#Grape Growing Trellis

[szappan]

growing melons and tomatoes in the same pot and raising them so that they will have a brotherly bond when all grown.. if they taste a bit like each other well they will have known what love is like

[phoenixyfriend]

Ko-fi prompt from IndigoMay:

What would be the economic impact if people could magically grow whatever food they liked? Including fodder for animals.

This is a very wide-ranging question, like... when was the magic introduced? What was the state of agriculture before that? Is this food generated from existing matter, delivered by gods, or something else?

I'm going to narrow this to:

What would happen if people could, starting tomorrow, grow any plant...

That is edible, by either humans or livestock, with appropriate treatment.

Without delay, meaning that the time sink is several minutes instead of weeks or months.

Without concerns for weather or other natural dangers like fungal infections or pests, or requirements for water or fertilizer.

Without depleting soil nutrients, so long as they have arable land to work with.

Without relying on fresh seeds or other 'raw ingredients' like leaf cuttings.

Well... let's start small.

Personal Basis - people who are not farmers

People who do not normally grow things would start angling to acquire some kind basic gardening implements. For some, like those who live in the suburbs, this would be as simple as going into the backyard. For those in cities, they'd need to get a window box or similar to use. If you have free, guaranteed fresh plant matter, that's already a good thing, but the time and care required to keep a garden alive is more than some people can manage due to work or children or housing. With immediate food that requires minimal effort, a lot of those hurdles are removed. You can grow the two tomatoes you need for dinner, and then put the pot of soil away for tomorrow.

The cost of

Personal Basis - small farmers

The obvious impacts for those who are small farmers is that people are less likely to buy their raw ingredients. Most of these small farmers would start looking into modifying their operations to do things that require processing.

Growing apples in your house for a snack is fine--if you have a pot big enough for a small tree, and a way to dispose of the wood if it's a one-time thing--but if you want applesauce or cider or pie, someone who knows how to cook or bake needs to do that part. You can grow wheat, but your chances of having the necessary tools to grind flour are slim. You can grow cashews, but fuck knows how you're going to process that without poisoning yourself! You can grow grapes on your trellis, but that doesn't mean you have the knowledge to make wine without accidentally going straight to vinegar. You can grow corn, but that doesn't mean you know the best way to dry it to make popcorn.

So small farms shift to those products that either need processing, or are part of an animal-based food. This includes things like flowers for bees. You can't really control bees, so just 'grow and go' might incite the bees to leave somehow. Maybe they can sense magic! Who knows!

Another option would be to focus on unique or heirloom things. If you go to a farmer's market, you might be going just to see all the fruits you've never encountered before. If there's an apple stand one year, and suddenly you can grow your own apples at home, then maybe what they start doing is growing unique or rare cultivars that you've never heard of, and that's their new niche. It's not that you can't grow the apples, but would you grow them if you've never heard of them? Plus, the apple stand is doing sauces and ciders now.

Mid-tier and large farms

These farms will start to focus in on large-scale crops that don't go straight to tables or cooking pots in homes. Scrap the eggplants, the cucumbers, the blueberries. Focus on:

Fruits and vegetables that are needed for popular secondary products, like tomatoes (ketchup, marinara), or oranges (juice), or corn (anything with fructose corn syrups, popcorn).

Plants that are popular but NEED processing to be edible, like coffee beans, cocoa beans, or wheat, that most people just don't have.

Plants that are needed in massive quantities for animal feed, such as alfalfa or chicken grains.

Now, I think these large farms would still be in production. We'd see a massive reduction in water usage, which is great (except for cranberries, I guess), but many of these products would still be needed in quantities that need industrial levels of processing. Someone needs to pick the oranges, to drive them to the juicing facility, the facility needs to juice and treat and preserve and bottle them, and then that needs to be driven to the store. The reduced time to grow, reduced water usage, reduced waste from natural predators or dangers, and general ability to plan things more efficiently would result in lower costs for many of these products in a truly free market... but would possibly also rise in cost as companies try to maintain a consistent flow of profit.

Sure you can make the juice at home, but what if you're already at work? There's still a demand for products; most of us can get water from a tap at home, but there are still convenience stores selling bottled water on every other corner in a big city.

I think the most interesting of these concerns would be grazing animals, like sheep, cattle, and goats. Being able to 'refresh' the grass of a single field without having to rotate the animals to new pastures once they've eaten away at one, and without damaging the nutrient profiles of the one they're staying at, means reduced deforestation or soil destabilization in agricultural areas. We'd see a fairly significant stalling of things like the decimation of Mongolia's grasslands if the goats didn't need as much grazing land.

Maintaining the meat industry would be one of the most constant sources of demand for large-scale agriculture, given that other products could go through cycles to more efficiently use land. You can grow and harvest oranges for Tropicana on Monday, grapes for Welch's on Tuesday, soy beans for Silk on Wednesday, tomatoes for Heinz on Thursday, and so on. They probably won't need more than they used to.

Meanwhile, the cows gotta eat. And eat. And eat.

Corporations

This one is fun! MONSANTO'S GONNA BE PISSED.

So, magically growing food, you don't need seeds, at least in this case. Or you can coax more product out of a seed you already have planted. You've gotten eight cycles corn out of this one stalk this season!

So Monsanto loses some of that insane seed monopoly situation.

You'd see a decrease in pesticides and anti-fungal products as agriculture speeds up a cycle by enough to prevent the spread of dangerous infestations. It's not going to kill your entire farm if you find fungus one day and have to burn it to prevent the spread. You lost one day's profit, not a full year's.

This impacts Monsanto too. Remember the Roundup debacle?

Now, to be clear, there are still plants that will rely on pesticides and anti-fungals. The premise only covers food, after all, so there are still important plants that will need longer, dedicated growing seasons.

Industry-wide shifts

Sooooooooooo a lot of the money starts to come from non-edible plants. This is your cottons, linens, hemps, latex/rubber trees, cork trees, lumber, and so on.

As the needed arable land necessary to feed humanity (and our livestock) decreases, more land is freed up for return to indigenous peoples, reclamation by nature, usage for alternate cultivation, housing, or... well, other capitalist ventures, like bitcoin mining or whatever.

On a geopolitical level, this causes some interesting shifts in places that draw their power from being 'breadbasket' nations. For instance, if you remember the start of the Russo-Ukrainian war, we saw some major pressures being placed by virtue of some countries (e.g. Lebanon, Pakistan) getting most of their wheat from Ukraine, and the war suddenly cutting off a massive portion of how they fed their people. Much of Ukraine's support, in those early days, derived from their importance as a breadbasket nation. If everyone can grown their own food, that moves the lines. Countries that are poor on space or water can stop relying on trade to survive in terms of water. Countries that rely on their agriculture to be able to trade for other things need to diversify their economies, and fast.

(Does mean that Saudi Arabia can stop using Arizona's water, though.)

