#shasta beloved

[queenlucythevaliant]

Coming Home

i. Shasta heard a story once—he could not remember where—in which two brothers lived on an island covered in gray soot. Everything on the island was colorless except the brothers, and every day they looked at each other to remind themselves what color looked like. Shasta didn’t remember how the story ended.

ii. “Home” was not a thing for which he had context. Neither was “Brother.” “Father” meant only cruelty and neglect. And yet, Shasta was home now. His brother pulled him into mischief by his elbow and his father asked after his studies at supper. It reminded him, now, of that story from long ago. He was trying to see the world in color, having known only gray soot all his life.

iii. Had he ever seen a violet like the alpine glow off the mountains at dusk?

iv. Shasta went out walking sometimes, trying to understand it. The grass withered and turned brown, and the frost came swiftly behind. It crunched underfoot the way sand did not.

iv. “Father,” Shasta would say, “What color do you say the ice is?” “What color do you think it is, my son,” the king would reply.

v. The ice was many colors. White snow on the ground. Blue where frozen lakes reflected the sky. Faintly green where it hung in icicles from his window. Gold when sunlight passed through it.

vi. Long ago, Shasta had been born the Crown Prince Cor. He’d been born to all of this, to home and father and brother, even if he’d never known of it till now. These were Cor’s tall green trees. These were his violet mountains. This was his family, and his colorless wind that nipped the nose whenever he stepped outside.

vii. And yet sometimes, even years on, Shasta would wake expecting to hear the sea.

viii. He asked Aravis once if she knew the story of the two brothers on the island. She nodded, “Of course. It is from a literary epic in which a bride cleverly tells her husband a story each night in order to postpone her own murder. But how,” here she raised an eyebrow, “did you hear of it?”

ix. Cor (Shasta) shrugged wordlessly, a little embarrassed. He made Aravis give him the name of the story, then turned and scurried off to find the court librarian. “Can you find a book for me?” he asked.

x. He was learning to read, you know. It was difficult. What a strange world, in which the illiterate sons of fishermen must learn to become kings.

xi. One day, during one of his walks as spring was arriving and all the ice was beginning to melt, Shasta (Cor) stood at the edge of a cliff and saw a rainbow arch across to the other side as though it were a bridge. It felt, obscurely, like a promise. 

xii. Cor was clumsy-footed and uncertain, but Aslan kept him back from the ledge. He'd build a bridge for Shasta to cross into his verdant, mountainous home. The Great Lion stood fast at every cliff, to make certain that Cor would not fall. 

xiii. Aravis found him in the library, struggling over the thick tome which contained the story of the two brothers and their colorless island. The language was more archaic than he was used to, and some of the letters were drawn with flourishes that got in the way of reading.

xiv. But then, Aravis sat down beside him and said, “Would you mind if I read aloud? I did so love that story as a girl.” She did not seem to be making fun of him, so Shasta handed her the book and settled in to listen.

xv. At the end of the story, the brothers escaped the island to a land where the sky was blue and grasses grew tall and green beyond the desert.  

[sk1fanfiction]

Aravis really was That Girl and Aslan was so wrong for trying to 'humble' her.

[mihrsuri]

Let’s do fixing the horse and his boy!

So I’m biracial (Persian/Syrian Jewish) and I love the Narnia books but also it’s like Clive, I have some notes. Which is particularly how The Horse And His Boy is one of my favourite and also one of the Narnia books I am most UGH about. So I wanted to see if I could write a fix it. Which went like this:

Rabadash has an older brother who is the son of the Tisroc who is nothing, absolutely nothing like his father. Susan marries him, staying in the world of Narnia but leaving Narnia after all. His name is Rahim (which means ‘kind, compassionate’ in Persian)

Rahim’s mother was the Tisrocs first wife, who was exiled to a tower because she spoke against a lot of his policies so Rahim was disinherited.

It happens because some human nobles in Narnia and Archenland are unhappy with the new regime/the Archenland Monarchy and they want to enrich themselves and so they essentially sponsor a coup in Calormen with some co-conspirators there who institute a system of slavery that ends in profit for all involved.

The Tisroc married his first wife because she was the last of the beloved previous royals. And there is absolutely a rebellion brewing.

