a dream come true, but not when your in a job interview. "I hope you understand why we have these two with us. We need to make sure the psychologists we hire are up for the task. We can't risk another Harley Quinn." The Warden explained, y/n nodding along.

"Where did you go to school?"

"I graduated from the College of Northern Gotham with a Bachelors in Clincal Psychology, with a minor in communication. I then got my P.H.D. in Criminal Psychology from Princeton. I also recieved an associates degree in Psychology when I was in high school."

"Previous work experience?"

"I worked for 5 years at a therapists office in Metropolis, and spent some time as a secretary for Dr. Quinnzel before she was hired here."

"Do you have any personal connection to any inmates here at Arkham?"

"The Penguin killed my dad, Scarecrow killed my mom, Bane killed my brother, and Mad Hatter tried to kidnap me, but I beat him up."

"So you have experience with these psychos?"

"The same experience as anyone else in Gotham."

"Your medical records say that you have difficulty with expressing emotion. Is there a reason for that?"

"I don't have difficulty with emotions, but if there isnt a reason, I'm not going to show them. Take right now for instance, if I was sad, I wouldn't cry in front of you three."

"You can control your emotions, that's good. These bastards will test you every chance they get."

"I can handle it."

The Warden scoffed, and tossed a file to me. "Prove it. Heres your first patient. I'll take you to him."

Interview 1: Meeting the Riddler

"I'll be starting you off with one of our least dangerous villains. If you stay calm, and solve his riddles, you'll be fine." Warden opened a door, which showed a room with a glass box in the center. Sitting in the box was a man with a question mark on his forehead. He was tall and lean, but you could see the muscle on his body. "Good luck. Cheryl." The Warden nodded to the cop standing guard and left the room.

You sat on the chair standing infront of the cube, holding eye contact with the Riddler. "Riddle me this, Doc. Who spends their time trying to heal the broken, who spends their time trying to get them to say the unspoken. Whos over their head and doesn't know what to do, I'll give you hint, the answer is you." Y/n put a hand over his mouth a chuckled lightly. "Your very smart Mr. Riddler. It was a clever joke." Y/n smiled at him and tilted his head. "Now, riddle me this Riddler." Y/n stood up and began circling the cell, never thaking his eyes off the Riddler. "Who wears green outside of March, who's back is as straight as an arch. Who talks in riddles to confuse the dumb, who does crimes so they feel numb. Who acts like they have confidence, but secretly worry over their incompetence. Who kills and lies to push people away, all because they think no one will stay. Who..." Riddler banged a fist against a wall, anger written on his face, but also fear and sadness. "Yeah, yeah I get it!" Y/n smiled and sat back down. "So, now that we've evened the playing field. How about I ask you some questions?"

Interview 4: Earning Trust

Y/n stared at the Riddler, who was using mashed potatoes to draw question marks on the glass. "I feel like there's a wall between us, Mr. Riddler." Y/n said, a small smirk tugging on his lips. Riddler turned and looked at him with a bored look and blinked before turning around again. Y/n stood up and walked to the door, motioning at Cheryl to open it. Y/n walked in, ignoring Riddler surprise, and sat in the middler of the floor. "Well, now there's no wall. What do you want to talk about Mr. Riddler." Riddler stood up and walked toward the unfazed y/n. Riddler stood above him, staring down at him with a smirk. "I like this view, you should get on the floor more often Doc." Riddler sat down across from him, their knees almost touching. "Hmm, maybe I do. You'd never know." Y/n smirked tapping his pen against his clipboard. Riddler blushed for a second, but shook his head and smirked. "So Mr. Riddler, do you want to talk about your childhood? That seems to always be where the story starts." Riddler tilted his head, that shit-eating grin still on his face. "I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours." Y/n looked at him and shook his head. "If you insist Mr. Riddler. I was born here in Gotham. Raised here too. I had a decent life up till high school, that's when the Penguin killed my dad. Then, the day after graduation, Scarecrow killed my mother. And then, it was my first day at the College of Northern Gotham, and my brother is killed by Bane. And then, 3 months later, the Mad Hatter decides I'd make a good Alice and tries to kidnap me." Riddler tilted his head and scratched his chin. "What did you do?" Y/n smirked, letting out a chuckle. "I snapped his arm in half and broke one of his ribs." Riddlers eyes and smile widened and he clapped his hands. "Ooh, I misjudged you doc." Y/n nodded and stood up. "Well Mr. Riddler, I have another appointment, so we're going to have to cut this short. Have a goodnight." Y/n turned around, but Riddler grabbed his arm and pulled him back. "Call me Edward, Doc." Y/n nodded and left the cell. "Have a goodnight, Edward." Y/n smiled at him before turning around and leaving.

Meeting with the Boss

Y/n sat in the same chair he did when he got the job, staring at the same three people, plus Cheryl. "You went INTO his cell! You could have been killed, he could have escaped!" Commissioner Gordon yelled at y/n, who stared at him blankly. "I earned his trust, he'll actually talk to me now. Getting him to do that is my JOB!" Y/n stood up, holding eye contact with Gordon. "He's right Commish, the Riddler trusts him now. I watched it happen." Cheryl said, nodding to y/n. "It is his job Gordon." The Warden said, putting a hand on Gordon's shoulder. Y/n crossed his arms and started at the Commishoner. "Ugh, fine, go back to work." Y/n nodded and went to leave the room. He grabbed the doorknob, but turned back to them. "I'm not Harley Quinn. I cant be manipulated by Riddler. I will never do something that I don't believe is right just because some guy tries to flirt." Y/n said before opening the door and leaving.

Interview 5: Edward Talks

Y/n stepped into the cell, sitting in the same place he did last time. "Sorry I'm late, the Warden wanted to ask something." Y/n explained and clicked his pen. "Oh it's fine. I wasn't worried." Y/n internally roleld his eye, but smiled back at Riddler. "Well Edward, I told you my story, I think its time you told me yours." Edward turned from the ceiling and glared at Y/n, who was still smiling warmly. Edward sat up in the bed and crossed his legs, staring at the floor. "Well, it all started when I was 8."

When the Riddler was done, y/n was fighting back tears harder than he ever has before, qnd Cheryl was a sobbing mess so they had to send in a new guard until she calmed down. Y/n got up and put a hand on Edwards shoulder, pulling him into a hug. "Riddle me this, Edward. Who has been through to much to be sane, but still has the ability to play his own game. Who is stronger than anyone I've met, and who still hasnt broken yet." Y/n rubbed Edwards back, holding him as he shook but no tears came out. "You are stronger than your dad, or mom, ever gave you credit for. And you are way stronger than you give yourself credit for." They stood there for 4 minutes before Edward pulled away. "Ive got to go see another patient, but I'll be back. I always am." Y/n squeezed Edward's hand and left the room, patting the new guard on the shoulder.

Interview 6: An Unofficial Visit

"Wait outside for a few minutes. I dont want you to burst into tears again." Y/n whispered to Cheryl, who nodded and walked outside the door. Y/n entered Edwards cell and sat on the bed next to him. "Doc? But our next appointment isn't for another 3 hours. Did you really miss me that much?" Edward smirked at him and wiggled his shaved eyebrows. "I have something to tell you Edward. That backstory I gave you, its not all of it. Yes, I'm an orphan, yes I broke Mad Hatter. But there's more to it than that. I'm the one who put my dad in the Penguins path. I'm the one who gave Scarecrow my mom. And I'm the one who threw the rock at Bane, not my brother. My dad beat my mom, so I got rid of him. My mom beat me and my brother, so I got rid of her. And when my brother found out, he was on his way to the police when Bane showed up. I killed my family. And I don't feel bad." Yn whispered into Edwards ear. "Holy shit, you're fucked up." Edwards said, his eyes widening, then his mouth burst into a smile. "I knew you were too good to be true, and you just keep getting better!" Edward said grabbing his face and kissing him. Y/n pulled away and shook his head, turning his body so the cameras couldnt see his face. "I don't want to get fired and thrown in here, so pretend like I just rejected you." Edward's face contorted into anger and he started yelling at y/n, who was already back at the door, looking afraid as he escaped. "I'll be back." He mouthed to Edward, who nodded slightly, but still looked mad.

Another Meetimg With Your Boss

"I told you it was dangerous! Riddler is insane and he could have killed you!" Gordon yelled at you, as you once again sat in front of the 4 people. "I knew he would trust me, I didn't think he would fall in love with me!" Y/n yelled, standing up. "Doctor L/n, it is too dangerous for you to go back to the Riddlers cell." Batman said, putting a hand on you shoulder. "No, I am still going to be his doctor! I just won't go into his cell. Knowing what I know now, I realize that it was foolish of me to enter his cell in the first place." Warden Wright nodded at you. "Was he a good kisser?" Everyone looked at Cheryl. "What, we were all thinking it." Gordon nodded, "we were." Now everyone was looking at y/n, who shrugged. "It just made me think we should give the inmates mints. Other than that, he was okay. I've had better." Gordon nodded, and Batman huffed, following Y/n out of the office. He grabbed his arm and pulled him toward him. "Be careful Doctor. The Joker ruined Dr. Quinnzels life because she thought she could change him. She believed she was getting through to him and it destroyed her. Don't make the same mistake." Y/n nodded and patted Batman on the chest. "Don't worry batsy, I won't." And the he left. 'I won't because Riddler isn't manipualting me. He actually likes me, and I really like him.' Y/n smirked to himself as he left.

Interview 7: The Big Escape

Y/n smiled at Cheryl, patting her on the shoulder as she nodded to him. Y/n sat on the metal chair that he hasn't touched since the 4th interview. "Hello Mr. Riddler. Now, I'd like to talk about the incident at our last meeting." Riddler looked up at Y/n with fury. "You have alot of nerve to come back her after that!" Edward slammed his hands against the door of the cell and Y/n stood up, walking to it. "Listen Mr. Riddler, I just want to know why you thought that was appropriate behavior. Surely you didn't really believe that there could be something between us. I mean, your in a cage, how could we date." Y/n shook his head and placed a hand on the cage door, which made Edward hit the door in anger again. "Shut up! I thought that you could look past that!" Y/n tilted his head to the side ane shook his head. "Did you also think I could look past you being a supervillain, even knowing that my family was killed by villains?" Y/n shook his head, his hand sliding down the wall. "I could never look past that Mr. Riddler. Just like how I can't look past the wall separating us." Y/n said, at the exact moment his hand slid over the button unlocking the door. "Oh, guess that's not a problem anymore." Yn shrugged, pulling a gun out from his jacket and shooting Cheryl in the stomach. "Don't worry Cheryl, you'll live. The female body is amazing. I shot you directly next to the womb, so I missed most if not all your vital organ, and you most likely won't bleed out before someone gets you to a doctor. Lovely isn't it?" Y/n laughed, handing Edward his cane and they walked out of the room, Edward electrocuting and y/n shooting anyone who tried to stop them. They just made it to the main hall, after Edward released Harley Quinn and Poison Ivy, something aboit repaying a debt or something. Batman stood infront of the door, his body in a guarded stance. "Doctor L/n, y/n. Please, what ever the Riddler said to you. It isn't worth it." Y/n laughed, pointing his gun at Batman. "I already told you Batsy, Edward cant make me do anything I don't want to do." Batman grunted and Y/n pulled the trigger. It was empty. "Darling, do you want to give my Riddle Stick a whirl?" Edward said, putting a hand on Y/n's shoulder. "Eddie, not infront of Batman." Y/n joked, brushing some hair behind his ear. "I meant my cane." He said, handing it to y/n who laughed and pointed it at Batman. "Sorry Batsy, you understand what it's like falling for a villain." Y/n said and pupped the trigger, electrocuting Batman and running out of the Asylum with Edward and the girls.

Home At Last

Y/n sat in Edwards living room, looking at all the green decor. "You should call this place the Emerald City, not the Riddle lair." Y/n joked moving into Edwards lap when he sat down. "Very funny darling, I'll have to think it over." Edward said, snuggling his nose in Y/n's neck. "Ah, it feels good to be free. To be able to be myself." Y/n said, placing his head on Edwards shoulder. "I love you Y/n." Edward whispered into Y/n's ear. "I love you too, Edward. Now, how bout we go to your room and I take your Riddle Stick for a little ride." Y/n whispered into his ear. Edward grabbed Y/n's waist and stood up, y/n wrapping his legs around Edward and kissed him.