The greatest shifts would come down to water usage and pollution, I think. Agriculture is currently one of the biggest contributors to the climate crisis, and the reduction of water use by farming would be a massive help. However, I'm less sure of how we'd see meat consumption change. The greater availability of fresh fruits and vegetables could result in a shift towards more plant-based diets worldwide, but just as easily we could see large agricultural corporations (and those that rely on them, like John Deere or the aforementioned Monsanto) market meat to consumers as a greater rate due to the profit margin.

Oh, also, I have a feeling that a lot of those corporations would try to get garden centers shut down, or buy out ceramic pot and planter factories. If you can't grow anything at home because you don't have a window planter, you have to buy from the store, right?

[dambaepuff]

STRAW-BEAR-IES

☆Pairing: BearHybrid!Namjoon x GN!Reader

☆Genre: hybrid au, fluff, one-shot, pg-13

☆Warnings: none!

☆Word count: 4.3k

☆Summary: You noticed the strawberries in your garden started going missing a few weeks ago, the bushes often being smushed as if something big stepped onto them. Slowly you start to find other parts of your large garden in disarray as well. Who might be this crop thief stealing from you?

☆A/N: Hi!! This is the first time I’ve ever posted onto this account, I hope you’ll like it. I’m thinking of making it a series potentially? Feel free to let me know your thoughts and suggestions and/or if you have any sort of criticism and tips. Also beware of the fact that I do not have a beta reader and English isn’t my first language so there might be some mistakes!!

You sigh as you step into your garden and close the gate. It seems as though someone payed it a visit again last night. The once beautiful green grapes you had growing were now gone, the vines torn down, the trellises bent in funky ways and all the leaves crumpled. You take off your gardening gloves and stuff them into your apron’s front pouch. Your bare hands softly touch the now ruined plant, trying to examine the damage and determine if it’s salvageable. With a huff you bend down and grab onto the plant’s support structure, making sure your footing is firm you get to work with lifting everything up and fixing it.

“Hm, I need the toolbox for this one.” You mumble to yourself, letting go of the structure and tumbling backwards a little. Set on repairing the trellis, you start walking towards the shed. With a pep in your step you start to whistle a random tune, stuffing your hands into your pockets and fishing around for the key to the shed. As you pull out the keys and start to fumble around with them, trying to spot the square silver key, you catch movement in the corner of your eye. At first you brush it off as wind rustling branches, but then you register a large brown lump moving around. Your head shoots up and you immediately freeze up. About ten meters away from you stands a large grizzly bear, sniffing around in the bushes on your property. With fear coursing through your veins, the sudden adrenaline makes your thoughts turn hazy. Starting to fumble with the keys faster you decide it’s best to hide in the shed till it leaves, however once the jingle of the metal clinking resumed the bear’s head rose. It’s black eyes landed directly onto you. Your hands shook and you dropped the keys, your panic starting to become more prominent.

Just as you thought the wild animal was going to pounce, it turned around and ran in the opposite direction as if it was the one scared to death. You halted all your movements in confusion, letting out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. Wiping the sweat that accumulated on your forehead you picked up the bundle of metal from the ground and finally found the right key. Quickly shutting the door, you let yourself slump against it. Thumping your head against the wood, you let out a sigh of relief.

After that day you were on edge for a little while, but it wasn’t long till you went back to your usual routine. One morning you had gathered all of the produce that was overly ripe into one large bucket. Now wanting it to go to waste you fed part of it to some of your animals and the rest you had left out in front of the garden in hopes of the thief taking from there instead of ruining all your hard work. You had been carving away at a small piece of wood whilst laying on your hammock when you heard rustling behind you. Slowly turning around you spotted the same brown bear eating away at the produce you had left in the bucket. Your heart started to pound in fear, not knowing what to do you laid back down and tried to be as still as possible, hoping that the beast would be gone soon. The munching noises you could faintly hear stopped at some point and everything went quiet. Tightly shutting your eyes you prayed it was going back to where it came from, but instead you heard heavy footsteps coming towards you. A tear brimmed your eye, your skin prickled with goosebumps and your blood pumped so hard you could hear it. Shallow breaths took over your body, each one of your muscles tensing. The footsteps stopped right beside you, a warm breath tickled your face. The animal let out a deep groan, curiously starting to sniff you. Unable to open your eyes from the terror you used sound and your imagination to be able to tell what the bear was doing. It’s sniffing stopped at your hands, it’s wet snout nudging your skin. You cracked one eye open and saw the large beast staring at the small wooden figurine you had been carving. It’s eyes held no hunger or malice, it looked interested and almost kind? Unsure if you were seeing right, you fully opened your eyes, gawking up at the creature. It looked down at you and then back at your hands, almost as if it was asking what you were doing.

“Uhm, this?” You asked, your voice coming out weak as you held up your creation. The bear grunted and nodded its head. “Oh it’s just a little figurine I was making, it’s supposed to be a dog.” You said wide eyed, to which the bear nodded. “You can… You can understand me?” You squeaked out. The bear nodded again and let out a small grunt. Your confusion only doubled, yet your interest was piqued. You set down the carving onto your stomach and reached out one of your hands, slowly bringing it up to the bears head. Hesitantly you set it down, the fur feeling softer than you’d imagine. Slowly, your hand started to stroke its head to which the beast let out a content grumble and leaned into your touch. Completely stunned, all you could do was continue petting it. The bear lowered its head and let it rest in your lap, the warmth emitting from it surprisingly comforting. The mammal’s big black eyes started to blink slower, its entire body seeming to relax. You however, still felt a bit on edge. It started to nudge your hand with its nose, ‘This is it, I’m going to lose a hand now!’ you thought, expecting to get bitten. However, to your surprise all it did was give your palm a few licks, as if thanking you. It stood back up with a grunt and started to make it’s way towards the wooded area on your property.

After that exchange you had started leaving fruit and leftovers from your dinner on your front porch each evening. Every morning you’d wake up to the food gone and a little gift left in its place. The presents varied from pretty rocks and flowers to money and shiny jewelry you assumed the creature stole from someone. Scraping the remnants of sauce into the container you hummed along to a song playing on the radio. With leftover pasta in one hand and an array of fruits in the other, you made your way to your front door. Pushing the handle down with your elbow and kicking to door open with your foot, you prepare to place the food down onto the steps. A familiar set of black eyes startle you, almost making you drop everything you were holding. “Oh! You scared me.” The bear huffed out something that sounded similar to a laugh. “I got you food. Sit down.” It obliged and plopped down with a grunt. “I got you strawberries, I know you like those.” You say as you place everything down and pick up a strawberry, throwing it towards the bear. It catches the berry mid air and happily chomps down on it. “Bon appetite.” You grin at it and make your way back inside. Sparing the beast one last glance through the window, you turn off all the lights and make your way to bed.

