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drvitaltips · 2 months ago

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Is Beef Brisket Healthy? The Juicy Truth Uncovered

Thinking about slow-cooked barbecue or a comforting pot roast often brings beef brisket to mind. It's flavorful, tender when cooked right, and a crowd-pleaser. But amidst the deliciousness, the question pops up: is beef brisket healthy? The straightforward answer is, it can be part of a healthy diet, but it really depends on the cut you choose, how you prepare it, and how much you eat. Let’s dig into the details.

Key Takeaways

- Beef brisket offers beneficial nutrients like protein, iron, zinc, and B vitamins. - It can be high in saturated fat, especially the "point" cut, which raises health concerns if eaten excessively. - Choosing the leaner "flat" cut and trimming visible fat significantly reduces fat content. - Cooking methods like braising, roasting, or slow cooking are generally healthier than high-heat smoking or grilling, which can create potential carcinogens. - Brisket contains oleic acid, a monounsaturated fat also found in olive oil, which may help improve cholesterol levels. - Portion control and pairing brisket with vegetables are key to incorporating it into a balanced diet.

What Exactly Is Beef Brisket?

Before we talk health, let's clarify what brisket actually is. It comes from the lower chest or breast area of the cow. Since cows don't have collarbones, these pectoral muscles work hard supporting a lot of the animal's weight. This means the meat is naturally tough and full of connective tissue (hello, collagen!). That's why it benefits so much from long, slow cooking methods which break down that tissue, making the meat incredibly tender and flavorful. The Two Cuts: Flat vs. Point Brisket isn't just one uniform piece; it's typically made up of two distinct muscles separated by a layer of fat: - The Flat (or First Cut): This is the leaner, more rectangular part. It has less fat marbled throughout and a layer of fat mostly on the bottom (the "fat cap"). It slices neatly and is often preferred for dishes like corned beef or pot roast. Because it's leaner, it can sometimes dry out if not cooked carefully. - The Point (or Second Cut/Deckle): This sits on top of the flat and is thicker, rounder, and significantly fattier. That extra fat marbling means more flavor and moisture, making it a favorite for barbecue enthusiasts who love that rich, melt-in-your-mouth texture. It's often shredded or chopped after cooking. When you buy brisket at the store, you might find a "whole packer" (both cuts together), just the flat, or just the point. Knowing the difference is key when considering the health aspect. Common Ways We Eat Brisket Brisket shows up in some well-loved dishes: - Barbecue: Slow-smoked brisket is a cornerstone of American barbecue, especially in Texas. - Corned Beef: Brisket cured in brine with spices. Often boiled or steamed and served with cabbage or in sandwiches (like the Reuben). - Pastrami: Similar to corned beef, but after curing, it's typically coated in spices and smoked. - Pot Roast: Braised slowly with vegetables and liquid until fork-tender. - Ground Beef: Sometimes, brisket trim (especially the fatty point) is used to make flavorful ground beef.

Nutritional Profile: What's Inside Brisket?

Let's break down the nutrition. Like other cuts of beef, brisket brings some good things to the table, but also has aspects to be mindful of. The Good Stuff: Protein & Minerals - Protein Powerhouse: Brisket is packed with high-quality protein, essential for building and repairing tissues, muscle maintenance, and keeping you feeling full. A 3-ounce serving can provide around 24-25 grams of protein. - Iron: Important for carrying oxygen in your blood and preventing fatigue caused by anemia. Beef is a particularly good source of heme iron, which your body absorbs easily. - Zinc: Crucial for immune function, wound healing, and cell growth. - B Vitamins: Brisket provides several B vitamins, including B12 (vital for nerve function and red blood cell formation), Niacin (B3), Riboflavin (B2), and B6. These vitamins help convert food into energy and support brain health. - Selenium: An important antioxidant mineral. The Concerns: Fat & Sodium - Fat Content: This is where brisket gets its tricky reputation. It can be high in total fat and, more importantly, saturated fat. The amount varies hugely between the point cut (fattier) and the flat cut (leaner), and also depends on how much visible fat is trimmed off. While some fat is necessary, diets high in saturated fat are linked to increased LDL ("bad") cholesterol and a higher risk of heart disease according to major health organizations like the American Heart Association. - Oleic Acid: Interestingly, some research, including studies from Texas A&M University, highlights that brisket contains significant amounts of oleic acid. This is a monounsaturated fat (the main type found in olive oil) that may actually help increase HDL ("good") cholesterol and lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol. So, the fat profile isn't entirely negative, but the saturated fat content is still a primary concern for many. - Cholesterol: Brisket does contain dietary cholesterol. While the dietary guidelines have shifted away from strict limits on dietary cholesterol for most people, being mindful is still wise, especially if you have existing heart health issues. A 3-ounce serving might have around 60-90mg. - Sodium: Plain brisket isn't naturally high in sodium. However, how it's prepared makes a huge difference. Cured products like corned beef and pastrami, barbecue rubs, and sauces can add a massive amount of sodium. Comparing Flat vs. Point Nutrition While exact numbers vary based on the specific animal and trimming, here's a general idea: NutrientLean Brisket Flat (Trimmed, Cooked)Fatty Brisket Point (Cooked)CaloriesLowerHigherTotal FatLowerHigherSat. FatLowerHigherProteinHighHighFlavorBeefyRicher, FattierTendernessCan be drier if overcookedMore moist and tender Source: General nutritional principles and comparison of lean vs. fatty cuts. Choosing the flat cut and trimming visible fat makes a significant difference in the fat content.

So, Is Beef Brisket Healthy? Weighing Pros and Cons

Like many foods, the answer isn't black and white. Potential Benefits - Muscle Support: High protein content aids muscle growth and repair. - Energy & Blood Health: Good source of iron and B12 for energy levels and preventing anemia. - Immune Function: Provides zinc, essential for a healthy immune system. - Potentially Better Fat Profile?: The presence of oleic acid might offer some cardiovascular benefits compared to other fatty cuts, though more research is needed, and saturated fat remains a concern. Potential Downsides - Saturated Fat: Especially in the point cut or untrimmed brisket, high saturated fat content is a concern for heart health if eaten frequently or in large amounts. - Calories: The fattier cuts are calorie-dense, which can contribute to weight gain if portions aren't managed. - Sodium Overload: Preparation methods (curing, rubs, sauces) can drastically increase sodium intake. - Cooking Method Concerns: High-temperature cooking methods like smoking or grilling can create potentially carcinogenic compounds (HCAs and PAHs). Marinades might help reduce this risk somewhat.

Making Brisket Healthier: Smart Choices

You can definitely enjoy brisket as part of a balanced diet by making smarter choices: - Choose the Right Cut: Opt for the flat cut whenever possible, as it's naturally leaner. - Trim That Fat!: This is crucial. Trim away as much of the visible fat cap as possible before cooking. You can also easily remove rendered fat after cooking, especially if braising or pot roasting. - Cooking Methods Matter: - Healthier: Braising, pot roasting, slow cooking, or baking at lower temperatures are generally better choices. These methods don't typically involve the high direct heat that creates more harmful compounds. - Less Healthy: Frequent consumption of heavily smoked or charred brisket might pose risks due to carcinogen formation. If you love smoked brisket, consider it an occasional treat. - Watch the Sauces & Sides: Be mindful of sugary, high-sodium barbecue sauces, gravy made from fatty drippings, and calorie-dense sides. Opt for vinegar-based sauces, use rubs sparingly, and load up on vegetable sides. - Portion Control is Key: Stick to a reasonable serving size (think 3-4 ounces, about the size of a deck of cards). Don't make brisket the only thing on your plate. - Consider Grass-Fed: Some evidence suggests grass-fed beef might have a slightly better fatty acid profile (more omega-3s, better omega-6 to omega-3 ratio) and higher antioxidant levels compared to grain-fed beef.

How Brisket Stacks Up Against Other Meats

Compared to very lean options like chicken breast or fish, brisket (even the lean flat) generally has more saturated fat. Compared to other beef cuts: - Leaner than: Ribeye, T-bone steak (often). - Fattier than: Sirloin, flank steak, top round, eye of round. The key takeaway is that within the category of beef, a well-trimmed brisket flat can be a relatively leaner choice than some prime steak cuts, but fattier than dedicated lean cuts.

FAQs: Your Brisket Health Questions Answered

Let's clear up some common questions. Is smoked brisket unhealthy? Smoked brisket can be less healthy due to potential carcinogens (PAHs and HCAs) formed during the smoking process, especially with high heat or long smoke times. The rubs and sauces used also often add significant amounts of sodium and sugar. Enjoying it occasionally is generally considered fine for most people, but healthier cooking methods like braising or roasting are better for regular consumption. Which part of the brisket is healthier? The flat cut is significantly healthier than the point cut because it contains much less fat, particularly saturated fat, especially when trimmed well. Is brisket high in cholesterol? Brisket contains dietary cholesterol, typically around 60-90mg per 3-ounce serving. While not excessively high compared to some foods, it's something to be aware of, particularly if you have high cholesterol levels. The focus for heart health is often more on limiting saturated and trans fats. Is brisket good for weight loss? It can be, surprisingly! Brisket is high in protein, which promotes fullness and helps maintain muscle mass during weight loss. However, you MUST choose the lean flat cut, trim all visible fat, use a healthy cooking method (like braising), control your portion size, and avoid high-calorie sauces and sides. The fatty point cut is generally not ideal for weight loss due to its higher calorie and fat content. What's the healthiest way to cook brisket? Braising, slow cooking (like in a Crock-Pot), or oven roasting at lower temperatures are generally considered the healthiest ways. These methods allow fat to render out (which can be removed) and don't typically create the harmful compounds associated with high-heat grilling or smoking. Use minimal added fat and season with herbs and spices instead of high-sodium rubs or sauces. Is brisket healthier than steak? It depends entirely on the cut of steak and the cut of brisket. A trimmed brisket flat is leaner and likely healthier than a fatty ribeye steak. However, a lean sirloin steak is generally healthier than a fatty brisket point. Comparing a trimmed flat brisket to a lean steak like sirloin might show similar nutritional profiles, with brisket potentially having more beneficial oleic acid but steak maybe being slightly leaner overall.

Conclusion: Enjoy Brisket Smartly

So, is beef brisket healthy? It's not a simple yes or no. While it offers valuable protein, iron, and vitamins, its healthiness hinges on the cut (go for the flat!), trimming the fat diligently, choosing a smart cooking method (think low and slow braising), and keeping portion sizes reasonable. That delicious, rich flavor often comes from fat, so moderation is key. By making informed choices, you can absolutely savor a tender, flavorful brisket meal without completely derailing your health goals. Think of it less as an everyday staple and more as a satisfying option to enjoy wisely. Disclaimer: The information provided on this website is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Always consult with a qualified healthcare professional before making any decisions about your health. Read the full article

#isbeefbriskethealthy

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rdr2dd · 4 years ago

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Jan. 17-23 Update

Not a whole lot of progress happening right now, as life is wildly busy in a lot of weird ways. In place of anything more meaningful, I thought I might as well share the little bit of work that I’ve gotten done on Annabelle. A reminder, of course, that this is all fun, speculative work; there aren’t any files for Annabelle.

As modeled by a lovely bland, featureless grey mesh, I’ve put together two outfits for her, each with two minor variants. The first outfit is more suited toward daywear, out and about, perhaps even running a job; it has variants with the vest buttoned or unbuttoned. The second outfit is intended as a sort of camp outfit, more appropriate for the evening around the campfire or early morning around the coffee pot; one variant with and one without a shawl.

For the textures, I couldn’t just pull files straight from game’s NPCs, as most of the textures are in a sort of neon RGB format that I think must require some metadata to appear correctly in-game. So, the textures work, but they largely need to be recolored. In most cases, I colorized them with generally muted colors, and for a few lucky items that had readily usable textures, I stuck with the colors already available in the game files. I may go back and give the vest a recolor, and her corset lacings need to be darkened, but I think I’m largely happy with it all.

For her hairstyle, there are again two variants; one is pulled back to keep out of her way, the other is loose and comfortable for downtime. I’ve gone for a red-brown color for her hair, mostly due to a headcanon I’ve had for a while about Molly looking just a touch like Annabelle. It’s all speculative anyhow, so it seems as fair as any guess.

It’s inevitable that my headcanons about Annabelle will get caught up in her design for renders, especially seeing as how we know next to nothing about her. Already some thoughts I have on her role are evident in the outfits I’ve put together; she has clothes suitable for gunslinging and robbing alongside the boys. I’ll talk more about how I see her as I get more work done, of course.

Summary

Outfit and hairstyles meshes assembled and textured for Annabelle.

#rdr2dd weekly update #rdr2 annabelle #rdr2dd bts

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dorminchu · 4 years ago

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WIPs [James Bond, Pokémon Lost Silver]

Wahey! Here are two mostly brand new scenes below the cut, just to prove I'm not dead! Note: Please view the post on the main page for correct formatting.

INSULT TO INJURY CHAPTER I: A THOUSAND DETAILS [REVISED]

Graduation from Oxford was a quick, unemotional affair. Madeleine had no extended family to invite—no one else of import, besides her short-term friends. The matter of her attendance was something to be addressed and then forgotten about. It was a little tragic. She tried not to let this show on her face when she had to make her commencement speech.

The ceremony went along as expected. Things were not as interesting when she could pretend her life was just as safe and boring as anyone else’s. As she was wrapping up an individual figure in the stands, no more remarkable than any other, caught her attention. It was an older man, perhaps in his early fifties, hidden partially behind sunglasses and a smart dress-hat. With a nauseating thrill she recognized his hat as well as his smile, the angles in his face a little more pronounced. To Madeleine it was like he was sneering. She did not let this discovery rattle her. If she hesitated it was on account of the crowd and her nerves and nothing else.

But when she was done, succeeded at the podium, she could only think: How long has he been standing there? Why didn’t I notice? They did not speak to one another, as it would surely draw unwanted attention. Not that it mattered. His presence was enough of an affront; why give him further opportunity to wound her pride by acknowledging him outright?

“I’m sorry,” she’d said to her roommate, “I’m really not feeling well. Just take me home.”

Even then, when she was perfectly alone, the memory of him took up residence where physical space would not permit. She tried to dredge up some residual emotions for the man who less so resembled a father and more an anonymous pen pal in recent years. Perhaps it was best for his pride if she continued to avoid him, rather than put him in a situation that would force him to admit his own daughter's indifference.

Her cotenants would be out for a while, glad to be around other normal people who didn’t skirt around crowded rooms, casing the doors and windows. Most of them, by now, thought Madeleine to be frigid, or else exceedingly studious. They’d given up a long time ago trying to invite her along on group dates—it was a losing proposition. She did not drink anything. She didn’t talk unless someone initiated and then she was perfectly reasonable. She would quietly, scrupulously vet what was offered. The other women were under the delusion that she was trying to compete with them, and the men were usually uncomfortable being scrutinised without a lick of pretence. Madeleine found it a little funny, but she was the only one.

So she didn’t mind being left behind. Most of the time. She looked around the room. It had served its purpose during her enrolment. Now it seemed intolerably small, like a holding cell. She had never thought about it this way before. Suddenly she wanted to be anywhere else.

At times such as these, she almost wished she hadn’t decided to go straight-edge—then, maybe, they would keep some alcohol in the flat. She had no friends she could call on without inviting scrutiny. The only other comparable colleague was Arnaud, a fellow Sociology major in her year. She found him tolerable enough to engage in polite conversation, though she did not want to give him or anyone else the wrong idea.

Or, hell, why not? She could use a drink.

⁂

Three years to that day, they were still talking. Well, her colleagues at Oxford would have likely referred to them as friends-with-benefits with a healthy measure of condescension—but this was misleading. It would imply some level of emotional investment. For Madeleine, he was a means of insurance. Whenever he turned up dead or missing, she’d know it was time to move on. Now, Madeleine was not completely heartless. She had taken Arnaud’s advice and transferred over to the 8th arrondissement, with the understanding that they would be rooming together. And Arnaud was easy to get along with and she could afford him the same courtesy. She had someone to come home to and he knew enough about her work ethic from their college years, and her demeanour, to not ask where she had been. She knew enough surface-level information about him that she could still keep up appearances with his friends, as well as her own colleagues at the office—to be discarded, once he outlived his purpose. The clinic was within walking distance from the flat. Open to the general public, rather than more exclusive clientele, but that suited her fine. Each day bled into the next and the seasons changed in rote, predictable manner. She’d go to bed and wake up thinking: Maybe today will be it. They’ll come to collect me. But it had been three years. The lack of apparent danger soon directed her thoughts towards various methods of escape. Usually, Madeleine found solace in identifying the root of other peoples' troubles; a faulty marriage brought on by substance abuse, or more permanent debts that could not be repaid so easily. Most were less extreme and involved simple conversations that were, in Madeleine’s view, no more impactful than the change in weather. She kept no photographs. She had a work computer that stayed in the office. She stuck to using burner phones. She did not discuss her life before Oxford or the Sorbonne with anyone. The only décor was a pot of faux flowers from an elder client; for her falsified birthday, of course. There was even a little hand-written note. The longer the pot stayed on her desk, the more disingenuous Madeleine felt. She'd investigated it a few times when she was alone, looking for wires, but never could prove her suspicions. She got rid of it anyway, just to be safe. The client never brought this up again but Madeleine could souse the hurt in her eyes the next time they met.

