#wooden cabin winter couple art

[almaadst]

Commission for my sweet @kittifer (❁´◡`❁) Sanda from Prince of Tennis and her self-insert ♡ POV from the window to show contrast in temperature was a cool challenge! Also, I tried to use a different, thinner lineart brush and I think it looks better now ^^ Other: Commission info Kara and Revan Kuvira and Sayi

PLEASE DO NOT REPOST WITHOUT MY or OWNER PERMISSION

[fortheloveofwonderland]

Midnight | Chapter 12 | SR

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Chapter Summary - after arriving in Crested Butte, things seem like they might finally be getting better between you and Spencer. But when Spencer meets a beautiful, young local, can he resist temptation?

Pairing - unsub! Spencer Reid / Fem! Reader

Category - dark angst | smut | very eventual happy ending

Warnings - brief mention of oral (m receiving) and brief mention of penetrative sex, a surprising amount of fluff, swearing.

WC - 4.4k

Chapter 12 - Better Than This

By the time you finally arrived in Crested Butte, Colorado it felt like an entire lifetime had passed since you left DC. You’d changed so much as a person in that time you weren’t sure you even recognised yourself anymore. 

Somewhere along the drive from Albuquerque Spencer had detoured off into the mountains where you watched from the car while he dug a hole in the middle of the forest and buried the body of Duncan Green. 

You’d made another stop at a pay-by-the-hour motel in which you’d showered and changed into clean clothes. And maybe during the course of cleaning yourselves up you’d found yourself on your knees for him, worshipping him with your mouth, despite the fact he didn’t deserve it. 

Driving up through the small town of Crested Butte you found yourself in awe of the quaint little place. It was nestled right into the base of the town's namesake mountains, this time of year lacking their winter snow but they were no less breathtaking. 

You drove down Elk Avenue, the town’s main street just as the sun was beginning to set. The dainty street was lined with wooden buildings of every colour of the rainbow, with eccentric signs promoting each business. Benches and trees periodically lined the kerbside and a few people meandered the street but very few cars were around. 

Spencer slowed the Nissan so the two of you could take it all in. The place was free of any big corporate chains, opting for that small town charm you found in really rural parts of America. Boutique storefronts boosted names such as Townie Books, Milky Way Boutique, Scouts General Store and the Oh-Be-Joyful art gallery. 

You spotted at least five coffee shops, with equally cutesy names, a breakfast diner called McGill’s, a surprising array of restaurants including Garlic Mike’s and Uley’s Cabin and Ice Bar and an even more impressive selection of bars. It was a small community, the kind of place where you assumed everybody knew each other’s business. Maybe not the best place for two criminals to hide out, but you could only hope Spencer knew what he was doing.

But as if reading your mind he inhaled sharply with a shake of his head. 

“Jesus Christ, everyone is looking at us.” 

“It’s like being under a microscope.” You agreed. 

“We’ll just have to be on our best behaviour, Rose.” He shot you a sideways glance. 

He turned up 4th Street which thankfully didn’t have as many onlookers and was soon taking a right onto Gothic Avenue. He pulled the Nissan to a stop outside the house at the very end of the road, shut off the engine and jumped out of the car. With a roll of your eyes, you followed him. 

He grabbed your bags and led you to the front gate. Your heart swelled in your chest as you took in the facade of the newly renovated cabin, secluded at the end of the street. 

A little cobbled path led to the house, with a neatly trimmed lawn either side. The house itself was made of rustic, dark wood, with a couple of stone steps leading up to the front porch with two rocking chairs side by side and a cute little window complete with a flower box with some beautiful red flowers blooming inside it. 

There was a black metal lockbox next to the front door which Spender tapped a code into and fished out the keys sheathed inside. He handed them to you and motioned for you to do the honours. You felt a surge of excitement and couldn’t hold back the grin from your face as you took them from him and eagerly slotted them in the front door.

The door opened into the cosy living room with hardwood floors and an exposed brick fireplace which were strangely juxtaposed against the large flat screen TV hanging on the wall. All the furnishings were miss matched which you found extremely endearing, no two cushions were the same, let alone the couches and chairs. 

To the right of the door was the open plan kitchen which was decked out with all new appliances, marble countertops and a huge double fridge. Out the back of the kitchen was the dining room with a low hanging chandelier over the table which you didn’t think would look out of place in an Arthurian castle. A bathroom was off to the side and another living room out the back, this one was much more modern yet still kept with the miss matched furniture theme. 

You followed the staircase behind the dining room up to the first floor and quickly located the master bedroom. By this point your mouth was hanging open in awe. The bedroom was large and light and airy, all white painted wood with a sloping ceiling but was still tall enough for Spencer, at just over six feet tall, to stand without hindrance. The bed was a huge king sized, with the softest looking sheets and big fluffy pillows. The light grey carpet was plush and you couldn’t wait to run your toes through it.

On one side was a built-in wardrobe and a door leading to a very modern en-suite. On the other side was a large grey armchair and double doors leading out to the first floor patio area. You ambled forward, looking much like a kid in a candy shop and pushed open the doors. 

The patio overlooked the garden and you estimated by the placement that it most likely got sun for most of the day, not that it was warm enough in Crested Butte in spring to sunbathe. It had a couple of wicker couches with more miss matched cushions lining them and a little glass coffee table. On the far side was a spiral staircase that led down to the neat backyard, which had a raised decking with more garden furniture and a fairly decent sized hot tub. 

From the first floor you had the most perfect view of the sprawling Crested Butte mountains as far as the eye could see. Your heart yearned for this place, like for the first time in your life you could breathe easily. You immediately felt at peace here, maybe you had finally found your way home. It was as though someone had plucked your ideal home straight from your brain and made it a reality. It was a flawless recreation of all your hopes and dreams. 

Spencer dumped the bags on the floor in the bedroom and watched you curiously from the doorway. He folded his arms across his chest and leant against the doorjamb while he watched the back of your head. Somehow he already knew you were smiling. 

When you turned to him, the tears behind your eyes were immediately noticeable but your lips were turned up into the brightest smile you’d ever seen. 

“How did you know?” You croaked, not daring to walk over to him.

“You’re kidding right?” He chuckled with a shake of his head. “For as long as I’ve known you, you’ve talked about living off the grid, in some backwater town where everybody knows your name. Quaint, you used that word a lot. Rustic. I remember once or twice you mentioned the Gilmore Girls?”

Your smile grew and you had to fight back the tears.

“You found me my very own Stars Hollow.” You felt so emotional that Spencer would do this for you. You’d genuinely started to think he didn’t care about you and that your presence was a burden to him. But how many men would do this for you? 

“Yeah, well don’t read too much into it.” He rolled his eyes. “You know it's great for me too because it's close to a ton of other states so I have a wealth of targets and small town charm has its appeal.” 

“You found me my own Stars Hollow.” You repeated as you started towards him across the patio. 

He dropped his arms to his sides but his back went rigid, a frown forming on his brow.

“What are you doing?” He grumbled when you were suddenly throwing your arms around his neck and pulling him into your body.

“It’s called a hug, Spence.” You giggled, and god if he hadn’t heard you made that sound in so long. 

It melted him, truly turned him into a puddle and he couldn’t help but wrap his arms around you in return and hold you close. He breathed you in, mesmerised by the way you felt tucked in his embrace like you’d belonged there all along. It felt so much like old times and maybe Spencer hadn’t completely ruined things with you after all. 

This town, this cabin had been another way for him to show his gratitude towards you when he had such a hard time expressing it with words. And seeing how happy it made you caused his heart to explode in his chest. You deserved so much better than he’d been offering you lately. Something had to change. 

When you pulled back to look at him, you both kept your arms around each other and the way Spencer was looking at you was different to anyway he’d looked at you as of late. His smile reached all the way to his eyes and if you weren’t mistaken, he looked almost bashful. It was a side of him you hadn’t seen in so long and so you couldn’t help but get up on your tiptoes and place a soft kiss to his lips. 

He hummed into the kiss, large hands flush on your back and he used his tongue to tentatively part your lips. The kiss deepened but it wasn't so animalistic and frantic as usual, he was soft and almost shy, his hands not hungrily pawing at your body like you were used to. 

You gently moved the two of you further into the room until Spencer’s legs hit the bed. He pulled away from your lips and looked down with a doe-eyes stare. 

You smiled at him and nodded, motioning for him to get on the bed. He swallowed and bent down to remove the Colt from his boot, setting it on the nightstand before kicking his shoes off. He lowered himself to the mattress and shuffled up the bed until his back was against the pillows. 

He seemed nervous, such a strange change in character to the way he’d been the other times you’d been in this position. He was giving over full control to you and for once he didn’t care. 

You crawled on the bed and into his lap, knees either side of his thighs. You could feel his erection pressing between your legs but he wasn’t grinding against you or rushing you to get undressed. His hands found purchase on your hips but it wasn’t his typical firm grip, his fingers brushing lightly against your shirt. 

His lips were slightly parted, as if waiting for another kiss. You bowed your head closer to him to offer him what he wanted, and once again the kiss was much less hurried than you were used to. Spencer seemed to want to explore every inch of your mouth with his tongue, languidly venturing to commit every corner to memory. 

You placed your hands against his chest while his fingers started to knead your sides. You could feel his heart beating beneath your palm. It felt somewhat erratic. 

“Are you ok?” You whispered against his lips. 

“Very much so.” He replied just as softly. 

“Your heart is racing.” You giggled again and felt his heart actually skip a beat. 

“Because I want to tell you how much you mean to me, but I don’t know how.” He pulled back and looked deep into your eyes. “I’m…I…”

You noticed his hesitance, you knew what he wanted to say but you knew how hard it was for him. You cupped his face and stroked his cheek lovingly. 

“How about, you’re my partner in crime?” You smiled softly at him. “That can be our own little way of saying it without actually saying it.” 

He mused on it for a second, rolling his lip between his teeth before he started to nod.

“I like that.” His hand found its way to the back of your neck. “My partner in crime.”

Using his hold on your neck he pulled you close and kissed you again. Piece by piece your clothes landed on the floor until you were both naked and you were straddling his lap once more. 

You ran your fingers briefly over the uncovered wound on his abdomen, the first time you’d seen his crude stitch work. He didn’t seem to mind, offering you a slightly melancholy smile as you did so. 

This time when you had sex it was so different from the others. Spencer let you set the pace as you rode him and he looked at you with so much love in his eyes you thought you might burst. It was slow and sensual, like you had all the time in the world. 

After you both came he immediately pulled you into his arms and placed tender kisses on your head muttering over and over again, my partner in crime. 

Eventually you both fell asleep like this in your beautiful little cabin, wrapped up in a blissful blanket or adoration. Maybe you’d both finally found what you’d been searching for. Maybe together you’d found a home. 

***

The following morning Spencer woke you up by placing kisses on your neck. The two of you had sex before you’d barely opened your eyes and it was equally as sweet and sensual as it had been last night. 

You showered together in your en-suite and all the while he couldn’t take his eyes off of you and he had a dreamy smile on his lips. 

After you walked into the town hand in hand. The sun was shining but it was bitterly cold, you’d need to invest in some big sweaters or something if Spencer planned on staying here. 

He took you for breakfast at McGill’s. It was a tall, narrow turquoise building with large front windows which let the sun shine through. The two storey building was already packed with townspeople. 

A friendly older man who’s name badge announced him as Fred seated you on one of the last free tables downstairs and took your breakfast orders. Spencer held your hand across the table and still the smile couldn’t be wiped from his face. 

“This is how I pictured it.” He spoke after your coffee was brought over. 

“Pictured what?” You used your free hand to pick up your mug and take a sip. 

The coffee was like liquid heaven as it passed your lips, as if this place couldn’t get any better. It warmed your insides as it made its way down, the way Spencer was looking at you warmed your heart. 

“This. Us.” He shrugged and you swore you saw a light blush creep to his cheeks.

It was a complete one eighty from the Spencer you’d come to know recently. Just yesterday he’d been violently fucking you over the hood of the car and today he like being with a different person. This was the sweet and dorky Spencer Reid you’d worked with at the BAU, the one you’d called your best friend. 

“You thought about us? Like more than friends?” You dared to ask and his blush seemed to deepen.

“Sometimes.” He admitted. “Sometimes I wondered what it could be like. This is pretty close to how I imagined it.” 

“Me too.” You agreed. 

Your food was brought over soon after and you ate in relative silence while shooting each other the occasional smile. After breakfast you stocked up on supplies at Scout’s General Store which from the outside you thought looked more like a school or community hall. 

According to the little hanging sign in the window it was only open Wednesdays to Sundays. It sold most everything the two of you could need for the time being, all your grocery essentials which were locally sourced, it even stocked clothes, gift cards and jewellery. The one thing it didn’t seem to sell was alcohol. 

You filled up a trolley of goods, taking note of the high prices of the artisan goods and wondering if you wouldn’t have been better to drive out of town and find a Walmart. But Spencer didn’t seem phased. 

When you ambled over to the single checkout, the girl in her twenties, with fire engine red hair, didn’t even notice your presence. She was sitting cross legged on the chair behind the counter, a magazine open in her lap which her eyes were trained on. You and Spencer and exchanged a glance and he shrugged and started unloading the groceries onto the counter. 

Her eyes suddenly snapped up, bright green and large, and landed straight on Spencer. You watched the way those eyes grazed him up and down before landing back on his face and her lip quirked into a smile. 

“Well hello there.” She pushed herself to her feet, not even so much as glancing at you. “You must be new in town. I’d surely recognise a face like that.” 

Spencer pulled that tight lipped smile you knew meant he was uncomfortable as she started ringing up the items and he grabbed a few paper bags. 

“Uh yeah, arrived last night.” He nodded. 

“You look like a city boy. What brings you to a place like Crested Butte?” She kept her eyes on him and didn’t even glance down at the groceries.

City boy? You frowned to yourself. He looks like a teacher's assistant. 

“Uh, just, uh…travelling.” He shrugged awkwardly. 

“Travelling, huh?” The girl repeated like she’d never heard of the concept before. “Well welcome to our little mountain paradise. I’m Mary.” 

“Sp…” he started but quickly corrected himself. “Andrew.” 

“And I’m Rose.” You cleared your throat as you spoke. “His wife.” 

Mary glanced up at you finally, scrutinising you a little before looking back at Spencer. 

“Huh.” She shrugged. “Nice to meet you, Andrew.” 

You rolled your eyes and decided not to let it bother you. If you let yourself get annoyed by every woman who was attracted to Spencer you’d spend your whole life frustrated. 

Mary finished ringing up the items and Spencer handed her some cash, all the while looking a little like a deer in headlights. Sure Mary was cute, animated eyes, a little button nose and pouty lips. But she had to be almost half Spencer’s age, you were almost embarrassed for her. 

“I, uh, noticed you didn’t sell any alcohol here?” Spencer took the change from Mary and pocketed it. 

