#Breckenridge Farms

[bluepoodle7]

#BreckenridgeFarms #BreckenridgeFarmsMexicanBlendShredsCheese #ShreddedCheeseReview#MexicanBlendShredsCheeseSpamBaconGreenPeppersAndOnionsFilledOmelet #StuffedOmeletReview

This is part 2 of the Breckenridge Farms Mexican Blend Shreds Cheese in a homemade bacon spam, green peppers and onions omelet.

These are the rest of the images.

Part 1

#BreckenridgeFarms #BreckenridgeFarmsMexicanBlendShredsCheese... – @bluepoodle7 on Tumblr

[daughter-of-melpomene]

For the plot bunny ask game: Once Upon a Time, please??

@dancingsunflowers-ocs 💖

Another OC that I was planning on formally introducing, thanks so much, Alexandra! Tagging my other Once Upon a Time moots, @manyfandomocs, @themaradwrites, and @ginger-grimm!! <3

name: rose red (in the enchanted forest), scarlett rosewood (in storybrooke).

faceclaim: alexandra breckenridge.

age: twenty-six when the dark curse hit, stuck that way for a long time.

sexuality: pansexual.

job: princess (in the enchanted forest), secretary for the police department (in storybrooke).

love interest: an oc who was the bear prince and her husband in the enchanted forest.

brief summary: from the time rose red and snow white were born, they had been each other’s dearest companions. through their mother’s death when they were just young, to their father’s death when they were teenagers and the million subtle cruelties from their stepmother which only rose seemed to truly notice, the two young women always clung to each other, their own anchors in a world that seemed determined to push them around. and though they had agreed to split up after fleeing an attempt on their life by their stepmother and found themselves without each other for the first time in their lives, they still managed to go on their own adventures and find happiness - snow became a skilled thief and wound up falling in love with a farm boy-turned-prince, while rose helped a prince cursed into the form of a bear free himself from his deal with the infamous rumplestilstkin and found a love of her own in the process. but then, so soon after the sisters were able to reunite and begin their happy endings, they were torn apart once again, this time by a terrible curse cast by their stepmother that left them in a completely different world, not even remembering their true selves, their husbands, or each other. but of course, no longer knowing any different, the sisters seem doomed to spend the rest of their lives in the completely oblivious misery of being without their respective dearest companions… but then emma swan arrives in storybrooke, and everything begins to change.

5 adjectives to describe them: loving, loyal, courageous, sarcastic, determined.

send me a fandom and i’ll make a plot bunny for it!!

[aestheticvoyage2023]

Day 274: Sunday October 1, 2023 - "Where The Dream is Alive"

With a day to burn in Iowa, I knew exactly what we should do - there is a home plate up in Dyersville, that we should all cross, as baseball fans, once in our lifetime. And when else would we be an hour away? So we pointed Dad's truck north towards Dubuque, and pulled into the white dirt road driveway, to the most perfect field - the Field of Dreams.

We wasted no time finding ourselves out in that Iowa Corn, still green as it stood up as both the outfield fence and bleachers. Didn't find any ghosts out there, but the field itself donned 9 fields, a batter, and an ump as an over 58 baseball league from Chicago showed their stuff to the passing tourists. We got ourselves some hotdogs and beers and cheered for the old men playing a game; the most beautiful way to spend a Sunday afternoon. They're living out a dream. Not in playing here so much, but to still have a game to play. I envied them, I thought, as I enjoyed the cold Corn lager that they brew locally using the same corn we had just walked in. Bob Seger's voice wisped in the wind, talking about reminiscing on the days of old - "soothes the soul."" I said as I rolled the baseball in my hand. Everything here was exactly as I imagined it. The wooden bleachers, the backstop, the house on the hill, the long driveway. It felt so much like being home in Breckenridge and maybe that adds to the sentiment and nostalgia. Is this Heaven? the famous quote asks. It is Iowa, and its every small farm town America. And the dream may have little to do with baseball or having a catch, as much as it does with being able to slow down and relax a little, and play, and enjoy the blue sky, and the way the wind blows the corn. Thats the dream, here. A bubble - where you can leave reality behind a little bit, step into a movie set, a better story, and a beautiful place. I bought a shirt, a souvenir, for all of that.

We drove from Dyersville on through Dubuque crossing into Illinois and following the 20 through Rockford on the way to Midway, up and down through curvy and hill farmland. It was good for my nervous system - I took the backseat to just quietly go along. We listened to the Tigers on the radio, Miggy's last game. It was calming, a nice drive as we put a little bit of new track on the map. Miggy made an out in the field and the fans all gave him love. The Tigers closed out a win on the last day of the regular season, as auspicious day to spend at The Field of Dreams - Miggy was a great Tiger, we listened to an all time great hang it up. And the show lived up to the hype. Its easy to be romantic about baseball - and as Miggy got that unassisted put out at first, it was easy to believe in such a thing as the baseball gods.

Song: Bob Seger - Old Time Rock & Roll

Quote: Chance to squint at a sky so blue that it hurts your eyes just to look at it. To feel the tingling in your arm as you connect with the ball. To run the bases ... stretch a double into a triple, and flop face-first into third, wrap your arms around the bag. That's my wish, Ray Kinsella. That's my wish. And is there enough magic out there in the moonlight to make this dream come true?"  ~Dr. Moonlight Graham, Field of Dreams

[molhooktoberfest]

2023 Rankings

T-1. 2nd Shift Oktoberfest T-1. Breckenridge Oktoberfest T-1. Yuengling Oktoberfest T-4. Old Bakery Oktoberfest T-4. Urban Chestnut O-Katz Oktoberfest

6. Leinenkugel Oktoberfest 7. Capital Oktoberfest 8. Breckenridge Autumn Ale T-9. Marsh Island Oktoberfest T-9. Shiner Oktoberfest T-11. Founders Oktoberfest T-11. Free State Oktoberfest 13. Foulmouthed Autumn Sweater Wet Hop Harvest Amber T-14. Church Street Itascafest T-14. Cushnoc Cushnoctoberfest Fester T-14. Great North Aleworks Märzen Rover Amber T-14. Penrose Octoberfest T-18. Banded Oktoberfest T-18. Bangor Therese Festbier T-18. Bell’s Oktoberfest T-18. Boulevard Bob’s ’47 Oktoberfest T-18. CT Valley Oktoberfest T-18. Rising Tide Oktoberfest T-18. Sam Adams Octoberfest T-18. Saranac Oktoberfest T-26. Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest T-26. Goose Island Oktoberfest T-26. Main & Mill Oktoberfestus T-26. New Glarus Staghorn Octoberfest T-30. Alesmith Oktoberfest T-30. Black Flannel Märzen T-30. Brooklyn Oktoberfest T-30. Paulaner Oktoberfest 34. Odell Oktoberfest T-35. Left Hand Oktoberfest T-35. Revolution Oktoberfest 37. Tripping Animals Schwein Haben Märzen 38. Erdinger Weissbräu 39. Victory Festbier T-40. Broadway Rise & Fall Octoberfest T-40. Empyrean Aires Märzen Oktoberfest T-40. Off Color Waddle T-43. Anchor Big Leaf Maple Autumn Red T-43. Destihl Märzen Oktoberfest T-43. Excel Oktoberfest T-43. Logboat Oktoberfest T-43. Maplewood Festbier T-43. Mast Landing Feierabend Festbier T-43. Rhinegeist Franz T-43. Singlecut Beersmiths Inexplicably Used Umlaut Marten T-51. 4 Hands Fest Bier T-51. Foundation Gretel T-51. Hofbrauhaus Festbier T-51. Mother’s Oktoberfest T-51. Public House Bierleichen! T-51. Two Roads Ok2berfest T-51. Woodland Farms Fest Bier Märzen T-58. Civil Life Oktoberfest T-58. Deep Sleep Offenfest Octoberfest T-58. Queen City Oktoberfest T-58. Twelve Percent Oktoberfest T-58. Warsteiner Oktoberfest 63. Great Lakes Oktoberfest T-64. Alpha Märzen T-64. Avery The Kaiser T-64. Half Acre Lager Town Oktoberfest T-64. Metropolitan Oktoberfest T-64. Sudwerk Bier Garten Festbier 69. Definitive Oktoberfest 70. Spaten Oktoberfest T-71. Rockwell Foederfest T-71. Sebago Oktoberfest T-73. The Blind Pig Oktoberfest T-73. Gniess Rocktober Fest 75. Hofbrau Oktoberfest T-76. Hacker Pschorr Oktoberfest Märzen T-76. Toppling Goliath Oktoberfest T-78. Great Divide Hoss Oktoberfest T-78. Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest T-80. AlphaBeta Toasted Not Roasted Oktoberfest T-80. Liquid Riot Festbier T-80. Schlafly Oktoberfest 83. Ayinger Oktoberfest 84. Weihenstephaner Festbier 85. Athletic Oktoberfest

