#tree herder

[theworldsoftolkein]

Treebeard's Farewell With Galadriel & Celeborn - by Xuk Harrie

According to the Chapter "Many Leavings" of The Return of the King in The Lord of the Rings

[readinginithilien]

I can't really take the idea seriously that hobbits are the children of Yavanna. For one thing, she already has children - the ents - and for another, her ents are very different from hobbits; they clearly fulfill different purposes. Yavanna is not quaint and nice, she does not want order and control. She even hates the idea that any race has dominion over her trees and plants and animals. She specifically wants the ents so they can defend and fight, her nature seems way more violent then hobbits are. I feel making the hobbits her children underestimates Yavannna's temper.

So while I respect people believing that theory, it doesn't really work for me.

[galleryofart]

Pastoral Landscape with Ruins

Artist: Adriaen van de Velde (Dutch, 1636–1672)

Date: 1664

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States

Description

With its warm southern sunlight and leisurely interactions between herders, this painting of the Italian countryside would have affirmed urban Dutch perceptions of rural areas as places of innocence and peace. The son of a painter, Adriaen van de Velde was also inspired by the cattle pieces of Paulus Potter and the Italianate pastoral scenes of Nicolaes Pietersz. Berchem. He achieved a harmonious balance of elements by studying the landscape from life as well as by sketching the cattle in the pasture and the human figures in the studio.

[musicveinuk]

Apply to play UK Festivals 2024

It doesn’t seem all that long ago since the close of 2023 festivals, and now as postive affirmations for 2024 kick in, a few musicians may be looking towards festivals and seeking opportunities to play them – well fear not, Musicvein is here with a rundown of a few festivals with applications still open. FESTIVAL DIARY 2024 (click links for application page) MARCH 30th – Stockton Calling,…

[seasaltdevotion]

King Poseidon appreciation post!

I feel He is often very under appreciated, misunderstood (thanks myth literalism 😒) and just… not talked about enough. So it’s my job, legally, to yap about Him.

Epithets

Poseidon Asphalios - Secures Safe Voyage

Poseidon Basileus - King/Lord

Poseidon Domatites - Of the House

Poseidon Epoptes - Overseer/Watcher

Poseidon Gaieochos - Holder of the Earth | Poseidon Ennosigaios - Shaker of the Earth

Poseidon Genesios - The Father | Poseidon Genethlios - Of Kin/Kindered

Poseidon Hippios - Of the Horses | Poseidon Hippokourios - Horse Tender

Poseidon Laoites- Of the People

Poseidon Patrus - Ancestral Father

Poseidon Pelagaios - Of the Sea/Marine

Poseidon Phytalmios - Plant Nurturer

Poseidon Prosclystius - Who Dashes Against

General Information

Most people know Poseidon as the god of the ocean, but of course when looking at his epithets, he is the god of fathers/fatherhood, of the house, horses, earthquakes, and even the nurturing of plants.

His Family

He is married to Amphitrite, Queen of the Oceans. They have a son together Triton.

He is also known to be the father of Aeolus, of the winds, Despoena goddess of specific Arkadian Mysteries, and Proteus, an elderly god seal herder.

Some other offspring of note include: Charybdis the giantess whirlpool who is mothered by Gaia, Polyphemus the cyclops born of Sea Nymph Thoosa, and Thesus an Athenian hero born of Aithra.

His Symbols/Attributes

Obviously, the trident is His main symbol.

His sacred animals consisted of bulls, horses, and dolphins. Being the god of the ocean other sea creatures were also used in reference to Him.

Plants related to Him are pine trees and wild celery!

Homeric Hymn to Poseidon - Hymn 22

“I begin to sing about Poseidon, the great good, mover of the earth and fruitless sea, god of the deep who is also lord of Helkion, and wide Aegae. O Shaker of the Earth, to be a tamer of horses and savior of ships! Hail Poseidon Holder of the Earth, dark-haired lord! O blessed one, be kindly in heart and help those who voyage in ships!”

Orphic Hymn to Poseidon - Hymn 17

"Hear, Poseidon, ruler of the sea profound, whose liquid grasp begirds the solid ground; who, at the bottom of the stormy main, dark and deep-bosomed holdest they watery reign. Thy awful hand the brazen trident bears, and sea's utmost bound thy will reveres. Thee I invoke, whose steeds the foam divide, from whose dark locks the briny waters glide; shoe voice, loud sounding through the roaring deep, drives all its billows in a raging heap; when fiercely riding through the boiling sea, thy hoarse command the trembling waves obey. Earth-shaking, dark-haired God, the liquid plains, the third division, fate to thee ordains. 'Tis thine, cerulean daimon, to survey, well-pleased, the monsters of the ocean play. Confirm earth's basis, and with prosperous gales waft ships along, and swell the spacious sails; add gentle peace, and fair-haired health beside, and pour abundance in a blameless tide."

Poseidon & Myths

I’m someone who is big on how terrible Myth Literalism is. Poseidon is not his myths. No god is their myths.

Myths are stories that teach lessons, nothing more. He is not some terrible god or mean man. So imma get into my experience with Him!

Poseidon to Me

Poseidon has a very fatherly energy to Him, and I attribute that to His fatherly epithets as well as His many children.

At times His presence is very soft and gentle. Like a tender pat on the back for a job well done. A warm laugh of an enthused fatherly figure. Other times it can almost be suffocating. A tight chest pressure and weight on your shoulders, the gaze of a disappointed father.

However, He always means well.

Why pray to Poseidon?

Poseidon came to me while I was researching epithets, actually looking to see if there were any fatherly epithets. I was in the middle of combing through King Zeus’s epithets before I my brain focused on Poseidon. Writing Zeus’s list, all I could think about was checking Poseidon’s even though I wasn’t finished with my previous one. So I checked. Surprise surprise.

Since then I have consistently prayed to Him for things you’d ask a father for. Advice, comfort, just… His presence. All of which He provides. I live inland so I don’t see the ocean, but I spend plenty of time playing in rivers or lakes occasionally. I thank Him and King Zeus for the rain. I love horses, so I research them and learn about them. I thank Him purely for their beauty and existence.

