#Gardening free website

[yardenercom]

The Ultimate Vertical Gardening Checklist 7 Must Know Tips Presentation

Learn the 7 must-know tips for successful vertical gardening, including the definition and benefits, types of vertical gardens, choosing plants, tools and materials, building your vertical garden, common problems and solutions, and creative ideas. Start your own vertical garden today and enjoy the benefits of growing your own plants in a space-efficient and beautiful way.

[festivalfoxes]

my latest discovery of a word from the 'if we make it sound like it's Girls it's inherently more progressive' school of linguistic thought: rematriation. it's defined exactly the same as repatriation. except it's got Matriarch in it now so you know it's Good.

[lifehacksthatwork]

Just a bunch of Useful websites - Updated for 2023

Removed/checked all links to make sure everything is working (03/03/23). Hope they help!

Sejda - Free online PDF editor.

Supercook - Have ingredients but no idea what to make? Put them in here and it'll give you recipe ideas.

Still Tasty - Trying the above but unsure about whether that sauce in the fridge is still edible? Check here first.

Archive.ph - Paywall bypass. Like 12ft below but appears to work far better and across more sites in my testing. I'd recommend trying this one first as I had more success with it.

12ft – Hate paywalls? Try this site out.

Where Is This - Want to know where a picture was taken, this site can help.

TOS/DR - Terms of service, didn't read. Gives you a summary of terms of service plus gives each site a privacy rating.

OneLook - Reverse dictionary for when you know the description of the word but can't for the life of you remember the actual word.

My Abandonware - Brilliant site for free, legal games. Has games from 1978 up to present day across pc and console. You'll be surprised by some of the games on there, some absolute gems.

Project Gutenberg – Always ends up on these type of lists and for very good reason. All works that are copyright free in one place.

Ninite – New PC? Install all of your programs in one go with no bloat or unnecessary crap.

PatchMyPC - Alternative to ninite with over 300 app options to keep upto date. Free for home users.

Unchecky – Tired of software trying to install additional unwanted programs? This will stop it completely by unchecking the necessary boxes when you install.

Sci-Hub – Research papers galore! Check here before shelling out money. And if it’s not here, try the next link in our list.

LibGen – Lots of free PDFs relate primarily to the sciences.

Zotero – A free and easy to use program to collect, organize, cite and share research.

Car Complaints – Buying a used car? Check out what other owners of the same model have to say about it first.

CamelCamelCamel – Check the historical prices of items on Amazon and set alerts for when prices drop.

Have I Been Pawned – Still the king when it comes to checking if your online accounts have been released in a data breach. Also able to sign up for email alerts if you’ve ever a victim of a breach.

I Have No TV - A collection of documentaries for you to while away the time. Completely free.

Radio Garden – Think Google Earth but wherever you zoom, you get the radio station of that place.

Just The Recipe – Paste in the url and get just the recipe as a result. No life story or adverts.

Tineye – An Amazing reverse image search tool.

My 90s TV – Simulates 90’s TV using YouTube videos. Also has My80sTV, My70sTV, My60sTV and for the younger ones out there, My00sTV. Lose yourself in nostalgia.

Foto Forensics – Free image analysis tools.

Old Games Download – A repository of games from the 90’s and early 2000’s. Get your fix of nostalgia here.

Online OCR – Convert pictures of text into actual text and output it in the format you need.

Remove Background – An amazingly quick and accurate way to remove backgrounds from your pictures.

Twoseven – Allows you to sync videos from providers such as Netflix, Youtube, Disney+ etc and watch them with your friends. Ad free and also has the ability to do real time video and text chat.

Terms of Service, Didn’t Read – Get a quick summary of Terms of service plus a privacy rating.

Coolors – Struggling to get a good combination of colors? This site will generate color palettes for you.

This To That – Need to glue two things together? This’ll help.

Photopea – A free online alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Does everything in your browser.

BitWarden – Free open source password manager.

Just Beam It - Peer to peer file transfer. Drop the file in on one end, click create link and send to whoever. Leave your pc on that page while they download. Because of how it works there are no file limits. It's genuinely amazing. Best file transfer system I have ever used.

Atlas Obscura – Travelling to a new place? Find out the hidden treasures you should go to with Atlas Obscura.

ID Ransomware – Ever get ransomware on your computer? Use this to see if the virus infecting your pc has been cracked yet or not. Potentially saving you money. You can also sign up for email notifications if your particular problem hasn’t been cracked yet.

Way Back Machine – The Internet Archive is a non-profit library of millions of free books, movies, software, music, websites and loads more.

Rome2Rio – Directions from anywhere to anywhere by bus, train, plane, car and ferry.

Splitter – Seperate different audio tracks audio. Allowing you to split out music from the words for example.

myNoise – Gives you beautiful noises to match your mood. Increase your productivity, calm down and need help sleeping? All here for you.

DeepL – Best language translation tool on the web.

Forvo – Alternatively, if you need to hear a local speaking a word, this is the site for you.

For even more useful sites, there is an expanded list that can be found here.

[vanillabat99]

I've revived my instagram so I can stay in touch with people from choir!! I haven't used it since highschool, and I don't talk to anyone I used to know on there, so I am a little worried about how it's gonna go. I refuse to redownload the app, so I'm using desktop only, which is not what the website likes... Hopefully my harsh reintroduction is strange and off-putting enough that people unfollow :3

[garden-of-willows]

made these studying cat genetics over the past 2 weeks!

i felt like there weren't enough visual guides of cat genetics so i went ahead and made some simple ones, my main references were Sparrow's Garden the website, Sparrow's Garden the blog, Messybeast, and The Little Carnivore.

Please only use these for general reference and not for tracing, using as a base, or reposting!! You can trace the poses for practice, but please don't post them if you do so. Please don't use them as a free Base, either.

[toychest321]

I cannot stress enough that this might be the most important doll I've posted about.

Meet Jafra, the Palestinian fashion doll.

Information on her took a bit of digging, but as far as I can tell she debuted in either December 2015 or January 2016. She was initially available for purchase through her website, and after a year began to be (and still is as) sold at Hamleys in Jordan, UAE, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi. In 2021 the Palestine Museum began selling her for $49.99 each, and is now completely sold out.

Each doll wears a detailed thobe, the longer one in front for their bridal collection. The thobe is a traditional Palestinian dress with tatreez (embroidery) which uses color to indicate what region the wearer is from. During the First Intifada in the 80s, it became a symbol of resistance against Israeli Apartheid, and of Palestinians' connection to their land. (Credit to Handmade Palestine and @nickysfacts for this information)

As far as I can tell based on discrepancy in stock photos, the dolls with embroidered thobes were considered collectors items with a higher price. Meanwhile the details might have been printed for playline/budget releases, likely to lower the price for better availability.

Jafra's dream is to "empower all the beautiful girls from the Middle East". She lives away from her homeland, but hopes to design and build her own house in Palestine. She grows Chamomile and Thyme in her garden, studies architectural design in college, and always tries to volunteer and help others. Her thobe binds her to her home country, passed down from her ancestors.

"Jafra is beyond a doll... beyond an idea. It's a deep-rooted tradition mixed with history and memories"

I hope I have made it abundantly clear that I do and always will support Palestine, and encourage anyone who considers this genocide a "war against Hamas" to unfollow and block me immediately. You have been given every opportunity to educate yourself and sympathize with the innocent Palestinians suffering at the hands of Israel, and your ignorance does not deserve a listening ear over them.

To my followers, I implore you to do your daily click. Contact your representatives. Attend protests. Donate or buy an e-sim if you can. We need to let our government know we are not going to fucking stand for this, and support Palestinians however remotely possible.

A ceasefire WILL be reached. Palestine WILL be free. No matter what actions Israel and its disgusting supporters commit Palestine WILL NEVER DIE.

Ramadan Kareem, and Free Palestine.

[hexiva]

Roleplay Is Not Dead Nor Doth It Sleep

There's a post going around about how text-based, freeform roleplay is dead, and I was typing up a huge response to this, with an accompanying guide on how to find roleplayer in 2024, when I realized it might have a bigger reach if I made it its own post. So here's that guide.

I hesitate to say that there isn't a problem with the new format of social media making roleplay more difficult to find, but in the desire to make that point, the OP of the original post has left people with the idea that there's no way for them to get into freeform text roleplay in 2024. Which just isn't true! Here, look at all the ways.

Forums

The link to RPG-Directory to find roleplaying forums is a good start. Once you've found a forum RPG, even if you don't join, there's usually an 'advertising' section on that forum where other forum RPGs post their ads - this may help you to find forums that don't advertise on RPG-D.

Another really good forum to find roleplay on is Barbermonger. Barbermonger is focused on connecting people for one-on-one roleplays.

This last one's going to be weird, but it turns out that there are still people seeking roleplay on the Gaia Online forums after all these years. I think this is delightfully retro and then crowd there seems a little older than average. No pre-existing knowledge of Gaia required.

Tumblr

You can also find forum roleplay groups (as well as tumblr and Discord groups) right here on Tumblr. Usually, the thing to do is to use the search function - search for "[genre] rp" or "[fandom] rp" and sort by "latest." (If you sort by Top, you are likely to find dead RPs.) For example, here's fantasy rp, historical rp, and marvel rp. You can also try jcink rp, as most roleplay forums are hosted on Jcink these days, or discord rp, depending on your favored platform.

There are also tumblr blogs specifically dedicated to advertising roleplays. I'm not super familiar with these nowadays, but just in the process of searching those tags above, I found these:

Jcink Tinder

RPG Adverts

RPings

There are more, I just don't know them off the top of my head.