[pixie88]

Sports Day

Chapter 3 - Enough.

A/N | It has been a while sorry, please don't hate me for the ending 😘

Summary | It’s sports and it’s hard to tell who the grown ups are...

Word count | 1.9k

Warnings | 18 + Only! Fluff & a little bit of Angst.

Disclaimer | This is a @pixie88 original story and character.

The series Master list can be found here, which includes previous chapters, face claims, characters back stories and the Enough playlist.

Pairings | Ellis x Dana.

Reblogs make us happy!

Let me know if you would like to be tagged!

"Come on, Arlo!!" she cheers her son on as she looks at the time, "late again!" she hisses under her breath, she claps as he comes second in the sack race. She could see Arlo searching too, she couldn't believe he had let him down again, she pulls out her phone calling him, it rings and rings.

Finally, he answers, she moves away from the group of parents, "where are you?!" she hissed, "what do you mean?" he asks, confused "you're late! Sports day started forty three minutes ago!" she groaned, "w-what do you mean it started forty three minutes ago? You told me eleven o'clock?!"

"What? No, I didn't! It was ten!" she hissed down the phone at him, "no, you text me eleven!" she pulled the phone away from her ear and looked at the text, she did text him eleven. "Oh, I-I..er, I'm sorry, it's my mistake!" he chuckles, "it's fine, I'm on my way!"

"Ok, I'll see you when you get here!" she hung up, she wandered over to Arlo, he looked down at his feet, "Arlo?" he looked up, she stooped down to his level, "Mummy, where's Dad?" he looks at her with pleading eyes, "Arlo, it's my fault I sent him the wrong time, but he's on his way!" Arlo's face lights up, "you promise?"

She kisses the top of his head, "I pinky l promise!" she holds out her little finger.

Ten minutes later...

"Hey!" he says as meets Dana on the school field, "hiya, he's over there!" she points over to where Arlo is, Arlo waves smiling as Ellis waves over. "Sorry, I must have hit one instead of zero!" she begrudgingly admits, "it's ok! Don't worry!" she sighed, "he has another counselling session tomorrow, he doesn't want to go. I don't suppose you could talk to him?" he nods silently.

"Thank you, he should be up again soon!" Ellis looks round at the other parents, "great, how comes you aren't standing with Amelia and Grace?" he questions her, Dana rolls her eyes, "have you girls fallen out?"

"Amelia's boy Freddy teased Arlo about us splitting up, I guess kids pick things up from their parents. I overheard her slagging me off to the other parents saying she never understood what a guy like you saw in a uptight bitch like me!" he clenches his jaw, which she notices, "she realizes she's no oil painting in looks and her personality, right?" Dana lets out a snort. 

"So how's working for your Dad going?" she asks, he lets out a low sigh, "not great actually, but I may have something else lined up"

"Really? Like what?"

"This time, it's for real. I'm working for Shane in sales and the head of the finance department." she narrowed her eyes at him not quite believing him, "I know that look, but this time I'm telling the truth, I'm trying to be better!"

"I just hope you can stick to it, oh and congratulations on the new job!" she grins, "thanks!" he returns the smile, "Arlo's up!" she nods over to the track, "COME ON ARLO!!" Ellis cups his mouth to yell, Arlo is beaming as he stands next to Freddy, Dana sends him a knowing wink.

Their teacher, Mrs Wright blows the whistle signalling the race starts, Arlo starts sprinting ahead of his five other classmate, "Go Arlo!!" Dana squeaks as Ellis claps for his son. Soon Arlo crosses the Finish Line in first place with Leo in second and Noah in fourth place, Dana jumps up and down proudly, while Ellis gives him a thumbs up.

He leans over to her, "am I a bad parent for thinking that win was even sweeter because both Amelia's or Grace's boys came last?" she laughs, "well if you are I am too!" the pair laugh.

An hour later...

After all the races were over the kids got to have a picnic with their parents on the field, Arlo picks a spot near the edge of the field, Dana had packed a few extra bits just in case Ellis did show up, "hey do you mind if we sit with you guys?" Tommy's Mum Emily asked, "yeah, sure!" Dana smiles.

"Thanks, how great did these two do! Both got first place!" Emily smiles at the boys, "they did do brilliantly!" Dana replied, "oh, sorry Emily this is Arlo's Dad, Ellis. Ellis this is Tommy and Emily," she introduces them, "nice to meet you both! Is this Tommy the kid that shot me on Fortnite at the weekend?" Ellis asks with a smile, Tommy goes shy, "I'm messing, but I want a rematch!" Ellis teases, Tommy nods.

Emily looks over her shoulder, "hey, I know it's not a competition and it's all about the taking part, but anyone else cheered on the inside when Amelia lost in the Mum's race?" Emily winked at Dana, who came second, "I think you've been hanging around with this one for too long!" Ellis says to Emily as her nods at Dana, "hey, I resent that! She was that evil before we started hanging out!" Dana throws an apple at him "ouch!" he groans as it hits him in the stomach.

"Mum, they have the ice lollies out! Can I go get one?" Tommy asks making the three adults look over, "I'll get em!" Ellis gets up, "you girls want anything?" he looks down at them, both shook their heads "you boys coming?" Tommy and Arlo get up and follow Ellis across the field to Bill the caretaker selling ice lollies.

Amelia smiles as Ellis and the boys approaches, "Ellis how are you?" she flutters her eyelashes at him, "Amelia! I'm alright, actually there was something I wanted to speak to you about. Boys go and pick an ice lollies you want" the boys rush off, Amelia looks at him with a smile, "I appreciate it if you would keep you vile and nasty little comments about my wife to yourself! You know I think your little minion is right you do look like a bulldog chewing on a wasp" Amelia's face drops.

"Anyway, nice to see you again!" he throws her a bright smile before catching up with the boys.

Later...

After the picnic the kids needed to go back to class, "why don't we go out for dinner tonight to celebrate your win?" Ellis asks Arlo, Arlo looks to his Mum, "can I go? Please?" he looks at her pleading, "actually kiddo, I was thinking we could all go?" Ellis looks up at her.

"I-I er...ok, I don't see why not!" she nods awkwardly, "we'll see you later!" she kisses Arlo on the cheek, "ok, bye Mum! Bye Dad!" he says before running off, "I hope you don't mind?" Ellis clears his throat. "No, it's fine! So, I'll see you after school," she starts to walk off out the school gate, "do you want to grab a coffee?" he asks her with a shy smile.

She turns, "I don't think that's a good idea!"

"Why not?! Come on, it's just coffee!"

"But it's what the coffee means!" she sighed, "what? Don't you trust yourself?" she laughs, "fine! Let's go, I wouldn't want to boost your ego thinking I can't handle a coffee with you!" he chuckles, "come on my car is over here!" he leads her to the car park.

In the car park they see Amelia arguing with Grace, "I wonder what that is about?!" she looks to Ellis, who's smiles smugly, "I may have told her Grace said she looked like a bulldog chewing a wasp!" Dana looks at him, "you didn't?" he nodded, "we may not be together, but no one insults the mother of my children!"

She didn't admit it to him, but she was a little touched by his actions.

Twenty eight minutes later...

"When do you start at Dawson's properties?" she asks sipping her caramel latte, "next Monday and I can't wait!" he sits back in his seat, "Dad's place not doing it for ya?!" she knew he hated working for his Dad.

"It pays the bill's which is great, but I hate working with him. Plus never been one for architects" he sighed, "Saturday I was thinking of getting a room at the hotel where the wedding reception is, so I don't have to drive back. I thought if we get a room with two single beds and a double, maybe you and Arlo could take the double and Myles and I could take the two singles?"

She didn't think about getting home and it would be easier for the boys just to head up, "sounds like a good plan actually!" he smiles softly, "great, I'll get it booked! Thank you for agreeing to come, it means my Mum will be off my back now," she laughs, "I was always her favourite even above you" she teases him, he laughs, "I would argue if it wasn't true" she smirks.

"I'll speak to Arlo about counselling, maybe I could take him tomorrow?" she thought his idea over, "would you mind?"

"No, of course not!" she felt relieved.

Later after dinner...

Ellis pulls onto the drive way, they get out and head inside, "Mum can Dad read me a book?" Arlo asks "if that's ok with him and if you brush your teeth" Arlo looks to his Dad, "like your Mum said brush your teeth!" Arlo runs upstairs with Ellis following after him.

Twenty minutes later...

She's making a coffee as Ellis wanders downstairs, "he's asleep two books later"

"He saw you coming!" she teases him, "do you want a coffee?"

"Yeah, I'll have a latte macchiato" she rolls her eyes at him, he knows she can't work the coffee machine, he grins, "I'll do it!" he nudges her out of the way. She jumps up to sit on the counter, shaking her head at him, "you could never work this thing"

"It was you who ordered the damn thing, all I wanted was machine that made black coffee, but you had to get some fancy thing!" she rolled her eyes, "if I remember rightly you love a caffe latte?" he quirks his brow at her, she narrows her eyes at him over the top of her mug, "I did, when you did them now, I have no idea how to work the bloody thing!"

He laughs at her, "come here, I'll show you!" she jumps down, still keeping her distance, he points at the button on the machine, "you press this one, use the arrows, go down to caffe latte and press ok! See it's not rocket science" he teases her, "whatever!" she says playfully.

"Thanks for dinner, I can't remember the last time I laughed so much!" he nods with an easy smile, "it was good night," he leans against the counter next to her, "what time is Arlo's appointment tomorrow?"

"Four thirty, you know the place," he nods, she sighs he could see the worry on her face that made him feel even more guilty, "he will get through it you know!" she presses her lips into a thin line, "I know!" she looks down at her coffee, letting out a long breath, he hooks his finger under her chin, bring her eyes to meet his, "it's going to take time but he will get through it, especially if he's anything like his mother!"

Her lips upturn into a smile, he looks between her eyes and leans in, for a second she's tempted to lean into, but she pulls away, "Ellis, I can't!" he frowns, "sorry..I should go" he places his mug on the counter and walks out leaving her confused....

~~~~~

Two and a half years earlier...

He slams his phone against his desk, his breath quickened, everything around him started to spin, he couldn't hold his angry in any longer.

He threw his phone across the office until it shattered into pieces, grabbing the attention of his fellow DC's.

Jacques rushes over "Ellis, what is it?!"

"He got Dana and Arlo!" the tears roll down his face.

~~~~~

@secretaryunpaid @aussieez @munstysmind​ @palmaviolet​ @gloriousalmondvoiddreamer​ @reallyloudstudent​ @pixie-b​ @wombatsxkookaburras​

[thecandywrites]

Monster March 2023 Day 26- Werewolf Part 2

Puppy Love? Or the Real Thing?

Because we all know that besides the super hot werewolf sex- it's the whole 'you're my mate' thing that draws us in to werewolves in the first place. At least, for me it does. And this is also where the story leaves reality and enters fantasy. And where, I wish things could have gone, had I the courage to actually ask any of those way too fucking hot farm boys- to bend me over between the northern highbush varieties of blueberries (we are talking a single blueberry bush the size of a small car) and plow me better than the fields ever got to be. And I could have gotten just as knocked up as my mom always seemed to be when we would go. The fact that she did it twice and we did it regularly enough that the actual Leducs recognized my mom, watched the belly bump grow during summer and would come back with a little baby the next year? And they would hold my little sisters and tease them that they were almost Leduc babies the same way we have the Gerber Baby. That was fun.

Also, as you can see, I just had to face cast Tim Allen- aka- any 90's kid would recognize Tim- the Tool Man- Taylor as Sasha's dad. And then because my husband loves Justified, I couldn't help but have Nick Searcy, who played Art Mullin on Justified as Tristan's dad. Because in Justified, he played a character who I would have loved to have as a dad or even a father in law.

So even though the Leduc's sold the blueberry part of their berry farm over to the Berry Brothers a few years ago (for nealy 20 million, which, good for them.) But it let them focus on the Leduc Strawberry Farm. And the Berry Brothers turned that barn that was once just purely there for U-pick stuff and sales of the blueberries the migrant workers picked. And they upgraded that barn. And when I say upgraded, like, UPGRADED. It's all enclosed, air conditioned, it has a bakery, a restaurant/cafe. All blueberry goods and products for sale, including blueberry wine and hard cider. And you can still buy the actual Leduc Blueberries. Granted, they are A LOT more expensive than what they used to be, but, in my humble opinion, still the best and worth every penny. Like my sisters who still live in Michigan, when they come down to visit, they actually drive all the way out there just to get me a 10lb box. I think it costs them like $30 bucks now. But to me? Priceless.