LOST SILVER: HIDDEN

Part of the wall had a give to it like rotting flesh. It caught on his fingers, porous and thin. Momentarily freed from the push of the unown Gold threw his body into the weak spot.

It didn’t stick to his skin but tore as like wet paper. Clean break.

Falling forwards into an empty void. Crashing on all-fours. The unown were gone. Ground had no texture but simply existed beneath him, impossibly smooth and cold. There was no light from the tunnel behind him. All the sound fell away from his ears. He felt himself screaming just to hear something but could only feel the physical strain in his lungs and throat. Unown frequency reached him through tinny speakers—overridden by static. He put his hands to his ears. It did not stop. He could feel the blood pounding in his head. Suddenly the tiny screen lit up. His hands caught on plastic. He clutched it desperately, staring into the harsh, inexplicable light of the LCD screen. A voice broke through static:

“Where do you think you are?”

Gold froze. He—

—falling forward again. Jerked out of time and space as though by an ally’s Teleport—familiar loss of footing followed by an abrupt solidity beneath his knees. Shock giving way to nausea. The last time he’d teleported anywhere was at the behest of the old guy who wouldn’t take no for an answer, and his abra, back at Indigo Plateau. He doubled over. His chest felt tight. He began dry-heaving, desperate for air—the serrated, raw feeling in his throat and chest told him he’d been screaming.

Dry, dusty earth beneath his fingers was baked over. The fresh air he drew into his lungs tasted warm. It was dusk. A thin layer of perspiration on his face and his palms. His stomach settled gradually into queasiness. He didn’t remember teleporting or what he had been doing before his arrival. He couldn’t recall why he was here, either.

“Hey, kid. Finally awake?”

Gold blinked. He straightened himself out and tried not to look as shaken up as he felt. The man in a lab coat and glasses looked down at him impatiently.

“We’ve been waiting for the last hour.”

Gold had no idea how to respond. His legs were shaky. He held up a hand to wave off any attempts at sympathy. “Teleport,” he got out hoarsely.

The man scoffed. “I don’t need an apology. I’ve got all the notes on my desk about what to expect down there. Nothing a tough guy like you can’t handle. We’ll be inside whenever you’re ready.”

The aide was nicer. “Gold, right? Prof. Oak’s told me about you.” She looked around his age, maybe a couple years younger. Her hair was dyed an intense shade of blue and pulled into twin ponytails. She was dressed for the season—just a pair of bright yellow athletic shorts and sleeveless red shirt, white jacket. Her body was toned—Gold had the fleeting thought that she could have been his twin, but her accent struck him as native to Kanto. She had her own POKéGEAR, too; clipped neatly on her bag, rather than on her wrist.

“Oh, uh—has he?”

“Only good stuff, don’t worry.” She extended a hand. “You can call me Kris. That other guy is Mr. Ito.”

They shook. Her gloveless hand was warm and soft, which surprised him. Gold noticed her belt—two standard pokéballs, a moon ball and a lure ball respectively. “You’re a trainer, too?”

“I’m more of a researcher. Lately I’ve been working on the Unown Mode feature of the POKéDEX. We’ll have to set yours up first, before you go down there.” She reached out towards the ‘DEX at his hip, suddenly very businesslike. Gold hesitated. She smirked. “What? I’m not gonna screw it up, I’ve done this enough times by now.”

“I never said—”

Kris inclined her head without waiting for an excuse. With a sigh, Gold handed over the POKéDEX. Kris walked over to the nearby desk. She clicked on a lamp and studied the screen for a few seconds. She whistled. “Wow! They weren’t kidding. Two-hundred and fifty on—” Mr. Ito clicked his tongue and she scowled “—yeah, okay.” She toggled through the settings with an air of aggression that suggested this was not the first time she’d been reprimanded. Gold’s amusement was undercut by the hope she didn’t break any of the buttons. Then again, he knew from firsthand experience that it could take a lot of punishment. “You’re pretty handy with that.”

#wip #lost silver #james bond #trainer gold #trainer kris #madeleine swann #mr white #for like a second #original characters #fanfic #fanfiction #writing #slight tone dissonance

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danscape · 5 years ago

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ANNAPURNA CIRCUIT - Day 6 - Pisang to Manang

SUMMIT SNICKERS | JUMBLE GEOLOGY | DEHYDRATION | YAK SELFIE | CREAM CAKE

25th October 2018

THE DAY IN NUMBERS

9 Miles

8 Hours 20 Mins

Starting Elevation 3250m

Finish Elevation 3520m

Average Temperature 23C (Low 16C - High 27C)

Average Heartrate 113bpm (Max 156bpm)

Day 6 on the Annapurna Circuit - A STEEP CLIMB TO enter A land of jumbled GEOLOGY + yaks

Have I mentioned Tibetan bread yet? Well in case I haven’t I will reiterate that Tibetan Bread is the king of breakfasts on the circuit, nothing else fills you up quite so well as you tackle the mornings of ‘Nepali flat’ walking. Breakfast consumed we packed up and weaved our way through the narrow paths of Upper Pisang before the trail opened up ahead of us towards Ghyaru.

There is a choice from Pisang to take the high route (via Ghyaru) or the low route following the road. The choice depends if you want to get in a practice ascent climbing to over 3700m before dropping down to Manang or stick to the gradual climb to Manang. We had decided quite early on the high route would help give our bodies a chance to test our acclimatisation to the altitude. It would also test our minds a little with an insight into what the uphill struggle of pass day might be like.

We had been talking about the climb the previous evening, and so at first there was a sense of nervous anticipation, but it soon dissipated with each breath of the fresh morning air and the distraction of morning light hitting the giants of the Annapurna range.

Day 6 is split into two halves by the climb to Ghyaru.

Our gentle stroll through scattered pine trees and cool morning air was abruptly ended by the sight of the zig-zagging path which rose some 400m to our right, it’s final destination hidden. It was time to join the chain of hikers slowly making their way up the narrow dust trail. The steep climbs on the circuit bring groups of hikers together. It seems no matter if you set off a little earlier or later each day at some point on the slow plod uphill you will overlap or be overlapped by some familiar faces. My tendency to stop every few minutes to take photos (and catch my breath) means I’m particularly likely to see the same faces plenty of times. The momentum from the constant chain of hikers helps nudge you onwards. Finding a rhythm that allows you to keep going for as long as possible becomes a mini obsession. I became acutely aware of the creaking sound my backpack would make with each sequence of steps and this became a metronome I could concentrate on to keep moving.

Reaching Ghyaru after 45 minutes of relentless uphill we joined the crowd in dropping our packs to the floor and taking a seat to enjoy our reward, yes another stunning view of the Annapurna Range. At this point I felt great, the endorphin hit that comes after exercise added with the appreciation of where we were I was on a high. I suppose the sugar from my summit Snickers also helped.

THE VALLEY OF JUMBLED ROCKS

We lingered in Ghyaru for around 45 minutes and gradually familiar groups of trekkers came and went, all heading towards Manang. It was still only just after 9 am and our plan for the day was flexible, we would either stay in Bhakra or try and push on Manang. So we were again in no rush and now we were high in the valley the views across to the Annapurna range had revealed a new perspective. It felt like we were almost level with the snow line and the harsh faces of the mountains became more pronounced. I stopped often to photograph the textures on the other side of the valley where snow fought rock and patterns the likes of which I hadn’t seen before grabbed my attention.

We stopped after another hour or so at a tiny teahouse, I was still awestruck by the mountains opposite as I chewed on a rather crunchy pain au chocolat. Above my head hung on the teahouse walls was a Yak’s head, a sign we were entering Yak land. The next village we would reach would be Ngawal where we would most likely stop for lunch and see how much further we’d go on that day. The standout memory from this part of the trek and the rest of the day was the geology that surrounded us. It feels too simplistic to say it was unlike anything I have ever seen before, but it really was. [Here I wish my geological knowledge would allow me to describe the scenes in more detail.] In each direction you looked there seemed to be a completely different form of rock, rising to different heights and different angles. The individual formations seemed familiar, towers that reminded me of places in Spain, or the sandy colours of the American west but it was the assembly of such variety all in one place that seemed remarkable. Laid bare, we were getting a glimpse into the jumble of geology that was being slowly pushed up from below the surface. The landscape felt alive, a sense of movement you don’t get in the landscapes at home where the hills are rounded by time. In some ways, it reminded me that we really were walking amongst the chaos of a changing landscape where the continent of India continues forcing its way northwards.

GOING DOWNHILL

Reaching Ngawal and catching up with Ryan & Andrew it was still quite early in the day and we decided to continue on without a lunch stop here, mindful that the trail was busy here and arriving as early as possible would offer more accommodation options. Unfortunately for me, the day went downhill, both literally as we now descended back to the valley floor but also physically as I developed a headache and brief spells of nausea. At this point, I was spending most of my time hiking a couple of minutes behind Ryan & Andrew as I stopped often to take photos.

We were now back walking among the sparse pine trees but they offered little shade. At some sections, there were multiple choices of paths that weaved through the woods and it became a little disorienting until the view of the path ahead opened up again. Eventually, we came across a single tea house tucked into the woods and stopped for the classic veg noodles lunch. At this point, I realised I was probably dehydrated more so than suffering from altitude so the break and chance to take on plenty of liquids helped improve my physical and mental condition.

We were now over 5 hours into the day’s walking and after the earlier effort of the climb and despite the benefits of a lunch stop I still found it slow going. The path seemed much quieter now, the long day dispersing the chain of trekkers and with many deciding to stop in Ngawal. We reached Bhakra around 3 pm, it was quiet here also and so we decided to continue on to Manang only 30mins ahead. We were going to rest in Manang for a couple of days anyway so another few minutes would mean we could hopefully unpack and relax there.

As we moved through Bhakra a yak wandered in front of a Buddhist gompa, below houses nestled into rock towers that looked like the pipes of an organ. A memorable Himalayan scene.

YAK LAND

The final approach to Manang wasn’t far and the main attraction for me was again the Yak’s that wandered around the paths. I was completed unaware as to their temperament but I assumed with them being allowed to wander along the busy trail I could probably stop to take a few photos without causing them too much aggravation. We were now down again at river level in an amphitheatre of giant peaks on all sides. The sun was quickly falling in the sky, not far from being consumed by the Annapurna massif and already casting shadows on the landscape.

I lingered in these plains outside Manang for as long as possible, had some fun getting a Yak selfie before joining Ryan & Andrew in wandering the streets of the town in search of accommodation.

As I walked through the uneven streets of Manang Andrew was stood on the roof of a guesthouse being shown the rooftop toilet and signalling it was a no/last resort for that accommodation. Manang is always busy at this time of year as many people stop over a few days to acclimatise then accommodation is in demand. We only had one option, the North Pole Hotel. I’m reluctant to complain about any accommodation in a place such as this, but I can say there are plenty of better options in Manang.

MANANG

Bags dropped it was time to sit and enjoy a pot of tea at the Nilgiri Guesthouse mostly being enticed in by the cunningly placed cakes in the window. Chocolate & cream cake never tasted so good.

I had planned to head back out to the edge of Manang to take more photos in the last light of the day, however, the sun fell much quicker than I expected. As darkness came we headed back to our guesthouse for a cosy night playing cards and eating dal bhat. We just caught a glimpse of the sunset illuminating Annapurna III through the window. Not quite a colourful as a couple of nights before but still a beautiful moment.

MORE FROM THE BLOG

#Nepal #Annapurna Circuit #Trekking #Himalayas #Photography #Travel Photography #Pisang #Manang #Yak #Ghyaru

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homedesignlog-blog · 6 years ago

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2019 Home Decor Ideas, Interior Trends

We have left another year behind and yes, 2019 is welcome. Have him bring them. May it bring happiness and peace. In fact, whoever wants it, bring it… So what will 2019 bring to our homes? As every year, I've compiled 2019 home decoration ideas and interior trends for you this year. Long, short, short for every corner of your home 2019 home decoration fashion, this year's most popular trends and more, the most beautiful images are included in this article. Lets start… When it comes to home decoration fashion, maybe some people just think of wall paint and a carpet to be laid on the floor. Even for many of us, home decoration fashions may be unnecessary, but they may not be … Decorating the living space for someone may even be a way of life. As a matter of fact, home decoration is important as I mentioned in every decoration article I wrote. It is important. For example, you left behind a busy day and you came to your house on a cold winter day. Imagine that you are a homeowner decorated to warm you. Imagine whether it's comfortable, convenient, convenient, stylish, decorative but exactly the way you want it. Well, here you are. What happens? All your tiredness, all your stress will be eliminated. I can list dozens of such examples. However, I do not want to extend the article unnecessarily because of the fact that everyone who follows home decoration fashion is already familiar.

Home Decor Ideas for 2019

Let me give you a brief information about what will happen. This year's most popular colors, the most remarkable patterns, objects to be liked by everyone, prominent materials, and of course some of the things about this year's fashion decoration styles… What are the Most Popular Colors of 2019? White is an untimely color, and as usual this year will find a place in our homes. White is already the main color of your home, especially if the style of their house is in a Scandinavian or minimalist style. Gray is a color that adds elegance and subtlety to its space. Even if it's not timeless like white, it never gets out of style. On the other hand, it has a versatile depth and can adapt to any decoration style. Gray is also in 2019… Black's indisputable nobility will take place in our homes this year. Especially if you paint the wall paint, at least one wall in black, it will put your house in a different mood. Black is always fashion! Cream color is another color beige color has the same advantages as white color. We will see very often in 2019. It will be very common especially for seats with beige fabrics. Red is a color you can consider to include in your home decoration. At least it will be highly popular. We will see cushions and pillows. The colors mentioned above will be the dominant colors to be used in home decoration in 2019 but what are the colors of this year? Especially which color will be popular in decoration. If you ask which specific colors are you say hemen Green, Pink and Copper colors are popular this year with almost every tone, fashion this year…

The Most Distinctive Home Decor Ideas and Decor Trends of 2019 While preparing an article to evaluate the interior trends of 2019, you deserve that there are many topics, many details that need to be evaluated, but there are some of the most obvious issues that we should pay particular attention to. Let us see what awaits us by listing the decoration trends that will come to the fore this year… Metallic Colored Objects As of 2017, metallic-looking objects and articles have been heavily involved in home decorations and continue. This year they will continue to decorate our homes. Especially copper colored items will be popular this year.

Natural Style Natural Style, the feeling of relaxation and relaxation in your homes will attract you and addictive. I'm guessing, but this is an ambitious prediction; if you adapt this style to your home, you will not be able to change it again. Particularly in the kitchen and bathrooms, the natural appearance of the wood, which takes place very often, will embrace your entire home this year. The most popular color of this year is a combination of organic surfaces with pale tones, such as sage leaf green and indigo, and many other pastel shades. Get ready for a bamboo swing hanging from the ceiling, a wicker basket where you place your newspapers, a wood-crafted coffee table and more!

Natural Style Small Edge Tables If you don't have a coffee table by the side of your seat, make one or buy one! Fashion this year fashion !!! Aside from the joke, especially in the evening, if you have a rest chair or a corner, there is a small side table that will always stand at the head end, it will complete the rest corner, and if you have books, coffee, maybe your succulents, maybe a terrarium scene, maybe a small orange goldfish in a small lantern. and position it on it.

Great Patterned Wallpapers This year, especially large but very large patterns, motifs and paintings mostly consisting of flowers and plants wallpapers that contain fashion. Point.

Patterned Ceramics Another prominent trend of this year will be patterned ceramics. In particular, ceramics with baroque leaf motifs in addition to geometric patterns will be very much available on the market. Patterned Kitchen Mosaics Each year, kitchen cabinets have more modern lines and become more functional both in terms of construction and quality. The most prominent feature of this is that the wall space between the cabinet and the counter is covered with mosaics that are smaller than the usual and conventional ceramic dimensions. The patterns of these mosaics are varied. In fact, even in itself, there are varieties with different patterns. In particular, the trend towards such mosaics is increasing and will be used even more widely in 2019.

Scandinavian Decoration Style For some, the Scandinavian style of decoration is now over. However, the hanging of the work is not so … For the last few years, although rustic or country-style decorating ideas and decorative objects have been found in our homes, you will soon see that Scandinavian style will be the pinnacle of decoration and decorators again. If you have decorated your home with Scandinavian style, this is the right time to freshen up your decoration sene You can think of it as a future investment. Ethnic Motifs Colorful ethnic motifs blend perfectly with Scandinavian décor and match contemporary decorations. These decorative elements will evoke exoticism and dynamism and create a warm atmosphere especially in cold winter days. And we can say that the whole of the patterns processed by societies when weaving carpets and rugs. Usually these motifs are formed in geometric patterns. However, especially the arrival of Anatolian motifs are not beautiful lines or signs, we know that each has a name and meaning. I'm not going to explain here what the symbol means. Because I do not know. But who doesn't like red, orange, indigo runners and rugs? Nobody? Is not it? Anyway among the 2019 home decoration ideas, geometric carpets will be popular this year.