The bear started showing up for dinner early more often, letting you feed and pet it. Tonight was no different, you fed the creature, talked to it pretending it understood you and bid it farewell. Loud claps of thunder awoke you from your sleep, looking out of your window the rain was pouring down like no tomorrow, wind wildly throwing around leaves and jostling trees. Immediately your mind jumped to your furry friend. Without a second thought you got up from bed, quickly shuffling into your slippers and pulling on a robe. With hurried steps you made your way downstairs, looking out onto your front porch you saw the same lump of brown fur laying outside your door, finding shelter from the rain under the gable roof. For a moment you hesitated, what could you even do? Would it be absurd to let the wild animal into your home? It definitely would be. So, you unlocked your front door and opened it. A gust of wind immediately hit you in the face, carrying rain water with it. Not far from your house, a bolt of thunder struck the ground, echoing loudly and flashing before your eyes. The beast startled awake, looking around it shivered in fear. Trying to get it’s attention you yelled over the wind and thunder, flailing your arms around like an idiot. The ears on its head lightly perked up and it turned its head to face you. Large black eyes landed on your figure, watching as you beckoned it inside. Without a hint of uncertainty the creature got up and started walking towards you. Reaching around in the dark and running your hand along the wall, you found the light switch and turned it on. The second your friend entered the house you shut the door, sighing as the storm’s noises faded into a mere hum.

“Wait here.” You instructed and quickly made your may to the bathroom, taking two large towels and scurrying back to the entrance. Unfolding the fabric, you draped it over the bear and got to work with drying it off to the best of your abilities. When you got to its head, you became more gentle. Gingerly rubbing out the moisture from its ears and cheeks, you looked into its eyes. They held a warmth you couldn’t explain, a sort of gratitude no regular bear could express. Its large snout twitched and it blinked up at you slowly. “You’re such a cutie.” You said softly and wiped its forehead. It let out a grunt and looked away as if it were embarrassed. “Come, you can sleep on my rug.” You said and started making your way toward the living room. Heavy footsteps followed behind you, the old wooden floor of your house creaking underneath its weight. “Sleep here, just don’t break anything please.” You told the beast with a small smile and bid it goodnight.

Sounds of birds chirping and the soft howl of the wind woke you up. Sitting up in bed you yawned, stretching your arms out above your head and twisting your torso around to release tension. Your feet made contact with the cold floor of your bedroom, sluggishly getting up to open your window. You leaned outside and took in a big breath of fresh air, the smell of rain still present in the morning chill. The peaceful moment was cut short by loud clanking coming from downstairs followed by a thump. Startled, you quickly made your way towards the source of the noise. Expecting to find the bear you’ve come to know as your friend, you’re alarmed to see a fully grown man standing in your kitchen with all of your pots and pans spilled onto the ground. You quickly grab one of your kitchen knives and firmly hold it towards the intruder. “Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?” You ask calmly. The man’s eyes widen and he puts his hands up. “Uhm uhh...” He mumbles, clearly taken aback. “I’m Namjoon.” He says and raises a brow, sounding more like a question than a statement. “How did you get in?” You question, tilting your head up and straightening your posture, trying your best to intimidate him. “You let me in last night.” His response takes you off guard, before you can reply to it his hand goes up to his head and he points at a pair of brow ears you hadn’t noticed before. That’s when it clicks. The large grizzly bear you had befriended wasn’t entirely a bear after all. Everything made sense now.

“Why did you steal from me?” The sentence flies out of your mouth before you can think about it. “Uhm, I was hungry.” The man replies, his ears drooping and his arms coming back down to his sides. You soften at his words knowing he never meant any harm. Putting the knife back you crouch down to pick up all the pots, he follows suit and the two of you quietly clean up. “So you say your name is Namjoon?” You asked as you began to gather ingredients for breakfast. “Yes.” He responded with a nod of his head. “I’m (Y/N), it’s nice to officially meet you.” You gave a small smile which he returned, adorable dimples appearing on his face. “Would you like some breakfast?” You asked as you rummaged around the kitchen. “Yes!” He responded eagerly to which you chuckled. After a beat of silence he spoke up again. “I’ve been thinking…” You let out a hum, encouraging him to continue. “You’ve kept me fed for so long now and I’ve done pretty much nothing in return. Let me help you with all your farm work to pay off my debt.” He said in a low voice. “You have no debt Namjoon.” You responded and looked at him over your shoulder. “However, a helping hand is always welcome here.” You started cracking eggs into a bowl. “Plus it would be nice to have someone around to talk to, y’know to keep me company.” You said as you started whisking the eggs. “You’ll let me stay?” He asked in disbelief, his voice full of hope. “I don’t see why not, you don’t look very weak and that’s certainly a plus.” You stated as you looked him up and down, giving a playful wink. His eyes winded a bit, but he didn’t comment on it.

After eating together you had decided to give him a proper tour of the property. He seemed particularly interested in your garden and your sculpting workshop. Once you showed him everything you began doing chores together, occasionally chatting and getting to know each other more. You had found out he was a stray hybrid, living on the streets for three years now. He had tried hitch hiking from one town to another about four months ago, when he suddenly got weird vibes from the truck driver he was traveling with. Not wanting to risk anything he ran away once they had pulled into a gas station, never looking back. After wandering through the woods for ages he came across the fence of your estate. At first he wasn’t going to cross it, scared someone would hunt him down and kill him if he entered private property. However, once he had smelled the pie you were baking his hunger got the better of him and he jumped the barrier. Realizing you were a stable source of food he continued to sneak around and eventually ended up here with you. Feeling grave pity for him you decided in that moment that it was your mission to help repair this man and give him the comfortable and fulfilling life he never got the chance to experience. He also told you about some of his friends who were stray hybrids as well, hoping to reunite with them one day. Apparently there were six of them, seven including Namjoon. They helped each other survive when no one else would.

After a long hard day of labor, the two of you came back to the farmhouse. You gave him some of your old oversized clothes and pointed him to your bathroom. He took his first proper shower in a while, enjoying using all of your different products and being pampered. Whilst he took care of his hygiene you got busy with making dinner. As you were grabbing all the ingredients you needed from the refrigerator, you noticed the vanilla tarts you had made the day before. Debating on serving them as dessert your eyes landed on the last couple of strawberries you managed to salvage from your garden, seemingly the bear’s favorite kind of berry to steal while you weren’t looking. Lighting up at the idea of combining the two foods for your friend to enjoy, you giddily got to work with dinner, the idea of surprising Namjoon lingering in your mind the entire time. Once he came out of the bathroom your eyes raked his form. Admiring how the large clothes fitted his frame and the way he did his best to dry his damp hair and ears with a towel. It only now dawned on you how handsome he was, this being the first time you truly took a moment to observe him since you initially saw his human form. His eyes caught yours, before you could get lost in their dark color you cleared your throat. “You hungry? I’m almost done with making dinner.” You asked and quickly started stirring the pot of sauce you were making. “I’m starving. Need any help?” He replied to which you instructed him to set the table.

