#(read 'papa's house' by megan comfort)

[ansburg]

white people who have never interacted with the justice system shut up about how you think your experiences are comparable to prisoners' challenge

[black-wolf066]

Christmas Memories

Summary: (Post-curse and post-poisoned heart issue). Alice, while flipping through the Christmas Movie laden channels, thinks back on her real and fake childhood. (Curious Archer mostly, but with some KnightRook feels... maybe!)

Warning: I just got back from my friends house. It’s roughly 6ish in the morning as I post this (no sleep for me apparently). I typed all of this on my phone while I was still there, and to top it off i was still slightly drunk while writing it (which probably explains the feels in this one). So be warned, there more than likely will be mistakes (I tried, but i blame autocorrect). I'll go back and finesse this later... maybe... if I remember (or if I feel it needs it). @killianmesmalls  you're the reason behind this idea (even if I don't exactly follow your head canon to a tee here, lol). Enjoy!

Christmas Memories

"—Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings."

"Shitter was full!"

"You'll shoot your eye out, kid."

Alice sighed as she continued to flip through the holiday movie channels at random.

It was Christmas Eve day. Sure, it may not have been ‘the’ day, but it was still a day jam-packed with childlike anticipation, merrymaking and yuletide cheer. It was another day to spend with friends, family and loved ones, to share in traditions of new and old, and create fond recollections to look back on for years to come.

It was a holiday both foreign and familiar.

While Alice remembered celebrating the winter solstice with her papa (with hearty lamb and dumpling stew, homemade marmalade jelly pudding, and a warm night reading by a cozy fire); Tilly remembered disappointing and glum Christmas’ in the foster system (of losing her belief at four when her foster parents, at the time, couldn’t be bothered to play the part. Of being excluded in traditions like decorating the tree or licking the raw cookie dough off of the beaters). Even with the curse broken, and her world feeling right again, Alice couldn’t help but dwell in the past that was both real and fake. It was something they were all struggling with, even Henry—who had gone through it before. They all knew those cursed memories were fake, but it still didn’t lessen the sting it left behind.

It was the very reason why today and tomorrow were made all that more important in their rag-tag family, for they would be celebrating together and forming new memories to ease the old.

Her papa was out at the store at the moment, having left earlier in the hopes of beating some of the crowds while getting the ingredients they needed for the feast tonight. And with nothing else to do until he got back, Alice was left to channel surf.

“Because I shaved! You want this doll or not? Go back to sleep.”

“Seeing is believing, but sometimes the most real things in the world are the things we can’t see.”

She watched only a few minutes more of The Polar Express, before flipping to the next station.

“This is extremely important. Will you please tell Santa that instead of presents this year; I just want my family back. No toys. Nothing but Peter, Kate, Buzz, Megan, Linnie, and Jeff. And my aunt and my cousins. And if he has time, my Uncle Frank. Okay?”

Alice froze; the painful memories of her life after her Papa had been forced away, and the miserable memories of her childhood as Tilly, forcing their way to the foreground of her thoughts.

How many times had Alice wished on the blue star; only for the fairy to ignore her call? How many times had she wished for their curse to be lifted? How many tears had she shed the longer her papa had to stay away from her and their tower?

How many times had Tilly wished for a loving family; for someone to love her? How many times had she been returned because she was ‘too difficult to handle’? How many times had she wished that she was normal; that she didn’t have to take medicine to keep her functional? How many different foster families had she spent her holidays with? How many times had Home Alone been played callously for them because it had been deemed ‘a cult classic’?

“Oh, I remember this movie!”

Alice startled out of her somber musings, her head swiveling to look at Robin as she exited the kitchen with their tea. She wasn’t looking at Alice, but rather at the movie playing on the screen as she moved to hand over the second cup and sit beside her on the couch.

“Well, my cursed self remembers it anyway. Mom and I used to watch it all the time.” At Alice’s silence, Robin shifted her attention away from the TV to look at her. “Is everything okay?”

Alice forced a smile she thought was genuine enough, before going back to channel surfing. “Of course, why wouldn’t it be?”

“Because I know you, and I know that look in your eyes.” Robin shifted and gently snatched the remote out of her hands. With a press of her finger on the mute button, the Miser brothers’ song was effectively cut off, and Robin shifted her full attention on Alice after placing the remote and then their tea on the coffee table. “Come on, talk to me.”

“It’s…” Alice trailed off as she chewed on her bottom lip.

“The past?”