“You’ll have to go to Mountain Spirits just down the road.” She smiled at him and you saw Spencer swallow.

“Th-thanks.” He scooped up the bags but kept staring at the young redhead. 

You rolled your eyes and pushed him by his shoulder. 

“It’s time to leave, honey.” You spat, ushering him towards the door. 

Maybe you should have been worried. Maybe you should have considered that just because Spencer seemed smitten with you now, it was only a few days ago you caught him making out with that blonde in Edwardsville. Would you even have a right to be annoyed? Your rings were simply for show and apart from being partners in crime, the two of you weren’t strictly partners in any other aspect. 

You weren’t his girlfriend, you most certainly weren’t his wife, so what if Spencer dabbled in a little harmless flirting, if that was even what it was. Mary was not a threat, at least you didn’t think so. 

But you didn’t take into account how rapidly Spencer was able to shift between his two personalities, and that just because he seemed like the old Spencer now, it didn’t mean it would last. And you’d find yourself on the receiving end of his darker persona once more, a lot sooner than you would think. 

***

Townie Books, the olive green building just across the street from Scout’s General Store doubled as the Rumours Coffee and Tea House. Spencer had been thrilled to find they had a bookstore in town and couldn’t wait to check it out. 

You’d opted to stay at the cabin, with a nice glass of red wine you’d picked up from Mountain Spirits on the first floor balcony while Spencer strolled back into town. 

He was busy perusing the aisle, running his fingers along book spines and relishing in the smell of old books you rarely found these days. He was a little lost in the displays, and so he didn’t notice he was being watched until he turned from one rack towards another and found a large pair of startling green eyes staring back at him. 

“I pegged you as a book lover.” Mary’s eyes sparkled at him as she leant back against the shelves, looking him up and down. 

“You met me for all of five minutes, how could you have possibly pegged me as a book lover in that time?” He folded his arms across his chest, returning her scrutiny. 

“I’m really good at reading people. No pun intended.” Her lip quirked at her own bad joke. 

Oh sweetheart, you have no idea, he thought to himself. 

He’d profiled her with ease the minute he met her. Oldest of many siblings, which was why she was able to concentrate so hard on her magazine and distance herself from what was going on around her. Daddy issues, that was a given in the way she was clearly interested in a man much older than her. Maybe an abusive father, certainly absent. Mother was emotionally unavailable, probably working long hours to try and make ends meet for all her kids, leaving Mary to pick up the slack and take care of her younger siblings. 

Attention starved, she dyed her hair red in an attempt to get people just to notice her. The tattoo he could see peeking out of the top of her shirt on her collarbone only went to further prove that point. She projected confidence to hide the fact she was deeply insecure and desperately lonely. 

“Huh, you don’t say.” He nodded. 

“So,” she glanced around for a moment or two. “Where’s your wife?” 

“At the cabin.” He tried to hide his smirk. 

“If I had a husband who looked like you, I wouldn’t let him out alone.” 

Spencer felt a stirring in his groin, he couldn’t help it, he was only human and she was beautiful. 

“Duly noted.” He replied, the smirk starting to spread to his lips. “So you seem well informed, what’s there to do around here on a Saturday night?” 

“There’s a surprising amount of bars around here, but my favourite is the Wooden Nickel.” She shrugged, puffing out her chest a little and causing Spencer’s eyes to glance down at her cleavage. 

He swallowed and tried to focus himself. 

“And why is that?” 

“I work there.” She shrugged again. 

“You work there and at the grocery store?”

“Sometimes I help out here too. I’m saving up to get my ass outta here.” 

“Fair enough.” Spencer nodded, trying not to think too much about her ass now she’d put that idea in his head. 

“So I’ll be working tonight, maybe you can come and keep me company?” She took a step forward and reached for him, her long nail grazing the under side of his stubbly chin. “With or without your wife.” 

With a wink sent his way, she was suddenly turning and sauntering away and she knew he was staring at her ass as she went. Spencer fell back against the bookshelves, heart racing against his chest and a semi growing in his pants. 

He owed you so much more than this and he knew it. But he also knew he was weak and he was almost certain, given half the chance he would most defintely fuck that beautiful, young red head into oblivion. 

He watched her go, feeling light headed with arousal, knowing he was playing with fire. It was wrong for him to even be thinking such things and you deserved better than he was giving you. If he kept on like this it was only a matter of time before he lost you for good.

You were his partner in crime, he’d never forgive himself if he pushed you away but pushing you away was sometimes easier than loving you. He needed to make a change, he needed to love you better than this before he ran out of apologises and you walked away forever. 

But fuck if Mary wasn’t so goddamn tantalising. 

Wide awake on the couch,

Don't know what we're fightin' 'bout.

This isn't the first time,

Said some things I didn't mean,

Acting like we're seventeen.

I hate making you cry.

Running out of times to apologize. 

I need to love you better than this,

What am I doin'?

One more slip and I'm gonna lose you,

I got to get my shit together and love you better, yeah.

Better before you change your mind and slam the front door,

Leave me behind,

And I think I'd hate myself forever.

I need to love you better than this,

'Cause there's nothing better than this, no.

Swear to God, I'll get it right,

Won't turn my best into a lie.

I'll pay more attention,

I don't want all of this.

To turn into what could've been,

A chance at redemption.

Runnin' out of times to apologize.

I need to love you better than this,

What am I doin'?

One more slip and I'm gonna lose you,

I got to get my shit together and love you better, yeah.

Better before you change your mind and slam the front door,

Leave me behind,

And I think I'd hate myself forever.

I need to love you better than this, ooh yeah,

'Cause there's nothing better than this, no.

Shadows on the ceiling,

Like I'm upside down and feeling.

Like I don't even know me at all.

Waiting for permission,

To be everything I'm missing,

Isn't the way I planned this at all.

I need to love you better than this,

What am I doin'?

One more slip and I'm gonna lose you,

I got to get my shit together and love you better, yeah.

Better before you change your mind and slam the front door,

Leave me behind,

And I think I'd hate myself forever.

I need to love you better than this, ooh yeah,

'Cause there's nothing better than this.

No, no, no, no,

I wanna love you better than this,

Ooh yeah, ooh, there's nothing better than this, no.

I need to love you better than this.

@muffin-cup @andiebeaword @measure-in-pain @takeyourleap-of-faith @ssa-uglywhore27 @bubblebuttwade @jay-2s-world @thebloomingeagle @daddy-dotcom @dreatine @this-is-doctor-and-its-calm @matthew-gray-gubler-lover @justreadingficsdontmindme @spencer-reid-wonderland

[josiebelladonna]

kinkmas | black moon | day twenty-one

chapter title: “la mer”

pairing: alex skolnick x fem!oc

tags: intimate drawing

ao3 link | kinktober/sister piece “eclipse”

minors dni and make art, not tiktoks ❄️💋❄️💋

Christine pushed open the bedroom door, only to reveal the small but cozy art studio in lieu of the front part of the cabin. The whole entire room smelled of freshly furbished wood with a faint lick of turpentine: whoever used the room before must have used it for oil painting, she figured.

She took a step inside of the room, and she took a glimpse up to the angular ceiling as well as the witching window high up above her head. To her right stood a chaise lounge with crushed dark red velvet, the color of red wine, as well as a couple of accompanying black velvet pillows with red and gold trimming along the sides. To the left stood a big wooden table with a large sheet of paper plastered across the surface.

The door behind her swung open once more: she stepped forth and turned around, and there was Alex wrapped in a soft, plush bright blue bathrobe. The crown of his black hair dripped soaking wet, and he smelled clean and fresh, as if he had just stepped out of the shower.

“Hey,” he greeted her.

“Hi,” she returned the favor, and she showed him a smile. “You ready?”

“Ready when you are, my little snow bunny.” He flashed her a wink before he stepped on over to the chaise, albeit with a bit of a sashay to his hips. Christine snickered at the sight of him.

“Is that my robe?” she asked him.

“You tell me,” he teased her as he stopped before the chaise with both hands on the tie belt. Christine made her way over to the table, and she felt those tight jeans on her thighs and her waist once more.

“I see you’re wearing my pants again,” he quipped to her: she took a glimpse down and, besides the white smock wrapped around her body, she was in fact wearing his jeans, and they were as tight as ever around the lower part of her body. She raised her gaze right as he stuck his tongue out at her. She cracked him a sweet little smile, and she stepped behind the far edge of the table only to find boxes of pencils, pens, erasers, and all manner of supplies underneath the tabletop.

She raised her gaze for a moment for a look out the window off to her left: the sun had already risen over the shortest day of the year, and yet there was something else out there that she couldn’t quite understand. She stepped on over to the windowpane for a look out to the snowpack out there on the pavement and the hillsides, but beyond the hillsides, rather than see the apple orchard or anything else like it out there, stood a vast field of rich royal blue. They had moved over to the side of the ocean within a manner of seconds: she took a second look out there only to find that the snow had in fact reached the beaches down below.

A little touch of inspiration before she doubled back to the table for a pencil and a fresh white eraser. Alex stood at the foot of the chaise with his hands still on the belt of the robe and his hair still dripping wet and tightly curled all around the crown of his head.

“Let’s make hay while the sun shines,” she told him. “It’s the solstice after all.”

He closed his eyes and sighed through his nose. She could feel his tension.

“Alex, it’s okay,” she assured him as she leaned over the sheet of paper stretched across the table before her. “It’s me. No one else here but you and me.”

He opened his eyes again, those deep peacock blues as deep and voluminous as the mother ocean out there beyond the snowpack and the hillsides, as cold and crisp as the kiss of winter, as soulful and beautiful as the winter sky after a hearty snowfall. He untied his belt, and he opened his robe to show off his naked body. Those few extra pounds from the eight nights of Hanukkah made the whole world of difference for her as they added a slight curve to his middle: not a prominent curve, but one that accentuated the shape of his hips as well as the sinewy nature of his thighs. His legs were long and shapely but rather spindly: she would rather his legs stayed long and slender, however. Her eyes moved up to his waist, still very slender but with that delicate little curve around his belly button and his hipbones. He had a deep, slightly broad chest and light little nipples that, upon her looking, she thought about running her fingers around the rims: he had done the exact same to her, after all.

As he slung the robe over the far side of the chaise, she eyed his arms: like his legs, they were long and lanky and with the right amount of tone to them. His slender shoulders and shapely neck sealed the deal for her with his body, while his slightly bowed head and little round face gave her that extra dose of comfort in there.

“Have a seat,” she told him with a gesture to the cushions behind him.

“How do you want me to lay—with my feet up?” he asked her as he took his spot there before her.

“Yeah, put your left leg up so—”

“You just want a good view of the family jewels, don’t you,” he teased her.

“Something a little—you know, dynamic, sensual—something to stimulate the mind’s eye once it lays upon you.” She showed him a little smile as she leaned over the far edge of the table and held onto the edge with her free hand.

Reluctantly, Alex stretched out his left leg over the cushions, and he leaned back against the arm of the chaise: his wet black curls sprawled over his left shoulder as if to add a bit of an accent to his otherwise milky skin.

“Give me some more hair,” she told him with a gesture to his right shoulder: he moved a few curls to the top of his right shoulder to contrast with his skin.

“How’s that?”

“Are you leaning on the pillows?”

“Yeah.”

“Take one out and kind of put it under your right arm for some support—I see your arms getting tired.”

“These arms are a lot stronger than they look, Chris,” he assured her as he held his lanky arms up on either side of him as if he was showing off his muscles to her.

“I can still see them getting tired, though,” she insisted. He squinted his eyes at her, and then he leaned forward to take one of those pillows out from underneath him. He curled his arm around the head of the pillow, and he leaned back onto his side.

“There you go! Okay—we probably the perfect amount of natural light in here right now.”

Christine reached for her hard pencil, and she almost immediately got to work on drawing Alex’s body. He looked as though he had crashed out on the couch with his one leg extended out before him there on the cushions, and his other leg dangled down to the floor. He was wide open as well: the sunlight reflected on the snow outside which in turn filtered through the window, which in turn bathed his body in soft white light. He had rather soft shadows around the middle of his body as well as his face: those deep eyes softened a great deal, and Christine made out the shape of a slight cleft in his chin. Indeed, she noticed some things about him that she had never noticed before like the way that his gray streak seemed to poke out in the opposite direction with the rest of his hair like a cowlick, the almond shape of his eyes, the small mole on the side of his neck about the size of a pencil eraser, the tender, soft appearance of his belly especially around the lower part, the thickness of his knees in contrast with his long, lanky legs, and the fine bone structure of his feet.

All the while, he held perfectly still for her, complete with a slight pout to his lips as if to accentuate them a bit more all for her. Christine kept the hard pencil in hand as she moved from sketching the basic shape of his body to shading in what she knew to be the right shadows for that time of the morning. But she could sense that something was amiss, especially when the light began to shift a bit.

“Man, you were right,” he said.

“About what?”

“My arms are getting tired,” he noted. “My neck is, too.”

“Well, it’s okay—I'm almost done with the rough shading here. I’ll go back over it with a harder pencil afterwards. How are you feeling, too?”

“Not so nervous, actually,” he assured her. “If anything, I feel a lot more comfortable with myself.”

“Oh, good!”

“I am kinda cold, though. My nose itches like crazy, too.”

“Again, I am almost done here with the basics,” she assured him with a quick glimpse down to the paper: she began to think about which of the darkest spots were and she ran the side of the pencil over those spots once again from his feet up to the arm of the couch.

“I never realized how beautiful of a dick you have,” she remarked as she reached his thighs and his hips, and he shrugged his shoulders.

“It’s not that beautiful. It's a smooth, circumcised dick—what is there to it?”

“It’s so smooth, though,” she said with a quick glimpse up to him again. “It’s like a torpedo.”

“It’s not like your lips, that’s for sure,” he said. She snickered at that, and she moved to the middle of his body.

“It’s only a few pounds,” she assured him.

“A few pounds around the waist,” he grumbled. “It doesn’t feel good, though.”

“I think it’s cute, actually,” she confessed to him as she shaded in his belly button. “I barely notice it, too, such that you have the slightest, most tiniest curve there—like you really have to look at it just to see it.”

“You do feel it, though,” he pointed out.

“I do, yes,” she promised him with a sweet smile on her face. “And it’s quite soft and sweet to feel in my hands.”

She swirled the pencil around the curls over his shoulders some more, and then she held back for one final look before she moved to the darker pencil.

“Okay?” he asked her.

“Yeah. Yeah, you can scratch now.”

“Oh, good!” he groaned out, and he moved his arm out from under the pillow and shook his hand about. She watched him rub his nose and then reach down for a scratch there. She burst out laughing at that in particular.

“I’m a dude, what do you want,” he teased her as he sat up on the chaise and rested his elbows on his bare knees for a second. Christine wasted no time in taking out the soft graphite for a more streamlined look to the drawing as well as the darkest shadows over his body. Alex put the robe back on over his body and he made his way over to the table to watch her.