Even if their domain doesn’t fully involve you, you can still worship a god. And it’s still so gratifying.

Ty for coming to my Poseidon Ted-talk. I just adore Him a lot and decided He needed a post on my page solely dedicated to teaching people about Him.

[thatswhywelovegermany]

Wilde Leute (Wild People)

From the early Middle Ages to the beginning of the modern era, wild people were anthropomorphic beings in the popular beliefs of the Germanic and Slavic language areas.

Wild men were described or depicted as solitary, immensely strong, hairy, naked, or clad only in moss or leaves. Their way of life was considered semi-animalistic and primitive on the one hand, but also paradisiacal and close to nature on the other. Their preferred habitat was thought to be uninhabited or uninhabitable forests and mountains.

Wild women were also depicted clad in moss or leaves, but had magical properties and were able to communicate with wild animals or bred mythical creatures.

Wild people are human and not transcendent beings. This means that they are not beings from another world, for example the divine world, who can materialize at will in this world and appear and disappear again in different forms. Since wild people are incapable of this, they can also be captured by humans. Although wild people have superhuman abilities, sometimes even something like magical or clairvoyant powers, they are themselves biological beings who are vulnerable and can be shot at and injured. They can have a sex life and a family life. Only in the archaic legends of the Alpine region (primarily Tyrol) do wild people have certain characteristics of spirit beings and nature demons.

Wild People are human, not animal, beings. They have no animal characteristics—apart from their excessive hair growth (hypertrichosis), their great physical strength, and their nakedness, all of which can also occur in normal humans. They have no goat's feet, no tail, and no horns. In depictions and stories, Wild People are almost always barefoot. Wild Men—unlike animals—are often armed with a club or a tree trunk.

Wild people are generally inferior to humans if their great physical strength or magical powers are neutralized. This can be done through sexual seduction, but also through feminine virtue, through alcohol, through magic, through combat with professional military training and weaponry, through long-range weapons, or through other particularly intelligent measures. Afterward, they can be imprisoned and kept in cages like animals, prisoners, or lunatics. However, expectations of uncovering the mystery of their savagery are generally disappointed.

It is no longer possible to reconstruct whether the world-wide conceptions of the Wild Man contain old memories of the times when several species of hominins existed side by side. While it is evident that Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis both lived in Europe for about 10,000 years and produced common offspring, the gap of 20,000 years between the extincion of Neanderthal men and the first known mention of Wild People in the Epic of Gilgamesh makes any link highly unlikely.

There are some clues in the Old Testament that support the explanation that the stories of the Wild People are based on the transition period from the Paleolithic to the Neolithic, when people developed from hunters and gatherers to farmers and herders. The old biblical stories have a certain significance here, as they originate from the region where agriculture was first developed in the Fertile Crescent). Genesis 2:5-33 deals with the dispute between the twin brothers Esau, the older, instinctive, hairy one, the hunter, and Jacob, the younger, self-confident, fine-skinned, urbane, intellectual, and more cultured, the favorite son of their mother Rebekah. The competition between farming and hunting shows the superiority of the new form of society: the hapless hunter Esau has to sell his inheritance to his agricultural and thus economically superior brother Jacob in order to have anything to eat. Jacob, God's chosen one, thus became the progenitor of the twelve tribes of Israel. The hairy Esau, left empty-handed, became the progenitor of a mountain tribe.

In Christianity, wild people stand outside of creation and the divine plan of salvation. They are figures of lower mythology who, in the ecclesiastical understanding, serve to symbolize the virtuous victory over creation and thus over the wild, the base, and the vice-like. In the imagination of medieval people, wild was seen as that which stood outside of human culture, community, custom, and norm. Furthermore, it was considered desolate and undeveloped, confused, and ominous. For this reason, wild people often appeared at carnivals in the late Middle Ages, where they, along with the other fools, represented those distant from God and thus the devil. As these representatives, the Wild Man and the Wild Woman, together with the fool and the devil, can be seen, for example, on a vault console in the Holy Cross Cathedral in Rottweil.

Medieval courtly literature contrasted the knights, who were considered social role models, with various terrifying figures against whom the knights could then demonstrate their ethical and martial superiority. These figures included dragons and giants, as well as Wild Men.

A special form of Wild People are Wild Children. Tales of Wild Children reach back to biblical time (Moses), over the Old Persian Empire (Kyros), the founders of Rome (Romulus and Remus), the Germanic mythology (Dietrich von Bern), to the modern literature with figures like Tarzan and Mowgli. A few cases of children who must have lived in the wilderness for an extended period of time are documented (Victor of Aveyron, Kaspar Hauser), but attempts to integrate them into human society were not very successful, in contrast to the aforementioned legends.

Today, the best known legends of Wild People are Rübezahl in the Giant Mountains in the border region of Poland and the Czech Republic and the Wild Man of the Harz mountains in Northern Germany, where there is even a town named Wildemann. Likewise, a neighborhood of Dresden is named "Wilder Mann". Wild People, mostly Wild Men, are also not uncommon motifs in heraldry. In some places, Wild People are part of folklore parades.

[spanishskulduggery]

Daily Spanish Vocabulary

el umbral = threshold

el hito = milestone

la meta = a goal (personal goal; not sports)

enhorabuena = congratulations [also common - felicitaciones which is fine and used more in Spain; Latin America also uses felicidades; all make sense, it's the difference between "congratulations" and "well wishes / happiness"]

aniquilar = to annihilate

rendir = to give, to yield [as in dar fruto "to bear fruit", which can be rendir fruto - in the literal sense and the euphemism] rendirse = to surrender, to give up, to yield

tibio/a = lukewarm, tepid

la hogaza = loaf of bread

saltar = to jump

el apogeo = zenith, highest point, apex / apogee

quemar = to burn

lamer = to lick

la campana = bell

estrecho/a = narrow, not wide / "stringent", "strict" el estrecho = strait

la cámara = camera / chamber [la cámara can be an older term for "room", though it's "chamber"; this is related to the etymology of "camera"... but the important thing here is that it's where you get the term camarero/a which can be "waiter" or "chamberlain", or the "maid" aka the person who cleans rooms in a hotel... and in any kind of government setting will refer to different governing "chambers"... as in "bicameral" meaning "two chambers" like a House/Senate etc.]