Shasta’s story can still be the same but he’s Brown/Jewish the end.

Rahim is a prominent feature, as are a bunch of his sisters and his mother and Calormen culture is portrayed positively.

It is very drawn from Persian Jewish feels.

[silencedrowns]

move is HAPPENING

I stayed for the night in Shasta County and I’m going up to Salem OR for the night! Normally I’d do a drive from the Bay Area to the Seattle area in two days, not three, but I don’t want to be in the car for toooooo long per day with the cat… she’s being a good little girl though! Very polite and well behaved! Not super happy but she quiets down after about an hour and she’s already back to normal and trying to escape the bathroom that she’s currently stored in for safety 🤣

shoutout most of all to my partner who I miss like I’d miss oxygen (gaaaaay) and cannot wait until job situations allow us to reunite later this year but also shoutout to Audio Book for keeping me sane on the drive. Also shoutout to Tree With Pink Flowers, my most beloved plant. Love the tiny hit of dopamine when there’s a tree and it’s pink.

[wilcze-kudly]

Thank you @nova-leaf for this tag too 🥰

wow i get to talk about myself so much im nervous

•How many tumblr accounts have you had before this one?

This is gonna be my fith tumblr account lol. I lose track of them really easily because I'm a silly funky guy with so much wrong with me.

• How long have you been in fandom?

Oh like. Since I was 10? God I remember my firat forays into fandom culture on amino it was an experience good god. My first fandom was Tolkien. I've only recently gotten into the Avatar fandom though. Still not sure how that happened but I'm having fun 🥰

•Your favorite trope in fiction?

I adore found family, cause I'm basic lol. The power of friendship is also a cheesy beloved of mine.

•Your favorite random fact?

Tolkien had beef with the Beatles. Hayao Miyazaki hates the Beatles. Junji Ito loves the Beatles.

•Your favourite game or kind of game?

Skyrim is my favourite game. Open world RPGs are my escape. I love them so much I try not to play them too often or I'll never get up lol.

•A place you’d like to visit? (If carbon emissions, logistics and money weren’t in question)

Hm. This is a tough one. I like to travel and I want to go to many places. But if I had to pick one point off that list, it would pribably be mount Shasta. I'm just curious, I guess, with all the legends and disappearances and odd happenings around it. Like I just wanna see the place not even have anything supernatural happen. Just be there for a bit? Call it morbid curiosity. Also the area seems beautiful even of itself like even if the aliens don't get me i think it'd be a nice hike.

•An animal you’re irrationally afraid of?

Ants. I like most bugs. I like spiders. But ants? Ants give me straight up panic attacks? I don't know why. There's just something very terrifying aout them.

Also. Swans. But that's not an irrational fear. Geese and swans are in my opinion the true successors of dinosaurs. If you haven't been a girl scout cowering in a flimsy tent with your three other girl scout friends, in the middle of a thunderstorm, while a pair of feral swans is trying to peck their way into your tent you do not know true fear.

Their pecks hurt like a bitch too. Their beaks are serrated like a fucking saw.

•What’s your favourite season?

Autumn. In Poland we divide Autumn into two mini seasons. Golden Autumn, which is early autumn, when the freshly fallen leaves are all crispy and beautiful. And then we have Rainy Autumn, which is when it has rained and gotten much colder. I love both.

•A smell that brings you nice memories?

Tea. I started drinking tea when I was very young. My dad is an Englishman and the moment i stopped drinking breastmilk i was immediately given tea with milk.

I think I associate tea very strongly with my family and feeling loved by them. When I was younger, my parents would often wake up before me, so they would often make me tea and wake me up with it.

Making tea for someone is still a huge gesture of affection to me and there's nothing quite like the smell of a nice hot cup of tea.

(If you’re ok talking about food. If not, delete this part)

•What’s your favorite food from where you were born? And what’s your favorite food from some place else?

My favourite food from Poland, huh? I love a lot of Polish foods, but I if I had to pick something it'd probably be krówki [which translates to 'little cows']. They're fudgelike candies, similair to Scottish Tablets and White Rabbit Creamy Candy. They're delicious.

For food from a different country? @nova-leaf has put the idea of Shortbread into my head now so that's all ill be thinking about I have to see if I have the stuff to make some at home or I'll go insane.

