domshivaya

[ghostoffuturespast]

22 March 2024 - Friday Field Notes

Rabbitbrush (top), Spring Mountain Parsley (bottom left), Fringed Sage (bottom right)

The Spring Equinox was earlier this week and while the calendars might say it's spring, some days it doesn't necessarily feel like it. The prairie is beautiful, but it's a harsh place to live sometimes. There is limited water and the climate alternates frequently between extremes. So even though the calendars say spring, the prairie is slow to wake up. The patient sort, the prairie knows to wait.

Most people might think it's too early to start even thinking about gardening, but that depends on the types of plants you're planting. Many domesticated garden varieties of plants and agricultural crops have been selectively breed to reduce seed dormancy for human benefit. The seeds from domesticated plants germinate more readily and more consistently than their wild cousins. Which makes them easier to grow, harvest, and eat, but because of that they require a lot more babying and care. Wild plants are much tougher.

Seeds are living organisms, the offspring of plants, and they contain everything a seedling needs so it can germinate and grow. Wild seeds are incredibly patient, they will wait months, sometimes years, before they will even consider growing. Some have armor so thick that it has to be chipped away at by rocks and ice, freeze and thaw cycles, before water and air can even get to the seed. Others contain acids and hormones that have to be used up between specific temperature ranges before they'll even think about sprouting. While others, not fully developed, are knocked off the fronds and petals of their parents, children that brave the elements and just prefer to wait and see. Wild seeds do not rely on a calendar, because they know and can feel when it is truly spring. When it is safe for them to finally venture out into the world and grow.

I have no idea if this Rocky Mountain Bee Plant that I planted will grow this season. It's suggested to do fall plantings so it'll overwinter. It has a very thick and tough seed coat. I'm hoping the abrading I did and the snow might help it along a little. If not, it'll be a surprise for next year.

A couple of Pronghorn lads enjoying the trail.

CW: dead animal, road kill below cut

This Beaver was hit by a car trying to cross the road. Underneath the road there is a storm drain that connects a retention pond and feeds into the creek at the site that I work at. The storm drain is grated off, to help improve the flow of water and to make sure detritus doesn't get stuck in the channel, which increases the chances of flooding. Because this Beaver was trying to follow the water and because the drain was grated off, they had no choice but to cross the heavily trafficked road. It's unfortunate that urban infrastructure often does not consider the needs of all living things. Grating off that storm drain means no wildlife can use it as safe passage.

I salvaged the tail from this Beaver for educational purposes for work, the rest them was too far gone to keep, so my coworker and I moved them off the road and onto the shoulder a safe distance away from any cars.

Most likely this Beaver will first become food for scavengers, Coyotes and Corvids, before it starts to decompose. Insects will lay their eggs on its rotting flesh so their larvae will have something to eat, perhaps the fur will become a part of someones nest, and then the bones will bleach. Crumble to dust and return to the soil to feed the billions of microorganisms beneath. It will help the plants grow. Maybe some day, it might even help another Beaver live.

It's sad this Beaver died, but in nature nothing is wasted and nothing is forgotten. Life and death are so inextricably linked and one does not exist without the other.

And heck, maybe that Beaver tail I kept might inspire a future engineer. Help them build a better and more compassionate storm drain.

[tenth-sentence]

Seed dormancy is an intrinsic temporal block to the completion of germination that provides additional time for seed dispersal over greater geographic distances, or for seasonal dormancy cycling in the soil seed bank (described later in the chapter).

"Plant Physiology and Development" int'l 6e - Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I.M., Murphy, A.

[sweater-equestrian]

jumping spider update: they have chosen to live in the lotus pod I gave them 🥺

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Figure 18.6A shows the effects of chilling on apple seed germination. (...) The effect of the duration of after-ripening on the germination of seeds of Nicotiana plumbaginifolia is shown in Figure 18.6B.

"Plant Physiology and Development" int'l 6e - Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I.M., Murphy, A.

[robin-evry]

Hiiiiiii !!!! Could I please ask for half-flower (rose) yuu? ♡

Sure thing, ask and you shall receive

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐔𝐔 𝐈𝐒 𝐇𝐀𝐋𝐅 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑 / 𝐍𝐘𝐌𝐏𝐇 🌹🥀

A nymph (Ancient Greek: νύμφη, romanized: nýmphē; Attic Greek: [nýmpʰɛː]; sometimes spelled nymphe) is a minor female nature deity in ancient Greek folklore. Distinct from other Greek goddesses, nymphs are generally regarded as personifications of nature; they are typically tied to a specific place, landform, or tree, and are usually depicted as maidens.