“Oh, marvelous!” he exclaimed as he held out his hands to the drawing before her.

“You should draw me next,” she suggested, to which he raised his eyebrows at her.

“Oh, I could never do that to you,” he insisted.

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

“Oh, come on, Alex. It's just drawing.”

“But I can’t do it like you can, though,” he insisted. “I mean, you even got my arm veins near my wrists here.” He raised his arms to show off the webs of veins all around his wrists and down his forearms. Christine stepped on over to him for a closer look at his arms, and ultimately, his body. He kept the robe open so she could continue to look on at his body even if he wasn’t technically naked anymore.

“You can at least try,” she pointed out, and then she pressed her hands to her hips, and she treated him to a little sway. “I have nice curves.”

“Indeed, you do,” he told her, and that little smirk returned to his handsome face once more.

“Apparently, you do, too,” she said as she ran her finger down the shape of his hip.

“They’re not yours, but they are—you know, there.” She giggled at him, and he flashed her a wink once more. Christine returned to the drawing once again with that dark pencil still tucked in her fingers.

Alex kept on watching her until the midday sun found its way to spread the low light over the floor before him.

“You know what I could do for you next?” he asked her.

“What’s that?”

“Seeing as we still have a few hours of daylight left and everything—as I made my way in here, I spotted a camera out there in the hallway.”

“Oh, really?” Christine signed her name and added the date along the curve of his right leg, and she held back for him to see for himself.

“You have a beautiful body,” she told him. “Absolutely gorgeous. Creamy and soft like fresh fallen snow. Crisp and decadent like the freshest apple off the tree. Ebbs and flows like the ocean.”

“You know it takes beauty to see it,” he said to her in a low voice.

[svyat0s]

We'll live with you in a small cabin

Hi_from_reality

Art&concept by Ol Albireo Feel free to write your stories and name arts. You also can do not only write, but draw, sing, create music and sculptures, translate into other languages you learn for practicing (and never simplify text when you translate it!). Show us that you did.

“We have winter’s beginning,” said Ad. The atmosphere was relaxing, not having met anyone at the airport, Alon began to smile, looking back. “Let's find a nice place by the sea and start to build a house,” he survived, and now desperately wanted to live. If he saw Aletta now, he would have strangled her again. “Let’s find. In the meantime, we look for it and build it; wewill live in the forest?” “We can. It's great.” The boy sighed. “There are terrible insects which you may be allergic to. Eugene seemed to be boosting your immune system, but you still have to get vaccinated here, and I don't want you to get sick.” They walked through the forest on a paved stone path, Alon was scratching, but he wasn’t sick. “There's a transient on the beach. There we’ll go.” The trees thinned, the sun was sparkling in the azure of the vast water gushed to the couple. The golden sand glowed softly. The ocean was mighty and boundless, filled the whole view far and broadwise. Alon gasped, finally believing that life had finally smiled to him. The man went into the ocean. Warm water soaked the clothes and the shoes. Adcame over with his hands to his lips. Alon lay down on the sand. The waves were rolling, pushing, trying to get Alon into the ocean. Tears welled up in the eyes of the beast, he swallowed, dizzy. Alon sat up, hugged the legs of Ad. “Thank you, thank you,” whispered Alon, he couldn't speak, emotion clenched his throat. “Thank you, my god,” said Ad a little puzzled. “The whole life I’ve been dreaming of living by the sea, thank you for fulfilling my dream,” Alon was poking in the thigh of Ad, hugging him. “The whole life I’ve been searching you, my god,” shrugged Ad. He didn't rush Alon, “Maybe you're gonna undress; it’smore comfortable to swim.” “I don't know how to swim,” Alon smiled sheepishly. “Will you teach me?” Ad smiling nodded. “There's a good place,” the boy said seeing a wooden bungalow in the strip of grass, after the sandy beach. For a slave. AlbireoMKG

[olivia200312]

Valentine's Love~ TFP! Optimus x Human! Reader (Lemon) *Request*

Requested by the lovely @Tianna814193.

Plot: Optimus hears of Valentine's Day for the first time and learns more about what it is thanks to the kids. He wants to do something special for Y/N so he took her to a special place and made love to her ;)

There was no plot nor which Optimus version so I had to choose.

Npte: the art goes to the onwer!

Head area: Brain: Processor / Brain Module Head: Helm Face: Face plate Ears: Audio receptors / Receptor Orifice / Audials Nose: Enstril / Olfactory Sensor Eye brow: Optical Ridge Eyes: Optics Mouth: Intake Lips: Dermas Teeth: Denta/Dentas Tongue: Glossa

Chest area: Chest: Chassis / Thoraxal Cavity Back: Hexa-Lateral Scapula Spine: Bipedalism cord / Back Strut

Chest and back armour: Chest plate Back plate Mid-section plating Neck guard Side plating

Arm area: Arms: Arms / Restarlueus Forearms: Bitarlueus Hands: Servos Fingers: Digits

Arm armour: Gantlets Shoulder pads Arm guard

Lower area: Pelvis: Pelvis Butt: Aft / Skid-Plate Thighs: Tibulen Calves: Cadulen Feet: Pedes - the high heel bits are called Struts or Heel Struts.

Lower armour: Skirt plates Aft plate / Skid plate Thigh guard Ankle guard

General/Internal components: Muscles: Cables / Pistons - It depends on the area in question. Veins: Fual lines Stomach: Tanks Lungs: Vents - used to stop the con/bot from over heating. Heart: Spark Tattoos: D-con/A-bot Insignias and the lark T-Cog: The thing that allows all Cybertronians to transform, be that their arms or their whole body.

Bonus:

Penis: Spike

Vagina: Valve

Body: Frame

-----------------------------------------------------

Today was a snowy day in Jasper Nevada. Surprised, right? Usually, it's freaking hot and warm there since it's like... deserted place. Kinda like in Africa, Egypt. But don't get fooled! Weathers can change there too. Have you been ever to Alaska? It's tough to know when it's in fact night. Why? The occurrence takes place each winter because of the tilt of the Earth's axis. "This tilt makes it so that none of the Sun's disc is visible above the horizon," according to Chinchar. But that doesn't mean the town will be completely dark. It's also not always winter there like how you saw in the movies. 

So, it's February 13th... one day away from the official Vantine's Day. It's a day where you give your loved ones presents, to show love to them. You can give presents to your family and friends. It can be candy, cards, plushies, etc. 

Y/N was 18 and she was at her house. She sadly doesn't have time to hang out at the base. She got a lot of work to complete so she texted Miko, saying that she doesn't have time to hang out today.

At the base~

"Oh come on!" Miko groaned while throwing her hands up in the air, making her pink phone go flying and land on the couch.

Jack looked at her while Raf was listening while working on his laptop. Some bots were listening as well while others like Ratchet were busy. "What's wrong, Miko?"

"Y/N doesn't have time to come hang out in the base! Tomorrow is Valentine's Day!"

That caught every bot's attention, especially Optimus'. Once they all looked at the kids and Miko quickly noticed that every bot is staring. "What?"

"What's this 'Valentine's Day', Miko?" Optimus asked while walking over to the kids.

Jack looks surprised. "You bots don't know what Valentine's Day is?"

"On Cybertron, we don't celebrate holidays," Arcee said while her arms were crossed.

"Well, Valentine's Day is a day where you give gifts to your loved ones. Like to your family, friends, especially to your lover. It's also when someone confesses their love to their crush," Raf explained.

"And what gifts can you get?" Bulkhead asked.

"Oh, different things! You can get like candy, plushies, cards, prepare romantic dates, and much other stuff!" Miko answered with a big smile.

Optimus couldn't help but be interested. He's in love with Y/N ever since he met her. It's just... her beauty and especially her kind personality caught his attention. He offered to be her guardian and his spark beat happily when she said yes. She accepted the offer. But oh boy, he didn't know that Y/N is in love too with the handsome, kind leader. 

But of them didn't know that they'll be extremely sexually active like... they're both in the hard mood to do 'it'. It's normal when you are a couple but it's very important to be careful. Both of them won't admit to anyone but they both had wet dreams about each other more than once. Yeah... if they both showed signs or accidentally told it out loud, then they'll be so embarrassed (my best friend, who's a guy, admitted once to me in the school bus that he had a wet dream about a girl once).

"If you don't mind, will you explain more?" Optimus asked.

The kids nodded and they explained more. They even told me how it started. Optimus was thinking this whole time about how to confess his love to Y/N. He has no idea that he'll be sexually active right on Valentine's Day. His spike will be hard, begging to go inside of Y/N. Crap, he's getting naughty thoughts again. That's when Optimus has a plan...

The next day~

When Y/N woke up, she got dressed and brushed her teeth. She was surprised when Bumblebee picked her up instead of Optimus. The leader told everyone his plan to confess his love to Y/N, except for the naughty thoughts. He's having a lot of trouble keeping his voice under control. He's sexually active, needing to have sex. His spike is sure very hard behind his codpiece. Luckily, no one suspected a thing.

When Y/N arrived at the base, Ratchet told that Optimus was at the beach in the wooden cabin. Wait, how can he be inside since the wooden cabin is.. small? Welp. Only one thing to find out. Y/N went through the groundbridge when it was activated. When Y/N arrived at the beach, it was very breathtaking:

Y/N pinched herself to see if she wasn't dreaming. It was all real. Y/N then felt... hot. She couldn't help but let out a small moan. She quickly controlled herself and saw the wooden cabin. Once she opened it and went inside, she saw a big white bed, covered in beautiful rose petals. Even some candles were on to make it even more romantic, curtains closed. 

Y/N smiled brightly. Optimus loves her. She knew it now. She then heard metallic footsteps and she turned around to see the love of her life, except he's small! Y/N's mouth was open in shock while her eyes went wide.

Optimus chuckled and gently closed her mouth with his digit, but never left her face. He gently cupped her face with his soft, gentle servos and kissed her with passion. Y/N let out a surprised moan but she kissed him back. She slung her arms around his neck and kissed him harder. The Prime moved his servos to her waist and pulled her closer. Y/N couldn't help but let out a loud moan, especially since her private part was overheating and throbbing.

She pulled away embarrassed. "I-I'm sorry, Optimus. I... I just have a problem."

Optimus showed a gentle, kind, loving smile. "I know, sweetspark. I've read your body language." He then felt a little embarrassed. "I have the same problem with my spike."

Y/N felt confused at first until it clicked fast. His penis was hard. Spike is... you know. So, both of them have the same problem. But Optimus doesn't want to force his beloved since he's not that kind of a bot. As Orion Pax, he was shy, kind, quiet, overworking, helpful, respectful, and gentle. But now as Optimus Prime, he's stern, calm, strong, smart... So, he has kinda two sides. But there's still Orion Pax in him if you pay close attention to him. Ratchet told the story of who Optimus was before he became a Prime. The kids found it interesting, especially Y/N.

Y/N looked up to meet his optics. "D-Do you mind if we help each other. Clearly, our bodies want... you know."

Optimus doesn't respond, instead, he slammed his dermas on her lips. He backed her gently until she fell on top of the white bedsheets. At least the rose petals were soft. He climbed on top of her and looked into her eyes, asking for permission. Y/N nodded and started to touch his chassis, causing Optimus to purr. 

Some time passed by and Y/N was fully nude underneath the leader. She already has love bites around her neck. Optimus' optics was full with lust as his one digit entered her heated core. That caused Y/N to gasp and moan. "A-Ah! That feels so good! Please more!~"

Optimus granted her wish and added another digit inside of her. He moved inside of her, feeling her walls tighten around his digits. He's smirking inside. When he felt her orgasm, he pulled his digits away, causing Y/N to whine.

Y/N shot her eyes open when she heard a clank on the wooden floor. She saw his private member. His spike. "It's so big!~" That caused Optimus to look flustered and watched her as she used her hand to grab his spike and gently started to stroke it. Optimus moaned as his member twitched. Y/N stroked faster until Optimus shot his transfluid. It landed on her chest and stomach area. Y/N sill looked seductively and giggled. 

Optimus was surprised by the next act.Y/N lifted her legs up, and opened her heated core with her fingers, inviting Optimus to go in. Optimus then prepares and lined his spike right at her pussy.

"Please put in!~" 

Optimus smirked and went inside of her. He immediately grunted as the warmth and tightness greeted his spike. Y/N immediately moaned and instead of pain, she felt pleasure. Pure pleasure. She panted and moaned louder. "A-Ah, so good. Give all of you, Optimus. F-Fuck me so hard until I can't walk!~"

Optimus smirked and rammed into her. That caused Y/N to scream, moan and talk dirty. Like, really dirty talk. She couldn't help it! Her legs and arms are wrapped around him. "O-Oh, yeah! Yeah! H-Harder! I'm close!"

"As you wish, my dear.~" Optimus smirked and rammed even harder. 

Y/N felt her G-Spot being hit many times that she saw stars. She was just so in love, lost in pure pleasure... That's when she felt her orgasm. She screamed Optimus' name in pure bliss as he shot his transfluid inside of her. It was warm and sticky. Optimus stayed inside of her for almost a minute before pulling out. Some of his transfluid dripped down into the sheets. Both him and Y/N felt much better.

"T-That was amazing, Optimus."

Optimus smiled lovely as he laid down next to her and pulled her closer. He held her protectively. "It was, sweetspark."

Happy Valentine's Day!

[chaletnz]

Furano Trip

To make the most of my two days off I decided to drive to Furano after finishing work, to ensure I would be able to see the lavender first thing in the morning. I packed up the car and had a shower, then headed off. About 5 minutes after leaving home, I approached a cat sitting calmly in the middle of my lane, I screeched to a stop and the cat didn’t run so I rolled over the top and then it must’ve slunk away. It was enough to give me a fright, I drove a little slower from that point on since I was still in town. Well, after clearing Kutchan town I was on a country road on the way towards the mountains and the second cat was not as lucky... He darted out from a farmhouse and I saw his little ginger face in the split second before he bounced into the right front tyre. There was a bit of a thud but no bump. He ran off into the bushes. Very shakily I pulled over and went to investigate, there was a woman there who could speak English and she said she had seen him run down into the bushes surrounding the farm. I left with an eerie feeling that maybe I should go back home and drive tomorrow, like these cats were meant to be a sign. I drove on for about an hour, my lights on highbeam and my eyes on high alert – I was more concerned about deer now. I pulled over after another hour or so and sent a message to my mum just in case the universe was conspiring, and then the spookiest part... As I was sitting in the car recording my message, a third cat came running towards me! In the middle of nowhere! Very carefully I drove around it and back on to the road and that was thankfully the last cat I saw on the drive. After that it was smooth, I stopped for a late night McDonald’s at Chitose and then drove on until I found a nice big parking lot with a 24 hour toilet. There were bugs everywhere in the heat of a warm summer’s night, flying around the lights of the toilet building. I slept quite well all things considered.