el hipo = hiccup quitar el hipo = "to take one's breath away"

el tiburón = shark

el ocio = leisure, free time

saber = to know (facts) saber a (algo) = to taste (like something) saber a coco = to taste like coconut saber a sésamo = to taste like sesame saber a grasa = to taste like grease

tirar = to throw, to toss / to shoot

la herramienta = tool

la sierra = saw / mountain range

el ataúd = coffin, casket

el pasto = grass / pasture [sometimes you'll see el césped for "grass/lawn" as well, though sometimes el pasto is the term used for "grass" that animals eat since it's related to "pasture" and pastor/pastora is "shepherd" or "herder"]

tomar = to take tomar = "to ingest" [can be food but it's usually used with liquids or medicine, kind of like beber but more casual - with drinks it's often understood as "to have" where it might imply relaxation or with medicine just "to take" in the usual sense] tomar agua = to drink water tomar(se) un té/café = to have (a cup of) tea/coffee tomar medicina = to take medicine tomar (el) aire = "to get some air", "to get some fresh air" [usually used in the sense of going outside to relax or calm down; sometimes translated as "to catch one's breath" or "to cool down" but this is specifically used where people leave a situation or go outside to "get some fresh air"] tomar(se) un respiro = to take a break, "to take a breather" [lit. "to take a breath"] tomar el sol = to sunbathe [lit. "to take in the sun"; sometimes it's also "to bask in the sun"]

respirar = to breathe

aspirar = to inhale, to breathe in / to aspire [in some countries aspirar is another way to say pasar la aspiradora which is "to vacuum"... literally la aspiradora is "something that inhales" but it's a vacuum cleaner]

la hazaña = feat, deed

el liderazgo = leadership

el hallazgo = a discovery, a find

el tenedor = fork

la cuchara = spoon

el cuchillo = knife

llorar = to cry / to mourn (someone)

lloriquear = to whine, to snivel

la naranja = orange (fruit) naranja / anaranjado/a = orange, orangey (color) el naranjo = orange tree

el azahar = orange blossom

anegar = to flood anegar(se) = to drown, to be flooded

ahogar(se) = to drown

barrer = to sweep (away)

la escoria = scum, filth

funcionar = to work (machines, concepts, ideas, ways of doing things etc. - anything that's physical labor is usually going to be trabajar)

el declive = decline, deterioration

la falda = skirt

el capricho = whim / whimsy

la sirena = siren (alarm) / siren (mythology), mermaid

encogerse de hombros = to shrug, to shrug one's shoulders

la corte = court (legal, or sports) el corte = a cut

ningunear = to give someone the cold shoulder, to ignore [lit. "to treat someone as nothing/no one"]

el amanecer = daybreak, dawn amanecer = "to wake up", "to first wake up" [used kind of like "to start the day" - it isn't exactly despertarse "to wake up" but people do use it that way especially in questions like ¿cómo amaneciste? "how was your morning?" or "how did you sleep?"]

la escama = scale (reptile or fish etc)

el martillo = hammer [also el mazo which is "mallet"]

la cera = wax

el/la soldado = soldier

la venta = sale

el ocaso = sunset / "the end", "a decline"

el sueño = dream / sleepiness, drowsiness tener sueño = to be sleepy, to be tired

la yema = yolk, egg yolk

el augurio = omen, portent, "sign" buen augurio = "a good omen", "a good sign" mal augurio = "an ill omen", "a bad sign"

la corazonada = a hunch, a gut feeling

oscuro/a = dark

claro/a = light [both in terms of "not dark", and also "light in color"] claro/a = sure, certain claro = "of course", "certainly" la clara = egg white [la clara is also sometimes the term for a pale beer, or a special drink called a "shandy" which is beer mixed with lemonade]

el destino = destiny, fate el sino = destiny, fate [totally interchangeable - el sino is occasionally used for added flair since el destino is really common]

el destinatario, la destinataria = recipient [used in the sense of "who you're sending something to", or if someone is asking who something is "addressed to" that's destinatario/a]

el roble = oak (sano/a) como un roble = "healthy as an ox", "fit as a fiddle"

rezumar = to ooze, to seep [lit. it's related to "juices" so it's like juice is overflowing or seeping out]

curtido/a = veteran, "seasoned veteran" / leathery [lit. curtir is "to tan leather" or treating leather, or sometimes it means "weather-beaten" skin... you will sometimes see curtido/a when referring to a person as "someone with experience" or "veteran", the idea being the same that their skin is no longer soft because they've gotten used to the elements essentially]

encurtir = to pickle (los) curtidos / (los) encurtidos = pickled things [kind of the same etymology as curtir; you will see things like pepinillos encurtidos "pickles / pickled cucumbers", or sometimes encurtido or curtido comes up as curtido de repollo/col "cole slaw"]

picante = spicy [some countries say picoso/a]

agrio/a = bitter/sour

amargo/a = bitter

dulce = sweet el dulce, los dulces = sweets / candy

agridulce = bittersweet

[rottenpumpkin13]

agszc is balanced in the most unbalanced way

they all cover each other’s weaknesses

but there weaknesses are p much covering the “how to be a functioning adult” chart

and while gen & geal probably have the most independent adult life skills, they are not the ones keeping this group functioning by being the ducttape holding up those camouflage tarps

that job is for the smallest, non-chain of command placing, unenhanced , self esteem issues ridden, etc., named cloud

who has been gifted the secret cat corralling limit break beneath it all by the goddess herself

The AGSZC Adulting Proficiency Chart™ is as follows:

S-Tier: The Backbone, The Cat Herder, The Only Thing Keeping This Group From Dying of Sheer Stupidity

Cloud Strife

Strengths: Basic life skills, survival instincts, is technically an unenhanced baseline human yet somehow outlasts everyone else here. Can cook food that won't kill you. Can do laundry. Knows where things like tax documents are supposed to go.

Weaknesses: Crippling self-esteem issues, no social rank to enforce his authority, everyone is taller than him so they think they don't have to listen. Tries to act cool and unbothered but is actually a dork who does not know how to interact with other human beings and makes jokes at the wrong time.

