#fragrant white water lily

[banefolk]

My adventures wild harvesting American white water lilies (nymphaea odorata) this summer for medicine and magic. Nymphaea odorata is native to North America and our local counterpart to blue lotus (aka blue water lily). It is used in Native American medicine to treat coughs, colds, and swelling. Prehistoric Native Americans associated them with purification, the underworld, and the moon.

You can dry and smoke the flowers or make medicinal syrups, tinctures, oils, and ointments with the roots and flowers. Water lilies are not a strong psychoactive. They need to be prepared similarly to lactucarium to make a concentrated extract like the blue lotus resins sold in head shops. That’s not what Bane Folk is about though (plus payment processors ban head shops). I focus on the medicinal uses of poisonous plants with special attention to ones that help with pain, sleep, anxiety, and depression. Water lilies fit that description perfectly.

Water lilies are sedative, hypnotic, anti-inflammatory (especially of mucous membranes and internal tissue), mildly pain relieving, anti anxiety, antibacterial, astringent, and demulcent.

Visit the apothecary to see my offerings of water lily medicines: banefolk.com

[whatnext10]

The American White Water Lily is Quite Beautiful

American White One of our most common flowers in central Florida is the water lily. There are several different types and many of those types have different colored flowers, but one of the prettiest ones is the American white water lily (Nymphaea odorata). It can be found in most of North America and parts of Central America, so it’s not surprising that it also has several other common names…

[warismenstrualenvy]

A dead body touched with the Odour of Sanctity can’t just smell ok. It has to possess the mysterious presence of a supernaturally pleasant odour. The scents can be brief or persistent, attached to the body, grave, water the body was bathed in, or objects the person touched.  In the case of St. Padre Pio, his spectral scent of roses and pipe tobacco visited people after his death and was considered a sign of his saintly intercession. All Odours of Sanctities are described as sweet, with notes of honey, butter, roses, violets, frankincense, myrrh, pipe tobacco, jasmine, and lilies being the most frequently reported accompaniments. The scent is also always culturally specific and deeply intertwined with symbolism. (...) One of the most popular of the fragrant saints, St. Therese of Lisieux smelt of lilies, violets and roses upon her deathbed. Her most often attributed quotes is, “The splendour of the rose and the whiteness of the lily do not rob the little violet of its scent…If every tiny flower wanted to be a rose, spring would lose its loveliness”. It also should be noted that during Therese’s lifetime violet absolute was synthesized, making a material that was once the most expensive fragrance component in the world, affordable for all and the de rigueur fragrance of respectable women. To the Victorian palette, violets represented chastity, modesty, and feminine virtue. Lilies and roses also have a long association with Jesus and Mary. Therese’s Odour of Sanctity creates an olfactive tableau of Therese, the respectable modest female, alongside the Virgin Mary and Jesus.  Before 1875 however, the scent of violets would not have been readily identifiable to the general population, and no Odour of Sanctity is associated with violets in any primary sources before that time. There is also an active association between Osmogenesia and Stigmata, with the floral odour emanated from the wounds. Stigmatic Osmogenesia in every case is reported as the smell of roses, which again is deeply symbolic with the wounds of Christ. While there is no way of knowing just how many people the Odour of Sanctity was associated with, in the Late Medieval and Early Modern periods ascetic mystics make up a large population of those afflicted with this post-mortem perfume. In particularly female mystics that lived cloistered lives. These women’s bodies suffered through harsh asceticism and self-inflicted mortification. Yet through the isolation, hardship, poverty, and virginity, these mystics sought to control their bodies and transform them into sacred vessels. It, therefore, makes sense from their perspective that, if successful, the discarded vessels of these perfected souls should already be touched by a whiff of Paradise. The association of the Odour of Sanctity with cloistered women parallels the profane eroticism of the earthly woman with the chaste eroticism of the sacred woman; while the worldly woman’s corpse corrupts by its nature and stinks, so the heavenly woman’s body remains pure and fragrant. However, the conversation is still about a woman’s body.

Nuri McBride, The Odour of Sanctity: When the Dead Smell Divine

[monstersinthecosmos]

okay I think we should take inventory of what we learned about Marius's house.

In fact, the impression was one of comfortable messiness.

(i think the tiktok kids started calling ADHD clutter clustering or something LMAO marius de romanus cluster girlie i guess. thanks i hate it)

Here's some stuff that Marius had on his island!!!!!!!

stone benches

a lighted oil lamp on a stand

a pair of heavy wooden doors

a sarcophagus with a plain lid, cleanly fashioned out of diorite

The lid plated in iron and contained

a golden mask, its features carefully molded, attached to a hood made up of layered plates of hammered gold.

a pair of leather gloves covered completely in tinier more delicate gold plates like scales.

a large folded blanket of the softest red wool with one side sewn with larger gold plates

Magnificent Grecian urns on pedestals in the corridors

great bronze statues from the Orient

exquisite plants at every window and terrace open to the sky.

Gorgeous rugs from India, Persia, China c

giant stuffed beasts mounted in lifelike attitudes-

--the brown bear,

--the lion,

--the tiger,

--even the elephant standing in his own immense chamber,

--lizards as big as dragons,

--birds of prey clutching dried branches made to look like the limbs of real trees.

brilliantly colored murals covering every surface from floor to ceiling

a dark vibrant painting of the sunburnt Arabian desert complete with an exquisitely detailed caravan of camels and turbaned merchants moving over the sand

a jungle warming with delicately rendered tropical blossoms, vines, carefully drawn leaves

creatures everywhere in the texture of the jungle-

--insects,

--birds,

--worms in the soil-

too many monkeys in the jungle,

too many bugs crawling on the leaves.

thousands of tiny insects in one painting of a summer sky.

a large gallery walled on either side by painted men and women staring at me

Figures from all ages these were-

--bedouins,

--Egyptians,

--Greeks and Romans,

--knights in armor,

--peasants

--kings

--queens.

--Renaissance people in doublets and leggings,

--the Sun King with his massive mane of curls,

--people of our own age.

droplets of water clinging to a cape,

the cut on the side of a face,

the spider half-crushed beneath a polished leather boot.

a library, blazing with light.

Walls and walls of books and

rolled manuscripts,

giant glistening world globes in their wooden cradles,

busts of the ancient Greek gods and goddesses,

great sprawling maps.

Newspapers in all languages lay in stacks on tables.

Fossils,

mummified hands,

exotic shells.

bouquets of dried flowers,

figurines and fragments of old sculpture,

alabaster jars covered with Egyptian hieroglyphs.

comfortable chairs with footstools,

candelabra or oil lamps.

a forest of cages.

birds of all sizes and colors

monkeys

baboons,

Potted plants crowded against the cages-

--ferns and

--banana trees,

--cabbage roses,

--moonflower,

--jasmine,

--other sweetly fragrant nighttime vines.

purple and white orchids,

waxed flowers that trapped insects in their maw,

little trees groaning with peaches and lemons and pears.

a hall of sculptures equal to any gallery in the Vatican museum.

adjoining chambers full of paintings,

Oriental furnishings,

mechanical toys.

fine rosewood paneling with framed mirrors rising to the ceiling.

painted chests,

upholstered chairs,

dark and lush landscapes,

porcelain clocks.