I know this isn't what you ask for, but I decided to modify it a little to have a little background, I chose nymph due to them being a personification of nature, so this yuu will be a nymph that is the personification of the flower rose

( English is not my first language )

Yuu's appearance is deeply tied to the rose motif. They have half of their body adorned with intricate rose patterns, where thorny vines twist elegantly along with their skin, possibly wrapping around their arms and legs.

They are calm and nurturing like a flower in full bloom, but if someone harms those they care about, they reveal her "thorny" side, becoming sharp-tongued and quick to defend themselve and others.

They are the embodiment of the rose—elegant, serene, and welcoming to those who approach them with kindness. They value harmony, often seeking to create peace among those around them, much like how a rose beautifies its surroundings. However, like the thorned stem of the flower, they have a sharp edge. They are fiercely protective of their friends and can be quite intimidating when someone threatens them.

When they walk past the surroundings with plants, flowers or roses start to bloom out of nowhere since they have a connection to nature. Become NRC affocial gardener

Regardless they are actually very good at gardening, when Crowley was visiting ramshackle he saw that ramshackle is like a green house rich with beautiful plants, instead of a run down shack it looks like a rich and bountiful house that are filled with flowers around it making it beautiful. Soon they were hired to be a gardener including a paycheck for them.

And it did not disappoint, the school became a lot more popular, the school has become a much nicer place than RSA, the film research club usually films scenes that takes place in forest or an area field with flowers in exchange of not damaging the flowers, even some famous brands, photographer etc do their photo or filming in NRC, Crowley managed to double the amount the his getting but 80% of the money was given to yuu.

During some time epel ask half flower!yuu to help him with the trees in his village, since their grandparents have apple trees and it been getting hard to maintain. As well to use their natural ability to turn dead trees into flourishing apple trees.

Each winter, they're powers and energy slowly begin to dwindle as the weather turns colder. Much like how roses enter dormancy during the winter season, they also withdraw from their usual lively state. Their body and magic are tied to nature, so they require this period of rest to rejuvenate their powers. During hibernation, the rose vines that adorn their body recede slightly.

This hibernation period usually lasts from late fall until the first signs of spring. During this time, their personality becomes quieter, more introspective. They tend to avoid conflict, conserving their energy by staying indoors and using her magic sparingly. However, even in this dormant state, their thorns remain sharp, ready to defend themselves and others if necessary.

Since they're connected to plants and nature, they have the ability to manipulate any plant similar to poison ivy powers but the drawback they are unable to create plants, only be able to only existing resources.

Example : during the savanaclaw arc, they were unable to manipulate plants due to the lack of plants or nature in the area. So they carried a sack of seeds In case of this situation.

They're floral pheromones can calm, soothe, or subtly influence others. At NRC, they uses this ability carefully, often to de-escalate conflicts before they spiral out of control. In dangerous situations, they can amplify the effect to create an overwhelming sense of peace, putting their opponents into a dazed or passive state.

In ramshackle, there's a small garden filled with rare flowers, and some students found half flower!yuu tending the flowers during their free time and if any students pluck their flowers without permission or destroy it, they will dangle by the leg upside down for half an hour.

Their dorm room is a sanctuary of its own, filled with potted plants, vines, and roses that respond to their presence. It has a calming atmosphere, with the faint scent of roses always lingering in the air. Friends often visit their room for peace and quiet when the chaos of NRC becomes overwhelming, knowing that their plants will offer comfort and protection. They've become known for her green thumb, and their room is a hidden oasis amid the more chaotic, dark environment of the school.

They are also knowledgeable about biology on plants. During their free time if a student manages to come in contact with their dangerous plants, they will create an antitude for the situation. They are also excellent pharmacists.

Classes like potionolgy are extremely easy for them, one of Mr crewel star pupal. Some students seek for them for their guidance on the subject

Them and Vil share an appreciation for beauty and elegance. Vil respects their natural grace and sees her as a symbol of refined strength. They bond over skincare, fashion, and the art of presentation, though Vil sometimes wishes they would embrace a more high-maintenance beauty routine. meanwhile, they enjoy Vil's dedication to perfection but reminds him that even roses have imperfections that make them unique.

