#british columbia is burning

[banananagoose]

If you're planning on travelling to the Shuswap/Okanagan right now for 'vacation', then please, do not. You are not welcome right now. Keep traffic as much to a minimum as you possibly can while locals and families try and figure out their next steps to safety and security.

Meme under the cut because I've been crying for hours.

[stressedanime]

watching the land i’ve lived my entire life on being destroyed by wildfires because of climate change is really just so fucking devastating

[rabbitcruiser]

K-9 Veterans Day

Joseph White, a retired military working dog trainer, came up with the idea for K-9 Veterans Day. By his efforts, his home state of Florida recognized the day in 2009. Other states have since recognized it as well, although it has not been recognized on the national level. The day is dedicated not only to K-9 veterans of the military, but also to customs dogs, search and rescue dogs, police dogs, border patrol dogs, and secret service dogs. March 13 is the date of the holiday because the K-9 Corps was created on March 13, 1942. The Quartermaster Corps of the Army began training dogs on that date, making it the moment when dogs officially became part of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Three months before Pearl Harbor, U.S. Army Sgt. Robert H. Pearce started a small K-9 command program at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, Los Angeles. He brought Hollywood dog trainer Carl Spitz on board. (Spitz was known for owning and training a Cairn Terrier named Terry, who was best known for playing the role of Toto in The Wizard of Oz.) In January of 1942, they began asking people in Los Angeles to bring their dogs to Pershing Square to be used in the war effort. Over 1,000 dogs were brought, including Rudy Vallee’s Doberman Pinscher, King, and Mary Pickford’s German Shepherd, Silver. The program was known as Dogs for Defense. These dogs would go on to be used by the K-9 Corps.

Originally, thirty breeds of dogs were accepted by the K-9 Corps, but this was narrowed down to seven: German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, collies, Belgian Sheepdogs, Doberman Pinschers, Eskimo dogs, and Malamutes. New dogs were first given obedience training. They were then given additional training to be a scout or patrol, messenger, sentry, or mine detector. Within eight to twelve weeks they completed their training. The original idea was to have 200 dogs in the K-9 Corps, but by the end of World War II, the number had ballooned to more than 10,400. Most of the dogs were family pets.

Although dogs were first formally trained for military service during World War II, they have been used in war since antiquity. More recently, some were used informally during the Civil War. During World War I, the German, British, and Belgian armies used them to pull carriages and wagons loaded with guns and supplies, to pull telephone lines, to carry messages, and to comfort those who had been injured. About 7,000 dogs were used in World War I, but not only a few of these were from the United States.

As of the late 2010s, over 2,500 dogs actively serve in the military, and about 700 are deployed overseas. Military dogs sniff out bombs and weapons, search and patrol, perform guard duty, and serve as companions to those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Military dogs are usually German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, or Labrador Retrievers. Dogs in the military now can receive medals and awards, and they often have retirement and memorial services held for them. In law enforcement, dogs began being used more in the 1970s. These dogs patrol, perform search and rescue missions, and detect drugs, explosives, cadavers, and arson accelerants. Dogs in both military and law enforcement roles, as well as dogs in other similar official roles, are all honored today.

How to Observe

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate the day:

If you have, work with, or train a military dog, law enforcement dog, or dog in a similar role, make the day extra special for them.

Contact your representatives and encourage them to support a K-9 Veterans Day on the state or national level.

Support K-9 Courage, a group that provides healthcare assistance to retired police and military dogs, and gives support to service dogs who assist veterans with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. You could help raise funds or have your own dog participate in “Dogs Salute Dogs.”

Learn about notable dogs who have served in the military, such as Sgt. Stubby, Chips, Lex, and Cairo.

Visit a memorial dedicated to dogs, such as the War Dog Memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California; the War Dog Memorial in Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York; the National War Dog Cemetery and War Dog Memorial at Naval Base Guam; The Pennsylvania War Dog Memorial; or the Military Working Dog Teams National Monument in San Antonio, Texas.

Visit Sgt. Stubby, who is stuffed and on display, and covered with a blanket that holds his medals, in an exhibit titled “The Price of Freedom: Americans at War” at the National Museum of American History.

Watch a movie or documentary about military or police dogs such as Max, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend, Megan Leavey, or War Dogs: America’s Forgotten Heroes.