A small collection of books in the glass-doored bookcases,

a newspaper of recent date lying on a small table beside a brocaded winged chair.

the stone terrace. where banks of white lilies and red roses gave off their powerful perfume.

a pair of winged chairs that faced each other

a dozen or so candelabra and sconces on the paneled walls.

brocade cushions

[krscblw]

ghoul perfume associations pt. 3!

more ghoul perfume associations bc ghost and perfume are my two main hobbies! all of these are indie/niche perfumes because those are the types of perfume i'm mainly into. these lists are really fun for me and i would love to hear what people think!!

also, jsyk: because this post is so long, some of the text might get cut off on mobile. it should be okay on desktop if that happens (i don't know how to fix it, sorry :/)

Aeon

Notes: non-sweet chocolate, linen, lavender

Perfumes:

Autumn Morning - Pulp Fragrance

hot chocolate, slightly spiced oatmeal, carnations, a cozy blanket

Twice To Tea - Poesie 

strong earl grey tea, lavender absolute, vanilla syrup, a splash of milk

Aether

Notes: bourbon, amber, vanilla  

Perfumes:

Not A Deer - Little & Grim 

cedarwood, chestnuts, sandalwood, maple, oak, tonka, suede, clove, spiced vanilla, amber, tobacco 

Loggia - Solstice Scents 

“High above the village, a castle sits shrouded in a heavy gray mist.  Muted moonlight illuminates its upper terraces. Thick with incense smoke, the loggia swells with invited guests, each heavily cloaked and masked. Laughter, violas and a harpsichord fill the night. Wine flows from never-ending mahogany vats. Exotic spices drape the air in fragrant bouquets. A bell rings from the archway, and all in attendance fall silent as the master of the night creatures crosses the paving stones...”

mahogany, sweet amber, musk, dark incense, deep vanilla bean, sandalwood, cardamom, black pepper, cognac and allspice

(i have this one and it's great, perfect for aether imo)

Alpha

Notes: leather, smoke, gunpowder

Perfumes:

Spiritus Fumosus - Alkemia

volcanic basalt, smelted metal ores, amberwood, smokey birch tar, old leather, galbanum, white oud, gray amber, petrichor, wet sand, bergamot, sichuan peppercorn, gingergrass, white patchouli

Deus ex Machina - Alkemia 

“An olfactory portrait of industrial decay and the fallen gods of age of disruption, innovation, and technological revolution.”

fire-hardened steel, rusted iron, motor oil, wet cement, burnt copper wires, gray amber

Cirrus

Notes: dark fruits, musk, heavy florals, honey

Perfumes:

Virgo - Deconstructing Eden   

dark amber, bulgarian rose absolute, lavender maillette, orris root, benzoin, dark fruits, bourbon vanilla

Eglantine House - Deconstructing Eden 

honeyed roses, mahogany, plums, amber accord, champaca flowers, eglantine roses, white musk

Cumulus

Notes: lilac, magnolia, jasmine, sugar, cold air

Perfumes:

Midnight Garden - Alkemia 

night-flowering white flowers – tuberose, lily, honeysuckle, gardenia, moonflower

Calliope - Alkemia 

clementine, orange blossoms, white orchid, sugared currants, tonka, and vanilla musk, cotton candy, saltwater taffy

Dewdrop

Notes: berries, smoke, spices, metal

Perfumes:

Unrequited - Deconstructing Eden

black sandalwood, raspberries, bitter orange, black pepper, smooth silky musk, dark amber, smoky patchouli 

Lightning Storm - Nui Cobalt Designs 

Petrichor, ozone, electrified metal, cold musk, bergamot, lime zest, cracked pink peppercorn, copal smoke, myrrh, teakwood

(this one represents dew as a water ghoul – citrus, spices, ozone, and metal. sweet, cold, and a little bitter)

Ifrit

Notes: black tea, incense, spices 

Perfumes:

Tasseomancy - Nui Cobalt Designs 

black tea spritzed with orange, incense smoke clinging to heavy velvet curtains, fireplace embers, cinnamon, clove

Tasseomancy - LVNEA 

bergamot, black tea, lapsang souchong, honey, spices, milk

(yes they are both called the same thing. he's a guy with a brand i don't know what to tell you)

Mist

Notes: water, herbs, ice

Perfumes:

Eisheth - Deconstructing Eden 

seawater, herbs - rosemary, mint, clary sage, bergamot, hyssop, lemongrass, and verbena, white tea

Blackwater Lake - Osmofolia  

“Short-needle pine branches hang over mossy lake rocks, radiant white water lilies soak in the sun, the surface of the dark lake water ripples above submerged northern watermilfoil, and a chill in the air warns of impending autumn.”

pine needles, cold wind, northern watermilfoil, white water lilies, moss, stone, lake water

Mountain

Notes: vetiver, plants, earth, mushrooms

Perfumes:

Poor Farm - Little & Grim 

“Overgrown grass, tangled undergrowth, wildflowers, the memory of fresh linens, and distant, greener pastures.”

moss, sage, ferns, sweet grasses, green wood, and chamomile

Mycelium - Treading Water Perfume 

“Rounding the corner it came into view, the being that had terrorized the village for decades. It sat terrifyingly still on top of natural rock formation that resembled some strange amalgamation of an altar. An altar not made by human hands but as if created by the forest itself to honor this being. The being was here long before the village and it will continue to be here long after we are gone.”

soil, mushrooms, patchouli, black currants, hinoki wood

Nimbus/Aurora*

Notes: peach, rose, earth

Perfumes:

The Lover Tells Of The Rose - Alkemia 

wild roses, lemon verbena, white pearl tea leaves, delicate white patchouli, new greens, wet moss

Apothecary Rose - LVNEA 

rose gallica, rose de mai, damask rose, tarragon, violet leaf, apricot, labdanum, myrrh

*i headcanon nimbus as a earth/air multi

Omega

Notes: wood, amber, tobacco

Perfumes:

Danse Macabre - Fyrinnae

sandalwood, amber, labdanum, vanilla, woodsmoke, smoldering logs

Leo - Deconstructing Eden 

frankincense, myrrh, benzoin, amber, liatrix, blood cedar, blond tobacco absolute, sweet spices, honey

(i have this one and i love it, it's very warm and resinous)

Rain

Notes: seawater, ozone, vanilla

Perfumes:

Ambre Gris - Alkemia 

“A rare blend of proprietary perfumery ingredients carefully oxidized by sunlight, sand, air, sea salt, water, and ocean minerals. The result is as changeable and morphing as the ocean... earthy, sweet, musky, saline.”

gray ambergris, ocean minerals, sea salt

Cerulea - OSMOFOLIA 

“A synesthesia perfume inspired by a color. Sapphire ocean blue with flashes of turquoise and glistening white.”

osmanthus, ambergris, sea salt, ocean water, tuberose, cucumber

Sunshine/Stratus**

Notes: strawberries, citrus, vanilla, spices

Perfumes:

In Love with Everything - Imaginary Authors

“This extremely versatile (and genderless!) fragrance is great for any time of day and any time of year but the blast of energy it possesses is ideal for whenever you’re feeling low or looking for a little boost of bliss to keep your body moving and your lungs laughing long into the night.”

raspberry, citrus pulp, coconut palm sugar, madame isaac pereire, sandalwood, tropical punch, stardust

(i have this one! it's very fruity, you definitely get the fruit punch, but it still has a good amount of depth)

Eos - Fantôme 

“Eos is named for the goddess of dawn—who beckons the daybreak with her rosy fingers. This perfume smells like the color of the sunrise; pink and gold light breathing life into the morning dew.”

tart lemonade, raspberries, candied rose petals, wild berries, a hint of ginger

**i headcanon sunny as a fire/air multi

Swiss***

Notes: smoke, musk, patchouli, incense

Perfumes:

Black Heart - Spirit & Venom   

dark patchouli, clove, caramel pipe tobacco

Scorpio - Deconstructing Eden

“The fixed water sign of the zodiac, Scorpios are sensitive and intense, complicated and multi-layered. This blend is deep, still water, with notes of humid air and just the barest touch of mud.”

white and pink lotus absolute, orris root, myrrh, patchouli, gray musk, still water

***i headcanon swiss as a fire/water multi

Zephyr

Notes: dust, ozone, faint sweet musk, mint, cool air

Perfumes:

Walking with a Ghost - Spirit & Venom 

“Light & ethereal musk, fresh harvest pear, a whiff of perfume from a loved one long passed.”