[flightofficeuk]

Reach New Heights: Direct Flights to Denver Now Available

Denver, Colorado, also known as the Mile-High City, has long been a top destination for travelers seeking both urban excitement and outdoor adventure. Nestled at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, Denver offers breathtaking natural beauty, a thriving cultural scene, and a welcoming atmosphere for visitors from all walks of life. Now, with direct flights to Denver more accessible than ever, it’s the perfect time to reach new heights and explore everything this dynamic city has to offer.

A Thriving Urban Hub

Denver has evolved into one of the most exciting cities in the U.S., known for its vibrant arts and culture, world-class dining, and a growing reputation as a tech and business hub. Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by the modern architecture of Denver International Airport (DIA), a transportation hub known for its ease of access and impressive design. With new direct flights connecting Denver to major cities across the country and internationally, travelers can now enjoy a seamless journey straight to this vibrant metropolis.

Once you land, Denver’s downtown area awaits with its diverse attractions. The 16th Street Mall, a bustling pedestrian promenade, is a great starting point for any visit. This lively stretch is lined with shops, cafes, and restaurants, and is perfect for an afternoon of exploration. Just around the corner, the historic LoDo (Lower Downtown) district offers a blend of old-world charm and modern energy, with its trendy restaurants, boutique hotels, and lively nightlife.

Gateway to the Rockies

While Denver boasts an impressive array of urban experiences, it is also a gateway to the majestic Rocky Mountains. With direct flights making travel easier than ever, visitors can now quickly transition from city streets to mountain trails. The city’s proximity to the Rockies makes it a haven for outdoor enthusiasts looking for adventure.

During the warmer months, Denver offers easy access to some of the country’s most picturesque hiking trails. Rocky Mountain National Park, just an hour’s drive from the city, is home to over 350 miles of trails that wind through alpine forests, past crystal-clear lakes, and up to stunning mountain summits. Whether you're an experienced hiker or a beginner looking for a leisurely day outdoors, there’s something for everyone in this natural wonderland.

In the winter, Denver serves as the perfect jumping-off point for ski trips to world-renowned resorts like Breckenridge, Vail, and Aspen. With some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the country just a short drive away, winter sports enthusiasts will find no shortage of options. Even if skiing isn’t your thing, many resorts offer snowshoeing, sleigh rides, and cozy lodges where you can relax with a cup of hot cocoa.

Cultural and Culinary Delights

Back in the city, Denver’s arts and culinary scenes are flourishing. The Denver Art Museum and the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver showcase a diverse range of exhibitions, while music venues like Red Rocks Amphitheatre offer an unforgettable concert experience in a natural setting.

Food lovers will enjoy Denver’s diverse and innovative dining options. The city is known for its farm-to-table restaurants, craft breweries, and a variety of international cuisines, making it a top destination for food enthusiasts.

Your Next Adventure Awaits

With direct flights to Denver now more widely available, reaching the Mile-High City has never been easier. Whether you’re seeking adventure in the great outdoors, cultural experiences, or simply a new city to explore, Denver offers something for everyone. Book your direct flight and get ready to reach new heights in the heart of Colorado!

[admiralchristopherpike]

“Breckenridge, that’s between Denver and Edwards right?” Pike asked, “my father was a rancher himself when he was planet side and worked with some farms in that area.” He looked at the different photos and said, “how much for the Rockies and this one?” 

“Breckenridge, that’s between Denver and Edwards right?” Pike asked, “my father was a rancher himself when he was planet side and worked with some farms in that area.” He looked at the different photos and said, “how much for the Rockies and this one?” 

[kingscourtphotographer]

Today's #shotoftheday is a photo of the beautiful glassy water reflection of Americana. #Kingscourtcreativephoto #americana #farm #farmlife #ruralamerica #minnesota #exploreminnesota #Breckenridge #sonyalpha #sigmaart #wideanglephotography #landscapephotography (at Breckenridge, Minnesota) https://www.instagram.com/p/CHHUhE3hWBp/?igshid=1mt8rmmmjv4h9

[fatehbaz]

This was how the initial TEAM coalition was built among the Muscogee (Creek), Chickasaw, Seminole, Osage, Citizen Potawatomi, Eastern Shawnee, and Miami tribal nations. [...]

TEAM, now known as the Tribal Alliance for Pollinators, or TAP, is now a well-oiled [...] machine. [...] According to the TAP website, the tribal coalition is responsible for planting 50,000 milkweeds and 30,000 native wildflowers, which stand in addition to the 142 seed types the collective now has stored at a seed bank at the Euchee Butterfly Farm.

TAP began with a handful of people deciding that tribal nations could, and should, step into the void the federal and state governments had left on monarch conservation. Now it’s looking like it could be a model for conservation efforts far beyond a single species. [...] What TAP has managed to do, in just a few short years, is alter how tribal nations in Oklahoma view the lands they maintain control over.

Tribal nations like the Eastern Shawnee have since published their plans for pollinator restoration programs. The Chickasaw Nation has created as efficient a milkweed planting program as exists in the nation. [...]

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Every winter, monarch butterflies across the northern corners of the continent fly south to the mountains of central Mexico. The migration pattern -- which, for some, stretches over 3,000 miles -- is a natural wonder, not replicated by any other butterfly in the world. Nobody knows how the monarchs’ homing system works; the butterflies that return to Mexico are often the great-grandchildren of those who made the trip the year before. Many of the winged creatures fly through Iowa, Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas before plunging through Mexico. And, as has now been widely reported, many are dying before they can complete the full trip. [...]

Monarchs cover the vegetation of their Mexican winter territory so densely that it’s easier to count them by area than insect-by-insect. Last week [February 2021], researchers in Mexico announced that the winter monarch population had dropped by 25 percent between 2019 and 2020, declining from 2.6 hectares to 2.1 hectares. In 2018, the monarchs covered 6.1 hectares. In the 1990s, they regularly covered 20 hectares. Something is going very wrong.