The meal was fairly quiet, both of you lost in your own thoughts. When both of your plates were empty and your bellies almost entirely full, he was about to get up from the table. “Not so fast!” You said with a small smile. “I’m not going anywhere, I swear I was gonna help you clean up!” He replied briskly to which you laughed at him. He tilted his head in confusion, still thinking you were trying to scold him for bad manners. “There’s desert.” You said, your smile widening. His eyes lit up and his ears perked up. You could hear clothes shuffling, but he wasn’t moving an inch. That’s when you realized his tail small was wagging underneath his shirt. Trying to bite down your smile, you served the tarts on a plate with your strawberries. His nose moved as he sniffed the air, clearly eager for the treat. “What is it?” He asked in wonder, pointing at the baked good. “It’s a vanilla tart, try it.” You responded, handing him a fork. He eagerly dug in. Once he tasted it he started nodding his head vigorously, a close lipped smile spreading on his face. “You like it?” You asked. “Mhm!” He almost purred out, his taste buds not used to such delicate dishes. “Have a strawberry, I know you like those. Plus it goes well with the vanilla.” You picked up one of the red berries, thoughtlessly bringing it up to his lips. He shyly opened his jaws, holding eye contact as you inserted it into his mouth. His lips closed around it, faintly brushing your finger tips as you pulled your hand away. He slowly chewed, still looking at you. “Good?” You inquired, he leisurely swallowed. “So good.”

Namjoon had been living with you for a few months now. He had started stealing from your garden during last year’s spring and you let him into your home around summer time. It was now late January, your entire property covered in a blanket of crystal white snow. During this time of year you never have much work around the garden, more so focusing on taking care of all of your animals, letting yourself be consumed by reading and sculpting more often than not. “Namu, we’re running out of firewood, we should go chop up some more before it gets dark out.” You said as you poked around the fire you created in the fireplace, not realizing the nickname that slipped from your mouth. “Namu?” He questioned, testing it out on his tongue. “Hm, Namu. I like it.” He looked up in thought, lowering the book he was reading onto his lap. “Wait what was the question?” He suddenly sat up straighter, realizing you said something he didn’t quite comprehend. “I didn’t ask you a question, I said we needed to go get more firewood before it gets dark out.” You plopped down onto your butt from the crouch you were in a moment ago, chuckling at the bear hybrid. He watched you closely, playing with one of the pages of the open book sitting on his thigh. You leaned back on your palms and raised an eyebrow at him, awaiting his response. “Oh, yeah sure. You wanna go now or…?” He broke the eye contact, looking around at nothing in particular. “Yeah, let’s go.” You got up and dusted your hands off, walking up to where he was sitting on the sofa you extended an arm, helping him get up. The two of you got to work with preparing the firewood, Namjoon doing most of the heavy lifting. When you finished with it he turned into his bear form, stating that it’s easier to stay warm that way. He laid on his side on the floor, you leaning against him and petting his soft fur. It was to reserve heat you told yourselves, not being able to admit that the soft touches served as more than just a source of physical warmth.

One night you laid in your bed, covered in heaps of blankets trying to warm your body up, but it just wasn’t working. No matter how many layers of fabric you put onto your body you were still freezing. You crawled out of bed, shivering as the cold air in your room hit your whole body. Shuffling around in the dark for your slippers and robe, you hazily pulled them both on and made your way to the guest room down the hall. Lifting your fist up to the door you softly knocked, a sleepy grumble could be heard from the other side. Taking it as a sign to come in you pushed the door open. “Namu, I can’t sleep from the cold. Can I come sleep in your bed?” You quietly said into the darkness. The lump in the middle of the bed grumbled something, his arm extending and lifting the duvet he was under. You eagerly entered the room and took off your robe and slippers, shimmying into the bed. His arm wrapped around your waist and he pulled you into his warm chest. Finally heating up, you let your body relax into his embrace, letting sleep take over.

Following that night it became a routine to share a bed, the excuse still being the need for warmth. Namjoon had especially grown accustomed to holding you in his sleep. So much so that one afternoon when you went to a nearby town to buy some necessities, he decided to take a nap. He couldn’t find a comfortable position if his life depended on it. Tossing and turning in his bed, he realized his arms felt too empty. He tried hugging one of his pillows, but it wasn’t enough. Huffing in annoyance he decided to go sleep in your bed, the thought of your scent enveloping him made his tail wag immediately. He walked over to your room, plopping down onto your bed and nestling into your sheets. Burying his head into your pillow he inhaled your scent, letting out a satisfied hum at the familiar smell. Though he partially found the comfort he was seeking he still wasn’t fully pleased. He laid in your bed for what felt like hours, missing the way your hands would gently play with his hair and scratch behind his ears. The moment he heard your car pull up into the driveway he shot up from bed, running down the stairs and almost tripping over himself. You entered the house with arms full of bags, setting them down to take off your shoes and jacket. He didn’t even give you a moment to register his presence, immediately enveloping you into an embrace and starting to scent at your neck. “Namjoon, that tickles!” You giggled as his nose brushed against your sensitive skin. Upon hearing your voice he only hugged you tighter. “You okay?” You asked, placing your hand atop his head, suddenly worried by his behavior. “Yeah, I just missed you.” He mumbled into your shoulder. “Was I really gone for that long?” You questioned as you pulled away, trying to get a proper look at his face. Realizing how clingy he was acting, he became embarrassed. He let go of you and awkwardly cleared his throat. “Uhh no.” He said, scratching the back of his neck and looking away. “You can come with next time.” You stated, sensing his shame. The small ears atop his head perked up, a lazy grin spreading on his face. “Yes please.” He responded, a light pink forming on his cheeks.

Eventually the two of you unpacked all of the things you bought. The second you were done Namjoon tugged at your sleeve. Wordlessly, you let him pull you along to wherever he wanted to go. He brought you to your bedroom, laying you down onto your bed. “Sleep.” He mumbled, nosing at your throat and laying down onto your chest. Your hand instinctively rose to his head, scratching at his scalp lightly. You felt a low rumble coming from Namjoon, at first you thought he was just clearing his throat, but then it hit you. “Namu are you purring?” You asked. “Yeah.” He simply responded. “I didn’t know bears could purr.” You chuckled, pleasantly surprised by the discovery. “It doesn’t happen often, but it is possible.” He muttered, nuzzling further into your skin. You grabbed one of his hands, intertwining your fingers together. Slowly you brought it up to your face, placing a gentle peck onto his knuckles. His purring abruptly stopped. “Is this okay?” You asked, your heart dropping at the prospect of making him uncomfortable. He didn’t reply verbally, only placing a soft kiss onto the bare skin of your collarbone, his purrs resuming twice as loud.

[dailyadventureprompts]

Deity: Litirenn, He who Guides the Vine

Days of bread and wine, are only by design/ Every petal worked, every spirit corked, every silver shined/ Every furnace lit, every lamb and spit, every silver shined/ -Only by Design, From Devil's Carnival: Alleluia!