Also they usually have a sun bath, they will lay in the ramshackle ground wearing a sun glass and enjoy the sunlight.

They are also to be described as very confident and brash by people, described by people as their thorn side even tho that people said this side is ugly, half-flower!yuu would ignore them due to them loving both sides of themselves and always be true to themselves.

Even tho people see them as a kind and brash person, they are also very judgemental immediately judging people's fashion sense, during their first meeting with ace, in their head they are judging his uniform and hairstyle. They also had a very sharp tongue immediately roasting the first years during their first meeting.

[neovenatorgirlteeth]

FEBUZOIC DAY 1

Canada - Danian stage, 66Ma before present

Last year, the world ended.

A female troodontid wanders through a burned-out forest, scrounging through the ash for any scrap of food to eat, occasionally stopping and calling out to something that is not there. Her feathers are unkempt and her movements are pained; she is not well. This time last year, the spring had yielded a plethora of fruits and flowers for her to feast on, along with the small birds and mammals that completed her diet. Then there was a huge flash, and a thunderous wave of sound that knocked her off her feet, and the world had been changed forever.

The summer was cold and barren, broken only by forest fires. The autumn was no different, and the winter was worse. This spring has brought no relief, grey and ashen rather than green and bountiful. Troodontids band together in times of high stress, but she has not seen another of her her kind in 6 months, only secretive little mammals living on roots and hibernating insects and scrawny birds searching for seeds, both too elusive for her to tackle in her weakened state. Dormancy is the key to survival in this post-apocalypse, either waiting it out or depending on others who are. She can do neither.

She calls out to the dead forest again, hoping that others of her kind are out there. Her cries are met only with the noise of the cold, ash-heavy wind.

By the next morning, the forest has gone silent

[lolo3hwriting]

The White Lily Greenhouse - How Would It Work?

Pure Vanilla Cookie has always been a favorite character to me because of his hobby of gardening. As someone who gardens as well as studies horticulture, it’s fun to see all of the gardens and plants he has in the story. The most notable example for me is the White Lily Greenhouse because it plays such an important role in Pure Vanilla’s character and story. He built it as a place to relax and to enjoy the white lilies he loves so much. But it made me wonder, how in the world would he manage it? Realistically it would take a lot of effort, and considering it's a private greenhouse within his castle, Pure Vanilla would most likely take care of it all alone.

Before I get into anything, I wanted to talk about the specific type of lilies that Pure Vanilla grows. The character White Lily Cookie is based on lilies in general, but most significantly the Madonna Lily. However, I couldn’t find much information about growing Madonna Lilies (Lilium candidum) in greenhouses specifically, so most of the information I have is from growing Easter Lilies (Lilum longiflorum) or lilies (Genus Lilum) in general in greenhouses. The growing requirements are mostly the same, but might have a few slight differences.

Specific Requirements for Growing Lilies and Greenhouses

(Diagram of a bulb, image taken from here)

So first, I wanted to explain briefly about the morphology of lilies and how that impacts their management. Most lilies grow from bulbs, which are specialized structures made up of a short fleshy stem enclosed by thick, fleshy leaves. At the bottom of a bulb is the base plate where the stem, leaves, and roots grow from. One way to propagate lilies is through bulblets (also called bulbils), small bulbs that grow from the base plate, which can be removed and planted on their own. However, the most common way is through bulb scales where the first (and sometimes second) outer portion of the leaf scales are removed and planted. But whatever the case, both the bulblets and bulbs scales need to go though some period of cold temperatures to break their dormancy. This means you can plant them in the fall and let them stay over the winter, or you could put them in a refrigerator to chill. Considering the Vanilla Kingdom is in a mountainous region and high up in the sky, I’m sure they can be put outside before transferring them to the greenhouse.

Heating and lighting are two important factors in making lilies grow well. Lilies need full sun, which is about 6 hours per day. Generally a south facing greenhouse will have more light exposure, otherwise you may need artificial lighting. Lilies will start growing when temperatures are warm enough, so greenhouses usually aim for 60 F, but they can also grow well up to 75 F. I'll discuss how heating and lighting might work for the white lily greenhouse.