The issue, which he has documented extensively on Monarch Watch’s blog and acknowledged in our conversation as being “pretty complex,” is basically about food. Monarch butterflies have, for centuries, relied on milkweed and nectar plants -- in Oklahoma and Kansas, this includes sunflowers, ironweed, coneflower, and a host of others -- to fuel their journey up and down the continent. With no milkweed or nectar-rich options to restore their fat reserves, monarchs can’t fly -- and if they can’t fly, they can’t migrate or serve their role as pollinators. But landowners often see milkweed as an annoying weed and remove it using herbicide.

There is also the issue of reduction via overgrazing on cattle lands -- which is a problem given that the butterflies’ traditional path takes them through Oklahoma and Texas, two states that lead the nation both in terms of beef production and cattle population.

-------

For those who have been observing and researching the monarchs for decades, like Dr. Chip Taylor, head of Monarch Watch at the University of Kansas, the numbers are troubling but not surprising. Taylor, who has been studying pollinators since 1969 and monarchs in particular since he started Monarch Watch in 1992, nearly predicted this year’s drop on the nose [...]. Breckinridge sent Taylor an email, asking for his help in creating a monarch migration trail through tribal lands in Oklahoma. Taylor agreed to lend a hand, but he warned Breckinridge that a “capacity issue” might arise. “He said, ‘You don’t have the milkweed seed resources, you don’t have the nectar plant seed resources, you don’t have any of that locally sourced. And that’s how we do restoration work. You don’t have greenhouses or hoop houses that are willing to grow the seeds out in organic, pesticide-free environments. [...]’“

Breckenridge, undaunted, joined with Taylor to found Tribal Environmental Action for Monarchs, or TEAM. The idea was to create a coalition among the tribal nations along the migratory path, which required a hefty organizing plan. [...]  A few months later, that same consultant introduced Breckinridge to Dr. Carol Crouch, a Salish Kootenai citizen and Oklahoma’s state-tribal liaison for the USDA’s National Resources Conservation Service. [...] Along with her husband and her mother, Breckinridge spent three years driving across the state with Taylor, visiting any and all tribal communities that would have her. Crouch’s support offered the legitimacy she needed to get TEAM’s foot in the door. And on those trips, Taylor helped Breckinridge see the scope of the man-made problem. [...] 

Bermuda grass as far as the eye could see. Entire ranges grazed down to the nub. Lawn after lawn of nonnative grasses, the product of over-normalized herbicide treatments. The casual but vast destruction of the monarch habitat was impossible to unsee, and it fueled Breckinridge’s sense of urgency. By the end of that initial outreach phase, she had put over 30,000 miles on her car. [...]

-------

When it came to building that coalition, the Euchee farm’s central location in the state -- “two hours away from everything,” Breckenridge said -- helped. “For instance, maybe the Citizen Potawatomi Nation can’t get an expert on organic pest management and greenhouses to come in and speak to them,” Breckinridge said. “But if TAP contacts the university and says, ‘We’re going to have 20 different tribes there, it’s going to be 40 people, can you come in and present and provide guidance on these issues?’ we can get all sorts of really interesting people participating.” [...]

As Breckinridge noted in our conversation, the message she heard from environmentalists and conservationists while living in the Twin Cities was almost entirely focused on leaving land and resources wild and untouched. But that is not how the land was prior to colonization, when Indigenous nations and communities across the country actively managed and stewarded their natural relatives. “Being a Native person, land is not something separate,” Breckinridge said. “We live here, we’re a part of it.”

-------

Headline, images, captions, and text published by: Nick Martin. “The Tribal Coalition Fighting to Save Monarch Butterflies.” New Republic. 4 March 2021.

[imadeletingmysocials]

Things cheaper at Dollartree (after much research)

This is a big list I made for myself and anyone else who wants to know what is legit cheaper at the dollar tree and not just 1 dollar for the sake of there, some things might surprise you what is cheaper and even better at a dollar tree. I try to also pick the healthiest options and compare them to prices in places such as Walmart or a large stock place like BJs. I have also used fooducate.com to see which ones are more healthy, of course with things such as chips and snacks though don’t consider them to be healthy but in those cases I opt for the off-brand ones that taste better than the brand ones. Note: This is USA based.

Food:

Drinks:

Azul Coconut Juice, 16.5 oz. (cheapest and healthiest coconut water out there)

Gatorade Fruit Punch Thirst Quencher, 24 oz.

Stacker 2 B-12 Vitamin Shots is also cheaper.

Rockstar Pure Zero Silver Ice Energy Drinks (energy drinks are bad for you but it’s like 30 cents cheaper here than in walmart)

LaCroix Lime Flavored Sparkling Water 1 litter

(don’t even bother with any or all of the cheap soda it’s the worst, please drink water if anything else, all of the good soda is cheaper somewhere else also)

Snacks:

Cheez-It Original Baked Snack Crackers, 4.5 oz is cheaper at Dollartree.

Nabisco Cheese Nips Baked Snack Crackers, 7 oz is cheaper at Dollartree.

Nabisco Ritz Bits Cheese and Cracker Sandwiches, 3-oz. is SORTA cheaper at dollartree.

Island Choice Dry-Roasted Peanuts, 7.5 oz. (shelled nuts cheaper everywhere else of course in bulk)

Island Choice Honey-Roasted Dry-Roasted Peanuts, 7.5 oz

Pennysticks Mini Pretzels, 12 oz (pretzels the same, these cheaper)

Tropical Chips Plantains, 3-oz (30 cents cheaper)

Barcel Takis Fuego Flavored Churritos Stix, 4 oz (apparently, 9oz is 2,50 so 3 would be 12oz and 3 dollars, it would be kinda cheaper?)

Pringles Grab & Go Barbecue Chips, 2.5 oz (buying in bulk anywhere else is cheaper though, however, this single container costs 1,25 everywhere else)

Brim's Fried Barbecue Pork Rinds, 2.635 oz

Carolina Country Snacks Salt & Vinegar Pork Rinds. 2.75 oz

Sheila G's Chocolate Chip Brownie Brittle, 2 oz

Barcel Takis Crunchy Fajitas Tortilla Chips, 3.2 oz

T.G.I. Friday’s Jalapeno Cheddar Potato Skins Snack Chips, 4.5 oz

Snack Factory Original Pretzel Crisps, 3-oz (50 cents cheaper!)

PopCorners Kettle Flavor Popped Corn Chips, 3 oz. (better in bulk also)

Good Health Veggie Chips with Sea Salt, 2.75-oz (better in bulk also)

Stacy's Parmesan Garlic & Herb Flavored Pita Chips, 3 oz (better in bulk also)

Rudolph's OnYums Onion-Flavored Ring Chips, 3 oz (it’s off brand Funyuns but it’s actually BETTER and cheaper depending on where you buy them because they’re often sold more expensively at gas stations than Funyuns, fun fact)

Island Choice Banana Chips, 6 oz. Bags

Island Choice Sweet and Spicy Trail Mix, 5 oz (healthy!)

Breakfast Blueberry Biscuits, 7.93 oz.

Harvest Hill Quick Oats, 16 oz. Canisters (Top choice too)

Canned and Pickled

Pampa Tropical Mango Slices in Light Syrup, 15 oz. Cans

Bell's Pitted Olives, 6 oz

Green Giant Sliced Carrots, 14.5 oz (but mostly because I cannot find them anywhere else, all other Green Giant stuff is sold cheaper in bulk though)

Margaret Holmes Finely Chopped Spinach, 27 oz (TOP CHOICE)

Crider Premium Chunk White Turkey 5oz

Libby"s Sliced Pineapple, 20 oz (surprisingly!)