Alice nodded, but made no farther move to continue, and Robin wrapped her arm around her shoulders and pulled her in close. The comfort and warmth her girlfriend provided, eased some of the tension in Alice’s body as she sagged into the embrace and rested her head over the thumping of Robin’s heart.

Neither knew how long they stayed cuddled like that, but it was long enough apparently for the tea to grow cold and for Killian to return with the groceries. His humorous complaints of traffic and long lines chased whatever demons still remaining away, and Alice smiled gratefully up at Robin, placing a chaste kiss to her lips, before both of them moved to help him in the kitchen.

No matter the past, Alice wasn’t alone anymore; she had her true love, her papa and the rest of the group she could readily call family.

Maybe her wishes had been granted after all.

[naturecoaster]

Bramble Creek Farm: UPick Blackberries Grown with Love

Pulling up to the wide farm gate on Hayman Road, anticipation of the sweet, yet slightly tart flavor of fresh, juicy blackberries has a grip on me. This is my third year visiting Bramble Creek Farm and I have a vision to fulfill – and a bucket! It is an idyllic scene; slowly touring the hill with verdant, green grass on either side and a few grazing cows. Pull in and park under the magnificent grandfather oak tree and walk over an arched bridge surrounded by lush ferns, elephant ears, and oak canopies. Directly ahead are rows of trellised blackberry bushes as far as the eye can see. To the right is a golden barn adorned with a front porch and several chairs welcoming guests to sit a spell.

Park under the huge oak tree surrounded by azalea bushes and prepare to be wowed. Ann and Gene Altman began their u-pick blackberry farm in 2004. For 2018, Bramble Creek Farm opens on Tuesdays from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., all day Wednesdays from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., beckoning blackberry enthusiasts to come and gather their fill. “Having staggered days allows the berries to ripen between pickings, providing a better experience for our guests,” Ann tells me. This year’s harvest is from mid-May to mid-July. The farm’s answering machine at 352-796-5473 is always kept up to date with the latest picking information – and I joined their email list for daily updates here.  You may want to also.

Walking over the bridge to the farm sets the stage for a tranquil experience. In 1997, the Altman family purchased 12 acres at 23031 Hayman Road. They moved and built their home after their oldest daughter, Jenifer, graduated from high school.  They planted their first row of blackberries when their youngest daughter Megan was in high school.  Megan helped decide that the thorny variety just wouldn’t do! In his younger days, Gene grew 200 acres of row crops including peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, and watermelons.  After several tough years Gene decided to return to college and get his education in Civil Engineering.  He began working at SWFWMD in environmental engineering, developing flood plain maps. “Today I am proud to be working with the agricultural community in the Farms Section at SWFWMD. I think of farmers as the first environmentalists. Wise agriculturists protect the land and water resources to protect their farming investment,” Gene states with purpose.

Huge blackberries are plentiful in 2018. Sweet and bursting with flavor, several varieties are grown on the farm, providing upick opportunities through mid-July. When asked why blackberries instead of another crop, Ann shared the story of visiting Mrs. Frazell’s thorny blackberry farm in Land O’Lakes with her daughter and falling in love with the experience (in the late 1990s). “I had never been blackberry picking before. We went down there and I loved it! The fruit was marvelous and it was fun. We began our plan.” Each variety of blackberry bush has its own characteristics, including firmness, size, yield and early-mid-late seasonality. The Altmans have worked with many varieties over the years.

Twenty three trellised rows of easy pickings are available. Wide, clean aisles are between six-foot plus plants. “We found the thorn less blackberries to be sweeter, not to mention eliminating the scratches and cuts we would get when picking them. Megan and I were charged with that task in 2004. When the thorn less varieties proved to taste just as good, if not better, I told Gene to pull out all those bushes and plant the ‘good stuff’,” Ann explains. “We select the varieties to plant based on the sweetness of the berries, not the yield because we have a quality over quantity philosophy here. The blackberries we grow also retain their structural integrity better than the thorny ones did. I can keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week after picking and they are just as good.”