•What’s your favorite drink (if you drink alcohol, alcoholic and non-alcoholic)?

Alcoholic: Salty Caramel flavoured Krupnik. It is very difficult to explain what a Krupnik is? Its kind of like a liqueur.

Non Alcoholic: Orange Juice. It used to be diet coke but my addiction got so bad i had to quit cold turkey lest I completely wreck my health.

•Do you give your pets random table scraps?

Not random table scraps, but if I have any extra of whatever I'm cooking, and if they can eat it, I'll sometimes give them some as a snack or as an incentive while training them.

Thanks for the tag honey!

Tagging: @linnorabeifong @thatoneguy56fanfic @novaae @thenamescaba

[baubeautyandthegeek]

The Journey To Her - Shasta/Beverly Keane/Tamerlane Usher

A/N: Day 20 for @polyamships Multiamory March. First GIF made for me by @whoreofthecottage

Tamerlane knew she needed her lovers. Shasta comes home first, her journey slow but easy. Beverly Keane took longer to come home, her journey longer and her mind clouded with worry for her beloved. She enters slowly, locks them all in then moves to kiss both Shasta and Tamerlane before moving away to shower and change her clothes, she knew she would need time to adjust to being home, even as she smiles to herself. The long journey was worth it for the happiness in Tamerlane’s smile. She would, always, love Tamerlane and Shasta. She found peace, true peace, here, with them both.

[ocmerunaway]

Bleeding Love - Asha/Shasta

A/N: Written as part of @smubbles-etc 's latest event.

“Asha…” Blood. Asha smells it even as she moves to catch Shasta, gathering her closer to carry her towards the bed, scooping her into her arms with as much gentleness as she can. This isn’t new, not really, Shasta bleeds quite a bit, it’s one of her worst habits, turning the knives they used for herbs against herself. “Not again, not again Bright Girl…” Shasta’s voice shakes and Asha sighs, leaning into the newly bandaged hand, turning her face a little to let her lips brush Shasta’s wrist, directly over the inked hourglass, their shared mark. “You tried to save her, didn’t you?” “Her…. Georgina… stopped me.” Asha sighs, leans to kiss Shasta with as much tenderness as she can, trailing a soft hand over Shasta’s waist, soft lips brushing her ear. “You are too kind, Shasta.” It's easy, so easy, from there. Lips brush soft skin, strong jawline first, then neck, then lower. It’s only when she’s settled between Shasta’s strong thighs that she dares to look up, her smile soft even as she laps at her, feeling Shasta’s shudders and watching her soul heal. It’s easy to bring Shasta’s release, it’s always been easy, but she focuses on it all the same. This, here, is her brightest hope for keeping her beloved alive and she will do it as often as she must, always intent on safeguarding the woman she loves.

[tehloserprince]

I was tagged by @santacoppelia - thank you! 🥺🧡

1. were you named after anyone? Michael Jordan, ha ha. No, really, my mom's a huge fan. She's followed his career ever since his UNC days. I love telling people that's how I got my name. For the record, although I have an obligatory fondness for my hometown team and a nostalgic love for the Bulls in their Jordan Era, I'm currently a Bucks fan.

2. when was the last time you cried? It's really difficult for me to cry. It's such a relief at times, tho. I cried a few weeks ago, when I realized my special needs dog was having some epilepsy-related issues. I've mostly accepted that I'll probably never see him with a grey muzzle, but I really hope we can share more time together. There are still so many things I want to show him.

3. do you have kids? Nope. Sorta did, once, but I don't really talk about that much. It was a good experience, and I still love/think about her. But my kids are all the critter variety these days ;) I enjoy hanging out with my friends' kids, but they're all growing up too quickly :/ What even is time

4. what sports do you play/have you played? I never really played anything professionally, but I liked soccer, basketball, and running when I was younger. I got into boxing and Muay Thai when I was a little older, and also did a lot of hiking. Unfortunately I'm crippled, so I'm limited in what I can/should do. I try to go on lots of walks with my pup and swim whenever I can. Sometimes I still wrap my hands and hit the bag, which is fun.