Although lilies are perennials and bloom year after year if you maintain them, most ornamental gardens will plant new bulbs every year because old bulbs won’t produce as much or as big flowers as younger bulbs do. This would mean Pure Vanilla would have to dig up old bulbs and plant new ones every year, unless he has some type of special magic that will make them bloom as big and numerous consistently.

Weeding and pest management are always something to keep in mind with greenhouses, but if you don't let them become a problem then it's pretty easy to deal with. Proper sanitation like removing weeds before they produce seeds, removing plant debris and dead plants, and having clean growing media will all help prevent problems. I think Pure Vanilla is vigilant enough to do all of that.

Historical Greenhouses

(A classic greenhouse from England, image taken from here)

In the past, greenhouses were heated just by the sun or with additional heating like furnaces, hot water, or steam. This meant that temperature control was not very precise and had to be fiddled with in order for the greenhouse to be properly heated. If this was the case, I think there would have been some type of boiler specifically for the greenhouse situated at a higher elevation so that the hot water/steam could be carried by gravity into the greenhouse. Water for irrigation had to be brought in unless you had a nearby water pump. Carrying water in would have taken a lot of effort, not to mention that you would have to do watering by hand, which would have been tedious for one person. However, I doubt that Pure Vanilla would mind with his patient nature and enthusiasm for gardening.

The cost of glass and steel to build the greenhouse itself would have been expensive. But taking into account that Pure Vanilla was a king, he probably didn’t have much trouble with the cost of construction or equipment. 

The Vanilla Kingdom is based on Germanic countries, and those countries have a long history of using greenhouses. During the 16th and 17th centuries places like England, France, Italy, and the Netherlands had greenhouses to grow exotic plants that they collected. So the locale and inspiration for the kingdom lines up.

The Modern Approach

(A modern Dutch style greenhouse, image from here)

Considering the Vanilla Kingdom had the waffle bots and advanced technology, it would be reasonable that Pure Vanilla could have access to more modern greenhouse technology similar to what we have today. Things like automatic misting systems, electrical and gas powered heating, and artificial greenhouse lighting. Not to mention all the sensors and timers that can help automate things. However, I’ve seen greenhouses built pretty recently that still use hot water pipes to heat the greenhouse and manually watering their plants. Seeing that Pure Vanilla is more old fashioned and traditional, he could have also run his greenhouse using old school methods. 

Of course, all of this can be hand waved with magic but I like to think that the creation of spells is also considered special techniques that have to be learned and trained. I'm sure that Pure Vanilla or even White Lily Cookie could have developed some type of specialized magic to grow plants easier, similar to how in real life new technology is constantly being developed in order to more efficiently grow plants.

Sources:

https://wyoextension.org/publications/html/B1185R/

[fille--de--joies]

What does December mean you to you?

It's the season of humanity's dormancy;

Consciousness is shelled by blunt fallacy,

Shattered, splattered all over erasure,

Bleeding smiles of dead angels,

It's the promise of the earth; —seeds

Of grief and anger, the rage of return

Sown on fields of olive trees' roots

Entangled like umbilical bonds.

Our corpses' shreds are our names

Etched in winter's silence; the graveyard

Of the jailed memory will be the orchard's

Ground of a free revenant spring.

December 2023

[rewind-on-purpose]

Operation Lawn Replacement

All the little reddish seeds that are starting to sprout are mini white clover seeds. I threw fistfulls of these seeds all over my front yard a day ago, and they're already starting to sprout after the rain we've had.

As my update on my last post says, I recently bought a house. My first one ever. *excited squealing* One of the first things I'm doing is replacing the lawn with mini clover. This will probably irritate my neighbors, but since there is no HOA (I wouldn't have bought it if it did), I don't care. There are several reasons why I am doing this:

• mini clover only grows about 6 inches tall max, so it does not require mowing

• clover, being a legume, is a nitrogen fixer, which helps enrich the soil, and doesn't require massive amounts of fertilizer to stay green

• clover is broad leafed, so is better at shading out other undesirable plants/weeds, which means it doesn't require massive amounts of herbicides to create a uniform lawn (I am not advocating for monocultures here, but if that's what you want, then clover does it better than grass)

• clover emerges from dormancy sooner in the spring, stays green in the fall/winter longer, and requires less watering than grass, so it looks nicer when everyone else's lawns are dead and brown due to changing seasons or drought

• clover produces beautiful little white flowers that bees and butterflies love, which supports and attracts these pollinators to other areas of the garden

• clover leaves and flowers are edible

I'm sure there are other reasons I'm forgetting, but I think this is enough reason to lose the grass with its shallow roots and intensive care in favor of something simpler and prettier.