A-Tier: Could Survive Alone, But The Moment You Add Another Person, Chaos Ensues

Angeal Hewley

Strengths: Knows how to cook, clean, budget, and generally behave like a responsible adult. Has the most conventional common sense. The kind of guy who owns a toolbox and actually knows how to use it.

Weaknesses: Will adopt every lost soul he sees, including the feral ones, and then act shocked when they fight each other. Too honorable for his own good. Breaks his own phone constantly. Is pretty chill but when he finally snaps, it's old testament levels of wrath. Full-on "fuck this, fuck you, fuck Shinra, I'm quitting, I'm moving to a remote mountain where no one can find me, don't call, don’t write, I'll eat tree bark if I have to" kind of breakdown. But give him ten minutes and a single cup of tea, and he'll act like nothing happened.

Genesis Rhapsodos

Strengths: Self-sufficient, knows how to handle finances (for the sake of luxury, but still), good at cooking for himself. Can talk his way out of anything.

Weaknesses: Drama queen. Absolutely useless if the task does not personally interest him. Has never read a contract in full in his life. Once lived off apples and wine for two weeks straight.

B-Tier: Technically a Functioning Adult, But That's Only Because He's Too Stubborn to Die

Sephiroth

Strengths: Can manage his own schedule, extremely efficient, good at planning missions and strategizing. Understands how to budget because Shinra made him, not because he wanted to.

Weaknesses: Zero concept of work-life balance. Does not eat unless reminded. Has never used a washing machine in his life. Would be absolutely bamboozled by grocery shopping.

C-Tier: Chaos Personified, An Affront to Responsibility, A Walking Insurance Liability

Zack Fair

Strengths: Strong, charming, good at improvising. Could talk his way into or out of anything. Surprisingly adept at surviving by sheer dumb luck.

Weaknesses: No concept of money. No concept of personal space. Will start a project, get distracted, and start five more before finishing the first. If left to his own devices, he will eat nothing but instant ramen and protein bars.

[broareweabouttoviberightnow]

It's thirty til midnight 'n the house is crowded with the hot press of bodies. Someone's shoutin'. Actually, most of 'em are shoutin'. The living room stinks like the spilled beer Two's ground down into the carpet. The TV's playin'. Some New Year's special that Pony's glued to. The record players skippin' its way through a Christmas album. The tree's still up 'cause none of them would let Darry take it down 'til after New Year's.

Darry checks his watch once, runs his thumb absently over the face, compares it to the little glowin' clock above the stove, stands up 'n shifts past the card game Johnny has been creamin' Dallas at for the last half hour. Darry wasn't sure how he had any money to his name left. He steps over the coffee table 'n catches the hand of pure shit Dallas grins 'n ups the bet on. Good lord Johnny was gonna have the shirt off his back before the night was over.

Soda's bouncin' back 'n forth between the holiday special 'n the card game, offerin' commentary only Johnny seems to enjoy. Steve's got a huge bowl of popcorn Darry had fixed balanced on his lap, pitchin' kernels at Two's mouth as he dives for 'em.

Darry sighs, snatches one out of the air 'n pops it into his own mouth, steppin' out of the way so Two falls unceremoniously onto his knees with a grin.

"Hey! I was gonna catch that one!" Darry rolls his eyes, absently grabs Pony from where he had his nose three inches from the tube 'n hauls him back, much to Pony's indignation.

"Sure you were. Just like you were gonna catch the other thirty or so that I'm gonna have to vacuum outta the carpet." But he doesn't really mean it. The mood's high 'n Darry's just pleased to have 'em all together. Outta trouble 'n safe.

"Hey it ain't my fault Steve can't throw straight! He ain't exactly got your arm, Dar." Two wraps both hands around Darry's bicep 'n Darry hauls him up, danglin' like a monkey with his knees all bent.

"Hey!" Steve takes his opportunity 'n dives off the couch, nearly dumpin' the entirety of the bowl onto Dallas' head. Dally yowls, drops his cards onto the table 'n snatches for Steve's ankles to drag him back across the floor. Johnny leans over, tips the cards up, 'n grins to himself, then promptly sprawls to the side to avoid Darry shakin' Two off him 'n onto the floor.

Soda, never to be left out, throws himself into the mess of limbs until they're all a tangled mass of carpet burn 'n sharp-toothed peels of laughter. Darry disentangles himself, hovers in the doorway 'n watches them for a moment. Then he checks his watch again, adjusts the worn leather strap, peers at the clock on the stove glowin' softly through the darkness of the kitchen, 'n slips out the back door.

He knows his time is numbered 'cause Pony 'n Soda have always been herders. Had to know where everyone was at all times. But Pony's sleepy 'n zoned in on the TV like a lifeline 'n Soda's had two shots (both hastily over the kitchen sink 'cause Pony still thought Soda was drunk on the plain idea of bein' alive 'n they all liked to let him think it) so he had maybe just a few more minutes than usual.

It's fridged outside. The kinda cold that burns along his bare arms 'n makes his breath hang in low clouds around his face.

He can't really explain it. He's never been real good about the holidays. They're just... heavy. Even before, well, everythin'.

He crosses the porch, sinks down on the stair 'n blinks down the empty street. There's a light or two on. One house or the other still holdin' out for midnight. Most are quiet 'n dark 'n Darry's heart does an odd little flip in his chest.

He doesn't know why he thinks about the winter he was twelve 'n had been the best of friends with the boy that lived on the corner. Or why his stomach sinks when he thinks about how hard he'd cried when they had moved out. Inconsolable even when their mama had pulled him up into her lap (though he was too big for that. Too big for needin' his mama.) (that last bit was never true. He still needed his mama. Maybe more than he ever had before.) 'n had just cried 'n cried 'til Soda 'n Pony had come home from wherever they'd been 'n that had been that. 'Cause he shouldn't cry in front of his brothers. He should be strong for them.

Somethin' shatters to the ground inside 'n jerks Darry outta his memory.