But, the Leduc blueberry is a northern highbush. At least to my knowledge. Which means that bush gets huge but it also has very high chilll hour requirements. And where I live, the weather does not give me those chill hours requirements. And blueberry bushes are finickey enough, that if it's NOT cold enough, they die. Everything else- if it gets a frost, it dies. But not blueberries, they're practically polar bears, they're out there going "Bring it on! You call that cold? It's still above 0, I need that negative numbers baby!" Or at least, that's what it's like for the true northern highbushes.

Which is why I planted Kabluey blueberry bushes, which are southern lowbush crosses which need low chill hours. So I'm not without entirely. It's never going to be the same or as good as Leducs. But damn it, southern Ohio just doesn't have the chill hours to support the northern highbush varieties of blueberries. So southern lowbush with low or no chill hour requirement I must go. Not the same. But better than nothing.

Part 2

The next day, Tristan woke up extra early and braved the cold shower in order to get clean and actually dressed in his nicer work clothes and even worked out a little so he would be good and strong and ready and primed when Frank and hopefully Sasha too would come and was downright antsy all morning. 

Right at 10, a huge box truck, with Wright Plumbing written on the side came into the driveway and Tristan nearly shifted so he could wag his werewolf tail to see Sasha again. She was wearing a Cabella’s baseball cap. And…overalls and even a baggy long sleeved shirt and not a flick of makeup. But she didn’t need it, if anything she was just as pretty now as she had been when he saw her last. But she had a little tupperware container in her hands as she went up to the door, where Tristan and his dad were ready.

“Hello Mr. Leduc, I’m Frank, this is my daughter Sasha who brought you some Kabluey blueberries?” Frank said as he gestured to her before she offered the small tupperware container, opening it up for them as she did so.

“Why thank you, so kindly Miss Sasha.” Chuck smiled happily as he opened it up and took a few and threw them into his mouth as Tristan thrust his hand into the small tupperware container and got some. 

“Oh, oh these are good. Really good! Damn near perfect for a blueberry.” Chuck praised as Tristan nodded in agreement. 

“Tristan said that you know a thing or two about blueberries?” Chuck asked Sasha. 

“Not as much as your son does, obviously. I’m just getting into them. But this place has always had the best blueberries. And so we have a little farm and we worked on the orchard last year  and this year, we’ve been working on the berries, specifically the blueberries and so I got containers for all of them and I’m trying to grow them up to see which ones I like best and then figure out where I want to plant them where they’ll get the right amount of sun and best soil conditions and when which variety will be in season so we can have blueberries throughout the summer, just like you do. So if anything, it’s you and your farm that inspired me and mine. And I’m honored that you would even entertain the idea of trying them. Thank you.” Sasha explained and Chuck was ready to take Tristan down to the jewelry store to buy him an engagement ring right then and there for Sasha. He could see what his son saw- plain as day. And Tristan had been right, just meeting her in person was like being in warm sunshine. Very sweet and very personable. 

“Well I’m honored too. That’s mighty fine praise Miss Sasha. Where’d you find ‘em?” Chuck asked. 

“Oh, I brought the catalog with me. I’ll be right back.” She offered as she put the container into Chuck’s hands before she left and got the catalog and turned it to the page they were featured on and handed it over to him to look over. 

“Huh. Well how about that.” Chuck appraised as he looked it over as he invited them into the house while Tristan got another handful of the blueberries that were practically like candy to him. Because they were- in all honesty, a really good blueberry. But they were also might have been little sapphires- for how precious they were to him. 

“So did your mom go into labor yet?” Tristan asked before Sasha barked a laugh. 

“No, I wish, but the baby did drop, so now my mom can breathe a bit easier. But the other things that are precursors to labor have already happened. So she’s due any day now. But knowing her, it could either be today or a week, if not two weeks from now?.” She shook her head no with a shrug. 

“But I’ll bet you’re still relieved you didn’t have to worry about getting EMT’s into your blueberry field huh? Although nothing feeds fields like blood does. They don’t sell blood meal for nothing. Plus, you guys would have a new kind of Leduc baby on your hands eh?” She offered. And it was when she said the ‘eh’ was a very…Canadian sounding ‘aye’.

“Girl, where’d you get an accent like that? You Canadian?” Chuck asked and Tristan wanted to face palm himself. 

“Oh, she gets that from her mother. Her mother was raised in Alaska.” Frank explained. 

“And all Alaska is- is Canada to the left. So, yeah, strong Canadian accent. And he was stationed at Eielson Airforce Base- right outside Anchorage. So once he finished his servitude, he met my mom and had me and Autumn up there. So technically I’m from there too. But we moved away and moved here once Ellis came along and Grandma and Grandpa needed the help with their declining health.” Sasha explained with a dismissive wave. 

“Ellis?” Chuck asked. 

“Short for Amaryllis. She’s out of her terrible twos and has gone head first into terrorizing threes.” Sasha explained with a light laugh. 

“Mmmhmm.” Tristan hummed and nodded his agreement because his youngest brother just turned four and was just as much of a terrible terrorist as he was when he was two and three, but now was big enough to do real damage when he could and would. Especially when he shifted. 

“So yeah, that makes me Sasha-Sabine, Autumn, Amaryllis, and now Arianna. A single S in a sea of A’s. Like you Dad, living in the middle of the estrogen ocean?” Sasha teased her dad with a crinkle of her adorable nose as her dad barked a laugh. 

“So four, and still not a single boy?” Chuck asked Frank. 

“Nope, my wife says if we have another girl after this, she’s done. What about you?” Frank asked. 

“Oh, I’m on the other end of that spectrum. Four boys. Each one,  even more rough and tumble than the last, we barely got the last one house trained. We kept trying for a girl and after four, my wife just said- no. And little Tyson is four now. And those terrible twos and terrorist threes have compounded into the fearsome fours.” Chuck laughed as Tristan’s cheeks darkened because being ware- house training was a big thing especially once kids would shift at an early age. 

“They’re eating you out of house and home huh?” Frank teased which got Chuck to bark a laugh. 

“You have no idea. I keep tellin them, there’s more than enough blueberries right across the street, just for the picking.” Chuck said as he gestured to where the blueberries were on the other side of the road. 

“Well this one is trying to turn our little farm into one of those self sufficient homestead farms Renee had when she was growing up in Alaska, it’s been their pet project since we built the place in the first place.” Frank listed off as she gestured to his daughter Sasha.  

“Oh, nice.” Chuck smiled approvingly as Sasha started looking more and more like the perfect daughter in law material, especially for Tristan right about now. 

“Well with her gift for it, you better be keeping a good eye on her, or she’ll get scooped up and swept up off her feet by any other farmer, especially the blueberry farming families. I know just about every blueberry farmer from Maryland to here in Michigan all the way out to Minnisota would give just about anything to have a girl like her in their family. Most kids can hardly name their fruits and vegetables, let alone know there is a difference between the different kinds.” Chuck goodnaturedly teased as he gestured to Sasha with the magazine rolled up in his hands as Tristan wanted to die as his cheeks and Sasha’s cheeks went strawberry red. 

“Well that’s why parents should introduce kids to where their food comes from. Like blueberry farms like yours so they can find out for themselves and find out just how much work goes into it in the first place.” Sasha managed to tactfully reply with a polite smile. 

“Aw shucks Miss Sasha, you’re buttering me up like I’m a dinner roll.” Chuck waived off with a fond grin. 

“Speaking of rolls, that’s quite the southern drawl you have, Sir.” Sasha noted. 

“That’s because I’m from the hills of Tennessee. Grew up only a stones throw away from where Dolly Parton built Dollywood.” He explained. 

“Then how’d you get up here?” Sasha asked curiously. 

“Oh this is my wife’s family business. They’re the Lauschs.” He explained. 

“Oh that’s wonderful. And especially from the biodiversity that you guys have on your farms, between the different varieties of blueberries. Not only do you get a longer season, but should one kind fall prey to either a disease or other pest, at least you would have the others to fall back on. So not all your eggs are in one basket, even if all the baskets themselves are blue.” Sasha praised. 

“Girl, you keep talking about that, and Tristan’s kin will hear you and come running from a 200 mile radius, each with an engagement ring, bigger than the last.” Chuck teased Sasha. 

“Ha! Well they need to get in line. She already made a lot of friends in the apple orchard community last year with making her orchard so we can have apples from August to November. But I have a firm- bachelor’s with a degree before bachelors with a T.” Frank insisted before Chuck outright busted up laughing a deep belly laugh. 

“If she was my daughter I’d feel the same way too!” Chuck laughed.

“But enough about me, let’s get a look at that water heater.” Sasha urged her dad and his. 

“Right this way.” Chuck had the pair follow him into the basement where it was as Sasha pulled out a small pad of paper and a pen and started writing things down as Frank started to list them all off and once he was done, Sasha repeated it all back to him to make sure she had heard her dad correctly before double checking which tools he would need first before Frank confirmed that she had heard him right and once he gave her the nod, she left and got to work as he continued to inspect the basement and told them that he was going to shut the water off for a while before Chuck urged Tristan to relay that message to everyone else in the family. 

But when Tristan left the house, he saw Sasha talking to an orc who was also in a Wright Plumbing truck for a moment before she smiled nodded and patted his arm before he drove off again with a waive. 

“Your boyfriend?” Tristan asked. 

“Huh?” She asked as she opened up her dad’s work truck to get the supplies she needed. 

“The …other guy in the Wright Plumbing Truck?” Tristan asked as he gestured to where the orc had driven off to. 

“Oh. No that’s Kihro. That’s my cousin Brianna’s boyfriend. He was just asking if my family was going to be with Brie’s and go to the beach with him and his family this weekend or not. And I told him, I had no idea, it depended on whether or not my mom went into labor or not. So no, he’s not my boyfriend. I don’t have one of those myself, obviously, the whole bachelors with a degree before bachelors with a T is a real thing with myself, my sisters and my dad.” Sasha admitted as she got what she needed from the various compartments in the truck and put them into the five gallon bucket that served as her basket for all intensive purposes. 

“Oh. Well, I’m sorry if my dad embarrassed you with all that, farmers from here to Minnisota with engagement rings…thing. That was a bit excessive.” Tristan offered even though he would have given anything for one right to magically appear in his pocket. 

“It’s ok. Every father who sees plumbing as a respectable profession and sees me as a shoe in with my dad’s business, usually tries to see what it takes for their sons to date me, even when the sons have no personal interest in the first place, so if anything I’m sorry your dad did that and put you on the spot like that, you poor thing. Is he so desperate to get you married off that he tries to pawn you off on every girl who comes to the farm who shows any interest in farming herself?” Sasha asked as she sorted through the coupling attachment bags to get the right ones for the brand new water heater next to her in the back of the truck. 

“Actually no, thank goodness.” Tristan shook his head no. 

“Well, you’re lucky then. Because I get all the time, not from my dad, but every other one I meet who sees me and sees daughter in law material. If it’s not the other contractors, it’s the other businesses owners period because my dad is part of not just the Plumber’s Union, but with the Business Owner’s Association. Trying to make all the business connections they can. And it’s the home shows that they tend to come out in droves.” She muttered rather irritably as she continued to go through the various bins to get what she needed as Tristan felt a sense of panic and a sense of possessiveness try to come over him as he had to reach out and clutch the edge of the door to ground himself to keep himself from shifting to keep himself from scenting her so she at least wouldn’t have an issue with other wares at least. 

“Or the issue that came up with Kihro when he expressed an interest in Brie was that his dad was a partner with our dad’s. And he wanted to make sure it was known that he was doing so because he was genuinely interested in Brianna herself, not because she’s the boss’ daughter or that she has a stake in the company, same as me and same as all of our sisters do too. And the hoops he’s had to jump through to prove that have been quite numerous. Because that’s always going to be an ulterior motive for any other plumber, especially other plumbing outfits who want to either take us over or infiltrate or whatever. It’s something that Brie and I have simply grown up with and gotten used to. Because we are both the ones who get it the most because we spent just about every summer with our dads since we were old enough to read a tape measure. Especially when we’re both our father’s right hand girls and firstborns, and firstborn daughters to boot. Even when we both want nothing to do with plumbing as a career for ourselves.” Sasha explained. 