Source

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

"Second Perjury Trial Looms From Fire Probe," Vancouver Sun. October 5, 1943. Page 12. ---- NEW WESTMINSTER, Oct. 5. - Remy Vernier, Vancouver, will be committed for trial on Friday on a charge of perjury, Magistrate H. L. Edmonds intimated today at the conclusion of a preliminary hearing.

Vernier is charged in connection with evidence given at a fire marshal's inquiry into a blaze that destroyed the home of Mrs. Jeanette Bedan in Surrey.

Mrs. Bedan is appealing from a two-year sentence on a perjury charge also laid in connection with the inquiry.

Vernier is alleged to have told the inquiry that two coats found in Mrs. Bedan's possession belonged to his wife and were loaned to her.

Today Mike Belan, estranged husband of Mrs. Bedan, told the court that the coats were owned by his wife.

Purse Snatched In Broad Daylight A man who darted out of a doorway in the 300 block Abbott Street at 10:15 a.m. today snatched a purse from Mrs. E. Somers, 813 Hornby Street, and took to his heels. The purse contained $10 and four food ration books.

Mrs. K. Robertson, Horseshoe Bay, reports theft of her purse while shopping in a downtown department store. It contained four old ration books and five new ones.

Sgt. T. H. Fraser, Little Mountain Barracks, reported loss of four notebooks, each containing military notes.

[paperuniverse]

Already 3.3 million hectares of land in Canada has been burning because of the extreme heat and dryness and it’s not even halfway through wildfires season. They’re actually predicting this will be the most destructive wildfire season in Canadian history. But most of what I’ve seen posted about these fires has to do with air quality. So I’ve decided to try and compile a list of resources to donate to help Canadians being affected at this time.

Alberta

The Red Cross which seems to have a donation page for most provinces. Both the Canadian and Alberta government will match each dollar of your donation.

Food Banks Alberta helping to feed those affected.

Disaster Aid Canada general help

Atlantic Canada

The Red Cross which if you donate to both the Canadian and the Nova Scotia government will match each dollar of your donation.

British Columbia

United Way BC supporting communities by giving them things such as food, mental health support, and shelter.

Food banks BC helping to feed those affected.

Canada as a whole

Unite for Change not directly donating to the fires but is working to make changes at a provincial and federal level to help fix the climate crisis which is directly making the fires worse.

Please tell me if you know of any other places taking donations to help either put out the fires or help the people affected. If any of these donation links are also donating to discriminatory policies or such like anti-trans legislation's please inform me so I can remove the link!

Quebec and Ontario links are especially wanted as I couldn't find anything for there and neither could my friend.

[panicinthestudio]

Burned to the Ground: the Canadian village incinerated by record temperatures, June 8, 2023

The small village of Lytton in British Columbia hit the global media when it smashed Canada's highest temperature ever recorded in June 2021, at 49.6 degrees centigrade. Two days later, the entire village had burned to the ground. In the ashes of their homes, this cohesive but diverse community which includes a majority of First Nations residents had to confront the realities of climate displacement by being relocated away from their ancestral lands. Through the stories of three main protagonists we find a community searching for answers while relying on a collective spirit to heal. The Guardian

@allthecanadianpolitics

[allthecanadianpolitics]

Patrick Michell has had his trailer packed and ready to go all week.

If he and his family have to flee the path of encroaching wildfires in British Columbia, it will be the second time in three years.

“Here’s where I’m at today,” Michell wrote to The Breach on Monday, attaching a photo of his utility trailer under a smoke-filled sky. 

His family has owned the trailer since a record-breaking wildfire in 2021 burned their house down, along with the entire town of Lytton, B.C. 

The day of the fire, Michell realized he wasn’t a mere evacuee.

“I was a refugee because I did not have a home to go back to,” the former chief of the Nlaka’pamux community Kanaka Bar said in an interview. “I want people to understand there’s a difference.”

Full article

Tagging: @politicsofcanada

[equallyshaw]

ᴅᴀʏ ɴɪɴᴇ: ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴍᴇ - ʙʀᴏᴄᴋ ʙᴏᴇꜱᴇʀ

part of holidays with equallyshaw

warnings: swearing.

word count: 2.8k+

takes place over christmas and janurary! not really christmasy but idc lmao.