Reddit

Listen, don't run away, I swear it's good now - I swear Reddit is good now -

Reddit is a good place to find Discord roleplays. It's a little heavier on smut-only roleplays than other platforms mentioned here, but it's not impossible to find sexless, plot-based roleplay here either. Most ads are for one on one RP, but you can find groups mixed in here too. The big subreddits for text-based freeform RP seem to be:

r/DiscordRP

r/RoleplayPartnerSearch

r/roleplaying

r/Roleplay

Some of these have weird rules about what you can put in your ad, and I don't remember which ones, so read carefully and don't get discouraged if your ad is initially removed.

Discord

In 2024, Discord is by far the biggest and most popular platform for roleplay, and it has its own native roleplay advertising hubs. Here are a bunch:

roleplay partner hub

Rockin Roleplay

The Roleplay Garden

roleplay help

the roleplay connection

RP Central

Roleplay Central

Roleplay Hub

Barbermonger also has a Discord server

Roleplay Meets: Reborn

RP Hub

The Scribes Guild

DM Rp Village

cherry blossom! roleplay hub

DM-RP

Roleplay Round Table (21+)

The Historical Syndicate (specifically for historical roleplay)

The Roleplayer's Directory

If you can't find the Discord roleplay you want on here, you can also try Discord hub websites, like Disboard. These work similar to tumblr tags - search for [genre] rp or [fandom] rp.

Other

The original post specifically mentions that 'all the old "omegle but for role play" type websites died out ages ago'. This is mostly true, but not quite! There's still Rolechat. It's a little janky, but what it needs more than anything is a bigger user base. Their Discord server is also a good place to find one on one discord roleplay. It is, of course, free, but if you want to support its development, they have a patreon.

Please reblog this post, and add your own tips on how to find roleplay!

[z0mbi3k1d]

Fun things to do on your laptop!! 🎀

Emoji kitchen - it let's you mix emojis together, you can make some really cute ones!!

Neal. Fun - it has multiple funny games (my personal favorites are infinite craft and spend bill gates money :3)

Wordle off - play wordle but multiple times and with friends!!

Bored button - click the red button for multiple websites for fun

Smash the walls - self explanatory, the colors are pretty :)

Drawing garden - move your mouse and make a little garden!

Fluid simulation - make colors of light (custom settings)

The Zen zone - three relaxing games to help you chill

Poki - multiple free games to play

Find the invisible cow - self explanatory, pretty random but fun!

˚₊‧꒰ა ♡ ໒꒱ ‧₊˚

Girly tip of the day: Stay out of drama!! Drama causes stress and stress causes bad skin!!

Upcoming posts 🌸

LayZ post

Perfect night routine (I prob won't post that next 🤫🧏‍♂️)

[hedgehog-moss]

I received a BroomSlayer 3000 for Christmas!

Behind its jovial mien lies a cold-blooded killer. It's got merciless jaws to clamp onto the plant and a heavy pivoting handle to extract the roots.

I think Father Christmas saw the Christmas Broom held hostage in my living room, under which he was supposed to leave presents, and realised I had reached a breaking point. Last winter I removed all the invasive shrubs in the pasture. I cut everything! Down to the tiniest baby broomlets! And one year later the place looks like this

It's luxuriant. It's humiliating. It's a boundless undulating broom prairie. Clearly as far as they're concerned, I just gave them a nice trim which allowed them to grow back even healthier. So I needed to try something more violent. Get to the root of the problem. (Sorry.)

(I noticed that the spot of last year's broom bonfire is still completely broom-free, but I have not yet reached the point where I set fire to the entire pasture and hope for the best)

Now let me demonstr

—wait a minute.

Is Pampe eating broom??

Ah, no. She's eating pointless, flavourless, leafless brambles which she wouldn't look at twice if they weren't right next to the plants I'd like her to eat, thus emphasising how much she is not eating these.

For a second here I thought you were being helpful.

I saw Poldine eating brambles instead of broom as well. Bad Poldine!

Poldine recovered from this heartbreak after I let her sniff the snow boots I got for Christmas. Just like cats (her idols) she enjoys inspecting new things. (She also enjoys pulling on the laces delicately with her lips to untie them. This game never gets old, if you're a mischievous young llama.)

Anyway. The BroomSlayer 3000 works!! But it's hard work. I did not think it was going to be hard work, because the website made it look so easy.

I wanted to take a little video of me uprooting my enemies but then I thought an illustration would better convey my emotional state—there was a demo video on the gardening website which sells the BroomSlayer and it was the loveliest most bucolic scene, featuring a polite tree who basically picked up its skirts and scampered away with a contrite gasp the minute it realised its presence was unwanted. I really thought uprooting things was going to be a picnic, because I am not immune to propaganda.

To be fair to the gardening website, maybe it's just broom. With that said, it's incredibly satisfying to pull on the handle and hear the delightful sskkrrhh sound of roots being violently torn out of the ground. It's an exhausting whole-body workout but eventuaIly I will grow stronger than broom. I made a murderous Veni Vidi Vici playlist to put myself in the right mood and with this musical support and my new antibroom weapon I will prevail.

[gucciwins]

Y/N just wants Harry to like her.

Word count: 5964

A/N: Friends!!!!! I am sorry to have disappeared but I am back. Yes, I am aware this is a Halloween/October story but you're getting it now mid November (that has been going by fast). I won't work on any holiday stories because I have no idea what to write. So if you have an idea and want me to write it feel free to shoot me an ask.

Now happy reading! I love you

+

Many people go to work ready to return home, but not Y/N. No, she walks in every day with a smile and a pep in her step. She greets her coworkers by name and occasionally brings baked goods she knows everyone will enjoy. Y/N loves her job, and she’s happy to go every day.

Y/N went from working in a job she hated because it was filled with men constantly belittling her and gaslighting her that she was doing her job wrong when she was actually excelling. It all got to be too much, and Y/N decided to quit. Thank goodness she did because soon into her job search, she received an email from Carla Crain asking her if she’d be interested in joining her company. Y/N went to the interview, and after basically being pitched her dream job, she accepted and entered as head engineer. 

She’d be lying if she wasn’t nervous starting, but the people Carla had hired all shared the same values on work and life. Y/N knew she’d be in safe hands. The company is small but slowly growing. It allows for every employee to get to know each other and everyone to remember that together, they can be successful. Y/N had been at the job for two years and, with time, brought new coworkers. 

There is Estrella, who loves to talk to you about astrology, ironically enough. She states that the invisible string theory is real and that if everyone tracked it, they would notice just how small the world is. 

Carmy has a tough exterior, but once anyone gets him talking, he never stops. He loves chatting about his family and his pet Pitbull named Daisy. 

Maeve is petite, and every other month comes in with a new color in their hair. Y/N enjoys it when everyone in the office places bets on what it will be. 

Tatum is from Scotland and loves to remind everyone when they all go out for drinks on the weekend. 

Chessy is the only one who works remotely, but when she comes in, she is always laughing in the office. They also all get a basket of fresh fruit and vegetables from her garden. 

Overall, Y/N knows she had the best coworkers and wouldn’t change her job for the world, but as their company grows, so does the need in their team. The newest hire is Harry Styles, who has come in as a computer technician to help develop their website and also help with any internal security. Honestly, all she knew was that it was a complex job. 

Harry was on the quiet side. She tried to start conversations with him, but he always seemed to brush her off. At first, Y/N wondered if she should take it personally but soon learned he did that to everyone. Even though he didn’t open up to them, they still invited Harry to join them. 

The thing was, he rejected all their dinners. Y/N loved going to a Korean BBQ Maeve introduced them to, and Harry claimed not to eat meat (not that she didn’t think it wasn’t true. Chessy was vegetarian, after all.) They would go to a bar and share a few drinks when they knew they would all be having a long weekend off. Harry always claimed he had an early morning. It didn't matter if they offered to meet earlier. Y/N’s favorite nights were trivia nights that happened at a local brewery. Y/N was a beat, especially in history. Harry declined, and this one hurt her the most.

 Everyone would ask Harry to join. 

Karaoke. Can’t hold a tune.

Bowling. Too loud. 

It seems there was an excuse for everything.

Everyone began to stop inviting him out, and while Y/N didn’t enjoy being told no, she would send notes to the office with the time and place of what they would be doing. She’d always keep an eye on the door, but Y/N went home disappointed each time.

The thing was, Y/N was determined to make a friend out of Harry. She soon learned large public settings must be overwhelming for him and decided to find a new way to approach him. Everyone took lunch at the same time in the office except for Harry. Sometimes, they all ate at the sub shop across the street. Most times, Y/N brought food from home, and she cooked. While she liked eating out, Y/N preferred a home-cooked meal. She caught Harry taking his lunch half an hour later than her and used that to her advantage. 

They had a conference that always remained empty as everyone preferred the main lounge. Harry went in there every day for his lunch hour. One day, Y/N walks in, smiles at him, and sits as far away as she can. She made sure to only be there for ten minutes. The next day, she stayed for twenty and wished him a nice lunch when she left.  

Slowly, Harry begins to spare her glances, but Y/N keeps to herself until the day she sits across from him. 

“Hi, Harry. Is it okay for me to sit here?” 

No answer. 

“I’m going to take that as a yes.” 

He fidgets with his fork. 

“I saw a lime bike out front. Did you ride that today?” 

Harry looks at her briefly before staring back at his plate. 

“I’ve always wanted to try one, but I’m honestly scared of being hit by a car. Chessy lets me ride hers when I go down to visit her. She’s got beautiful trails. You’d probably enjoy it.” 