“Well, I’m sorry you have to deal with that. Must be exhausting having your guard up all the time and always wondering or assuming everyone has an ulterior business motive.” Tristan offered, damning himself with every word as he couldn’t even bring himself to look up at her as Sasha paused and looked at him thoughtfully and couldn’t help but smile crookedly as she subtly shook her head while biting her lip, damning herself for going off like that. Her and her tongue were going to dig her own grave one of these days before she sat down on the end of the truck in the middle to more or less be eye level with him. 

“I’m sorry your dad just practically offered you up to me on a silver platter even when you weren’t even interested just to get immediately shot down and slapped away. That was rather cruel, and I’m sorry.” She offered. 

“Oh, psh, don’t worry about it.” He tried to waive off. 

“Are you saying that to save what’s left of your pride and to ease the discomfort? Or do you really mean what you say when you say that?” Sasha practically whispered. 

“That obvious? Am I actually bleeding?” Tristan sniffed and rubbed at his nose before he tried to joke and look down at his shirt. 

“Ok, let’s clear the air and back it up a minute. And pretend like the last… half an hour didn’t just happen.” Sasha insisted as she did a reverse rolling gesture with her hands. 

“Last week we were friendly acquaintances. Do you want us to stay that way, or would you like for us to actually be friends? Or are you actually, genuinely interested in pursuing a romantic relationship with me?” She asked. 

“Well I was hoping for at least friends.” Tristan offered because at least from there, he could build from there. 

“And seeing where it could and would go from there?” Sasha questioned. 

“Yeah.” Tristan nodded. 

“I’m ok with that. Friends for now, and we’ll see how and where it could go from here.” Sasha smiled as she pat him on the shoulder and then used her touch to help herself to stand up again and finish her task at hand. She was happy he had at least braced himself to lean into it and help her up. Which she appreciated the silent ask and wordless assist, which she took as a very good sign. 

“So beach this weekend? Which one?” Tristan asked hopefully. 

“South Haven. We were getting there in the late afternoon to swim and then grill dinner right on the beach. You and your family could always come there and just happen to run into us there. Because coincidences do occur and you live right off 43 that takes you straight there. That is however, unless my mom goes into labor before then, but if that happens, I could always give you a call.” Sasha offered with a wink that brought a small, but hopeful smile to Tristan’s face at the chance she was giving him as she handed him her phone with a new contact page already brought up on it. 

“Sounds like a plan.” Tristan smiled happily as he happily put his name and number and all other contact information into her phone before he used it to call himself so he would have her number on his phone and add her to his contacts that way. 

“So how are things going on The Wright Birthing Plan homefront?” Tristan asked, trying to bring the focus back to her and back to something he knew she would be more comfortable discussing and the bright, happy smile she gave him was better than any rainbow after a pop up thunderstorm, which he could tell was in the cards for today. 

“Good. I put that 10 dollars into a fund for monogrammed scrubs.” She smiled happily as she took her phone back and slid it into her pocket. 

“My mom works at a maternity center, has been ever since we moved from Alaska to Michigan. Because in Alaska, she was practically on her own besides her own mom and other sisters. And it was my mom who was my aunt’s midwife back in Alaska. And because my dad and his brother George were Irish Twins- when George went to leave home and join the armed forces, my dad went ‘don’t leave without me’. And when my uncle met my aunt, and they got together and got pregnant with Brie, my aunt hired my mom as her midwife and because my dad and my uncle were the only family they had and that’s how my parents met. And by the time my mom delivered Brie, she was already seven months pregnant with me. And when my uncle’s father in law practically adopted my uncle, he adopted my dad too. To the point he’s practically my grandpa too. And when my dad’s biological parent’s health went downhill, my dad and my uncle both moved their families down here and took Granny and Papa with them. But my Mom has been taken it easy and specifically didn’t take on any other new clients since she found out she was expecting, because she didn’t want to be in the middle of labor herself while helping another woman in labor too. Plus Autumn called dibs on staying with my mom today anyway. But it worked out. Because when your dad called last night, I was just testing the Kablueys and they were just right about perfect today. Plus your dad was just teasing anyway. I can take a joke.” Sasha smiled fondly before she took down various pipes down and put them to the side to cut up and use later. 

“He wasn’t joking. That may have been his delivery. But he wasn’t saying that just to tease, he was trying to warn you in all seriousness.” Tristan revealed. 

“Yeah, I got the sense of that too. I can’t blame him honestly. With Corporate Farming taking more and more family farms and turning and burning the land growing only winter wheat, or feed corn or soy just for pork or beef industry. Small family farmers are having to get creative with ways to stay afloat and keep the farm, let alone their livelihood. And the old ways of tending to the land and instead of spraying weedkiller and pesticides to make the soil practically toxic and unable to grow anything other than what you very carefully plant right there all while chopping down habitat, draining lakes to make more fields or outright diverting whole river systems because they’re “inconvenient” to their big corporate plans that look great on paper but are shit in practice. And with the consumer so far removed from where their food comes from. Most of my friends can’t comprehend that that cheap hamburger meat you buy at the supermarket wasn’t born that way and have no idea that red delicious apples are actually supposed to be delicious when you pick them right off the tree when they’re ripe. And not weeks and months before and have to spray wax on them and hope they ripen up and rot before they can ripen in storage while they’re being transported to cities. And that a lot had to happen to get it to that point. And then you have retards on the other end of the spectrum who are all about ‘I only eat organic non GMO’s’ when organic farming can be worse for the environment than traditional or “old fashioned” farming. GMO’s are not the end of the world, GMO’s are the reason we have food supplies year round. Hell every domesticated dog is a GMO. And to get people to realize that with everything- there’s a damn spectrum. And neither side is necessarily “wrong”. But that don’t make ignorance about any of it “right” either. But that’s just my humble opinion. Don’t have to like it or even agree with it. I’m sure you could probably talk my ears off about it yourself.” Sasha appraised. 

“Actually, you and I see eye to eye on…everything you just said about it. I absolutely agree, there’s a spectrum to farming. And while monoculture is dangerous. Because if every house in the neighborhood has the same lock to their doors, and the burglar has the key to the lock, the whole neighborhood is compromised. But the big corporate farms don’t care. It’s all about what’s on paper and what the stock market does, without a care at all about the land and the surrounding area itself. GMO’s have their place, as long as it’s within reason and there’s a balance between them and the heirloom varieties of things. Hell I don’t think anyone would even recognize what corn, or watermelon or anything else used to look like before civilization got ahold of it. Because I can tell you, I know of several farmers tried to go full organic and they get people who drive hours just to come and get their non-GMO - organic whatever. But those people are flakey at best and while they preach Non-GMO and only organic. It’s not always what they practice, and will usually fall back on the comfort of the familiar and convenience. And honestly, in my own humble opinion, it’s usually not worth that fancy sticker they like to put on it.” Tristan offered. 

“Well I’m happy we can agree on that much at least and we definitely see eye to eye. And a lot of people have no idea, that in order to get that produce for door buster deals, it’s either mechanized farming or someone is getting underpaid to pick it in the first place. So what I like to ask those uppity snobs is- what’s worse? Abusing people or abusing the land and the environment? Because the only way to not do either- is to do it yourself. And frankly those same people are just way too lazy to do it themselves, from the comfort of their Lazy-Boy while their foreign and underprivileged housekeeper sweeps under their lazy asses.” 

“Amen!” Tristan practically crooned before they gave each other a high five which got them to both laugh. 

“But I still appreciate your dad’s warning all the same. Every really good mom tends to want to adopt and look out for every child within line of sight and earshot or hell, a five to fifty mile radius and every good dad tends to do the same. And if you don’t have any sisters. I probably represent what he would want most in one if he got one himself.” Sasha shrugged. 

“You do.” Tristan nodded in confirmation. 

“Well, he wouldn’t be the first to give that kind of warning, I’ve heard it way too many times already and I’ve heeded it best I can. Last year when I was picking out apples to plant in my own mini orchard, I had the same thing happen with all of those families too. Every dad in the business who had kids who wanted nothing to do with the family farm had the same reaction that your dad just had. So, again, I’m used to it. It happens to me, every time I interact with anyone my parent’s age.” Sasha sighed as she waived it off while she double checked her check list off as her shoulders sagged a bit and Tristan worried that himself and his dad probably pushed things too far and suddenly in Sasha’s eye, let alone mind and heart got grouped in with all the others, and in trying to get a chance, they blew it as Tristan took a step back before Sasha turned her attention back to him. 

“Hey Tristan?” She asked. 

“Yeah?” He asked as he took two steps forward. 

“Are you expected to stay in the blueberry business? Or was there something else you wanted for your life instead?” Sasha asked him. 

“Oh, technically I don’t have to. My older brother Gabe says he’s gonna take it over for my dad.” Tristan answered. 

“Well do you even like it? Or is it simply just - all you know?” Sasha asked thoughtfully, without a hint of judgment. Which helped Tristan feel comfortable confiding in her. 

“Eh, it’s ok. But I feel kinda stupid because it kinda is what I know most about.” He admitted. 

“Well you could always go into an adjacent field or be the bridge between this one and something else.” She offered. 

“How do you mean?” Tristan asked curiously. 

“Well, last year, when I was researching what apples to get for my little hobby farm. I talked to a lot of the apple orchard farmers. And how they feel like they have one kid to pass on the family farm to. But another one who has no idea what to do but they don’t really want the farm itself, just something of their own, related but not the same. So because Saint Julian has their winery close by. You could always partner up and make a blueberry wine. Or you could even join a micro brewery or even start your own and do something akin to hard cider but with blueberries. Because a lot of the apple orchards are getting into the hard cider business with a lot of their excess from the traditional U-pick style. You could always do something like that. And with my family and our business, we service a lot of other businesses so we were able to make some introductions. So there’s always that. Although this year, the apple guys are getting their feet wet so to speak and at least will be making small batches of hard cider. Which they promised me and Brie at least a cup of.” Sasha shrugged again. 

“How old are you?” He asked in astonishment. 

“I’ll be 18 in September, why? How old are you?” She asked. 

“Just turned 18 last month. But you talk and act like you’re twice as old as you are.” Tristan praised. 

“Yeah, first born daughters get that. Because first born sons are their mother’s little princes half the time. My Cousin Brie, the middle child in her family is a boy- Gavin- and you’d think he was the prince of his principality, spoiled brat, damn addicted to fortnight and roblox. But that’s better than him being addicted to porn I think.” Sasha grumbled before Tristan outright choked on his spit. 

“You ok?” Sasha asked. 

“Yeah, just…wow, you have no problems speaking your mind. And I wasn’t expecting you to go there. But you did and I respect it. And admire it, it’s refreshing. I like it that you don’t mince your words or beat about the bush. I like it that you’re pretty frank at least it’s easy to tell where anyone stands with you.” Tristan once he regained his own composure even though he was sure his ears were as red as rhubarb. 

“Yeah, I get in trouble for it a lot too. Because I lack “tact” and “discretion” and I usually offend people about two seconds after I make them laugh.” Sasha admitted. 

“Well I ain’t offended yet. Not even close.” Tristan reassured her which earned him another appreciative smile. 

“Thanks. Anyway, what I was trying to say before was that first born daughters are the second mothers- to the younger siblings. They’re the second wives to their fathers as far as domestic labor goes, like doing dishes and laundry and cooking and all that. They are therapists, confidants and assistants to their mothers. And while boys are encouraged to go out and play and do sports. It’s girls who usually have to be inside and learn how to fold more than just their own laundry, but everyone else’s. And how to fold towels and blankets and how to get various kinds of stains out and all that too. So what you see as a mature, is in reality, our childhoods are simply taken and replaced with more responsibilities than anyone else and we are forced to grow up and be mature faster than every other child in our age group because we’re expected to, and things go to shit if we don’t.” Sasha expounded. 

“And more and more, you’re seeing women having to join the workforce on top of doing all the domestic labor too, which for me, is bullshit. Because if you share your home with someone, it better be as someone who is an equal in all things. If you’re hungry? Learn how to cook. If your clothes are dirty? Learn how to wash them. If things are dirty, clean it up. Especially if it’s your own mess. Men have two hands too, learn to do that shit too. And don’t think that just because a guy has a 9-5 that gets them out of doing any of the domestic labor in the first place. And more and more women are realizing that men need to bring more to a relationship than a penis and a paycheck. Because women deserve the same pay for the same work and vibrators are totally a thing.” Sasha stressed before she looked pointedly at Tristan. 