It is hard work averting famine, a toil through seasons of gruelling weather to ensure the next harvest fares a little better than the last. To turn a scattering of seeds from errant prairie grasses into life sustaining bread is a generations long labour, but it is holy and there is no god that holds it more holy than Litirenn, Steward of Tilled Earth.

Born from a union between a god of growing things and a god of craft, Litirenn's sphere of influence has expanded over time from simple cultivation to any who wish to understand and then improve on nature's designs: Herbalists, natural philosophers, alchemists, biomancers, and those that would remake themselves seeking an inner truth.

Few temples are kept for him, but one can often find the Steward's marks worked in over the doorways of granaries, mills, and wine cellars, or sketched in the margins of a hand bound folio of research notes.

Adventure Hooks:

The grain harvest is coming in, which means the local brigands will be circling like buzzards and the village needs the party to act as bodyguards to ensure their livelihood seven samurai style. The brigands in question however are not outlaws but soldiers of the local warlord, who is currently in dispute with the village over how much grain they owe him for protection.

The village witch is in quite a fix after cultivating a new verity of foreign flower looking to make inadvertently attracting all sorts of weird magical insects to his cottage. The infestation has deprived him of his house, the town of herbal remedies, and the party of cheap healing potions. Something must be done about it.

Seeking to catalogue, preserve, and most of all taste every variety of apple ever grown on the material plane, an eccentric gnomish orchardist has broken into the elfqueen's private gardens and stolen a fruit from a silver tree placed there by the Archheart themselves. The queen's agents would like this handled delicately, not only because the gnome managed her infiltration by seducing the queen (who's quite broken up about it) but also disruption of the tree may juuuuuust have triggered a calamitous prophecy.

Signs: Plants fruiting out of season with abundant growth and fantastical properties, visions of how things came to be made. The appearance of frogs, butterflies, and other creatures that go through a metamorphosis.

Symbols: A vine laden trellis, though alchemical aspects often use the symbol of a snake coiled among grapes.

Titles: Steward of Tilled Earth, He who Guides the Vine, The Cultivator,

[balkanikabg]

Balkanika's Special Grapes Bundle

What Winery would be without a proper Vineyard, am I right?

This project includes 9 brand new types of Grapes that your Sim can take care of, and harvest. All grapes function as my indoor harvestables!

When you first buy the plant you'll see only the watering interaction and after some hours you'll be able to collect the first patch of grown produce. Afterwards the interaction will be available once a day.

Water the plant 1 a day.

Harvest grapes 1 a day.

Tagged as fruit

Toddlers can eat it

It can be eaten raw or cooked

Compatible with SCCO

Types of grapes:

Vinelines (you can place them next to each other and build a real vineyard with them). They come in two types - regular with three vines (note that they are high poly!), and single with only one vine.

Cabernet

Merlot

Chardonnay

MORE UNDER THE CUT

Trellis (grow them vertically on a trellis, you can place them close to each other, maybe even on a wall to imitated that they are build on it)

Rubin

Mavrud

Dimyat

Pergola (it's fully functional with empty space under it, where you can place a bench, table with chair, or anything you wish, and your Sim can go under it without a problem)

Pamid

Gamza

Keratsuda

Since my custom harvestables are not like the regular ones from the game, I let myself some frivolities.

When your Sim collect fruits, they will get basket with grapes, instead of single fruits, in their inventory.

From each pergola they can collect 4 baskets, each trellis 2 baskets, each vineline 3 baskets, and if it's a single vine - 1 basket.

1 basket contains 20 grape fruits.

Each type of grape has individual moodlet after consumed.

Grab fruits one by one from basket

First you'll see 'Check Basket' interaction, before the option to 'Grab Grape'

The baskets and the fruits both have fruit/ingredient tag and can be sold or used in cooking, if required any fruit

I also made Rail fence (see below gif), so you can build your perfect vineyard.

Known issue: Note that my harvestables don't use the code of the EA harvetables interactions, therefore you'll need to manually click on every single grape to be watered/harvested. It doesn't work like the regular gardening where your Sim will collect from all automatically.

That's all from me for now, it's only a few days until the Wine Making Vat is ready as well, yay! I hope you enjoy this content, and please don't be shy to tag me, if you decide to use/build a vineyard with my items. I'd looove to see what you create (and I'll reblog everything :D)!

DOWNLOAD (Early Access)

Public Access: 4th of June, 2023

@sssvitlanz @maxismatchccworld @twentiethcenturysims

[ahedderick]

The grapes are looking good so far! If they don't get spoiled by rust, mold, or insects, we should have plenty to eat in early September.

At some point I'm going to have to build a trellis, painstakingly remove the vine from the (now dead) apple tree it climbed, and 'retrain' them. My late father allowed them to grow wherever they wanted, and the situation is not good for the long-term.

[frostgnawd]

✧ candling: the habit of taking stock of your life on the occasion of your birthday.

Obscure Sorrows

The first birthday he remembers is a simple one.

"My precious flower, blooming even in a storm." His mother's voice is distant now, a faded memory, a tune lost to time. If he lies to himself, he still remembers it, and considering he lies to himself quite often --

"Another year stronger." His father's voice is clearer, for some reason. His laughter, not so tinged with bitterness, or maybe that's wishful thinking. Trying, for him. Their faces are illuminated by candles, but the forms are too blurred for him to make out.

Save for those starry eyes, of course.

Something sweet and fresh, made by hands that loved him, fills his stomach. Something warm and pristine, an ensemble that suited the elegance of a fallen nation, wraps around his shoulders -- the threads that could be scavenged, anyway. He still gets them dirty on accident. He's just a boy, after all. He's still happy like this.

( His father leaves him to his duty the next year. Or is it the year after? )

The first birthday with the Ragnvindr's is much different.

Life on the surface is different. Confusing. The sun rises and sets and the seasons change and the words are not like the ones he knows because the words he knows are his father's and they ring in his ears without reprieve. Except for sometimes, if he lets himself experience Mondstadt -- and he always has had a nasty habit of getting distracted.

( He is 6, and it shouldn't feel like such a sin, but he's a Sinner, too, so what's the difference. )

Diluc distracts him. It's hard not to, not when you shine as bright as he does, not when you want so eager and earnestly to share all that you know that with those around you -- and Kaeya, specifically, always has been a good listener, follower, observer. (Younger brother.) Diluc makes him experience Mondstadt, or at least experience the Manor, and at his age they might as well be the same thing. They clamber over carts and barrels and bother poor Adelinde and Elzer and run through the grapevines without a care in the world.

( He feels like he's betraying his father. )

It's a chilly day when they are trudging under the stakes of the trellis, taking a break from horsing around the dormant vines and wires. There's a crystalfly resting against the grain, wings beating gently, a juxtaposition of life and Anemo's bright teal against the rugged bark of the vine, and Kaeya blinks.