5. do you use sarcasm? No, never. (/s obvs)

6. what's the first thing you notice about people? The way they treat other people - especially the most vulnerable - and animals. Physically, eyes and smile. I'm more impressed by people who can be genuinely kind without ulterior motivation.

7. what's your eye color? Hazel.

8. scary movies or happy endings? Depends on my mood! In terms of scary films, gore feels lazy and boring to me. I need a film to get inside my head in order to be scary. But I'm a sucker for happy endings too, which is a lot of projection on my part, ha ha.

9. any talents? Err. Uh. Writing, I guess? Remembering a lot of random info? Friends are consistently surprised that I'll remember so many little details, especially if it's like ... me surprising them with something they mentioned liking at some point. Funny enough, I'll frequently forget why I walked into a room these days, but I'm glad some parts of my memory still excel! I'm also told that I'm extremely patient, if that counts as a talent.

10. where were you born? Charlotte, NC.

11. what are your hobbies? Writing, reading, watching movies and television shows (mostly with the BFF), random crafts, DIY home improvement stuff (I painted my entire house despite my health worsening over the years and I'm very proud of that), canine behavior/training, and playing video games. I don't have as much time for games, but I still enjoy it. Started a new game of Red Dead Redemption 2 this winter, and I've been spending hours just roaming the land with my horse.

12. do you have any pets? Ha, yes! I do a lot of animal rescue and have some life goals related to that, so hopefully I'll always be surrounded by critters. My beloved dog (Skippyjon) passed away in 2022 (old age and CHF). I had a cockatiel for 21 years - a birthday present when I turned 8. We basically grew up together, and the house is still way too quiet without him. I had other dogs (Smokey and Locke), and a lot of fish. In college, I had an "illegal" hamster, Kai (Kaizoku). He was fat and wonderful. I chose him because he squeezed past his siblings, sat in their food dish, and started shoving food in his mouth. King behavior tbh. I had a rat named Stevie in my late 20s. Currently, I have a deaf special needs dog (Oscar aka Ozzy), a cat that I hand-raised because she was found abandoned shortly after birth (Swayze), and a rabbit (Shasta aka Bad Bunny). At some point, I decided that all my rabbits would be named after soda brands, ha.

13. how tall are you? About 5'10".

14. favorite subject in school? Literature, Spanish, Philosophy, sometimes History, Classical Studies, Art. Anything that wasn't math, because I always struggled with that.

15. dream job? If I could make a living off of writing and spend a lot of my time doing animal rescue, I'd be content. Even if I was wealthy, I'd ultimately pursue a simple, cozy life without a lot of fanfare. I'd love to have more money to invest in animal rescue and local community welfare (kids should always have basic necessities imo). Maybe someday ...

Tagging anyone who feels like doing this! Feel free to reblog or tag me if you wanna let me know that you did it. Thanks, this was fun :3

[voraxiia]

⇨ @erratiomerula : [ LAP ] + REVERSE edax and Shasta ﹙ nsfw prompts ﹚

          if there was one single good thing that comes out of horribly tedious events overspilling with pretentious blueblood decorum , was probably how easy it was to ruffle their pretty feathers , compared to the more lowly who have learnt early on to work around the demon’s often perilous whimsies , some joining in even ... though it really was on him to tempt them into the occasional chaotic fun ... but yes , that was possibly all of it -- maybe other than the bite he took out of whoever mister unlucky-enough who lingered too close , but it’s not hard to see the enjoyment-torture imbalance here .

          not that Edax was going to dwell on it much , rather it was a thought left outside the door , knowing he had more important things to look at . Shasta , for instance , in more lavish an outfit than usual that deserved more than just ceremony , vermillion hues narrow in pleasant admiration from where the demon had thrown himself onto their bed the moment they got in . whole lot of griping forgotten in the slight moment of contemplation as he watched Shasta unbuckle the cloak off his shoulders , before he sat back up and reached out to give the elf a rough tug before he could lift a hand towards the diadem sat upon his head .

          “ keep it on , ” he chirped , excitement quickly resurfacing with the other's surprised admonishment , giving him little time to readjust his new position in Edax’s lap before impatient hands got to work , pulling layers of expensive fabric loose to make way underneath . dishevelled clothing and a prince’s headwear askew , despite familiar touch , it felt like new besmirchment . 