The next morning I woke up around 6am when the heat in the car simply became too much to bear. It was gearing up to be at least 30 degrees today. Somehow the exact time I wanted to use the bathroom there was a cleaning crew surrounding it and I could just quickly brush my teeth and wash my face before leaving. I started by visiting a large campground park that I had intended on staying at last night but didn’t quite reach there, and luckily I hadn’t because it was a crowded carpark with a far worse toilet! I drove up to the first lavender field of the day, Choei Lavender Farm. There was a winding road up the back to reach a mountaintop viewpoint overlooking the lavender and the Kamifurano township. I battled to take some videos with my GoPro that seemed to be struggling in the heat already – by 8am it was already 28 degrees. Japan doesn’t do daylight savings so it means that sunrise is about 3am in summer so the hottest part of the day is earlier in the morning than you would expect. I parked down at the bottom of this farm and took a few more photos although it wasn’t possible to get a good angle of the word “Kamifurano” spelled out in Hiragana in large lettering filled with colourful flowers. I decided to get some gas because Kimbo was already thirsty again, and then arrived at Farm Tomita just before 9am. As Google maps directed me there, she made sure to inform me “this destination will be closed when you arrive” but I figured it wouldn’t hurt to wait for 10 minutes in the carpark. Well it seemed that the Japanese had the same idea! The main parking lot was already full and the parking attendant waved his lightsaber to guide me right down to the back lot. Furano has great flower fields but not much shade so poor Kimbo had to suffer in the sun while I went for a walk around. By now it was 30 degrees and humid. Japanese people carried umbrellas and wore full length sleeves in the heat. Many people were dressed up in their Sunday best to take family photos in the lavender with a bouquet purchased from the gift shop for 500 yen. Dogs were posed for photos and then taken back into the shade where they could lie down. I took my photos and walked around the perimeter but it was far too hot for me so I had to browse in one of the air conditioned gift shops to cool down. I tried to walk up the side of one of the more shady lavender fields but it was deceivingly steep and I struggled to get halfway! It was time for an ice cream break by 9.30am, and of course I had to try the lavender ice cream again. It was a soft purple colour, with a mild taste and started dripping immediately. Luckily there was a shady seat to sit and eat it and appreciate the views of Kamifurano and the mountains in the distance. In winter Furano is also a hugely popular ski resort that is often paired with Niseko for longer snowsports trips. To distract my thoughts, a child squeaked in with those annoying shoes that sound like you’re standing on a plush toy squeaker with every step. All heads turned to look at the child, who promptly trips up and starts scream-crying uncontrollably. And now my relaxing ice cream break was ruined. I walked around a little bit more and bought a few postcards and lavender things to send home then sat down for a drink and a potato croquette for an early lunch. I had been waiting around for a bit because I wanted to visit a café nearby that opened only at 12pm. It was relaxing anyway to sit and watch Japanese people enjoying the lavender and trying to get the best photos when the entirety of the scene is purple!

I drove to Kamifurano town and parked at the post office as I couldn’t find any free parking lots near the Polar Coffee café, I withdrew some cash and then walked there as a loud alarm sounded through the city – presumably a test as no one seemed even mildly concerned. On Instagram yesterday I’d seen that my colleagues Tim and Nick had come to this café which is owned by a Taiwanese guy (they’re also Taiwanese) and it had a good vibe from their photos so I was determined to try! It was even better than expected, I ordered a flat white and it was not only very Instagrammable but also cheaper than anywhere in Niseko. Cooling down in the air conditioned café was also a highlight. After my coffee I made the long drive to Asahikawa to see a rice field. But not just any rice field, one planted very carefully with different varieties of rice that had coloured shoots. The reason I made this long drive just for a rice field is because the second half of July is the perfect time to view such rice fields - the rice shoots have grown in and are brightly coloured at this time. I was very proud of myself as I directed myself to the field. Although a lot of people online said it was so hard to find, I had no trouble at all. Actually my Google map would have led me exactly there but I followed some signposts instead that said “tanbo art” on them in Japanese, and the reason I was so proud – I could actually read what it said! I was the only person there so I parked where I pleased and climbed up the viewing platform to see the art. Unfortunately the field was so wide that it was hard to take a photo of the entire thing, even with panorama! The design changes each year and this time it was a couple of anime characters, there was also something written way off to the left that wasn’t really visible from the platform and I could only see “2021” and some squashed Japanese characters from the ground. Anyhow, it was a very unique attraction and I was glad I had made the trip to see it. My next destination was the Ningle Terrace; a series of log cabin-esque boutique shops arranged along a wooden walkway in the forest. If my phone wasn’t so terrible with capturing greenery then it would’ve been another Instagram-worthy place to see but other than a cool photos the souvenirs were quite expensive and many of the shops were closed anyway. I took a long drive from Furano to Obihiro for tomorrow’s adventure and stopped at a mall for a KFC dinner. Usually Japanese KFC is great, but this one had unfriendly staff and they gave me a half frozen burger which I had to send back for a fresh one. I bought a few supermarket supplies and then drove towards the small Obihiro airport once it was dark to find a suitable parking space for the night. I passed the airport parking lot as it there were too many floodlights which would make it hard to sleep, further up the road there was a small shoulder so I stayed there in the pitch black instead, with a nice forest on either side. I got out of the car to change into my shorts to sleep but I heard rustling in the bushes and freaked out! Instead I changed inside with the doors locked. I felt a little uneasy falling asleep as there had been searchlights beaming around the sky that I’d assumed were to find intruders sneaking into the abandoned Gluck Kingdom theme park and I worried someone would knock on my car window and tell me to move on. Of course I didn’t want to get caught on my urban exploring but I thought “you would have to be absolutely insane to venture in there at night”. As it turned out though, the lights were for the airport perimeter security and nothing to do with the theme park coincidentally located about a kilometre opposite.

[belladonnaandulriched]

aesthetics

the mirror never lies: razor blades on the floor, a house of mirrors, old bone china plates, a cafe on the corner of 82nd street in new york city, your bed on a cold winter’s night before you climb in, kitchen knives, the wishing for a hug, the northern lights, fresh fallen snow at sunrise, one of those large wooden hourglasses, hazard lights, an emo phase that never was

burning sacramento: tule fog, a wooden cabin, tall pine trees, the smell of pine coupled with a camp fire and dust, old books, a brass hurricane lantern, that book you’ve been wanting to read but never get around to it, claws, an older woman’s stale perfume, a vast cinematic shot to make the coen brothers proud, an old gallery, scorched earth, open pine cones, an antique doll from the 1910s

amped and wired, parts one and two: the smell of jager, a graveyard in the middle of the day, rats of different colors, bones, prosthetics, orchids, chrysanthemums, leather teddies, low cut tops on a man, blue and red glow sticks, dildos in the shape of chess pieces, upstate new york at 4 o’clock in the morning, the polished blade of an ice skate, technical drawings, the deafening silence following a loud concert, stifled but genuine laughter on the highway to hell

the artist: paintbrushes wrapped in three kinds of ribbon, plague doctor masks made from papier mache and glitter, hidden kisses below the belt, sung whispers across the skin, mardi gras masks in earth tones, a shirley temple served with a side of “touch me”, lady gaga’s art pop album, ayehuasca at 2 o’clock on a tuesday, three kinds of curly black hair, a dark swamp illuminated by the fullest of full moons, riding on the back of a black and yellow vespa in portland, latte foam in the shape of a gecko, the number 3

the boy who destroyed the world: the marine layer in los angeles, the taste of regret in junction with redemption, poetry written in pencil, a literal blow to the head, aged wood, the ocean at night, torn white lace, willie nelson’s guitar, aged leather bound books, clean hands, “thalassophobia”, a gun that’s never been fired in its life, a sunken ship at the bottom of the ocean, a ceramic urn

beautiful tragedy: cat paw prints in snow, one of those old accounting calculators, a cracked mirror, old scars and remembering the stories behind them, sitting on the beach, bus rides at 5 in the morning, the uncertainty of whether the uneasy feeling in your stomach is from nerves or hunger, heavy black suede, the smell of firewood, cans of beans, chicken and rice soup, cobwebs, jacaranda and ponderosa trees, loose change

six feet under: hard cover school textbooks, espressos that feel like a punch in the back of the head, irish coffee, knit yarmulkes, an old wooden guitar missing a string, snow days, mistletoe next to a menorah, the sunset on rosh hashanah, heavy dark safes the size of bread boxes, white roses, silver charm bracelets, driving several hours with no particular destination in mind

buried alive: crowded city streets, carpet without a furnace, saltine crackers, dust in the place of money, stopwatches, snow on power lines, snow on freshly bloomed plants, shadows growing long at 4:30 in the afternoon, the smell of salt, the smell of paint, the acronym “S.W.A.K.”, aged brick, compasses going haywire, veils of black lace

the dead of night: staining blue paint, eyes meeting and locking, silver lockets, taking off your promise ring, flannel blankets, rosaries on a bed post, “little black books”, trails of honey, tight jeans on both sexes, crossed fingers, light from a waning moon, a dozen dark chocolate donuts, black satin, kiss marks left in black lipstick, a man’s soft cologne

[zach-the-fox]

Frostfur Episode 3: Frozen Grove

Our small party presses onward, distancing ourselves away from the protected springs and are now hiking through a thick frozen grove. Fog settles in the area, making visibility difficult, yet we stay together. The trees stand bare naked, having lost all of their leaves and left with nothing. Only the bark remains. We take notice of some symbols labeled on some of the dead wood. Poking around the trees marked with crosses, we find shallow graves under each of them. The dead bodies show the unfortunate victims of the frost lack most of the bigger muscles, and some bones bear signs of teeth marks. The corpses have been stripped of edible parts, as if something was feasting on what’s left. It’s obvious people were here, and they buried their dead in this forest, only for the bodies being unearthed later by desperately ravenous creatures looking for anything to stave off starvation.

Emmy remains by my side, walking close to me as she eyes the dead. “I don’t like this one bit… As if this forest wasn’t creepy enough, the corpses make it even more eerie…”

“Quite a sight,” adds Carly. “A good idea for sketching.” She takes out her sketchbook and pencil, getting to work on the surrounding area. “How many bodies do you think are here?”

“Don’t know,” I answer. “And I can tell you, if we don’t find food or reach Winterhome, we will be joining them…”

The cat turns to me. “Don’t you have any food left?”

“Only but a few rations. We’ll need to use them sparingly if we’re going to make them last.” The forest becomes more difficult to see as the light fades. “It’s getting pretty dark, too. We need to hurry.” My ears twitch at the sound of grunting from behind us. I halt in my tracks, as does Carly, then we look back. We see the warthog is on her knees and hooves in the snow, having stumbled. “Emmy!” I rush over to her and kneel in front of her. “Emmy, you okay?”

Emmy can barely get an answer out of her mouth, coughing heavily. Snot can be seen running down from her nose. “Z-Zach… I feel weak… and tired… I don’t know if I can press on…” She has come down with something.

“Hang on…” It takes me a few seconds to reposition my rifle before I proceed to scoop her up and fix her to my back.

“Zach… Don’t…”

“It’s okay. I’ve got you.” It’s more difficult to stand and walk, but I’ll manage. Carly remains there, waiting for me as I join back up with her. The wind whistles through the trees more frequently, and snow is beginning to pile up more. “It’s getting bad out here, getting darker, and Emmy’s not looking too good. We need to search around for shelter, fast!”

Carly turns her head and looks frantically around. She extends her paw and points to something in the distance. “I see something over there!” My gaze follows her arm to a dark shadow in the distance. What is that far away? Could it be shelter? I start toward it, shifting my feet in the snow. Carly follows as we approach the silhouette. As we draw closer, the shape becomes clearer through the fog and we begin to make out features; a rectangular-shaped structure with a flat roof and boarded-up windows. Shelter!

My feet pick up faster, making haste to get inside. Carly struggles to catch up, nearly slipping in the snow. When we come up to the door, I press my knuckles against the wooden surface. “Hello?! Anybody in there?!” No answer. I yell again, and still hear nothing. Whoever built this structure is either gone or dead. Emmy lets out loud gusts of coughing, reminding me why we must get inside. I grasp the handle and pull, but nothing happens. A couple of tugs doesn’t seem to do anything, either. “Come on!” The door still doesn’t budge.

Carly stays by my side as I’m fighting with the door. “Don’t waste your energy, Zach. We can’t get inside.”

“We have to! We must!” I place the warthog down beside the frame. “I’m going to try a little force.” Stepping away from the door, I stop and turn my body so that the back of my arm is facing the wooden portal. Then, I charge forward, slamming into it, only to bounce backwards a couple of feet. I try again, and again. Fourth time, now! I have to get in! Charge! As my body makes contact, the door swings open and I bring myself to an abrupt halt quickly. I made it in! I turn back to the girls. “There, nothing to it.” Going back for Emmy, I scoop her up in my arms and walk inside with the cat, who shuts the door behind us. In the shack, opened bedrolls are strewn about near the end away from the door. A pile of burnt wood lay by the sleeping spots. What happened to the residents of this little hut? Where could they have gone?

Without any other thoughts, I set Emmy into one of the sheets and tuck her in. “This will keep you warm. Let’s see if we can get a fire going, too. Just need to get some wood.” Taking notice of the other corner, some untouched wood packed neatly in a stack. “That’ll do.” I take a couple of the little logs and pile them in front of the warthog. Getting flint and iron from my pockets, I strike the two near the wood pile, generating sparks to build the fire.

“Zach, I don’t know about this,” Carly utters. “This cabin belongs to someone else. They may find us here and be angry to think we took their means of shelter…”

“Don’t worry,” I tell her. “We’re only spending the night here. In the morning, we’ll be back out on the trail to Winterhome.” A small flame appears, then grows to the size of the pile, prompting me to put away my fire-starting kit. “If anything happens, let me talk to them. They’ll hear me out.”

“I doubt they’ll reason with us being here. What if they kick us out and tell us to bugger off?” It’s possible the residents have left to go out hunting or search of supplies, or maybe they ventured off to Winterhome. Is it possible they could’ve died, and are in the graves of the frozen grove? Either way, they left this shack with their bedrolls, some food and wood.

“We’ll worry about that when they come back… If they come back.” I walk over and take a seat next to the coughing warthog. “How you holding up?”

Emmy looks up to me. Her arms crossed while keeping the covers around her. “I’m cold…” I wrap my arm around her and pull her closer to my body to try and give off some of my warmth, hoping it will help combat her cold. “Thanks, Zach.”

“You should rest,” I tell her. “That cold isn’t going to fight itself.” Her eyes close gently as she leans up against my side, dozing off into a sleep.

Carly sits near us, but remains three feet away. “Well, that’s real sweet of you, caring for her. You two are lucky to be together.” I pivot to the cat quickly and ask her what she means by that. “Aren’t you in love with her? Or are you just family?”