Aquarius - Deconstructing Eden 

air, an undercurrent of water, sparkling aldehydes

if you made it this far, thank you for reading! and i would love to hear your thoughts!! (/gen - do you have any recommendations? do you agree/disagree? i love talking abt this) (also thank you sm to @midnight-moth for recommending lvnea!!)

[acupofqueercoffee]

“Messages for her, hidden in the flowers”

𝐋𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐚 𝐖𝐞𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫

▸ 𝐘𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐓𝐮𝐥𝐢𝐩𝐬 : 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞’𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but you think otherwise. The scentless, lifeless stones cannot hold a candle to flowers with vast array of colours, shapes, and scents that are brimming with life. Diamonds are superior to flowers only when it comes to price which you believe is more a drawback than a selling point. On the other hand, the affordability of flowers, in addition to their prettiness and aroma, is really just the cherry on the sundae.

Surrounded by vibrant colours and bathed in fragrant air, heaven for you is found inside your quaint little floral boutique. Currently, you are stood behind the counter in contemplation of the vision before you, convinced that either you have just perished and gone to actual heaven, or a celestial entity has fallen out of heaven, and out of all the corners of the world, happens to land directly on the doorstep of your little haven.

So majestically tall is she that her impeccably styled lily white locks softly caress the ceiling of your dainty shop. As ridiculous as it sounds, envy erupts inside you, secretly, greedily hoping that you too could be blessed by a touch of this lovely creature, as if getting to behold her alone does not make you the luckiest person ever to have walked the earth.

The object of your fascination is oblivious to her admirer as she herself is absorbed in the object of her fascination; Peonies in particular seem to have caught her eyes. Meanwhile, you are held spellbound by the way she is entranced by them; crystal blue eyes shimmer and shine, as though sprinkled with moon dust, in what you can only describe as childish glee. Her lips, oh her lips, scarlet and succulent, unfurl like a red rose in bloom, and your breath catches in your throat at the radiant smile that seems to bathe you in its glow.

And when her sunshine smile seeks its sole audience, instigating the collision of your gazes, you manage a smile of your own, gentle, whereas in fact, your heart is anything but calm.

Additionally, you learn rather quickly that not only does she look the part of an Angel, she certainly walks like one, light on her feet, carrying herself with grace and glamour of an otherworldly creature.

“What a lovely shop you have here!”

The angelic voice that drenches your ears in honeydew does not come as a surprise. Grinning, you take the compliment quite gleefully.

“Thanks, she’s my pride and joy.”

“Now correct me if I’m wrong, but I don’t believe I’ve seen you before.”

“Oh, you’re not wrong. I’m new in town.”

“I know my eyes would not have missed a charming sight.” Not once has her smile wavered, but something enigmatic flickers in her eyes as they stay glued to yours. While you hold the stare as best as you can, she is quick to yield. Gesturing around with her hands, her attention is bestowed upon plethora of colours, from bold to pastel with their own unique charms. “The flowers here are a delight.” The way her eyes fall blissfully shut after a hearty inhale is a testament to the sweetness of flowers, not only in appearance but also in aroma.

“As it so happens, today is my first day of business which also makes you my very first customer. Do you see anything that tickles your fancy?”

“My, how flattering! I do, yes.”

“Peonies, I hope?”

“You’ve been observing me, it seems.” Her query holds in it a trickle of tease, and you respond in kind, a coy smile touching your lips. “Would you mind terribly if I have?”

“Hardly.”

A minute or so must have ticked by as your gazes caress each other. The silence that surrounds you is thick but not unpalatable. Nonetheless, being ensnared in those eyes the hue of deep blue sea is proved too perilous. Stupid though it is, the idea of throwing yourself into the inviting blue is quite enticing, and you know that as soon as your body is enveloped in the cool, cerulean water, either you swim back to the surface now, or you will find yourself, sooner rather than later, sinking into the seemingly bottomless depths.

You prevent the inevitable by initiating conversation, gesturing towards the flowers with a quick lift of your hands.

“So, would you like me to arrange the Peonies?”

“Oh!” She begins, somewhat crestfallen. “To tell you the truth, I wasn’t expecting to make any purchases. That was, until I stumbled upon your shop. Although I fancy the idea of treating myself to a beautiful bouquet, I’m afraid I don’t presently have my purse on me.”

You do not fancy the thought of having your encounter cut short, not to mention, the goddess of a woman walking out of your shop barehanded. Whatever the cost, you have every intention of making her your very first customer.

“How about this? I’ll make you the bouquet regardless. You’re welcome to pay me another day.”

“That’s so kind of you!”

You are not very sure about that, but she does not have to know. Your kindness, after all, does not come without ulterior motives.

“Don’t mind if I take you up on the offer, then.”

“Of course not. What colour of Peonies would you like me to arrange?”

“The pink ones, if you please.”

There it is again, her million-watt smile, having the alarming effect of rendering your heart untamed.

“Of course.”

The task of hand-picking the flowers one by one is carried out in accompany with the occasional oohs and ahhs as the white haired goddess roams your shop. Her appreciation for your passion is apparent on her face, and although it fills you with joy to see her so full of love and adoration for your flowers, you wish you can tell her that they do not hold a candle to her. You may hold your flowers dear to your heart, but the truth is the truth.

It is after twining a string of silk over and around the wrappings, and amidst tying a bow, that she finds her way back to your side. With the picture-perfect ribbon in place and the bouquet ready, you look up from the table. Only then do you notice that there is very little space between the two of you. It continues to only dwindle as she keeps leaning forward.

The clock stops ticking. The leave that has just left the branch stops short of kissing the earth. You watch yourself in the reflection of her eyes, cheeks dusted cherry red and lips barely apart.

Her hands are encased in cream coloured gloves, and the leather feels comfortably cool and soothingly smooth on your skin as two fingers and a thumb take a gentle hold of your jaw. So close is her face to yours that her breath tickles your nose, and you are cocooned in perfumed air, rich unlike the faint fragrance of your flowers, albeit not overwhelmingly so. It is very much addictive, the kind of smell that you can never get enough of, tantalisingly sweet, like the woman herself.

With bated breath, you wait, wide-eyed and petrified, until leather cladded fingers descend upon the apple of your cheek. Once they leave, there on the tip of her lovely, long forefinger, lies a single lash.

“Make a wish.” She says, red rose thriving once again into a charming smile.

Staring into those sapphire blues, you silently utter your desperate desire, Please, please, please, let us cross paths again. With a face like that in front of your very eyes, that puts renaissance sculptures to shame, distraction is bound to come. She’s so pretty, it hurts. I wonder if her cheeks feel as soft as they look. God, I want to touch them.

“Well?”

Enamoured into a daze, you can only watch her in dumb confusion.

“Have you made your wish?” Finally, her elaboration has you blurting out your confirmation. “Oh, yes! Yes, I have.”

Arising back to her full glorious height, lips the colour of carmine form a perfect “O”, towards which her hand flies. Once an exhale is released, propelled by the air that leaves her lips, your little lash successfully takes off from her fingertip. It vanishes into thin air.

“Whatever you’ve wished for, I sincerely wish for it to be fulfilled.”

She is the magnificent moon hanging high in the onyx sky, looking down upon you, who is marvelling at her beauty, with kind eyes teeming with warmth.

“Me too.”

It takes all your willpower, you realise unsurprisingly, to unstick your eyes from her face.