Y/N thinks that’s enough for today and excuses herself. She doesn’t realize Harry noticed she didn’t take a bite of her lunch. When she goes back to her desk after using the restroom, she finds three chocolate chip cookies sitting on her desk. Y/N rushes to try one, doesn’t even think of who delivered them or that a green-eyed man was standing right outside waiting to hear her reaction. 

With time, it seems Harry is coming to appreciate Y/N’s presence. He has never expressed it, but she knows because he nods when he agrees to something she says or tightens the hold on his fork when Y/N shares something upsetting. Y/N had not gotten more than two words out of him. At this point, Y/N felt like Harry knew everything about her; all she knew was that he had the most beautiful eyes, and his hair always looked soft. 

One day, after many lunches together, she finds Harry reading a book. Y/N knows he might want quiet, but her curiosity gets the best of her. 

“Any good?”

Harry looks up and grimaces. “Think it’s really boring.” 

Y/N laughs because she wasn’t expecting that response. “Then put it down.” 

He shakes his head. “Don’t like not knowing the ending.”

Y/N shrugs, “if you don’t like a book, I wouldn’t put myself through the torture of it all. Skip to the end if you're curious.” She understands she spoke too much and excuses herself. 

The next day, Harry is sitting in his usual spot, but this time, a new book is in his hand. Y/N bites back a smile. 

“What’s this one about?”

“My sister recommended it,” he defends. 

Y/N isn’t halted by his harsh tone. “What’s it about?” 

“Well, it’s Pride and Prejudice.” He shows her the book cover. 

“Like the movie?” Y/N asks.

Harry laughs, and Y/N feels successful. His laughter rings in her ears. It’s a lovely sound, and she wishes to hear it more. “Yeah…I like the movie.” 

“Me too,” she gushes. “Do you think I’d like the book?”

He frowns, “if you like Jane Austen.” 

“Might have to pick it up next time I’m in the shops.”

+

Their interactions are solely during their lunches but sometimes spills out during work. Y/N seemed to have an issue with her computer and radioed IT. She needed to submit her document, but her desktop appeared to freeze whenever she opened a new file. Harry knocked on her door, and she welcomed him in. Y/N explained the issue, and Harry was quick to get to work. It was only a few minutes when she noticed that her document was open and her computer wasn’t having a meltdown.

“Thank you so much, Harry!” Y/N cheers, knowing he saved her. 

Harry shrugs because it’s his job. “You have a nice photo.” He’s pointing to her picture frame on her desk. It’s a picture of her and a dog in Iceland at the end of her hike. It was taken back when she was nineteen years old. 

“Thank you. I took that on my first solo trip.” She bites her lip, hoping Harry takes the bait. 

“Where to?” He asks curiously. 

She silently cheers, “Iceland.”

“Is that your dog?” 

“I actually found him mid-hike and took him back with me. I hoped to see his owner on the trail, but there was no luck. He didn’t even seem worried. Once I returned to the car park, his owner was there. After that hike, I decided I liked the company of a dog and returned home to adopt Tutter, a Jack Russel Terrier who loves to play fetch.”

“Why isn’t Tutter on your desk?” 

Y/N feels her face flush, “now, don’t be mean. I love my son, but that trip taught me I can do anything I set my mind to, whether alone or with company.”

Harry gives her the slightest smile. “I-I learned Italian because I always dreamed of having an Italian home.”

Y/N’s eyes brighten. Harry is opening up to her, and instead of pushing, she offers more of herself. “I’ve dreamed of visiting. The Amalfi coast is my dream to swim in. Silly, I know,” she brushes off, trying to downplay her excitement. 

Harry doesn’t let her. “You’ll make it.”

He finally excuses himself. Y/N is happy for the rest of the day because she realizes Harry is allowing her in.

+

September means the preparations for Halloween have begun. It starts with little things, from coasters and mugs to the occasional treat. One day, a tiny spider sits on his desk for a second. Harry believed it was real until it began to glow purple. Harry kept it on his desk next to his sticky notes. He doesn't do anything about it; there’s no need. By the second week, the office is entirely decorated. Harry admits a few decorations have scared him, especially the skeleton in the corner of the restroom.

It’s a quiet day when he’s walking by the break room on his way to the secluded office to have lunch when he hears people talking. Harry pauses because he hears Y/N’s voice mixed in with everyone else. 

“But it seems like he doesn’t like us,” Harry hears quietly. 

“It’s hard,” Y/N defends. “You’re all extroverts. It can be overwhelming.” 

Harry knows she’s trying for them to understand.

“But Carla is all about unity in the office. This is a concern.”

“It’s not, Carmy.” Y/N shuts him down, clearly upset she had to defend him.

Harry decides he’s heard enough and decides to eat lunch alone in his car. He’s thankful it was a sandwich and nothing he had to heat up. For the entire lunch and the rest of the day, all he thinks about are the words of his coworkers. 

Y/N looked for Harry, excited to talk about a book she started, but Harry was nowhere to be found. She wouldn’t have been concerned, but it’s clear no one saw him since before lunch. She wishes Harry could confide in her even if a fraction of what she shares with him/ 

The next day, everyone walks into the office at their usual time, everyone making their rounds together to the break room to prepare their coffees and store their lunch in the fridge. When Y/N walks in, she sees her coworkers huddled around the table and peeks around them to see what has captured their attention. There on the table is a box of Halloween cookies from a bakery uptown with a note attached. 

Enjoy - HS

Y/N lets a smile take over her face. She knew Harry cared about them but understood why he finally did something. She tells her coworkers they owe him an apology, and they all agree. Y/N makes sure to head to Harry’s office and thank him for the cookies. Harry tells her it’s nothing. She bounces away to her office, where Estrella, Carmy, Maeve, and Tatum are standing outside her door. 

“Can you come with us? Feel like he likes you.” Tatum tells her. 

Y/N sighs and tells them to follow her. Once again, she knocks on his door, and they all file in when he welcomes her in. Harry looks at them confused. 

“Uh, is there an issue?” Harry asks, concerned. 

Carmy starts, “we want to apologize if you overheard us yesterday.” 

“Right,” Harry sighs, knowing it might be a good time to share with them. If he trusted Y/N and she trusted them, he knew he could also start to. 

“It was wrong of us,” Maeve continues. “Y/N raves about how smart and nice you are, but we don’t get to see that. We’re sorry.” 

Everyone else repeats the sentiment while Harry looks at Y/N, who offers him an encouraging smile. She must know his anxiety is through the roof. 

Harry takes a deep breath, “right, uh.” He looks down at his shoes, untied lace on his black Adidas. “I struggle with social anxiety and new environments. It’s better than when I was a kid, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed even more when being the new guy.” 

“No worries. We get that,” Tatum expresses. “Estrella gets bad migraines.” 

“Don’t air other people’s personal stuff,” Y/N reminds them. 

“We’re sorry,” they offered one last time. “Thanks for the cookies.” 

After that, they hurried out while Y/N stayed behind. 

“I wanted to apologize,” he begins.

“You don’t–” Harry cuts her off. “You’ve made me feel comfortable.”

Y/N sighs, letting her shoulders drop. “Not enough, it seems.” 

“It can just be too much sometimes.”

“I-I get panic attacks.” Y/N shares, surprising herself. “When I overwhelm myself, it can happen. It’s uncommon and has not happened at work, but I understand.” 

“Thank you for sharing,” Harry tells her honestly. “Lunch?” 

“See you in a bit then.”

+

Through September, Y/N and Harry have lunch together every day. They read together, Harry more into classic literature, and Y/N loving to devour a juicy romance that has her pausing every few minutes, trying her best not to scream because the love interest brushed hands. Some days, Y/N will do a sudoku game while Harry does the daily crossword. Y/N likes to solve the Wordle of the day and most times asks Harry for help if she fears she might not get it. Some days, Y/N brings in her laptop during lunch because she is behind and needs to catch up. Harry reminds her to relax. He knows it’s easier said than done, so he tells her about the book he’s reading or asks about her dog and the snacks he eats. 

Before she knows if they’ve made it to October. One of the best months of the year. Y/N loves planning events, and this is one she wishes Harry would say yes to. She knocks on his office door, and Harry freezes, staring at his computer screen. He glances at the calendar; it's the first Monday of the month, and Harry knows they’ve planned a fun event. 

Harry is practicing his excuse when Y/N walks in with a bright smile, wearing a “Great Pumpkin” shirt with Snoopy and Charlie Brown. She has told him it’s her favorite movie to watch during the month and “The Conjuring” Harry wasn’t sure how the sweetest girl he knew could handle a horror film like that. He had told her she was fearless.

“Hi, Y/N, pretty shirt.” 

Y/N looks down at it as if she had forgotten what she was wearing. She beams at his compliment. “Thank you, Harry!” 

Harry asks how her day is going and shares how there was traffic on the way down and how she didn’t have time to stop by her favorite coffee shop because there was a line out the door. “Pumpkin spice isn’t even that good, H. I mean, it’s okay, but I wanted my coffee.”

He laughs at her pouting and promises to make her one during lunch. She perks up at his mention of their shared time together. 

“Speaking of our time together. We plan to go to a haunted pumpkin patch in the next town over if you want to join us. It’s two weeks from now, so it's the 21st.” Harry could hear the excitement in her voice and didn’t think he could say no to her.

“Everyone is going?”

“We invited everyone, but only Carmy, Estella, Maeve, Tatum, and myself are going. Carla was not for it. Dan is warming up to us but still says no. Though he did agree for trivia next week.”

Before he can stop himself, he says, “yes.”

“You will?” Y/N answers surprised. 

“Mhm…uh, it sounds like fun,” he says unconvincingly.

Y/N’s smile brightens, “I’m not hung on haunts, but they’ve got amazing apple cider you’ve got to try with me.” 