          “ you look beautiful , ” was muttered with a sigh past a delighted smile , warm hand trailing down the arch of Shasta’s lower back before Edax tipped him slightly backwards , leaning into his bared throat for a nip before he could react . their bodies flush together , Edax cradling the back of Shasta’s head as he pressed lips ( and teeth , once or twice ) along the pulse in his neck down to his collarbone , where he eventually pulled away after a harmless , gentle kiss . too harmless to be true , even characteristic , which only meant he had more demands to make in the guise of persistent , puppy-eyed pleas . 

          “ we should do it in this , my beloved . ” he whispered , restless touch trailing down to settle upon Shasta’s hip , a soft , urging pull of one of the thin chains that dangled into his reach . an impatient whine was expected when his request was met with hesitation . “ crown , velvet , and all . you'll look divine . ”

[ao3feed-midnightmass]

Blood Like A River

by TheMultitudesOfMe (theonlyoneshetrulyloved) Shasta tries to save her beloved Beverly. Words: 105, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Series: Part 14 of Febuwhump 2024 Main Prompts Fandoms: Midnight Mass (TV), The Midnight Club (TV) Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/F Characters: Beverly Keane, Shasta (The Midnight Club) Relationships: Beverly Keane/Shasta (The Midnight Club) Additional Tags: Crossover Pairings February 14, 2024 at 05:34PM Read it on Ao3 » https://archiveofourown.org/works/53794861 ✞ Don’t forget to leave kudos and comments to let the author know you enjoyed their work ✞

[rodechi]

2023, A Year in Review

It's that time again: The end of another year and a look back at the progress I've made! Whereas 2022 was a year of finding my Home, 2023 was a year of exploring my surroundings and expanding my boundaries.

Before this year, I had never done a lot of things. Never travelled very far and never alone. Never been to a furry convention. And yet, in January of this year, I defied all precedent and flew to Vermont by myself. I visited a very dear friend, Sage, and lived with her for 2 weeks -- the goal to see how we functioned living together and to see how viable it would be for me to live in Vermont. It didn't go perfectly, but we both learned a lot from the experience and got good practice living with another person. While I was there, we ended up attending ANE (Anthro New England), my first furry convention. It was honestly a lot of fun, even if I was nervous and lost the entire time.

After my short stay, I ended up returning to Tennessee. A lot happened, it was a very emotionally-tumultuous time. However, after a while, I found myself head-over-heels in love with Spowte, the dearest and most important person in my life. I'll spare the details, as it's something I described at-length in my mid-year checkpoint , but needless to say, in April, I took a two-week (which turned into two-month) trip to California to live with him. To this day, it's still the happiest I've ever been.

The next major occurrence was more recent -- about a month ago, I attended MFF (Midwest Fur Fest) 2023. It was considerably larger than ANE, and there were way more people than I expected. It didn't go quite how I expected, but I was so glad to meet so many wonderful people, especially a bunch of members of The Nest who I had talked to for a while but never met in person. It was honestly such a wonderful time.

After that, myself and most of my MFF group went on a vacation to Wisconsin. Sage wanted to move there and this was a good way to familiarize ourself with the area a bit. It also gave us all more time to hang out, and it was nice for me since it gave me time away from home. A friend in the area was gracious enough to show us around (thanks Shasta!) and take us to the zoo, the animal conservatory, and a variety of other places. It was so much fun, and it has me excited about the prospect of moving in 2024 when I get the opportunity.

It's wild to me to think of where I was at this point last year in comparison to now -- doubly so compared to this point in 2021. In this past year, I found love and gained a better understanding of how much I have to give, I had so many new experiences, and I now have goals in mind, even if they aren't fully fleshed-out yet. It's honestly empowering after feeling so futile and trapped in life until the past couple years.

So I offer thanks.

To Spowte, the love of my life who I love making dumb jokes with.

To Ezra, the dork I absolutely adore vibing with.

To Ica, the wonderfully good boy that puts up with my ridiculous art requests.

To Giles, the relatively new friend to me who has become quite dear to me.

To Dither, the beloved dragon who goes above and beyond to help me in times of stress and I know I can talk to about anything.

To Ferno, the adorable phoenix who says the sweetest things.