You have to do so however in order to pick up the bundle of flowers delicately in your hands before offering it to her.

“Well, here it is. Your bouquet of pink Peonies.”

“Oh my!” She plucks it out of your hand with great gentleness, cradles it close to her bosom as though it is a babe. “Are those tulips I’m seeing?”

“Yes. They’re a gift from me.”

“Why, you spoil me darling! Thank you.”

Blood rushes to your cheeks, colouring them the same shade of her lips.

“Don’t mention it.”

“Very well then. Until next time, I suppose.”

“Until next time.”

And then, she is gone, walking out into the world just as magically as she has appeared inside your safe little space.

If you are being completely honest, you have half a mind to gift her the Peonies as well. However, you know that if you do so, there is hardly a chance of the majestically beautiful woman finding herself in your shop again. The situation calls for cunning cleverness, and when the opportunity has presented itself like an oasis in the desert, you have no reasons not to make the most of it. You only hope that your Angel will keep her end of the bargain. She has not pegged you for someone who is deceiving, but then again, you have a reputation of being an awful judge of character.

In the end, only time will tell.

[bumblebeeappletree]

Costa is at a magical water garden that he has wanted to visit for years.

Austral Watergardens in Cowan, NSW, sits on 7 acres with views of the Muogamarra nature reserve.

Kevin and Lisa Metelik have been managing the mountain paradise for decades.

Kevin’s grandfather bought the land, set up the water gardens in the 1940s and inspired his daughter to follow in his footsteps; Kevin got the gardening bug from her.

Lisa met and married Kevin and got the bug as well.

Some of the original concrete ponds still exists, with plenty of new ones too, all filled with a range of different water plants. Visitors can choose plants from these stock plants and take them home for their own pond or bowl.

The water is kept clean by finding the right balance of shade and sun, plus native fish to keep down mosquitoes without affecting the frog populations.

Kevin says there are two main groups of water lily: Hardy or European and tropicals.

Hardy or European are the style seen in Monet paintings, with red, pink, yellow and white flowers that sit at water level. They flower earlier, from October to April, and blooms range from miniature to large.

Tropical waterlilies hold their flowers above the water line and are usually fragrant; colours include blues, white, yellow, and pink, and they bloom from December to June in the Sydney area (all year in tropical climates) but may not survive winters in colder areas.

Hardy waterlilies have rhizomes while the tropical ones have bulbs.

Lotus are different again; they are large plants, are revered as sacred in many cultures. The leaves sit above the water and flowers form distinctive seed heads.

Other less obvious but equally useful plants include the native Snakeskin vallisneria, which grows underwater and improves water quality as well as providing habitat for fish and frogs.

Border plants such as jointed twig-rush can tolerate quite deep water.

Red-stemmed thalia gives a tropical look to a pond and is a favourite with frogs.

How to build your own water garden:

A water feature will bring frogs, dragonflies and beauty to a garden, creating a mini oasis. Here are some basic steps to get you started.

Consider the size and depth of a water bowl as well as the material – a lightweight fiberglass or polymer resin makes a large vessel easier to handle. Ceramic bowls may need to be sealed.

The minimum depth is 30cm for water plants; deeper is better. Lisa tries to create three levels in a pond:

* a submerged aquatic plant

* a shallow-water creeper group to grow on the edges

* a tall marginal plant for height

Add in water lilies for flowers and floating leaves; if you can fit two plants, choose one hardy and one tropical species for a longer flowering display.

Put river sand or gravel on top of the soil mix in the pot to avoid muddying the water.

Aim to cover about half to two-third of the water surface with plants.

Add native, tadpole-friendly fish to keep mosquitoes at bay

Filmed on Dharug Country in Cowan, NSW

Featured plants:

Waterlily ‘Escarboucle’ (Nymphaea cv.)

Waterlily ‘Marliacea albida’ (Nymphaea cv.)

Waterlily ‘Blue Triumph’ (Nymphaea cv.)

Sacred Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)

Snakeskin vallisneria (Vallisneria nana)

Jointed twig-rush (Machaerina articulata syn. Baumea articulata )

* Red-stemmed thalia (Thalia geniculata)

Water milfoil (Myriophyllum ‘Dragonfly’)

* Taro (Colocasia esculenta cv.)

Waterlily ‘Colorado’ (Nymphaea cv.)

Waterlily ‘Green Smoke’ (Nymphaea cv.)

Firetail gudgeon (Hypseleotris galii)

* Always check species before planting: they may be environmental weeds in your area.

[spunknbite]

South Downs, revisited

The garden faces south.

Wisteria and lavender. Borders of delphinium. Brilliant violet asters, peonies and shock-white hydrangeas. Hostas that could use splitting come spring. Hollyhocks thriving, standing ten feet easy. Lady’s Mantle, climbing roses, snap dragons. Yarrow, a lot of yarrow.

Grow you a garden. Start from seed, from the beginning, the inception. Dirt under fingernails, cracked terracotta pots, noon sun high. Watch stalks rise and flowers bloom, creation, something new and whole and yours.

There’s lattice-work arches too. A little neglected, water-warped wood imprinted with decades of climbing tendrils tattooing the grain. The clematis has fallen back, overstretched and thinning at the apex, but still the stains of its vines remain on the wood, revealing past summers. The patio stones that dot the perimeter are smoothed almost slippery from years of use and rain. Initials are carved in the trunk of the overgrown birch that shadows the back gate. SM + RB dug deep in testament, a fine layer of moss creeping at the edges.

Loved, this garden was loved by its former caretakers. Could be loved again, certainly.

There’s room enough to spread out. Add some colour — daylilies, cosmos, bellflowers. Coax some ivy up the brick. Mint as ground cover, along with flowering thyme, lily of the valley, phlox. 

He could build an awning off the back wall, offer some more cover. Move the hostas – they’d be happier under the protection. Plant some astilbes, coral bells, some begonias in the summer. Add a few lounges, a place for an angel to read while it storms. 

Maybe an apple tree, if he’s feeling bold.

-----

“I quite miss the country,” Aziraphale says one afternoon. A sip of tea, the familiar clink of cup on saucer. “It’s been centuries.”

“Tadfield?”

“Centuries since I’ve holidayed properly. The occasional day trip hardly counts.”

“You can’t leave this shop.”

“Not permanently, maybe just to get some air. See the sky again.” Saucer meets desk. A smile his way, blue eyes alight,

“And I will make thee beds of Roses  And a thousand fragrant posies,  A cap of flowers, and a kirtle  Embroidered all with leaves of Myrtle”

“For Satan’s sake, you’re invoking Marlowe of all people?”

“And why shouldn’t I? Just because he’s been a smidge overshadowed by —”

“You know he was an atheist, angel?”

“Even a broken clock is right twice a day.”

“And that broken clock can write poetry too?”

“Quite.”

The bell above the shop door rings, and Aziraphale is off. 

-----

The third bedroom is just a nook really; it peaks out of a dormer window overlooking the back garden. It has built-in shelves along one wall, inset and bordered with the sort of colonial crown moulding that Crowley imagines only Aziraphale would truly appreciate. Grandmotherly; shelves seemingly meant to house sun-faded doilies and ceramic cats.

But it could be a library. Granted, a small one, but there was space enough for a collection of the essentials with room to spare under the window for a desk. An angel must keep up with his correspondence, after all. 

Dear angel, he’d written once, centuries ago. Then scribbled it out.

Dear angel, he’d written again, not long after. Then burned it.

Dear angel, he’d written again and again and again. Wasted paper made pulp made paper again, never sent.

-----

He buys the damned cottage. 

