#no endangering the growing puppy Bean

[photozoi]

Facing off against the Big Guy, Mr the Mung Bean vs the Young(ish) Prince

Mr the Bean wondering if he has at last bitten off more than he can chew.

Mr the Mung Bean, Silken Windhound and the Young(ish) Prince, Borzoi.

Just FYI, for anyone unfamiliar with coursing dogs... we do not let the Borzoi play with the Silkens unsupervised. And when anyone looks like they are getting a bit amped, out they go. The size difference can be a real hazard, and even though the Prince is 10 years old and thinks he gave birth to the Bean and so is appointed his caregiver for life, mistakes can happen.

[ellie-sande]

a deanoru analysis from someone that cannot stop thinking about their dumb-asses🥺🥺🥺😩😩

i was meaning to write this when the season came out.... but finals happened so we at it now. right, so at this point, we all know that i love me an interesting queer dynamic (euphoria and cazzie analyses here) and deanoru is by far both the simplest but somehow most intriguing one to dissect.

here’s the fuck whyyyy :)

nico: i feel like nico’s the only character in which clothing and makeup plays an important role in analysis, mostly because she’s a goth kaweeen. i think that nico’s wardrobe (predominantly black with the occasional white article of clothing).... the TASTE of it ALLL. nico usually wears black, so the times in which she’s wearing white are hella significant. i think it’s important that the first time that nico and karolina have a legit convo post-break-up in season 2 occurs when both of them, more importantly, nico, is wearing white. that’s the first time in EPISODES that home bitch is being honest about her fear of herself, the weight that being the leader puts on her, her emotional state, and her absolute REVERANCE for our bby karolina. 

it’s the first time her guard is down completely since before jonah.

and that’s a theme for her wearing white in general. she wears black with white accents in 3x01 in which she’s devastated about the possibility of losing karolina but optimistic in her and her team’s ability to get her back. she wears a white and black outfit when the team searches for alex in 3x08, where she and karolina start to heal as a couple, confess their love for each other, stand by each other. it’s also the ep in which we see nico’s greatest hope. that wedding made me fucking tear up🥺🥺🥺. i think, overall, nico is the most human of all of the runaways because she represents this duality that’s present in a lot of people: she’s an amazing and supportive friend and leader, but uses isolation as her self destructive coping mechanism. she’s passionate and fueled by love, but also extremely broken and scared which leads her to sometimes succumb to the darkness within her. she’s caring, kind, and warm in her own way, even if she tries and fails to put up a hard facade. she’s complex, and that’s what makes her so compelling. 

....also, she protective, but she a smol bean uwu*

karolina: ooooohhh bitch, home girl is soooo much more flawed than people give her credit for. i think people have a tendancy to assume that karolina’s this unproblematic bean that’s perfect, buuuuuuttt... sis. she is sooo much the product of her upbringing, it’s fucking insane. to get the obvious stuff out of the way she’s: nieve, trusting to a fault, overly optimistic, extremely family-oriented (even tho that’s bitten her in the ass a lot), she has this need to be a peacekeeper, to be there for everyone, she has a fear of being alone, has the ability to not be honest, can be pretty selfish sometimes. it’s especially obvious in the scene in season 2 where she confesses she’s been seeing her parents. her first reaction after assuming that nico was okay was that everything was okay and they could go back to how they were, but that’s obviously not the case. in a lot of ways, she betrayed her friends, especially nico (she’s such a fucking puppy, jeSUS). but the interesting thing about her is that most of her flaws are her strengths taken to an extreme, while most of nico’s flaws are her fears overpowering her strengths. ain’t that fucking BEAUTIFUL. the TASte. the ART. moneT WHOOO??? never heard of her

deanoru: the poetry of it allllllll hennyyyy. i see a lot of people thinking that they are foils, which i agreed with for a while, but then... an epiphany occured to me today like the second coming of christ. the reason that nico and karolina are so interesting to watch is because they’re more similar than they are different. they have a lot of the same strengths. nico and karolina are both: caring, kind, passionate, strong-willed, believers, rebellious, family-oriented, protective, intelligent. the difference is their weaknesses. nico can be overcome by her fear of herself or others which leads her to have the ability to be callous, cold, closed-off, a lone wolf. karolina’s weaknesses lie in her strength. that’s what makes them a compelling couple to watch. the difference in their personalities lie in how they attack pain and frustration, and nico has been through the most. i think deanoru’s first scene in the bathroom is so indicative of their dynamic. karolina’s first words to her are that she doesn’t have to hide behind all that makeup and i think that the statement works in two-fold. first is that nico obviously is using makeup as a mask to further isolate herself, which we’ve already established is her form of self-destruction, and throughout the seasons, nico’s most impactful emotional beats are done when she’s almost bare-faced: it a visual queue to the audience that she feels safe enough to let her guard down. BUT the statement is also hella judgemental on karolina’s part, which i think is a part of her arc in season 3. a part of her is scared of nico’s darkness and what could become of it. her biggest fear is losing nico to the darkness. her disdain for witchcraft is mostly rooted in that: a part of her is scared of nico’s darkness and her tendency to use it as a tool for self-destruction.