ʜᴇʀ ʜᴀɪʀ ꜱʟɪᴄᴋᴇᴅ ʙᴀᴄᴋ in a tight bun, her black dress clung to her irresistible curves and her free spirit is what caught broody brock boeser's attention, on this cold snow-free evening in vancouver. abba music pounded throughout the club, as divya 'viv' screamed the lyrics with her longtime uni friends. viv had just graduated this semester after 5 long years at uni of british columbia and she was more than ecstatic to raise some hell this weekend before heading home to toronto. after her 5 years in bc, she had no reason to stay on this side of canada so she was going to head home before heading to new york- hunting for a position on wall street.

brock watched as the dark haired girl danced and spun around with her friends, and felt the hair on his very neck raise. him and viv or 'vivian' as he called her, had hooked up many, many times over the course of her time on the west coast. it never led to anything, despite her giving him false hope. despite, them being exclusive to one another during the season. and him being faithful to her during the offseason - though she didnt know.

one of her friends since freshman year was on her way back from the bar, when she spotted some of the canucks. she rolled her eyes, slipping through people to get back to her group. "you'd never guess who's here tonight!" maya boomed and the girls all looked at her before shrugging. she then turned towards viv and viv felt a wave of guilt wash over. she had really like brock as a person, and hated toying with his emotions but she had told her self and her parents had too, that she couldn't date anybody while in school. her parents were pretty strict parents, but were leniant in other ways. "good god." she hummed, throwing back a shot of tequila to which she shut her eyes quickly, as the burning sensation died down. "he really did a number on ya, huh?" ginny another girl had teased while poking her elbow, "yeah for sure." viv lied. oh, he had in the most innocent of ways. but she had done it worse, breaking his heart over and over again.

❅

it was a while later when one of her friends sasha made her ways over toward elias, which then meant the two groups were bound to converse with one another. and as luck would have it, brock and viv found themselves close to one another. in proximity ofcourse, but viv didn't dare look at him. brock made a peace offering about 30 minutes later, holding out a cup of vodka cranberry and she knew she couldn't resist the free drink. she swiped it from him giving him a small smile, giving him a small nod. "how have you need davya?" he questioned, and she almost choked as he said her full name. "uh good! just graduated so im glad to be free of this place." she mused, sipping her drink. he nodded, "well that's great, congratulations!" he said smiling widely, a genuine smile was evident. she smiled back, the one that he had seen many, many times and he felt himself blush.

"still planning on wall street?" he questioned, and she nodded. "don't you know it. its not too far from home that my parents wont need to complain, but far enough where i feel like i can be my own person and find my own way." she said shrugging. he nodded, taking it all in. he hadn't said five words to her since may, and he had been dying to talk to her since then. "i always used to say that if vancouver didn't select me, i wanted to go to new york. something about it made me feel alive. if that makes sense." he said rambling a bit, and she could tell he felt embarrassed. "oh ofcourse! i totally get that...that's why im a sucker for it." she said whispering that last part and the two of their gazes connected. viv felt her chest begin to heat up, and the return of the familiar longing for him was evident.

he moved in closer to her, "maybe ill have to come visit you vivian." he mused, words and breath heavy on her neck. she felt herself shudder with pleasure, and looked at how close their faces were to each other. she grinned before leaning in and kissing him. he wrapped his arms around her back and pulled her in closer. they pulled away after a few seconds, "would it be crazy to ask you to come back to my place? again?" he questioned and she giggled, "thought you'd never ask...take me home." she whispered, with a cunning smirk on her face.

❅

two days later she woke up with an arm draped across her torso and chest, as her back was pressed into the mattress. she looked over and saw brock's familiar and luscious blond locks and smiled, rubbing small circles on his arm that was draped. god, she really needed to leave she thought. she had to catch a flight to toronto..but she didn't want to leave. being with brock felt right, it felt real and felt like home. though, her toxic side would never admit that. if she didn't get home, she'd hear so much from it. especially if she missed christmas and christmas eve. she felt the bed shift a bit, before brock rested his chin on her shoulder. she looked down, as she met his longing gaze. "morning vivian." he said softly, before she leaned in and kissed him. "morning brock." she hummed.