“Happy to join,” he tells her honestly. “Let me know the ticket cost or if we need to purchase our own.”

She nods eagerly. It’s clear Harry has just made her day. 

+

The day comes faster than he’s ready, and while a part of him is excited, Harry feels his nerves will get the best of him. Y/N had told them no one was dressing up in costume and even went as far as to send him a photo of her outfit to assure him she wasn’t playing a joke with him. She was wearing bell bottoms with a Mickey Mouse in a pumpkin shirt. She told him it was his favorite to wear each year. 

Harry knew it would be cold, so he wore a simple Halloween shirt in his closet and loose-fitting jeans. His jacket in his car he knew would keep him warm throughout the night. He wasn’t trying to impress anyone (only Y/N) but also wanted to look nice outside of the office for once. When Harry parked, Y/N told him she’d wait by the entrance for him, and he couldn’t miss her as she had a cute pumpkin headband on.

It seemed Y/N spotted him, too, because she rushed towards him. “Hi, Harry,” she greeted with a cheery smile.

“Hi, you look lovely,” he offered her a small compliment that made his hands sweat.

“You’re too sweet. Come on, we were waiting on you.” She grabs his hand and pulls him along to where everyone else is. 

Everyone offers their greeting, and he receives a few compliments on his tame outfit. It’s an old Halloween shirt he got at a vintage shop in New Orleans five years ago. His sister went on a trip and asked him to join. Harry could never say no to her. 

Harry notices everyone begins to drift off into conversations, but Y/N stays by his side. He takes the time to admire her as she looks around at all the decorations. There are a lot of people, but it seems they are heading to the pumpkin patch. There are stalls selling sweet treats, and he keeps in mind to buy Y/N a cider, remembering she mentioned loving it. Harry has always thought being in a relationship to be intimidating. He loves love but struggles to put himself out there, to allow someone else to get to know him, but here is Y/N, who managed to worm her way into his life, knocking down all of his walls. 

Harry likes Y/N.

It’s something he took a long time to figure out, but when he realized the excitement of seeing her each morning, he looked forward to it. He let it consume him, but he had no idea if she could feel the same way. 

“Did you drive here, Harry?” Y/N asks, breaking their silence. 

“I did,” he answers. 

“Do you think you could maybe take me home?” She brushes her hair out of her face. “I came with Tatum, but she’s been wanting to take the time to connect with Estella, if you know what I mean,” Y/N gestures to them kissing on hay bales. 

Harry had no idea that there were feelings between them. “I can do that, Y/N.” 

“Great!” She cheers gratefully. “I owe you an apple cider, then.” 

Y/N eagerly walks them to the stand, and before she can pay for both, Harry slips the kind older lady a twenty walking away with their drinks. Y/N stays behind, shocked, but quickly catches up, pouting at Harry. “Harry, I was going to pay.”

He shook his head, “my mum would have my head if I let you pay.”

Y/N bends her head, careful to take a sip of the warm drink. “Well, thank you.”

Maeve bounces over to them. “Hi beauties, we’re ready to start if you all are.” 

Harry eyes Y/N, waiting to see her response. Y/N offers her friend a large grin, and Harry agrees he’s ready. He throws away their ups, and once he finds Y/N with the group, he slithers to stand behind her. Y/N offers him a tense smile as the group tries to decide who will lead. 

“I can go in front,” Harry offers, sensing no one wanting to make the first move. Everyone thanks him and heads to the first maze. Y/N informs him it’s once based on the catacombs in France. 

“There’s a movie based on the catacombs,” Y/N shares as they walk together.

“As Above So Below,” Harry says. “It spooked me.” 

“You’ve seen it,” she laughs, holding onto his arm for a second, unable to contain her excitement. “It’s one of my favorites.”

“It’s a good one,” he agrees. 

They fall into silence as the chatter of their coworker fills the air. Harry sees Y/N get fidgety, but she’s smiling as she leads the way to the short line. “I’m actually really nervous,” she tells Harry. 

“We’ll be fine. I got you,” he assures Y/N.

Harry extends his hand, and she accepts it. He intertwines their fingers and pulls her along as the line moves slowly. Y/N does her best not to think about the feeling of his hand, but it fits perfectly between hers. She feels her hand begin to sweat and wants to pull it away, but Harry has a firm grip on her. 

“Is it okay?” Harry nods, gesturing to their hands. 

“Safe, uh, I feel safe.”

The worker asks how many, and Y/N peeks behind Harry to tell her six. Harry is grateful Y/N knows when to take charge because while he can lead a scary maze and knows everyone is dressed in costumes, he still feels nervous speaking to strangers. Harry squeezes her hand once in thanks. She gives him two quick squeezes in return.

Harry guides them in. Y/N lets go of his hand to hide behind Harry, her hands on his shoulder as she peeks behind him. There is a group ahead where she can hear the people in front screaming, which allows her to prepare for the scare, if that is even possible. 

Her eyes widen in amazement as she takes in the darkness of the building. Everything is covered in black cloth. She can see the spots where actors will jump out. Y/N mumbles an apology to Harry for holding on to him tight. Estella is behind her, screaming at everything that moves. Harry steps through the curtain, and she feels her hold on him loosen. As she is stepping closer to reach him, a man screams in her face, making her rush forward and propel Harry into a wall. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so so sorry.” Y/N apologized repeatedly as Harry rushed them to finish the maze. She felt her heartbeat in her throat and knew she needed to calm down. One look at Harry, and he rushed her to a dark corner, not concerned about their friends. 

“Y/N? I’m okay. You’re okay.” Harry tried assuring her.

She repeated it in her head. They were okay. They got out of the dumb maze, and Harry wasn’t hurt. It took her a few minutes to realize she had a panic attack. Y/N had not even felt it coming and didn’t think a haunted house would trip her into one, but with all the overthinking she had been doing, it made sense it led to this.

“I’m sorry, Harry.” Y/N bashfully looks away from him. She can’t believe she embarrassed herself in front of him like this. 

“No apologies,” he brushes her off and doesn’t ask her any questions, only to ensure she is okay. 

They rejoin the group after ten minutes by the looks of everyone's sympathetic smiles. She knows they saw her freak out, but they’re her friends. She knows she’s in safe hands with everyone, especially Harry.

“What’s the next maze?” Y/N asks cheerfully. 

And so they continue on. 

The next maze is much smoother than the first. Carmy leads, tucking Harry and Y/N in the middle with Tatum and Estella in the back. That order seems to comfort Y/N for the next few mazes. Each worker makes her scream but then falls into giggles when Harry traces comforting shapes on her hand. It takes her mind off these scarers trying to get her to scream and instead focus on the gentle touches of her crush. 

While doing the mazes is fun, Y/N is soaking up talking to Harry in line. They’re in a new environment where they do not need to discuss work. She feels free to ask him anything, but sometimes she is unsure where to start. Y/N doesn’t know if she wants to hear about his weekend plans or ask him about his favorite movie or who his favorite Muppet character is? 

Talking to Maeve and everyone else is easy because she’s gone out with them. She knows them personally, but with Harry, he always kept that guard up, and now she’s unsure what to do if he decides to keep it up. 

To her surprise, Harry always starts the conversation with her. Harry shares about a new show he started watching and how it makes him anxious for the main character when they do something out of character. When he asks Y/N if there is a show she recommends, her mind goes blank, and the first thing that comes to mind is “Fleabag.” 

“It’s the saddest but most comforting show I have ever seen,” Y/N gushes. 

“With Phoebe Waller-Bridge?” 

“Mhmm…the second season has Andrew Scott. Irish treasure.” 

“Paul Mescal,” he adds. 

“Hozier.” 

“Saoirse Ronan,” they say in unison before falling into fits of giggles. 

“You’ve got taste, Styles.” 

“As do you.” 

The line moves, and they change conversations to talk about the best musicals they’ve seen. Y/N swears “Waitress” is the best thing created, but Harry tells her “Moulin Rouge” is his favorite. Y/N loves how easily the conversation with Harry seems to flow. He feels like a long-lost friend. Someone who once was in her life has now found his way back to her. 

Not only is he getting along with her, but everyone is getting to see the Harry she had come to know. The one who makes cheesy jokes and loves to hear every detail of the story being told. It turns out he and Maeve frequent the same record store. There’s a Stevie Nicks vinyl Harry is on the hunt for, and Maeve promised to keep an eye out for him. Tatum learns Harry can play guitar and asks him to show them sometime. Something he agreed to with pink cheeks. Y/N knew tonight was a big step for Harry, and she was glad everyone made him feel comfortable.

As the night was coming to an end, the maze lines got shorter, and the more Y/N screamed. It made her laugh right after, but still not her favorite part of the night. Before the cold can settle in, they all call it a midnight night. Tatum and Estella head out hand in hand. Y/N can’t wait for the details of that on Monday. Carmy is telling Harry a story, so Maeve uses the opportunity to remind Y/N to make a move.

“It’s now or never, girlfriend.” 

Y/N rolls her eyes, “please don’t pressure me on this.” 

“Y/N that man is, head over heels for you. If I was antisocial this is not an event I would ever do. Unless someone I fancied asked.” 

Y/N toes her food in the sand and, in a low voice, asks, “do you really think he likes me?” 

Maeve smiles, brushing Y/N’s hair out of her eyes. “That man lit up every time your eyes were on him. I don’t know Harry as well as you do, but I can notice a guy with a crush from miles away. Trust me on this.” 

Y/N backs down, relaxing, “okay.” 

“Good. Now text me when you get home. Carmy’s got me.” Maeve gives her a tight hug and then pulls Carmy away from Harry. 

He walks over to her with a shy smile on his face. “Have a good time?” 

“The best,” she tells him. “Though I might need another apple cider. Think my heart needs it.”