the finale: that shit hit different. i absolutely loved that they chose to show that nico and karolina weren’t together after the events of the fight. it shows that there were problems that weren’t resolved, especially nico’s tendency to isolate after she feels as though she’s endangered people she loves. it showed that the writers acknowledged that these characters are flawed and human and they let them be that way. they are all driven by familial bond and when a piece of that family is taken away from them, they fall into their old habits. that’s the most human shit i’ve ever seen. but most importantly, this last episode does an amazing job at summarizing the theme of the season: failure is okay and human, and strength is found in love. some people think that the fact that a version of nico and karolina’s doesn’t end happily is depressing or discouraging but i think the opposite. the ending of the show was forgiving on the characters, especially nico, because they were able to change their pasts and make a brighter future for all of them. in the back half of the episode, older deanoru look at baby deanoru having a conversation that probably felt like a resolution to all of their problems in that moment. nico appreciated karolina believing in her and was appreciative of it and they had a wholesome kiss and that was it. nico, being from the future knows that her greatest mistake is not staying next to karolina and growing with her because of her tendency to work on her strengths and run from her weaknesses, to isolate herself. the ending is forgiving and kind in a way that i don’t think i’ve seen enough people appreciate: nico was able to affect her future and make it something better, something that we all we wish we could do and the fact that her biggest regret was shutting karolina out and isolating herself to work on her powers says a lot about their bond. also, that last line from alternate reality karo and nico: promise me that you’ll find me????? absolutely beautiful. do i smell... SOULMATES????

anywhooo, i hope this was satisfactory. lmk what y’all think bc i love a good conversation 😩

[hortascountrysidenotes]

Seasonal Shift

There is a distinctly different feel in the air and the look of the countryside.  Gone are the lush cool greens of May and early June, and we have arrived at the beige season - ripening corn and rape, early stubble fields, pin pricks of yellows and browns on tired bits of foliage.  Hot drying winds, dust in the air from the harvest and the sounds of the combine never far away.  The nights are still warm and the slightest drop of rain brings high levels of humidity and a heaviness that saps the energy and brings forth beads of sweat very quickly with the slightest exertion!

We have now moved into another chapter in the long saga of Beck Farm with the official ownership of the wood, and last night we celebrated the grand opening when some dear friends who are staying up on the coast with a gang of youngsters came over and cut the ribbon at the entrance.  We toasted the wood and wished it well and enthused over the possibilities it brings.  We have been reliably informed by the Tree Officer for our local council that no permissions are needed for felling any trees, so fire up the chainsaws and away we go in late October.  Hedge planting and new trees from the end of November and a development of the path system following a rudimentary cutting yesterday to give us a weaving walk to the top.

Speaking of councils, we have enjoyed the improvement in the state of the verges in our locality and wild flowers have actually had a chance.  Alongside the small lane running from the back of Brisley to our neighbouring parish Bilney is a lovely selection of wildflowers including the now endangered and on the red list Harebell.  I have been watching this patch every year get systematically blitzed by an idiot cutting the verges, just as they were at their peak, and therefore someway before they would have set seed.  This year it looked as thought we might see success but no...... very early yesterday morning we could hear the destruction unit at work and when I walked the dogs along, not only had they cut all the flowers but they had managed to scalp a good deal of turf and smash into a portion of the rather nice hedge.  I couldn’t bear it so as I had my phone I went through all the pain of Press 1, 2 or 3 etc to find the right department, and to my complete amazement got a real Hero!!! He told me who the contractors are, explained they have been expressly asked to leave the verges this year until a certain point and only do important roads where safety is at issue.  He assured me he would send this higher up the tree so I am encouraged.  Luckily a small patch of harebells escaped the sword so at least they will get to seed.  My faith in human nature was restored until the next time!

The garden is much the same save for the dahlias bursting with colour and the borders look great plus the new Kniphofias are flowering and having hated the ubiquitous red hot poker all my life, the new range of soft tawny browns, oranges and yellows are actually very good and make good accent plants.  Autumn raspberries in full production, apples are swelling which reminds me I still have not thinned the pears, and I have got the bolted lettuces out now so the veg patch looks better.  The wallflowers have been sown - and have already germinated.  We have a huge crop of walnuts developing - the squirrel is definitely still about and gave me a considerable shock when the other morning hearing a commotion above our bathroom window, I encountered a squirrel’s tail and foot showing in the gutter - where it then went I do not know but Miss Horta reports a bit of movement in her ceiling so I am on the warpath.  Next week I shall cut down all the summer jasmine which is near the bathroom window in case it has been creeping up through that - more to follow on this one!

Mavis is ever larger - we now have the whelping box ready and some new vet bed.  Dan has made the panels for my puppy pen so for the moment all we can do is wait.  Having managed to take the top off my thumb on Thursday I am glad we still have a bit of time as I am not very dextrous at the moment and certainly would struggle with the hot water and towels bit.

A lovely morning training with mates today - except one dummy I threw into a bramble bush again and simply cannot see so it may have to remain till the leaves come off, and the other which I put out last night with 4 others has completely disappeared - I think the foxes do move them as I have had this happen before - presumably as they smell of dog they need investigating, but I have even taken the chubby one with her super nose to look and it simply is not there.  Scout came along just to watch as the outing was more for young Elsie Grimwade and very sweet and slightly nervous Dot Broughton - both are doing so well and it is super to see Elsie’s enthusiasm and brilliance in finding everything, alongside Dot growing in confidence and happiness everytime we go out.  We shall all meet again on Thursday at a proper training evening with our Welsh Wizard friend Julian who runs great sessions.  Mavis will hopefully be able to join in again about 6 - 7 weeks after whelping.

Hedgecutting time looms yet again, second flushes of roses should begin to kick off in about two weeks time - Maigold is already flowering again, deadheading is paramount for all the herbaceous plants particularly dahlias. Sweet peas are still going thanks to a bit of rain, so worth feeding and watering one more time to prolong them.  Keep feeding containers and of course tomatoes.  Keep picking beans so they keep producing - dont let the courgettes sneak up!  Honey production today - estimate 100+ jars so not bad.

HORTA