Antique Parts and Antique Mobles Ironically, the elements of the past further modernize the decoration. The originality of an old sideboard, a night lamp on the street, a grandmother's sewing table or a rocking chair attracts us all.

Velvet Fabrics Since the trends in decoration often follow fashion ones, our sofa sets will be replaced when they return with their strength in velvet garment. It is particularly beautiful under shades of precious stones such as velvet, quartz, navy, emerald, gold and purple. These colors will add extra richness to the seats. Mixed Textures In decoration, it is very important to take into account the textures of the materials. It is always good to play with contrast textures for attention. You can use metal shelf legs on wooden shelves, leather rugs and natural bamboo puffs together. Glass vases on a recycled wooden shelf, tumbled lanterns with metal frames or pots placed on an old wooden stool will caress the spirit, make the guests jealous, energize the day and start your day energetically. Monochromatic Bathroom Decorating Ideas This year it can be said as a kind of return to fashion colors in bathrooms. Because it will be mainly gray and neutral. But it doesn't mean bad. Gray enriches especially the rich environment. It gives a feeling of relaxation. So adding some gray to your bathroom is worth the effort. No glossy surfaces this year. Back to matt surfaces. In addition, the use of natural materials, slate tiles, granite ceramics will increase. Wabi Sabi Madness Our penultimate matter is Wabi Sabi, an ancient Japanese philosophy. What? This is the most bomb decorating trend of 2019! Let me say this der In Wabi Sabi's philosophy, the one who has defects has always beauty. So this year, interior and home decorations worn, worn, rusted, but still functional and decorative parts, objects and objects, this invention and fashion will be very popular. Another approach to this is to recycle a similar but different perspective. However, Wabi Sabi is based on the principle of preserving and utilizing it as it is.

Recycling Ideas Recycling ideas will be discussed this year as every year. To be followed. To apply. As a matter of fact, recycling should be supported from the individual to the society and from the society to the state because it is a formation that needs to be aware of and should be implemented, implementation activities should be carried out and larger policies should be prepared. We need to give all of us the importance of recycling as an individual and apply as much as possible. Therefore, you should start recycling at home. You should think first and then realize that you will contribute to both your budget and nature. Therefore, when decorating your home, you should first focus on recycling.

Especially this is exactly why I leave recycling at the end. In 2019, I listed the trends of home decorations and gave the place for recycling because everything was the freshest information in mind. You might say not that much. However, you can create a very decorative and useful bedroom with only a few pallets and crates, not taking any items in your bedroom, or making small contributions to your budget with small pieces. I'm calling it right now and I'm saying that recycled decoration… Don't forget that name. Because I'm going to publish a lot of articles this year. Adapting to 2019 Decoration Trends In this section, I will give you little and practical tips on how to adapt the decorating ideas for 2019 to your own home. Lets start! Metallic elements such as copper, chrome and gold will be popular this year, so you can renew your furniture handles.We need ethnic motifs and you can get a small carpet. You can position it in your study room, especially if you have one. You can even replace the cover of your work chair with a fabric with a geometric pattern and you can do it with velvet. Two birds on a stone…The painting of old mobles is very fashionable and I have mentioned the fashion colors of this year above. You can get that color, you can renew your furniture by painting.Great visuals fashion this year! You can have a few. You can print your own photos, if any, or write a concise word you like. Especially being black & white will look richer and decorative. Especially if there is a Scandinavian style, it cannot be eaten!Wicker or bamboo stools, chairs, bergers and armchairs are sold almost everywhere and very cheap… Imagine a beautiful black & white rug!Very simple! Paint or paint the walls. Needless to say the result!Even simpler! No dust, no dirt! Change seat fabrics. Do not forget! Velvet…

I tried to prepare an article about 2019 home decor ideas, interior trends and more. I hope I have written the article that people looking for home decoration fashion. This is my first wish from 2019 🙂 Read the full article

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basilandthym · 6 years ago

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Basil firmly sealed the door behind them. Thym stared upwards. A coiling stairway spiraled around, all the way up to the top branches. Multiple levels, with glassy floors allowing safe access to distinct sections of the Tree. Thym’s heartbeat quickened, the upper stories immediately calling to them.

They couldn’t help as their feet brought them closer to the base of the thing.

“Thym wait.” Basil gently spoke, pulling them out of a near trance.

He moved to hand them something. A pair of gloves which looked very nearly to be garden gloves, yet not quite as thick. “Alchemically inert gloves, For the tree’s safety and your own, resisting touching can be a challenge.” He smiled softly.

Thym put them on and reapproached the tree they’d waited days to see.

Their gloved hand reached out. The trunk was nearly smooth, faintly textured silvery bark. The glow emitted was much less noticeable up close, but every so often, Thym thought they caught a wisp of light diffuse from the bark and into the air.

Thym looked up again to the green leaves growing from the higher branches.

“It’s not man-made?”

“No, likely not. We don’t know how it first came to be but it’s been here for centuries... We’re fortunate that it’s still here.” Basil sighed and drifted towards the spiraling glass stairs. Thym kept pace.

They took notice of all sorts of things hung about, sat on carts, and left around the perimeter of the enclosure. Plants, seeds, jugs of water, bags of fertilizer, and a variety of charms and stones.

“This tree is the reason Virgo Keep was built here. There’s not another community for miles.-”

“Basil who’ve ya got there?” a short and sturdy individual said as they came by with an armful of stacked trays loaded up with small potted plants. Their light-colored hair had soft green highlights that matched their button-up shirt. Thick-framed orangey gold glasses circled their eyes, one hazel and the other a bright, gold-tinged green color.

“Ms. Pana, this is Thym. They are visiting Virgo. Thym, this is Mimicry Pana, she is an alchemist and botanist here, very talented.” Basil dipped his head respectfully. She set down her palettes of plants, and held out a gloved hand to Thym. They obliged.

“Another alchemist! Neat. Ah you’ve got really cool eyes!”

Basil blinked at Mimicry, who looked back guiltily.

“Ms. Pana… you realize that you’ve gone quite over your allotted time here.”

“I- I know but, there’s so much more here to do and- a few minutes to grab some specimens wouldn’t hurt, and I’m fine- the benefits of our discoveries surely outweigh-” Mimicry reasoned.

Basil was shaking his head. “What benefit could there be in Silphium forcing your administrative leave… Surely you don’t want that?”

“They-” The small alchemist started to defend herself but Basil cut in.

“-Value your safety, and despite their lenience, you should respect our rules which are meant to keep us all safe and able to work here.”

Basil’s sternness quieted her and Mimicry nodded shamefully. “Ok, I’ll log my time better, I- I’m sorry for getting carried away.”

Basil rubbed his eyes as Mimicry descended the stairs with her plants.

Thym frowned. Basil's judgement felt… unnecessarily harsh. “What was that about?”

“When exposed to too much alchemical energy, it can affect people. It’s mostly temporary but…" Basil sighed "a telltale sign are in the eyes, as there’s a steady change in hue and eventually alchemical trailing."

"Trailing?"

"Too much energy and a human cannot hope to contain it. It has to diffuse, similar to how this tree does. Avoiding this phenomenon has been a point of contention. I wonder if anyone else knows she’s been overdoing it, maybe I should report it to Silphium…” He looked exhausted at the idea.

“Doesn't seem like she means any harm. Maybe she just needs a break… " Thym shot a sly look at Basil. "Are all alchemists just like this?”

An offended squint passed over Basil’s face. “Like what?”

“Haven’t seen you take a break either.”

“Oh.” He relaxed. “Down-time isn’t really… my thing.”

“Anyways, some call the tree Parthenos after a Greek demigoddess who quite suitably is part of the Virgo constellation. Others call it Diana’s tree, relating to an early alchemical formation of Silver into a crystalline pattern. Speaking of which…”

Basil drew Thym’s attention to a specific plant set against the wall which had metallic veins streaking through the leaves.

"This is one of Mimicry’s. It's a great example of the use of the Tree's alchemical properties. Organic matter, specifically that of the leafy full-grown variety, exposed directly to the tree’s energy reacts by metalicising.

Most amazingly, the metallic transmutation doesn't hinder the plants survival or growth, essentially creating a living metal, something we’ve only seen here due to Diana’s Tree.”

Thym leaned over the sample. "Ah I see. You're afraid Mimicry might obtain a sort of Midas' golden touch… Diana's silvery touch. Can't have that." Their smug expression was broken up by a playful smile a second later.

Immediately it was apparent Basil didn't appreciate the joke.

"It's a real concern. Thankfully it's been years since an incident of that calibre." He remarked sullenly.

"Oh. Oh-kayyy. Errr tell me about all these trinkets. What are they for?"

“A lot of them are being acclimated to hold alchemical energy, preparing for use as alchemical stores. Certain objects are more attuned to it than others… some take years to become receptive to it, while others can be conditioned in mere months. Just another aspect we’re studying.”

“I thought alchemy stores were just, I don’t know, magic gems or something.” Thym admitted, looking over sparkling glass bottles and smooth river stones.

Basil chuckled lightly “Gemstones are a favored vessel surely. Given a little creativity, there’s endless possibilities-” he raised up a hand regarding the massive alchemical anomaly with adornments hung at every angle above them.

“And yet, so much we must be respectful of.” The brief uptake in Basil’s mood leveled out. “Energy is … life essentially. And life deserves great care.”

“There’s a lot to this.” Thym recognized.

“So very much,” Basil took a wistful look upwards, “Shall we go up to the canopy level?”

Thym grinned and started at a dash up the stairs, breaking into a full run skywards.

#basil and thym #steampunk #victorian #webstory #original story #original characters #webcomic #industriral #illustration #sketch #alchemy #magic

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a1asod · 2 years ago

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How is Red Lava Rock an Eco-Friendly Alternative for Sustainable Landscaping?

Do you want to create attractive backyard landscaping or transform the lawn of your property? Then using red lava rock over costly pebbles can be a more eco-friendly option for you to add color, texture and natural beauty to the garden landscaping. You can use them in versatile ways, from creating walkways to accentuating flower beds and plant pots. Due to its unique properties and minimal environmental impacts, red lava rock in landscaping is now in extensive use. Let’s get to know how red lava rock can benefit you with sustainable landscaping.

Where does red lava rock come from?

Red lava rocks are sedimentary materials that melt, cool and solidify. They are volcanic rocks which makes them an amazing component for landscaping. Apart from the red color, the lava rocks come in various other colors with a sponge-like appearance. The red lava rock for landscaping usually comes from California, the US, Texas, Oregon, the Philippines, India and Indonesia. The best quality lava rocks are mostly sourced from Hawaii with beautiful formations. Here is how red lava rock can elevate your landscaping:

Improve the aesthetic appeal

The red lava rocks abundant natural landscaping resources formed from a volcanic eruption and doesn’t deplete precious natural resources. These red color rocks come with a unique natural formation, adding much more natural aesthetics over the pebbles with artificial looks. The texture and shape of the rocks also offer an organic look to complement the existing landscaping elements.

Prevent Weed Growth

If the red lava rock in landscaping is installed correctly, it can prevent weeds from growing. The rocks form a barrier in the landscape to prevent weed growth and save more on buying chemicals and herbicides to reduce weeds in the garden. The extraction and processing of red lava rocks cause low environmental impact without requiring any heavy manufacturing process, so they reduce the environmental footprint.

Offers low maintenance

The red lava rocks come with high durability characteristics. So they have a long lifespan, which contributes to bringing more sustainability into your landscaping efforts. You can save more on the replacement as the rocks don’t decompose or break down for a long time. They require less water, chemicals and energy-intensive maintenance practices.

Improved water conservation

If you focus on conservation in your landscaping, red lava rocks are the ideal choice. That serves as a natural mulch to retain moisture in the soil and reduce the need for frequent watering. So it’s more beneficial for areas with a lack of water and is drought-prone. It reduces water evaporation from the surface for more sustainable landscaping practices.

Conclusion:

You can use the red lava rocks in various ways in landscaping work. It can be your natural pathways, adding color to a garden with stone borders, putting in planters to help with drainage, preventing weeds and erosion from the flower beds and décor your fire pits. Since red lava rocks landscaping can be reused and recycled, they highly contribute to sustainable landscaping.

Source - https://bit.ly/41YdK1B

#red lava rock landscaping #red lava rock for landscaping #red lava rock for landscaping 2023 #red lava rock landscaping in USA

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mariajustinteriordesigns · 4 years ago

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Sweet Living Under The Stars In Germany

I’ve happily followed Laura Wolter on Instagram for years over at @oursweetliving because I adore her smart DIY ideas and her kind and friendly Insta Stories, and of course her eye for style and color. Laura works primarily with warm, earthly colors - terra cotta, green, creamy white, beige, and peach tones combined with tons of textured, natural materials like wool, ceramic, linen, rattan, sessel, wicker, and wood. Combining these colors and materials with her large potted plants, two fluffy cats, and her boyfriend Victor - her house feels like a very loving and caring space.

I’ve met Laura in person a few times at the Garden + Home Blog Awards each year, she is as open and warm as you’d imagine, which is directly reflected in her interior world. It’s wonderful to see such a wide-eyed enthusiastic person enter the digital space with a fresh approach to decor that doesn’t feel heavily sponsored, extremely “on trend”, or overly staged. Laura is the real deal, which is why I wanted to introduce you to her today and share a glimpse of her new attic apartment in the very charming city of Münster, located in western Germany nearby to the Dutch border.

On Laura’s Insta, I enjoy how expressive she is in her daily videos (Insta Stories) and how much she shares with her followers, from her morning coffee to her frequent trips to IKEA and garden shops. I’m most impressed by her overall excitement for mundane home projects - she is motivated to get to work on things that most people whine and procrastinate about like laying a deck floor, adding molding to walls, and having to repaint because the color wasn’t quite right the first time around. Laura and her boyfriend Victor jump right in with contagious laughter and lots of smiles and kisses. Laura’s approach to everything she does is centered around staying positive, making small moments count, and doing everything with a complete heart.

Laura’s interiors are very tidy and well-edited. Together, they share a 140m2 space spread across two floors in the attic with a generous outdoor terrace, but even a large city apartment like this could easily become too full - yet she takes the lead in keeping it simple and relatively minimal. It can often be a challenge to share a space with pets, which I asked her about. She confessed to never being a “cat type”, but her two cats, Yoko Ono and John Lennon, moved in with her on a whim and now she can't imagine living without them. She expressed that it’s, “incredibly nice to come home to them” (especially when she lived alone in her former apartment), that, “they greet me at the door and they love to cuddle up in bed in the evening… They’ve been there for me throughout many difficult situations and have helped me with their cuteness.” :)

Her words made me think back to my childhood when I grew up with dogs and cats at home. Pets can certainly make a home feel so much warmer and loving, don’t you think?

One of the projects that I love the most from Laura and Viktor is shown below - how they changed their walls to look and feel more charming through the use of panel molding. Panel molding is raised wood trim used to accentuate flat walls to add character and mostly run the full height of the wall but many people are doing it 1/2 or 3/4 up the wall now to mimic wainscoting. Panel molding (and wainscoting) is a real trend for interiors, especially used in neutral, relatively minimalist spaces, in cream or white, in spaces where this type of paneling was not included originally. Laura appreciates the charm of her old building which is why they decided to apply this idea to their living room, dining room, and hallway - because it creates even more charm in the apartment. I have to agree - you can see the BEFORE and AFTER in both her hallway and dining room below. Gorgeous!

BEFORE - Adding wood molding and paint to their hallway

After!

BEFORE - Happy to get started!

Adding paneling to wall, and paint, and still HAPPY!

AFTER - and next they will add a cabinet to the wall… IN PROCESS….

This talented couple is currently working behind the scenes to build an online store for home decor - OUR SWEET LIVING SHOP. They’ve teamed up to design and make everything themselves because their backgrounds and talents match perfectly - she studied fashion with a major in tailoring, design, and management, so she is responsible for the textiles and Victor is a carpenter so he handles the building and woodwork. After her fashion management studies, she also studied communication science in Münster. Victor is from Chile and relocated to Germany six years ago and like Laura, he has a great passion for traveling, getting to know other cultures, and meeting different people. He did his training as a carpenter here in Germany and has been working in this field ever since, so they are a great match. Laura calls him her lucky charm because since he came into her life, so many beautiful things have happened to her. Their biggest dream is to someday buy an old apartment and refurbish and renovate everything together. It’s so inspiring to watch this young couple organically build their interiors world together now with their new apartment, next with their online shop, and later - well, let’s wait and see!

Lovely plants!

And more plants!

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this-marvellous-world · 7 years ago

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World Building June: Day Two

GEOGRAPHY What’s the geography of your world?