Ann makes wonderful blackberry jams which are now available in the Blackberry Barn.  She makes both seedless and seed-in jams without pectin. They are delicious and are comparable or better than high end varieties found in the supermarkets. The barn also houses locally grown honey, bird houses, homemade jam, and soaps from North Carolina…and eggs (when the hens cooperate)!  Ann has several happy hens that lay fresh eggs daily. You may see them wandering the farm. This year, the Altmans are carrying Granny Nichols Bar-B-Q Sauce. Granny Nichols is actually Gene’s granny, and she began cooking up her ‘famous’ barbecue sauce with his grandfather for community events in Oxford, Florida. When Papa Nichols passed, granny began bottling the beloved sauce to supplement her income. Gene makes blackberry and fig wine, generously offering a taste to most anyone who stops by. Perhaps one day they will open a winery on the farm. For now, blackberries are in abundance here. Plan a visit or make a spur-of-the-moment drive to their relaxing farm on one of their open dates - before season is over. The Altmans will gladly point you to the best location to pick on your visit. This slideshow requires JavaScript. Blackberries are best picked when the drupelets are plump and full of flavor. They should be fully black. Red areas on a berry are not ripe yet and will tart the berry’s flavor. For your comfort, you want to wear hats, sunscreen, and clothing that protects against sun and bugs. Wear old shoes with closed toes to protect your feet and reduce tripping on uneven terrain. It is recommended to bring a cooler to transport your berries home.

Yuuuummmmmmmmyyyyyy - Get out here before they're gone!!! It is not appropriate to smoke, or chew gum or tobacco in fields and is always a good idea to wash your hands and berries before eating them. Pets should not be brought to the farm. Well-behaved children are welcome. Bramble Creek has a portable toilet on site, supplies the tools for holding your berries while you pick and bags for taking them home after your selections are weighed and paid for. They sell water to help insure you stay hydrated while picking, but are fine with you bringing your own refreshments.

Blackberries start as flowers, convert to a small red berry, grow larger and then ripen to black. When they are completely black, they are at their sweetest. Come out to Bramble Creek Blackberries to enjoy the fruit, the wine, the blackberry barn, and the atmosphere. The berries are $5/pound for u-pick and $7/pound pre-picked (call 48-hours in advance to request pre-picked berries). It is a fun place to bring the family, the club, or go it alone; your taste buds will thank you. But get out there before the middle of July, or the blackberries will be gone until 2019! Read the full article

[naturecoaster]

Bramble Creek Farm: UPick Blackberries Grown with Love

Pulling up to the wide farm gate on Hayman Road, anticipation of the sweet, yet slightly tart flavor of fresh, juicy blackberries has a grip on me. This is my third year visiting Bramble Creek Farm and I have a vision to fulfill – and a bucket! It is an idyllic scene; slowly touring the hill with verdant, green grass on either side and a few grazing cows. Pull in and park under the magnificent grandfather oak tree and walk over an arched bridge surrounded by lush ferns, elephant ears, and oak canopies. Directly ahead are rows of trellised blackberry bushes as far as the eye can see. To the right is a golden barn adorned with a front porch and several chairs welcoming guests to sit a spell.

Park under the huge oak tree surrounded by azalea bushes and prepare to be wowed. Ann and Gene Altman began their u-pick blackberry farm in 2004. For 2018, Bramble Creek Farm opens on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., beckoning blackberry enthusiasts to come and gather their fill. “Having staggered days allows the berries to ripen between pickings, providing a better experience for our guests,” Ann tells me. This year’s harvest is from mid-May to mid-July. The farm’s answering machine at 352-796-5473 is always kept up to date with the latest picking information – and I joined their email list for daily updates here.  You may want to also.

Walking over the bridge to the farm sets the stage for a tranquil experience. In 1997, the Altman family purchased 12 acres at 23031 Hayman Road. They moved and built their home after their oldest daughter, Jenifer, graduated from high school.  They planted their first row of blackberries when their youngest daughter Megan was in high school.  Megan helped decide that the thorny variety just wouldn’t do! In his younger days, Gene grew 200 acres of row crops including peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, and watermelons.  After several tough years Gene decided to return to college and get his education in Civil Engineering.  He began working at SWFWMD in environmental engineering, developing flood plain maps. “Today I am proud to be working with the agricultural community in the Farms Section at SWFWMD. I think of farmers as the first environmentalists. Wise agriculturists protect the land and water resources to protect their farming investment,” Gene states with purpose.

Huge blackberries are plentiful in 2018. Sweet and bursting with flavor, several varieties are grown on the farm, providing upick opportunities through mid-July. When asked why blackberries instead of another crop, Ann shared the story of visiting Mrs. Frazell’s thorny blackberry farm in Land O’Lakes with her daughter and falling in love with the experience (in the late 1990s). “I had never been blackberry picking before. We went down there and I loved it! The fruit was marvelous and it was fun. We began our plan.” Each variety of blackberry bush has its own characteristics, including firmness, size, yield and early-mid-late seasonality. The Altmans have worked with many varieties over the years.