“Still not offended. Still in agreement.” Tristan nodded which got her to smile victoriously. 

“So what most don’t think to realize is - is by doing that to girls, firstborn daughters especially, you make incredibly strong, independent, entirely self-sufficient individuals who expect the same of their domestic partners. And the reason you saw me talking to Brie’s amazing boyfriend, is because he is also one of those kinds of people. He may work with my dad and my uncle, but by the gods in heaven above, he is his own man in every respect. He could start his own plumbing business tomorrow if he really wanted to because he helps his dad run the downtown branch in Kazoo. How he got out here, is he went to get Brie some blueberries because she’s down again because her health isn’t the best. But he does his own laundry in addition to the family’s laundry, he does dishes, helps his siblings with their homework and cooks. And not just cooks, like finger licking- stick to your ribs- soul food kind of cooking too. And my cousin and I are both pretty good cooks, but he can cook us both practically under the table, when he’s not drinking us under the table in the process. Now granted he ain’t perfect. But he’s my gold standard for guys. But he’s like the one in a million kind of guy. And while I’m happy for Brie, I just wish the universe made, like a second one of him. Because my luck with guys is dismal at best and that’s why I am doing by best to cling to that bachelor’s with a degree instead of a T thing- no matter how tempting any guy usually appears for all of about five minutes before I say just the right or wrong thing and I get to unlock that ugly, self entitled, selfish prick asshole side they try to hide from me.” Sasha grumped as she managed to get the toolbox her dad would need out from under the bench where he had practically shoved it into place last. 

“Because usually when fathers ask what kind of guy it’ll take to court myself and my sisters and cousins, when we answer that it’ll be a guy who is grown, independent, completely self sufficient and is willing and capable to cook his own meals, clean his own dishes, clean his own house instead of just his vehicle and only his vehicle. And keep it that way and keep a house the same as any female homemaker is expected to- on top of their own secular work. Because that’s the bare minimum every single mother is expected to do and be. And if he can’t be the same. He’s not worth my time, or any of my sister’s time or any of my cousin’s time.” Sasha explained and Tristan suddenly felt the strongest, most intense self possession to do and be exactly that. And now he had goals to make and reach for himself. Because that was the standard a real woman like Sasha wanted and needed for himself and he felt he needed to rise to it. 

“I agree. So the brewery and the winery things sound great. You’ve done me and my family a great service, not just with this and the Kabluey blueberry thing. But those both sound like great ideas. How much would it be for an introduction into those ventures?” Tristan asked as Sasha was impressed he hadn’t argued with her about the whole domestic chores- thing. Most guys usually did. Or usually backed off and backed away at that point. But if anything Tristan had taken a strong, confident but still relaxed stance and his body language showed he wasn’t trying to hide or conceal anything and not put on a front either, which Sasha really appreciated. 

“Oh, it’d be free, you just would have to be in agreement with your brothers and your dad about it. Because you said they have the farm right?” Sasha reminded him as she began to really appraise just what kind of man was before her. He was strong like she expected any hard working farm boy to be. But he had modern and forward ways of thinking and seemed to strike a nice balance between the two. No wonder she was drawn to him as much as she was and she found she was desperately trying to grasp at straws here trying to find something, anything that would be something to make him not look like the damn fine young man he seemed to be when they saw each other last.  

“Well, not all of it. I currently have my name on about fifty acres myself. It’s where my parents are trying to cross breed a few varieties so we will have an official Leduc variety of blueberry.” He revealed. It was supposed to be a super top secret family secret that had been the last few years in the making. But for Sasha, if it was something that could make him stand out and separate himself in her mind from all the others, he was going to take it and use it.  

“Now that is what you need to bring to the table when you meet with the wineries and other microbreweries along with a variety of blueberries and their different characteristics because they may see something different in what you have than you do.” Sasha encouraged him. 

“What about breweries?” Chuck asked as he and Frank joined them outside before Sasha handed her dad the bucket of items she had collected for him and gave him the corresponding toolbox he would need. 

“Oh I was asking Tristan what he wanted do with his future. And when he mentioned that he wasn’t entirely sure, I suggested to him the same thing I told all the other kids of the orchards I visited last year, to go into an adjacent field. So a lot of the orchards are getting into the hard cider business and starting their own microbreweries to go with it. And with blueberries, they have plenty of sugars. You could totally make a blueberry hard cider or even go to the wineries. Saint Julian is pretty close to here, you could meet with them and make a blueberry wine or learn how to make your own. Or you could take Leduc farms and really make it- it’s own destination. Not just a u-pick farm. But Tristan clued me into the fact that you’re trying to cross breed different varieties, he didn’t tell me which ones, but you were trying to make your own official Leduc blueberry. So take it and either come out with a line of blueberry goods, more than just the whole- pies, muffins, scones and other baked goods, candies, fruit snacks, jellies and jams. But things like pancake mixes, salsas, wine, beer. The possibilities are endless really.” Sasha explained. 

“If you don’t mind me saying so.” Sasha added when she had a hard time reading Chuck’s surprised and floored expression.

“Sorry, did I overstep my bounds again and tell people their own business again Dad? I’m sorry. I do that. It’s not very professional…” Sasha began to apologize before Tristan and his dad both immediately interrupted her.

“No! No! Not at all! That’s brilliant! Frank, seriously. You need to be paying her the same wage you pay yourself for the hard work she does. And, Young Lady. You need to be charging by the hour to give that kind of business advice. Most business experts would charge thousands of dollars for what you just did. In fact, Miss Sasha, let me get you my checkbook, and write you a check right now for that.” Chuck insisted. 

“No, no, it’s ok. We were just bouncing ideas off of each other. It’s not meant to be business advice like that.” Sasha immediately put her hands up to stop him. 

“She even said she has contacts she could put us into contact with- for both the winery and the microbreweries.” Tristan added to his dad. 

“Well, shoot. Little Lady, you do that, I’ll give you every variety of blueberry bush we have here and every one you could ever want from here to the U.P. to Maryland to Minnisota to Indiana and even Ohio and Pennsylvania. Hell, you put us in touch with those folks and we’ll name a beverage after you and give you the royalties to it too.” Chuck offered and for once Sasha’s pretty blue eyes nearly popped out of her head. 

“Deal.” Frank agreed before he urged Sasha to pull her phone out and make those phone calls to get Chuck and his family in touch with her other contacts while Tristan helped Frank with what he needed while learning all they could from him while Chuck and his wife Crystal and their son Gabe talked to Sasha at the kitchen table as she made phone calls and set up meet and greets for them. 

“You like Sasha don’t you?” Frank asked Tristan as they worked in the basement as Tristan got to learn the names of different kinds of tools and learn what fittings were what as he helped Frank since Sasha was busy with his dad and his eldest brother.  

“I do.” Tristan confirmed. 

“Sasha has a lot of boys after her. Always has since she became a teenager. So I’ll give you the same advice I gave all of them. Sasha has had to grow up fast, not entirely by choice either. And while I regret I took a lot from her childhood early on because my father in law and my brothers were trying to start this business, because she’s had to grow and mature so early- it means she won’t put up with any immaturity in anyone else. She has no tolerance for abuse of any kind and won’t put up with any shit from anyone for anything, traditions and customs be damned. She’s a very driven individual and has always had a clear vision of what she wants for herself and all the steps she has to take to get there. So she’s going to probably want someone similar to herself in those respects. And while she can be spontaneous and fun loving, she’s also pretty serious about a lot of things. And she won’t like to take something that is a hobby for her, and have all the fun she has doing it- taken out of it- by always thinking about money and the bottom line and making a fun hobby into a side hustle and grind. She doesn’t do anything half assed and she goes head first into everything she wants to do. She’s an all in kind of girl. So beware ok? Don’t let those big blue eyes, blonde hair and cute button nose fool you, I’ve seen her cut people down to the core with a look and a remark. That razor sharp wit she has, can be either hilarious or hurtful and not much in between.” Frank honestly warned him. 

“Yeah, I’ve noticed.” Tristan nodded.  

“Our family has had to go through some hard times so I’m pretty sure the reason why she’s so hell bent on having a homestead farm is because in Alaska there was a lot of food scarcity because of the 9 months of solid winter. So ever since she’s been in charge of cooking and keeping track of our pantry. She keeps it full at all times. And it almost borders on food hoarding. But we are a big family and we go through it pretty well. So I know there’s a saying that ‘the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach’. That’s true for her. The way to her heart is through hers, at least what I’ve seen. Her cousin Brie is dating an orc and Sasha has turned greener than the orc Brie’s dating ever was- with jealous and envy that he cooks for Brie when she can’t even get her own mother to make more than a salad or her own sister to bake anything other than cookies from a tub of cookie dough and while her and I do a lot of BBQ together, especially on the weekends. Through the week, it falls to her most of the time. So maybe start there.” Frank revealed in a low murmur. 

“Duly noted.” Tristan nodded in understanding. 

“Oh and she’s into horses too. She wants to get a blue roan and call it Kabluey just like those blueberries.” Frank added. 

“Blue roan horse, food, self sufficiency and independence, got it.” Tristan repeated. 

“Good, now, hand me that coupling.” Frank urged as he pointed to it before Tristan handed it over. 

It took most of the morning, but once Frank got everything cut out and unhooked, then all the guys loaded up the water heater onto a dolly and got it out of the basement and out of the house so the new one could get put back in as Sasha was relieved to get the help and simply get the doors for them to help with getting the old out and the new put back in and turned it on and it worked like a dream before Frank and Chuck settled up while Crystal, Chuck’s wife and Mandy, Gabe’s wife, gave Sasha a bunch of recipes for blueberry baked goods while Sasha swapped them for other recipes she had picked up from the orchards she had worked with last year that she had memorized as Crystal seemed practically enchanted with Sasha and the fact that Mandy and Sasha immediately hit it off and got along as Sasha was keen to see Mandy’s little baby bump and talk pregnancy stuff over because of Sasha’s midwifing background.

Then Crystal got Sasha in touch with a family friend who had horses, specifically those blue roans that Sasha seemed keen on getting and insisted that if Sasha’s mom wasn’t in labor, she needed to come to these meet and greets too, which Frank urged Sasha to attend which seemed to surprise her, because surely the family van would be in service elsewhere during. But Frank waived off that he would see to it that she’d have transportation for the events which caused Sasha to look at her dad curiously but not put up any other argument but simply agree that she’d be there to make the introductions in person. 

“She’s perfect.” Crystal told Tristan the moment they saw Frank and Sasha off. 

“Mom!” Tristan immediately ducked and flushed in embarrassment. 

“Hey, when it’s the one, it’s the one. And if she’s your mate, she’s your mate, don’t let anything or anyone else get in the way.” Crystal urged him. 

“Mom, she may not even be my mate, this might just be puppy love and puppy love never lasts.” He contested. 

“Yet your eyes shifted every time you looked at her when she wasn’t looking at you and you thought no one else was looking.” Crystal insisted before his dad put the catalog to his son’s chest. 

“Why are you giving me this?” Tristan asked. 

“Don’t turn into a stalker, but that’s her address, Son. Take a drive, check it out and see just how high the bar she’s set up- is.” His dad encouraged him as Tristan looked at the address on the catalog and suddenly cradled the catalog to his chest like it was the most precious thing in the world. But he had to play this, very, very carefully and not fuck it up. 

[lboogie1906]

Mississippi Valley State University (MVSU, The Valley or Valley) is a public HBCU in Mississippi. MVSU is a member school of the Thurgood Marshall College Fund.

The institution had its groundbreaking ceremony on February 19, 1950, which was created by the Mississippi Legislature as Mississippi Vocational College. The legislation to form the institution was signed into law by Governor Thomas L. Bailey on April 5, 1946. On February 10, 1950, Governor Fielding L. Wright served as the main speaker at the opening ceremony.

The legislature anticipated that legal segregation of public education was in danger because there were increasing challenges to it through legal suits. It created this institution in the hopes that it would attract African-American applicants who might otherwise apply to Mississippi’s premier whites-only institutions.