He has been here for.. what, four months now? Five? Late July, early August, it all blends together -- but he's learned about the cycle of their (their, because he's becoming part of this) vineyard in that time. The grapes were still growing when he'd first arrived, nourished by summer sun and rain, and even into autumn, they'd gotten rounder, more plump, red color deepening like the wine they'd eventually produce. Just last month, the last of the vines had been harvested from, and now, they lie in repose against the trellis, preparing to endure Mondstadt's mild winter so they can bloom again in full in spring. More will be planted in December, which is only a few days away.

And that is when it occurs to him.

"I think it's my birthday soon." He says, out of nowhere, and seals his fate.

When Diluc wants something, he does not stop until he gets it; in this case, it means he gets the date of Kaeya's birth (tomorrow, actually, which Kaeya offers very apologetically, because the mood feels quite serious now) as well as the quickly cobbled together party for Kaeya the following morning. A single eye blinks at the cake on the table, as though he hardly comprehends what it's doing there.

Kaeya feels increasingly embarrassed with all the eyes on him in turn, the gifts that are solely his, the well wishes he receives en masse (he doesn't recall ever having so many people sing to him before, and he likes it, even if some are terribly off-key), but he doesn't feel like he wants to shrivel up and disappear, so he must be happy with this outcome.

His glance flickers over to Diluc's face -- he looks so pleased, and the candles shine all the brighter for him, like they know -- and he smiles, too. Yes, he must be happy.

( Is that alright? )

The first birthday when he is on his own again passes by in a blur.

So does the next. And the one after.

The only dates that matter are the days he actually gets a letter back, the days he spends with Klee, and the day that is Jean's own birthday.

He only feels like properly celebrating again when that god-given red gem is out of his possession, finally, and Charles somehow seems relieved that he actually shows up to the tavern that year, day-of.

His birthdays thereafter... well, they've been quite interesting, haven't they? He likes interesting things, and the mysterious traveler from afar, the excitement that dragon provided, the little tiff with the Abyss Order, I mean, how else would you describe it? His birthday comes, and, still riding that high, he celebrates without thinking twice.

But that delight, much like any other source of happiness he keeps, is held carefully by hands that never learned how to keep things safe through kindness (can he learn now, or is it too late?), palms open, because while Kaeya is one to accept gifts, he's not one to expect them to stay.

He's pleased they're still here, though, and when he finds himself clinking glasses with familiar faces in the Angel's Share, even the star in his gaze twinkles.

[13thpythagoras]

solarpunk farmer checklist

buy land without a well for super cheap because no baby boomers can fathom what i'm about to tell you next

next you need solar panels, wind turbines and an economical energy storage system, and an amospheric dehumidifier and filter system to draw from humidity and render it potable for you and your farm. [ref]

finally if you bought desert land, it's time to get your Stanley Yelnats hat on and dig some massive holes because ag plants can live well outside their 'growing zone' in the desert that way as seen above

...one interesting unique idea I've also seen explored, that could be good in some aspects, is using bamboo as a living trellis that any vining productive other plants can grow up and into like jasmine, tomatoes, strawberries, grapes (?), etc. The bamboo grows out fast and big, and the vining plants do well to keep up and utilize the strength of bamboo as a skeletal scaffolding, maybe using a fruit picker's extended basket for grabbing the stuff but you might have to line it with a finer mesh to avoid dropping smaller berries or tomatos, but here's a low-effort way to get an extremely productive yield out of just sun and water

Of course on upwards from there you can build real scaffolding and real ag architecture as seen in video etc but that's a lot more labor and material intensive than watchin some bamboo get super tall and watching your tomatoes climb all over it and flourish like crazy

additionally there's all this going on with the tree grafting, looks mad fun imho

[aggressive-positivity-network]

There once was a fox walking in a vineyard. Feeling hungry, he searched for a good bunch of grapes to fill his belly.

There were many vines in this vineyard, and the fox had the choice of any he could get his teeth around. But some were too sweet, others too small, and some, as he had heard from other woodland creatures, weren’t worth eating.

That’s alright, of course — every fox has their taste.

Finally, he found a large trellis, and at the very top was a bunch of large, dark, delicious grapes. Just looking at them made the fox drool and his teeth snap together in anticipation.

The grapes were high, but foxes are crafty. With a few hops and his back legs scraping at the old wood, he made it to the top of the trellis, and ate as many grapes as could fit in his hungry stomach. Juice dripped down his jowls, and his muzzle became sticky and purple. After he had had his fill, he jumped down from the trellis and went on his merry way.

Every day he returned to that vineyard, and ate any grapes that he could find on that trellis, for he claimed that they were sweeter than the rest.

One day, the fox made his way up the trellis to see a large raven watching him from a nearby tree.

“Are you here to partake of the grapes as well?” the fox said, in too high of spirits to be greedy.

The raven looked forlorn. “Being an intelligent creature, I cannot bring myself to.”

“How so?”

“Have you never wondered why the grapes are so sweet on this trellis?” the raven replied. “It is not the sunlight, nor the rain. It is the merchant that owns this vineyard.”

“What of it?” the fox asked, through mouthfuls of grapes.

“The merchant,” the raven continued. “allows his gates to be left open, so any creature can wander into his vineyard. And when they do, he kills them, leaving their body to rot underneath the vines. The blood and bone soak into the soil, making the grapes sweeter than any in the vineyard.”

“But those creatures are pests,” the fox argued. “I am only here to fill my belly. I do not chew holes in the leaves, or carry disease. Besides, what someone does with their vineyard is no concern of a fox.”

The raven narrowed his eyes.

“It will be, if the merchant catches you. He does not separate hungry animals from pests. He will kill you and leave you under those grapes, making his wine sweeter and his pockets heavier. He will buy more arrows, more slingshots, more servants to dispose of you and everyone else in the forest.”

The fox swallowed, thinking for a moment. Suddenly he turned up his nose and harrumphed.

“Well, that is for the better. Not only is his heart cold, but, now that I think of it, his grapes are quite sour.”

The fox jumped off the trellis, and began to lope away — his stomach was almost full anyway — when the raven flew down from his branch and landed in front of the fox, feathers puffed.

“Do not act so proud of your decision,” he cawed. “Do not call sour what you had, moments before, been eating to your hearts content. Do not act morally superior when you had been fully willing to indulge yourself in the merchant’s vineyard and say that your fellow creature’s death was none of your concern!”

Before the fox could reply, the whistle of an arrow rang out in the vineyard. The fox slumped to the ground, his temple bleeding. The merchant revealed himself from a nearby bush, and dragged the wounded fox towards the trellis, just as the raven had said.

When the merchant had left, and the fox lay dying, the raven flew down again. He laid a wing on the fox’s head, which was now sticky with blood instead of grape juice.

“I do pity you, dear fox. If only you had understood — even sour merchants can grow sweet grapes.”