“What?” I utter. “Emmy and I are only friends. I found her in a cave and saved her from a beast. She had explained that she got separated from her party, so I took her in under my wing. We are now traveling together to seek a new life in Winterhome.”

“Where were the both of you before the frost?”

“Emmy’s from Cambridge. She’s one of the top engineers from there. I am nothing more than a soldier from Liverpool.”

“Interesting,” Carly says. I ask her for her origins now. “I was a student in the Royal Academy of Arts in London. I’ve become inspired by art, I wanted to be much like the great minds of the renaissance. I always painted and sketched daily in the hopes to be a striving artist. But then, the frost had come and caused me to flee with my mother. A bad storm had separated us, and the spring was where you had found me. And now, here I am, traveling to Winterhome with the two of you. I just hope my mother is all right… I’m sure she’s worried sick…”

In my best effort to comfort her, I reach over with my paw and place it on her shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Carly. You, me, and Emmy, we’ll all make it thought this. Tomorrow, we’ll be in Winterhome, and there, the both of you will see your mothers.”

“Do you have family in Winterhome?”

I take my paw back. “No. I was raised in an orphanage when I was a wee lad. Joined his majesty’s royal army when I came of age. I didn’t chase after pretty girls enough to start a family of my own. That’s not my worry, though. My concern is you and Emmy. I shall stay with the two of you to ensure your safety. We will arrive in Winterhome and conquer the cold together.” The last thing I do is gaze out the boarded window, watching the snow rapidly descend. “We will make it through this. No winter is going to stop us.” @carlycmarathecat​ @emmy-the-absolute-goof​

[thebritishmonarchycouk]

On This Day In Royal History . 8 July 1830 . Princess Alexandra of Saxe-Altenburg was born. . ▪️ She was the fifth daughter of Joseph, Duke of Saxe-Altenburg & Amelie Theresa Luise, Duchess of Württemberg. . ▪️ In the summer of 1846, she met Grand Duke Konstantin Nikolayevich of Russia when he visited Altenburg. He was the second son of Nicholas I, Emperor of Russia, & Empress Alexandra Feodorovna, née Princess Charlotte of Prussia.  . ▪️ In February 1848, Alexandra converted to Russian Orthodoxy, taking the name of Grand Duchess Alexandra Iosifovna, which reflected her father’s name Joseph. Alexandra & Konstantin were married in The Winter Palace in St Petersburg, on 11 September 1848. . ▪️ Konstantin received the Marble Palace in St Petersburg as a wedding gift from his parents. Strelna on the Gulf of Finland, which Konstantin inherited when aged four, was the wedded couple’s country retreat. Alexandra took a particular interest in the grounds at Strelna, establishing a free school of gardening, where she taught classes herself. There were also educational toys for the children: a wooden mast & trampoline for gymnastics, & the transplanted cabin of one of Konstantin’s frigates. . ▪️ Konstantin & Alexandra had 6 children: . Nikolai Konstantinovich (1850-1918) . Olga Konstantinovna, Queen of the Hellenes (1851-1926); married 1867, George I of Greece & is a grandmother of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. . Vera Konstantinovna (1854-1912) . Constantin Konstantinovich (1858-1915) . Dmitry Konstantinovich (1860-1919) . Vyacheslav Konstantinovich (1862-1879) . ▪️ She is an ancestor of the British, Greek, Romanian, Yugoslavian and Spanish Royal Families through her elder daughter Olga. . . . Portrait by Joseph Karl Stieler, c. 1850 . . . #PrincessAlexandra #Saxe #Altenburg #Germany #royalfamily #royal #royalty  #Ancestor #Ancestry #royals #thecrown #Peopleinhistory #historymemes #crown #britishmonarchy #historyfact #history #windsor #RoyalHistory #HistoryFacts #Historic #historyblogger #historyinpictures #Art #Arthistory #artgallery (at Altenburg, Germany) https://www.instagram.com/p/CCYgH3NDxx-/?igshid=dp61spfvpzjt

[aprilskyforever]

Tmblrvision 2018 aesthetics

Majorly based on the vibes I get from the melodies. Sometimes lyrics as well, but not always.

Italy: indoor fountains, rooms with glass roofs and greenery, humid air, black marble, big flowers and orchids

Serbia: a club. Lasers, majorly green. Smoke. 

Luxembourg: a meeting of an antifascist organization; painting banners, worn out couches, cloudy skies, asphalt, army boots. Bold black, matt cherry red.

Canada: thin white fabric; curtains moving in the wind from an open window. Old apartments. Cigarettes. A couple in a fight but it’s mostly the silent treatment; tension.

Czechia: running in fields and meadows, hot air balloons, road trips, playing hide and seek. Pastel yellow and green.

Belarus: summer night time; campfires, sneaking off into the forest, warm air, looking out over a lake, maybe skinny dipping. Earthy colors.

Austria: dark red and long nails, blinding sunlight and a clear blue sky, a ride on a yacht.

Finland: a gym; synchronized dancers, tight and revealing clothes, sweat, arousal. Dark gray and neon colors.

The Netherlands: pink smoke, diving into a pool, modern dance choreography

Norway: pearl white and pastel shades, snow covered mountains, white foxes, crystal clear brook water, wedding cakes with lesbian cake toppers

Montenegro: downtown in a metropolis at night; banners and neon signs everywhere, so many sounds and sights it’s overwhelming for someone who’s not used to it.

Estonia: fog on a residential street, rain, dawn. Denim. Dirty hands. Heavy but determined walking.

Latvia: riding in a helicopter over a coniferous forest. Seriousness, like you’re on a mission. Low saturation.

Tunisia: purple, black and dark gray, majestic goth, old haunted castles. Large halls, Victorian dresses.

Armenia: silver and metallic green. Futuristic, ultra-modern. Long corridors, glass skyscrapers.

Albania: magenta, like a teen girl’s bedroom. Posters. Hidden journals. Stealing alcohol from the parents’ cabinet.

Germany: amber and gold; sand, evening sun. Barbeques. Salty breeze.

Greece: walking into a club, light blue drinks, gold hoop earrings, white jeans

Denmark: calling your friends after a first date, blood orange bed spreads and accent walls, white suit jacket, freshly brewed coffee

Portugal: loneliness, walking home at 3 AM, smoke, pouring rain

Australia: white rocks and mountains, gray/off-white and beige shades. Wide views. Cloudy skies.

Ireland: watching your love interest in a classroom, feeling trapped, high wasted jeans and t-shirts, lemonade yellow and light wood tones.

Moldova: ocean after dark, reflection of the moon, deep purple, insomnia

Spain: glowing scarlet red, dancing close to each other, beach parties, string lights in all different colors, carbonated drinks

Georgia: neon blue, hotel bars, hooking up with a stranger

Bulgaria: feeling uneasy in a club, metallic blue/purple and cold silver, being followed at night, shady businesses, gambling

Romania: being alone in a movie theater, monotone life, longing for something different, running without aim

Cyprus: blue soda, swimming pools, palm trees, DJ booths

Belgium: green apples in champagne, peach colored apartment complexes, riding a commuter train, high bridges over rivers

Turkey: large rugs, spices, gold and red, dance battles

Slovenia: black and red with strobe lights, deals made over restaurant tables, smashed glass, cigarettes in holders, gloves

Ukraine: magenta and turquoise, bubble gum, foam, blinking lights, throwing paint; making modern art

France: navy blue and ombre wood tones, attic apartments, giving flowers, dancing down a street

Russia: exploring a small Mediterranean town on a sunny day, fruit and juice, green apples, oranges and lemon, tiled streets, making silly faces in a mirror

Croatia: driving a car in the dark, wondering where your life is heading; being alone with your thoughts.

Azerbaijan: resting in a hammock in a lush garden, dark wooden floors and walls, red wine, fluffy carpets, seducing looks, everything might seem fine but it’s not

Switzerland: aggressively pink, sharp eyeliner, blonde curls, frilly dresses, tearing the heads off dolls, smoke and flashes, spilled drinks

Morocco: whispers in your ear, cognac, fire places, playing footsie, the scent of thick vanilla, coffee and hazelnuts

Egypt: awaiting a storm, angst, avoiding problems, fog, dim lights, feeling like you’re the only person on the subway train although you’re clearly not

Iceland: being outside in winter with not enough clothes on, dark skies and blue hills, smoke when you breathe, feeling someone’s heartbeat, tension and yearning

Malta: raspberry red, the first curious encounter and the first serious fight, slamming doors, regret and forgiveness, peach and strawberry tea, home parties, dancing in the kitchen at 2 AM, growing as a person

Slovakia: forest cabins, overgrown gardens, mustard yellow, uneven and old wooden floors, rugs, morning dew and mist, home cooked jam, violins

United Kingdom: being down in the gutter but having enough, wet cliffs, wild ocean, feeling powered by nature

Bosnia & Herzegovina: fighting demons in your head, waterfalls, white on dark background

Libya: cruising along a beach in the sunset, milkshakes, tanned skin, drifting minds

Israel: kaleidoscopes, strobe lights, color bombs, painting with your whole body, being chased

Sweden: smiling through pain, handwritten notes, family days at the beach, gravel, wanting more from life

Hungary: dark but friendly woods; moss green and silver black brooks, dancing barefoot, scent of pine and fir, crackling fires

Poland: blood red and silver, preparing for battle, old books, blacksmiths, feeling the wind in your hair

Algeria: fighting for justice, late nights at desk, children’s eyes, marches, abandoned houses

Lithuania: checkered pink and orange constantly changing, stop-motion animation, dancing in the crowd at a concert

San Marino: a circus; slightly unsettling but still captivating, hypnotizing patterns, bright colors and a lot of them, robots

[margaret-river-wine-tours-blog]

Wine Tasting in Margaret River Western Australia

Located about 3 hours south of Perth, Margaret River is one of Australia's most interesting wine regions. Thanks to its location on the west coast, it benefits from a warm Mediterranean climate and gentle ocean breezes which create perfect humidity levels and make it ideal for viticulture.

Here are over 200 vineyards covering nearly 55 square kilometers of vines. And although the region is mostly made up of relatively small boutique wineries, a quarter of Australia's premium wine comes from Margaret River!

So, whether you are a lover of red, white or rosé, here you will surely find something that will make you happy among the wide range of different wines produced.

WHEN TO VISIT MARGARET RIVER

Margaret River is a year-round destination and the wineries are practically always open for tastings. Summer (from December to January) is certainly the best time to visit as the vineyards are rich in fruit, and the atmosphere is enlivened by the events that take place in the area.

Margaret River wine tours are also great during the harvest, between January and February, and in the spring, between September and December, when the vines begin to sprout again and fill with color.

Winter tends to bring many couples on romantic getaways from the city, where they find fireplaces, outdoor firepits and a lineup of winter foodie and wine events during the winter festival Cabin Fever. You will find a slightly colder climate but will still be able to make the most of visiting cellars and attractions or can enjoy romantic dinners at restaurants in town or winery restaurants running special events.

WHAT WINERIES TO VISIT

Anyone traveling to Margaret River cannot miss a wine tasting at Vasse Felix. This winery was the pioneer of viticulture in the region. Dr. Thomas Cullity established his first plantations in 1967 with Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Malbec, and Riesling.

The vineyards are located at varying distances from the ocean in order to obtain a good diversity of mesoclimates and exposures. Its historic heart and oldest vines are in Wilyabrup, and the other parcels are in the north of the region, in Carbunup, and in the south in Karridale.

Their restaurant is on the second floor of a beautiful rotunda-style wooden building and offers incredible views of the estate.

Chardonnay lovers, Voyager Estate is the place to go! Their Chardonnay wines always receive enthusiastic reviews from the critics.

Not only that, this family-owned independent winery is widely regarded as one of the most picturesque ones in Margaret River, and their restaurant has been awarded in the top 5 by the WA Good Food Guide Awards 2019! So make sure to come empty stomach and bring your camera to take photos under the lovely rose arched walkway or among the pristine vineyards.

Those who want to learn about the history of Australian wine and winemaking techniques should take a tour at the Leeuwin Estate, one of Australia's most visited wineries, with an award-winning restaurant and a beautiful art gallery.

The estate, owned by the Horgan family, was established in 1972 when Californian winemaker Robert Mondavi advised them to turn their sheep farm into a vineyard. The first vintage was marketed in 1979 and the estate immediately stood out for the great finesse of its Chardonnay and Cabernet.

Another symbol of Margaret River's wine production is Cape Mentelle. The winery takes its name from the nearby promontory, named after two famous French scientists, the geographer Edmund Mentelle and his brother, the cartographer Francois-Simon.

Their main focus is on Cabernet Sauvignon, the estate's most emblematic grape.

Cape Mentelle is rather a unique place reminiscent of the South of France: there are even petanque fields to play a bit between one wine tasting and another. And don't miss the fantastic outdoor cinema during the summer months!

Established in 1996, Cape Grace is a small winery owned by Robert & Karri-Davies. Their artisanal wines are produced in limited quantities and come from a single vineyard in Wilyabrup, a site nestled in a natural forest.

Their flagship wine is Cabernet Sauvignon, but their range also includes an elegant Shiraz, a luscious blend of Cabernet Shiraz, a complex wood-aged Chardonnay, and a delightful Cane Cut Chenin Blanc dessert wine.

In 2004 Cape Grace was included in the "Ten of the Best New Wineries" by the Australian Wine Companion.

Those who love small wineries should not miss Mr. Barval, where winemaker Robert Gheradi and his wife have created the perfect atmosphere for wine lovers. Robert, who has Italian origins, cultivates typical Margaret River varieties such as Chardonnay, Syrah, and Cabernet, alongside some Italian and French ones.

Their production includes an early harvest Nebbiolo called Nebbia and a white inspired by the Rhone Valley, called Mistral base Viognier and Marsanne. The winery also hosts an interesting Aboriginal art museum.

Once you've tasted the wines at the well known vineyards, our suggestion if you are a regular visitor to the Margaret River wine region, is to always try new wineries, as many of the more intimate wineries don't see as many guests as the bigger names, yet feedback from guests is that the smaller wineries are usually the best experience!

If you are coming to Margaret River and keen to tour the wineries you choose at your own pace with a small group of friends, get in touch for a Private Wine Tasting Tour of Margaret River Wine Region

[livingcorner]

The Best (and Weirdest) Things You Can Do with a Tree Stump

Gnome Home

1/14

You're reading: The Best (and Weirdest) Things You Can Do with a Tree Stump

Once a mighty oak, this tree-stump-turned-gnome-home tops out at over 6 feet high and adds fanciful interest to a wooded backyard. Nestled in a bed of lush hostas, any self-respecting gnome would be lucky to call this stump home. A talented DIYer framed roof supports from 2x4s and used wood shims to craft rustic shingles. The windows are fashioned from plywood and adorned with cedar detailing and painted-on curtains that pull the look together. 