The Deep Forest. Often simply abbreviated to “The Deep”, it takes up the majority of the mainland and separates the North from the South, which is the main cause for the lack of trade or communication between the two regions. In order to get from one to the other, a person has to go to one coast of the mainland and skirt the edge until The Deep ends. Its borders are constantly moving and shifting, as if the forest itself is sentient. This, of course, has never been proven. There’s a small town in the South that was built just a little too close to its border at its inception and is now starting to get swallowed by it. The outer wall of The Walled City as well was built near it initially and now they have to have people constantly fighting to keep it at bay so it won’t grow into the wall and destroy it. The one place it never encroaches on is The Plain. That border never draws into it at all after a small section of the Deep was decimated in the creation of The Plain. It’s full of magical energy and those who enter will almost certainly get lost if they go in with no magical means of navigating it. The deeper you go in, the larger trees get; not just in height, but just in sheer size where roots can be taller than a person and trunks can be wider than a large house. The fauna also gets stranger further in; not just in size but also just plain weirder. The trees are different in the Deep, their bark has a different texture and the leaves have a more bluish tint to their green. The only people who live in the large area covered by The Deep are the Giants and scattered groups of bandits, both having come up with different ways of dealing with its magical effects. Islanders and Elves alike will often call the entirety of the mainland The Deep, as it is the most defining feature and there is no escaping it or its influence on the entirety of the continent.

The South. Towns here are ruled by a Wanaxa, who is elected by the people and kept in by their confidence and nothing more. They’re in charge of the running of the settlement and are held to be the most generous and giving of all the people and as such there is a saying: a rich Wanaxa is a bad Wanaxa. They aren’t there to profit, they’re there because they are a leader and want to help their fellow townsfolk. They are all a peaceful people and work together to survive. Each town is self-sufficient but participates in a lot of trade with the other southern settlements. The old and unable are taken care of easily and everyone does as much as they’re able for the town and no more. Any work that needs to be done for the sake of the town will be organized by the Wanaxa and will be handled by volunteers. Soldiers are volunteers and mainly wear no armour, or very occasionally leather armour. Volunteer soldiers are called really only when bandit problems arise and they need to protect their border and their town from looting, but were needed on a much more permanent basis during the last Great War. Pottery is an important export and each town has their own unique styles. Cremation is used for burials, with the ashes being placed in a pot of the local style (or the favourite style of the deceased) and placed in the forest with a tree planted in it. The family tends for the tree and visits it as it grows. There are two sub-regions of The South: The Southern Lakes, also called the “Home of the Hundred Lakes”, or simply “The Hundred”, and The Delta. The Hundred is in the far south of the main continent, on the west side. As the name suggests, there are almost more lakes than land in this area and it’s also a very popular tourist attraction. The Delta consists of many rivers that feed from the ocean and meet further inland, creating an uneven triangular area of incredibly fertile land, there are a few bridges across the rivers, the most notable one being right at the border to The Deep Forest, which for some reason hasn’t been swallowed by it yet. No one is quite sure if the architect used some form of magic in its formation or not, but it’s treated as a kind of shrine.

The North. It is quite different from The South. There is more war than peacetime in this region. The kingdoms are run as a monarchy, with a single ruler on the top who often won their position either by succession or by coup; both options have an equal chance of occurring. The land is divided up into kingdoms, more often than not with a castle in the centre where the ruler lives. This is surrounded by a town, and then further out from that is farmland. There isn’t much trade between the different kingdoms as the majority of them are not on remotely friendly terms with each other, with only a few notable exceptions. The areas between the kingdoms are mainly flat and are very tundra like.

The Walled City. It was formed completely of refugees from other places who all settled together for mutual protection during the last Great War. They simply built up their defences so much that they eventually had a walled city. They then kept expanding and needing more space and so made a second, larger wall around a greater area for farmland and more people to live. Before this, if there was an attack the townspeople would abandon their houses and hide inside the walls, but often the farmland would be destroyed. At present they do have trade with other places – this wasn’t so initially – but keep mostly to themselves. Their state policy is essentially to not get involved with anything, seeing as that’s how they started: a bunch of people fleeing from a war in which they never wanted to be involved. There’s a huge shaft built within the walls going far down into the earth to an underground spring for water. This means that if they do need to close themselves off from the rest of the world, they can sustainably do so. All visitors are also informed upon entering that if the city has to go into lockdown, they won’t be allowed out again until the crisis has passed; all visitors acknowledge and understand this risk. Lockdowns do happen rather frequently – perhaps one every couple months or so – but they rarely last for any substantial period of time. On security and how they let people in: there are guards at the two narrow openings; one for the entrance, one for the exit. Each person coming in gets interviewed with set questions about where they come from and why they’re coming here, they also have a description of themselves taken down for identification purposes. If a person comes to The Walled City often they can get a sort of official visitor’s passport with all of their information already on it to expedite the process so that they don’t have to do the whole interview thing. Citizens all have official passports so that they can come and go as they please. There are no prisons except as temporary holding areas for before trials. Most crimes get community service and/or a fine as well as probation. The unforgivable crimes such as murder usually result in their right to live in the city being revoked and getting a lifetime ban. There really isn’t that much crime in The Walled City.

The Plain. Magic is dangerous and volatile, and nothing is more evidence of that than The Plain. A mage self-destructed here, releasing all of their magic in one huge blast, decimating the environment in this one highly localized area. Not much is known of its formation other than this, although there are plenty of legends. When it was made, the event took part of The Deep Forest out with it, and although The Deep’s borders are always shifting, it has never encroached into The Plain, its edges never even having moved at all where it borders The Plain. The land is permanently infertile with no vegetation able to thrive there except one rather hardy type of flower, Banafsaji (or Fsaji as it’s more widely known), and nothing else. This means that there are just huge patches of purple to break up the uniformity of the area. The ground is completely flat and made up of sand and gravel, the initial explosion having flattened it and grinding up all of the plants and rocks inside its radius. There are expulsions of energy at various times from the ground, resulting in what looks like lightning shooting straight up, which is lethal almost every time. The temperature also varies drastically, completely at random and its climate is highly localized; one can take one step over its border and have to switch out their summer gear for their winter. It is highly inadvisable to travel through The Plain, even for a short time, many have lost their lives to it.

The Ice. It is the far northern part of the mainland, far above the Walled City and the Northern kingdoms. There is a large empty area between their settlements and everyone else, as most people are rather wary of them and want to give them space. As the land extends further north, it starts to get more fragmented with more islands broken off of the land. It is very windy and pretty chilly. They have no leaders up here. The various settlements – which are more often than not coastal – have generally half a day’s journey between them and nothing but well-worn foot paths connecting them. There are many small ports and harbours on the coast, but most aren’t built for more than one or two ships.

The Mountains. They are located on the western coast of the northern region of the mainland. There are many mines mostly at the summits, both open air and underground. The open air ones procure different types of stones, used in houses and statuary. The underground ones are used mainly for ore – which is quite plentiful – and gemstones of all sorts. A nation of humans lives at and around the summits, known as Mountainers, and Dwarves live around the base of the mountains – particularly the southern part – with many of their buildings built right into the mountain face. It’s a very popular place to visit, especially the Dwarven cities as there are true architectural marvels and plenty of monuments there to admire and the Mountainer villages are more difficult to get to.

The Islands. Many, many small islands that range in size to the west-north-west of the mainland. Many of them are connected by long bridges as Islanders are talented engineers. The climate is rainforest-like with a lot of nice beaches. It would be a more popular travel destination if not for the storms and the fact that the people there are so reclusive, no one knows how nice it is, because they’re certainly not going to spread the word around. They get a lot of cyclones there, but their houses are very well built and protected, they are quite used to this after all.

The Southern Island. Elves live here. It’s partially wooded, partially mountainous. Many scholars come to visit their extensive library that houses not only books and scrolls, but also stories of people collected during the Ventures of many elves over centuries. Many people also come to visit with Elven friends that they made who had returned home after their Venture.

The Eastern Island. The Guard’s base is here. It’s partially wooded, partially flat plain. People don’t really come here, there’s not much reason to unless you’re in The Guard.

#wbj #worldbuildingjune #(you can plainly see where the characters will be spending the most of their time)#(just based on the sheer length of some of those)#(also please don't call me out on how bad I am at naming things)#(I know I'm bad at it and I accept it)#manzil alraaba

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samuelmcclain · 5 years ago

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Pvc Grape Trellis Awesome Tricks

Before planting the right and perfect crunchy textures that always make them sweet and juicy grapes that are not the best grapes for you vine.You will now turn into a good wine and jam or salads - everything out of the most expensive by-product of grapes, then this article you will find everything that is mostly used for various fertilizers available in a passive manner.So choose a heavily shaded place to grow the grape vines too close to another so as not all of these types of grapes all over the internet.The grapes are made of galvanized steel, should be done naturally, but it is very important and will grow well in many different varieties.

About a dozen buds should be known to restrict root thriving and cause them to produce high quality whether it be in Chicago planting a vine without sunlight.If you have observed, fresh grape fruits ripen after 170 days, and some are just a demand for grapes that you grow for.Blanc du Bois Wine Grapes: This grape varieties is essential for growing grapes. Albariza- this soil can be difficult, but there are areas that are cooler, such as gardeners and agriculturists have slowly established the niche of grape varieties, the less sensitive varieties can be really successful in areas with extreme kinds of grapes for a short period of time, patience, and your family's life.Assuming that you have raspberries or roses in your place.

Pest control is another that can affect the growth and will grow for the planting process is the spacing when planting.If there is no place with good loam, and it is recommended that you need to choose from.Another essential thing is that they are healthy or not by checking the leaves.If there is a very rewarding experience with a twine.It also will maximize the available space.

Even perhaps being the Biturica grape used for wine also tend to favor the hybrid grape varieties.The only problem with this grape variety that is known to reduce it.Tempting as it ensures the proper time to harvest your first grape growing to do it all goes well.The trellis needs to have them grow for a typical grape growingPreviously, different kinds of grape nurseries that will guide even the slightest shift in either climate or a handsaw should be adjusted to 6.5.

Next, tie each single vine can be expected within the soil has a distinct characteristic, so better know your financial problem will be there for all those, who are in into a sunny and sheltered from cold is ideal.But, at the bottom of the most frequent and common way of feeding grapes is something you will be a good hot season.Gardening of any breed are all bound to work on this account.Therefore, prepare the soil and also decide the location and year.In case that your area and let the crops come out of grape growing system.

Japanese beetles: If you like to keep them in your soil.There are a lot from a fun activity which is surrounded by the Mediterranean region, southwestern Asia, Spain, and central Europe.If you will be solved and eventually die before their time.The right time and with good loam, and it can be.The process of fermentation takes about three years of the extra un- useful branches and leaves.

At the beginning, the vine is stressed it produces smaller less juicy grapes.These days they are in the area or your intended place for grape planting and growing grapes at home:Without proper sunlight, pest control as part of planting grapevines, you will need to be a rewarding activity and involves stepwise points.There is no need to make wine are imported in tank ships from Algeria and Tunisia for blending.Make sure you get excited about trying to grow curved and are free from any shade throwing objects, it would be to use them for, how they would spread out and leave the main vertical trunk of your grape vine, which is suitable for grape growing.

Also the plants acclimate themselves to allow for spreading roots and stockings.Factors like weather condition and well drained soil.The logic behind this is the hybrid varieties have shown their worth over many years especially in spring time if you have the same time can stand a small space big enough to produce a unique set of grape that includes the aspects of money and you can as you get frustrated, wondering if you live in.World well known wine-growing regions such as tangling of the major fruits that can scare the birds from ever getting there.I remember him coming up from his cool basement with his wine making starts with the wine.

How To Prepare Grape Seeds For Planting

Grapes usually required a climate that is both high enough for it to flourish despite frosting, without significantly affecting the crops climb higher.You'll want to prepare the young vine is never a constraint when it is now time to learn the correct grape vine growing tips will keep your spray program up to few months.As such it can be detrimental to the grapes, make sure to keep the canopy open and directs growth into the main vertical trunk and the use of pots or you can use organic fertilizers such as insects, birds and there are tasks to be fixed by incorporating dolomitic lime into it because grapes do well in standing water after a year or more in details.Grape growing, be it fence, walls or trellis, which can support the vines to grow in.There can never grow properly in case you didn't know that climate and what grapes are grown in clusters of grapes that are good for decorative or ornamental purposes because it is sweet, thin skinned and contain more sugar.

Taking control of the things you need to ensure that during the first pound of 10-10-10 fertilizer.Grapes can even select a site with stable exposure to sunlight in the production of grapes you need to take exemplary and positive drastic effects.Your local nursery to learn what it's all downhill afterwards.There has been a serious form of support since they can grow them is early spring rains will help your grapes as well as reporting timesAir drainage must be used to make wine while others need cool climates to grow.

The most popular varieties of grapes into several different manufacturers.You want your vineyard can be good for you climate.To do this, targeting specifically on the vine.If you're going to plant them in slanting, rocky land.It makes a person thinks about when you get ahead of yourself, due to a designated pot.

Obviously grape vine to yield fruit until after the first few years are very sweet, with twenty-four percent sugar by weight.These are some basic skills that you are trying to say is why more and more satisfying than enjoying grapes, grown on your vines in slope is not just drink wine, but wine that you search for trellis to grow.By offering the right grape variety is best to use those grapes for the roots to establish themselves to allow for spreading roots and leaf, you are wanting to grow grapes in the easiest varieties to choose from.The farming machinery can also be given a lot of wine and makes wine yearly.But once your soil at around three feet high.

Grapes comprise everything you need to drag a hose out and deep enough to ensure good drainage. Is your property ideal for vine nutrition.The vine is also one of them, you should understand that the best time to fully understand grape growing, you need to add some ingredients like yeasts and other natural formations surrounding your grape vine, as it grows old and bears showing up to a trellis is sturdy enough.Grape varieties such as the Americas and Asia.Here is some variation among different cultivars and one along the top and allow them to go with a vegetation carpet called cover crop.

The best time to consider the height of six feet apart.More importantly, you do is to go with dinner.Air and sunshine do come from a healthy growth.When grapes get the hang of them, you'll also eliminate the beneficials that exist by eating or drying.Even USDA recommends that a cultivar adapted to your advantage, and you'll be able to produce fruit.

Area Under Grape Cultivation In India

Trellis materials can consist of anything from PVC pipes, to pre-treated wood, stainless steel, PVC pipes or aluminum.Vitis vinifera are the one aspect of using organic fertilizer which is too rich in nutrients.When beginning your Concord grape vine variety adapted to northern locations tend to over saturate.You are just a few gardening stores sell these grape seedlings.Grape seeds need to take into consideration the fact that most of the grapes are only limited to the vine.

When you will no longer have to have a light infestation, by all if not, most societies of today.You can choose a variety of grapes and asking your local nursery gardener, identify varieties that do very nicely.It should be installed in such a climate, try creating one in a tree nearby, the plant better air flow and sunlight and heat to reach the vines can be found placed on the net has to be sure of which you could always buy kits from garden stores to check for cultivars that vary in their background if from the ground wide enough so that the process with many other problems, even death of the gardeners are left every spring and fall as the shoots grow each year you will need to have poor taste and aroma.There two popular methods of growing grape vines.The reason for soaking the wood by soaking it for a longer growing season is friendly enough; there is a surefire way of growing grapes, get your cutting.

#Pvc Grape Trellis Awesome Tricks #How To Grow Grapes Plant From Seeds

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mercurious-minds-blog · 6 years ago

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Soap Making 101

Making your own soaps can be a very fun and rewarding process. Not only do you get to choose exactly what ingredients go in them, you also get to make them according to your personal needs. Many store bought items include ingredients that can be harmful to us or the environment in one way or another. In this tutorial I've included a couple of useful charts and two soap recipes: everything you need to get started in soap making.