“By all means, lead the way.” 

After getting one last warm apple cider, they reach Harry’s car. It’s an electric car because he’s conscious of his environmental impact and knows one person can go a long way into the future. Harry opens Y/N’s car door and waits until he sees her seated and buckled to close her door. As he gets ready to drive off, he turns on the heater, knowing if he’s cold, Y/N must be too. 

The car ride starts off quietly, Y/N guiding him every so often when to make a turn. Y/N sees her favorite coffee shop and knows she is almost home. “That was fun,” Harry starts. “I’m happy I went.” 

“Mhmm…it was a good time. Glad you joined us,” she tells him honestly. 

Harry notices at a red light that she’s fidgeting with her hands and thinks he might still be cold. “Do you need me to turn up the heater?” 

Y/N shakes her head, “no, sorry, I’m fine.” 

Harry drives down a few more streets when Y/N tells him to turn left. “It’s the third one on the right.” 

He parks right outside her driveway. From here, he can see her decorations hung up. It’s decorated charmingly. It’s clear no scaring would happen here. She’s got two pumpkins outside her door. One has stars carved all around; the other is a cat on a witch’s broom. Bat lights are hanging up the railing of the steps. She even has a few inflatables. His favorite has to be the one of Mickey Mouse as a vampire.

“Thank you for driving me home. I appreciated it.” She smiles at him, and he returns it. Harry gets out of the car and opens her door. 

“Let me walk you up.” 

Y/N feels her cheeks burn and leads the way. 

“We’re planning trivia soon,” Y/N says, testing the waters. 

“Hmm…only if you’re on my team.” 

“We would all be on the same team,” his flirting going over her head.

Harry’s face turns pink, “uh, right.” 

She laughs, placing her hand on his bicep. “Only joking.”

Y/N pulls him in, whispering good night, except when she pulls away, she locks eyes with his emerald eyes, and it’s like she’s in a trance. She feels herself leaning in closer, and before she knows it, Y/N presses her lips to Harry in an airy kiss.

She pulls back, shocked. “Sorry,” she breathed out. “I-I should have asked.” 

“Ask me,” he pleads. 

“What?” Y/N isn’t sure if she heard him correctly. 

Harry doesn’t care anymore. He raises his hand to rest on her cheeks. “Can I kiss you, Y/N?” 

She feels how close he is. She can feel his breath mixing with hers. “Yes.” 

When their lips meet, Y/N swears she feels time stop. Harry is starting slow as he begins to learn what she likes.  Y/N places a hand on his chest, needing to have a secure hold as she feels him take her breath away. Her emotions are all over the place. His lips are smooth as they move against hers in a dance that feels like they’ve done a hundred times before. Harry deepens the kiss, pushing her up against the door, making Y/N grab a fistful of his shirt, not wanting him to pull away. Y/N lets herself get wrapped up in all her feelings because she knows that a kiss this special means it won’t be her only one, and she finally allows all her feelings to pour into the kiss. 

Y/N isn’t sure how long they spent kissing outside her door. It seems she’s lost track of time since she got a taste of Harry. “I don’t want you to go,” she mutters against his lips when she feels him begin to pull away.

“I’ll see you Monday,” he promises. 

“Too far.

Harry laughs, “you can call me tomorrow when you wake up.” Knowing she likes to sleep in, he would rather not wake her up. 

“Okay,” she whispers in defeat. 

“Good night,” Harry takes a step back. 

Y/N bites her lip and gives him a wave. “Do you want a kiss goodbye?” 

Harry can’t say no.

+

Monday morning, Y/N walks in with a large smile. It makes everyone stop and stare. She makes her rounds, wishing everyone a good morning, and saves Harry for last. 

“Hi, Harry.” She chirps. 

“Morning,” he answers timidly. 

Y/N pouts because he didn’t even look at her. She wanted to see his beautiful eyes. “So I was thinking…” she trails off. 

Harry turns, giving her his undivided attention, and Y/N’s smile widens. “How does a date sound to you?”

“A date?” He echoes. 

“With me,” she giggles.

“Best thing I've heard all day.”

Y/N claps her hands together, “wonderful.” 

“How does this weekend sound?” 

“Too far,” she teases. “Saturday?” 

“I’ll pick you up,” he promises. 

“Good. Good.” Y/N lingers by his door. 

“Yes, love?” 

Y/N feels her cheeks heat up but doesn’t look away from him. “Are we still on for lunch?” 

Harry gives her a dimpled grin, “I’ve got a new book for us to discuss.” 

Y/N tells him she can’t wait and walks away. Harry watches her go, and as if she can feel his stare on her, she turns around and gives him a wink. Harry knows he’s way in over his head with someone as amazing as Y/N, but he can’t wait to prove each day to her how much he deserves to be with her.

[reasonsforhope]

"Next Monday [6/17/24] is the start of National Pollinator Awareness Week, and one Colorado advocacy group is hosting a flower planting drive to rewild Colorado’s meadows, gardens, and just maybe, its children too.

Created by constitutional amendment in 1992, Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) is a state-funded independent board that invests a portion of Colorado Lottery proceeds to help preserve and enhance the state’s parks, trails, wildlife, rivers, and open spaces.

This year, GOCO’s offshoot Generation Wild is distributing over 100,000 free packets of wildflower seeds to collection points at museums, Denver Parks and Rec. offices, and libraries all over the state to encourage kids and families to plant the seeds in their backyards.

The Save the Bees! initiative aims to make the state more beautiful, more ecologically diverse, and more friendly to pollinators.

According to a new report from the Colorado Department of Natural Resources, 20% of Colorado’s bumblebees are now at risk of extinction. Even in a small area like a backyard, planting wildflowers can make a positive impact on the local ecosystem and provide native bees with a healthy place to live.

“The Western Bumblebee population has declined in Colorado by 72%, and we’re calling on kids across Colorado to ‘bee’ the change,” said GOCO Executive Director Jackie Miller.

Named after Generation Wild’s official mascot “Wilder,” the Wilderflower Seed Mix was developed in partnership with Applewood Seed Co. and packets are now available for pickup at designated partner sites including more than 80 Little Free Library boxes.

By distributing 100,000 Wilderflower packets, Generation Wild is providing more than 56 million seeds for planting in every nook and cranny of the state. All seeds are regionally-native to Colorado, which is important for sustaining the living landscape of bees, birds, and other animals.

Additionally, by using flower species adapted to the Mile High climate, landscapers and gardeners need to use less water than if they were tending non-native plants.

“Applewood Seed Co. was excited to jump in and help Generation Wild identify a seed mix that is native to the Colorado region and the American West, containing a diversity of flower species to attract and support Colorado’s pollinator populations,” stated Norm Poppe, CEO of Applewood Seed Co. “We hope efforts like this continue to educate the public on pollinator conservation and the need to protect our native bees and butterflies.”

Concluding her statement Miller firmly stated that children grow up better outside, and if you or a parent you know agree with her, all the information on how to participate in Save the Bees! can be found here on their website, including a map showing all the local pickup points for the Wilderflower Seed Packets."

-via Good News Network, June 13, 2024

[yardenercom]

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[palipunk]

do you know anything about native wildlife or plant life in palestine? particularly interested in primates because that's always what i'm most interested in but i'd really like to know more about what the animals and plants native to the land are like. what they were like pre israeli occupation and what sort of animal and plant life will need repairing when palestine is free. i hear a lot about the people and the human palestinian culture and it's wonderful but it's difficult for me to find anything regarding nonhuman life and i would like to learn more about it.

Honestly, the topic of Palestinian wildlife and its intersection with colonialism has been something that has increased a lot over the past couple of years. I can't offer anything about primate species (Palestine doesn't have any) but we do have lots and lots of very cool native animals like Gazelle and Caracal and Sand foxes and lots of bats and gerbils and snakes.

The Palestine Wildlife Society actually has a website with lists of all the animals found in Palestine and what level of conservation status they are at (plus the Arabic names): https://www.wildlife-pal.org/en

The Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics also reported back in 2012 that:

There are about 51,000 living species (flora and fauna) in historical Palestine, constituting approximately 3% of global biodiversity. In the West Bank and Gaza Strip there are an estimated 30,904 animal species, consisting of an estimated 30,000 invertebrates, 373 birds, 297 fish, 92 mammals, 82 reptiles, and 5 amphibians. Recent studies on birds in Palestine indicated that there are 373 species, which represent 23 Orders, 69 families, 21 Subfamilies, and 172 genera. The country also hosts 2,850 species of plants from 138 families.

And also added in 2014:

Israeli Violations are the main causes of Biodiversity deterioration Based on 2012 data from ARIJ Research Institute, the Expansion and Annexation Wall has a total length of about 780 kilometers, of which 61% has been completed. The route of the Wall has isolated 680 km2 of Palestinian land between the Wall and the Green Line, comprising approximately 12.0% of the West Bank. This land comprises about 454 km2 of agricultural, pasture land and open areas, 117 km2 that were confiscated for Israeli settlements and military bases, 89 km2 of forest and 20 km2 Palestinian built-up land. During 2013, more than eight thousand dunums of land were confiscated from Palestinians and more than 15 thousand horticultural trees were destroyed, causing considerable damage to the Palestinian environment and biodiversity.

The Israeli settlements and military bases also contribute in the biodiversity deterioration since there were 482 Israeli settlements and military bases in the West Bank at the end of 2013 contained around  563,546 settlers at the end of 2012. Climate change is the most important natural factor that contributes to biodiversity degradation in Palestine. More animal and plant species have become under serious threat of becoming rare due to low rainfall, high temperatures, and the changing characteristics of the four seasons, in which drought is creeping into winter and spring.