"whatcha thinkin about?" he questioned, pressing a kiss to her shoulder before exploring along her chest and neck. she softly moaned before he was now on top of her, and she had her hands wrapped in his hair. "just how my parents would kill me if i didn't make my flight tomorrow..but i shamelessly don't want to leave." she said shrugging and not daring to look at him. "whys that?" he said coyly, beginning to pepper her with kisses. she sighed, "because then they'd have the guy that they're forcing me to marry come find me. and like i don't want that." she said as if it was nothing. his eyebrows crinkled, as he froze. "sorry for this cockblock of a conversation." she said sitting up and he quickly moved off of her, as she wrapped around the throw blanket on the chair, next to the bed.

she wrapped her self and went to grab her phone from the kitchen where'd she had left it. "what do you mean, like an arranged marriage?" he questioned as she was about to leave. "yes." was all she said before walking out and then walked back in as quickly. "i don't want to be tied down to somebody that i don't love and especially not this quick after graduation, but they don't care." she said dropping the blanket, and bent down to grab her clothes.

"thats why you never wanted to be together, like be together for real." brock said putting the words together. she nodded. "she sighed, slipping on her underwear and jeans, her long locks draping over her chest. she turned back towards him, "that's why i kept breaking your heart...and mine." she said, the latter being softer. he stood up, and walked over towards her as she threw on her faux leather jacket. "what? you've liked me this whole time? just as much as i did?" he questioned and she scoffed, "well obviously brock, why do you think I've come back for the past 5 years almost? even if it crushed me saying no and leaving, you-you drew me back in and i loved our time together, even if it meant breaking my heart each time." she exclaimed, buttoning up her jacket. she looked up at brock, once she finished.

he stood in front of her and gave her a sad smile, and she hated it. she hated this look that he did whenever she broke things off, and would say no. "i keep hurting you, why do you keep holding on to hope, huh?" she exasperated. "because i love you! cant you see that!" he said raising his voice, acting as if viv didn't feel the same way. or as if she didn't see it.

"that will never be enough, brock! never!" she said running her hands through her hair. she sniffled, "that will never be enough and has never. its never been enough to be able to call off my wedding that as far as i know is in a few months. you're never gonna be enough for me, and i -i cant do anything about it." she said through tears, watching so many emotions flash through his blue eyes. he shook his head, "you're love will never be enough for me, and my love will never be enough to set me free." she said softer, and he titled his head just a bit at that; and his face dawned a pleading look. she shook her head, "im sorry brock." she said before walking out.

❅

it was janurary 20th, and she was heading into scotiabank with her older cousin and her husband. she had been living with her cousin for the month almost, after she told her parent's she needed time away from them. she told them that she couldn't go through with the marriage, and obviously they were not too pleased with her. they berated her and believed that she was bringing shame to the family. she said she was leaving, no matter their thoughts or feelings. once she had come back from vancouver, her older cousin sought it all out of her. her cousin absolutely adored the fact, that she had been seeing brock for almost 5 years. her cousin secretly wished that the two would somehow find each other again.

the two sat down in the club seats, and watched the players just beginning to take the ice for period 1. her husband handed over two beers, and viv quickly chugged half of it. "have you spoken to him..at all?" she questioned and viv shook her head. "nope." she sighed, quickly finding brock as he took his spot on the blue line for the anthem. she stood along with the rest of the arena, and listened to the anthem but through it all, she flashed back to all the times her and brock spent together. throughout the game she could not take her eyes off of the blonde-eyed beauty, that she had come to love. god, how she missed him.

at some point during period three with the two teams tied, the arena decided they would begin a segment on the jumbotron for 'kiss cam.' and ofcourse, her and cousins husband would be shown on the camera, despite there being a seat in between them empty. the girl next to her tapped her and pointed up, viv was terrified. she shook her head, a flash of fear in her eyes. the camera still did not move, and her cousins husband put his face in his hand, not believing that this was happening. the camera then moved away, and viv sighed a sigh of relief.

the camera flashed back to viv and her cousin's husband and they shook their heads again, and ofourse the crowd was eating this all up and the teams began to watch as well. brock looked up and felt his heart drop to his stomach, this couldn't be happening he thought. he looked away at the exact moment that her cousin came back and kissed him passionately in front of the crowd. the crowd, hooting and hollering. viv's cheeks heated up when her cousin laughed, sitting down back between them. "that was fun." she mused as viv rolled her eyes.

❅

two hours later, with a vancouver overtime win; coming from the princess himself, viv found herself, her cousin and her husband at the soho house bar. after about an hour of being there, she saw some of the vancouver canucks waltz in. she sighed, finishing her cranberry vodka and decided to call it a night. "no im gonna get a taxi, ill see you back at the condo." she said getting up, and began her dissent towards the front. she passed the team, with brock quickly recognizing the shade of dark brown hair from anywhere. he followed her out, and saw her waiting at the pickup area.