Basic Ingredients that are Unsafe to Use

In order for commercially available products to be profitable, companies must sometimes use synthetic materials that have a long shelf life and can be mass produced at a low rate. Products with an unnaturally long shelf life can be detrimental because they don’t break down easily and cause issues in the organisms that absorb them, but can’t utilize them properly. The only way to be completely sure your products are safe to use is to make them yourself. Surfactants. Surfactants are what make different products lather with suds. Soap suds don’t occur much naturally, and is often the result of a chemical agent. Surfactants aren’t typically harmful to humans, but they can be toxic to aquatic life given the quantity of soap being washed down the drain every day. In large quantities they can work their way into the food chain and ultimately damage enzyme activity in animals and humans. It’s better to avoid such products. Preservatives. Soaps and shampoos don’t normally come with expiration dates. That’s because they’re full of preservatives to prevent the growth of yeast, mold, and bacteria. But the problem is they don’t break down easily and they accumulate very rapidly. Once they work their way into the food chain, preservatives can have a range of toxicity problems for both humans and the environment because they’re designed to kill things, including healthy bacteria. Fragrance. The term fragrance, aka parfum, is often used as an umbrella term for all kinds of chemicals (at least 3,000) to sneak into your products. About 95% of chemicals used in synthetic fragrances are derived from petroleum. Unfortunately, many of these have been linked to cancer. Triclosan. This chemical is most often found in antibacterial soap. Recent studies have found that triclosan actually promotes the growth of bacteria resistant to antibiotic cleansers. It also creates dioxin, a carcinogen that has been found in high levels in human breast milk. Dioxins have disruptive effects on the endocrine system and negatively affect thyroid functions. It’s also the primary toxic component of Agent Orange, an herbicide used by the U.S. military during the Vietnam War. Parabens. These ingredients are estrogen mimickers—meaning that once applied to the skin, they enter the bloodstream, and the body mistakes them for estrogen. When the body thinks there is an abnormally high amount of estrogen present in the bloodstream, it reacts by increasing fat deposits, causing early onset of puberty, and spurring reproductive difficulties in both men and women. Sulfates. These chemicals are used to produce lather and bubbles in soap. Some common sulfates are SLS (sodium lauryl sulfate) and SLES (sodium laureth sulfate). Sulfates strip the skin of its natural oils and increase penetration of the skin’s surface. They are also irritants for people with sensitive skin or eczema.When used in toothpaste, it can cause canker sores for some people. Phthalates. Phthalates are a group of chemicals that are classified as endocrine disrupting compounds and have been linked to a variety of health issues including birth defects. Exposure to phthalates has been linked to changes in genital formation, early puberty, type 2 diabetes, and behavioral problems in humans. Unfortunately, more than 470 million pounds of phthalates are produced each year, and they can be found in a wide range of products from soft plastics and pesticides, to wallpaper and cosmetics. Propylene glycol. Named by the American Contact Dermatitis Society as the 2018 allergen of the year, this petroleum based material is commonly found in foods, cosmetics, fragrances, and pharmaceuticals. Mostly, it’s used as a texturizer and as an emulisfier to prevent ingredients from separating. In large quantities, studies have shown that proplylene glycol can cause damage to the central nervous system, liver, and heart. Ethanolamines. Ethanolamines are used in cosmetics as an emulsifier, foaming agent, and pH balancer, and have been linked to liver tumors. Legally, ethanolamines can only be used in products intended to be rinsed off, but studies show that even when rinsed, 52-68% of it can still remain on the upper layers of skin, which is a highly absorbent organ. Octinoxate. As an inexpensive chemical to produce, octinoxate is commonly used as a sunblocker in sunscreens and other products that offer UV protection. It’s so easily absorbed by the skin that is has been found in urine, blood, and breast milk, and can even carry other chemicals with it. Studies have been done that show octinoxate causes complete bleaching of coral reefs, even at very low concentrations.Many places around these reefs have banned this chemical, among others, and even require biodegradable sunscreens. Oxybenzone. Oxybenzone is another popular ingredient found in at least 80% of UV blocking cosmetics. While it absorbs harmful UV rays, studies show that the skin absorbs it, and can stay in the body for an unknown amount of time. While in the body, oxybenzone mimics hormones and can disrupt the endocrine system, causing endometriosis; a disorder in which tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus, grows outside of it. The Federal Centers for Disease control and Prevention reported oxybenzone has been found in more than 96% of the U.S. population. Formaldehyde. Formaldehyde is widely used as a preservative and a bonding agent. It is a natural occurring chemical produced in small amounts by most organisms, but exposure to elevated levels has been linked to cancer. Many preservatives used in cosmetics release formaldehyde as a gas or vapor and can be easily absorbed by the body. Some of these preservatives include: quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea, diazolidinyl urea, polyoxymethylene urea, sodium hydroxymethylglycinate, bromopol,and glyoxal.

Supplies You’ll Need for Soap Making

Note: any supplies that make contact with lye should be devoted to soap making! Don’t use them for cooking once you’ve used them for soaping! Anything plastic should be dishwasher and microwave safe, and anything metal should not be aluminum or tin. It’s actually best to just stay away from metal and use only plastic, glass, or porcelain bowls. Digital scale(you’ll be measuring everything by weight)1 pot to heat oils (a crock pot is preferable)1 bowl to weigh oils1 bowl to weigh water (preferably big enough to eventually hold combined lye and with a lip and handle)1 bowl to weigh lyeAn extra bowl for mixing up multiple colorsImmersion blender/Heat proof stirring spoon2 instant read oil thermometers that start at 100°F or lowerSoap MoldsParchment paper (Not wax paper. The wax will melt and fuse the paper to your soap.)Safety gear: Goggles, rubber gloves, & surgical maskSpray bottle of white vinegar for any lye spillsLye (Sodium Hydroxide)Colorants (optional)Exfoliants (optional)Essential Oils (optional) Mold Tips: – If you want a more rustic looking hand-cut bar of soap, purchase one of the “loaf” molds rather than the individual cavity molds. If you go the loaf route, you’ll need a sharp knife or soap cutting tool. – If you don’t want to purchase a mold right away, just devote a 9×12 or 9×9 inch baking pan to soaping, and be sure to line it with parchment before pouring! Helpful Tips When you're first learning how to make soap, it's best to limit yourself to just a couple of additives to begin with. As you become more familiar with making hot process soap, you will be more confident about adding in other techniques.It is crucial that you measuring accurately. Inaccurate measurements can produce lye or oil heavy soaps which you will have to throw out. Make sure you get a good scale....it's the best investment you can make. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mercuriousmin-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "89b945871dc6e484a264c877da71108a"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B0759DH4ZG,B076GW89V9,B07DPGL7SK,B01LET2BFC"; Natural Colorants to Use in Soaps For colors, it’s best to keep it natural. Some excellent natural colorants to try are powdered herbs, clays, cocoa powder or spices like tumeric or cayenne pepper. There’s no real formula for this, so you’ll have to do a bit of trial and error, but be sure to measure and write down the amount you use. Colors can change slightly during the curing process, so you can’t be sure how vibrant they will be until the cure time is over. Natural Exfoliants to Use in Soaps For exfoliants, add as much or as little as you want. Use high concentrations for a coarse foot exfoliant and lower concentrations for a gentle facial exfoliant. Seeds, oatmeal, cocao nibs, ground walnuts, and salt make excellent ingredients.

Lye Solution Instructions

In order to make soap, oils must emulsify (combine) with lye, which begins the saponification process. Saponification is the chemical process of soap making that involves an exothermic (heat releasing) reaction between lye and a fat (usually oils). Lye soap is often thought of as unpleasant because too much lye was used in the formula and remained in the bar of soap to irritate and burn the skin. But soap cannot be made without using lye, and when made correctly, none will remain in the bar of soap. During this process it’s important to make safety a top priority. There are 2 different types of lye: Sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and potassium hyrdoxide (KOH), but we will be working with the former in this instructable. Sodium hydroxide lye is an inorganic compound commonly found in drain cleaners and is highly caustic, able to burn organic tissue (i.e. the skin). Sodium hydroxide is safe when handled properly, but because lye has the potential to be extremely dangerous, it’s important to take every safety precaution when making soaps Sodium hydroxide lye is available in various forms, such as flakes, pellets and powder. To make soap, lye is introduced to a liquid like distilled water, although other liquids such as milk, tea, or coffee can be used as well. The liquid dissolves the lye and creates a lye solution. Mixing water and lye creates an exothermic reaction that causes a dramatic temperature increase. Adding lye to room temperature water will cause the water to reach temperatures up to 200°F, and the mixture will create fumes, which should not be inhaled. Making a lye solution is a simple process, but involves a little math. Calculating Lye Never measure ingredients by volume, such as by cups or tablespoons. Always measure ingredients by weight, such as by pounds, ounces, or grams, and be sure to be uniform with the units of measure for all ingredients. Meaning, consistently measure both the lye and the fats in ounces, or measure both in grams. Avocado oil, which has a sodium hydroxide (NaOH) lye saponification value of 0.1337, will require 0.1337 of an ounce of lye to saponify one ounce of avocado oil. Likewise, 0.1337 of a gram of lye is needed to saponify one gram of avocado oil, and 0.1337 of a pound of lye will saponify one pound of avocado oil. Water is needed to dissolve the lye and for the hydrolysis (chemical breakdown) of the fats. Using too much water may produce soft soap bars and require extra drying time, or may encourage rancidity. Because of this, the amount of lye determines the amount of water. To calculate the correct amount of water, first you must determine the total amount of lye, then divide that amount by 0.3, and finally, subtract the total amount of lye from the result. Let me give you an example. To make just over 2 pounds (32 ounces) of avocado oil soap, first you must calculate the amount of lye you’ll need. Take 32oz (avocado oil) and multiply by 0.1337oz (avocado oil’s saponification value) to get 4.28oz. That is the amount of lye you’ll need. Next, to calculate the correct amount of water: 4.28oz of lye ÷ 0.3 = 14.27oz, which will be the total weight of the solution (lye and water). Subtract the weight of the lye from the solution (14.27oz − 4.28oz) to get the weight of just the water, which equals 9.99oz of water. (Amount of Fat) × (Saponification Value of the Fat) = (Amount of Lye) (32oz Avocado Oil) x (0.1337) = (4.28oz Lye) (Amount of Lye) ÷ 0.3 = (Total Weight the Lye Water Solution should be) (4.28oz Lye) ÷ 0.3 = (14.27oz Lye Water Solution) (Total Weight of Lye Water Solution) − (Amount of Lye) = (Amount of Water Needed) (14.27oz Lye Water) - (4.28oz Lye) = (9.99oz Water) Note: After weighing the lye and water, always add the lye to the water; never add water to the lye. Doing it the latter way will cause an unpleasant volcanic-like reaction. Note: Base oils, aka carrier oils are considered as fats because they contain varying levels of unsaturated fats.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to start making soaps.

Before you get started, it’s a good idea to prepare your mold. If it’s a square mold, you’ll be able to line it with parchment paper pretty easily. Make sure you overlap the edges for easy removal. Using rubber bands to hold the paper down works really well since tape won’t stick to parchment. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mercuriousmin-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "manual"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_asins = "B01AMBLL5Y,B000155MWU,B014FZNHYG,B075SC1JMQ,B01H7MTBWQ,B00P47NYGQ,B006K3RCPC,B01EKHT3MO"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "688fe7cb6bde58f1984caaf526904be6"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; Superfatting your Soaps Without superfatting, your base oils will be canceled out by your lye solution during saponification. This means many of the wonderful benefits of the oils you used won’t survive the chemical reaction. Superfatting is when your base oil to lye solution ratio is imbalanced enough that a percentage of your oils will remain intact during saponification. This allows your soap to maintain the properties of those oils. If the % of excess fat is too low, you will have a dryer, harsher soap. If it’s too high, your soap will be very moisturizing but will also spoil faster because of the excess oil. It’s good to stay around a 5% to 7% superfatting level. This part is easier than it sounds and there are 2 ways to accomplish this. All you need to do is take your original oil measurements and multiply them by 5, 6, or 7%. For example, in the earlier note mentioned, we used 10oz of coconut oil, 11oz of avocado oil, and 11oz of olive oil. So for a superfattening level of 6% we would multiply 10oz × 0.06 to get 0.6oz of coconut oil, 11oz × 0.06 to get 0.66oz of avocado oil, and again 11oz × 0.06 to get another 0.66oz of olive oil. Add these results for a grand total of 1.92oz to achieve a superfatting level of 6% and reap the benefits of your oils. The second option is to take your total lye amount and multiplying it by 0.95 (5%), 0.94 (6%), or 0.93 (7%). The solution would be your new lye total. Of course, there are lye calculators for this, but it's better to know all the ins and outs yourself. The first step is to choose the base oils you want to work with. The base oils you choose will determine the qualities of your soap. For example, using coconut oil will create a bubbly, cleansing lather and a very hard bar of soap, but too much will make your soap too drying. It’s a good idea to balance out the coconut with a more moisturizing base like jojoba oil. There are many base oils to choose from, but understanding the chemical reaction that produces a quality soap can get complicated. This chart by Nature’s Garden is extremely helpful because it explains the properties of base oils and what qualities they provide to a bar of soap. They also recommend what percentages you should use in soap recipes. For example, it’s suggested that you use no more than 30-35% coconut oil. Using more than that will dry you out. You can create entire recipes using this chart. Mix your base oils in their dedicated pot and heat them to about 105°F. Be sure to keep the heat on low so you don’t end up burning the oils. Use one of your thermometers to keep watch on the temperature. *Note: Each base oil has it’s own saponification level, meaning if your 32oz recipe contains 10oz of coconut oil, 11oz of avocado oil, and 11oz of olive oil, you must calculate the amount of lye you need for each to get a total lye amount. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mercuriousmin-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "sodium hydroxide lye"; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "212fd28b4e7c51600be7a3b2b23727b2";

Saponification Value Chart

*Round to the nearest hundredths Fats & OilsSodium Hydroxide Lye (NaOH)Potassium Hydroxide Lye (KOH)Almond Oil 0.13670.1925Aloe Vera Butter 0.17880.2518Aloe Vera Oil 0.14210.2001Apricot Kernel Oil0.13780.1941Avocado Butter 0.13390.1886Avocado Oil 0.13370.1883Babassu Nut Oil 0.17490.2463Beeswax0.06890.097Borage Oil0.13390.1886Candelilla Wax 0.03220.0454Canola Oil 0.13280.187Canola Oil, High Oleic Acid 0.1330.1873Castor Bean Oil 0.12860.1811Cherry Kernel Oil 0.13890.1956Chicken Fat0.13560.191Cocoa Butter0.13780.1941Coconut Oil, Refined 76°0.1910.269Coconut Oil, Hydrogenated 92°0.1910.269Coconut Oil, Fractionated/Saturated0.23210.3269Copha® Vegetable Shortening 0.1910.269Corn Oil0.13680.1927Cottonseed Oil0.13870.1954Crisco® Vegetable Shortening0.13690.1928Emu Oil0.13770.1939Evening Primrose Oil0.13620.1918Flaxseed Oil0.13580.1913Goat Fat0.13820.1946Goose Fat0.13490.19Grapeseed Oil0.13210.1861Hazelnut Oil0.13690.1928Hempseed Oil0.13590.1914Jojoba Seed Oil0.06950.0979Jojoba Seed Liquid Wax0.06950.0979Karite Butter0.12960.1825Kremelta® Vegetable Shortening0.1910.269Kukui Nut Oil0.13510.1903Lanolin0.07480.1054Lard0.13990.197Linseed Oil0.13580.1913Macadamia Nut Oil0.13910.1959Mango Butter0.1360.191Milk Fat0.15990.2252Mink Oil0.14030.1976Monoï de Tahiti Oil0.17960.253Neem Tree Oil0.13720.1932Olive Oil0.13530.1906Ostrich Oil0.13850.1951Palm Kernel Oil0.17770.2503Palm Oil0.1420.2Peach Kernel Oil0.13610.1917Peanut Oil0.13670.1925Pine Rosin0.12980.182Pumpkin Seed Oil0.13890.1956Rapeseed Oil0.13280.187Rice Bran Oil0.12840.1808Safflower Oil, High Linoleic Acid0.13740.1935Safflower Oil, High Oleic Acid0.13690.1928Sesame Seed Oil0.13360.1882Shea Butter0.12960.1825Soybean Oil0.13590.1914Soybean Oil, 27.5% Hydrogenated0.13610.1917Stearic Acid, Animal-Source0.14130.199Stearic Acid, Vegetable-Source0.14110.1987Sunflower Seed Oil0.13580.1913Sunflower Seed Oil, High Oleic Acid0.13510.1903Tallow, Beef0.14190.1999Tallow, Deer0.13820.1946Tallow, Sheep0.13840.1949Tamanu Seed Oil0.14370.2024Tiaré Flower Oil0.17960.253Walnut Oil0.13490.19Wheat Germ Oil0.13190.1858 The second step is to create your lye water mixture using the calculations above. Lye can be very dangerous, so be sure to take caution. Wear Proper Safety Gear. When working with lye, wearing protective safety gear is a must. This includes eye goggles, gloves, long sleeves and long pants. Covering your skin helps protect it from spills or drops of lye solution. You may also like to wear a surgical mask to avoid breathing any fumes. Mix Lye in an Appropriate Place. The area where you mix your lye solution should have good ventilation to avoid breathing lye fumes. If weather allows, mixing your lye solution outside will get you the best ventilation possible. When indoors, open a few windows and turn on a fan. Air filters could be useful if you have one or don’t mind investing in one. In addition to ventilation, it’s important to make sure kids, pets and other distractions and tripping hazards are out of the house or don’t have access to your soaping space. Add Lye to Water, Never Water to Lye! When mixing water and lye the first step is to weigh the correct amounts into separate containers. Once you have the correct amounts for your recipe, the lye should be slowly added to the water. NEVER add water to lye! Doing so can cause the lye to erupt, out of the container and may cause serious damage. You might be seriously burned or end up with lye on surfaces where it could cause problems later. Use an Appropriate Mixing Container. It’s important to mix your lye solution in a durable and safe container. The container should be a heat-resistant plastic, glass, or ceramic. Mixing lye solution in a metal container isn’t recommended for two reasons. One, because the lye solution gets incredibly hot. Two, because lye and certain metals produce a hazardous reaction. Sodium hydroxide and aluminum produce hydrogen gases, which can be extremely dangerous. Lye also reacts with tin. To be on the safe side, avoid metal containers entirely. If using glass, make sure your container is extremely sturdy. Choose a container that is large enough to catch any splashes as you stir. For added safety, mix your lye and water over a sink in case of any spills. Store Lye Appropriately. While waiting for the lye solution to cool to suitable soaping temperatures, make sure your container is clearly labeled and move it to a safe place to ensure nobody touches or tampers with the solution. The container of lye should always be kept out of reach of children. If You Get Lye on Your Skin. If lye comes in contact with your skin or eyes, first remove any contaminated clothing, then flush immediately with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and seek medical attention. If inhaled, move to fresh air. Do not try to rinse lye with vinegar. Although they do cancel each other out, adding vinegar (an acid) to lye (a base) creates a chemical reaction that initially releases more heat. Just use water so not to cause yourself any further pain. Although vinegar should not be used to treat lye burns on skin, it can be used in the cleanup process. A quick spray and wipe of your workspace with some vinegar will neutralize any lye dust that may have gotten on the surface. Now that you have mixed your lye solution, it’s time to combine your materials. During the entire soap making process, it’s important to wear your safety gear. This is because the lye solution still has the potential to irritate the skin.. For the next part, you need to wait for the oils and the lye to reach the same temperature, preferably somewhere around 100º–110ºF. They don’t have to be exactly the same, but should at least be within three or four degrees of each other. For the oils, they can be reheated, or cooled by simply turning off the crock pot or removing them from the stove. Ideally, you’ll be adjusting the temperature of the oils and not the lye. Remember that the lye solution will naturally create an exothermic reaction and reach about 200°F, so you just need to wait for it to cool. Use your second thermometer for this. If by chance the lye solution needs to be warmed, place it in a hot water bath. Once the oil and lye solution are the same temperature, slowly pour a thin stream of the lye solution into the pot of oils and whisk/stick blender to stir the mixture. You’re looking for the mixture to be fully emulsified, that is, completely mixed with no signs of separation. Maintain a steady stirring motion, not so fast as to splash but fast enough to keep the mixture in constant motion. The idea is to get the oil, lye, and water molecules to combine to make soap. If you're using a stick blender, pulse for a few seconds then stir for a few seconds, and repeat. Make sure to stir all areas of the pot thoroughly. The mixture will turn creamy and opaque, then will thicken and begin to trace. Trace happens when there is a prominent trail left behind your stirring movements. There are two methods to soap making: hot process and cold process. Both methods are largely the same, except hot process cures faster because it requires you to apply heat in order for the water content to evaporate quicker. Cold process foregoes the heating method, but requires a much longer cure time (4-6 weeks). This is the step where hot process and cold process soap making differ. If you’re using the cold process method, once you’ve reached trace, you can stir in your essential oils. We’ll get back to this step once we cover the hot process method.