The mountain Gazelle is currently endangered and this is due mostly to the building of roads and fences as well as predation and collisions with cars (the article also references the building of housing units in Mitzpeh Nafto'ah, which one of the areas where, in 2012, Israeli developers wanted to 'build up Jerusalem'). As of 2015, there were around 2,000 identified Gazelles within the Palestinian territories and historic Palestine. The mountain Gazelle look like this:

There have also been efforts for plant conservation in Palestine like the Iris Atrofusca, which has an extremely fragile population and is found almost exclusively within Palestine - a botanical garden was established for this particular Iris in the North Eastern Slopes of Palestine and in 2021, 120 clones of Iris Atrofusca were planted. Here is what they look like:

(also very interesting, sheep do not eat it!)

Probably most famous is the extinction of the Palestinian Crocodile, the last rhetorical circulation to 1935. Elizabeth Bentley wrote a great piece on it, you can read the full PDF on the Institute of Palestine Studies website or the edited (with permission) one published to Science for the People Magazine, I copied a segment from the latter here:

Colonial zoologists and collectors saw and appreciated Palestine’s bountiful plants and animals as objects of scientific inquiry. This scientific appreciation was inextricable from imperialist ambitions and the drive for profit. There were no wildlife protection laws in Palestine until 1924, which was after crocodiles’ likely regional extinction, and even then, the laws were loosely enforced. Colonial zoologists not only observed and wrote about Palestinian animals in their natural habitat. These zoological works were one of extraction and commodification. Euphemistically termed processes of “collection” involved a network of human and nonhuman actors, whereby colonial zoologists hunted and killed Palestinian animals, studied them, and transported their remains overseas. Disemboweled, stuffed with wire and flax, and then displayed in glass cases, Palestinian animals were reanimated as spectacles for the viewing pleasure of museumgoers in London and Berlin. While aligned with the broader trends in colonial zoology, the allure of the last Palestinian crocodile surpassed the confines of scientific inquiry; it adapted a symbolic, even mythical quality. Colonial zoologists’ ongoing speculation about Palestinian crocodile extinction necessitated a degree of willful (or internalized) unknowing about Palestine and Palestinians. Colonial zoologists were heavily dependent on Palestinians’ ecological expertise. Despite this, their writings convey mistrust and condescension toward Palestinians, along with a detachment from how local populations lived alongside Palestinian ecology. Colonial scientific literature on Palestinian animals frequently perpetuated the racist, historically inaccurate outlook of “science for the West, myth for the rest.” Yet colonialist writings on the last Palestinian crocodile reflected their own symbolic attachments and investment in mythical thinking.

So there is a lot of work to do in regard to animal and plant conservation and several extinct animals I didn't bring up here but It is a deep dive and goes a lot farther than a lot of people consider. The Palestine Wildlife Society has a massive catalog and I hope you look through it!

[gallusrostromegalus]

gonna be in denver soon (for a candlelight vigil) and will be spending extra time there to support my cousin, but due to our respective work schedules (I work remote, cousin doesn't) there is plenty of time I'll be free to bop around

any suggestions for an AuDHD queer person that likes absurdity, niche interests, quiet places, and is restricted to mass transit travel options? I am also an outgoing introvert so I like people but only one at a time or in small doses

Uhhhhh ok double check all of these against public transit and if they're still on timed entry but:

- Meow Wolf Denver has always got something cool on

- Denver botanical gardens on York Street are on bus routes and are at their peak rn (best go on a weekday or a day with bad weather

- IDK if the Chatfield botanical gardens are on a reasonable bus route but they're less busy

- Denver art museum and Denver public library are right next to each other and I know they're on bus routes

- every gallery, weird shop and preformer in RiNo on Santa Fe Blvd

- there also the collective at Stapleton which is a ton of niche shops an food stalls and an art gallery at the old Stapleton airport, no ticket needed

- Denver zoo just opened up their Australian exhibit but it tends to be crowded unless you go on a day with bad weather. Which I recommend anyway because the animals are a lot more active when it's raining/stormy out

- Denver Museum of nature and science is right next to the zoo and IDK what their current travelling exhibit is but the permanent exhibits are all A+

-Denver preforming arts center is on RTD, IDK when you're coming but there's always something going on there.

All these places have websites so you can eyeball them and see if they're your thing, pre-purchase your tickets if needed and give you bus route directions.

[allthelovehes]

Italian Tub*

Summary: Harry takes Y/N on a surprise trip to Italy for their 5th wedding anniversary. Everything goes smoothly until they find themselves alone in the hot tub in the backyard of their Airbnb.

Pairing: Husband!Harry x Wife!Y/N

Word count: 4.2K

Warnings: Unprotected sex, p in v, public sex, female masturbation, light spanking.

Taglist: @justmystyles @bitchybabyharry @harrysslut7 @swiftmendeshoran @lucasandharold @harrysbabycherry @htaylor18 @rose-garden-dreamz @myalovesharry @mellamolayla @hsonlyangelxo @yousunshineyoutempter @heartateasee @blueheisenbergtragedy @bikestyles @bohemianrhapsody86 @cherrylovers-world @harrys-littlefreak Let me know if you want to be added to my taglist! 🤗

Support my work by joining my Patreon!

Now that Harry is on a break from touring the world, he is able to spend all his time with his wife. After being married for a few years, they are still as in love as ever, if not more so. Harry loves being a husband to Y/N, and Y/N loves being a wife to Harry. They enjoy every minute of their free time together and cherish the alone time they have.

With their anniversary coming up, Harry knows he needs to get his wife something extra special this year. It was their fifth anniversary, after all. As Harry and Y/N lay together in bed, the anniversary still two weeks away, Harry began to ponder about what to get his girl.

Harry wants something special and intimate. Something that his wife can't just buy for herself. A trip perhaps? As Harry was lying on his side, looking at his beautiful wife sleeping soundly beside him, an idea popped into his head. It was perfect, and she would never expect it.

The next day, after Y/N goes out to go shopping, Harry sits down with his laptop and searches for the perfect getaway. Y/N always wanted to go to Apulia, Italy. So this was the perfect opportunity.

Once Harry opened the Airbnb website and filled in the needed information, he started scrolling through all the homes that were available for rent. As he was scrolling, one particular house caught his eye. It was gorgeous, and Harry knew Y/N would love it. It's a lovely house in the countryside, not too far from the beach. It's also secluded and private, and the best part is there the large pool and hot tub with a view of the village down the hill.

Harry books the Airbnb with no hesitation. He is thrilled to surprise his wife, and he is even more thrilled to see the look on her face when she realises where they are going. Harry knows his girl has been dying to go to Italy. So it's a win-win.

As the weeks go by, Y/N notices Harry is acting differently. It is almost as if he is hiding something from her. But she can't think of what it could be. She decides not to push the issue, but she still keeps an eye on him, hoping that he will soon tell her what is going on.

A few days before their anniversary, Harry decides to break the news to his wife. They are both at home watching television, cuddling up to each other on the couch. As Y/N looks over at her husband, she can't help but feel like something is going on.

“Is everything alright?” Y/N asks curiously.

“Yes, love, why do you ask?” Harry replies.

“It's just... I feel like you've been hiding something from me these last few weeks. Is there something going on?” Y/N questions.

“Yes, actually there is.” Harry begins. “I've been planning a surprise for you.”

Y/N sits up and looks at Harry with an excited expression on her face. “Oh, a surprise? What is it?” She asks with enthusiasm.

“That's for me to know, and for you to find out. But we're going to be leaving the day after tomorrow.” Harry states.

“What? Are you serious?” Y/N practically yells. “We're going on a trip? Where are we going? Tell me, please!”

“Patience, love. You will find out everything once we're at the airport.” Harry chuckles causing Y/N to pout and she crosses her arms over her chest. “Awe, don't be like that.”

“I can't believe you're doing this to me, Harry.” Y/N huffs.

“It's our fifth anniversary, and I wanted to do something special.” Harry explains. “And besides, you'll love your surprise. You have no idea.”

“What do I need to be packing? Summer clothes? Sweaters? What should I bring?” Y/N asks, suddenly excited.

“Pack light. It's not really cold where we're going. So pack some shorts and tank tops, along with some dresses and nice shoes. Oh, and your bikini, of course.” Harry answers.

“Wait, are we going to the beach? Tell me, please!” Y/N pleads.

“I already said too much, so I'm not saying anything else.” Harry states.

“Harry! Come on!” Y/N groans.

“You'll know everything once we arrive.” Harry smiles. “Now, come here and cuddle with me.”

Y/N smiles as she lays back down next to her husband and wraps her arm around his torso. They turn their attention back to the television and finish watching their show together.

***

Two days later, it is finally time for Harry and Y/N to leave. As the two of them stand outside of their house waiting for their car to pick them up, Y/N is practically jumping with excitement. She has no idea where they are going, but she can't wait.

“Are you excited, love?” Harry asks, looking over at his wife.

“Hell yes! I can't wait! This is going to be amazing, I know it!” Y/N smiles.

As soon as the car pulls up in front of the house, Harry takes their suitcases and puts them into the trunk. Then he and Y/N climb into the car. As the driver takes off towards the airport, Harry and Y/N sit together holding hands. They can't stop smiling at each other.

When the car arrives at the airport, Harry helps his wife out of the car. Once the driver brings their luggage to them on a trolley, they walk hand in hand towards the terminal with Harry pushing the cart forward. When they get to the check-in counter, Harry checks in their luggage and they proceed towards the security line.

Somehow Harry manages to get all of that done without spoiling their destination to Y/N. He doesn't even slip up and tell her the airline or the gate number. He is a man on a mission, and he won't be letting anything distract him.