Margaret Holmes Seasoned Field Peas and Snaps, 15 oz

Cans of Pampa(R) Peach Slices, 15.25oz

Pampa Mushroom Pieces & Stems, 10 oz

Pampa Extra-Long Asparagus Spears, 12-oz (by the way Pampa is a really good healthy brand which is cheaper so these alternatives are great)

Libby's Premium Mandarin Oranges, 15 oz

Breckenridge Farms Pickled Jalapeno Slices, 12.5 oz (however Old El Paso Jalapeno Slices, Pickled 12.5oz is 1 dollar more expensive in other places and considered more healthy)

Van Camp's Chunk White Albacore Tuna 5oz (keep in mind this is the only canned tuna that is cheaper at dollartree, Albacore is very healthy and usually more expensive than Tuna, but dollartree sells white albacore in water on the same price as light tuna, this is a very good tuna brand as well)

Mc. Trader Tender Green Asparagus Spears, 10.5 oz

Pampa Smoked Oysters in Oil

Healthy Choice Chicken Noodle Soup, 15-oz

Beach Cliff Sardines in Mustard Sauce, 3.75 (top choice)

Beach Cliff Sardines in Water, 3.75 oz (top choice)

French Onion Dip, 8.5 oz (all onion’s dips the same as well)

Condiments and Spicing

Goya Sazon Seasoning, 8-Packet Boxes

Deli Market Yellow Mustard 20oz (not only is this the best healthiest mustard, but it’s cheaper if you buy it like this than any other mustard in stock size, I wish I had known of this before already stocking up buy buying a 2 pack of 20oz mustard at BJs which is enough to last a year for me)

Louisiana Supreme Hot Sauce 12oz (top choice too)

Kendale Farm Beef Broth, 32 oz (top choice, cheaper than most 32oz broths)

Heinz 57 Sauce, 5 oz. (1,50 cheaper than Walmart)

Hunts Tomato Ketchup, 20 oz (all ketchup is the same)

Deli Market Deli Spicy Brown Mustard (top choice)

Riverton Orchards Lemon Juice, 32-oz (lemon juice the same)

Kraft Bullseye Everyday Original Barbecue Sauce, 17.5-oz (80 cents cheaper than the same product in Target)

A.1. Thick & Hearty Steak Sauce, 5 oz. (SURPRISINGLY, not even in bulk is it as cheap as this? Weird, 5oz is 1 dollar right? 30oz for A1 is usually 8 dollars in stock supermarkets, but 5 times 8 would be 40oz! This is... Interesting. Especially considering it’s a well known brand as well, I wonder who is their dealer or are they just selling it cheap out of donation?)

Healthy Chef Canola Non-Stick Cooking Spray (this one’s pretty wild too, it only is sold at dollartree and is considered the healthiest cooking spray in the entirety of America according to fooducate)

Candy

Gonna go on a safe bet here and say that everything can be found for less and in greater quantity anywhere else. Hairbo Twin Snake is the same price at Walmart though. Most candies are sold 40% cheaper at bulk supermarkets though.

Office & School Supplies

You can probably find all of these at an Ebay auction, but it’s more accessible here.

Crayola Washable Glue Sticks, 2-ct. Packs (1.50 cheaper than walmart)

Duck Tape is cheap as hell

All-Purpose Krazy Glue, .052-oz. Tubes

Other stuff:

Laundry stuff, I’d recommend Ajax 40oz or Fab. Those are AMAZING brands and known as top quality in Australia. And it is insane how cheap this is, they must import it??

Scott Toilet Paper: Oh my god HOW IS 4 TOILET PAPERS THIS CHEAP HERE AT THE DOLLAR TREE???? TP is literally more expensive everywhere else.

Kitchen appliances, a glass salt shaker is like 5 dollars at Walmart but it’s 1 dollar at dollartree. All of the Betty Crocker kitchen appliances like spatulas are only a dollar too and so good. (They are 3 DOLLARS cheaper at dollar tree). IT IS INSANE HOW CHEAP this shit is here, like the can opener they sell for 1 dollar is 6 or 5 dollars everywhere else.

Fisher-Price Smart Care Aloe Vera and Chamomile Baby Wipes, 80-ct. Packs

All Arm & Hammer stuff including the Arm & Hammer Ultra Max 3-in-1 Fresh Scented Body Wash, Shampoo, and Conditioner, 12 oz are good choices. Deodorant too is good. All Arm and hammer stuff here is cheaper than on Walmart and a great brand.

Hand soap might be found for 97 cents at Walmart but it’s a small difference.

Not Cheaper, Best bought at a bulk store:

Peanut Butter Filled Pretzels

snack bars.

V8 Vegetable Juice

Potato Stix

Cereal

Canned Soup

Canned Tuna

Badia Original Complete Seasoning (this took a while to calculate but yes it’s cheaper to buy in bulk, dollartree has 2,5oz for 1 dollar, usually a 2 pack of 12oz each is 13 dollars. if you do like 2.5 times 2.5oz, it’s like 32oz which is more than 24oz for 13 dollars, but you can find 1.75 lbs. of this for 8 dollars)

Iodized Salt (get it at Great value honestly)

Dill Pickles in general, but Vlasic Kosher Dill Pickles is the healthiest choice

Cambell canned soups

Goya canned beans

Sunny Sea Sardines in Tomato Sauce, 7.5-oz

Here’s hoping me publishing this doesn’t crash the market or anything but seriously, you can live healthily and frugally like this. I literally survive like this easily, I just spend like 60 dollars a month max with supplies.

[aestheticvoyage2021]

Day 242: Monday August 30, 2021 - “Meeting Great Grandpa Acton”

An unaccountably important day - The long road home led us on to ole Gratiot County for William to meet his Great Grandpa Acton. At 90 sweet years, this is the ninth great grandchild of his nine grandkids that he has had the joy to meet, and made even more special to have made the introduction here at the homestead in Breckenridge.  The man that held me in his lap as a baby, took his new buddy and said “ladies and gentlemen, here is Willie Acton” - Four generations of Acton’s at the farm today and a great responsibility to carry this great man’s name.  It added a little more pride, that the young man who would carry on his last name, will also go by the same name as his favorite uncle Will - something I imagine him telling people every time he opens his phone to show off his baby picture.  My grandpa, held his great grandson, and just looked at him and giggled.  William was a really good content happy baby all day, as if he knew he was meeting a soul that would be looking out for him for the rest of his life.

We made steak from Siler’s on the grill and shared a meal at the dinner table where I used to sit and eat mickey mouse pancakes with him and Grandma and my cousins - oh how we all wished she was here for this moment.  Her picture was prominent throughout her house, including a really nice portrait that looked down on William as Grandpa rocked him.  Aside from her, not much has changed here through the years, 40 years removed from when he would have been introduced to me, I imagine in the same exact place, in the same exact way.  But we enjoyed the idea that maybe Grandma helped picked William out, and send him here to us; a beautiful supplication, worthy of the angels that framed them on the wall across the room, watching this special time, all together now.

Song: Mumford and Sons - Forever

Quote: THE FOUR HEAVENLY FOUNTAINS

Laugh, I tell you And you will turn back The hands of time.

Smile, I tell you And you will reflect The face of the divine.