Dumb idea. Impulsive, really. Like a lot of what he did, what he still does — gets a notion in his demonic skull and just charges on, unencumbered by reflection. As if he trusts some higher power is looking out for him, has his back – the absurdity of it. Once upon a time before the beginning of the world, he’d sauntered vaguely downward without really considering all the consequences, the ramifications of it all; hadn’t weighed and measured, worked out the celestial maths. No, he made a choice and paid for it without knowing the price.

(he would have kept sauntering on anyway, knowing where it would ultimately lead — earth and humans and their wonderful cars and Aziraphale and and and — but he hadn’t known then, couldn’t have known, just what shape his damnation would take, and that was rather the point; he was a careless idiot)

Here too, on earth. We can run away together — Alpha Centauri. Get an idea, a cocked up, stupid thought and go all in on it. 

The Bentley, raging down London streets. A sharp, nearly blind corner. Is there oncoming traffic? Could he stop if he wanted to? Who’s even in control, has he ever been? Has he gone from one master to another to another?

You go too fast for me, Crowley.

So he buys the damned cottage, because what else can he do?

-----

Aziraphale gets in the elevator and Crowley gets in the Bentley. He doesn’t know where he’s going, but it’s not South Downs.

Also on ao3 for anyone interested.

[aamaranthiine]

3-5 THINGS YOUR MUSE CAN EASILY BE IDENTIFIED BY:

COLORS:

white: pure as freshly fallen snow or soft and bubbly like seafoam as it rolls over sand. a shiver of light over her contours.

violet: as dark as twilight seas, or as pale and pretty like the velvet of flower petals.

green: verdant and vibrant like a lush forest, trees thick with leaves and needles that never knew winter's bite. bushes dense with emerald shadows.

silver: moonlight reflecting on water, streams of sterling over the rippling surface or carried on a current. the unnatural mercurial shine of her blood.

SCENTS

muguet: lily of the valley; a hint of spice and sweetness, a whisper of spring.

lilacs: often woven into her hair, a soft floral and almondy aroma clinging to the ivory tresses.

mint: a hint of crispness, to offset the sweeter notes of her being.

fresh tilled soil: warm and earthy, a loamy scent that further inspires the springborne nature of her.

FASHION

a hand-sewn dress: layers of lavender silk and satin, beautiful in its simplicity for how it molds to her soft, slender frame. lace trimmed that is slightly worn and torn.

patterns: subtle hints of floral themes on her other clothes; delicate embroidery or dyed on the fabric.

braids: her hair spun and woven into long braided ropes, threaded with plant life or small precious trinkets and beads.

an old dark blue cloak: a wizard's garment, patched and well loved, with perhaps a hint of magic left in its weave.

OBJECTS

her alicorn: intrinsic to her being. the spiral horn upon her brow, seen only by those who search and trust. it wields its own seashell light.

a token: aged and faded, a handkerchief once held by a hero-prince; given to the woman he loved til his dying breath.

flowers: ever present blossoms of any variety; in her hair, coiled around a limb, tucked behind an ear. vibrant, never wilting.

BODY LANGUAGE

a stoic face; docile and almost impassive mask, thoughts and emotions kept closely guarded. but so, so lovely to admire.

eyes; why cant i see myself in your eyes?! dark like midnight seas, impossible to see oneself in. filled with forests and secret places. yet watchful and too perceptive.

stillness at times; weightless and motionless, not even a breeze would dare to stir the locks of her hair.

unmatched grace in all she does, her movements elegant, her presence as enchanting as it is elusive.

AESTHETICS

blooming lilac bushes; fragrant and thriving in shades of purple and blue, growing between boughs of old trees in an ancient wood.

the chiming of bells distant and echoing, the sound of her ethereal voice that haunts even those who hear a whisper.

ocean waves lapping at a ivory-white shore, the crashing tide bringing with it thousands of unicorns freed from their prison.

a full moon rising in a clear night sky, swollen and radiant reflecting against a clear pool of water.

stole this from @akagamiko ages ago.

[warriors-rewritten-chaos]

Warrior Cats Prefixes- L

I had a WC Name Generator on Perchance that I made but I don't seem to have access anymore, so I'm remaking it here as just a simple list. The definitions used are the ones that Clan cats have for those things, and thus are the origins of the names. Definitions used are whatever I found when I googled it.

Laburnum-: "[noun] a small European tree that has hanging clusters of yellow flowers succeeded by slender pods containing poisonous seeds"

Lagoon-: "[noun] a small freshwater lake near a larger lake or river"

Lake-: "[noun] a large body of water surrounded by land"

Lamb-: "[noun] a young sheep"

Lamprey-: "[noun] an eel-like aquatic jawless vertebrate that has a sucker mouth with horny teeth and a rasping tongue"

Lapis-: "[noun] a deep-blue metamorphic rock used as a semi-precious stone"

Larch-: "[noun] a deciduous conifer tree native to the cooler regions of the northern hemisphere, where they are found in lowland forests in the high latitudes, and high in mountains further south"

Lark-: "[noun] a small ground-dwelling songbird, typically with brown streaky plumage, a crest, and elongated hind claws, and with a song that is delivered in flight"

Larkspur-: "[noun] an annual Mediterranean plant of the buttercup family, which bears spikes of spurred flowers"

Laurel-: "[noun] any of a number of shrubs and other plants with dark green glossy leaves; [noun] an aromatic evergreen shrub related to the bay tree, several kinds of which form forests in tropical and warm countries"

Lavender-: "[noun] a member of the genus of 47 known species of perennial flowering plants in the mints family, Lamiaceae. It is native to the Old World, primarily found across the drier, warmer regions of mainland Eurasia"

Leaf-: "[noun] a flattened structure of a higher plant, typically green and blade-like, that is attached to a stem directly or via a stalk"

Leech-: "[noun] an aquatic or terrestrial annelid worm with suckers at both ends"

Leopard-: "[noun] a large, solitary cat that has a yellowish-brown or brown coat with black spots and usually hunts at night"

Lichen-: "[noun] a plantlike organism that typically forms a low crusty, leaflike, or branching growth on rocks, walls, and trees"

Light-: "[noun] the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible; [adj] (of a color) pale"

Lightning-: "[noun] the occurrence of a natural electrical discharge of very short duration and high voltage between a cloud and the ground or within a cloud, accompanied by a bright flash and typically also thunder"

Lilac-: "[noun] a Eurasian shrub or small tree of the olive family, that has fragrant violet, pink, or white blossoms; [noun] a pale pinkish-violet color; [adjective] of a pale pinkish-violet color"

Lily-: "[noun] a bulbous plant with large trumpet-shaped, typically fragrant, flowers on a tall, slender stem"

Linden-: "[noun] a deciduous tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant yellowish blossoms, native to north temperate regions"

Linnet-: "[noun] a mainly brown and gray finch with a reddish breast and forehead"

Lion-: "[noun] a large tawny-colored cat that lives in prides, found in Africa and northwestern India. The male has a flowing shaggy mane and takes little part in hunting, which is done cooperatively by the females"

Little-: "[adj] small in size, amount, or degree"

Lizard-: "[noun] a reptile that typically has a long body and tail, four legs, movable eyelids, and a rough, scaly, or spiny skin"

Loach-: "[noun] a small elongated bottom-dwelling freshwater fish with several barbels near the mouth"

Loam-: "[noun] a fertile soil of clay and sand containing humus"

Lobelia-: "[noun] a chiefly tropical or subtropical plant of the bellflower family"

Lobster-: "[noun] a large marine crustacean with a cylindrical body, stalked eyes, and the first of its five pairs of limbs modified as pincers"

Locust-: "[noun] a large and mainly tropical grasshopper with strong powers of flight. It is usually solitary, but from time to time there is a population explosion, and it migrates in vast swarms that cause extensive damage to crops"