"vivian!" she heard to the right of where she was standing and she felt tears prick her eyes, once she realized it was him. "brock we cant do this here." she said as her uber pulled up, "then take me wherever you're going." he said confidently. she looked towards the uber and the grabbed ahold of his hand pulling him with her. "are we going home?" he questioned, "ill introduce myself." he added quickly and she sighed. "no, i left home once i came back. been staying with my cousin aditi or adi and her husband." she said leaning back into the seat. he watched the tension dissipate just a bit, and then took ahold of her hand that was resting on her thigh. he pulled it closer to him and rubbed her thumb softly. she looked towards him, and saw the look he had made her swoon these past years.

"come on." she huffed, pulling him out of the uber and up towards the condo. she opened it up quickly, and walked in and opening the door wider for him. she sat down her purse on the table near the door, and watched as brock took in the condo. the condo featured so much of her culture, yet it was modern and so different from other family members' homes. especially her parents.

"you left home?" he questioned softly, and she saw that it was laced with concern. "yeah my parents told me that this guy that they had been planning for me to marry, was gonna be making an appearance soon and i said no. i told them that if they went through with this, that'd they would be losing me. that i would not go through with it. id rather lose everything i own and have if it means ill be happy or have a chance to be. i had even made calls to my best friends in vancouver but my cousin said that i can come here first. and stay as long as i needed to." she said shrugging and pulling a bottle of water from the fridge. "want one?" she questioned and he nodded, taking one from her.

"she too never went through with her arranged marriage, and she's been able create her dream life and with the husband of her dreams." she said smiling softly, "who was sitting next to you tonight?" he questioned, and she nodded. he silently cursed himself and she saw his red cheeks. she shook her head, "all good brock. seriously. you had no idea based on what our last conversation was. i would have thought the same thing." viv said trying to soften the blow.

"i have spent the past 5 years absolutely head over heals for you and i would absolutely shoot myself in the foot if i didn't even attempt to mend or not even mend, but give us a chance." she paused as brock looked over at her. a sliver of hope coursing through his veins.

"i would be a fool not to at least attempt to explore my feelings and whatever it is between us. officially, that is." she said but looked away when he didn't say anything. he was just too stunned to say a word, he couldn't believe that the girl of his dreams who is a firecracker, kind, poised and absolute breathtaking would be now saying this. that she finally had the opportunity to explore this.

"really?" he choked out and she looked back at him. she nodded and he moved closer to her so now he was directly in front of her, and pulling a stray hair behind her ear. "pinky promise." she grinned, holding out her pinky. he looked down at it quickly, before looking back into her brown eyes.

pinky promises were their thing, it is what they said when the other was being serious. they'd come up with it after hooking up a few times her freshman year, and it stuck.

"pinky promise, b." she said and he smiled back, pulling hers and his pinky together.

they pulled away, and he wrapped his arms around her back while hers found his neck. they rested their foreheads against each others, taking in this moment together. because they didn't know how long they would go without seeing each other. well mostly viv.

but brock had other plans, "come home with me." he offered and she opened her eyes to find his already looking at her. "what?" she questioned in disbelief but also wanted him to say it again.

he smiled widely, pulling her as close as possible before speaking again. "come home with me." he stated, and she smiled softly. and not even a beat later, "take me home b." she smiled before he pulled her in for a long and deep kiss.

"oh! and can we celebrate christmas, i got you a gift.." she said pulling apart, and he grinned. "you and you're timing but yes, id love to spend christmas with you." he mused before kissing her once more.

hope you all enjoyed! pls like and reblog, if u did (:

tags: @cuttergauthier @jayda12 @toasttt11 @jackhues @dancerbailey3

[flagwars]

2023 New Flag Wars: Round 1

This tournament follows up the previous competition to find the best new flag adopted last year! While the last tournament focused just on Czech flags, this one features flags from all over the world and also includes the winner of the Czech tournament. Let me know which flag you’re rooting for in the comments!