[art-of-manliness]

18 Things Every Man Should Do This Fall

F. Scott Fitzgerald famously said, “Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.” We believe it. Fall is our favorite time of the year. It’s a season where things are dying and transitioning into dormancy. But there’s also a last gasp of physical and psychic energy in the air. It’s like our minds and bodies know that we’ll soon be holed up for the winter and need to get out and get stuff done — and have a whole lot of fun — before the cold weather arrives. It’s harvest time! To help you make the most of this fall, we’ve put together a list of 18 things every man should do before the leaves are all the way off the trees. Complete each one before the winter solstice, and you’ll have created a bunch of memories to get you through the cold, dark months ahead. Let the fall adventures begin! There’s something satisfying about plucking a crisp apple straight from the branch. Find a local orchard and take your family to fill up baskets with a haul of fruit that can be bitten into directly or turned into apple crisps. While you’re there, see if they have a slingshot you can use to launch fallen/rotten apples into the air. In many areas of the country, fall is when state fairs are held. And, by our lights, they’re must-do affairs. Where else can you see prize-winning pigs, eat deep-fried Oreos, and buy airbrushed t-shirts of Tweety Bird all in one day? Take a spin on the Gravitron, try your luck at the midway games (here’s how to win 5 of them), and pet a goat. It’s a sensory overload of sights, sounds, and smells that only comes once a year. When the leaves start falling, it’s time to break out a big pot and get your chili game on. Better yet, round up your buddies for a chili cook-off (and a debate over whether beans belong in the mix or not). Winner gets bragging rights and a bellyful of everyone else’s attempts. Sure, it might seem childish, but who says being a grown man means you can’t have a little fun? Raking leaves is a necessary evil of homeownership, but it comes with a built-in reward. Once you’ve got a decent pile, take a running start and dive right in. The satisfying crunch, the earthy smell, the feeling of being covered in foliage — it’s fall distilled into one light-hearted act. Fall and football go hand-in-hand. There’s a raw energy to game day you can’t replicate — the anticipation in the air, the sea of team colors, the collective holding of breath as the ball sails towards the end zone. This season, make it a point to catch a game in person, whether it’s your college alma mater or the local high school team. Even if you’re not a die-hard fan, the sheer spectacle of it all is worth experiencing. Don’t miss out on the year’s only chance to turn produce into luminescent, hand-carved art. Rather than picking up your orange gourd from the bins outside a big box store, head to a veritable pumpkin patch to make your selection. Then, when it’s time to carve, mix things up and challenge yourself a bit. You can find plenty of pumpkin carving designs online, including these 6 manly stencils we’ve got available here. And don’t forget to roast those pumpkin seeds. Waste not, want not, gentlemen. Fall’s prime time to get out in the field, whether you’re after deer or ducks. Hunting requires patience, skill, and a healthy dose of respect for the great outdoors. If your hunt is a success, you’ll have a freezer full of meat that will last you all winter. And if you come home empty-handed? Well, that’s why they call it hunting. Pursuit is happiness! As the air gets crisp, it’s time to build up that woodpile. Grab your maul or splitting axe and get to work. There’s something truly satisfyingly about taking an axe to a log — the rhythmic thwack and the gratifying crack as it gives way. Not only does splitting firewood get you practical results, but it’s also a good workout to boot. Be sure to read our guides on how to correctly split firewood and how to stack and store it. Growing up, one of my family’s fall traditions was to put… http://dlvr.it/TDdXjV

[llolianarchives]

Such a pretty house, such a lovely garden

In which, years and years later, Malleus finds himself in Ramshackle Dorm... or at least what remains of it.

Nocturnal fae do not submit to the night. They inhabit it, wield it, bend it, serve it. Such is the same for the Lord of the Valley himself. Yet on this blessed evening, he is far, far away from his crowned domain. (His cold, marbled throne stands vacant of a ruler. The kingdom will last a few hours in his absence, as it always has, in their hours of dormancy or plentiful slumber.) Instead, he walks in the past.

The charm of ruins has always been their history. Amongst the derelict cracks and the ivy that calls them home, lurks the existence of what was before: a place so full of life now barely existing as a structure's rotting corpse. 