State leaders hoped that founding separate institutions of higher learning for Mississippi’s African American population would reduce the pressure to integrate the state’s premier universities. To attract the support of those who opposed any government action to provide higher education to African Americans, those proposing the creation of MVC used the term “vocational” to imply that the institution’s main purpose would be to train African Americans to take on blue-collar jobs. #africanhistory365 #africanexcellence #hbcu

[companionsofthedoctorwho]

Companions Original Post List

Color Sorted by what Hogwarts House I Think They're In. (Feel free to argue if you think otherwise. If they're blank, it means either that I'm just not sure, I haven't reached them yet, (I am on season 22 of the Classic Doctor Who and on season nine of the revived one but I haven't watched either in a while because I got hooked on Criminal Minds.), or I think they're Hufflepuff but the Tumblr thing on my laptop doesn't have yellow as a color. Neither does my phone apparently all of a sudden. The closest is orange.

First Doctor (Many of his episodes are missing so companions often appear and disappear)

Susan Foreman/Arkytior (High Gallifreyan for "Rose) (Played by Carole Ann Ford) - Fifteen-Year-Old Gallifreyan Granddaughter of the Doctor left behind when she fell in love but she left to fight in the Time War and it is presumed that she died.

Ian Chesterton (Played by William Russell, aged 99 as of 2023--Tragically died June 3, 2024 at the age of 99 due to pneumonia; but his character and legacy lives on)

Barbara Wright (Played by Jacqueline Hill, Tragically died in 1993 of breast cancer but her character lives on)

Vicki Pallister (Played by Maureen O'Brien, aged 80 as of 2023; Most of her episodes are missing)

Steven Taylor (Played by Peter Purves)

Katarina (Played by Adrienne Hill, tragically passed away from cancer at age sixty in 1997) - The shortest companion of the first Doctor (I think; she had five episodes and four of them were in the same serial so really two episode adventure-wise) and the first companion of the entire Doctor Who series to die while traveling with the Doctor.

Dodo Chaplet (Played by Jackie Lane)

Second Doctor (Also many of his episodes are missing so companions just appear and disappear)

Ben Jackson (Played by Michael Craze) - Companion of the First and Second Doctor

Polly Wright (Played by Anneke Wills) - Companion of the First and Second Doctor

Jamie McCrimmon (Played by Frazer Hines) -- First Scottish Companion; The Time Lords wiped his mind of any adventures in the Tardis after his first adventure with the Doctor and returned him back to Scotland

Victoria Waterfield (Played by Deborah Watling) -- One of the youngest companions to travel with the Doctor at around fourteen or fifteen however she was a "screaming woman" character and grew tired of the constant dangers and departed.

Zoe Heriot (Played by Wendy Padbury) -- A genius who's intellect impressed the Doctor whoever her memories of traveling with the Doctor and Jamie were erased by the Time Lords.

Alistair Gordon Lethbridge (Played by Nicholas Courtney) -- Perhaps the longest recurring companion of the Doctor, from the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth, and Seventh, he was only mentioned in the revived series until he was cofirmed to have passed in season six.

John Benton (Played by John Levene) -- More of a companion of the Doctor when he was banished the Earth and the Time Lords wouldn't let him use his Tardis (also he didn't know how fly her). John only traveled in the Tardis once in the ten-year anniversary serial: The Three Doctors.

Third Doctor

Liz Shaw (Played by Caroline John)

Mike Yates (Played by Richard Franklin)

Jo Grant (Played by Katy Manning)

Sarah Jane Smith (Played by Elisabeth Sladen)

Fourth Doctor (Played by Tom Baker, the longest Doctor)

Harry Sullivan (Played by Ian Marter)

Leela (Played by Louise Jameson)

K-9 (played Voiced by John Leeson)

Romana I (Played by Mary Tamm)

Romana II (Played by Lalla Ward)

Adric (Played by Matthew Waterhouse) -- I think Adric gets a bad rap

Tegan Jovanka (Played by Janet Fielding) -- Is it me or does she seem remarkably similar to Donna Noble? On TVtropes.org, it points out that her "Establish Character Moment" (which is basically what it sounds like, it's a moment for a character you're being introduced for that tells you just what kind of person this character is) states: "When Tegan gets lost inside the TARDIS, instead of being astonished by it, she goes and looks for someone to yell at." Which is also exactly what Donna does (however, she has a rare intro to the Tardis where she sees in the inside first yet she is not the one to say "it's smaller on the outside" which would've been perfect.")

Nyssa (Played by Sarah Sutton)

Fifth Doctor (Played by Peter Davison; the start of the family legacy)

Vislor Turlough (Played by Mark Strickson)

Kamelion (Voiced by Gerald Flood)

Peri Brown (Played by Nicola Bryant) -- Interestingly, the actress is British while the character is American and she was forced to speak in an American accent even behind the scenes, only years later when she went to a dinner party did Colin Baker realize she was British, not American; Implications of her backstory added with the violent regeneration the Sixth Doctor had and his attitude towards her make me feel bad for her -- She is currently my favorite classic companion.

Sixth Doctor (Played by Colin Baker; the shortest Doctor in the Classic Series, not counting Paul McGann)

Melanie Bush (Played by Bonnie Langford)

Dorothy "Ace" (Played by Sophie Aldred) -- The last companion on the Classic series.

Eighth Doctor

Grace Holloway (Played by Daphne Ashbrook)

War Doctor (Played by John Hurt)

Ninth Doctor (Played by Christopher Eccleston) -- The shortest main Doctor of the modern series

Rose Tyler (Played by Billie Piper) -- My favorite companion. The companion I started on and the love of the Doctor's life. (Sorry River, Sorry Clara). Companion of the Ninth, Tenth, and Meta-Crisis Doctor.

Mickey Smith (Played by Noel Clarke) -- Not an official traveling companion of the Ninth but got there with the Tenth... for three episodes.

Adam Mitchell (Played by Bruno Langley) -- He was so brilliant to be considered by Van Statten and when he sees the future, he gets surgery to put a door in his head and tries to steal others' ideas when he could come up with his own.

Captain Jack Harkness (Played by John Barrowman)

Tenth Doctor (Played by David Tennant) My favorite Doctor. MY Doctor.

Donna Noble (played by Catherine Tate) -- Companion of the Tenth Doctor, Meta-Crisis Doctor/TenToo, and Fourteenth Doctor

Martha Jones (Played By Freema Agyeman)

Wilfred Mott (Played by Bernard Cribbins) Gone but NEVER forgotten. An honorary Noble.

Meta-Crisis Doctor (Played By David Tennant)

Eleventh Doctor (played by Matt Smith) I wasn't sure at first as I was sad to see David Tennant go but Matt Smith definitely lived up to the challenge.

Amelia "Amy" Pond (Played by Caitlain Blackwood and Pre-Nebula Karen Gillan) I love that they got cousins to play young and adult Amy.

Rory Williams (Played by Arthur Darvill)

River Song (Played by Alex Kingston)

Craig Owens (Played by James Corden)

Kate Steward -- Daughter of Alistair Gordon Lethbridge

Oswin Oswald (Played by Jenna Coleman)

Clara Oswin Oswald (Played by Jenna Coleman)

Clara Oswald (Played by Jenna Coleman) -- Fun fact, the character's birthday is November twenty-third, which is also the birthday of Doctor Who itself, the first Docotr Who episode serial entitled "An Unearthly Child" aired in 1963 however, there had been a low television viewership due to the unfortunate assassination of John F. Kennedy the day before and a power cut in part of England (according the Tardis.fandom.com) This may be intentional due to Clara's deep involvement in the Doctor's lives. -- Clara Oswald is my third favorite companion after Rose Tyler and Amy Pond.

Twelfth Doctor (Played By Peter Capaldi)

--I am currently still on season eight nine--

Nardole

Bill Potts

Thirteenth Doctor (Played by Jodie Whittaker)

Graham O'Brien

Ryan Sinclair

Yasmin "Yaz" Khan

Dan Lewis

Fourteenth Doctor (Played by David Tennant)

Rose Noble (Daughter of Donna Noble; Played by Yasmin Finney)

Fifteenth Doctor

Ruby Sunday (Played by Millie Gibson)

Rogue

[evoldir]

Fwd: Workshop: Medellin_Colombia.RADSeqPopulationGenomics.Jul18-28

Begin forwarded message: > From: evoldir@evol.biology.mcmaster.ca > Subject: Workshop: Medellin_Colombia.RADSeqPopulationGenomics.Jul18-28 > Date: 19 April 2023 at 06:08:17 BST > To: rdmpage@gmail.com > > > > The Gen-Pob.org workshop will resume in Medell?n, Colombia from > 18 to 28 July 2023, at the Instituto de Biolog?a - Universidad de > Antioquia.  This workshop includes 8 days of instruction in population > genomic theory and bioinformatics exercises related to the analysis > of genomic data generated using RAD-Seq. Instructors this year > include Dr. Kevin McCracken (kevin.g.mccracken@gmail.com) from the > University of Miami and Dr. Jeff Peters from Wright State University > (jeffrey.peters@wright.edu). Instruction will be in English. > > Details about the workshop can be accessed at: > www.gen-pob.org > > The workshop will also include an optional two-day > field trip to Reserva Natural Ca?on del R?o Claro > (https://ift.tt/Jzr4iXV). The cost for lodging > and transportation is estimated to be approximately $50USD) > > There is no cost to the workshop, but registration is required by 25 May. > > To apply please send the following to: genpob23@gmail.com > > >  1.  Name >  2.  Affiliation >  3.  Email & telephone >  4.  Whether you wish to join the field trip >  5.  2-page CV or resume > > Only about 35 positions are available. > > > Thank you! > > Jeffrey L. Peters, PhD > Pronouns: he, him, his > Professor of Biology > 204A Biological Sciences > 3640 Colonel Glenn Hwy > Wright State University > Dayton, OH 45435 > > Office phone: 937-775-3173 > > > > jeffrey.peters@wright.edu > > (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to > golding@mcmaster.ca

[hutz224]

World Masters Cross Country Championships preview part 4

With statistical assistance from Scott Lawrence 

With just one sleep to go until the 2k relay and two sleeps to the individual Sunday races, let's have a brief look at the 70+, 75+ and 80+ age categories. These groups compete over a shorter distance - 4k as opposed to 6k - and the fields are predictably smaller, but the rivalry will be just as strong.

The M70 field features two athletes with vastly different backgrounds, but impeccable distance running credentials. John Bermingham (NT) won two world championshipship gold medals in Finland last year (1500m and 10k road) and will start as favourite. Yassine Belaabed has set a string of Victorian M70 distance records over the last year and will keep John honest. Hard to prdict who will follow these two runners home - perhaps former Olympian Chris Wardlaw (Vic) or Ron Schwebel (NSW). 

(L to R) Bermingham, Belaabed, Schwebel

There are only two W70 entrants, so both are guaranteed to win a medal! Canadian Thelma Wright may have the edge over Heather Powrie (NSW).You will understand why I make this suggestion if you look up Thelma’s Wikipedia entry. She is one of the all-time greats of Canadian distance running. In 1970, she won a bronze medal in the open age World Cross Country Championships in France. It is wonderful to see her in Australia for this event 43 years later.

There are five entries in the M75 event, all Aussies. Frank Scorzelli (NSW) has recently run 22:01 for parkrun so he will start as clear favourite. Phillip Urquhart (Vic) is extremely well known in Masters ranks as a former President of AMA. The form of the other three runners is unknown. There are no W75 entries.

(L to R) Scorzelli, Urquhart

There are six 80+ entries, three men and three women, which is well organised by them because, as long as they finish, they will all get to stand on the podium. One name among them is famous, very famous. New Zealander Roger Robinson has so many great achievements in the sport that it would fill several pages to list them all. We can be sure that he will come to the event very well prepared and I’m nominating him as the likely M80 winner. Caroline Campbell (ACT) is a 1500m bronze medallist from the World Masters T & F Champs in 2018 and she will battle it out with Myrtle Rough, who was recently named the New Zealand masters middle distance athlete of the year. Roger and Myrtle should easily win the 80+ 2k relay.

(L to R) Robinson, Myrtle

Finally, and what a way to end this series of race previews, we have the oldest man in the field and the only 85+ entrant, Lachlan Lewis. He will win.