Round 1:

1. Kirnaičiai, Lithuania vs. Kareivonių, Lithuania vs. Vidiškiai, Lithuania vs. Skapiškis, Lithuania vs. Sužionys, Lithuania vs. Subačius, Lithuania vs. Avižieniai, Lithuania

2. Nixa, Missouri vs. Křečhoř, Czechia

3. Moberly, Missouri vs. Cooperstown, New York vs. Banffshire, Scotland

4. Cubolta, Moldova vs. Minnesota

5. Kansas City, Missouri vs. Nustrow, Germany vs. Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability

6. Gilbert, West Virginia vs. Sandy, Utah

7. Burns Lake, British Columbia vs. Lawrence County, Pennsylvania vs. Berwickshire, Scotland

8. Forest Finns vs. San Giorgio Bigarello, Italy vs. Moray, Scotland

9. Cleves, Ohio vs. Frederick County, Maryland

10. Syracuse, New York vs. Morristown, New Jersey vs. Martinique

11. Aberdeenshire, Scotland vs. Römnitz, Germany

12. Yucatán, Mexico vs. Frankfort, Indiana

13. Kent, Ohio vs. Byhalia, Mississippi

14. Lago Vista, Texas vs. High Point, North Carolina vs. Cedar City, Utah

15. Ogden, Utah vs. Córdoba, Argentina

16. Utah vs. Kennett Township, Pennsylvania

[murderballadeer]

yes i'm embarrassed to be as into merle haggard as i am but think about how you would have turned out if you spent most of the summer you were 13 in a minivan in rural alberta and british columbia with your parents and your 10 year old sister and your dad decided that all you would listen to for the duration of that trip was merle haggard bc incidentally the summer you were 13 was also the summer after merle haggard died. and then when you were 17 and stuck in lockdown and generally having a bad time bc you were supposed to be graduating high school but didn't get a graduation bc of covid and on top of that your dad was recovering from a stroke that had seriously affected his ability to play the guitar (the single thing he loved most in the world and the only job he had ever had) and generally put a strain on the family you randomly remembered the song hungry eyes bc you heard it in that minivan four years earlier and looked it up and listened to it and mentioned it to your dad and it was one of the first normal conversations you had with him since before the stroke. and then once he regained the full use of his hands he taught you mama tried on the ukulele which was your first stringed instrument. and then for all of your birthdays since then he pulls out the cds he burned with the merle haggard playlist he made when you were 13. do you think you would be normal about dad country in that situation

[bestiarium]

The Njuggel [Shetland/Scottish folktales]

The Scottish Kelpie is one of the most popular and well-known water spirits. An unsuspecting victim comes upon a malicious creature that poses as an innocent horse. Enticed to ride it, the victim soon finds himself magically unable to dismount and can only scream as the horse plunges beneath the waves to drown its meal. The story certainly speaks to the imagination, but there are actually many variants of it: The Norwegian Nøkk, the German Nixe, the Welsh Ceffyl Dŵr, the Flemish Nikker, the Icelandic Nykur and many others are all variations of the same creature.

This relation can also be seen in their etymology: most of these names are similar, because they are thought to be derived from an old Germanic term for washing (as in, bathing something in a river, like the horse monsters do with their victims in the stories).

But I’m digressing. One of the most obscure variations of the tale comes from the Shetland Islands. Here, people told stories about the monstrous Njuggel (also called Njogel, Njuggle and in northern Shetland ‘Shoopiltee’ or ‘Sjupilti’). Like its relatives, this creature is an aquatic horse, usually depicted as a horse with fins. It also has a wheel for a tail (or a tail shaped like the rim of a wheel, depending on who you ask), but most modern interpretations drop that detail. Its hooves are backwards.

It lives near waterways and lakes and pretends to be a peaceful horse, taking care to hide its strange tail between its legs. Though it usually takes the form of a particularly beautiful horse, sometimes it is an old, thin horse. When a traveller finds the Njuggel, the creature influences them and convinces them to mount it. When the victim climbs into the saddle however, the creature runs away to the nearest lake to drown its prey. It runs at an extremely high speed, keeping its wheel-tail in the air. After accelerating to a high speed, its hooves burst in flames and its nostrils emit smoke or fire.

The victim cannot dismount, but if they can speak the monster’s name out loud, the Njuggel loses its powers and the victim can escape. What happens then varies between stories: sometimes the creature slows down and can be dismounted, and sometimes he vanishes into thin air.

Sometimes, you can see them at night: such sightings usually involve a white or grey horse emerging from water and run some distance before disappearing in a flash of light.