To Sage, Rrui, Cider, Poppin, Shutter, Same, Slayer, Mozu, Mel, and so many others. Honestly, if I wrote you all words of appreciation, this post would be like twice as long. So for now, simply: thank you all for making this year amazing.

[riverthylacine]

You know a flavor that I wouldn’t expect for me to like is orange creamsicle, cause it’s citrus and cream(milk is the devil(both my stomach and taste buds agree)) but on one summer day I had a California Dreamin’ Shasta and it changed me for the better… I wish I could get some where I live now but there are none, plus idk if they still make them since a lotta sodas I loved as a kid were discontinued :(

California Dreamin’ my beloved

[theyoungturks]

California cops seize then slaughter a 9-year-old girl's beloved goat. Ana Kasparian discusses on The Young Turks. Watch TYT LIVE on weekdays 6-8 pm ET. http://youtube.com/theyoungturks/live Read more HERE: https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-03-30/goat-slaughter-shasta-county-fair "Every day for three months, Jessica Long’s young daughter walked and fed her goat, bonding with the brown and white floppy-eared animal named Cedar. But when it was time for Cedar to be sold and slaughtered at the Shasta District Fair last year, the 9-year-old just couldn’t go through with it. “My daughter sobbed in her pen with her goat,” Long wrote to the Shasta County fair’s manager on June 27. “The barn was mostly empty and at the last minute I decided to break the rules and take the goat that night and deal with the consequences later.”* *** The largest online progressive news show in the world. Hosted by Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian. LIVE weekdays 6-8 pm ET. Help support our mission and get perks. Membership protects TYT's independence from corporate ownership and allows us to provide free live shows that speak truth to power for people around the world. See Perks: ▶ https://www.youtube.com/TheYoungTurks/join SUBSCRIBE on YOUTUBE: ☞ http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=theyoungturks FACEBOOK: ☞ http://www.facebook.com/TheYoungTurks TWITTER: ☞ http://www.twitter.com/TheYoungTurks INSTAGRAM: ☞ http://www.instagram.com/TheYoungTurks TWITCH: ☞ http://www.twitch.com/tyt 👕 Merch: http://shoptyt.com ❤ Donate: http://www.tyt.com/go 🔗 Website: https://www.tyt.com 📱App: http://www.tyt.com/app 📬 Newsletters: https://www.tyt.com/newsletters/ If you want to watch more videos from TYT, consider subscribing to other channels in our network: The Watchlist https://www.youtube.com/watchlisttyt Indisputable with Dr. Rashad Richey https://www.youtube.com/indisputabletyt Unbossed with Nina Turner https://www.youtube.com/unbossedtyt The Damage Report ▶ https://www.youtube.com/thedamagereport TYT Sports ▶ https://www.youtube.com/tytsports The Conversation ▶ https://www.youtube.com/tytconversation Rebel HQ ▶ https://www.youtube.com/rebelhq TYT Investigates ▶ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwNJt9PYyN1uyw2XhNIQMMA #TYT #TheYoungTurks #BreakingNews 230405__TB01Goat by The Young Turks

[epacer]

Crawford Connection

A look back at the night my brother and I birthed a holiday tradition in Ocean Beach.  Rich would have been in the Crawford Class of '64 and I was in '63. Ron James, Class of 1963

Ocean Beach’s crooked Christmas tree a community tradition

Every year turning the corner into December, a crane is used to transplant a huge pine tree from somewhere in the area to the beach near the pier.

“The tree comes from a home in OB, and this year we moved it down on Tuesday, Nov. 29, and put it in the ground,” said Corey Bruins, president of Ocean Beach Town Council, who added, “We’re excited because it’s going to be fun to get it all decorated, a process that starts around 7 a.m. and takes into the early afternoon.”

As usual, police escorted the truck carrying the tree through the community to the foot of Newport Avenue, where a sleeve, or manhole in the sand, had been uncovered and cleaned out, especially for it.

Once the tree was settled and placed into the sleeve, it was time to put the electrical wiring in place and add the lights, topping it with a star. Soon to follow were blown-up beach ball decorations hung on the tree.

Every year on a Saturday after the tree is planted, this year on Dec. 3, children from local schools will make their annual pilgrimage there to see Santa from 9 a.m. to noon. They will add their own hand-made ornaments to hang on the tree.