"Sorry!" Someone hollers 'n Darry chuckles to himself. Man, maybe he shouldn't have had that last beer. He must be in too good of a mood 'cause he doesn't even think about goin' in to reem out whoever was breakin' shit. But he knows that's not true 'n it ain't the beer to blame.

He runs his hands up 'n down his arms, stands up 'n crosses the lawn, dead 'n dry in winter, leans against the fence 'n hisses when the metal bites into his arms. He sighs, kicks at the hole ripped in the bottom, smiles absently to himself.

Soda 'n Two had put that there. Had run one of those push petal cars so hard into it they'd both flown off 'n scraped knees 'n elbows 'n come crawlin' up the steps with, not two, but three missin' teeth between the two of them.

God, they must have been in middle school then. When had they grown up so much?

"Agh put me down you sonofabitch!" Somethin' else hits the ground but this time Darry's mostly sure it's a person. No one wails so he figures he's still safe. 'N he ain't ready to go back in yet.

He checks his watch, fiddles with the knob on the side, a nervous habit he's had since he was eighteen. Fifteen minutes to go. Plenty of time.

A breeze kicks up, swings the gate open 'n closed so it lets out a low, mournful squeal. It hadn't hung right since the summer Darry was ten. They'd always just jumped the fence, givin' each other the boosts they refused to ask for, gigglin' when their mama had called them coyotes, takin' runnin' starts 'n laughin' off when they misjudged it 'n came down hard on their knees. Their daddy had sworn he was gonna fix it every summer since.

He never got to.

Last month they'd had a real bad wind storm that pushed that old gate forlornly back 'n forth for hours, wailin' 'n moanin' until Darry had scowled 'n muttered he was gonna fix that goddamn thing if it was the last thing he ever did. 'N then he'd looked over at Pony 'n they both suddenly felt sick to their stomachs.

He never did get around to it.

The wind howls 'n Darry flexes his fingers, realizes suddenly its the only sound he can hear. He checks his watch again. Five minutes to go. He should go back inside.

But then he's runnin' his fingers around the face 'n thinkin' about the people not waitin' for him back in that hot 'n crowded living room. Thinkin' about how it ain't really his watch.

It had been his daddy's. His pride 'n joy. Thick leather strap 'n gold platin' around the face 'n it had been his granddaddy's before him. God, Darry had coveted it. Could remember bein' thirteen, runnin' fingers around 'n around it til it shone. Fifteen 'n askin' his daddy if he'd pass it down to him one day. Eighteen when he had put it in his hands on his graduation day.

You gotta watch out for it. The time flies, kiddo. Be careful how you spend it.

Darry doesn't hear the screen door slam, or the patterin' footsteps across the lawn, or the creak of the fence as someone leans against it til Soda's there, head restin' down on Darry's shoulder. Darry jumps, scrubs the back of his hand against the tears so hot against his flushed cheeks they burn. 'Cause he shouldn't cry in front of his brothers. He had to be strong.

"I figured I'd find you out here." Soda wraps a blanket, stolen from the couch, around Darry's arms 'n he suddenly realizes just how cold he is. He sighs, pulls Soda in 'n tucks him under his elbow.

"C'mon, Soda. You shouldn't be out here." 'N he shouldn't. 'Cause he shouldn't ruin everyone else's good time with his stupid achin'. "Let's get you back inside."

Soda tilts his head back 'n blinks up at Darry. Or, no he doesn't. He doesn't need to. Hasn't needed to look up to Darry in a long time, long since hit that final growth spurt that had their mama lettin' out all his jean hems 'n hopin' they stopped below his ankle. "You shouldn't be out here alone, Dar."

"I'm fine-"

"Oh, I know. You're fine. You're good. You're peachy." Soda sighs, drops his chin back down to Darry's shoulder. "You thinkin' about them?"

'N he is. But not really. He's thinkin' about all of them. About breakin' promises 'n not bein' careful enough. About turnin' around one day 'n Pony's not six years old 'n followin' Darry around 'cause he was still young enough to think Darry was the coolest person alive. That Soda's not ten years old 'n missin' his front tooth 'n a permanent bandaid on his knees 'n bringin' home one kid after another until their house was always full. That Johnny 'n Two 'n Dallas 'n Steve ain't just his brother's friends or strangers hangin' around his living room or even just good buddies.

"I'm thinkin' about my resolution." He pulls Soda in closer 'n somewhere down the street someone bangs pans together. A lone firework bangs off into the sky, lightin' his brother's face in a way that makes him look like he was a kid again, pressed against the window 'n tryin' so hard to stay awake.

"Well, don't leave me hangin'." Soda yawns, presses his face into Darry's chest to shield it from the wind.

Darry smiles softly to himself, runs a hand through Soda's hair, the lamp light bouncin' off the watch face when he lifts his wrist.

"I'm gonna keep some old promises."

I ain't gonna let time slip me by. The back door bangs open 'n when Darry turns he can see the shinin' grin on Two's face, his arm draped around Steve's shoulders. Pony leanin' hard on Dallas though Darry knows he'll claim he ain't tired. Johnny shiverin' in his too-big jacket.

"Come on, Dar! You're gonna miss it!" 'N Darry knows he means the ball drop or the announcer on TV or the end of the special but Darry can only smile ruefully, shift Soda closer to him 'n sweep him right off his feet to carry him inside.

You're right. You gotta be careful or you will. You'll miss it all.

tags 'cause y'all were so sweet in my other post I was like well I simply gotta finish this right now😭@trekkiehood @strxwberry-julius @marmaladedcroissant @wildestdreamcatcher @sarcasticallyexplicit11 @scalls @greasernamedbug

[elbiotipo]

thoughts on fantasy in polar climate? or in tundra?

Is it too much of a stereotype if I say Skyrim? Because I think Skyrim did a pretty good job on showing how diverse boreal climates can be besides just ice and forests. I really like The Reach, Hjaalmarch, Eastmarch... swampy deltas, volcanic active areas, misty mountains, those were all great. They could have added things from the Southern Hemisphere too (Andes? Or glyptodons and megatheriums, anyone?) but I get that Skyrim is The North.