Related: 21 Clever Little Things to Do with Scrap Wood

instructables.com

Fairy Land

2/14

This delightful fairy garden successfully incorporates natural elements with whimsical childhood treasures, and it’s sure to provide endless hours of entertainment for the young and the young at heart. This project makes it easy to see why fairy gardens are one of the most popular tree stump trends today. With the addition of a mossy roof, colorful mushrooms (fairies love mushrooms!), a tiny ladder, and a welcome sign, this stump is ready for any tiny winged guests who may visit.

Related: 19 “Zero Dollar” Garden Hacks

themagiconions.com

Stumped?

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Subtle Spa

3/14

A sturdy stump makes a perfect pedestal for a bird bath. Use the basin from a former bird bath, a shallow terra cotta dish, or any other heavy basin or bowl to create a water retreat for your feathered friends. Add stones or a small solar fountain, and you’ll soon have birds flocking to your yard. If the stump isn’t in a shady spot, surround the bird bath with tall plants to help keep it cool during the heat of the day.

Related: 10 Inventive Designs for a DIY Garden Fountain

flickr.com via Wonderlane

Tic-Tac-Toe

4/14

What could be more fun than turning a dead stump into a board game? Get the kids involved in crafting the game pieces, which in this case are smooth rocks painted to resemble ladybugs and bumblebees. Apply a coat of exterior sealer to the top of the wood to preserve your game board. Pull up a couple of lawn chairs and let the games begin!

Read more: What do garden pea plants reproduce?

Related: 10 Genius Ways to Make Your Backyard a Blast

hometalk.com via Ivylore

Backyard Adventure

5/14

Molded plastic footholds, climbing grips (available from retailers that sell playground accessories), and a large tree stump become a climbing wall for little hands and feet. Attach a safety fence, constructed from dimensional lumber, and bolt the slats securely to the sides of the tree. Stabilize the boards with thick rope, and add a slide to keep youngsters occupied while they develop large motor skills.

Related: 12 Backyard Updates You Can Do in a Day

wifemothergardener.blogspot.co.il

Throne at Home

6/14

Grab your favorite book and a cup of tea, then nestle down in this tree stump chair for some well-deserved rest and relaxation. The tree trunk was first cut to an appropriate height with a chainsaw, then carefully sculpted to form the chair seat, sides and decorative back. Many DIYers consider the act of carving to be a therapeutic activity, making this project a welcome respite from a long, busy day.

Related: Seat Yourself: 11 Ways to DIY Your Own Chair

flickr.com via Talena Winters

Farm Table

7/14

Create your own table for open-air dining! To start, ensure the surface of the stump is as flat as possible to give you a level base. When choosing your tabletop, consider materials that strike the right ambiance for your outdoor living space—salvaged wood for a rustic retreat, metal for a modern vibe or even a large concrete slab for no-nonsense fun. For stability, insert one or more large bolts through the top of the slab and into the stump. There you have it—a simple table, perfect for lazy weekend breakfasts!

Related: 15 Doable Designs for a DIY Patio Table

flickr.com via Alissa S.

Classy Glass

8/14

The glass top from an old patio table, combined with a uniquely shaped tree stump, makes a great spot for outdoor dining. If you don’t already have a glass tabletop sitting around, you can have a piece of thick glass cut to a custom size and shape. If you go the custom route, make sure you’re using tempered glass, that way if the table ever breaks, you won’t have dangerously sharp glass pieces to pick up out of the grass. 

Related: 8 Unique Ways to Build Your Own Table

flickr.com via Lee Bonnifield

Peek-a-Boo Bears

9/14

A chainsaw in the hands of a talented sculptor can turn an ordinary tree stump into a work of art. This stump oozes whimsy and intrigue as two adorable bears peek out of their tree to watch passersby. Tree stump chainsaw sculptures should be periodically sealed (once every year) with a coat of clear marine varnish, or another penetrating exterior sealer, to keep them from splitting.

Related: 10 of the Best Trees for Any Backyard

flickr.com via Ian Abbott

Stump Garden

10/14

Nothing could be more natural than creating a flower bed in a carved out tree stump. If the center of the stump is already hollowed and rotted out, you’re in luck! Add soil and start planting. If the tree stump is still in tact, carve out a basin at least a few inches deep and fill it with quality garden soil. If the bottom of your new “pot” holds water, drill a couple of holes in the side of the trunk to allow for drainage.

Related: 10 Foolproof Flowers Anyone Can Grow

istockphoto.com

Read more: Dirty Secrets: 9 Ways to Improve Garden Soil – Gardenista

Big Bench

11/14

The bigger the tree, the greater the possibilities! This bench, skillfully cut from a massive tree stump, offers woodland visitors a serene spot to stop and enjoy the scenery. A commercial chainsaw is your best bet for making both the initial top cut and also to remove the large front section of the stump. A smaller chainsaw can be used to sculpt away the interior wood to form the seat, back and sides.

Related: 12 Doable Designs for a DIY Bench

istockphoto.com

Little Cabin

12/14

Birds and trees—the original combination. A tall stump makes a natural base for a birdhouse or a bird feeder. Constructed from branches to give it a log cabin look, this birdhouse blends effortlessly with its surroundings. Consider adding a wide plastic or metal baffle around the stump to discourage cats and squirrels from climbing up and reaching the feeder or birdhouse.

Related: 8 Ways to Combat Garden Pests

istockphoto.com

Shabby Chic on Fleek

13/14

Create a rustic landscape by grouping antique iron implements and wooden planters to form curbside decoration. This stump provides a columnar base to hold a bucket or planter, and it plays the additional role as a focal point in this charming assemblage. Check out craft and hobby stores to find weathered buckets, and attend a farm auction or visit a flea market to locate antique iron accents.

Related: 9 Clever Landscaping Hacks for Your Best-Ever Yard

gardenupgreen.com

Don’t Get Stumped

14/14

You might have originally seen it as an eyesore, but after looking at these fun and inspiring projects that tree stump in your yard is your next DIY. 

bobvila.com

Stumped?

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Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/the-best-and-weirdest-things-you-can-do-with-a-tree-stump/

[architectnews]

Canadian Houses: New Residences in Canada

Canadian Houses, Residences in Canada, Property Photos, Buildings, Architect, Real Estate Designs

Canadian Houses : Residences

Key Contemporary Residential Architecture Developments in Canada, North America

post updated 18 Jan 2021

Houses in Canada

We’ve selected what we feel are the key examples of Canadian Houses. We aim to include buildings that are either of top quality or interesting, or ideally both.

We cover completed buildings, new building designs, architectural exhibitions and architecture competitions across Canada. The focus is on contemporary Canadian residences but information on traditional buildings is also welcome.

We have 1 page of Canadian residential architecture selections with links to hundreds of individual project pages.

New Canadian Homes

Contemporary Canadian Residences – latest additions to this page, arranged chronologically:

14 Jan 2021 Fold House, Hamilton, Ontario

17 Dec 2020 Lambton Farmhouse, Ontario

8 Dec 2020 Le Littoral, La Malbaie, Québec Design: Architecture49 photo : Stéphane Brügger Le Littoral Residence, La Malbaie A couple passionate about gastronomy and great lovers of Charlevoix dreamed of designing a contemporary residence in this exceptional natural setting. This was to both enjoy a pied-à-terre in the region, but also to create a high-end tourist home where families, friends, or colleagues could gather.

26 Nov, 2020 Maison Koya, Saint-Sauveur Design: Alain Carle Architecte photo : Raphael Thibodeau Maison Koya, Saint-Sauveur The Maison Koya site is part of a real estate development on the approaches to the town of Saint-Sauveur in the Laurentians. This area is in Montréal’s second ring of outlying communities, where the occupants have chosen to settle to combine a lifestyle in a natural setting (in the mountains) with the conveniences of a small regional town.

18 Nov 2020 Double Header House, Victoria, BC

17 Nov 2020 Forest House I, Bolton-Est, Eastern Townships, QC Design: Natalie Dionne Architecture photo : Raphaël Thibodeau Forest House I, Eastern Townships Forest House I is the latest work by Montréal-based studio, Natalie Dionne Architecture. The firm has earned widespread praise over the years for its contextual approach, its creativity, and its attention to detail. Forest House I adds to a rich portfolio of original, residential homes, equal parts urban and rural.

26 Oct 2020 Blackwood Studio, Hinchinbrooke

20 Oct 2020 Cowley Avenue House, Ottawa

8 Oct 2020 Wendover House, Ottawa

31 Jul 2020 Chester Cottage in Nova Scotia

14 Jul 2020 Portland Residence in Mont-Royal, Québec

4 Jun 2020 Lake Huron Summer House, Ontario Architects: Saota photograph : Adam Letch Lake Huron Summer House in Ontario This summer house is set on the banks of Lake Huron in a small, remote Canadian town about an hour’s drive from London, Ontario.

14 May 2020 Abacus House on Bras d’Or Lake, Nova Scotia

4 May 2020 103, Land House in Meaford, Ontario

24 Apr 2020 La Frangine Residence Stoneham-et-Tewkesbury

22 Apr 2020 Lakeside Cabin in Lac-Brome, Quebec

31 Mar 2020 Ravine House near Don River Watershed

4 Feb 2020 Rodeo Drive House, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Architects: Alloy Homes Incorporated photograph : Joel Klassen Rodeo Drive House in Calgary, Alberta This family home is built on a small, triangular lot that was considered virtually unusable. Situated atop a ridge overlooking the Calgary Stampede Grandstand, the views are magnificent from the upper floors.

1 Feb 2020 Modern Farmhouse, Calgary, Alberta Architects: Alloy Homes Incorporated photograph : Joel Klassen Modern Farmhouse near Calgary, Alberta The architecture is inspired by the simple lines and humble materials of the adjacent working ranch.

31 Jan 2020 River’s Edge House, Calgary Architects: Alloy Homes Incorporated photo : Joel Klassen River’s Edge House in Calgary, Alberta This new Canadian family home was designed and built to feel like it had been a part of the neighbourhood for years. The property is wrapped in low-maintenance natural materials designed to weather gently and enhance its character over the years.

5 Nov 2019 The River Cabins, Wheatley River, Prince Edward County Design: Nine Yards Studio photograph : Tamzin Gillis, Nine Yards Studio Prince Edward County Buildings The smallest province in Canada, Prince Edward Island is celebrated for its vibrant arts and culture scene and is renowned for culinary experiences featuring world-class seafood and produce.

21 Jun 2019 Muskoka Boathouse in Ontario

16 Jun 2019 Pilon-Hébert Residence in Potton, Québec

11 Jun 2019 Powder Snow House in Bromont, Québec

28 May 2019 Hatley House in Québec

14 May 2019 Church Residence in Frelighsburg, Québec

17 Apr 2019 Gazing House in Scarborough Junction, Toronto

20 Mar 2019 Residence Le Nid on the St. Lawrence River, Quebec

17 Mar 2019 Dans l’Escarpement in Saint-Faustin-Lac-Carré

30 Jan 2019 La Barque Residence in Saint-Donat-de-Montcalm

11 Dec 2018 TRIPTYCH House in Wentworth-Nord, Quebec

3 Dec 2018 Friesen Wong House in Okanagan, British Columbia

2 Dec 2018 Shelter on a Rock in Racine, Québec

14 Nov 2018 Long Horizontals House in Petite-Rivière-Saint-François

2 Oct 2018 Vallée du Parc Residence in Shawinigan, Québec

16 May 2018 Gulf Islands Residence, Strait of Georgia, British Columbia, western Canada Architects: RUFproject photograph : Ivan Hunter Gulf Islands Residence

20 Feb 2018 La Cornette House, Township of Cleveland, Québec, Eastern Canada Architects: YH2 photo © Francis Pelletier La Cornette House in the Township of Cleveland Built on the slope of a small hill, La Cornette is a country house open to the pastoral landscape that surrounds it. Under a soaring roof resembling a nun’s cornet wimple is a roomy dwelling modelled on traditional Quebec houses of old that lodged large families and their relatives.

19 Feb 2018 La Luge Cabin, La Conception, in the Laurentides region of Quebec Architects: YH2 photography © Francis Pelletier La Luge in La Conception Mostly dedicated to the enjoyment of Quebec’s winter, La Luge is a secondary home lying in the midst of the forest. Nestled on its site, surrounded by dense vegetation preserving the house’s privacy, La Luge integrates a private spa which occupies almost a third of the useable area, adding on to the traditional countryside living spaces.

16 Feb 2018 Window on the Lake, Saint-Élie-de-Caxton, Mauricie region, province of Quebec Architects: YH2 photography © Francis Pelletier Window on the Lake in Saint-Élie-de-Caxton The house stands on the site of an old family cottage, just steps away from the shores of Lac Plaisant in the Mauricie region. Thanks to its simplicity, restraint and refinement, the project embodies the architect’s attempt to capture the essence of cottage life – a wooden home designed for vacations and enabling true communion with nature.

9 Feb 2018 Sky House, Stoney Lake, Ontario Design: Julia Jamrozik and Coryn Kempster photography : Doublespace Photography Sky House on Stoney Lake Negotiating the steep topography of a lake-side site, this holiday house consists of two volumes stacked on one another. The lower volume nestles into the landscape so that it is barely visible as one first approaches the house.

6 Feb 2018 The Wooden Wing, Lac-Supérieur, Quebec Design: YH2 architecture photography : David Marien-Landry The Wooden Wing in Lac-Supérieur The Wooden Wing is a large cottage on the shores of Lac Supérieur, in Quebec’s Laurentians. The house is perched on a sizeable outcrop of granite bedrock, giving it a commanding yet intimate view of the lake and Mont Tremblant, on the other side.

4 Feb 2018 Withrow Laneway House, Calgary, Alberta Architects: Studio North photo : Mark Erickson Withrow Laneway House in Calgary Affordable housing in a thriving city like Calgary is a challenge for many, not the least for two newly graduated professionals starting a design studio with big dreams and a limited budget. We see alleys as a new place for community and dwelling. This project offers an opportunity to save one of Calgary’s heritage houses and to build an affordable, compact living space in the inner city.

19 Jan 2018 Indigo Lane House, Whistler, British Columbia, western Canada Design: Stark Architecture Ltd. photo © Krista Jahnke New House in Whistler, BC A crazy site! But one of the greatest things about Architecture is having lots of constraints. The more constraints, the more inventive you have to be. The site drops steeply from the road, almost a 25 ft sheer drop down to a flat site, with retaining walls below.