After a quick walk through security, Harry and Y/N make their way over to their gate. When they arrive, Y/N's eyes grow wide and her mouth falls open. “What? Wait, are we going to...”

“Apulia, Italy.” Harry states, a smirk on his lips.

“Oh my god, Harry, this is amazing!” Y/N practically screams. “Thank you, baby, thank you, thank you, thank you!” She then wraps her arms around his neck and gives him a long passionate kiss.

“Mmm, you're welcome, love.” Harry smiles.

As Harry and Y/N wait for their flight to begin boarding, they chat away about what they're going to do once they land. Harry already has a few things planned, but he isn't going to spoil anything. He wants his wife to be completely surprised.

When it is time for the couple to board, they are seated in first class. Y/N loves first class, it's the only way Harry can travel somewhat privately, without people noticing him. Plus, it's a lot more comfortable, and he and his wife are able to relax.

As soon as the plane takes off, the couple snuggle together and enjoy the ride. After only a few hours of flying, they are finally in Italy. They land at Bari Karalis International Airport. When the couple exit the plane and make their way through the terminal, Y/N is in awe of the surroundings. She has always dreamed of coming here, and now she is here.

The warm Italian air is a welcomed sensation, and the sun is shining brightly. The sky is a beautiful shade of blue, with a few wispy clouds here and there. Y/N is over the moon, and Harry is loving every minute of it.

Once the couple has picked up their luggage and left the airport, they are greeted by their driver. They put their luggage into the boot of the car and then climb into the back seat. The driver turns and asks the couple. “Where would you like to go?”

“I have the address right here.” Harry says as he hands the driver a piece of paper.

“Very well, sir. Let's go.” The driver states, the Italian accent thick.

As the driver pulls away from the airport and starts driving down the road, Harry looks over at his wife and says. “I have a little surprise for you.”

“Oh? And what's that?” Y/N questions.

“We're staying at a beautiful little house in the countryside, not far from the beach. It has a hot tub, a pool, a beautiful garden, and a great view.” Harry states.

“Seriously?” Y/N questions. “Oh, Harry, this is the best!” She then leans over and plants a kiss on his cheek.

As the drive continues, Harry and Y/N enjoy the scenery as they pass by quaint towns, picturesque fields, and beautiful villas. After about an hour of driving, the couple are taken aback by the beauty of the countryside. They can see the house in the distance, and it looks amazing.

When the driver pulls up to the front of the house, Harry and Y/N are awestruck by its beauty. As the couple step out of the car and start taking in their surroundings, they are immediately overwhelmed by how beautiful the house is.

“Harry, this is breathtaking.” Y/N states, as she turns to face her husband.

“Isn't it?” Harry smiles.

The couple walks over to the front door of the house and Harry unlocks the door with the key that's hidden in a savebox near the entry. Harry was sent a code earlier in the day so they could have a contactless check-in. As they walk inside, they are greeted by a small hallway with stairs to their right. As they continue walking forward, they come to a living room area with a couch, two chairs, and a large flat-screen television above a fireplace.

“Wow, this is really beautiful.” Y/N remarks, looking around.

“I know, right?” Harry replies. “Come, let's check out the kitchen.”

As the couple makes their way into the kitchen, they notice a large island in the middle with an extended dining table. To the left is a large glass door that leads to a backyard patio with a grill and a large dining area.

“This is perfect.” Y/N smiles, wrapping her arms around her husband's neck.

“I knew you'd like it.” Harry smiles, planting a kiss on her forehead. He turns around to slide open the glass door and walk out onto the patio.

“Wow, this is so lovely. Look at the view.” Y/N sighs, admiring the view. “Oh, and a pool! That's awesome.”

“Yes, and look at the hot tub over there. I think we're going to be spending a lot of time in that.” Harry smirks.

“Oh yeah?” Y/N giggles.

“Definitely.” Harry winks.

The backyard is big but private and located on the top of a hill with a view of the town down below. The street on which the Airbnb is located has a lot of big houses, but they are spread out with enough privacy in between. The garden is nicely landscaped and has flowers everywhere.

As Harry and Y/N make their way back into the house, they head upstairs. The master bedroom is at the top of the stairs, and it is just as beautiful as the rest of the house. There's a large king-sized bed, a TV mounted to the wall, and a beautiful view of the mountains in the distance.

“Harry, this is stunning.” Y/N gasps, as she walks around the room.

“I know, I'm glad you like it, babe.” Harry smiles, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind.

“Like it? I love it. This is a dream.” Y/N states.

“Well, we're going to have a lot of fun while we're here.” Harry whispers, planting a kiss on the crook of her neck.

“Oh, really?” Y/N giggles.

“Oh, yes.” Harry chuckles, nipping at her neck.

“Harry, behave.” Y/N laughs, swatting him away playfully.

“I don't want to.” Harry pouts as he begins nibbling on her earlobe. His strong arms hold her tightly against him, not letting her go.

“Baby, come on.” Y/N tries, but her husband is relentless.

“Come on, let's break in the bed.” Harry growls, letting one of his hands slide up her torso and grab her breast, kneading the flesh.

“Harry!” Y/N cries, focussing on keeping a moan from slipping out.

“What?” Harry asks, feigning innocence. “Don't act like you don't want me.”

“I can't deny that I want you, but we're not breaking in the bed right now. I'm hungry, I need food.” Y/N states, pulling his hand off her chest.

“I could eat you.” Harry winks, earning a smack on the chest from his wife. “Hey, I was only kidding.” He chuckles.

“Yeah, sure.” Y/N rolls her eyes. “Come on, let's go.”

“Fine.” Harry sighs.

The couple makes their way downstairs, Harry close behind his wife, his arms around her waist. Ever since stepping foot on the Italian soil, he is feeling like a horny teenager, dying to get the girl in bed.

They decide to go into town and find a restaurant to eat at. The couple walks hand in hand through the streets, admiring the architecture and the quaintness of the town. As they stroll down the main street, they spot a small restaurant and decide to have dinner there.

After having a wonderful meal, the couple takes a stroll back to the house. When they arrive, the sun is beginning to set, bathing the world around them in a beautiful golden glow. As they step into the house, Y/N looks at Harry and says. “This is the perfect night.”

“Yes, it is.” Harry smiles. “And it's only just beginning.”

“Is that so?” Y/N smirks, her hand coming up to cup her husband's face.

“You have no idea.” Harry whispers, leaning in and pressing his lips to hers. “Go get your bikini, let's go for a swim.”

Y/N heads upstairs to the bedroom and opens her suitcase. She digs through her clothes until she finds her green string bikini. She strips down and puts it on, checking her reflection in the mirror. As she heads back downstairs, she notices her husband waiting for her by the back door, already dressed in his black swim trunks.

“God, you look good.” Harry growls, eyeing her up and down.

“Stop it, you're making me blush.” Y/N laughs, her cheeks flushing pink.

“No, seriously, you look incredible. Come here.” Harry states, reaching out for his wife.

Y/N steps into his embrace and kisses him deeply. As she pulls away, she notices the hungry look in his eyes. She knows exactly what he wants, but she's not giving in that easily.

“Come on, let's go.” Y/N states, slipping from her husband's embrace.

“Alright, fine.” Harry sighs, letting her go.

As the couple steps outside, the warm evening air hits their skin. They make their way over to the pool, and Harry steps in first. He slowly lowers himself down, the water coming up to his chest. He motions for Y/N to join him, and she does. She sits on the edge of the pool and slowly lowers herself into the water, her feet touching the bottom.

“This is nice.” Y/N smiles, looking at her husband.

“Yes, it is.” Harry nods, his eyes never leaving her.

They stay in the pool for a while, just enjoying the feeling of the water and the warmth of the night. As they swim around, Y/N's eyes wander over her husband's toned body, taking in the sight of him as he's floating on top of the water.

“Are you enjoying the view, love?” Harry asks, catching her gaze.

“Maybe.” Y/N smirks.

“Come on, let's go relax in the hot tub.” Harry states, his hand reaching out to take hers. Y/N follows him over to the hot tub and steps in. The hot water instantly relaxes her muscles, and she lets out a content sigh.

“This is heaven.” Y/N sighs, her head resting back against the edge of the tub.

“Mmm, it is.” Harry agrees, his eyes taking in the sight of her. Her hair is pulled up in a messy bun, her skin glistening from the moisture. The way her breasts are just peeking out of the water, he's getting hard just looking at her.

“Harry, stop staring at me like that.” Y/N states, opening one eye and peering at her husband.

“I can't help it, you're so beautiful.” Harry smiles, his eyes locked with hers.

“Charmer.” Y/N giggles, closing her eye.

As she relaxes in the hot tub, her mind starts wandering. She begins thinking about her husband, and all the things she wants to do to him. She knows he's watching her, and it's turning her on. She can feel the heat pooling between her legs, and she squirms slightly.

She looks over at Harry, who is now leaning back against the hot tub, his eyes closed. She bites her bottom lip as she watches him. She has a perfect view of his body and can't help but admire him.

As the hot water surrounds her, she lets her hands slide over her body. She trails her fingers across her skin, and the sensation sends shivers through her. She slowly dips her fingers into the waistband of her bikini bottoms, and she carefully pushes them down her legs, trying not to gain any attention from Harry.

She puts her bottoms on the edge of the tub and pulls the strings of her top loose. She gently peels the fabric off her body, setting the top with her bottoms. As she slides back into the water, her nipples harden from the cool air hitting her skin.

As the warm water surrounds her again, she looks at Harry. He's still sitting there, his eyes closed. She can tell that he's enjoying the moment, and it's turning her on even more. She can feel her arousal growing, and she can't wait to touch herself.