One thing about polar climates is that agriculture is impossible, or mostly impossible, on them. Well, that's with many asterisks of course. Many cold places do have agriculture, only with very short growing seasons. One could imagine an equivalent of super-potatoes (AGAIN WITH THE POTATOES) that host lots of nutrients in tubers, or plants that use the short yet sunny months to flower and fruit profusely. You will be surprised to learn how warm can Siberia can get in summer:

Jumping from -30° to 25° (with possible highs of over 30°!!) is really something. However, what I described above would be a poor adaptation for plants, as tundra is also windy and dry. It is the realm of short-lived seasonal plants that really don't get too much time to photosynthesize nutrient rich... things (notice how virtually all major crops come from subtropical areas). Or large, cold resistant trees such as conifers, which aren't very nutritious at least to humans.

So of course, historically, most people in polar regions have been hunters, fishers and herders. They are in fact among the populations with the highest consumption of meat and animal-based diets on the world. I've written before about cultures and species that are mostly *carnivorous* before (though I would like to redo that post) and in general, people always want to have a reliable source of food. In polar climate, these are most often fishing and herd animals. Herd animals in particular offer not only food, but also textiles and fuel, both things that are very important for surviving cold climates. There are very different dynamics for herding-based civilizations, as well as fishing based ones, especially in places where the ocean can freeze, fishing was often a temporary matter, and what was lacking was traded with warmer climates. Historically, the fur trade was perhaps the richest motivation to trade with (or colonize...) polar climates. One really interesting example to keep in mind is the Novgorod Republic.

But being from the south (the real south) myself, and always interested on real-life examples to understand worldbuilding, it is interesting to see that representative polar cultures are virtually all from the north, from North America and Eurasia. That's of course because in the Southern Hemisphere the polar regions are covered by the Antarctic sea and then Antarctica itself, that did not have permanent habitation until recently. But I believe it is worth talking about the southernmost people of the world, the natives of Tierra del Fuego, the Selk'nam, the Yahghan and the Haush. Despite a shameful campaign of the Argentine and Chilean states to destroy them (aided by foreign powers) to the point the lie was propagated that they were extinct, they are still here and they have a unique culture that thrived in also such a unique place like the Magellanic Forests, the last relicts of the forests that covered Antarctica, and the seas of the Southern Hemisphere. It is also worth noting that there is good evidence that they, or their ancestors, domesticated the Malvinas Fox and brought it to the Malvinas, and it is also likely they might have reached Antarctica or the islands of the South Atlantic, if only in passing (as the Maori might have too, but the population of Aotearoa is a more recent event). I really encourage reading about them and about Tierra del Fuego, a really unique place, the last stop before Antarctica.

By the way, if you like the things I post about worldbuilding and would like to see more or me to expand on some things, I would really appreciate a tip to my ko-fi! I've recently moved to a new place and I'm really struggling to get some stuff, so it would be a real help!

[theworldsoftolkein]

The Secret Story of the Ents: Guardians of the Forest | LOTR LORE | Tales Of The Ring

Explore the mysterious history of the Ents, Middle-earth’s ancient shepherds of the forest, whose roots stretch back to the dawn of Arda. From their creation by Yavanna to their heroic stand during the War of the Ring, the Ents' story is one of strength, sorrow, and resilience. This video delves into: 🌱 Their Creation – Yavanna’s plea to protect the forests and the awakening of the Ents. 🌲 Times of Glory – A Middle-earth where forests stretched unbroken from the Misty Mountains to the Great Sea. 🌾 The Entwives’ Tragedy – The mysterious disappearance of the Entwives and the desolation of the Brown Lands. 🌋 War of the Ring – The Ents’ wrath against Saruman, the destruction of Isengard, and their pivotal role in Rohan’s victory. 🌿 Legacy and Decline – The Treegarth of Orthanc and the enduring lessons of the Ents in Tolkien’s world. 🔥 Join us as we uncover the story of these enigmatic guardians, their connection to nature, and the lessons they leave for Middle-earth & beyond.

[tribbetherium]

The Ecatoriungulidae, ungulopes isolated onto the continent of South Ecatoria when it split off from Arcuterra all the way back in the Middle Glaciocene, are a quite diverse family that have come to include among their ranks in the Middle Temperocene such species as the plains-grazing triclops, low-browsing greaserhorns, and the semi-domesticated horn-herders to name a few. And here, where tall trees with edible lower branches grow in abundance, a few have filled a niche coverging with the altolopes of Gestaltia, evolving elongated builds with lengthly necks and tongues to better feast upon a bounty many other herbivores cannot access.

The tallest of these, the slopebacked hightower (Alticaprimys longicollis) is a wide-ranging species most common in the temperate forests across the continent, feeding from the branches of the local pebblefruit trees. Most distinct are its odd proportions, with its forelegs longer than the rear, giving it extra reach in plucking off leaves with its dexterous, prehensile tongue and extended upper lip. Its unusual stature also give it a distinctive bounding gait, with a distinct "crutching" motion a side effect when moving at higher speeds.

A sexually-dimorphic species, both sexes reach similar heights of roughly 4 meters (12-13 feet) when fully grown. Where they differ is that the distinctive two-pronged horns of the species only occur in males: they are too large to be threatened by most predators by themselves, and thus these weapons have been relegated to sexual display and competiton over mates between rival males. As they compete with sideward blows of their heads, a secondary distinction is made evident: while still lanky-looking, males' necks are far thicker and more muscled than the disproportionally thin necks of the females to better wield their weaponry. While older males lead small groups of females and their young, adolescent and subadult males form small bachelor herds of up to a half-dozen once they leave their mothers' care, honing their skills in combat by testing and sparring with one another.

Hightowers range across most of the territory of both the northhounds and southhounds, and while they are too large for the small-prey specialist northhounds to tackle, they are among the various wild game that are hunted for subsistence by the various southhound populations, who typically target them by the watering hole and strike while the hightowers are forced to awkwardly bend over to drink, a period where they are most vulnerable. This has found its way into southhound vernacular, primarily the plainmanes, who use the term "a bending tallbeast" to refer to one who makes themselves an easy target, and whose folklore include tales of how the hightowers long ago dared to stretch their necks higher than the heavens and were thus punished for their arrogance and hubris by the ruling cloud-spirits to forever thirst for water they cannot reach with ease.