Sing, I tell you And all the angels will sing with you!

Cry, I tell you And the reflections found in your pool of tears - Will remind you of the lessons of today and yesterday To guide you through the fears of tomorrow. ― Suzy Kassem

[bluepoodle7]

#BreckenridgeFarms #BreckenridgeFarmsMexicanBlendShredsCheese #ShreddedCheeseReview#MexicanBlendShredsCheeseSpamBaconGreenPeppersAndOnionsFilledOmelet #StuffedOmeletReview

I tried the Breckenridge Farms Mexican Blend Shreds Cheese in a homemade bacon spam, green peppers and onions omelet.

This homemade omelet was pretty good.

The cheese did melt but it was well seasoned and went well with the other ingredients in this filled homemade omelet.

The omelet was a little firm but soft and well seasoned egg.

The peppers and onions that were cooked tasted fresh and the bacon spam pieces was lightly pork tasting but was overpowered by the seasonings with the green pepper onion mix.

This didn't taste overly greasy or salty to me.

I would eat this again.

[importantwomensbirthdays]

Heidi Heitkamp

Senator Heidi Heitkamp was born in 1955 in Breckenridge, Minnesota. As Attorney General of North Dakota, Sen. Heitkamp helped broker an agreement between 46 states and the tobacco industry, resulting in one of the largest civil settlements in American history. She was the first woman elected to the Senate from North Dakota, serving from 2013 until 2019. During this time, Sen. Heitkamp helped negotiate, write, and pass two comprehensive farm bills, and co-sponsored a law that expanded Amber Alerts to Indian Reservations. 

[arlenebishop]

@frostfordstart​ // hi hello! it’s hanna. as you can see, i’ve revamped april quite a bit! she’s now arlene, her fc’s now alexandra breckenridge, and there are some details about her that are different, too! as usual you can find more info under the cut~

Arlene Bishop | 35 | Riding instructor fc: Alexandra Breckenridge

still born (on march 19, 1985) & raised in frostford!

still the oldest bishop sister set to take over the farm when her parents retire!

in fact, the farm is her happy place. she’s literally never more at peace than when she’s there, even tho she lives elsewhere 

arlene’s a more maternal person, and is literally (ok not really) attached at the hip with her mom; the woman feels more like a sister than a parent, honestly 

there’s a bit of generational gap between her and her sisters esp since she feels more like a third parent to them and it’s a bit awkward tbh

she’ll still tell you off if you’re being a jerk and she’ll still tease you for the fun of it, though! that part hasn’t changed all too much

she hates feeling left out, mostly bc she was picked on when she was younger and excluded from most friend groups (until she befriended nash gordon and daniel kim and became bffs 4 eva with them) 

she works as a part time riding instructor when she’s not helping her parents out at the farm! she’s living the weird horse girl dream tbh 

is insanely creative and the leslie knope of gift-giving. would also be a great babysitter if she wasn’t so damn busy all the time

i’ve updated her links, so as usual you can find more information on her background HERE! and HERE is an about page, as well as an updated connection page HERE! 

[yooperwolf]

MDARD Awards Rural Grants to Support Infrastructure, Sustainability of Land-Based Industries

or immediate release: February 12, 2021 Media contact: Jessy Sielski, 517-331-1151 Program contact: Heather Throne, 517-712-0841

MDARD Awards Rural Grants to Support Infrastructure, Sustainability of Land-Based Industries

LANSING—The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (MDARD) has awarded 20 Rural Development Fund Grants designed to promote the sustainability of land-based industries and support infrastructure that benefits rural communities.

“Rural Michigan isn’t some strange, faraway, uninhabited land,” said MDARD Director Gary McDowell. “Most of the people in this great state are either from or currently live in rural areas, so these grants have a real impact on the lives of people we know and in communities not far from our own. Rural Michigan has unlimited potential, but it needs opportunity. The Rural Development Fund grants help provide those opportunities.”

The department received 139 proposals with requests totaling more than $11 million. Of those, MDARD awarded the following 20 projects totaling $1,700,000, leveraging a match of more than $6.7 million:

Apsey Farm LLC - $90,000 (Reed City) – Expansion of livestock processing and distribution.

Beaver Island Historical Society – $31,800 (Beaver Island) – Implement a tourism campaign, upgrades at Heritage Park and Blue Buffalo Camp Trail, development of a mobile app for tourists.

City of Ishpeming – $100,000 – Development along Malton Road to create an additional campground and to increase tourism to the region.

City of Negaunee – $82,600 – Multiple upgrades to the Teal Lake Shoreline Beach Area.

City of Stephenson – $41,500 – Wastewater treatment facility upgrades.

Gallagher Farms LLC – $100,000 (Traverse City) – Establishment of a craft spirits distillery at the farm as a complement to its current Bay View Weddings at Gallagher Farms destination wedding venue.

Gatien Farm and Forest Products Inc. – $100,000 (Powers) – Upgrade equipment with new highly automated machines for wood products.

Great Lakes Tissue Company – $100,000 (Cheboygan) – Expansion of new processing equipment to add value to the plastic byproduct of recycled poly-coated paper feedstock of cartons, paper cups, food trays, and post-industrial paper used in the 100% recycle context tissue manufacturing.

Harbor Hills Fruit Farm – $100,000 (Lake Leelanau) – Purchase of a crossflow filtration unit to enhance the quality of Michigan wines.

Lakeshore Depot L3C – $100,000 (Marquette) – Increase capacity for sales, distribution and value-added processing of Michigan-grown produce and agricultural products at a new FarmStop local food store.

Mackinac Bluffs Maple Farm Inc. – $100,000 (Pickford) – Construction and installation of a “sap house” that will contain equipment to collect and process maple sap for additional maple syrup production.

Noquemanon Trails Network Council – $100,000 (Marquette) – Expansion of parking spaces, a vault toilet facility, and develop a mountain bike skills area for all ages and abilities at Marquette South Trails.

Northern Michigan University – $100,000 (Marquette) – Implement a self-contained growing center proposal that aims to enhance and expand a new indoor agriculture degree program at the university.

Oceana County Economic Alliance – $100,000 (Hart) – Extension of the Village of Shelby’s municipal water service to workforce housing and remove barriers to talent attraction and retention.

Riveridge Land Company – $100,000 (Grant) – Construction of a housing unit for 30 additional H2A seasonal workers for the upcoming growing season.

TCWC LLC DBA Traverse City Whiskey – $100,000 (Traverse City) – Improve natural gas infrastructure and install new NG-compatible steam boiler to allow for increased fermentation capacity for production of distilled spirits.

The Cut Custom Processing LLC – $78,400 (Rosebush) – Expand pork processing capabilities at the USDA processing establishment.

Travel Marquette – $20,800 (Marquette) – Integration of online and print tools to assist citizens and visitors with hearing, vision, and mobility limitations navigate the county.

Tuscarora Township – $54,900 (Indian River) – Installation of additional public boat dockage at Marina Park.

Village of Breckenridge – $100,000 – Expansion of the Technology and Agribusiness Park to allow for additional lots.

The grant funds, made possible from Public Act 411 of 2012, are aimed to promote the sustainability of land-based industries (food and agriculture; forestry; mining, oil and gas production; and tourism) and support workforce training, rural capacity building, business development and infrastructure that benefits rural communities.

Eligible counties include those with a population no greater than 60,000 residents or micropolitan statistical areas. Preference was given to projects in Marquette County.