Log-: "[noun] a part of the trunk or a large branch of a tree that has fallen or been cut off"

Long-: "[adj] measuring a great distance from end to end"

Loon-: "[noun] any of several large birds (genus Gavia of the family Gaviidae) of Holarctic regions that feed on fish by diving and have their legs placed far back under the body for optimal locomotion underwater"

Lost-: "[adj] unable to find one's way, not knowing one's whereabouts"

Lotus-: "[noun] any of a number of large water lilies"

Loud-: "[adj] producing or capable of producing much noise, easily audible"

Luck-: "[noun] success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions; [noun] chance considered as a force that causes good or bad things to happen; [noun] something regarded as bringing about or portending good or bad things"

Lucky-: "[adj] having, bringing, or resulting from good luck"

Lupine-: "[noun] a plant of the pea family with deeply divided leaves and tall colorful tapering spikes of flowers"

Lynx-: "[noun] a wild cat with yellowish-brown fur (sometimes spotted), a short tail, and tufted ears, found chiefly in the northern latitudes of North America and Eurasia"

[raitrolling]

Vignette: Sanctuary

[Easy reading version on Toyhou.se]

Four soft paws gently landed on the forest’s floor as the dragon arrived at his destination, tail swishing from side to side as he assessed his surroundings. The area was devoid of any signs of trolls, and only the sounds of insects buzzing and leaves being rustled by the slight breeze filled the air. The dragon’s seafoam and pink fins similarly rippled from the moving wind currents, and with no signs of danger present, he seemed to smile contentedly to himself.

Good, it was just as he had left it.

A glade in the middle of an evergreen forest, far enough for most trolls to not accidentally discover without taking a long hike off the beaten track from the nearest public parkland, but perfectly visible from above by creatures capable of flight. Such as the dragon standing before the lake in the centre of the clearing.

He took a few steps forward, and… Dissolved into a flurry of sea foam, leaving a young seadweller in his place to watch the last few bubbles of his shapeshifted form get carried away in the wind. Linnae could have remained as a dragon, but he knew it was important to remain grounded in the society he had spent most of his life isolated from. Instead, it was these forays into exploring the lands between shifts at the Crown Clinic and visiting his mentor Arctus for magic advice that allowed him an escape from the stressful life of the modern world, rather than risking losing himself to an animalistic mind.

Previously, this clearing he had discovered was an old dumping ground no one would have dared to enter. Now, it was the seadweller’s secret hideaway.

Linnae had stumbled upon this small lake about a perigee ago while flying overhead, and even from above his keen senses had noticed something was wrong. The water had been a murky brown colour with swirls of black oil, polluted by something the seadweller did not recognise.

Now, the lake shone a brilliant blue under the moonlight, so clear that one could clearly see the lakebed under the water line. Sparkles of magical energy bounced off the surface, and the aquatic life underneath the waves were brimming with energy. Flowering plants flourished along both the shoreline and the boundaries of the clearing, decorating the glade with fragrant clusters of blues, purples, pinks, and yellows. The fish population was abundant, schools of various species of bass and trout weaved between the reeds and lilies. Linnae was careful to make sure the populations of aquatic life were properly maintained to prevent overcrowding, but sometimes he failed to resist snapping a few fish up in his draconic jaws and eating them raw, rather than shifting back into troll form to cook them correctly. 

His dragon form had also been a major boon in removing the foreign contaminant from the lake, as his increased strength allowed him to effortlessly pull it out from the muck. It appeared to be some sort of machine part - perhaps an engine of sorts? - whatever it was and why it was there, Linnae didn’t know, but he did know it needed to be transported to a scrapyard instead.

To this day, the security guards in the nearby town’s junkyard cannot explain the brilliant white serpent-like creature appearing on their cameras to drop off the waterlogged remains of a burnt-out scuttlebuggy. 

But, the sea dragon troll thought nothing of that moment now, as he waded out into the lake. His long pigtails and flowing cardigan fanned out behind him in the water like a koi’s tail, and the fish all darted away from as his approached. The lake grew deeper further from the shore, so as the water reached his waist he duck-dived down and swam the rest of the way to the centre, twirling underwater and resurfacing onto his back, staring up at the twin moons.

Linnae floated, basking in the moonlight and keeping his body as still as possible, with the exception of his fins twitching in response to any ripples in the water. He closed his eyes, focusing on only the feeling of the water against his skin and clothing and the ambient sounds of nature. He felt the magical energy permeating into the water swirl around him, easing the slight aches from a night of caring for the long-term patients’ lusii at the clinic. Animals needed to be fed and groomed, bedding needed to be replaced and sleeping areas cleaned up, and each creature also had their own specific needs to be kept entertained during their stay. It was rewarding work, but it could also be tiring.

He had not yet made the connection that visiting the lake he purified was not just soothing because of its location, far off from the hustle and bustle of Block 136, but also because of what he had done to it. 

It had taken more than simply removing the contaminants from the lake to restore its natural beauty, Linnae had utilised a purification spell - originally only used to clean cooking implements and sterilise medical tools, - on a much larger scale to clean up the area. To ensure the spell would hold, he’d cast it every time he returned to the clearing, until everything within the glade’s radius was wholly (and unknowingly, to him) infused with his magic.

It was why the water was so clear. It was why the grass surrounding the lake was so green and healthy. It was why all the plant life grew so quickly, and the animal populations were both so plentiful and so lively. It was why one could feel a powerful, calming aura as soon as they stepped within the bounds of Linnae’s spell. And, it was why-

A sudden rustling of some nearby bushes caught the seadweller’s attention, fins flicking in response to the disruption. He rolled over, tapping into a spell he had once crafted to not disturb the surface of the water when moving, so that he did not draw any attention to what may have just approached. 

A rabbit, cream and white fur heavily streaked with blood, bounded erratically into the clearing. Its movements suggest that it had just been attacked by a predator, twisting awkwardly to account for the torn muscles in its leg and blinded from a large bloody gash across its face. Bite marks were also present on the rabbit’s leg, which Linnae noticed as it hopped closer to the shoreline. But the creature was too focused on fleeing from its foe to notice that it was dangerously close to a slight incline at one edge of the lake, and-

“Eep!”

Linnae yelped in surprise as the poor animal fell into the water, watching it thrash wildly in a panic as it discovers that the land is no longer beneath its feet.

He sprung into action, diving back underwater and kicking off the lake bed to get the speed required to rescue the drowning animal. The clearness of the water made it very easy to locate the rabbit, which he quickly scooped up into his arms and resurfaced, now in a shallower area that he could stand up in. 

The rabbit thrashed around for a few more moments while Linnae struggled to reposition it in his arms correctly, but then it managed to calm down. Its ears flicked and its nose twitched, then it looked up at the seadweller with perfectly unharmed eyes.

Wait, wasn’t it injured only a few moments ago? And why did Linnae not notice any blood in the water?

He waded over to the shore and set the animal back down, where - sure enough, it bounded away without any signs of the previous limp it had. There were no gashes or bitemarks, to the point where he wondered if he was imagining the rabbit’s injuries. But, he was certain that at the very least it was covered in blood, and he knew he had recognised wounds consistent with a mauling. What was going on?

Linnae watched as the rabbit disappeared into the forest once more, standing still and hardly minding his wet hair and clothes sticking to his skin. His fins twitched as he thought over what might have happened to the rabbit, recalling some previous strange occurrences involving his magic. 