[edgewaterfarmcsa]

p i c k l i s t

GARLIC SCAPES - HAKURAI TURNIPS - LETTUCE - BEETS - CUKES -

SUMMER SQUASH - KALE - PARSLEY - SCALLIONS

POP-UP STRAWBERRY GLEANING THIS SATURDAY

Strawberry Season comes to a close this week so let’s all go glean some berries!  

 Join us Saturday afternoon for the annual CSA pop-up Strawberry Glean

Pick all you want, for free and enjoy this New England past-time.

 WHO:  Open to the entire Edgewater Farm C.S.A. community

WHAT:  A Strawberry Gleaning takes place towards the end of a crop's productive season.  The purpose of the glean is to invite the C.S.A. community to the field to pick off any extra berries for their (your) own kitchen.  The gleaning will take place rain or shine (preferably shine).  The field is yours to pick through and whatever berries you can find are yours.  Bottomline, All-You-Can-Pick-FREE-Berries

WHERE:  at Edgewater Farm (park by the greenhouses)

 THE ADDRESS for all your googling:   99 River Road/ Plainfield NH 03781

 WHEN: This Saturday  July 9th... 3:00pm- 5:00pm

 HOW: You pick.  Bring containers!! 

WHY: Because it's awesome, & the berries are free & delicious & there is still some decent fruit out there

 A heads up::  As it is the end of the season, along with nice berries, you will find rot   

PRO-TIPS:

These smoky grilled beets are perfectly paired with a fresh mint and parsley pesto. A finishing touch of cultured vegan cashew cheese (but you can use feta if youd rather!) and peppery micro greens (but you can use your big head lettuce) rounds everything out. Ten-ish ingredients and simple cooking methods yield an unusual and flavourful vegetable side dish. Instructions for roasting the beets are also included in this recipe.

Prep Time20 minutes/ Cook Time50 minutes/ Total Time1 hour 10 minutes/ Servings4 -6/ AuthorLaura Wright

2 bunches medium-sized beets, scrubbed (about 750 grams)

2 garlic scapes

1 tablespoon capers, drained

¼ cup shelled pistachios

1 cup mint leaves, very lightly packed

1 cup parsley leaves, lightly packed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

2 teaspoons light miso

⅓ cup olive oil, plus extra

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Handful chopped lettuce

1 oz of feta

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling, drop the beets into the water. Bring the beets up to a boil. Lower the heat to a simmer and cook until the beets are tender when pierced with a knife, about 30-40 minutes. Drain the beets and set aside to cool slightly. Once you can handle them, slip the skins off of the beets. Set the peeled beets aside.

While the beets are simmering, make the pesto. In a food processor fitted with the “S” blade, place the garlic scapes, capers, and pistachios. Pulse these items a couple times until finely chopped. Then, to the food processor, add the mint, parsley, lemon juice, miso, salt, and pepper (being careful on the salt because the miso and capers are quite salty). Pulse this mixture until the herbs are finely chopped. Then, with the motor on low, drizzle the olive oil in through the feed tube until you have a slightly fluid paste. Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl and pulse a couple more times. Check the pesto for seasoning, adjust if necessary, and set aside.

Preheat a grill to high. Cut the beets into halves (or into quarters if you like and don’t mind fussing with them on the grill). Place the cut beets in a medium bowl and toss them with olive oil, the smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Once evenly coated, set aside.

Using tongs, carefully place the beets on your preheated grill. Let them sit for about 4-5 minutes, or until there is some slight charring on the side facing the grill. Flip the pieces of beet over and grill for another 4-5 minutes to get slight charring on the other side. Remove the beets from the grill.

To serve, spread the pesto out evenly on a dinner plate-sized platter. Arrange the grilled smoky beets on top. Top the beets with the chopped lettuce, the crumbled cheese (if using), some extra mint, a few twists of black pepper, and some extra capers if you like. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

You could also roast the beets. Just fully dry the boiled beets, cut them into halves or quarters, and then toss them with olive oil, the smoked paprika, salt, and pepper before spreading out on a baking sheet. Roast at 400 for about 25 minutes or until you get some light caramelization on the edges.

If your beets came with beautiful greens, save them! I usually just sauté them with garlic, chili, and a splash of sherry vinegar at the end.

JENNY’S NOTE: I know I know, a jam recipe but no berries this week!?!?!  This is to prepare you for Saturday’s glean- Because all berries, despite signs of age, bugs, and weathering make a great jam.  

Making your own strawberry jam is as easy as one-two-three. The only ingredients you need to make this recipe are whole, hulled strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice. For a quick breakfast or snack, toast slices of country-style bread and top with ricotta cheese and a dollop of jam.

Yield:Makes 1 3/4 cups

1 quart hulled strawberries

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

In a food processor, process strawberries until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large skillet and stir in sugar and lemon juice. Cook over medium-high, stirring frequently, until jam is thickened and bubbles completely cover surface, 9 to 10 minutes. Transfer jam to a jar and let cool to room temperature. (To store, seal jar and refrigerate, up to 10 days).

[usafphantom2]

Ronnie Bell Following

Martin B-10 during exercises over Oahu, Hawaii.

The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to go into regular use by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934. It was also the first mass-produced bomber whose performance was superior to that of the Army's pursuit aircraft of the time.

The B-10 served as the airframe for the B-12, B-13, B-14, A-15 and O-45 designations using Pratt & Whitney engines instead of Wright Cyclones.

In 1935, the Army ordered an additional 103 aircraft designated B-10B. These had only minor changes from the YB-10. Shipments began in 1935 July. B-10Bs served with the 2d Bomb Group at Langley Field, the 9th Bomb Group at Mitchel Field, the 19th Bomb Group at March Field, the 6th Composite Group in the Panama Canal Zone, and the 4th Composite Group in the Philippines. In addition to conventional duties in the bomber role, some modified YB-10s and B-12As were operated for a time on large twin floats for coastal patrol.

The Martin Model 139 was the export version of the Martin B-10. With an advanced performance, the Martin company fully expected that export orders for the B-10 would come flooding in.

The Army owned the rights to the Model 139 design. Once the Army's orders had been filled in 1936, Martin received permission to export Model 139s, and delivered versions to several air forces. For example, six Model 139Ws were sold to Siam in April 1937, powered by Wright R-1820-G3 Cyclone engines; 20 Model 139Ws were sold to Turkey in September 1937, powered by R-1820-G2 engines.

On 19 May 1938, during the Sino-Japanese War, two Chinese Nationalist Air Force B-10s successfully flew to Japan. However, rather than dropping bombs, the aircraft dropped propaganda leaflets.

At the time of its creation, the B-10B was so advanced that General Henry H. Arnold described it as the air power wonder of its day. It was half again as fast as any biplane bomber, and faster than any contemporary fighter. The B-10 began a revolution in bomber design; it made all existing bombers completely obsolete.

However, the rapid advances in bomber design in the 1930s meant that the B-10 was eclipsed by the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress and Douglas B-18 Bolo before the United States entered World War II. The B-10's obsolescence was proved by the quick defeat of B-10B squadrons by Japanese Zeros during the invasions of the Dutch East Indies and China.

An abortive effort to modernize the design, the Martin Model 146, was entered into a USAAC long-distance bomber design competition 1934–1935, but lost out to the Douglas B-18 and revolutionary Boeing B-17. The sole prototype was so similar in profile and performance to the Martin B-10 series that the other more modern designs easily "ran away" with the competition.

The B-10 began a revolution in bomber design. Its all-metal monoplane build, along with its features of closed cockpits, rotating gun turrets, retractable landing gear, internal bomb bay, and full engine cowlings, would become the standard for bomber designs worldwide for decades. It made all existing bombers completely obsolete. In 1932, Martin received the Collier Trophy for designing the XB-10.

The B-10 began as the Martin Model 123, a private venture by the Glenn L. Martin Company of Baltimore, Maryland. It had a crew of four: pilot, copilot, nose gunner and fuselage gunner. As in previous bombers, the four crew compartments were open, but it had a number of design innovations as well.

These innovations included a deep belly for an internal bomb bay and retractable main landing gear. Its 600 hp (447 kW) Wright SR-1820-E Cyclone engines provided sufficient power. The Model 123 first flew on 16 February 1932 and was delivered for testing to the U.S. Army on 20 March as the XB-907. After testing it was sent back to Martin for redesigning and was rebuilt as the XB-10.

The XB-10 delivered to the Army had major differences from the original aircraft. Where the Model 123 had NACA cowling rings, the XB-10 had full engine cowlings to decrease drag.[2] It also sported a pair of 675 hp (503 kW) Wright R-1820-19 engines, and an 8 feet (2.4 m) increase in the wingspan, along with an enclosed nose turret. When the XB-10 flew during trials in June, it recorded a speed of 197 mph (317 km/h) at 6,000 ft (1,830 m). This was an impressive performance for 1932.

Following the success of the XB-10, a number of changes were made, including reduction to a three-man crew, addition of canopies for all crew positions, and an upgrade to 675 hp (503 kW) engines. The Army ordered 48 of these on 17 January 1933. The first 14 aircraft were designated YB-10 and delivered to Wright Field, starting in November 1933. The production model of the XB-10, the YB-10 was very similar to its prototype.

Via Flickr

[taraross-1787]

This Week in History: Glenn Martin, aviation hero

During this week in 1886, Glenn L. Martin is born. He’s possibly the biggest aviation hero that you’ve never heard of. 🙂 He is the “Martin” in Lockheed Martin. He designed America’s first twin-engine bomber. William Boeing was one of his students! His first company merged with one of the Wright Brothers’ enterprises.

All of this from a man who began life as a boy, cutting up his mother’s bedsheets so he could make kites and sails.

Entrepreneurs will use anything that they can get a hold of sometimes, won’t they?!

A few stories are often told about Martin. The first involves one of Martin’s early attempts to fly a plane that he’ built himself. He’d been spurred to give it a try when he read of the Wright Brothers’ famous flight at Kitty Hawk. If they could do it, then he could, too.

Everything was going okay at first. On its first attempt, the plane bumped across the field a bit before stalling. Undeterred, Martin jumped out to give the propeller a spin. Big mistake! The engine gave a sudden start and the plane began hurtling down the field—even though no one was at the controls. Instead, the plane launched over Martin’s head, nicking his hat and finally crashing in a heap.

Martin wasn’t one to be stopped by a little thing like getting hit in the head by a plane, of course.

The story continues at the link in the comments. 

[blackfemmecharacterdependency]

BFCD Calendar: Celebrity Birthday List

HAPPY BIRTHDAY 🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂🎂

MARCH: HAPPY WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH, SIS!!!