Canada Properties Archive from 2009 to 2016:

Canadian Homes

More Canadian Houses online soon

Location: Canada, North America

Architecture in Canada

Canada Architecture Design – chronological list

Montreal Architecture Walking Tours : city walks by e-architect

Montreal Architecture News

Canadian Architect Studios

Habitat 67, Montreal, Quebec Moshe Safdie, Architect Habitat 67 Buildings

New Home

New House

Canadian Architecture by City

Montreal Buildings – key buildings + designs

Toronto Architecture – key buildings + designs

Calgary Buildings – key buildings + designs

Canada Built Environment

Canadian Architecture : news + key projects

Vancouver Architecture Walking Tours, BC

Canadian Architecture Prize, Toronto : AZ Awards – Winners News

Fogo Island Artist Studios

Comments / photos for the Canadian Houses page welcome

Website: Canada

The post Canadian Houses: New Residences in Canada appeared first on e-architect.

[maryzmora]

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need

Chile is located in the western corner of South America. It stretches over six thousand miles along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Chile is known for its football. But when it comes to the best places to visit in Chile, it leaves behind the neighbors like Brazil and Argentina. The landscape is so diverse that many travelers would pick Chile over its neighbors.

What Makes Chile So Special?

If this question comes to your head, then you’re thinking the wrong way, or you don’t know about Chile at all. What isn’t special about Chile? The peak of the Andes Mountains, magnificent sunny beaches, forests, volcanoes – whatever you associate with adventure, Chile has it. That’s why these places are gaining more and more tourists every day. 

Chile is home to some amazing conservation and national parks that are popular travel destinations among the tourist community. You can go trekking or hiking if you’re the adventurous type. 

The opportunities are endless for adventure seekers in Chile. Mountain biking, climbing, horseback riding, and river rafting are some of the popular choices.

The cultural attractions in Chile are in abundance. Santiago, the capital of Chile is a  host to many art galleries and museums while Easter Island has mysterious stone figures. 

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile 

1. Torres Del Paine National Park

Source

Torres Del Paine is god’s work of art. It’s becoming a prominent tourist attraction, and, naturally, it’s of great importance to Chile. Everything in the vicinity is picturesque. The lakes and rivers flow gently beside the plain grassland. In the background, breathtaking mountains and glaciers almost touch the sky. If you were having a bad day, this place would bring you back to life.  

There are multiple trails in the park for travelers to go on hiking. You can also stay overnight and trek the entirety of the mountain. If you hike for a day, then you can do it in a group. But hiking longer than a day requires you to tag along with a professional guide. This is a safety precaution issued by the park authority.

Many tourists go on a 5-day trek that reaches the top of Patagonia. The path is 71 KM long, so it’s going to be a tough journey. But the views you get are incomparable. The grey glacier and the Paine Grande Mountain are also visible along the path. In the end, this journey is worth it.

2. Valle de la Luna and the Atacama Desert

The Valley of Moon is the direct translation of Valle de la Luna. The name itself is intriguing enough to get anyone off their seat. It’s located near Chile’s border with Bolivia, thirteen kilometers away from San Pedro de Atacama. You can go there by tour buses, car rentals or if you’re feeling adventurous you can take a bike and follow the bike trails. 

The valley has an uncanny resemblance to the moon’s surface. That’s why people visit in huge numbers. The inhospitable climate has always attracted human civilization, and Chile is no different. Unique geological features in the valley are caused by erosion of the red rocks. The hostile environment couldn’t stop flora and fauna from evolving and adapting to the surroundings.

The dry lake and riverbeds attract both researchers and tourists. It’s one of the driest locations on the earth. The soil samples are quite different from any other place on earth because of salt deposits and naturally infused saline.

A fun fact about the Atacama Desert: The Chinchorro mummies stored in San Miguel de Azama archaeological museum were discovered in this valley. There are other pieces of evidence of ancient civilization residing here, including rock paintings and pictographs.  

3. Santiago: The Capital of Chile 

Santiago is vital for everything related to Chile. Finance, Businesses, culture, economy everything is dependent on a functioning Santiago. Culturally Santiago resembles a lot of European countries. They have tried to store their history and showcase it proudly through museums and galleries. Shopping and dining options, coupled with the diverse nightlife of Santiago, make it a must-visit place.   

No matter where you go inside Chile, you’ll start your journey from the capital as it’s the main transportation hub. Before going to the Easter Islands or the Atacama Desert, explore the city. Otherwise, your Chilean experience would be incomplete.

The city started its journey in 1541, and it has evolved drastically over the years. The good part about Santiago is that it’s not overpopulated, unlike other South American cities. So, you can go about your day without having to bump into people now and then. The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts) is a good place to start in the city. There’s another museum which has artifacts from the Pre-Colombian era called Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Santiago tour would be incomplete without riding the aerial tramway. Use the tram to go to San Cristóbal Hill, and you’ll get the best possible view of this magnificent city. On the hill, you’ll find a statue of Mother Mary, which is twenty-two meters high. You can end the Santiago tour at Parque Metropolitano de Santiago. This park has green spaces in an urban setting, a funicular railway, and the Chilean National Zoo

4. Easter Island & Rapa Nui National Park

The Island was named by a Dutch explorer, but it was discovered back in 1722 by Europeans. Polynesians have lived on this remote island for thousands of years. Although it’s far away from the mainland, it remains the best Chile has to offer. The stone sculptures near the beaches make this place truly remarkable.

UNESCO has already declared this island as a World Heritage Site. The statues were made by Rapa Nui civilization, and now the Rapa Nui National Park protects all 887 statues on the island. The largest platform of the island consists of 15 statues which were re-erected.

On this island, you’ll find breathtaking beaches with green water. White coral along the beaches and coral reef beneath the ocean is quite similar to the Maldives. But the setting is much more spiritual.

There are museums on the island that hosts ancient artifacts of the Rapa Nui civilization and their leaders. You should check them out as well. 

You should visit Easter Island as a part of the Chilean trip. Flights are available from Santiago, and it takes 5 hours to reach the island. So, pack your bags for a few days at least.

5. Valparaíso

Source

Valparaíso is the 3rd largest city in Chile. It’s situated between the Pacific Ocean and a mountain range. It’s a two hours’ drive from Santiago to Valparaíso. So you can check this place off your list within a day.

The old cobbled streets, harbor, beaches and one-of-a-kind architecture make this place perfect for European and American tourists. Some of you would be excited to know that Pablo Neruda used to walk through these streets and get ideas for his poems.

The city focuses on its oceanic heritage and it shows.  Museo Naval Y Maritimo is a maritime museum that displays artifacts from the Pacific War of 1879.  Museo Lord Cochrane is another museum that was built by Lord Cochrane. 

6. Chilean Lake District

The Chilean Lake District is often termed as the Alpine of South America. It stretches from Puerto Montt to Temuca for over 330 kilometers. The Andean foothill region is rich farmland. The volcanoes in this area are almost hidden behind thick forests. The Lake District also has deep lakes that are suitable for different water sports.

Some time back, the indigenous people of this territory were forced to move elsewhere. European settlers arrived in this place and made it their own and started mixing with the locals. Mainly, the farmers from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria came and settled here. The hint of European culture is quite visible in Osorno’s architecture. Various norms and cultural traits here are also influenced by the Europeans

This is a heaven for adventurers and adrenaline junkies. Volcano climbing is now becoming very popular among the tourists. You can also choose safer options like hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and water rafting. During the winter, you can ski as well.

7. Pumalín Park

 Pumalín Park is quite similar to the Torres Del Paine National park. It was established as a sanctuary back in 2005.  The park covers a total area of 988,000 acres. It starts at the Andes and ends on the Pacific Ocean. The pristine coastline, forests, and mountains are integral parts of this sanctuary.

The reason why this place has remained so picturesque is that we humans haven’t touched it yet. The impact of urbanization hasn’t reached Chile. Pumalin Park is home to diverse flora and fauna. The park is currently owned by a US-based Nature Conservation Agency. Visitors can access the park with prior permission.

They do a very good job of providing visitors with an actual wilderness experience. This is possible only because the Park authority has made campgrounds, visitor facilities,  hike trails while keeping in mind the environmental impacts of such structures. You can either stay here for a small period by going on a hike or get a cabin to stay the night. No matter how you spend your time at Pumalin Park, you’ll cherish this experience for years to come.  

8. Chiloé Island & Chiloé National Park

Chiloé Island is Chile’s second-largest island. While the ambiance may not be comparable to some of the other places on the list, it still is amongst the top-visited places by travelers. You’ll have a more relaxed experience here.  

When you reach the island, the first thing you’ll notice is that the topography is quite similar to rural Europe, especially Germany. After the world war, many Germans escaped and came to South America. That’s why so many places have European influence on its culture and architecture. You can explore the island on foot. The wooden churches are iconic in this part of the world. The colorful wooden and semi-wooden houses built near the water catch the eye of every tourist – a perfect place to take a photo for your Instagram. These houses are called palafitos and they are one of the main attractions of this place.

You’ll get to see the ocean wildlife in its natural habitat if you come to this small island. Blue whales and dolphins jump out of the waters to entertain their traveler friends. This island is also a breeding area for penguins. They arrive in a flock and lay eggs on the beach. As travelers, you must protect these magnificent wild species.

9. Valle Nevado

https://youtu.be/r7MWk2qeir0

Most people had no idea that Chile had so many snowy mountains which are perfect for skiing and other winter sports. But the tourist spots like Valle Nevada are starting to gain traction. The Valle Nevada is now amongst the most popular skiing spots in South America. The resorts are located in the foothill of the Andes in El Plomo. This place was made in 1988 as a skiing spot. It’s fair to say, it serves its purpose efficiently.

The skiing range has an altitude of 3000 meters. You can ski here almost one-third of the year because of the clear blue skies. The resort has 11 lifts and 38 trails. The resort also features a variety of condos, chalets, and rooms. You can stay there for a day or two to get used to the Chilean snow. La Parva and El Colorado are two nearby skiing spots that are also tourist-friendly.  

10. Los Pingüinos Monument

The Monument area is a breeding location for penguins, as the name Los Pingüinos suggests. This part is only accessible by guided boats because Chile is putting more focus on conserving its diverse wildlife. Huge colonies of sea lions and seals have made this island their home. This monument is a part of the magnificent Marta islands and Magdalena.

Final Thoughts

Every location on this list is unique and represents the diversity of Chile. This thin and long country boasts some of the best scenic places in the world, and you won’t be disappointed no matter which one you pick from this list of the best places to visit in Chile.

The blog post Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need Find more at: Holiday Nomad

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need posted first on https://holidaynomad.com/

[svophiamaloney]

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need

Chile is located in the western corner of South America. It stretches over six thousand miles along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Chile is known for its football. But when it comes to the best places to visit in Chile, it leaves behind the neighbors like Brazil and Argentina. The landscape is so diverse that many travelers would pick Chile over its neighbors.

What Makes Chile So Special?

If this question comes to your head, then you’re thinking the wrong way, or you don’t know about Chile at all. What isn’t special about Chile? The peak of the Andes Mountains, magnificent sunny beaches, forests, volcanoes – whatever you associate with adventure, Chile has it. That’s why these places are gaining more and more tourists every day. 

Chile is home to some amazing conservation and national parks that are popular travel destinations among the tourist community. You can go trekking or hiking if you’re the adventurous type. 

The opportunities are endless for adventure seekers in Chile. Mountain biking, climbing, horseback riding, and river rafting are some of the popular choices.

The cultural attractions in Chile are in abundance. Santiago, the capital of Chile is a  host to many art galleries and museums while Easter Island has mysterious stone figures. 

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile 

1. Torres Del Paine National Park

Source

Torres Del Paine is god’s work of art. It’s becoming a prominent tourist attraction, and, naturally, it’s of great importance to Chile. Everything in the vicinity is picturesque. The lakes and rivers flow gently beside the plain grassland. In the background, breathtaking mountains and glaciers almost touch the sky. If you were having a bad day, this place would bring you back to life.  

There are multiple trails in the park for travelers to go on hiking. You can also stay overnight and trek the entirety of the mountain. If you hike for a day, then you can do it in a group. But hiking longer than a day requires you to tag along with a professional guide. This is a safety precaution issued by the park authority.

Many tourists go on a 5-day trek that reaches the top of Patagonia. The path is 71 KM long, so it’s going to be a tough journey. But the views you get are incomparable. The grey glacier and the Paine Grande Mountain are also visible along the path. In the end, this journey is worth it.

2. Valle de la Luna and the Atacama Desert

The Valley of Moon is the direct translation of Valle de la Luna. The name itself is intriguing enough to get anyone off their seat. It’s located near Chile’s border with Bolivia, thirteen kilometers away from San Pedro de Atacama. You can go there by tour buses, car rentals or if you’re feeling adventurous you can take a bike and follow the bike trails. 

The valley has an uncanny resemblance to the moon’s surface. That’s why people visit in huge numbers. The inhospitable climate has always attracted human civilization, and Chile is no different. Unique geological features in the valley are caused by erosion of the red rocks. The hostile environment couldn’t stop flora and fauna from evolving and adapting to the surroundings.

The dry lake and riverbeds attract both researchers and tourists. It’s one of the driest locations on the earth. The soil samples are quite different from any other place on earth because of salt deposits and naturally infused saline.

A fun fact about the Atacama Desert: The Chinchorro mummies stored in San Miguel de Azama archaeological museum were discovered in this valley. There are other pieces of evidence of ancient civilization residing here, including rock paintings and pictographs.  

3. Santiago: The Capital of Chile 

Santiago is vital for everything related to Chile. Finance, Businesses, culture, economy everything is dependent on a functioning Santiago. Culturally Santiago resembles a lot of European countries. They have tried to store their history and showcase it proudly through museums and galleries. Shopping and dining options, coupled with the diverse nightlife of Santiago, make it a must-visit place.   

No matter where you go inside Chile, you’ll start your journey from the capital as it’s the main transportation hub. Before going to the Easter Islands or the Atacama Desert, explore the city. Otherwise, your Chilean experience would be incomplete.

The city started its journey in 1541, and it has evolved drastically over the years. The good part about Santiago is that it’s not overpopulated, unlike other South American cities. So, you can go about your day without having to bump into people now and then. The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts) is a good place to start in the city. There’s another museum which has artifacts from the Pre-Colombian era called Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Santiago tour would be incomplete without riding the aerial tramway. Use the tram to go to San Cristóbal Hill, and you’ll get the best possible view of this magnificent city. On the hill, you’ll find a statue of Mother Mary, which is twenty-two meters high. You can end the Santiago tour at Parque Metropolitano de Santiago. This park has green spaces in an urban setting, a funicular railway, and the Chilean National Zoo

4. Easter Island & Rapa Nui National Park

The Island was named by a Dutch explorer, but it was discovered back in 1722 by Europeans. Polynesians have lived on this remote island for thousands of years. Although it’s far away from the mainland, it remains the best Chile has to offer. The stone sculptures near the beaches make this place truly remarkable.

UNESCO has already declared this island as a World Heritage Site. The statues were made by Rapa Nui civilization, and now the Rapa Nui National Park protects all 887 statues on the island. The largest platform of the island consists of 15 statues which were re-erected.