The proposals were evaluated through a competitive process. For more information about this grant program or a complete list of eligible counties, visit https://www.michigan.gov/mdardgrants.

###

[presents-n-pistols]

𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞  𝐮𝐩𝐨𝐧  𝐚  𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞  …  Jessica Claus / Jessie Kringle was  known  as  the  friendly  &  exciteable sheriff of the North Pole with  a  reputation  for  being  a  Alexandra Breckenridge  doppelganger  .   but  now  ,  under  the  stress  of  the  war  on  the  horizon  ,  the  natural  born  hero light practicing witch  has  become  widely  known  for  being  rather  mild-tempered &  rambunctious.   let’s  see  how  long  the  seasonal realms native  will  last  during  this  war  .   after  all  they’re  only forty  /  one thousand, seven hundred and forty-nine years old .   +  she/her  &  cismale  ,  oc

Hey guys it’s jer again. Third character incoming, and surely not the last. I’ve got the fever for more cowbell. Below you can find Mrs. North’s full extensive bio, but I’ll go ahead and sum it up above the cut unless no one chooses to read:

It’s Jessica Claus Kringle North, but Ma’am works great. She also responds well to gumdrop depending on how ryan reynolds the voice sounds.

She’s spitfire in a glass mug, served with a splash of milk and warm cookies

She was born with the biggest motherly bone that just so happens to be the heart that she wears on her sleeve.

She’s a witch farm girl, entirely scared of her powers..

She’s the sheriff of the North Pole, and will literally whip out a pistol to protect her husband. Sometimes, she’s a little hasty about this and knows this, so she’ll apologize with a warm plate of cookies.

PERSONALITY

She’s a friendly, excitable cowgirl, and thrives on love. She is sassy, sweet, cute, athletic, and has a habit of speaking loudly when she is happy or excited. She is a philanthropist and humanitarian who is deeply concerned for the children of the world. Her broad outlook on life has always allowed her to see the bigger picture and too often has caused her to stubbornly shy away from minute details. She has a romantic personality that focuses more on her dreams and ambitions instead.

She cam become timid, uncertain, and ungrateful putting the blame for her troubles on others instead of realizing that they are her own. She is extremely stubborn and never backs down from a fight. She is always right, even when she’s wrong and she’ll refuse to speak to you until you tell her you were wrong. She can be quite argumentative when she’s passionate about things, and she’s not afraid to threaten anyone twice her size.

POWERS

Species: Light Practicing Pagan Witch. Pagan witches were known to have worshipped the old gods and derived their power from them. Jessie’s hometown was known to

Abilities:

Enchantment: The power to imbue a person or object with a magical capability.

Spell Casting: The power to change, manipulate and control objects, events, actions and phenomena through the use of incantations, commands, rituals, gestures or pure sheer force of will.

Warding: The power to place protection spells and wards on places and people, shielding them from harm or danger.

Portal Opening: The power to open a portal to another dimension.

AESTHETICS

a toasty winter fire in a cozy cabin on the ranch

snow flurries atop a warm bundle of fiery red hair

the smells of cinnamon, sugar, and 

chocolate coming from three separate ovens in a kitchen.

fancy doily aprons clashing with leather cowboy boots

the prettiest handwriting you've ever seen on letters stamped with love

sugar coated kisses, and chesnut roasted hugs

convienently placed mistletoe around every corner of the house

the lights of christmas spirit all year round

rosey cheeks and red tipped noses to match a perfectly placed red bandana

messages of devotion written in snow

a single barrel pointed at you if you forget your manners

a snow fort to protect the cattle just in case the snowball fight gets to rowdy

sounds of jingle bells from studds in boots

friendship that lasts longer than a cow hitch

a sheriff's badge a Colt Dragoon a spellbook and a cookbook all resting on the same shelf

HCS

She's the world's biggest pen pal, because sometimes she writes letters to children in Santa's name.

She’s the Sheriff of the North Pole and wears that badge proudly.

She’s an excellent homemaker, and big on superfoods. This year it’s Kale, last year it was quinoa, and the year before? Beets. 

She doesn’t trust the elves, and often blames anything she can on them.

She is constantly bringing reindeer home to their ranch that’s nearly overrun with cattle.

She tried teaching in the North Pole, for only a few years, though she didn’t have the patience for her students, the Yeti’s. 

She’s still scared of her magic, and only uses it when her husband is in close proximity.

She exudes toughness and is one to lay out the law plainly, but breaks her own rules for her loved ones.

She is horribly claustrophobic

She always wears bandanas. 

BIOGRAPHY

Her father was a religious man with a prodigal daughter. 

She was born with a mark that she was forced to cover up since she could remember. It was an 8 pointed star splattered on her skin in a gray ash color just below her jaw on the right side of her face. Even as a toddler the bandanas and scarves she went through irritated her skin, and made her mark feel bigger than it was. 

The first time Jessie ever used magic, she was in her late teens. It was on accident. It felt suppressed. It surprised her and everyone around her. It scared her. It felt both unnatural, yet oddly familiar, as if it was something she had within all along. It was something she felt in her heart. It was a secret guilt hidden behind every smile that was reflected towards her father. 

When his wife passed away, he thought his family would slip apart. He didn’t mean to make it so that his 8 year old daughter would piece them back together. She  tried her hardest to tend to the stables, when her father drank his pain away.  She tried her best at sewing and knitting when her brothers outgrew of their clothes. She cooked nice and warm home cooked meals for the men in her family so they wouldn’t starve over the last piece of bread from the bakery.  She learned to bake for survival. She learned to pick frowns from chins and turn them upside down. She learned how to hold a pistol to any intruder, and often did so when her father would come home in drunken fits without a penny to his name. She quit school, and became the conglomerate of every household task her late mother left behind. Despite trying so hard, she feared that she was never good enough to take that role.

She feared leaving her family, and their small little farm. 

At the tiny age of 17, those ideals had all changed. She was in love, well, she had been in love ( since, well, she couldn’t hecking remember when ) but she’d declared that it was the love she could finally accept. It was a love she would  return despite the guilt of leaving her siblings behind with their abusive father.

She was in love with the strange boy with pointy ears, fairy wings, and a magical smile that only she was able to see, and she wanted to do as he asked and spend the rest of her life with him and their unborn child.  She wanted to protect that boy, she wanted to laugh with him, and she wanted to feel safe with him always. She made a promise to him, to always be there when he needed catching even if it was from the highest tree. 

So she’d tucked her brothers into bed, told them one final story about the nice man who wold leave them presents under the pine tree if they said their final prayers every night before bed. 

She thought her father was oblivious to her escape, but that was a tender dream that turned into a horrible reality.  Her father had his own opinions about the boy. Her father protested. He believed Kris Kringle was a product of evil, and he thought that the boy was poisoning his little girl. He didn’t ever conclude that they’d fallen in love, were on their way to elope, nor would he ever wrap his head around a grandchild that he could never want.

Jessie faced betrayal for the first time that night, in herself.

She didn’t mean for it to happen. She could have sworn that she’d placed the single barrel Colt revolver on the highest shelf out of reach. She could have sworn it was unloaded, even as it was pointed at Kris.  She tried to reason on his behalf, and she tried to remain calm. She thought she was protecting her new family, but instead wounded her old one. Her father pulled the trigger, aimed it between her lover’s eyes, yet received the bullet in his own shoulder. It was magic, and for once, her father knew it wasn’t fae magic. 