1: Alexis Fields, Lupita Nyong’o 2: Danielle Moné Truitt, Nathalie Emmanuel 3: Gloria Hendry, Meagan Tandy 4: Angela V. Shelton 6: Anna Maria Horsford, Birgundi Baker 9: Christiana Pitts 10: Ego Nwodim 11: Ajani Russell 13: Adina Porter 14: Tamara Tunie, Carol Speed, Elise Neal, Greta Onieogou 15: Aaron Rose Philip 16: Cynthia Bond, Sierra McClain, Ajiona Alexus  18: Vanessa L Williams, Queen Latifah, Ayisha Issa, Amanda Foster, Bonnie Mbuli, Christina Elmore ��19: Alycia Pascual Pena 20: Bianca Lawson, Dominique Jackson, Erica Luttrell, Freema Ageyman, Vanessa Bell Calloway 

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19) 21: Sonequa Martin Green 22: Kandyse Mcclure 23: Chaka Khan, Vanessa Morgan 25: Jeryl Prescott 26: Diana Ross 27: Mariah, Halle Bailey 28: Celai West, Chrystale Wilson 30: Gabrielle Byndloss 31: Erica Tazel, Andrea Bordeaux, Zethu Dlomo-Mphahlele

APRIL (National Stress Awareness Month)

1: Cece Show, 2: Nikki Perkins, Amber Gray 3: Catherine Lough Haggquist, Sarah Jeffery, Young MA, 4: Lorraine Toussaint, Jill Scott, Khadi Don, Maya Angelou 6: Simona Brown, Lauren Ridloff 7: Billie Holiday, 8: Skai Jackson, Femi Taylor 9: Jazmine Sullivan, Bianca Belair, Kisha Knight Pulliam 10: Dana Heath, Jasika Nicole, April Weeden-Washington  11: Anita-Joy Uwajeh, Summer Walker 12: Imani Lewis, Retta, Suzzanne Douglas 13: Brittany Marie Batchelder, Marci T. House 14: Da Brat 15: Ester Dean, Kron Moore, Samira Wiley 16: Ebony Obsidian, Vallerie Rae Miller 

Taurus (Apr 20-May 20) 21: Gugu Mbatha-Raw  24: Reagan Gomez Preston 25: Gina Torres, Leyna Bloom 26: Debra Wilson 27: Lizzo 28: Aleisha LaNaé Allen, Cheslie Kryst, Madge Sinclair 29: Shahadi Wright Joseph

MAY (Women's Healthcare Month)

1: Victoria Monet 2: Golda Rosheuvel 3: Meagan Tandy, Chinenye Ezeudu, Danielle Deadwyler, Genevieve Nnaji 5: Gabrielle Nevaeh Green 6: Gabourey Sidibe, Adrienne Warren, Bresha Webb 7: Devyn Tyler 11: Dominique Thorne 12: Vanessa Estelle Williams, Kim Fields 13: Pearl Thusi 14: Tamara Dobson 15: Anjelika Washington, Bahia Watson, Sommore, 16: Janet Jackson, Aleyse Shannon 17:  Francis Callier, Rochelle Aytes, Cynda Williams 19: Grace Jones, Angel Theory 

Gemini (May 21-Jun 20) 21: Da’Vine Joy Randolph 22: Naomi Campbell 24: Patti Labelle, 25: Ebonee Noel, Octavia Spencer, Zazie Beetz, Leslie Uggams, Aïssa Maïga 26: Pam Grier, Lauryn Hill, Madeleine Mantock, Marie Pierra Kakoma 27: Left Eye, 28: Megalyn Echikunwoke, Gladys Knight 29: Laverne Cox, Mel B, Ashleigh Morghan, Michole Briana White 30: Javicia Leslie, DeWanda Wise 31: Cupcakke, Normani 

JUNE (HAPPY JUNETEENTH AND BLACK MUSIC MONTH!!! HAPPY PRIDE LADIES,GAYDIES & THEYDIES)

1: Shailyn Pierre-Dixon 2: Brandee Evans, Jadah Marie, Laura Kariuki 3: Assa Sylla, Elizabeth Adare, Josephine Baker 4: Bahni Turpin 5: Denisea Wilson 6: Alex Datcher 9: Logan Browning, Gloria Reuben 10: Faith Evans 12: Felecia M. Bell 13: Daniella Perkins 14: Marla Gibbs, Tamara Smart 15: Judy Pace, Ashley Nicole Black 16: Iantha Richardson 17: Venus Williams 18: Fatou Jobe 19: Phylicia Rashad, Alysia Rogers 20: Tika Sumpter 

Cancer (June 21-July22) 22: DomiNque Perry 23: Brandi Rhodes, Britne Oldford 24: Solange, Candice Patton, Adele Oni, Dominique Tipper 25: Brenda Sykes 26: Antoinette Robertson 27: Anjela Lauren Smith, Chantel Riley

JULY (HAPPY DISABILITY PRIDE MONTH)

1: Storm Reid 3: Audra McDonald, Alyah Chanelle Scott 4: Edmonia Lewis 5: Ellen Bendu 6: Della Reese, Little Miss Flint, Tia Mowry 7: Cree Summer, Akira Golz 8: Riele Downs, Taja V. Simpson 10: Angel Haze 11: Lil’ Kim, Aida Osman, Annarah Cymone, Aerial Hull, 14: Alisha Wainwright, Angela Lewis, Geretta Geretta, Kelly Jo Minter 15: Shari Headley 17: Diahann Carroll, Amanda Warren, Asjha Cooper

Leo (July 23-Aug 22) 24: Brenda Crichlow, Herizen Guardiola 25: Iman, Jajube Mandiela  26: Grace Byers 27: Gabrielle Graham, Savannah Smith 29: Sweet LD, 30:Vivica A. Fox 31: Wunmi Mosaku, Bukamina Cebekhulu

AUGUST

1: Tempestt Bledsoe 2: Alvina August 3: Chandler Kinney, Jo Marie Payton 4: Eris Baker 5: Chip Fields, 6: Merrin Dungey, 7: Kheris Rogers, 8: Meagan Good, Kimberly Brooks 9: Whitney Houston, Angely Gaviria  11: Viola Davis, Sophie Okonedo 12: Imani Hakim, Yvette Nicole Brown 13: Dawnn Lewis,  Deborah Ayorinde 14: Jackée Harry, Halle Berry, Marsai Martin, Aliyah Moulden 15: Christine Adams, Andrea Lewis 16: Angela Bassett 19: Sara Martins, Tracie Thoms 20: Ashley Nicole Williams 21: Loretta Devine, Kelis 

Virgo (Aug 23-Sept 22) 23: Angelique Noire, Clarissa Thibeaux 24: Ava Duvernay, Harriett D Foy 25: Ashley Winfrey, China Ann McClain 26: Keke Palmer 27: Chandra Wilson, Demetria McKinney 29: Kelly McCreary 30: Angel Coulby

SEPTEMBER

1: Zendaya Coleman, Skye Townsend, Bianca Brewton 3: Iza 4: Beyoncé Giselle Knowles Carter, Sammie Ware 5: Clark Backo, Coco Rebecca Edogamhe, Kat Graham, Jade Payton 6: Anika Noni Rose, Daniele Gaither, Naomie Harris, Trina McGee 7: Afton Williamson 9: Camilla Beeput 

10: Treshelle Edmond 11: Taraji P. Henson 12: Jennifer Hudson 13: Aisha Dee 14: Ololade "Lolly" Adefope 16: Olatokunbo Susan Olasobunmi Abeke "Toks" Olagundoye 17: Danielle Brooks 18: Aisha Tyler, Jada Pinkett Smith 19: Sanaa Lathan 20: Debbi Morgan, Enuka Okuma, Victoria Dillard 21: Jerrika Hinton  

Libra (Sept 23-Oct 22) 22: Teyonah Parrish 23: Cush Jumbo, Janelle James, LisaRaye McCoy 24: Yetide Badaki 26: Serena Williams, Fola Evans-Akingbola 27 Beverly Osu 28: Vernee Watson-Johnson

OCTOBER

1: Hamamat Montia, Michaela Coel, Jurnee Smollett Bell, Priah Ferguson 2: Akira Akbar 3: Ayo Edebiri, Tessa Thompson 4: Dana Davis, Ella Balinska, Ambrosia Kelley 5: Heather Headley 7: Toni Braxton, Adriyan Rae, Amber Stevens West, Aweng Chuol, Grace Saif 10: Damaris Lewis, Enam Asiama 13: Tisha Campbell, Ashanti, Aude Legastelois 15: Bethany Brown 17: Sharon Leal, Angel Parker 18: Joy Bryant 19: Ciara Renée Harper 21: Nakia Burrise 22: Carmen Ejogo 23: Amandla Stenberg, Duckie Thot

Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21) 24: Monica Brown 25: Ciara 26: Florence Kasumba, Folake Olowofoyeku 29: Gabrielle Union 30: Charnele Brown, Eva Marcille, Nia Long 31: Letitia Wright

NOVEMBER

1: Zoë Soul 3: Antonia Thomas 4: Brittany Adebumola, Demene Hall  5: Dominique Thorne 6: Thandiwe Newton, Lisa Berry, Alix Lapri 7: Dara Renee 8: Alfre Woodard, Esther Rolle 9: Dorothy Dandridge 10: Eve Jeffers 11: Camille Hyde, Susan Kelechi Watson 13: Aisha Hinds, Monique Coleman, Whoopi 15: Rachel True, Yaya Dacosta, Gloria Foster 16: Lisa Bonet 19: Erika Alexander, Gabrielle Elyse, Susan Heyward 

Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21) 22: Crystal Scales, Patra 24: Ifeoma Nwobu 25: Wakeema Hollis, 26: Tina Turner, Garcelle Beauvais, Camille McDonald 27: Robin Givens, 28: Angelica Ross S. Epatha Merkerson 29: Lovie Simone, Franchesca Ramsey 30: Kayden Grace Swan

DECEMBER

1: Janelle Monae, Zoe Kravitz 2: Lesley Ann Brandt, Celeste O’Connor  4: Ashley Blaine Featherson-Jenkins, Nefessa Williams 5: Lauren London 6: Ashley Madekwe 7: Idara Victor 8: Nikki Minaj 10: Kiki Layne, Raven Symone 11: Chloe Coleman, Condola Rashad, Xosha Roquemore 12: Regina Hall, 16: Kiara Muhummad, Gretchen Palmer 18: Adelayo Adedayo 19: Cicely Tyson 21: Quinta Brunson, Michelle Hurd 

Capricorn  (Dec 22-Jan 19) 22: Alexis Floyd, BernNadette Stanis 23: Brooke & Bria Singleton, Ruby Barker 25: Bethany Antonia, CCH Pounder 27: AmandaMaryanna, Faithe Herman 28: Nichelle Nichols, 30: Sheryl Lee Ralph, Aesha Ash 31: Susan Wokoma, Donna Summer, Rosalind Cash, Denee Benton

Obviously this isn’t a comprehensive list and will be updated as more are remembered or learned. So, list will be updated as needed. Currently/Continually working on it.

JANUARY: WELCOME TO A NEW YEAR!

Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19) 1: Josette Simon  2: Erica Hubbard, Renée Elise Goldsberry 3: Angelique Perrin, Nicole Beharie 4: Vanity, Jill Marie Jones, Miss Tina Lawson, Lenora Crichlow, Alexandra Grey, Coco Jones, Sindi Dlathu 5: Ms. Juicy Baby 6: Betty Gabriel, Jacqueline Moore, Tiffany Pollard, Armelia McQueen, Tanyell Waivers 7: Blue Ivy Carter, Ruth Negga, Sofia Wylie, Zora Neale Hurston, Zaraah Abrahams 8: Butterfly McQueen, Ryan Destiny, Cynthia Erivo 9: Amber Ruffin, Flo Milli, Anais Lee/Mirabel Lee,

10: Kathleen Bradley, Sisi Stringer, Teresa Graves 11: Adepero Oduye, Aja Naomi King, Amiyah Scott, Kim Coles, Mary J. Blige 12: Cynthia Addai Robinson, Erinn Westbrook, Issa Rae, Naya Rivera, Zabryna Guevara 13: Janet Hubert, Andy Allo, Shonda Rhimes 14: Adjoa Andoh, Vonetta McGee, Emayatzy Corinealdi 15: Regina King 16: Debbie Allen, Aaliyah, FKA Twigs, Sade 17: Eartha Kitt, Indya Moore, Michelle Obama, Ann Wolfe, Quen Blackwell 18: Ashleigh Murray, Estelle 19: Simone Missick  

Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18) 20: Rukiya Bernard 21: Anastarzi Anaquway 22: Blesnya Minher, Dwan Smith 23: Lanei Chapman 24: Kenya Moore, Tatyana Ali 25: Ariana DeBose, Jenifer Lewis, Tati Gabrielle, Etta James, Willow Nightingale 26: Angela Davis, Anita Baker, Bessie Coleman, Ciera Payton, Desiree Burch, Sasha Banks, Zara Cully  27: Betty Adewole 28: Tyra Ferrell 31: Kerry Washington

FEBRUARY: HAPPY BLACK HISTORY MONTH, SIS!!!

3: Ellen Thomas 6: Mame Anna Diop, Heir of Glee (Phillicia Deanell) 7: Essence Atkins, Kirby Howell Baptiste 8: Quintessa, 9: Alice Walker, Camille Winbush 10: Yara Shahidi, Uzo Aduba 11: Kelly Rowland, Brandy 12: Latrice Royale 14: Danai Gurira, Aniela Gumbs 15: Amber Riley, Lynn Whitfield, Meg Thee Stallion, Zuri Reed 16: Hailey Kilgore  18: Emelia Burns, Genelle Williams, Toni Morrison

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20) 19: Caroline Chikezie, Angela Meryl, Ariel Alexandria Davis 20: Rihanna 21: Aunjanue Ellis, Ann Ogbomo 22: Genneya Walton 23: Niecy Nash 24: Kasi Lemmons, Tawny Newsome, Dede Lovelace 25: Geffri Maya 28: Rae Dawn Chong, Tasha & Sidra Smith 29: Augusta Savage