[wife-tober2024]

King Consort (10/1)

Isa  strode through the halls of the ship taking stock of the panels that had started to rust and the lights that were almost too dim to see by. Their home was in desperate need of repair, but what could she do? The Norton had been independent from the Fleet for generations. She would not be the leader that went crawling back to them. If the leaders before her made it work, then she would too.

The walk to the Organic District was always the highlight of Isa’s day. Despite having a variety of plants around the ship, it was the Organic District that made her feel truly at peace. The cavernous space was filled with plants of all shapes and sizes, though predominately it was used was to grow food. Over time Isa knew the citizens wanted, no needed, more. Soon the space was expanded to accommodate the growth of household plants. Not only did it help with moral, but the health of everyone aboard improved as well. Citizens could request a plant for their homes or petition for a few in public spaces. The Organic District however still housed the majority. 

Isa slowly made her rounds through the vegetable gardens, observing the Gardeners as they worked and nodding respectfully as they bowed before returning to their work.

“Queen Isa!” A short young woman called, leaning around a trellis covered in grape vines. “You’re just in time! Some of the harvest is ready. Have some!” Isa struggled to place the girls face. With so many citizens aboard she couldn’t quite remember everyone’s name no matter how hard she tried. Instead she glanced down at the bucket in her hand filled with grapes. She plucked a few from the top, popping one into her mouth with a satisfied moan.

“These are perfect! Make sure you visit the school with your first batch before delivering the rest to the kitchens.”

“Already done! I took them earlier this morning.”

“Wonderful.” She place another in her mouth, tucking it into her cheek before continuing. “What would we do without you all.” Isa raised her voice, hoping the others working diligently around them would hear the praise. She patted the woman on her back before continuing her rounds. 

After her diligent circuit around the gardens Isa came to a stop at the edge of the dome. This was her favorite spot on the whole ship. Tucked far away from everything was a small park few seemed to ever frequent. Well trimmed trees and bushes blocked off much of the area, making it feel like a whole new world away from the chaos of the ship. Isa liked to take a moment to stare out the dome at the vastness of space and just, breathe. 

Isa pressed her back to a tree, sliding down as she released a deep exhale. For just a few moments she could forget she was Queen of the Norton and just be Isa. She nibbled the grapes she carried as she stared out, so stuck in her own head she almost missed the the blinking lights off in the distance. Isa stood, pressing as close to the glass as she could as she squinted. Yes it was there. A ship. As it drew closer Isa could make out the distinctive features that told her this was another ship from the Fleet. 

When was the last time they had been visited by another ship in the Fleet? Not in her lifetime for sure and if she could remember their history correctly, which she often didn’t, it wasn’t anytime during the last ruler’s reign either.

Shoving the last of the grapes into her mouth Isa quickly but calmly hurried back through the ship to the Hub. Just as she passed the guards and entered the room she could make out a crackling over the communications system.

“Say that again,” her viceroy said as he adjusted dials. He looked up as she approached giving her a frustrated shrug as he spoke away from the microphone. “These things haven’t been used in years Ma’am. I think we just have to match with the frequency of the approaching ship to clear the line of communication.” He turned the dials a moment more before the static lowered to a soft almost nonexistent hum.

“This is the general of the Yutan. Signal seems to be strong now. Can you confirm?”

“Yes General we hear you clearly now,” her viceroy said.

“Good. It’s good to hear from you. It’s been far too long.”

“What can we do for you general…?” Her viceroy let the question hang, signaling to their own general to be alert.

“General Karvin. The ruler of Yutan is requesting a meeting with your leader.”

The Viceroy glanced at Isa, who contemplated for only a moment before nodding. “You have our interest. Dock at bay 3, but please wait for our signal to disembark.”

“Understood. We will signal when we are coupled.” The line when silent, the absence of static causing an awkward silence as everyone turned to Isa.

“I suppose we should see what they want.” She turned to the general who had stationed himself to her left. “I want a small escort. We don’t know what they want so we need to remain cautious.” The general bowed to her and turned, signaling for three other guards stationed around the room to join him. 

Isa turned toward her rooms, the ornate door to the left of the Hub flanked by more of her ever present guards. In her rooms she quickly changed, secretly happy to finally have a reason to wear the ceremonial dress she had so few opportunities to show off. It was passed down through the rulers, worn by queens and queen consorts alike. Or on several occasions it was left stored away when there wasn’t a ruling queen. It was always repaired and improved before it was passed on however, causing the garment to have an eclectic assortment of styles visible throughout. Isa loved it and despite it being a symbol of the end of her reign, she couldn’t wait to add her own flare. 

She emerged a few minutes later, her viceroy waiting in his own ceremonial uniform.

“Maybe we make the Yutan wait a little longer? A show of authority?”

Isa frowned at him. “Don’t be rude Jaime. I don’t want our first visitors ever to start with a negative impression of us. Let’s go.” Isa left the Hub and took the halls toward the bays. The click of boots falling in line behind her was comforting. Now that she was on her way a nervous flutter began in her stomach. She willed herself to remain calm. She was the Queen of the Norton She would act like it and make sure these visitors knew it too.

At the bay Isa nodded to her general who opened a panel to the right of the door, entering a code that would signal to the Yutan that they were clear to board. 

Moments later the door swooshed open and a small line of guards not unlike her own filtered out. Behind them came who must of been the general they spoke to, his uniform more ornate than the rest.

“Your Highness. I am general Karvin. It is my honor to present the ruler of the Yutan, King Harper.” Behind him stood a woman around his height and hair cut short, a bob that stopped just below her ears and framed her face just right. Her uniform was relatively basic given she was the ruler of a ship herself. Had she not been introduced to Isa as a King, she would not have known this person was a fellow ruler.

“Your Majesty.” Isa gave a shallow bow. ��It’s a pleasure to meet you. Would you and your entourage care to join us for a meal as we discuss your visit?” Isa noted the glance that passed between her visitors, filing it away to discuss later. King Harper approached her, maintaining a respectful distance before bowing deeply at the waist.

“It would be an honor. We have a lot to talk about.” She stepped beside Isa, offering her elbow. Isa placed her hand in the crook of the King’s arm, signaling to her guards to follow at a distance, noting King Harper did the same.

“I admit your visit is quite a shock. By now I expect my whole ship must be talking about it.”

Harper laughed, the sound causing an all together different kind of flutter in Isa’s stomach. “I imagine so,” she said. “From what I understand your people have remained completely separate from the rest of the Fleet right?”

“From what I understand, every ship in the Fleet became an independent nation.”

“Oh we have, don’t get me wrong. Your ship, however, is the only one that hasn’t had to communicate with any others.” King Harper tried to mask a tone of sadness, but Isa picked up on it regardless.

They arrived at the mess hall, noting the few individuals dotted around the tables for an early dinner. She steered them to her private dining room, blushing as King Harper held the door open for her and pulled out her chair. They settled in, the guards spreading out around the room to watch as plates of food were brought in.