Her hands move down her body and slip under the water as she sets her feet on the seat next to her. Her fingers brush against her clit, sending a wave of pleasure through her. She slowly rubs herself, teasing her clit and feeling her pussy get wet.

She watches Harry, wanting to see his reaction when he sees her. She continues rubbing herself, her fingers now moving down to her entrance. She pushes one finger inside her, and then two. She can feel how wet she is, and she moans softly as she fucks herself with her fingers.

She can't help but wonder if Harry can hear her, or if he can tell what she's doing. She wants him to look at her, to see her pleasuring herself. She wants him to see how turned on she is, and she wants him to touch her.

Her fingers are still inside her pussy as she's fucking herself with them. Her other hand is on her clit, rubbing herself in circles. She can feel her orgasm building, and she's not going to last much longer.

She lets out a moan as her fingers pump in and out of her, the pleasure building. Harry's eyes finally fly open, and he looks over at her, his mouth dropping open as he sees her touching herself.

“Fuck, babe.” Harry whispers, his eyes locked on her.

“Harry...” Y/N moans, her fingers still buried deep inside her.

“You're so fucking hot.” Harry groans, his cock straining against his swim trunks. He's quick to pull the fabric down his legs, his erection springing free. He wraps his hand around his cock and begins stroking himself, his eyes never leaving her.

Y/N doesn't know how to reply, but she can feel her orgasm approaching, and her moans are becoming louder. She looks at her husband, his eyes dark with lust.

“Are you going to come for me, baby?” Harry asks, his voice husky.

“Yes...I'm going to come.” Y/N pants, her fingers working faster.

“Then come for me.” Harry growls, his gaze locked with hers.

“Oh, fuck...” Y/N cries, her fingers pumping in and out of her faster.

“That's it, baby, come for me.” Harry coaxes, his hand stroking his cock faster.

Y/N can feel her orgasm crashing over her, and her whole body shudders as the waves of pleasure wash over her. She moans loudly, her eyes locked with her husband's. She can see how turned on he is, and it's driving her crazy.

As she comes down from her orgasm, she pulls her fingers from her pussy and brings them to her mouth. She licks her fingers clean, her eyes still locked with Harry's. He lets out a low groan, his eyes filled with desire.

“Come here.” Harry growls, his hand never leaving his cock.

Y/N moves over to him, the water splashing around her. As she gets close to him, he grabs her and pulls her onto his lap, her legs straddling him. His hard cock is pressed against her, and she can feel his need.

“Fuck me.” Y/N breathes, her arms wrapping around his neck.

“I plan to.” Harry smirks, his hands gripping her hips tightly. He guides her onto his cock, his length sliding into her wet pussy.

“Oh, god.” Y/N gasps, her eyes closing as he fills her.

“That's it, baby.” Harry groans, his hands squeezing her hips as he begins thrusting into her. Y/N can't believe how good it feels, his cock stretching her and filling her completely. She rocks her hips, matching his thrusts and letting out soft moans. She's still sensitive from her orgasm, and the sensation is driving her crazy.

Harry is in ecstasy at how amazing it feels to be inside his wife, her tight pussy gripping his cock. He can feel her juices coating him, and it's making him even harder. He leans forward, his mouth capturing hers in a heated kiss.

“You feel so fucking good.” Harry growls against her lips, his hips picking up speed. Y/N can't help but cry out, the pleasure almost too much for her to handle.

“Oh, god...Harry...” Y/N pants, her eyes squeezing shut as his cock drives into her.

“I love hearing you say my name like that.” Harry groans, one of his hands cupping her breast while the other one remains on her hips, pushing her up and down his cock.

“Please...” Y/N moans, her voice breathy and needy.

“What do you want, baby?” Harry asks, his hand moving to pinch her nipple.

“Harder...faster.” Y/N pleads, her head falling back at the feeling of his fingers on her.

“As you wish.” Harry chuckles. He pulls her off his lap, and guides her to the side of the tub, placing her with both knees on the seat, her ass in the air. “Hold on, baby.” Harry groans, standing behind her. He grabs her hips and pushes his cock inside her once more.

“Fuck, yes.” Y/N moans as his cock fills her again. Her hands grip the edge of the tub for leverage, her back arching.

Harry's fingers dig into her hips as he pounds into her, his cock sliding in and out of her pussy. She can feel him hitting her G-spot, and it's driving her wild.

“That's it, baby. You feel so fucking good.” Harry growls. He slaps her ass hard, the sting making her moan. He does it again, and again, each time harder than the last until there is a visible red handprint on her skin.

“Harry, you're so fucking good for me.” Y/N whines, the pleasure building quickly.

“You like this, don't you? You like it when I fuck you like this.” Harry growls.

“Yes, yes, please.” Y/N begs, her orgasm approaching.

“I'm going to fuck you so hard.” Harry grunts, his thrusts becoming faster. “And then I'm going to spill my cum deep inside your tight little pussy.”

“Oh, god, yes!” Y/N moans, her walls contracting around him. “I'm going to come, Harry.”

“Yes, you are.” Harry says, his hands digging into her hips. “Now, come for me.”

With a loud moan, Y/N's orgasm washes over her, her pussy clenching around him.

“Fuck, that's it.” Harry groans. He pumps into her a few more times, and then his cock pulses, spurting his hot seed deep inside her just like he promised.

As her orgasm fades, Y/N falls against the edge of the tub, exhausted and satisfied. She can feel Harry's cum dripping down her thighs, and she loves it.

“You're such a minx.” Harry laughs, leaning over her and pressing a kiss to her shoulder.

“What can I say, you bring out the worst in me.” Y/N jokes.

“Mm, well I'm glad I can be of service.” Harry smirks, his hands running up and down her sides.

The couple stays like that for a while, basking in the afterglow of their lovemaking. It's a beautiful night, and they're glad to be here, enjoying each other's company.

[hellenicrisis]

Does Hellenism have a Holy Book? Or like a Bool with Rules,Customs,Offerings etc?? Kinda like a Bible :>

Hey there, sunshine! ☀️

Hellenic paganism doesn't have one single piece of holy scripture like Abrahamic religions do. Our texts are a little more scattered. We have the Homeric Hymns and the Orphic Hymns, each are a collection of hymns and prayers to the gods. There is also Hesiod's Theogony, an epic 1000+ line poem that details the genealogies of the gods, and also Hesiod's Works and Days, which is more on the subject of morality and farming, but includes good lessons on how to interact with the gods.

You can buy these online in the forms of physical books, but there should also be free pdf versions of them out there, as well as websites that have the entire collection of hymns written out.

As for a text that gives instructions regarding customs and offerings, there isn't one set, singular text that I know of. We learn from historical and archaeological research, from writings like those listed above, and from each other. There are modern books on Hellenic paganism and its practices written by scholars that you could look for. Some are expensive though, and if you do enough digging on the internet yourself, you should be able to come up with some information.

I could teach you a couple basics right now.

1. Be clean when praying

There is a line in Hesiod's Works and Days that reads, "Never pour a libation of sparkling wine to Zeus after dawn with unwashen hands, nor to others of the deathless gods."

This line refers to the custom of washing our hands before giving offerings or libations to the gods. There is a water we make, I think with burnt herbs in it, called khernips that is used to clean our hands. You don't have to use it though (I don't) and simply washing your hands normally works just as well. I believe it also symbolises being generally clean. Being ready for your day and in a good state when presenting yourself to the gods is important, I think.

2. How to pray

Here is a post I found about how to pray in Hellenic paganism. I found it very helpful and I've been pagan for years now, so I think it could help you. (Link)

Also a note, we have a version of "amen" that can be said at the end of prayers, if that sense of closing off makes prayer easier for you. I know it did for me. The word is "khaire", and as I understand it, it means "blessings" or "good wishes". You can say it to someone or to close a prayer.

EDIT: "Khaire" or "khairete" can be used. They both mean "hail" or "farewell" or "blessings". "Khaire" is to address one, and "khairete" is to address a group.

3. Ouranic and chthonic

Quick run down on ouranic and chthonic. Ouranic means celestial, and it is how we refer to gods who live on the surface and in Olympus. These include Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Aphrodite, etc. Chthonic means underground, and it is used to refer to gods who live in the Underworld. These are Hades, Persephone (half the year at least), and Thanatos.

In Ancient times, offerings to ouranic deities were either libations poured to them in a bowl or cup or the smoke of burning food. It is believed that the essence of the food would be carried up to the gods through the smoke. Looking at this in modern day, incense smoke is an excellent offering and we can leave food offerings and libations out on the altar along with a lit candle.

Offerings to chthonic deities usually went in the ground, so that it may be absorbed through the earth and reach the gods in the Underworld that way. Usually libations were poured out on the ground and food offerings buried in a dug hole. If you have a garden or pot plants and your offerings are safe for them then the practice can be replicated that way. I've also seen people use boxes on the altar, putting offerings inside and closing it, symbolising burying it.

Or you can simply treat chthonic deities the same as ouranic deities when giving offerings. Whatever works best for you, but this is what was done traditionally.

4. Read the myths

Read the myths of the gods you wish to worship. You learn a lot and can come to your own conclusions about your worship by learning about their stories and roles in society.

This may all seem like a lot now, and not having one singular piece of decisive scripture can be challenging if you're used to having one, but it does get easier. You'll settle and find your feet. Knowing these things will become second nature, and you will build your own practice based on them. No one's worship looks the same, especially with paganism, and that's as it should be.

Thank you so much for asking, sunshine! So sorry for the long response, but I figured I'd rather leave you with some starting points and things to investigate. Please feel free to send another ask or dm me in future if you have any more questions.

Khaire! ☀️