--------

[adarkrainbow]

Taking a break from the notes about the "traditional" brothers Grimm fairytales. I am still looking at notes today - but about the deleted fairytales of the Grimms, those removed from their first editions! I unfortunately do not have the notes of every single one of them (Nothing about "The summer garden and the winter garden" for example) but there's still some interesting things.

The nightingale and the slow-worm (Von der Nachtigall und der Blindschleiche). Fairytale type AT 234. Removed from the second edition because it has a direct French origin - it was a translation by Jacob Grimm of a story found on M. Legier du Loirets' 1808 "Traditions et usages de la Sologne".

The hand with the knife. Removed from the second edition for a dual reason. A) The gratuitous violence of the tale that could shock children (the Grimms went by the idea that cruelty was allowed in their fairytales as long as there was a reason for it) B) Its foreign origin, as it was taken out of the "Essays on the superstition of the highlanders of Scotland" by Anne Grant.

How children played at being the butcher. Removed from the second edition due to Achim von Arnim telling them how inappropriate it was - despite Wilhelm Grimm defending the story by explaining his own mother told it to him as a kid, and it warned him of being careful when playing with other children. Ironically, this fairytale seems to have been inspired by a text written by Achim von Arnim for the Berliner Adendblätter. The oldest record of the incident at the core of this story can be found in a 16th century almanach by Jörg Wickram, 1555's Rollwagenbüchlen. Achim von Arnim reused the same elements for his novel The guardians of the crown (Die Kronenwächter).

Death and the goose herder. Removed in 1819 because it was too allegorical, and it has a baroque origin - it was inspired by a tale of Georg Philipp Harsdörffer titled Der betraffte Diebstal.

Puss in boots. Fairytale type 545 A. Removed from the second edition due to being too close to the literary fairytale of Perrault, though it clearly influenced the fairytale "The poor miller boy and the small cat". The motif of the tricking of the antagonist can also be found back in "The imp in the bottle".

The serviette, the bag, the canon-hat and the horn. Fairytale type AT 569. Removed from 1819 onward due to being too simlar to the fairytale "The bag, the small hat and the small horn". Also echoes "The donkey with two salads".

The strange feast. Fairytale type 334. Removed from the third edition due to being too similar to "Herr Godfather". It bears strong similarities to "Frau Trude".

Hans the idiot (Hans Dumm). Fairytale type AT 652. The fairytale seems to have been removed because it was inspired by Christoph Martin Wieland's "Prevonte oder die Wünsche", which itself was inspired by French fairytales such as those of madame d'Aulnoy.

Bluebeard. AT 311-312. Deleted from 1819 onward due to being too similar to the tale of Perrault. The Grimm were convinced that the term "Blaubart" was a traditional nickname for a very bearded man, noting that a deformed, half-mad carpenter apprentice in Kassel was nicknamed Blaubart. They were convinced that a Blaubart was just a man with a very dark, black beard, and that the fairytale evoked to the motif of leprosy being healed by bathing in the blood of virgin maidens - they said it was the "only" way to explain the cruelty of the fairytale. Motifs of the story are found back in "Fitcher's Bird" and "Mary's Child".

Hurleburlebutz. Removed from the second edition due to being too similar to "The iron stove".

The ogre (Der Okerlo). Fairytale type 313. Deleted from the second edition due to being too similar to madame d'Aulnoy's "The orange-tree and the bee". The term "Okerlo" was identified by the Grimms as being derived from the French "ogre" and the Italian "huorco" - through today people think it comes from the diminutive "ogrelet" that madame d'Aulnoy invented. Motifs of this deleted fairytale can be found back in "Sweetheart Roland", "Fundervogel" and "The devil with three golden hair", while the final rhyme reminds of "Dat Erdmänneken" and "Hans gets married".

Princess Mouse-skin. AT 510 B. Removed from the second edition due to looking too much like Perrault's Donkey-Skin. Its motifs can be found back in "The goose-girl at the well" and "All-kinds-of-fur".

The pear does not want to fall. AT 2030 D + E. It was a song from Switzerland, that the Grimms linked to their "The death of the small hen" and "The small flea and the small lice". They also linked it to a folk-song of Jewish origin collected in Arnim and Brentano's Des Knaben Wunderhorn. It was probably deleted due to being the only verse-tale of the book.

The castle of murders. AT 311-312. Deleted from the second edition due to being too close to Bluebeard, and due to being Dutch in origin. It was relegated to the notes of "Fitcher's Bird.

Vom Schreiner und Drechsler. AT 575. Removed due to being too fragmentary.

The three sisters. AT 302. Jacob Grimm deemed it the worst fairytale of their collection. It was borrowed from Musäus own collection of märchen, and they deemed it lacked "the freshness of an oral tale" - hence why they deleted it.

The faithful animals. AT 560. Deleted from the 7th edition due to its oriental origin: it was a translation (published in 1804) of the Mongol Siddhi-Kür. The Grimms linked it to "The two brothers" and "The white snake".

The crows. Removed from the fifth edition due to being "too precious in style" - the Grimms linked it to a tale from Pauli's Schimpf und Ernst.

The lazy man and the hard-worker. AT 451 + 425 A-C + 613. Deleted from the second edition due to feeling too artificial. To be compared to "The seven ravens".

The wolf and the frog. AT 440. Probably deleted due to looking too much like other fairytales of the book, such as "The white bride and the black bride".

The soldier and the carpenter. The Grimms deleted it from the second edition because, despite having "some good and fabulous elements", it felt too lacking in some places and too confused in others.

The Wild Man. Removed from the sixth edition by another version of the same story - "Iron-John/Eisenhans".

The children during the famine. Inspired by Johannes Praetorius, it was deleted from the second edition due to being more of a legend than a märchen, and too cruel.

"Die heilige Frau Kummernis", Saintly Lady Affliction. From a tale of Andreas Strobl (Ovum paschale). Removed from the second edition due to being too much of a legend.

The misfortune (Das Unglück). AT 947. Taken from the Wendunmuth of Kirchhof (Tale of a man who went to the forest). Deleted from the seventh edition due to being too Oriental in origin, replaced by the story "The moon".