Jessie’s arm extended before him, a magical barrier caused the bullet to ricochet and hit her father instead. They were all stunned as the scarlet billows painted the snow at her father’s boots.

The couple made their escape as her father’s bicep bled out, but it was the final choice she’d have to choose in picking her husband over her family. She could hear her father’s calls in the dead of the night, “ Witch” days after.

They found a cabin. They lived happily. 

She gave birth to their little girl, Noelle, and with the help of her new husband she learned to control her magic. Kris taught her how to love the ugly, and scary parts of herself, and she returned the favor. Noelle’s laughter was the hope and warmth they needed to survive those harsh winters in their cozy new home. All was right and bright until it wasn’t.

The hardest winter came with a mob three years later. Her husband hadn’t come home. Noelle lay fast asleep as Jessie peaked through heavily curtained windows in the cabin. Until she saw the pitchforks and torches. The familiar faces of her brothers and father led the angered group of citizens into her home. She watched them tear about her new belongings, as she clutched onto her daughter for safety. She pressed soft palms into her daughter’s ears as they’d explained what they did to her husband. She covered Noelle’s eyes, as they let her burn to a crisp. She squeezed her daughter in her arms as they took away what was left of her hope. She cried tears of grief as Noelle suggested she’d seen Daddy on the way to her old home. 

She was locked away for months.

Jessie’s father thought that if she repented in her darkness she would be cured and cleansed from the evil that lurked in her blood. He locked her away, and kept her child from her. He prayed with his daughter, for her and to her until Jessie found herself mindlessly muttering those same prayers back. It was working, her father would explain with a smile on his face in between supervised visits with Noelle.

Jessie would smile and nod, though, she knew in her heart they were silent prayers for her daughter’s safety and peace for her late husband. It was working well in her mind too, in an odd way. Tucking her daughter’s red locks behind her hair, she agreed to the baptism.

It was a hot summer. She remembered feeling as if her hair had set fire. Despite how thin her garment was she felt as if she were sweating. Her red haired braids felt frizzy against the hot dry air. She was told would rise from the waters a clean and pure woman. Her soul, along with baby Noelle’s would be cleansed, but she was hardly given a chance.

When she floated in the water everything changed. Eyes of horror witnessed and accused her of renouncing her baptism and entering the Devil’s service. She was held down by her arms, and sentenced by her own father to drown in that lake. She yelled for her daughter, she yelled for Kris. She shrieked in fear as her life was taken from her. Her final sight, however, was a blessing from the god’s. She watched her daughter turn away from the horror’s lead by her husband. 

The man in the moon saved her.

Or at least that’s what she’s lead to believe. He’d saved her husband, Kris. He’d saved many others. And while she couldn’t feel fully saved without any knowledge of her daughter’s whereabouts it was good enough.  She didn’t have any memory of an afterlife. She had no recollection of how much time she’d spent in that water. She didn’t know where her daughter was, but she knew to follow a star that matched her birthmark, north.

She found her husband by following a trail of wooden carved toys. She found her light, her happiness, and her meaning. 

The North Star led her way to that ranch. She was shivering, cold, and nearly discarded, but she’d felt more alive than ever as she ran into her husband’s arms. 

She lives comfortably in her home, on her ranch, with plenty of reindeer, yetis and elves. She helps spread the Christmas cheer with North. She wishes to protect her new family, find her daughter, and make sure everyone still has that hope in their hearts.

RESOURCES

https://riverdale.fandom.com/wiki/Witch

https://christmas-specials.fandom.com/wiki/Jessica_Claus

https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/annie-oakley

ADDITIONAL LINKS

https://www.pinterest.com/latinkesha/ch-bazooka-jane/

[embarktodenmark22]

June 7th

Today, we were back to the grind of being on the study abroad schedule. Which wasn’t, in fact, a grind at all, as we had a semi-late morning. We reached Norreport to meet with Travis, Michelle, and the group by 9:30am. Without time to grab caffeine (I’ve been developing a caffeine dependency on this trip, I swear) I headed to the train. Today, we were off to Gadstrup, I believe? A small rural-seeming area that we reached after two different trains and about 30-40 minutes of riding. Hopping off, I had an amazing first impression, it was the most natural scenic area I’d seen yet on our trip (other than the beach). It kind of reminded me of the greenery and trees I’d seen before when visiting Quebec, or visiting my grandparents in Iowa. Just a rich, lush field, flowers blooming everywhere, and actually decent weather, considering the forecast had warned us of rain today. 

Anyways, our walk from there was a mere 8 minutes away from the station. We headed to this cool farm-y area with a couple workshop-like buildings surrounded by trees. Why were a bunch of design students brought to the middle of nowhere in a lush meadow/forest area? Good question. It was because we were visiting world-known sculptor Thomas Danbo, whose work I actually was familiar with!!! He is the artist responsible for the big wooden troll sculpture in Breckinridge, which I’ve seen someone I know take a photo with at some point. Turns out, he’s made about 100 of these wooden troll sculptures, another one of which I had seen in Christiania the other day in the pouring rain. And there we were, in the middle of rural-ish Denmark, at his studio with 15 full-time employees assisting him.

(the second picture isn't mine, it's one I found online of his sculpture in Breckenridge)

Was I starstruck? Yes. However, the moment he walked out to greet us I noticed some cats. So. I’m ashamed to say I went “pspspsps” and summoned the cat over to give pets while he talked. And much to my delight, the cat came over to me. A big, plump orange tabby with an adorably polite face. I gave them so many pets. I miss my cats so bad.

Anyways, the actually important stuff (not that cats aren’t important). He immediately started talking to us about how this place came to be, his career as a former rap artist and now as a sculptor, projects he’s done outside of the trolls he’s so well-known for, and what it’s like being known for one thing and one thing only and having other people only commission you for that one type of work. Luckily, he didn’t seem too fatigued by pumping out troll sculptures, saying that they can make up to 20 in a year. He seemed so passionate as he talked about his work, and how he made a book that creates a sort of scavenger hunt adventure around Denmark with his sculptures- following the story as one explores the different pieces. Even cooler, he talked about how the book had a solvable puzzle/code in it that, if one solved it, would lead to a giant piece of earth art he had made on his own property, which he proceeded to show us. We walked on a worn path through a grass field, past this whimsical-looking wooden tavern, and out to this sizable arena-type structure he had made with giant boulders. It was cool to climb up upon these huge rocks to sit and listen to him continue to tell us about his work as he stood in the grassy middle of the circle of rocks. He also mentioned how he planned to use the spot as a community sort of area, planning on having a huge bonfire in the middle for their Midsummer celebration (which, as a witchy-pagan type person, I immediately wished so hard that I would still be in the country to attend such an event!). 

As he wrapped up his story of why and how he built the giant boulder sculpture, the focus shifted now to what we had been signed up to do while there- contribute some manual labor towards helping him finish building the little wooden tavern we had passed by on our way to the boulders. I didn’t know that that was what we had been volunteered to do, all I had heard in the past few days was that we would be doing some sort of manual labor.