Twenty three trellised rows of easy pickings are available. Wide, clean aisles are between six-foot plus plants. “We found the thorn less blackberries to be sweeter, not to mention eliminating the scratches and cuts we would get when picking them. Megan and I were charged with that task in 2004. When the thorn less varieties proved to taste just as good, if not better, I told Gene to pull out all those bushes and plant the ‘good stuff’,” Ann explains. “We select the varieties to plant based on the sweetness of the berries, not the yield because we have a quality over quantity philosophy here. The blackberries we grow also retain their structural integrity better than the thorny ones did. I can keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week after picking and they are just as good.”

Ann's blackberry jams are second to none. Ann makes wonderful blackberry jams which are now available in the Blackberry Barn.  She makes both seedless and seed-in jams without pectin. They are delicious and are comparable or better than high end varieties found in the supermarkets. The barn also houses locally grown honey, bird houses, homemade jam, and soaps from North Carolina…and eggs (when the hens cooperate)!  Ann has several happy hens that lay fresh eggs daily. You may see them wandering the farm. This year, the Altmans are carrying Granny Nichols Bar-B-Q Sauce. Granny Nichols is actually Gene’s granny, and she began cooking up her ‘famous’ barbecue sauce with his grandfather for community events in Oxford, Florida. When Papa Nichols passed, granny began bottling the beloved sauce to supplement her income. Gene makes blackberry and fig wine, generously offering a taste to most anyone who stops by. Perhaps one day they will open a winery on the farm. For now, blackberries are in abundance here. Plan a visit or make a spur-of-the-moment drive to their relaxing farm on one of their open dates - before season is over. The Altmans will gladly point you to the best location to pick on your visit. This slideshow requires JavaScript. Blackberries are best picked when the drupelets are plump and full of flavor. They should be fully black. Red areas on a berry are not ripe yet and will tart the berry’s flavor. For your comfort, you want to wear hats, sunscreen, and clothing that protects against sun and bugs. Wear old shoes with closed toes to protect your feet and reduce tripping on uneven terrain. It is recommended to bring a cooler to transport your berries home.

Yuuuummmmmmmmyyyyyy - Get out here before they're gone!!! It is not appropriate to smoke, or chew gum or tobacco in fields and is always a good idea to wash your hands and berries before eating them. Pets should not be brought to the farm. Well-behaved children are welcome. Bramble Creek has a portable toilet on site, supplies the tools for holding your berries while you pick and bags for taking them home after your selections are weighed and paid for. They sell water to help insure you stay hydrated while picking, but are fine with you bringing your own refreshments.

Blackberries start as flowers, convert to a small red berry, grow larger and then ripen to black. When they are completely black, they are at their sweetest. Come out to Bramble Creek Blackberries to enjoy the fruit, the wine, the blackberry barn, and the atmosphere. The berries are $5/pound for u-pick and $7/pound pre-picked (call 48-hours in advance to request pre-picked berries). It is a fun place to bring the family, the club, or go it alone; your taste buds will thank you. But get out there before the middle of July, or the blackberries will be gone until 2019! Read the full article

[naturecoaster]

Bramble Creek Farm: UPick Blackberries Grown with Love

Pulling up to the wide farm gate on Hayman Road, anticipation of the sweet, yet slightly tart flavor of fresh, juicy blackberries has a grip on me. This is my third year visiting Bramble Creek Farm and I have a vision to fulfill – and a bucket! It is an idyllic scene; slowly touring the hill with verdant, green grass on either side and a few grazing cows. Pull in and park under the magnificent grandfather oak tree and walk over an arched bridge surrounded by lush ferns, elephant ears, and oak canopies. Directly ahead are rows of trellised blackberry bushes as far as the eye can see. To the right is a golden barn adorned with a front porch and several chairs welcoming guests to sit a spell.

Park under the huge oak tree surrounded by azalea bushes and prepare to be wowed. Ann and Gene Altman began their u-pick blackberry farm in 2004. For 2018, Bramble Creek Farm opens on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m., as well as Saturday and Sunday mornings from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., beckoning blackberry enthusiasts to come and gather their fill. “Having staggered days allows the berries to ripen between pickings, providing a better experience for our guests,” Ann tells me. This year’s harvest is from mid-May to mid-July. The farm’s answering machine at 352-796-5473 is always kept up to date with the latest picking information – and I joined their email list for daily updates here.  You may want to also.