The Ocean Beach holiday season kicks off this year on the evening of Dec. 3 with one of the most beloved traditions in San Diego, the lighting of the Christmas tree on the beach at the foot of Newport Avenue. Now in its 43rd year, the tree’s shining moment, its lighting at 5:05 p.m. that night, ushers in the annual Ocean Beach Holiday Parade, this year themed “Jingle All The Waves,” with more than 10,000 attendees drawn to partake in the festivities.

Bruins pointed out that the Christmas tree planting ritual in OB dates back to the five James brothers – Ron, Rich, Greg, Mike, and Pat – whose family founded the James Gang Graphics company on Newport Avenue in 1976. They were the ones who brought down the first Christmas tree from Mt. Shasta.

“At some point, we started sourcing the tree locally,” noted Bruins adding, “We have trees already in the queue that need to be cut down because they’re in a dangerous position on their property, or have a root system that is tearing up the sidewalks. We’re always looking for local trees that are going to come down anyway, so as not to have to transport it far in order to keep the cost (of moving) down.”

ORIGIN OF THE OB CHRISTMAS TREE

Mike James, who currently is involved in Luminosity, a long-term project to find a viable high-tech alternative to launching Fourth of July fireworks from aging OB Pier, related the tale of how the community’s very first Newport Avenue Christmas tree got chosen to inaugurate the tree-planting tradition on Newport.

“One evening, in the fall of 1980, my brothers Ron and Rich were having a few beers at the Sunshine Company Saloon,” said James noting that earlier that year, Ocean Beach had its first community-supported Fourth of July Fireworks Festival. “The brothers began talking about what could be done to continue that positive community spirit for the upcoming Christmas holidays,” James said. “Rich mentioned the famous Christmas tree at Rockefeller Center (in New York City) and thought maybe OB could have its own community Christmas tree.”

Added James: “The story goes that at first, they talked about a 20-foot tall tree. Then, as more beer was consumed, the proposed tree grew, so by the end of the night it became a 60-foot tall tree.”

The next morning said James, continuing the narrative, “Rich began making phone calls to find out how someone could get a 60-foot tree. He finally found the people that supplied Disneyland with their giant Christmas tree and made an order. A committee was formed and money was  raised to pay for the tree and the lights by mainly selling commemorative T-shirts.”

“To save cost, Rich talked his friend Kenny into taking his semi truck to Mt. Shasta to pick up the tree,” said James. “They returned to Ocean Beach with a stunning 70-foot Star Pine to grace the beach at the foot of Newport Avenue.”

Which is almost – but not quite – the end of James’ story.

“A few days after the tree had arrived, Rich went to numerous bars up and down Newport and handed out kazoos to his many friends,” he said. “They then assembled in front of Pacific Shores, and Rich then led them down the middle of the street to the tree, while they hummed Christmas carols on their kazoos.” *Reposted article from sdnews.com by Dave Schwab of December 1, 2022

[yloiseconeillants]

Anyway, here’s my preferred volcano.

[baubeautyandthegeek]

Search narrowly the lines! - they hold a treasure//Divine- a talisman- an amulet//That must be worn at heart. – Tamerlane Usher/Shasta/Beverly Keane

A/N: Day 13 for @fluffyfebruary

A spending splurge was unusual, for any Usher child. Still, as Tamerlane considers rings and amulets, she finds she wants to splurge. She spends a little, at first, selecting matching amulets, bracelets, rings. She’s quiet as she buys the expensive things, not once caring about the price, all she wants is to make sure that her new beloveds know how much they mean. Shasta, her sweet girl, is warm and true and real. Her name might not be, of course, Shasta has always been a mystery, but her love… her love is the one thing Tamerlane needs most.   Beverly, sweet and strong and faithful Beverly, insists she doesn’t want or need money, but Tamerlane spends anyway. She splurges love in gold and rings and promises. She knows the money means nothing, but their love, her love, means it all. The girls, both, make her feel alive in ways she can’t help but love. She’s been sleeping, as if dead, since she got home to Shasta, who had fled her lands to join their home, and Beverly. So she splurges, she spends, she helps Shasta run her company, she makes her life worth while with love alone. It is, she thinks, enough.