The Njuggel is not entirely the same creature as the Kelpie and the Ceffyl Dŵr. It has a connection with watermills and demands offerings such as flour and grain. If these gifts cease, it will halt the wheel of its mill. To avoid having to offer grain to this creature, people would light fires when a Njuggel appeared, for they are afraid of flames (usually peat was burned, although throwing a torch also did the trick). There is a story in Tingwall about a group of young men who tried to capture a Njuggel for themselves. They succeeded in chaining the creature but couldn’t hold it for long, and the Njuggel broke free and fled. But the standing stone to which it was chained is still there between the Asta and Tingwall lochs, and the marks that were supposedly made by the chain can still be seen.

Sources: Lecouteux, C., 2016, Encyclopedia of Norse and Germanic Folklore, Mythology, and Magic. Marwick, E., 2020, The Folklore of Orkney and Shetland, Birlinn Ltd, 216 pp. Teit, J. A., 1918, Water-beings in Shetlandic Folk-Lore, as Remembered by Shetlanders in British Columbia, The Journal of American Folklore, 31(120), p.180-201. (image source: Davy Cooper. Illustration for ‘Folklore from Whalsay and Shetland’ by John Stewart)

[rabbitcruiser]

K-9 Veterans Day

Joseph White, a retired military working dog trainer, came up with the idea for K-9 Veterans Day. By his efforts, his home state of Florida recognized the day in 2009. Other states have since recognized it as well, although it has not been recognized on the national level. The day is dedicated not only to K-9 veterans of the military, but also to customs dogs, search and rescue dogs, police dogs, border patrol dogs, and secret service dogs. March 13 is the date of the holiday because the K-9 Corps was created on March 13, 1942. The Quartermaster Corps of the Army began training dogs on that date, making it the moment when dogs officially became part of the U.S. Armed Forces.

Three months before Pearl Harbor, U.S. Army Sgt. Robert H. Pearce started a small K-9 command program at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, Los Angeles. He brought Hollywood dog trainer Carl Spitz on board. (Spitz was known for owning and training a Cairn Terrier named Terry, who was best known for playing the role of Toto in The Wizard of Oz.) In January of 1942, they began asking people in Los Angeles to bring their dogs to Pershing Square to be used in the war effort. Over 1,000 dogs were brought, including Rudy Vallee’s Doberman Pinscher, King, and Mary Pickford’s German Shepherd, Silver. The program was known as Dogs for Defense. These dogs would go on to be used by the K-9 Corps.

Originally, thirty breeds of dogs were accepted by the K-9 Corps, but this was narrowed down to seven: German Shepherds, Siberian Huskies, collies, Belgian Sheepdogs, Doberman Pinschers, Eskimo dogs, and Malamutes. New dogs were first given obedience training. They were then given additional training to be a scout or patrol, messenger, sentry, or mine detector. Within eight to twelve weeks they completed their training. The original idea was to have 200 dogs in the K-9 Corps, but by the end of World War II, the number had ballooned to more than 10,400. Most of the dogs were family pets.

Although dogs were first formally trained for military service during World War II, they have been used in war since antiquity. More recently, some were used informally during the Civil War. During World War I, the German, British, and Belgian armies used them to pull carriages and wagons loaded with guns and supplies, to pull telephone lines, to carry messages, and to comfort those who had been injured. About 7,000 dogs were used in World War I, but not only a few of these were from the United States.

As of the late 2010s, over 2,500 dogs actively serve in the military, and about 700 are deployed overseas. Military dogs sniff out bombs and weapons, search and patrol, perform guard duty, and serve as companions to those who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. Military dogs are usually German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, or Labrador Retrievers. Dogs in the military now can receive medals and awards, and they often have retirement and memorial services held for them. In law enforcement, dogs began being used more in the 1970s. These dogs patrol, perform search and rescue missions, and detect drugs, explosives, cadavers, and arson accelerants. Dogs in both military and law enforcement roles, as well as dogs in other similar official roles, are all honored today.

How to Observe

Here are some ideas on how to celebrate the day:

If you have, work with, or train a military dog, law enforcement dog, or dog in a similar role, make the day extra special for them.

Contact your representatives and encourage them to support a K-9 Veterans Day on the state or national level.

Support K-9 Courage, a group that provides healthcare assistance to retired police and military dogs, and gives support to service dogs who assist veterans with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury. You could help raise funds or have your own dog participate in “Dogs Salute Dogs.”

Learn about notable dogs who have served in the military, such as Sgt. Stubby, Chips, Lex, and Cairo.