The way he knew how to purify water before he was aware that he was capable of magic. The somewhat botched attempt at the shapeshifting spell Jikiro taught him, in which the object he had transformed stayed in its morphed shape for much longer than intended, all because he soaked it in water infused with his own magic. The glade around him, blooming with life despite him not knowing a lick of plant-related magic, the area flourishing once he had removed the pollutants. The time when Arctus cut into his palm for a magic ritual, only for the wound to heal the moment blood was spilled…

All along, his magic has been connected to life itself, the concept so strongly intertwined with his domain. The way water cleans, purifies, nourishes, rejuvenates, heals.

This glade had become more than just Linnae’s secret hideaway. It was a sanctuary for all living creatures, and the physical embodiment of his very nature as a mage.

[aria-ashryver]

Scents in Starlight

ive noticed this super helpful list of scents for writers popping up on my feed a lot today and it got me curious about what specific scents I have mentioned so far in my SICSIG descriptions, and whether i was making good use of scent in my scenes to create a sense of atmosphere.

Turns out I have mentioned at least 80 different scents so far, so uhh,, i'd say im doin alright on that front!

Here's a few favs ✨✨✨

The trio's individual scents

Gabriel (Cas's POV)

Golden Boy always smelled like chamomile. Chamomile and licorice and vanilla ice cream with a hint of bourbon. Sweet, but not too sweet. It was a scent so delicately fragrant that every time Cas smelled it, it made him want to punch something. He was pretty sure it wasn’t a cologne or anything — Golden Boy just smelled like that. Not that Cas spent an inordinate amount of time sniffing Adalhard, or anything.

Luca (Cas's POV)

Cas couldn’t say he’d never thought about it. Some days he’d catch a hint of Luca’s scent, the cinnamon-caramel-brandy-laced heat of their skin making him think of baked goods and decadent desserts. It was only natural for some instinctive part of him to perk up and wonder if Luca’s blood would taste as rich and sweet as they smelled.

Cas (Gabriel's POV)

Gabriel was standing in the circle Cas Harlow’s arms, his chest solid and warm against his back. This close, he could smell the vestiges of Cas’s cologne clinging to his skin.

Bright mandarin, woody cedar, the earthy spice of patchouli mixed with notes of leather.

Cassius permanent-thorn-in-his-side Harlow had no business smelling that good!

A few descriptions I like!

The rain had stopped in the time that he’d been gone; the world smelled of wet pavement and gasoline, and the air outside had a thin kind of quality to it. An empty, sucking thing. Grey. The pause before an intake of breath.

--

Flakes of off-white paint speckled their fingers as they climbed, the smells of rust and tractor oil comforting to Cas in an odd kind of way.

--

When Gabriel arrived at Luca’s house after a tiresome first day back at school, it was to be met with the homely smells of sugar and vanilla wafting through the air. He breathed it in deep, something nostalgic tugging at his heart.

--

The earthy smells of bursting pollen and damp moss lifted underfoot with each step of his heavy boots. A finch took off from the treetops, snapping a twig as it went.

--

Cas had smelled of melancholy when he’d arrived at the coven meeting last night. Of the hoppy, frothy tang of cheap beer and spray paint.

--

He’d dreamed of them last night. Memories so clear he could all but smell the paint thinner as his sister Michaela rinsed out her paintbrushes at the kitchen sink, her easel set up in the sunny bay window where their grandmother liked to read the mail.

--

Notes of bourbon clung in the air, cloying and sweet; then there was the saltier, muskier smell of sweat and leather; older scents of gasoline, concrete, and dust; smoky, electrical heat from the dim hanging lights; the bright florals of Val’s perfume cut through with notes of coffee where she stood next to him; and there, on Luca’s other side, a wild, masculine, mouth-watering scent that could only be Cas.

I'm certain I've missed several, but here's what I've described so far in Starlight!

Green / Natural

Damp earth

Pollen

Moss

Mud

Wet bark

Rain

Smoke

Cedar

Juniper resin

Pine sap

Fruit / Vegetables

Mandarin

(apparently I don't describe the scent of fruit much)

(which is criminal, bc my fav scent in the world is nectarines)

Florals / Herbs / Spices

Orchids

Lilies

Lavender

Patchouli

Cinnamon

Turmeric

Paprika

Saffron

Star anise

Fennel

Parsley

Garlic

Parmesan

Urban / Industrial

Blood (death / copper / iron - its a vampire fic, there are a lot of iterations of this one lol)

Skin

Sweat

Antiseptic

Lemon dishwashing liquid

Cold night air

Smoke

Gasoline

Leather

Diesel fumes

Wet pavement

Warm rubber

Dust

Paint thinner

Hot, old electronics

Concrete

Candle smoke

Bubblegum scented gel markers

Shampoo

Nail polish

Moisturiser

Mist of a freshly-used shower

Floral perfume

Musky cologne

Damp carpet (post-flooding)

Pine-based cleaning products

Plastic

Cotton sheets

Spray paint

Rust

Tractor oil

Cheap beer

Weed

Bong water

Food

Coffee

Freshly-baked brownies

Burnt toast

Vanilla extract

Baking cupcakes

Sugar-scented air

Caramel

Churros

Brandy

Bourbon

Chamomile

Vanilla ice cream

Licorice

Beef stew

Black pepper

Bacon

Pancakes

Sourdough pizza

This list was so fun to put together! And it just makes me want to describe scent even more; its so very evocative in establishing mood and making scenes feel more immersive.

[mae-we-post-poems]

To The Dandelion

James Russell Lowell

Dear common flower, that grow’st beside the way,

Fringing the dusty road with harmless gold,

First pledge of blithesome May,

Which children pluck, and full of pride, uphold,

High-hearted buccaneers, o’erjoyed that they

Eldorado in the grass have found,

Which not the rich earth’s ample round

May match in wealth, thou art more dear to me

Than all the prouder summer-blooms may be.

Gold such as thine ne’er drew the Spanish prow

Through the primeval hush of Indian seas,

Nor wrinkled the lean brow

Of age, to rob the lover’s heart of ease;

’Tis the Spring’s largess, which she scatters now

To rich and poor alike, with lavish hand,

Though most heart never understand

To take it at God’s value, but pass by

The offered wealth with unrewarded eye.

Thou art my tropics and mine Italy;

To look at thee unlocks a warmer clime;

The eyes thou givest me

Are in the heart, and heed not space or time:

Not in mid June the golden-cuirassed bee

Feels a more summer-like warm ravishment

In the white lily’s breezy tent,

His fragrant Sybaris, than I, when first

From the dark green thy yellow circles burst.

Then think I of deep shadows on the grass,

Of meadows where in sun the cattle graze,

Where, as the breezes pass,

The gleaming rushes lean a thousand ways,

Of leaves that slumber in a cloud mass,

Or whiten in the wind, of waters blue

That from the distance sparkle through

Some woodland gap, and of a sky above,

Where one white cloud like a stray lamb doth move.

My childhood’s earliest thoughts are linked with thee;

The sight of thee calls back the robin’s song,

Who, from the dark old tree

Beside the door, sang clearly all day long,

And I, secure in childish piety,

Listened as if I heard an angel sing

With news from heaven, which he could bring

Fresh every day to my untainted ears

When birds and flowers and I were happy peers.

How like a prodigal doth nature seem,

When thou, for all thy gold, so common art!

Thou teachest me to deem

More sacredly of every human heart,

Since each reflects in joy its scanty gleam

Of heaven, and could some wondrous secret show,

Did we but pay the love we owe,

And with a child’s undoubting wisdom look

On all these living pages of God’s book.

[keeper-of-all-the-random-things]

A Royal Wedding

AKA: This priest is not paid enough.

A scene based on the wedding crashing scene in the animated Little Mermaid movie. Unedited, from the priest's point of view. Because I can.

.....