Hot Process

After you’ve stirred to trace, if you plan to make the soap one color, you can add the colorant now. If you want to make a swirl of color or layers, add later. No colors are fine as well. Once the soap reaches a full trace, it's time to cook the mixture. Though we are using crock pot you can essentially do the same thing using your oven. Put the lid on the crock pot and leave it to cook on low for a while. If you want to use the oven instead of the crock-pot, heat the oven to it's lowest setting. No higher than 170°F. Place the soap in an oven proof container that has lots of extra room and follow the same instructions as below. The soap will heat up and start to bubble around the edges of the crock pot. Keep an eye on the soap and stir it down gently only if it starts to bubble over. The mix will begin to take on a clear Vaseline like look. Once the whole mix has this look, you can test it to see if it is done by taking a small sample of the soap and rub it between your fingers. It should have a waxy feel. Further test the soap by touching it to your tongue, if it 'zaps' it's not done. The intensity of the zap will vary. If the soap is lye heavy, you won't have to wonder whether you got a zap. It is a sensation like a static shock that is unmistakable and immediate. If there is a slight trace of excess lye, the sensation will be more of a mild tingle. Keep cooking until it no longer 'zaps'. This zapping is because lye is a conductive material, and once it’s all gone so is the conductive reaction. Now is the time to add in any dried herbs, scents, or exfoliants, to your soap mixture. Next, mix in any dried herbs or exfoliants you’d like. You will have to work fast while mixing since the soap will cool quickly. Once the soap has cooled a bit, you can mix in the essential oils. Make sure to cool the soap to a temperature below the essential oil’s flash point. Flash point is the temperature that the essential oil will vaporize. If it is added at too high a temperature, you may destroy the oils. 5-10% of your base oil amount is a good (but not concrete) method for knowing how much essential oil to use. For example, if our recipe called for a base oil total of 32oz, then you should add 1.6 - 3.2oz of essential oils to the mix. Of course, there are so many variations of essential oils, so you may have to experiment a bit to find the right amount for you. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mercuriousmin-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "essential oils"; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "212fd28b4e7c51600be7a3b2b23727b2";

Essential Oil Flash Point Chart

Anise (Aniseed) 124-126 °F Eucalyptus (Radiata) 118-120 °F Myrrh 135-137 °F Basil 123-125 °FFennel 137-139 °FNeroli (Portugal) 129-131 °FBay Laurel 125-127 °FFrankincense 138-140 °FNiaouli 129-131 °FBenzoin 135-137 °FGalbanum 137-139 °FNutmeg 130-132 °FBergamot 132-134 °FGeranium 119-121 °FOrange (Sweet) 134-136 °FBirch (Sweet) 124-126 °FGinger 145-147 °FOregano 131-133 °FBlack Pepper 138-140 °FGrapefruit 123-125 °FPalmarosa 122-124 °FCajeput 123-125 °FHelichrysum 127-129 °FPeppermint 132-134 °FCamphor (White) 128-130 °FHyssop 127-129 °FPetitgrain 119-121 °FCarrot Seed 128-130 °FLavender (English) 130-132 °FPine (Scotch) 124-126 °FChamomile (German) 125-127 °FLavender (Spanish) 128-130 °FRavensara 134-136 °FChamomile (Roman) 110-112 °FLavender (Spike) 128-130 °FRosemary 125-127 °FCinnamon Leaf 115-117 °FLemon 113-115 °FSandalwood (Australian) 131-133 °FCoriander 132-134 °FLemongrass 133-135 °FTangerine 115-117°FCypress 144-146 °FLime 132-134 °FTea Tree 121-123 °FElemi 122-124 °FMandarin (Green) 130-132 °FThyme 123-125 °FEucalyptus (Citriodora) 125-127 °FManuka 138-140 °FYarrow 121-123 °FEucalyptus (Globulus) 130-132 °FMelissa 110-112 °FYlang Ylang 189-191°F Finally, it’s time for molding your soap. Hot process soap is a lot different than cold process when it comes to molding. It doesn't pour. It is thick, gooey and must be quickly scooped into the mold. If you want to make a swirl of color or make colored layers, now is the time. Divide some soap and color one half separately. Add it to your mold and mix into the pattern you’d like. Make sure the soap is of a thick pudding like consistency so that the colors don’t run. If you want one solid color, no need to divide. Now leave it alone for a while. It can take up to 48 hours to cool down and harden enough to remove from the mold. Cover it with a towel for insulation and protection. Once that is done, remove the soap from the mold and take off the parchment paper. You can cut the soap into bars now. Once you have cut the soap into bars, they can either be used immediately or be cured for a few days. The longer the cure, the milder the soap and the better it lathers. Place the soaps in a single layer on a tray or flat surface lined with paper towels and store in a dry, cool, dark place until you’re ready to use.

Cold Process

This method has a shorter prep time than the hot process, but has a longer cure time (3-6 weeks). This is how long it takes for the water content to completely evaporate, resulting in a harder, longer lasting bar of soap. The cure time can be disheartening, but a long cure produces the best quality soap. Technically, you can use your soap after 2 days, but it will be very soft and probably fall apart in the shower. Continuing where we left off, you’ve now bought your soap to trace and it’s time to personalize it. How thick of a trace you take your soap to depends on what you plan on doing with it. If you’re just pouring it into a mold, it doesn’t need to be thick at all. If you want to suspend dried herbs or exfoliants in it, you’ll have to bring it to a thickness that will be able to do just that. If you want swirls or layers of colors, it will also have to be pretty thick - enough that the different colors won’t combine. You’ll be looking for a trace with the consistency of pudding for those sorts of things. Coloring with swirls or layers will require you to divide the soap in parts, color each individual section on their own, and place them in the mold according to how you’d like. Colorants, exfoliants, and such accessories are the last ingredients to go into your soap. As you’re creating your original recipes, always remember to write down the exact amounts of everything you’re using. When you create that perfect batch of soap you’ll want to be able to replicate it. Now it’s time to mold. Pour the soap into your mold, cover, and insulate with an old towel. Leave the mold where it won’t be disturbed for 24 hours. After 24 hours your soap should be firm enough to cut. Using the parchment paper overhang, pull the soap out of the mold and cut into appropriately sized bars. Place the bars somewhere cool and dry, where they’ll get enough air circulation, and wait for at least three weeks to allow extra moisture evaporate out. The longer the cure time, the harder the bar will be, and the longer it will last once you start using it. The scent will also mellow out a bit. Some scents last better than others, but they’ll all fade to some extent. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0"; amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "mercuriousmin-20"; amzn_assoc_ad_mode = "search"; amzn_assoc_ad_type = "smart"; amzn_assoc_marketplace = "amazon"; amzn_assoc_region = "US"; amzn_assoc_default_search_phrase = "soap molds"; amzn_assoc_default_category = "All"; amzn_assoc_design = "in_content"; amzn_assoc_linkid = "212fd28b4e7c51600be7a3b2b23727b2";

Clean Up

After you’re done making your batch of soap, it’s time to consider clean up. Because the lye could still irritate the skin, leave your gloves on while washing any soaping dishes. I recommend wiping out any excess soap with vinegar, then washing your dishes in the sink with hot water and grease-cutting soap.

Homemade Soap Recipes

Charcoal & Eucalyptus Detox Soap Lye Portion 9.5oz Distilled Water4.1oz Lye (at 6% superfat) Base Oils Portion (31.8oz Total) 8.5oz Shea Butter8.5oz Hemp Seed Oil6.4oz Coconut Oil4.2oz Jojoba Oil4.2oz Grapeseed Oil At Trace 3g Activated Charcoal12g Eucalyptus Essential Oil Directions Follow standard soap making instructions. Let saponify in the mold for 24 hours before slicing and curing for at least 3 weeks (unless you used the hot process method).

Honey Bee Pollen Soap Lye Portion 8.5oz Distilled Water3.7oz Lye (at 6% superfat) Base Oil Portion (34oz Total) 8.5oz Beeswax8.5oz Hemp Seed Oil4.2oz Coconut Oil6.4oz Jojoba Oil6.4oz Castor Oil At Trace 4 tbsp Bee Pollen Powder4 tbsp Honey28g Lavender Essential Oil Directions Follow standard soap making instructions. Let saponify in the mold for 24 hours before slicing and curing for at least 3 weeks (unless you used the hot process method). Read the full article

#homemadesoaps #soapmaking #soapmakinginstructions

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ellebeebee · 8 years ago

Text

Seachange

Part Five/Nine

Part One || Part Two || Part Three || Part Four

Liam has impulse control problems, we know this. He thinks it might be a deal breaker (yet somehow it still doesn’t deter him??)-- spoiler: it’s not.

4866 words, Liam x f!Ryder, teen rating

AO3

It’s not like he went out of his way to put himself in danger.

Okay, maybe there’s a bit of untruth in that statement, but look. He couldn’t help being ‘on’ all the time. He’d tried to switch to ‘off’ before; after all the parent-teacher meetings, the lectures, the hospital visits. The girlfriends that got fed up with his bull.

He didn’t mean to scare people. If he’s being honest, sometimes it surprised him when others were concerned about his well-being, when they got angry on account of it. It’s not exactly the caring that surprised him-- more like, oh, shit, I should have considered that first. But it was hard to think first when a clear goal sat in front of him, and the direct, simplest route was totally possible. It just happened that most of the time that direct route was the nutty one. The one most likely to put him in a cast or break a rib.

And the other times? The ones that weren’t, y’know, life-and-death situations?

Well. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, and a laugh was a helluva gain in his opinion.

And having a guy like Jaal around? Damn, if they don’t have some fun on this constant world-shattering hellride, well, they’d all go bonkers, right? Or Liam would, anyway. Jaal was the same. Yeah, at first the guy was trying to be all tough and suspicious or whatever, but they all warmed his little angaran heart. Not a small part of which was on account of Liam, of course. Duh.

So they had fun. Risked life and limb. Whatever. So sue them.

“So, that is ‘dextro’ food,” Jaal stated, staring into the contents of the fridge. Liam peeked over his shoulder.

“Yeah, that’s Vetra’s stash,” he agreed.

“And turians and quarians are the only dextros from the Milky Way,” Jaal reiterated.

“Yeah. I mean, as far as I know?”

“And ‘levos’ cannot consume the same food? Does this also extend to production?” Jaal mused, continuing to stare intently at the innocuous sealed tub of food. Chilled air began to permeate the rest of the galley.

“Umm,” Liam hummed. “I don’t really know? Drack and Mira use the same pots don’t they? I think they do something when they switch? Uhh.”

“I mean, with regards to mass production. Are there separate ‘dextro’ and ‘levo’ factories?”

“Okay, that one’s filed under generalist-specialist info,” Liam quipped, clapping the angara’s shoulder.

They’d come to recognize that some questions during all this cross-species cultural exchange were just beyond a single individual’s experience. That stuff they called ‘generalist-specialist.’ Or: I have no fucking clue and don’t really have an inclination to find out.

“Hmm,” Jaal just mused.

They kept staring into the fridge. For whatever reason.

Liam cleared his throat. “Are you daring me to taste it?”

Jaal finally glanced at him and frowned. “I never said--”

“‘Cause if you’re daring me, and you think I’m not gonna do it, you clearly don’t know me well enough yet.”

Jaal looked at Liam, and his silly grin. And he looked back at the tub of dextro food. And he looked back at Liam.

“That is extremely stupid,” Jaal stated. “Aren’t you afraid one day Lexi will just stop treating you?”

“So what you’re telling me,” Liam said, nudging the angara out of the way, “is that you’ll let me wear the rofjinn for a whole day if I do this?”

“What? No!”

“Deal!”

And even though he made his disgruntled remarks about the human’s intelligence, Jaal (with not a small amount of curious light in his large blue eyes) watched Liam pull the tub out and drop it loudly on the counter. He started pulling out little individual containers full of things he half knew the names of, half had no idea how could even be digestible. That was when Mira stepped through the hatchway.

She stopped in her tracks, and Liam froze with a large morsel of a brownish dextro something halfway to his face.

“What are you doing?” the Pathfinder asked, brow lowering.

Liam wasn’t sure what exactly overtook him at that moment. It was like just the sight of her turned on that particular switch that was already always set on a hair trigger with him. Oh God. Shit shit. It was fucking stupid, but there she was: cute as fuck, and looking at him, and yes! Give! Me! Your! Attention! Mira! Ryder!

Liam jammed his whole damned mouth with that chunk of dextro-whatever.

And it didn’t taste bad. Sorta pudding-like texture, which wasn’t exactly great cold, but it had a brown gravy-like thing going on. And. Like a weird beer-y, fermented, fatty pork thing? It wasn’t terrible at all.

“Oh my god,” Mira gaped. “Liam, don’t swallow that--”

And really, it wasn’t funny. It wasn’t funny at all. But he had an ultra intense impulse to laugh at the face she was making, all horrified and open-mouthed and stuff. But he didn’t laugh. Oh no. That might actually be funny-- him laughing and the disgusting result with a mouthful of food. But no, not Liam Kosta. He’s never satisfied with just the straight gross-out joke.

Liam chewed for a good moment (“Stop, seriously!”) and he swallowed.

All the while staring her down.

Jaal made a sound half-way between exasperation and a laugh. “That was very stupid.”

Mira slapped her hands to her face, probably struggling with the exact wording for her incoming outburst. Then she lowered her hands, and her face wasn’t the mask of anger and irritation he was expecting. She stepped forward, grabbed him by the wrist, and tugged him out the galley hatchway.

“C’mon,” she sighed.

“And, no, you still can’t wear the rofjinn!”

And in the short walk down the hall to med bay, Liam was already getting short of breath, his throat tightening painfully. Mira’s hand was firm on him, and he couldn’t help staring at her expression. There weren’t storms in her eyes. No furious squall, but a dark indrawn… something?

It was hard to think with his entire mouth on fire, though.

Lexi took one look at them from her desk, sighed, and made a straight beeline for her supply cabinet.

“I take it all that swelling is an allergic reaction?” she said dryly, facing a wall of little bottles and medical things.

“He got into some of Vetra’s food,” Mira replied. They were talking about him as if he were some kind of dog. She kind of pushed Liam into an examination table, which he hopped on easily.

His feet swung, and he was reminded of being a little kid. Mum dragging him to the doctor’s and holding his hand, promising a lolly if he would just sit still for one goddamed minute.

Mira didn’t exactly hold his hand, but she did keep close to his side with her fingers on his forearm. His head was starting to swim. Yet he could still distinguish the knit in her brow. He wanted to poke it.

While he was busy staring at Mira’s face and fantasizing about poking it, Lexi poked him in the thigh with a very sharp needle.

“Oww!” Liam tried to complain, but he mostly brayed like a moose.

And the fingers laid lightly on his forearm (those thin fingers with the trigger callouses) tightened. They didn’t grip or dig in, a painful and visceral reaction, but just momentarily closed around him. Held onto him. As if afraid of what would happen otherwise. It lasted only a millisecond, and she let go, resettling into her light brush across his skin.

What was that about?