The trial of the peas. AT 704. Only published in the fifth edition, and removed from the 6th due to being too inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's own Prindsessan paa aerten - The princess and the pea.

The robber and his sons. AT 953 + 1137. Deleted from the last edition of the book due to its foreign origin: it is the translation of a medieval tale, from a 15th century manuscript, published by Moritz Haupt in "Altdeutsche Blätter", and clearly inspired by the legend of Polyphemus.

[sfthbattleroyale]

Best Luke character, round 1 (poll 166)

Desc:

1. Poppy's Dad is a sheep herder on the Orkneys and gets pissed off at the Lighthouse Intern for turning off the light because his sheep can't shit without the light. His wife run off years ago with a handsome captain. He, like Clint, doesn't fucking know how family trees work and thought the result of his wife's affair is his half-son.

2. Marty Sr. is the loving father of Marty Jr., despite the fact that his child is a fucking psycho who commited matricide and burned down his place of work before dying of cancer.

[the-victor-brothers]

Two Fanarts (FW and CB) in two different holidays: Independence Day (Fourth of July) and Tanabata (a Japanese holiday). I know both of these two holidays were already passed a month ago - 4th of July and Tanabata (July 7th), but it’s better late than never.

Hope you had a good Independence Day - Mine was good because my family and I went out to stay at my brother’s house for Independence Day/Summer vacation. ;)

1. FW in Independence Day/4th of July theme:

Victor F and Elsa were watching at the fireworks together, while they were both sitting on a picnic blanket outside (Yep, Elsa’s hand placed on Victor F’s hand). The rest of the kids (Bob, Nassor, Toshiaki, Weird Girl, and Edgar) were also watching at the fireworks. The children were amazed to see the fireworks on Independence Day night. (As for the dogs, Sparky and Persephone, they were inside at Victor F’s house together (after all, some dogs can be scared with fireworks)).

Pardon the picnic blanket - I tried my best while I looked up on a pattern for references. I also looked over the 4th of July picnic and fireworks for references from online. As for Elsa and Victor F’s Summer clothings - they were referenced from children’s vintage clothings (mostly 1950’s) that I looked up from online.

2. CB in Tanabata theme:

Victor VD and Victoria were watching the stars together at night - they were at the bridge outside from town. They were so amazed that they saw two big, bright stars together - represent Vega and Altair (Orihime and Hikoboshi).

Tanabata (meaning “Star Festival”) is a Japanese holiday that celebrates every seventh day on a seventh month (July 7). It was originated from a Japanese myth, Orihime and Hikoboshi (Vega and Altair) - about two lovers who were separated by the Milky Way (so, you can say that the couple were “star-crossed” lovers). So, every July 7th, the princess and the cow herder can reunite together by crossing the bridge (made by magpies) once a year. In tradition, people in Japan write their own wishes on colored papers, and then hang them on bamboo trees. The paper wishes were called “tanzaku.”

Even though these CB characters lived in Europe (England), I’m imagining that Victor VD and Victoria both read the tale of “Orihime and Hikoboshi” from the book of Japanese myths and folklores. Then much later on, they both go out at the bridge to look at the stars at night - to see the stars of Vega and Altair (And how about that? A Victorian couple were on a bridge to watch the stars - while the Japanese legend mentioned the bridge for a star-crossed lovers to across the Milky Way. Get the picture when it comes with bridges?).

Originally the background’s stars (in white) were going to be in different shapes and sizes - tiny dots and star shapes (small and large). However, I didn’t wanted the background’s stars to be mistaken as snowflakes. Then, much later on, I upgraded the background into a Starry -Night style (referenced from Vincent Van Gogh’s “Starry Night” - and even the “Cafe Terrace at Night” ) with few different colors (white, light blue, dark blue, and yellow).

Done with drawing pencils, art markers (Prismacolor, Copic, Fabre-Castell), color pencils, ink pens (including ink brush pen), and Posca markers. Enjoy.

[zeronetxt]

my exceptions as an aroace dude

except they're all 2d

1. Jason freaking Todd

Man can cure my issues. please. let me get him pregnant dc. LET HIM BE QUEER BRO.

but fr, i just like tall guys

2. Mister Sebastian Moran

yet again. DADDY ISSUES.

idc that he's 35/38 and theres no evidence that supports him liking men but I DONT CARE.

also TALL MAN AGAIN I CAN CLIMB HIM LIKE A TREE

3. Albert James Moriarty

obviously i am in my mtp phase bc of these characters but meh hes attractive idc

i am a SUCKER. FOR GREEN EYES.

4. James Bonde

bro can be my bf pls i can be whatever he wants

but fr he makes me so happy bc REPRESENT

if you hate that he became a guy dni you're not invited to my tea party

5. MISTER. TECCHOU. SUEHIRO.

i'm not a furry but

WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF WOOF

TALL MAN WITH MESSY LONG HAIR

"FOR FIVE MINUTES I WILL PLACE JOUNO ABOVE JUSTICE"

silly x can almost kill me and i love that

ant watching would be so real if i wasnt afraid of ants

i have more points but damn im alr so gone

6. Chuuya Nakahara

...i also like redheads (RANGA RANGA RANGA RANGA)

7. Ranpo Edogawa

green eyes yet again

also he's smart and i like smart

8. Nikolai Gogol

hes interesting and biteable

idk how to defend myself with this one-

i cant for any of these anyway

9. Kouyou Ozaki

...she's pretty okay

also powerful

i like that in a woman

she most def won't take any shit from anyone

10. Sherlock Holmes and William James Moriarty

Them together bc i cant even

i just want to admire them idec

11. Louis James Moriarty

ngl quiet ones PLS

the glasses

12. Jouno Saigiku

it's jouno what do you want me to say?

13. Yosano Akiko

girlboss gaslight gatekeep

14. Von Herder

...sorry idk it might be the blindfold for me

strangely not gojo tho

15. Sukuna

i am NOT expanding on this

i dont even know if i have any more so there are those ones i might make a pt2 if i want to idk

also i actually am aroace, soemwhere on the spectrum at least bc i appreciate peoples beauty and shit ig