On this island, you’ll find breathtaking beaches with green water. White coral along the beaches and coral reef beneath the ocean is quite similar to the Maldives. But the setting is much more spiritual.

There are museums on the island that hosts ancient artifacts of the Rapa Nui civilization and their leaders. You should check them out as well. 

You should visit Easter Island as a part of the Chilean trip. Flights are available from Santiago, and it takes 5 hours to reach the island. So, pack your bags for a few days at least.

5. Valparaíso

Source

Valparaíso is the 3rd largest city in Chile. It’s situated between the Pacific Ocean and a mountain range. It’s a two hours’ drive from Santiago to Valparaíso. So you can check this place off your list within a day.

The old cobbled streets, harbor, beaches and one-of-a-kind architecture make this place perfect for European and American tourists. Some of you would be excited to know that Pablo Neruda used to walk through these streets and get ideas for his poems.

The city focuses on its oceanic heritage and it shows.  Museo Naval Y Maritimo is a maritime museum that displays artifacts from the Pacific War of 1879.  Museo Lord Cochrane is another museum that was built by Lord Cochrane. 

6. Chilean Lake District

The Chilean Lake District is often termed as the Alpine of South America. It stretches from Puerto Montt to Temuca for over 330 kilometers. The Andean foothill region is rich farmland. The volcanoes in this area are almost hidden behind thick forests. The Lake District also has deep lakes that are suitable for different water sports.

Some time back, the indigenous people of this territory were forced to move elsewhere. European settlers arrived in this place and made it their own and started mixing with the locals. Mainly, the farmers from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria came and settled here. The hint of European culture is quite visible in Osorno’s architecture. Various norms and cultural traits here are also influenced by the Europeans

This is a heaven for adventurers and adrenaline junkies. Volcano climbing is now becoming very popular among the tourists. You can also choose safer options like hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and water rafting. During the winter, you can ski as well.

7. Pumalín Park

 Pumalín Park is quite similar to the Torres Del Paine National park. It was established as a sanctuary back in 2005.  The park covers a total area of 988,000 acres. It starts at the Andes and ends on the Pacific Ocean. The pristine coastline, forests, and mountains are integral parts of this sanctuary.

The reason why this place has remained so picturesque is that we humans haven’t touched it yet. The impact of urbanization hasn’t reached Chile. Pumalin Park is home to diverse flora and fauna. The park is currently owned by a US-based Nature Conservation Agency. Visitors can access the park with prior permission.

They do a very good job of providing visitors with an actual wilderness experience. This is possible only because the Park authority has made campgrounds, visitor facilities,  hike trails while keeping in mind the environmental impacts of such structures. You can either stay here for a small period by going on a hike or get a cabin to stay the night. No matter how you spend your time at Pumalin Park, you’ll cherish this experience for years to come.  

8. Chiloé Island & Chiloé National Park

Chiloé Island is Chile’s second-largest island. While the ambiance may not be comparable to some of the other places on the list, it still is amongst the top-visited places by travelers. You’ll have a more relaxed experience here.  

When you reach the island, the first thing you’ll notice is that the topography is quite similar to rural Europe, especially Germany. After the world war, many Germans escaped and came to South America. That’s why so many places have European influence on its culture and architecture. You can explore the island on foot. The wooden churches are iconic in this part of the world. The colorful wooden and semi-wooden houses built near the water catch the eye of every tourist – a perfect place to take a photo for your Instagram. These houses are called palafitos and they are one of the main attractions of this place.

You’ll get to see the ocean wildlife in its natural habitat if you come to this small island. Blue whales and dolphins jump out of the waters to entertain their traveler friends. This island is also a breeding area for penguins. They arrive in a flock and lay eggs on the beach. As travelers, you must protect these magnificent wild species.

9. Valle Nevado

https://youtu.be/r7MWk2qeir0

Most people had no idea that Chile had so many snowy mountains which are perfect for skiing and other winter sports. But the tourist spots like Valle Nevada are starting to gain traction. The Valle Nevada is now amongst the most popular skiing spots in South America. The resorts are located in the foothill of the Andes in El Plomo. This place was made in 1988 as a skiing spot. It’s fair to say, it serves its purpose efficiently.

The skiing range has an altitude of 3000 meters. You can ski here almost one-third of the year because of the clear blue skies. The resort has 11 lifts and 38 trails. The resort also features a variety of condos, chalets, and rooms. You can stay there for a day or two to get used to the Chilean snow. La Parva and El Colorado are two nearby skiing spots that are also tourist-friendly.  

10. Los Pingüinos Monument

The Monument area is a breeding location for penguins, as the name Los Pingüinos suggests. This part is only accessible by guided boats because Chile is putting more focus on conserving its diverse wildlife. Huge colonies of sea lions and seals have made this island their home. This monument is a part of the magnificent Marta islands and Magdalena.

Final Thoughts

Every location on this list is unique and represents the diversity of Chile. This thin and long country boasts some of the best scenic places in the world, and you won’t be disappointed no matter which one you pick from this list of the best places to visit in Chile.

The blog post Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need Find more at: Holiday Nomad

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need posted first on https://holidaynomad.com/

[willepoe]

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need

Chile is located in the western corner of South America. It stretches over six thousand miles along the coast of the Pacific Ocean. Chile is known for its football. But when it comes to the best places to visit in Chile, it leaves behind the neighbors like Brazil and Argentina. The landscape is so diverse that many travelers would pick Chile over its neighbors.

What Makes Chile So Special?

If this question comes to your head, then you’re thinking the wrong way, or you don’t know about Chile at all. What isn’t special about Chile? The peak of the Andes Mountains, magnificent sunny beaches, forests, volcanoes – whatever you associate with adventure, Chile has it. That’s why these places are gaining more and more tourists every day. 

Chile is home to some amazing conservation and national parks that are popular travel destinations among the tourist community. You can go trekking or hiking if you’re the adventurous type. 

The opportunities are endless for adventure seekers in Chile. Mountain biking, climbing, horseback riding, and river rafting are some of the popular choices.

The cultural attractions in Chile are in abundance. Santiago, the capital of Chile is a  host to many art galleries and museums while Easter Island has mysterious stone figures. 

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile 

1. Torres Del Paine National Park

Source

Torres Del Paine is god’s work of art. It’s becoming a prominent tourist attraction, and, naturally, it’s of great importance to Chile. Everything in the vicinity is picturesque. The lakes and rivers flow gently beside the plain grassland. In the background, breathtaking mountains and glaciers almost touch the sky. If you were having a bad day, this place would bring you back to life.  

There are multiple trails in the park for travelers to go on hiking. You can also stay overnight and trek the entirety of the mountain. If you hike for a day, then you can do it in a group. But hiking longer than a day requires you to tag along with a professional guide. This is a safety precaution issued by the park authority.

Many tourists go on a 5-day trek that reaches the top of Patagonia. The path is 71 KM long, so it’s going to be a tough journey. But the views you get are incomparable. The grey glacier and the Paine Grande Mountain are also visible along the path. In the end, this journey is worth it.

2. Valle de la Luna and the Atacama Desert

The Valley of Moon is the direct translation of Valle de la Luna. The name itself is intriguing enough to get anyone off their seat. It’s located near Chile’s border with Bolivia, thirteen kilometers away from San Pedro de Atacama. You can go there by tour buses, car rentals or if you’re feeling adventurous you can take a bike and follow the bike trails. 

The valley has an uncanny resemblance to the moon’s surface. That’s why people visit in huge numbers. The inhospitable climate has always attracted human civilization, and Chile is no different. Unique geological features in the valley are caused by erosion of the red rocks. The hostile environment couldn’t stop flora and fauna from evolving and adapting to the surroundings.

The dry lake and riverbeds attract both researchers and tourists. It’s one of the driest locations on the earth. The soil samples are quite different from any other place on earth because of salt deposits and naturally infused saline.

A fun fact about the Atacama Desert:The Chinchorro mummies stored in San Miguel de Azama archaeological museum were discovered in this valley. There are other pieces of evidence of ancient civilization residing here, including rock paintings and pictographs.  

3. Santiago: The Capital of Chile 

Santiago is vital for everything related to Chile. Finance, Businesses, culture, economy everything is dependent on a functioning Santiago. Culturally Santiago resembles a lot of European countries. They have tried to store their history and showcase it proudly through museums and galleries. Shopping and dining options, coupled with the diverse nightlife of Santiago, make it a must-visit place.   

No matter where you go inside Chile, you’ll start your journey from the capital as it’s the main transportation hub. Before going to the Easter Islands or the Atacama Desert, explore the city. Otherwise, your Chilean experience would be incomplete.

The city started its journey in 1541, and it has evolved drastically over the years. The good part about Santiago is that it’s not overpopulated, unlike other South American cities. So, you can go about your day without having to bump into people now and then. The Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes (Chilean National Museum of Fine Arts) is a good place to start in the city. There’s another museum which has artifacts from the Pre-Colombian era called Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes

Santiago tour would be incomplete without riding the aerial tramway. Use the tram to go to San Cristóbal Hill, and you’ll get the best possible view of this magnificent city. On the hill, you’ll find a statue of Mother Mary, which is twenty-two meters high. You can end the Santiago tour at Parque Metropolitano de Santiago. This park has green spaces in an urban setting, a funicular railway, and the Chilean National Zoo

4. Easter Island & Rapa Nui National Park

The Island was named by a Dutch explorer, but it was discovered back in 1722 by Europeans. Polynesians have lived on this remote island for thousands of years. Although it’s far away from the mainland, it remains the best Chile has to offer. The stone sculptures near the beaches make this place truly remarkable.

UNESCO has already declared this island as a World Heritage Site. The statues were made by Rapa Nui civilization, and now the Rapa Nui National Park protects all 887 statues on the island. The largest platform of the island consists of 15 statues which were re-erected.

On this island, you’ll find breathtaking beaches with green water. White coral along the beaches and coral reef beneath the ocean is quite similar to the Maldives. But the setting is much more spiritual.

There are museums on the island that hosts ancient artifacts of the Rapa Nui civilization and their leaders. You should check them out as well. 

You should visit Easter Island as a part of the Chilean trip. Flights are available from Santiago, and it takes 5 hours to reach the island. So, pack your bags for a few days at least.

5. Valparaíso

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Valparaíso is the 3rd largest city in Chile. It’s situated between the Pacific Ocean and a mountain range. It’s a two hours’ drive from Santiago to Valparaíso. So you can check this place off your list within a day.

The old cobbled streets, harbor, beaches and one-of-a-kind architecture make this place perfect for European and American tourists. Some of you would be excited to know that Pablo Neruda used to walk through these streets and get ideas for his poems.

The city focuses on its oceanic heritage and it shows.  Museo Naval Y Maritimo is a maritime museum that displays artifacts from the Pacific War of 1879.  Museo Lord Cochrane is another museum that was built by Lord Cochrane. 

6. Chilean Lake District

The Chilean Lake District is often termed as the Alpine of South America. It stretches from Puerto Montt to Temuca for over 330 kilometers. The Andean foothill region is rich farmland. The volcanoes in this area are almost hidden behind thick forests. The Lake District also has deep lakes that are suitable for different water sports.

Some time back, the indigenous people of this territory were forced to move elsewhere. European settlers arrived in this place and made it their own and started mixing with the locals. Mainly, the farmers from Germany, Switzerland, and Austria came and settled here. The hint of European culture is quite visible in Osorno’s architecture. Various norms and cultural traits here are also influenced by the Europeans

This is a heaven for adventurers and adrenaline junkies. Volcano climbing is now becoming very popular among the tourists. You can also choose safer options like hiking, kayaking, horseback riding, and water rafting. During the winter, you can ski as well.

7. Pumalín Park

 Pumalín Park is quite similar to the Torres Del Paine National park. It was established as a sanctuary back in 2005.  The park covers a total area of 988,000 acres. It starts at the Andes and ends on the Pacific Ocean. The pristine coastline, forests, and mountains are integral parts of this sanctuary.

The reason why this place has remained so picturesque is that we humans haven’t touched it yet. The impact of urbanization hasn’t reached Chile. Pumalin Park is home to diverse flora and fauna. The park is currently owned by a US-based Nature Conservation Agency. Visitors can access the park with prior permission.

They do a very good job of providing visitors with an actual wilderness experience. This is possible only because the Park authority has made campgrounds, visitor facilities,  hike trails while keeping in mind the environmental impacts of such structures. You can either stay here for a small period by going on a hike or get a cabin to stay the night. No matter how you spend your time at Pumalin Park, you’ll cherish this experience for years to come.  

8. Chiloé Island & Chiloé National Park

Chiloé Island is Chile’s second-largest island. While the ambiance may not be comparable to some of the other places on the list, it still is amongst the top-visited places by travelers. You’ll have a more relaxed experience here.  

When you reach the island, the first thing you’ll notice is that the topography is quite similar to rural Europe, especially Germany. After the world war, many Germans escaped and came to South America. That’s why so many places have European influence on its culture and architecture. You can explore the island on foot. The wooden churches are iconic in this part of the world. The colorful wooden and semi-wooden houses built near the water catch the eye of every tourist – a perfect place to take a photo for your Instagram. These houses are called palafitos and they are one of the main attractions of this place.

You’ll get to see the ocean wildlife in its natural habitat if you come to this small island. Blue whales and dolphins jump out of the waters to entertain their traveler friends. This island is also a breeding area for penguins. They arrive in a flock and lay eggs on the beach. As travelers, you must protect these magnificent wild species.

9. Valle Nevado

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Most people had no idea that Chile had so many snowy mountains which are perfect for skiing and other winter sports. But the tourist spots like Valle Nevada are starting to gain traction. The Valle Nevada is now amongst the most popular skiing spots in South America. The resorts are located in the foothill of the Andes in El Plomo. This place was made in 1988 as a skiing spot. It’s fair to say, it serves its purpose efficiently.

The skiing range has an altitude of 3000 meters. You can ski here almost one-third of the year because of the clear blue skies. The resort has 11 lifts and 38 trails. The resort also features a variety of condos, chalets, and rooms. You can stay there for a day or two to get used to the Chilean snow. La Parva and El Colorado are two nearby skiing spots that are also tourist-friendly.  

10. Los Pingüinos Monument

The Monument area is a breeding location for penguins, as the name Los Pingüinos suggests. This part is only accessible by guided boats because Chile is putting more focus on conserving its diverse wildlife. Huge colonies of sea lions and seals have made this island their home. This monument is a part of the magnificent Marta islands and Magdalena.

Final Thoughts

Every location on this list is unique and represents the diversity of Chile. This thin and long country boasts some of the best scenic places in the world, and you won’t be disappointed no matter which one you pick from this list of the best places to visit in Chile.

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need was first seen on Holiday Nomad

Top 10 Best Places to Visit in Chile: The Only List You Need published first on https://holidaynomad.com/