To imagine: Once upon a time, these walls had been a vibrant color, decorated with fixtures like paintings and portraits. The wooden floorboards that creak upon his feet had been danced on merrily, ran on by bustling children, broken and repaired, polished and carpeted. 

This room had been a dining table, where the family would gather, eat, and say their grace. The children would throw peas and their mother would grow upset. Here is where they would play. Here is where they would bathe. Here is where they would sleep. Here is where they slept forever. 

Sometimes, it was not a mansion that he visited, but a court, or a church, or a tomb. Yet the ending stays the same. All of this– everything, it would leave, and the structure would remain as a museum of memories.

The thought had once brought Malleus  comfort. It was a ghostly reassurance, to know that his people were not the only ones left behind by history's false records, abandoned in the dust to lick their wounds, to isolate, to mourn and remember. It was solace found in loss. It was a companion found in loneliness. It was, to him, a form of consolation. 

Now, he fails to think the same. 

For as he wanders the hollow corridors of Ramshackle's building, it is not comfort that he feels, but hurt.

It is nothing, he thinks.

Ramshackle Dormitory is nothing without its residents. Bare of life, light, and laughter, it is nothing but a derelict building on the verge of collapsing, worn so much worse than it was before with no residing ghosts to keep it upright. It is nothing like the ruins Malleus so adores for ruins are comfort and history. Ramshackle is nothing but hurt and memories. 

He can't help but wonder why he teleported here, of all places.

Perhaps the nostalgia was too much to bear.

Perhaps he wanted to hurt.

Perhaps he simply missed those moments, bitter of their departure. 

The kitchens are lacking their stock-filled pantries with no tower of tuna for an exuberant direbeast. No flame for baking pies, made from the fruits of labor; Only shattered wood, collapsed countertops, and filthy animal trails.

The lounge is not a place where one finds comfort. It is a room with gaping holes from which the wind creeps in. There are no laughs here, no idle chatting, no dancing, singing, playing. Haphazardly strewn about are torn-open couches and fallen paintings. 

Their garden of life has rotten. The rows of foliage and canopies and crates of nature's bearings — all are reduced to nothing, to dirt, to soil, to rotting. The rose seeds he had given them wither in lack of care. The blueberries for cobbler, the yams for sweets, the flowers, the bees, all that time they'd spent farming-

It is lost now.

Deep beneath the squirming of his guts and the thorns that squeeze his chest, Malleus knows. He knows what is lost, and what is lost can seldom ever be recovered. Yet Lilia had taught him when he felt all too the same. When the happenings of STYX had left Ramshackle in a similar state. When the stars aligned. When he first felt hurt. Fae can do nothing for history but remember. And Malleus remembers. Will always remember.

Time is a spindle that halts for no one. The loom of fate will take its shape. The seasons will pass and gardens will wilt. Malleus will reminisce of all that was before: the lull of midnight walks, his human's gentle voice, newly budding plants, and songs of their world. But come what may, and what else is there to be taken away for Ramshackle Dorm will always be a home, to Yuu, to him, and now, to memories.

He vanishes in a flicker of green lights. 

. . .

“In my world, gargoyles and grotesques are related to religion,” his human friend told him, lost in their conversation of archaic structures and statues. It began when Malleus brought up the topic of their Ramshackle Dorm harboring gargoyles, and found that Yuu was ever eager to learn more of the concept. Majestic – they had called the beasts of stone. “They're built on the pillars of churches and cathedrals with the purpose of warding off evil and frightening away harm.”

The aura of night always seemed especially tame in their exchanges, as if a magical veil cast upon them both to preserve the moment, unharmed. (That veil was so delicate. He was a fool to believe otherwise.)

Malleus had responded in turn, with a tilt of his voice and a fondness reserved only for the child of man before him. He asked questions threaded from their statement. Yuu supplied information of their own.

They had raised their finger to beckon his attention once more, garnering focus for their additional words. 

“But not only are they protectors of the building itself – to keep water from damaging the structures, they're also the protectors of the people.”

The evening breeze carried away what few leaves it had gathered from the pavement, and the prefect turned to face him with a familiar sort of softness in their eyes.

Yuu smiled. 

“I suppose that makes you mine and this dorm's gargoyle, doesn't it?”

[tenth-sentence]

Even so wattles are equipped to die, and in drought might die over many kilometres, seed beds dormant.