Walking over the bridge to the farm sets the stage for a tranquil experience. In 1997, the Altman family purchased 12 acres at 23031 Hayman Road. They moved and built their home after their oldest daughter, Jenifer, graduated from high school.  They planted their first row of blackberries when their youngest daughter Megan was in high school.  Megan helped decide that the thorny variety just wouldn’t do! In his younger days, Gene grew 200 acres of row crops including peppers, cucumbers, eggplant, and watermelons.  After several tough years Gene decided to return to college and get his education in Civil Engineering.  He began working at SWFWMD in environmental engineering, developing flood plain maps. “Today I am proud to be working with the agricultural community in the Farms Section at SWFWMD. I think of farmers as the first environmentalists. Wise agriculturists protect the land and water resources to protect their farming investment,” Gene states with purpose.

Huge blackberries are plentiful in 2018. Sweet and bursting with flavor, several varieties are grown on the farm, providing upick opportunities through mid-July. When asked why blackberries instead of another crop, Ann shared the story of visiting Mrs. Frazell’s thorny blackberry farm in Land O’Lakes with her daughter and falling in love with the experience (in the late 1990s). “I had never been blackberry picking before. We went down there and I loved it! The fruit was marvelous and it was fun. We began our plan.” Each variety of blackberry bush has its own characteristics, including firmness, size, yield and early-mid-late seasonality. The Altmans have worked with many varieties over the years.

Twenty three trellised rows of easy pickings are available. Wide, clean aisles are between six-foot plus plants. “We found the thorn less blackberries to be sweeter, not to mention eliminating the scratches and cuts we would get when picking them. Megan and I were charged with that task in 2004. When the thorn less varieties proved to taste just as good, if not better, I told Gene to pull out all those bushes and plant the ‘good stuff’,” Ann explains. “We select the varieties to plant based on the sweetness of the berries, not the yield because we have a quality over quantity philosophy here. The blackberries we grow also retain their structural integrity better than the thorny ones did. I can keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week after picking and they are just as good.”

Ann's blackberry jams are second to none. Ann makes wonderful blackberry jams which are now available in the Blackberry Barn.  She makes both seedless and seed-in jams without pectin. They are delicious and are comparable or better than high end varieties found in the supermarkets. The barn also houses locally grown honey, bird houses, homemade jam, and soaps from North Carolina…and eggs (when the hens cooperate)!  Ann has several happy hens that lay fresh eggs daily. You may see them wandering the farm. This year, the Altmans are carrying Granny Nichols Bar-B-Q Sauce. Granny Nichols is actually Gene’s granny, and she began cooking up her ‘famous’ barbecue sauce with his grandfather for community events in Oxford, Florida. When Papa Nichols passed, granny began bottling the beloved sauce to supplement her income. Gene makes blackberry and fig wine, generously offering a taste to most anyone who stops by. Perhaps one day they will open a winery on the farm. For now, blackberries are in abundance here. Plan a visit or make a spur-of-the-moment drive to their relaxing farm on one of their open dates - before season is over. The Altmans will gladly point you to the best location to pick on your visit. This slideshow requires JavaScript. Blackberries are best picked when the drupelets are plump and full of flavor. They should be fully black. Red areas on a berry are not ripe yet and will tart the berry’s flavor. For your comfort, you want to wear hats, sunscreen, and clothing that protects against sun and bugs. Wear old shoes with closed toes to protect your feet and reduce tripping on uneven terrain. It is recommended to bring a cooler to transport your berries home.

Yuuuummmmmmmmyyyyyy - Get out here before they're gone!!! It is not appropriate to smoke, or chew gum or tobacco in fields and is always a good idea to wash your hands and berries before eating them. Pets should not be brought to the farm. Well-behaved children are welcome. Bramble Creek has a portable toilet on site, supplies the tools for holding your berries while you pick and bags for taking them home after your selections are weighed and paid for. They sell water to help insure you stay hydrated while picking, but are fine with you bringing your own refreshments.

Farmer Gene and Ann, the Blackberry Lady welcome you to Bramble Creek Blackberry Farm. Come out to Bramble Creek Blackberries to enjoy the fruit, the wine, the blackberry barn, and the atmosphere. The berries are $5/pound for u-pick and $7/pound pre-picked (call 48-hours in advance to request pre-picked berries). It is a fun place to bring the family, the club, or go it alone; your taste buds will thank you. But get out there before the middle of July, or the blackberries will be gone until 2019! Read the full article