They set sail in the early evening.  It was a clear day, blue skies, gentle waters.  In the sun, the gold and white of the shipped gleamed, festively decorated with lilies and roses and fragrant garlands.

Father Walters was honored to be on this voyage.  Having known the Prince since his christening, Father Walters was immensely proud of how the Prince had grown, and he was glad to see him happily matched.

As the ceremony approached, Father Walters made his way through the crowd, past well dressed guests and tables laden with every kind of food one could imagine.  And in the middle of the deck, the piece de resistance, the wedding cake, a massive three layer confection adorned with cream colored flowers and topped with the likeness of the Prince and his bride.

Father Walters nodded his approval and climbed the steps to the podium at the bow of the ship.  He smiled warmly as the Prince crossed the deck.  His Highness seemed a bit dazed, but Father Walters chalked up to nerves.

A lovely dark haired lady clung to the Prince’s arm. Father Walters had never met her before, and he didn’t like to judge, but he felt a certain unease as she strode alongside the Prince.  She smiled sharply at the guests as she passed by.  The Prince’s loyal shepherd dog growled at the bride’s heels.

Father Walters frowned.  Dogs were excellent judges of character.  But he trusted the Prince and had confidence in his choices.

The couple stopped in front of the podium, and Father Walters began his spiel.

“Dearly beloved.  We are gathered -”

He let off at a ferocious barking from the royal dog.  A guest rapidly collected him but could not stop his low growling.

“We are gathered here today,” Father Walters tried again, “to witness the un-”

A shrill scream filled the air, effectively cutting off Father Walters’s speech.

Then came chaos.

Out of nowhere, a flurry of creatures bombarded the ship.  Seagulls, seals, dolphins, lobsters, and even starfish - starfish! - came together in a coordinated attack against the royal bride.  The Prince’s dog broke loose and joined the fray.

Father Walters had never seen anything like this before.  He hid behind the podium, then tentatively emerged when he realized the animals weren’t coming for him.  He watched in fascination as a flock of birds drove the bride careening into the wedding cake.

He crossed himself.  Surely such a display must be a sign.

The bride pulled herself from the cake wreckage, fuming - rightfully so, Father Walthers thought - only to be attacked again by a single gull flying straight for her throat.

The bird latched onto the bride’s necklace, pulling at it until it broke free and shattered at the bare feet of a petite redhead.

Father Walters firmly believed in the divine, and in hell, but believing and seeing were very different things. There was an angelic singing that reminded him of all the good things of the world, but it was swiftly overpowered by a crack of lightning, a booming voice.

By the time the bride’s body began to split in two, Father Walters was far beyond his limits.  He had volunteered for a wedding not … this.  It must have been a divine test.  But Father Walters was only a man.

As tentacles burst from the bride’s split form, Father Walters hit the deck and gave in to unconsciousness. 

[pickerelstripe]

[CM] - Flowering Plants 1

More lexicon posts, woohoo! Today I've got some flowering plants. This isn't the full list, but it's the ones I've assigned words so far, so it'll have to do until I work on more.

New york aster (Symphyotrichum novi-belgii) - Palefi Derived from base Clanmew palifuh* (purple) and pfefi* (fluff petal). Tall, thin-stemmed plant with narrow leaves and pale purple flowers. Grows on marshland borders and may be found in nutritionally poor soil. Attractive to butterflies, moths, and bees!

Bog aster (Oclemena nemoralis) - Oskfi Derived from palefi and osk* (white). Very similar to palefi, but a little smaller and with pale, pink-or-white flowers. Found in wetlands and on shores.

Bog goldenrod (Solidago uliginosa) - Morree Derived from waymor* (taller than it is wide) and rreen* (golden). Very tall with a thin, reddish stem and fluffy golden flowers that bloom in late summer. Grows in wetlands and on shores. Resistant to deer and attractive to butterflies.

Water hemlock (Cicuta maculata) - Mwrai Branched plant with clusters of tiny white flowers and deeply-toothed leaves. Grows in marshes and on shores. Mwrai is highly toxic! Consumption results in tremors, extreme pain, fever, and death. Mwrai is especially dangerous due to its resemblance to the herbs boneset and valerian.

Blueflag iris (Iris versicolor) - Pail Derived from palifuh* (purple) and pai* (petal). Thick-leaved plant with fancy blue-to-purple flowers. Found in marshes, fields, and on shores. Though beautiful, pail is irritating when handled, and ingestion results in stomach upset.

Fragrant water-lily (Nymphea odorata) - Ssoskai Derived from osk* (white), pai* (petal), and yasschoop* (sense of smell). Leaves are wide and float on the water; flowers are ornate, white with a yellow center, and bloom from morning til noon during warm months. Ssoskai are found exclusively on the lake. Flowers carry a sweet scent that may be detected hundreds of yards away!

Wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis) - Sikibow Cat-sized plant with tiny white flowers in spherical clusters; these flowers develop into dark berries in mid-summer. Grows in forest understories. Browsed by deer and moose, while the berries are consumed by foxes and chipmunks.

Sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) - Besskaf Derived from beka* (pink), peske* (clusters of flowers), and mwssaf* (poisonous). Shrub with thick, leathery leaves and circular pink flowers. Grows in wetlands, forests, and on shores. Besskaf is highly toxic to cats and also exudes chemicals that inhibit other plants, particularly conifers.

Northern St. John's-wort (Hypericum boreale) - Mwurfs Leafy, shrubby plant with fancy yellow flowers. Found in wetlands, on shores, and in shallow lake water. Mwurfs is toxic - contact may result in boils and irritation, while consumption leads to photosensitivity, drooling, and depression.

Red clover (Trifolium pratense) - Shuf Tiny spreading plant with little pink-or-red flowers. Grows in fields and on shores. Shuf is an herb that aids skin inflammation and (possibly) arthritis! It's also consumed by numerous animals.

[moths-wc-aus]

Suffix Meanings - L

lake - “A large body of water surrounded by land.” An open cat; A calm cat; An adaptable cat

larch - “A coniferous tree with bunches of bright green needles, found in cool regions.” A tall cat; A defensive cat; A cat with spiky fur; A flexible cat

lark - “A small ground-dwelling songbird, typically with brown streaky plumage, a crest, and elongated hind claws, and with a song that is delivered in flight." A graceful cat; A cat with a soothing voice; A cat with long claws; A vocal cat; A musically gifted cat

lavender - “A small aromatic evergreen shrub of the mint family, with narrow leaves and bluish-purple flowers.” A sweet cat; A thick-furred cat; A calm cat; A sleepy cat

leaf / leaves - “A flattened structure of a plant, typically green and blade-like, that is attached to a stem directly or via a stalk.” An attractive cat; A delicate cat; An optimistic cat; An honest cat; A cat who is skilled with herbs

leap - “To jump or spring a long way, to a great height, or with great force.” An energetic cat; A playful cat; A skilled leaper; A nervous cat

leg - “Each of the limbs on which a person or animal walks and stands.” A long-limbed cat; A cat with distinctive limbs

lichen - “A simple slow-growing plant that typically forms a crusty, leaflike, or branching growth on rocks, walls, and trees.” A determined cat; A resilient cat

light - “The natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible.” An optimistic cat; A cheerful cat; A swift cat; An energetic cat; An honest cat; An intelligent cat

lilac - “A shrub or small tree of the olive family, that has fragrant violet, pink, or white blossoms and is widely cultivated as an ornamental.” A gentle cat; A firm cat; A sturdy cat

lily - “A bulbous plant with large trumpet-shaped, typically fragrant, flowers on a tall, slender stem.” A tall cat; A slender cat; A gentle cat; An intimidating cat; An attractive cat

lotus - “Any of a number of large water lilies.” A skilled swimmer; An attractive cat; An elegant cat