I honestly panicked a little bit- I’ve barely ever worked with power tools before, but I wound up as part of the group that went with him to gather power tools/screws/building supplies. He gave some of us jigsaws, some of us got drills, and we brought back a huge box of screws to the tavern while the other half of the group got busy hauling wood pallets over to the site for deconstruction and use as tools. Similarly to his sculptures, the tavern was to be built with unwanted/scrap wood, hence the wooden pallets. The team who had dragged them over were quickly shown how to disassemble them, while myself and a few others were brought inside and given a demonstration on how to drill the wood planks into the wall. Kelsey and I were given a wall to work on together and told, basically, to have fun with it and install the wood however we wanted. We started by screwing in some vertical slabs of wood. There wasn’t really a rhythm to our teamwork at first, but eventually we settled into a routine of slab after slab- I would grab a plank, line it up to our previous planks. If it was too long, I’d mark where to cut, take a jigsaw to it, and bring it back. I’d hold it in place as she drilled in the top two screws into the foundation of the structure, then she would screw in the bottom two while I searched for the next plank in the pile of wood they kept adding to as the pallets outside were destroyed. We honestly made quite a bit of progress! We got the entire wall’s worth of vertical planks, started adding some horizontal planks, and found a few odd pieces of wood to fill in awkward spaces left over in the wall. For never having built anything before nor having used power tools in this capacity, our work turned out great and I was pretty proud.

But once we were told to wrap things up I became painfully aware of how hungry and sweaty I had gotten in the process of the work, so I was more than ready to leave. Thomas thanked us all as we walked back to the main courtyard of their space. Some of us freshened up or washed off the fiberglass from touching insulation in their restroom, then we all took back off towards the train. 

The plan now was to stop back in Roskilde, where we had been the other day, for a bite to eat and a bit of free time. We went to the train station, and waited probably a good 20-30 minutes for our train to come. By this point, some interesting, dark clouds had started rolling in. I took a seat on a concrete ledge, popped in my earbuds, and sat watching the clouds as they moved insanely fast across the sky, slowly getting darker. I had another one of those emotional moments I tend to have, this time thinking about how my Grandma and I would cloud watch at my old house when I was really little. I honestly teared up a bit, I forget how much I miss her sometimes. It’s sad that I don’t really cloud-watch anymore, it’s one of those things I feel that adults get judged for doing the older they get because it’s “not productive.” I sat there with those thoughts and feelings, getting quite introspective as I just thought about how quickly it seems my life has gone from then to now, and about who I am as a person. It was a surprisingly deep moment, considering I was sitting on the ground at a train station just waiting for a train. Eventually said train finally came, later than expected.

The ride to Roskilde was quick and uneventful, and soon we set out back in to the town in search of a bite to eat. A good chunk of the group followed Travis and Michelle first to a bagel shop, then, eventually, to a burger shop after the bagel shop didn’t seem to work out. Funnily enough, said burger shop was literally next door to where Tessa, Alice, and I wound up eating- this amazing sushi place. Even though I was low on funds at this point, I was ravenous and felt like splurging $30 on some sushi. So that I did. And it was the best sushi I think I’ve ever had. The fish was so fresh, the rolls were nice and crunchy- one of them had cooked chicken inside which was interesting but oh, so good. Really worth the money, very much so. We sat and ate in this cool indoor patio area, where we could hear the rain that had finally come tapping on the plastic roof overhead while some very American pop-type music from the 2010s played in the background (seriously, everywhere I go I hear pop music that’s exactly what I hear back home).

After our amazing meal, we had a bit more time to kill and popped in to a couple stores. We found a nerdy store that wasn’t nearly as cool as the one we found in Malmo, where I was (barely) able to buy some cards for my boyfriend with cash, because their card reader was down. We then checked out another store full of hygiene and skin care products in search of some lotion, but I couldn’t really read any of the labels and gave up. We spent the rest of our time before it was time to meet back up getting some ice cream. I tried getting some more licorice ice cream, but I think I was given coffee ice cream instead, somehow, which was a bit disappointing. Oh well. 

We eventually went back to the meeting place, waited a bit longer for the group who had went to the burger place, and everyone met and headed in to the train station. As we waited for this train, I didn’t have the chance to get up in my emotions again, because, overhead, some birds were…uh… having some sort of weird birdy threesome. I don’t know how else to put it. It was really strange. There was a bigger pigeon and two smaller pigeons on either side of it- and that moment was how I, very unfortunately, found out that pigeons begin making moves on each other by “making out” similarly to how humans do. Which is.. Exactly what I witnessed. It was pretty uncomfortable, but they were making a lot of noise and it was hard to look away.

Anyways.

Uh.

This train ride went pretty uneventfully as well, and soon we were back at Norreport. From there, I went with Beia and Tessa to continue with a bit of shopping and exploring. Our first stop was near the Lego store to a nerdy comic book type store called Cigarer Faroen (or something like that) where I finally bought my boyfriend a Magic the Gathering art book. We ventured back to the street-mall type area we had grown familiar with, and found a more bougie souvenir shop where I finally knocked out the rest of my souvenir shopping. Still no luck with ornaments, so I gave up and got a keychain to turn in to an ornament later. Feeling successful with having finally wrapped up my gift shopping, I followed Beia back out to more shops in her search for her own souvenirs.l think, at this point, I had no more money for souvenirs- just for food- which was a damn shame because we then went into this HUGE store that was in and of itself the size of a small mall that had so many things- from home decor, to posters, to home goods, to jewelry, clothes, and so much more. So many things I wanted. I spent a good half hour checking out some of their wares, but eventually sat on some stairs for a break after my foot pain started coming back. That wound up being okay, because if I had continued to walk around and torture myself with cool stuff I wanted to buy, I would probably wind up with a sizable credit card bill.

We left empty-handed, Beia deciding to come back and do more shopping later when she was out adventuring on her own after the rest of the group left for Colorado/their homes.

From the store, we headed back to BaseCamp, taking a scenic (and very damp) walk back through the beautiful garden surrounding Rosenborg castle. I really savored this gorgeous walk, considering this would be one of the last times I’d have the chance to go through there. Eventually it came to an end, and we went to our rooms to rest and take a break before getting up to anything else. After all, I had promised Tessa that I’d help bleach and dye her hair. Which is exactly what I went to do after laying face-down on the bed mindlessly scrolling social media for a good 40-45 minutes. 

I went up with some garbage bags in hand to be used as tarps, and knocked on Tessa’s door. She quickly welcomed me in, and I got to work making and laying down tarps in a big square in her room. She already had bought some bleach and some dye, so after setting up the tarps and turning on some music (Frank Sinatra, interestingly enough,) I threw on gloves and got to work with the bleach. It was quite an experience having to interpret Danish instructions, relying on Google Translate’s camera feature and the labeled steps on the bottles. Eventually, I made it work, the bleach was on, and we sat and chatted until her hair was blonde-gingerish. She showered, let her hair dry, then I slapped on a smaller coat of bleach to fill in areas where it had become patchy. After another shower, we needed to wait for her hair to fully air dry before adding color so, to kill time, we decided to go get another bite to eat at the 24/7 McDonalds near Norreport. I grabbed a yummy Chicken Caesar sandwich, some fries, and some nuggets, and was once again in awe of the fact that their Mcdonald's looked and tasted like real, fresh food. Alice had tagged along for food after we bumped into her in the hall, so she sat with Tessa and I, ate, and talked a bit. Eventually, after we were done and decided Tessa’s hair was dry enough, we headed back to add some color. Alice wound up going back to her room, so it was down to just Tessa and I again. I was getting tired, so after re-gloving and applying the dye- squeezing every last drop out of the bottle, we sat for a bit while it processed, and then Tessa showered and I basically left right afterward. Tired, I collapsed right into my bed without the energy to work on anything (hence why this blog entry is being uploaded super late).