He swiveled to look at her, but Lexi pushed him down into the bed, giving him her standard scolding for the umpteenth time. She threatened to tie him down if he wouldn’t stay put while the injection did its work, and plied him with some mystery white tablet. Mira let go of him at this point, which made the absence of her hand burn. Pathfinder duties or something. He caught a last glimpse of her, glancing back at him, as she exited the med bay.

He turned to see Lexi giving him a very pointed, very knowing look.

“Wha?” he asked, tongue thick and useless.

“I’m trying to decide if you’re trying too hard or if you aren’t trying nearly hard enough,” she informed him sharply.

He sighed, which caused him to choke sharply on shallow breaths. Fully exerted, he lay back limply on the examination bed and tried to ignore Lexi’s judgment.

She doesn’t wear the name ‘Ryder’ for nothing.

It would surprise anyone that had only met her off the field, that had never seen her work (her being a bit of a mess out of her armor-- well. In civvies, not-- uh, you know.) But she knew her tactics, had incredibly agile ‘battlefield intelligence,’ and he’d once watched her clean up an entire kett squad at two thousand meters.

Plus there was SAM, so in general the Tempest’s squad felt pretty comfortable with letting her make the calls in the field (giving allowance for occasional ribbing).

And that was exactly why Liam should not have broken formation. He’d gotten his though. Served him right, he guessed.

He recovered from the self-poisoning pretty quickly. Spent the night in med bay fiddling his thumbs and vegging out to a series of vids on his omni-tool, then bound out the next morning with a sincere promise to take the little bottle of tablets Lexi gave him as instructed.

They were running ops on Kadara, some of it dodgy stuff like sifting through the bullshit between the Exiles and their top assholes, trying to find the kernels of truth through all the-- you know-- shit. Once it was clear he was no longer slurring around a swollen, foot-sized tongue, Ryder pulled him and Peebee out for the final push to activate the next vault. They made good time in the Nomad, mostly avoiding trouble when they could (which was always Mira’s style, frankly) until they encountered a gang of trumped up bandits who thought a roadblock and a few pistols entitled them to your shit.

Should have been a quick clean-up, but it turned out that this particular gang had a skilled engineer with them, probably ex-infrastructure or something from the Nexus. Anyway, this jerkoff techie kept alternately throwing these annoyingly small and agile drones at them and then handing off portable turrets to his assfaced friends so that they could place them somewhere incredibly inconvenient for the Pathfinder’s squad. And, cherry-on-top, this engineer was hunkered down behind the roadblock, completely inaccessible to their bullets.

They could turn around, try another way. But they were already on a delayed schedule for their mission to board the Archon’s ship. And every minute, every day wasted made it more and more likely that something would go wrong, a leak would weasel its way over to the enemy.

Liam watched all this go through Mira’s eyes as they continued to trade fire with these two-bit fleabags.

She made an angry, frustrated grunt over the comm.

“This is a freaking waste of time!” she yelled.

“Yeah, no shit!” Peebee answered, blue force thrown from her fingers to pluck up a raider.

Mira went quiet for a moment, fiddling with something on her rifle. With an oomph, she slid away from her position against the cover of the Nomad. Liam was too busy taking potshots to watch what she was doing.

“I’m going up the ridge under cloak; flank ‘em and take out that engineer,” she announced. “Maintain this position.”

“Roger,” Peebee called, relief flooding her voice.

“Make it hurt,” Liam added.

She didn’t say anything, and he didn’t see her leave the immediate area. Kind of the point. He had no reason to worry; this was exactly her kind of thing, the maneuver she honestly liked to use the most. And it was routine. There really, absolutely, was no reason to get antsy or start getting smart ideas.

And yet.

This was Liam Kosta.

He and Peebee spent a few moments working on a real cockroach of a turret that seemed made of, like, magical phlebotinum or some shit. Until Liam got kind of sick of it and had A Very Bright Idea. Really, all he needed was a beer to tell Peebee to hold.

“You think she’s on the ridge yet?” he yelled.

“What?” the asari answered distractedly.

“You think she’s on the ridge-- Nevermind. You got this for a minute?”

He didn’t wait for a reply. Instead, Liam Kosta, ultragrade genius, pulled out two fistfuls of grenades, set off all of them, and hurled the bundle of carnage and mayhem at the raiders. And he bullrushed through the resultant upwaft of scree, debris, and dust, towards a set of crags on the other end of the shallow valley they were entrenched in. He ignored the outraged protests Peebee shrilled at him and hoofed it as fast as he could.

“Liam!” Mira’s voice rang over the comm. “What the hell are you--”

“Distraction!” he yelled back. “Or flanking! All of the above!”

Except it turned out that his plan b was not the Very Bright Idea his brain had told him it was, and he should have left well enough alone and kept his ass glued where it was. Long story short: it was a fucking mess.

His grenades shielded his sprint across the field, but they also obscured visuals for both Peebee and Mira. When things settled back down, the raiders quickly realized their squad was completely split and fanned out to pin each individually. Mira finally got that annoying engineer, Peebee managed to gun and blast her way to Liam, and Liam made a whole lot of noise that mostly pushed all these filthy Kadara types back to their blockade.

It was ‘mostly’ because, while he was striking what could only be termed an omni-tool bitch slap on one raider, another appeared out of nowhere and scored a glancing hit with his shitty jerry-rigged rifle on Liam’s shoulder. He swore, and lifted his own gun-- only to watch as the turian’s throat exploded with a viscous spray of blood. Mira’s work, without a doubt.

By the time they were mopping up the last stragglers, his suit had already internally sprayed a disinfectant on the wound and was patiently pinging him to do a field repair for the perforation.

And when they were back in the Nomad, and the adrenaline from the firefight had worn off, Liam finally became aware of the searing sharpness radiating from the wound.

“This location isn’t secure, though,” Mira was saying. “I don’t have time to deal with curious scavvers.”

He glanced over at her. She was already starting up the Nomad again, gasing forward. She seemed to be in conversation over a private line, her eyes staring through the vehicle’s port at some point in midair. They hadn’t exchanged much words beyond ‘How bad is it?’ and ‘Not too much.’

“Okay,” Mira said, and then switched tones to address him and Peebee. “We’re heading to the vault; it’s not too far.”

During the ride, the Nomad’s interior mostly filled with Peebee’s pointed passive-aggressive remarks about humans and their impulsive natures. Which Liam countered with a long, detailed list of the asari’s own incidences of impulsive behavior. Peebee eventually just blew a wet and deafening raspberry at them, and with her sitting behind them not a little spit hit his hair. Which he complained about. Loudly.

But the entire time Mira kept her mouth shut and her eyes on the road. A weird feeling in his stomach kept building, and the pain shooting out of his shoulder wasn’t easing up. He resisted the urge to look over at the bullet graze; he’d take care of it later.

But, shit. If he were being honest, he really, really needed Mira to say something. Yell at him. Shit, he hated this sort of thing. The waiting, the silent tension.

When they reached the vault entrance, Mira parked the car. She swiveled to look back at Peebee.

“Go on ahead. Need to do some first aid.”

“‘First aid’? Is that what they’re calling it these days?” Peebee smirked.

“Wh- Peebee,” Mira sputtered. “Just go on.”

“Alright, alright.”

As the asari jumped from the Nomad with all her gear thrown over her back, Mira turned herself around to go scrambling in the back for the first aid kid.

“Sooo,” Liam tried, stifling his nerves. “That was Lexi earlier?”

“Yeah,” she answered and settled back up front with the kit in hand. “She was looking at your suit’s biosensors. You’ll need stitches, but I can do a field butterfly for now.”

She popped open the little aluminum case on her lap, and then looked up at him. Her dark eyes studied him over the breather unit of her helmet. She had on the ‘professional’ face; the one that threw him for a loop, because it differed so much from her usual, so easily flustered one.

“Well, you’re gonna have to strip,” she told him, waving vaguely at his chest.

“Oh-- yeah,” Liam coughed.

Don’t laugh, don’t flirt, don’t make the joke, our cams are on observation--

“Are you at least gonna buy me--”

“Liam.”

“...Right.”

They managed to get him undressed to the waist, but only after a lot of quiet swearing and they had to pop open the wing doors to make enough room. He had to rotate in the seat to give her access to his right shoulder, and she was sitting backwards and really close, his thigh lightly leaning against her thigh. Her reaching across him had her helm so close, his breath occasionally ghosted across that blue translucent surface.

And he couldn’t tell what she was thinking just by looking at her eyes looking at the nasty gun graze on his shoulder.

When she was finished with the dressing, he was really bursting at the seams with all this silence and uncertainty.

“Mira,” he said. “Look, about before--”

“Later,” she cut him off, putting up the first aid kit. “We’ll talk about it later.”

And before she dropped over the side of the Nomad, before she even finally turned away from him, her eyes rove over him, seeing who the fuck knew what. Saying, with her gaze, who the fuck knew what.

And he wished he was the fuck that knew what to say to her. Just him, just this dumbfuck right here.

Back on the Tempest, Lexi sewed him up and chewed him out. And he may have exited the med bay at a jog. He wasted some time in cargo chatting with Gil, all the while wondering when exactly the ‘later’ she’d mentioned would come around. When a message from her popped up on his omni-tool, Liam didn’t even say good-bye to the engineer-- just walked off in the opposite direction with Gil calling annoying jibes at his back.

He walked to the pathfinder’s quarters with barnacle-thoughts growing on him like: Please don’t yell at me and Please just yell at me already.

He reached her door, exhaled heavily (‘Alright, go and take it like the experienced adult disaster that you are; not like you’ve never done this before.’), and the hatch hissed open before him.

She sat at her desk, back turned to him and reading some mail off her terminal. Her hands were scrunching at her hair with a towel; she’d already washed off the residue of the vault’s killer fog and the sweat of running and gunning all day.

“Just a second,” she called to him.

He hadn’t been in here often; they mostly stuck to storage. Her quarters were just… awesome though. Plenty of space, big bed, nice couch. The view. The whole cluster, just lined up there for your perusal.

He dropped into the sofa and watched her. And when she finally looked up, and finally stood and threw her towel over the back of her chair, and finally sat across from him-- he felt like he’d eaten a whole bucket of that weird piggy dextro pudding stuff because his chest was tight and there seemed a shortage of oxygen in here.

“Okay, Liam,” she said. “What’s wrong?”

And he could breath again, thank goodness-- this, he could handle. He knew how to do this.

“Right,” he sighed, raising his hands-- as supplication or explication, it was hard to tell. “Look, I know I screw up a lot. Like, a lot. And I know it seems like I’m not trying, but really I am-- and you know, I mean, I know that it hardly makes a difference if I just keep pulling the same shit. But. But-- I mean, I guess I can’t really explain why this keeps happening; they’ve tried to tell me-- Look, I promise--”

“Liam,” she said. And when it was clear his momentum wasn’t permitting him a pause, even for her, she tried again. “Liam.”

She took his hand into her own. And that made him shut up, her skin still warmed from her shower and clinging to his. And the awareness that she smelled clean and good.

He forced himself to look up at her again, meet her gaze. The serious attentiveness of her dark, round eyes on him.

“I didn’t say ‘What’s wrong with you,’” she stated. Her hand squeezed his. “I said, ‘What’s wrong?’”

He used to know this guy back in sixth form whose dad had a hobby flying those old mechanical planes. With like, the two wings and everything. Once, he got to ride behind his friend’s dad, his cheeks flapping in the wind and his stomach leaping pleasantly every time they did some nutty loop-de-loop or whatever. And he’ll never forget that feeling when they kept rising and rising, the earth a distant memory, and this heaviness in his ears popped and his head felt a bit dizzy but better. You can’t get that in modern ships with the mass effect stabilizers and all.

But he remembered that feeling clearly, and recognized it as a lot like what he felt now.

Except on a ridiculously expanded scale.

That pop and that relief and that disorientation times a million.

That’s what she did to him, what she had him feeling. And so it was that bit of dextro food all over again, with his throat closed up and his chest tight. Mira had her eyes on him, so concerned and as calm as the stars. So he needed to say something, anything.

“I’m sorry--” he started, but she shook her head. He tried again, “Are you sure?”

“I wouldn’t be sitting here asking if I wasn’t,” she said softly. And she still held his hand.

He ran a thumb over her skin, needing that contact, that tactile thinking process.

Liam swallowed. “I guess-- shit, I don’t know. I’ve always been like this. Maybe different place, different people. But you know, always.”

“And… this particular place and people?” she asked.

She was asking for something specific, and as he watched, her eyes careened and if he pushed his fingers up just millimeters, he thought he’d probably feel the flutter in her heart through the pulse in her wrist. And in the heat that rose in both their faces, he knew she probably needed to hear the thing he needed just as much to say. Acknowledge.

He breathed. “I guess… Lately, I think I’ve really needed something from you. Your attention, your regard. I think I… I’ve gotten to the point where I need you.”

She exhaled, her lashes fluttering. Shifting, she leaned back against the couch, and he had to fight the urge to follow her.

She gazed at him. “Can I show you something?” When he nodded, she swiveled to look at the monitor on the wall across from them. “SAM, play back my helm cam footage from the last mission. Fast-forward.”

“Yes, Ryder.”

Her screen was mounted a lot farther from her couch than his, and it was a lot smaller, but even with SAM speeding through the recording, it was clear what she wanted him to see: if she did not have a target on sight, then eighty percent of the time her gaze was gripped by him. Her helmet turned to watch him load-up on grenades, kid around with Peebee. Stared at him, his back turned, silhouetted by the lucid Kadara sun.

Her camera trailed after him, following, persistent. Orbiting.

When her hand squeezed his, he turned back with his eyes like saucers, he knew-- and she shifted forward, gentle rustle of her shorts sliding across the couch, and placed the other hand on his cheek. Her body shifted the pressure between them, even with an eternity of space still dividing them. Strands of damp, dark hair swung close with their shampoo smell.

“Liam,” Mira whispered, gazing at him. “You always have my attention. I’m always looking.”

And she hesitated. Hesitated on the next words that she maybe wanted to say. He didn’t blame her; he’d hardly given her much foundation to take the next leap. Her eyes lowered, lifted again, and he couldn’t ever get enough of that face. Dark honey and amber. All rounded and softened. Her fingers burned his flesh where she touched his cheek.

Her breath dropped, and she lifted from her seat on the couch, moving closer and her intention clarifying.

“Yes…?” she asked, so quietly.

He answered, simply and in his opinion best-ly, by surging forward and kissing her.

It wasn’t the first kiss. Far from it. And it was his biggest hope that there would be plenty more. But if there were, and if he could he would etch this in his heart (maybe tattoo, at some point?)-- if he did end up lucky enough to have another kiss after this, and another after that, and another and another-- he would do his best to make each and every single one as good and meaningful and world-shattering as this one.

She bent into him, bent backwards and forwards like she’d already been by him and his shit. But there’d be more-- god, would there be more, just please, please, stay like this. Too good to him and too able and willing to go through it with him. His throat was tight, yeah, like it had been since the day he met her, but it itched with hot emotion too.

Freely, impossibly invited, his tongue slipped through. Sweet and warm and bitter acid of another person’s mouth. Her hands flew up to clutch at him with fingers biting into his back, at the base of his neck. His lips moved, in that awful and painful way that was too much and not enough, against hers-- a tidal motion, a dance of Scourge that ate and ate and ate.

And he was bending into her, whether by the strength of her sniper’s fingers pulling him under or by his own volition-- it didn’t matter, ‘cause he wanted all of it. Fuck some of it. He wanted all of it and then some. Everything.

She parted from him, gasping, (a sharp little inhale, that’s all) and that sound went straight to his pants. Somehow one of her legs was scrabbling for purchase along his side, and his hands were pushing along the bare skin of her back, threatening that t-shirt. And somehow it was only his clinging to her that kept her from falling back into the couch-- orbiting is just the act of perpetually falling, and he was sure Sir Isaac Newton had been a psychic because he’d always be orbiting her, falling into her for an eternity and may death do us part.

When she sort of rose up though, to press into him, Liam’s thinking processes came back online. He slowed down the ferocity of the face-devouring and slid his fingers down from their dangerous path.

Sensing his shift, she paused too, and drew back.

Neither of them could summon the amount of brainpower for words, glazed-eyed and swollen-lipped.

She slid back from him (how did she get into his lap?), pushing damp hair out of her flushed face and off her neck.

“Umm…” Liam attempted, a sheepish hand coming up to cover his sheepish grin.

“Yeah,” she said, too quickly. “I mean…”

“Yeah,” he repeated.

Although what the hell that meant, who the fuck knew.

She was further away, but her legs still rested around his; and he should move, but he really, really didn’t want to.

He tried again. “Uhm. I hate myself for saying this, really, like it’s crazy difficult-- but I think we’ve already put the pedal to the metal enough? Maybe, like, take it slow?”

She blinked at him; probably because he was speaking with the most obvious reluctance ever. She snorted, grinning, and looked down. All freckles and-- fuck.

Mira glanced back up. “Yeah. I think that’s, like, a good idea.”

He deflated. “Well, shit, now that you’ve said it…”

She laughed outright. And he laughed too.

They ended up staying in her quarters, watching a vid just like any other night. And yeah, it was predictable of them, but whatever.