"Country: Future Fire, Future Farming" - Bill Gammage and Bruce Pascoe

[ghost-shepherdess]

I feel like the cycles of disabled life in crip-community often function similarly to mast-seeding: we spend days (or even weeks!) gently resting, feeding, gathering energy and storing it safely under the hollows of our every bone and muscle. Once our roots are filled to the brim with the sugars of rest, we let the whole forest know! Everyone gathers together and celebrates until all the energy is spent, and dormancy ensues.

[whats-in-a-sentence]

Familiar examples of dormancy caused by undersized embryos are celery (Apium graveolens) and carrot (Daucus carota) (Figure 18.2).

"Plant Physiology and Development" int'l 6e - Taiz, L., Zeiger, E., Møller, I.M., Murphy, A.

[hrizantemy]

I don’t know why, but I’ve always wanted Sarah J. Maas to explore Nesta being associated with death and Elain with life more deeply. It reminds me of the dynamic between Morana and Vesna. Being half Black and half Slavic, this concept has always resonated with me, so I wish the author had delved further into this duality between the sisters.

Morana, as the goddess of death and winter, represents the end of life, the necessary stillness and decay that clears the way for renewal. Without Morana’s cold, life would continue unchecked, resulting in exhaustion of the land and resources. The harsh winter she brings forces the world into a period of rest and dormancy, allowing for regeneration. The death that Morana oversees is not a finality but a preparation for something new, a cleansing of what is no longer viable.

Vesna, in turn, needs this death to bring forth life. Without the barrenness of winter, her spring would have no room to blossom. Her arrival depends on Morana’s departure. Vesna’s warmth revives the earth, but it is Morana’s cold that prepares the ground for this resurgence. The soil, having rested under Morana’s frost, becomes fertile for Vesna’s seeds. Without death, life would be unsustainable.

Vesna’s life-bringing energy, however, cannot last forever. Just as winter gives way to spring, spring will eventually give way to winter again. Vesna’s flourishing cannot persist unchecked; the world would become unbalanced without the eventual return of Morana’s cold touch. Life without the promise of death would be eternal but stagnant, with no space for new growth.

The cycle is a necessary one. Morana, the embodiment of winter, is the shadow that gives Vesna’s spring its meaning. Vesna cannot eternally flourish, for without Morana, there would be no time for reflection, no end to make way for new beginnings. In the same way, Morana’s deathly stillness is made bearable by the knowledge that Vesna will eventually follow, returning light and warmth to the world.

Morana and Vesna together symbolize the essential truth of life: that all things must end, but from every ending, a new beginning can arise. Death is not something to be feared but accepted as part of the natural process that allows life to thrive. Likewise, life is precious because it is temporary, illuminated by the inevitable approach of death.

Without Morana’s grasp, Vesna’s vibrancy would lose its significance. Without Vesna’s rebirth, Morana’s reign of winter would be eternal, with no relief, no hope. They are intertwined in a sacred balance, one that ensures the world continues to turn, the seasons to change, and life to flourish in the face of death.

Morana and Vesna represent the profound need for opposites. Neither can fully exist without the other. Morana, as the goddess of death, represents the finality of life, but she also creates the space for Vesna, the goddess of life, to enter. Likewise, Vesna’s blooming is dependent on the dormancy Morana brings. This balance is not just necessary for nature but reflects the human experience, where death is not feared as an end but understood as a crucial part of life’s journey.

In this way, Morana and Vesna need each other not as enemies but as partners, each completing the cycle the other begins. Together, they form the balance of life, death, and rebirth that underpins the world itself.

[cattlebark]

Only syscourse I’ll argue is the FACT that systems can only form from trauma.

Besides that I’m not arguing the validity of systems based on their symptoms. The brain does a ton of shit to make the body work. An Introjects source changes out of nowhere? Blame ur brain it did that for a secret evil reason. Your brain makes an introject of itself so it can voice why it’s doing the things it’s doing? Well thank God for that lmao. The entire structure of your system just changes to a new one for seemingly no reason at all? Damn bro guess it’s moving day. Everyone gets sent into rapid fire dormancy and are replaced with completely different people? Gg new seed. Someone just ceases to exist? Weird way for dormancy to display itself but yk what the brain does its thing.

Your brain works to keep yall safe. Just let it work its magic.