Visit a memorial dedicated to dogs, such as the War Dog Memorial at the March Field Air Museum in Riverside, California; the War Dog Memorial in Hartsdale Pet Cemetery in Hartsdale, New York; the National War Dog Cemetery and War Dog Memorial at Naval Base Guam; The Pennsylvania War Dog Memorial; or the Military Working Dog Teams National Monument in San Antonio, Texas.

Visit Sgt. Stubby, who is stuffed and on display, and covered with a blanket that holds his medals, in an exhibit titled “The Price of Freedom: Americans at War” at the National Museum of American History.

Watch a movie or documentary about military or police dogs such as Max, Sgt. Stubby: An American Hero, War Dog: A Soldier’s Best Friend, Megan Leavey, or War Dogs: America’s Forgotten Heroes.

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Five Ways NaNoWriMo Turned Me into a Writer at Fifty-One

No matter your age, NaNoWriMo has something to offer for you. For participant, Dorothy Wong, Camp NaNoWriMo gave her the chance to finish a novel! Read below to learn about her experience and what she gained during her writing journey. The year I turned forty, I took a twelve month leave from my job. With no work commitments, I thought I would finally write my novel. While I ended up with a blog full of chatty travel posts and fantastic memories, I didn’t write my book, not even a rough outline. Anytime I tried, I found myself distracted and overwhelmed. If I couldn’t write during that sabbatical year, I told myself, I was never going to write anything. And for almost a decade, I didn’t.

Then a friend posted on Facebook that she was attempting a month-long writing challenge called NaNoWriMo. My first thought was, “Why would anyone voluntarily sign up for that?”. I couldn’t imagine putting myself under that time pressure to produce an actual novel.

Turns out, NaNoWriMo was exactly what I needed to break through my self-imposed barriers to writing. During Camp NaNoWriMo April 2021 I went from never writing at all to writing an average of 1500 words per day and creating a flawed, but completed, 50,000 word manuscript. I was ecstatic. Not only did I finish a novel, I thoroughly enjoyed the process.

Here are the top five ways NaNoWriMo turned me into an enthusiastic writer at fifty-one:

1. Community: There’s nothing quite like being part of a group effort, where everyone is cheering you on to complete your 50,000 words. NaNoWriMo is dedicated to creating safe and diverse spaces, including providing online and in-person opportunities to meet fellow writers. As an older writer, I worried about keeping up when the participant age range skewed much younger. To my relief I found a community through the BIPOC online meet-ups that connected me to others like me, many with established careers and extensive life experience, who wanted to write. Finding a community of writers will give you the support you didn’t know you needed.

2. Timed Sprints: During my first online writing sprint, to my absolute shock, I churned out 600 words in 15 minutes. Being in the company of others who are all doing the same thing (known as “body doubling”) really worked for my brain. Scientific studies show that doing a task in tandem with others increases productivity. If you’ve never tried timed writing sprints, they can be a game-changer.

3. Word Count Tracker: NaNoWriMo’s online word count tracker sent an instant dopamine hit to my brain every time I updated my progress.

4. Word Count Goal: While writing an entire novel can be daunting, reaching 50,000 words felt doable. Broken down to 1500 a day, I worked in short bursts throughout the day, finding time around my job and caring for my family, to get that word count in. When I reached my goal each day, I felt incredibly motivated to keep going. Even if I didn’t reach the goal, getting some words down every day kept my inspiration burning.

5. Limits are Freeing: NaNoWriMo’s time-bounded word count freed me from the “what if it’s not any good” voice in my head. If I wanted to write, I had to sit down and write, no excuses, and I had to keep moving the story forward, as there was no time to go back and edit. By accepting that I would be writing a crappy first draft, I gave up perfection and embraced the challenge.  

NaNoWriMo made me finally believe that I could write a novel. If you’ve spent a lifetime trying to get started on your novel, I encourage you to give NaNoWriMo a try!

Dorothy Wong lives with her family on beautiful Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada where she works as a lawyer by day and writes mysteries by night. She joined NaNoWriMo in 2021 and has been happily writing ever since. Photo by Toa Heftiba on Unsplash   Interested in the writing events Dorothy talked about? Feel free to check out our upcoming events for Writers of Color Virtual Meetups or Virtual Write-Ins! Writers of Color are also invited to check out the forum group.

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Watching it burn, BC Wildfire Service / Reuters

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