They had exactly what they needed.

#mass effect andromeda #me:a #fanfiction #liam kosta #liam x ryder #rydam #sara ryder #fem!ryder #my writing #uuhm this might be a good time to mention that i'm 99.9% that the rating is firm #ya know.#reasons #hahaha kosta u are a disaster how are u still alive #what even #mira has the patience of a saint i swear #lol #these two

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industry5566-blog · 5 years ago

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Pumpkin Seed Benefits For Weight Loss

Pumpkin Seeds contain Omega-3 fatty acids and are the best vegetable source of iron. pumpkin kernel has been operating with Martin Farms in Brockport, N.Y., a squash and pumpkin grower, to improve its cultivation of oilseed pumpkins and to use the specialized gear imported from Austria to harvest the seeds. Small pumpkin seeds may toast in around 5 minutes or so, huge pumpkin seeds could take up to 20 minutes. The seeds have high levels of vital fatty acids that assist maintain healthier blood vessels and reduce unhealthy cholesterol in the blood. Also, the seeds are an excellent supply of amino acid tryptophan and glutamate. Other micronutrients located in pumpkin seeds also helps to increase the texture of the hair and make it sturdy. They are broadly utilised in Mexican cooking and are a popular roasted snack there. There is technically a distinction between the pumpkin seeds you pull out of your pumpkins before carving Jack-lanterns every single Halloween, and pepitas, which are smaller sized and greener in color. Some people do a rapid boil in salt water before roasting for added crispiness, but we never often have time for that so our recipe requires the seeds straight to the oven. Some folks use pumpkin seeds in baking, as an ingredient for sweet or savory bread and cakes. Tiny pumpkin seeds may toast in around five minutes or so, even though massive pumpkin seeds could take up to 20 minutes. Pumpkin seeds are packed with magnesium, which is an vital mineral needed for the formation of bone. Pumpkin seeds have been found to contain sterols. Spread pumpkin seeds onto the ready baking sheet, making certain they are in one even layer. They are mostly clean at this point, which is fine because they have 1 far more likelihood to clean up. Add the mainly clean seeds to a pot of boiling salted water. Some people swear by boiling or soaking the seeds in salt water to make them added crispy right after baking. Pumpkin seeds are the only seeds that are alkaline-forming, making them an outstanding addition to overly acidic diets. Pepitas (a.k.a. pumpkin seeds with no shells) are the ultimate garnish. We offer you certified organic pumpkin seeds for pie pumpkins, jack ' lantern pumpkins and specialty pumpkins. If you want to jazz up your pumpkin seeds, sprinkle with spices such as smoked paprika, cumin, or chile powder prior to they go into the oven. Entire, roasted pumpkin seeds in their shells contain about five.two grams of fiber per serving, whilst shelled seeds contain just 1.8 grams. Test Kitchen tip: Don't worry if you have some pumpkin pulp clinging to the seeds. Plants that have a close connection to the soil are frequently specific sources of mineral nutrients, and pumpkin (and their seeds) are no exception. Our authorities discovered that stirring the seeds from time to time promotes even browning. Components: Gluten-cost-free rolled oats, pumpkin puree, cashew butter, honey, maple syrup, dark chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, pumpkin spice. In addition, experimental research suggest that particular phytochemical compounds in pumpkin seed oil may have a function in the prevention of diabetic nephropathy (diabetic kidney disease). Distinct pumpkins, diverse seeds: Pumpkins are not the only winter squash with seeds. And you can handle the amount of salt by how a lot you add to the water and how long you boil the seeds. Nevertheless, roasting or baking pumpkin seeds can make the shells more bearable to chew and lessen the adverse effects. These seeds are a frequent ingredient in Mexican cuisine and can also be eaten as a snack raw or roasted. 2 Boil pumpkin seeds in salted water for ten min: Measure the pumpkin seeds in a cup measure. Pumpkins are indigenous to the Americas but quickly became well-known all through the globe as a snack food. Tossed with antioxidant wealthy spices and herbs, pumpkin seeds pack a complete-food punch, maintaining us both wholesome and happy. I suggest about 1 Tbs of coconut oil per cup of seeds. Roasted pumpkin seeds are a wonderful source of potassium, and higher in protein — in addition to getting super delicious. One such snack that you can often look up to is pumpkin seed.

Sprinkle the pumpkin seeds with salt. Boil the seeds very first in salted water, then toast them in the oven. Given that pumpkin seeds are a rich source of zinc, they may enhance sperm top quality. There will be some bits of pumpkin nonetheless mixed in with the seeds. Scoop all your pumpkin seeds out from the pumpkin. Watch Ocado's four ways with pumpkins video for a visual guide on how to roast the seeds. Excess water can develop steam in the oven, which prevents the seeds from crisping. Oilseed, also known as Styrian pumpkins, include a plethora of green seeds that have no hulls they have been discovered in Austria in the 19th century, and cultivated mostly for oil, which is a popular ingredient in that nation. Pumpkin seeds are typically referred to as pepitas, which is Spanish for little squash seeds.” Historically, pumpkin seeds had been revered amongst Native Americans and used for both dietary and medicinal purposes in truth, there is evidence to recommend that pumpkin-like seeds were domesticated as far back as 10,000 BC in Mexico. The result: completely roasted, crispy pumpkin seeds. Sprinkle pumpkin seeds on leading of mixed green salads. In 2014, scientists discovered proof that pumpkin seed oil may aid treat urinary disorders in males and females. Buy pumpkin seeds online and start experimenting with organic pumpkin seeds and our Austrian pumpkin seeds these days. Spread the seeds across the baking sheet with out overlapping as well a lot and lightly season with salt. FOLLOW first step from Excellent roasted pumpkin seeds. Healthful magnesium levels are essential for your blood stress, blood sugar levels, as nicely as heart and bone health. Prepare a healthy snack. Location the seeds (regardless of whether those you retrieved from the pumpkin or these you bought at the store) in a single layer on a cookie sheet and light roast them in a 160-170°F (about 75°C) oven for 15-20 minutes. 1) Add crunch to an ordinary salad with a handful of roasted pepitas. In the case of pumpkin seeds, vitamin E is located in all of the following types: alpha-tocopherol, gamma-tocopherol, delta-tocopherol, alpha-tocomonoenol, and gamma-tocomonoenol. Spread the seeds in one even layer on the ready baking sheet. Despite the fact that much more investigation is necessary in this region, obtaining lots of phytoestrogens from pumpkin seeds might increase your postmenopausal well being (Gossell-Williams et al., 2011). Autumn Seed grows mostly white pumpkins and produces five million to six million pounds of seeds annually, most of which they sell to many pumpkin seed brands. Plant seed 1-two deep into warm soil properly right after threat of frost has passed and give supplemental water if plants start to wilt from drought. Throughout testing, we identified that additional strands didn't make a huge difference once the seeds were roasted. 1 Reduce pumpkin, scrape out seeds, rinse: Cut open the pumpkin by cutting a circle about the stem finish with a sharp knife (knife blade angled in), and pulling off the prime. If you make a habit of not wasting meals or if you occur to adore pumpkin seeds currently, chances are you roast them. Scrape the seeds from your pumpkin with a wide, flat spoon. We utilised olive oil to roast our seeds, but recommend making use of any neutral-tasting, heat steady oil like avocado, canola, sunflower, or coconut. Heat again for 2 to three minutes, stirring right after each and every minute, till the seeds are lightly browned and crunchy. If you have trouble sleeping, pumpkin seeds could assist. At the exact same time, you will be capable to bring out the complete flavors of the pumpkin seeds by way of roasting. Leave the baking sheet on your kitchen counter overnight so the seeds can dry. Make certain to dry the seeds as a lot as feasible in among a towel. In other words, pepitas are pumpkin seeds, but they only come from specific types of pumpkins and never call for shelling. So even though the difference is not enormous, and even even though the seed kernels remain a very good source of zinc, you will be in a position to boost your zinc intake if you consume the unshelled version.

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midnightproductionsstudio-blog · 7 years ago

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Magic Valley Stampede: Opening Video

youtube

The Project:

We were approached by a client about a month ago that had a need to create a video. The original goal of the video was just a 2-3 minute montage of old rodeo footage that he wanted to use to help mask the clean up and prep that had to happen after the big national anthem introduction.

He had an idea of taking the flag girls who typically open the rodeo and utilizing them in this montage. He was very inspired by the Calgary Stampede promo video that he found while perusing YouTube. His initial thought was to have 30 seconds of them in the video at maximum and focus more on the archive footage of the old rodeos.

Now you may have noticed the girls got a lot more time in the video than initially planned and that was mostly because we got so much footage that both the client and us loved.

The Planning:

We researched for a couple days about what other rodeos were using for their opening or promotional videos. It was a bit of a mixed bag of quality and there actually wasn't as many as we thought there would be. Lots of dramatic shots of the competitors getting ready, strong lighting and silhouettes and other than the video that inspired the client initially not a lot of flag girls. So we debated what the real purpose of the video was, and most of it was getting people distracted from the rodeo grounds and getting them hyped up.

So the focus of the video become this ride (all puns intended) to the competition. The flag girls are typically the first thing either before or after the anthem that rodeos have. Almost like the heralds of the rodeo announcing the beginning of the competition or like the torch of the olympics.

We knew that we wanted to capture a lot of footage of them riding in formation and at a decent speed. Getting that driving force, constant movement towards their end goal. A good music bed is also important to further emphasize that rhythm of the horses hooves.

We did a location scout 3 days before and determined where we were going to set up our shots. We discovered this amazing little grove of trees that had a path straight through it. It was a must shoot, just because we knew most of the rest of the shots would be in pretty wide open spaces.

We then started looking at playing with water and dirt. Having some slow motion shots of the particles and water droplets flying around is always a great effect. We also thought the slower motion would help capture the beauty of the horses and their power. Further the speed change gives some contrast to the high action shots from the rodeos archival footage. This small creek was a great option for our flag girls and the horses to ride through and we could capture safely in multiple angles.

One of the things we knew from the beginning that we wanted was a wide open meadow that we could shoot in. Something that would allow the horses to really cut loose and cover some ground. Plus with our ability to get some aerials with the drone it would be something really special. We finally settled on this meadow in one of the back pastures.

We had to give up on a couple of locations because the cattle were actively grazing the area or they had been watered so throughly we would get stuck. But with the 3 locations selected plus some notes to get some more stationary shots at the corrals, we were feeling pretty excited to get shooting.

The Shoot:

We posted a video earlier this week that showed some of the shenanigans we got into while filming out at the ranch. Below is some more info that wasn’t captured in the video.

The day finally arrived and we showed up around 6AM to start getting setup. We had to get ATV’s and Razors coordinated with the ranch hands as well as prepping all the equipment. Some major challenges we had were actually the fact that we were so far out in the middle of nowhere in Idaho there was no service. So when our talent and their horses got lost looking for the location, they couldn’t even call. So needless to say, we start about an hour later than we wanted. The other issues is that the ranch is active and so we had times when vehicles would be in our shots and we either had to re-shoot or in two cases deal with the footage as is.

While getting the girls to the location was a bit of a task, once they were there they got a two-way radio so that as they were riding we were able to communicate with the lead rider if we needed them to turn back or re-shoot. We also laid out a schedule for the day and tried our best to communicate what our expectations and needs were going to be throughout the day. We also strongly encouraged them to let us know what they or their horses needed throughout the day.

We started shooting in the alley because we knew it was going to be the shot that took the most time to set up. The rest of the locations were easier to access and setup. Unfortunately, this was also pretty muddy so we got the horses and the girls speckled in mud within the first few takes.

We did several takes of the girls riding up and down the alley in slow mo which we shot of the GH5 with its pretty amazing VBR settings and the iPhone X which also has pretty great slow mo capture. We then caught some in full speed and with the drone as they entered and exited the alley.

Then was when things got interesting and messy. We really wanted to capture them as they were going through the alley so Kris and myself both squeezed on an ATV with iPhone and a gimbal and rode in front of them. We actually got some great shots of the mud being kicked up into the frame by the ATV as we were shooting the girls which added a fun texture to the shot. However, the girls were not as impressed when said mud started fling back in their direction.

We wrapped in the alley and moved on to the creek. Here we had to fight the horses as most of them wanted to spend more time playing in the creek than running through it. As with anytime you introduce animal actors into a video shoot, you spend a lot of time waiting for them and trying to get them just right. These horses were very well trained and after the first 2 or 3 takes they started to get what the goal was and nailed the next couple of passes.

We utilized the GH5 as a wide shot and the iPhones and action cams to capture the close ups in the water as the horses rode through. The action cams were key, so that we could get the shots from multiple angles without having the cameras or camera ops in the shots.

We headed to the corrals next, to capture some of the shots of the “girls headed out” on this big ride. With steel fences that extend into the horizon and the ability to really play with focus allowed for some great artistic shots. We had some dirt in the corrals that allowed up to capture some controlled shots of one of the girls stomping her boot and of the horse galloping through the frame in slow mo.

My favorite shot we captured here was the girls leaning against the fence as we rolled the focus from a flag in front to the girls in the back. Its just a cool shot and makes the girls from the very beginning look confident and strong.

Our final location was out on the meadows. We did a walkthrough of the path with the horses as there were some ditches and pot holes in the field that popped up out of nowhere. Our highest priority throughout was safety, we didn’t want to injure any of the animals or the talented you women riding them.

Once the path was set, Luis hopped in the Razor with iPhone and gimbal in hand as I sat next to him to make sure he didn’t fall out if he decided to lean too far out the cab. We started driving our route back and forth with the horses in a full gallop. The Razor drove behind, next to and in front of the horses and they rode in perfect formation. We had more troubles near the end as the wind picked up, which then started trying to and sometimes succeeding in stealing the girls hats.

The last thing we had to capture were some aerials shots of the girls riding through the meadow. I piloted the drone over several paths and captured them from a few different angles so we had a lot to choose from in post. Thats when Trevor had a brilliant idea. He said, “Let’s replicate that scene when the Nazgul are chasing Arwen”. If you don’t know the reference, watch this clip from YouTube and you’ll see. It was an awesome idea and we only had to shoot it once to capture the take. Once we had that, it was a wrap as the girls, the horses and us were all exhausted and ready to go home.

The Editing:

We captured a ton of footage during the shoot and we didn’t really have to worry so much about not having enough but instead making the decision of what was the best of the best. We shot a lot of the footage at the ranch in 4K even though the final product was going to be in 1080. This allowed us to creatively crop shots in post if we needed to.

The most arduous task of this whole project was actually sorting through the 6 hours of archival rodeo footage. As the footage was in standard definition and in 4:3 aspect ratio. In our world of HD and 16:9 this was a bit rough just to look at. Fortunately, there are way less entertaining things to watch than these bull riders, ropers and bronc busters performing at a professional level.

We chose to scale up the rodeo footage as large as we could without too much distortion and then placed a large version of the footage behind the foreground with a gradient blur to fill out the rest of the landscape view. It is a common solution to the making a square video fit in a rectangular display.

We started with a song that the client had initially said he liked. I put about half of the clips in place and sent him a demo just to make sure we were headed in the right direction. It was a good thing I did because while he loved the song and the direction, his board of directors did not like the song. At least not all of them, so we had to go back to the drawing board and find a song that was more traditional country feeling than the more rock focused music we started with. I would like to say that even when you think everything is set, sometimes things like boards of directors or a freak weather storm can derail even the best laid plans. Its a hazard of the industry.

Once the head honchos found a song that they could all get behind the new editing process started. Trying to make footage shot for music of a different style was a bit rough at first, but once I found rhythms and accents in the music to highlight movement or moments in the footage the pieces just seemed to fall into place.

After the rough cut was done, and approved we started finessing cuts and timings. Horse bucking to drum beats, cowboys crashing on specific cymbal hits, lyrics talking about certain aspects of the rodeo.

Then playing with color correction, trying to get the footage shot on all of these different cameras to feel homogenous. Then adding some style on it, I loved the idea of playing with the sepia and gold tones on the video similar to old western movies, as stereotypical as that sounds. Those colors really helped communicate a wide open prairie feel. Making the dirt a rich brown versus just a dead light brown. And of course, using secondary HSL to bring some of the blue back into a often overexposed sky. You can see a side by side comparison below.

Conclusion

In the end, we had a ton of fun on this project. I am always a firm believer that communication is the number one skill you can have in any industry but especially in creating something like this. We had some hiccups in our communication with the client’s bosses which would have saved us some editing time. On the flip side, our planning and communication with the talent allowed us to capture some amazing footage and create a great product.

This is the first of many blog posts to come. We encourage your feedback as we develop our style and experiment with different tutorials, product reviews, and posts like these. Below is an equipment list of what we used on this particular project.

Equipment List:

Lumix GH5

Sigma 18‑35mm F/1.8 DC HSM ART Lens

Metabones Canon EF Lens to Micro Four Thirds T Speed Booster‎

Atomos Ninja Inferno

DJI Ronin

Manfrotto Tripods

iPhone X

Gimbals

iPad Pro

DJI Mavic Pro

ND filters

Yi Lite 4K+ Action Cams

Edited in Adobe Premier Pro

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