“Not to rush things along, but I would like to know the reason for your sudden visit,” Isa said before digging into a plate piled with perfectly seasoned vegetables. King Harper stared down at her plate as if in awe, slowly piercing the steaming greens before bringing them to her lips. Isa watched, mesmerized at how delicately the King chewed as if she was savoring every bite. Almost as if…

“King Harper, does your ship not have vegetables?”

The King sighed deeply, placing her fork down before twisting her fingers together in her lap. Isa waited patiently, already dreading the answer.

“We… we are running out of food in general your highness.” Harper glanced up from under her lashes, her eyes shined with unshed tears. “My ship has been on a slow decline for many years, even before I became the ruler.” 

“Oh your majesty.”

“Please, call me Harper. We are on your ship.” Isa’s heart was breaking under the weight of her confession. She turned and signaled to her general.

“Please make sure King Harper’s guards are fed. Take them to the kitchens and let them have their fill. We will be fine alone.”

“But your majesty I don’t think…”

“I said we are fine Karvin. You’re dismissed.” Isa placed a reassuring hand on his arm before turning back to her guest. She waited until the guards filed out before continuing.

“Continue King Harper,” she encouraged, choosing to ignore the look she received at using her guests title again. 

“The previous rulers of my ship did not make the best decisions and because of that the consequences have trickled down. Our population has always been much lower than the rest of the ships in the Fleet, but even that is no longer helping us. Our food supply has run dangerously low. We need to make some extreme changes.”

“We will help however we can your Majesty. I have several experts that would be happy to lend a hand and teach your people how we do things.” Isa abruptly stopped her train of thought as she looked at the expression on the kings face.

“I actually had a different proposal,” she said. Harper placed her hand hesitantly over Isa’s. It was a presumptuous move, but one Isa did not want to correct. “I think we should combine our ships. My advisors have devised a plan that would seamlessly fuse our ships, ultimately doubling the space of your ship. We already have significantly fewer citizens. No one would suffer.” She glanced away, causing Isa to lean forward squinting at her. 

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“We would need to be married to properly combine our ships. Politically I mean.” King Harper released her hand as Isa jolted back.

“You want my throne?”

“No! Absolutely not your Highness.” She sighed, finally loosing her composer and running a hand through her hair. Isa found the gesture oddly charming and couldn’t help but smile at how disheveled the king looked. “Look,” she finally said. “I want what is best for my people and that is you. Your ship is the only one that hasn’t needed help from the Fleet in all our history. You can clearly take care of your people and we need that.” Harper slide from her chair, kneeling before Isa and taking her hand. The act was so stunning she let the King stroke her hand softly as she continued. “I propose a marriage in which I am not a ruler but your King Consort. You would remain the sole ruler of our combined ships. Everything we have will be yours. I will simply support you in taking care of our people.”

Isa stared into the Kings eyes, letting the information sink in. To double her the space of her ship with only a fraction of the population increasing sounded too good to be true. She knew she should say yes for those reasons alone. She had to look away however at the selfish thoughts that began to invade her mind as well. 

There had been plenty of offers for her hand over the years. Many citizens flitting with her and attempting to shower her with affection. She’d turned them all down, never quite feeling right committing her life to another. Kneeling before her however was a beautiful woman who clearly just wanted what was best for her people. If Isa were being honest with herself she’d already enjoyed the short amount of time they spent together, as well as the butterflies that danced under her skin every time she looked at the King. Maybe committing herself to this woman would not be such a bad idea.

Isa had to press down the guilt that was building up however at not telling the King about the repairs her ship needed, the effort and finances they seemed to lack for these seemingly inconsequential things. Perhaps this union could fix as much for them as the people of the Yutan.

“Okay Harper, let’s work this out.”

[the-ravening]

You know I need to ask about Zemo/Torres, Secret Sugar Daddy because I also have a fic with a similar name and I want to know how close ours are to being the same fic because of FCCU chats 😂

We have definitely had this convo before, and our similarly named WIPs are 100% based on the same FCCU chats. If you ever get back into Zemo someday, I would totally love to write this fic together because it was a great idea.

For anyone else who’s wondering (and @zsparz you asked about this too, I’ll be answering yours next), this is a story where Torres is working with SBZ on missions, and picks up a daddy on a sugar baby app as his side hustle. He doesn’t know his sugar daddy’s real identity, and of course, it’s Zemo.

Here, have everything I've written, since it's not much.

Torres mentions to his daddy that his upcoming job is somewhere warm and the next gift he receives is a selection of skimpy speedos, which he makes good use of when their mission gives them the chance to turn one of Zemo’s fancy Mediterranean villas into their safehouse for a few weeks. The place is like something out of a travel guide, with its lush courtyards and outdoor patios and grape-trellis enclosed pool area. While they have a few days to kill, waiting for their contact and running remote surveillance, Zemo spends much of his time lounging poolside, wrapped in one of his many fine silk robes, fruity cocktail in hand, designer sunglasses perched on a slightly sunburned nose. He gives off the air of a man oblivious to his surroundings in his pampered state of leisure, but Torres gets the sense that behind his dark glasses, Zemo is watching him closely as he swims.

He should be weirded out by it. He should feel uneasy, left all alone out here to fend for himself against Sam and Bucky’s adopted terrorist. He knows what kind of man Zemo is, has read his files and details of all he’s done, has spent enough time with him on these missions to understand not to trust half the words that drip off his honeyed tongue. But the truth is, having the older man’s hungry gaze on him is a bit of a turn on. The intense midday sun glints on the water as he does lazy laps around the pool, and he can imagine how it must look rippling over the lean muscles of his back. As he pulls himself up onto the ledge after his swim, rivulets of it sluice down his chest, catching in the dips of his well-defined abs. He’s got a nice golden tan already, just from spending these first afternoons in the sun here, and he can feel Zemo’s eyes linger on him, running down his body appreciatively to settle at the telling bulge of his growing hard-on. It’s titillating having Zemo’s attention on him like this, and the tiny, form-fitting swim shorts don’t hide a thing. He lets Zemo get an eyeful as he slowly towels off, reveling in the thrill of being watched. Not one to miss an opportunity, he makes his way back to his room, still dripping wet and hard, to take some mirror selfies for his daddy in the ensuite bathroom. He’s well practiced at it by now, knows his best angles, turning just so into three-quarter profile to show off his tiny waist and clenching his muscles to get the desired definition. He squeezes a hand over his cock, gives it a few strokes over the speedo to get it nice and plump for the photo, and then snaps a few in quick succession, making sure to emphasize how well he fills out the tiny shorts. Choosing the best shot, admiring how the light and shadow plays over his golden skin, what a fucking meal he looks like with the thick head of his cock threatening to burst out from the waistband of his shorts sitting low on his hips, he sends it off to his daddy with a quick message consisting of a string of eggplant and sweat drop emojis. He doesn’t have to wait long before his phone dings with a reply. I knew you’d look delectable in them, his daddy writes. Stream for me now? Torres throws a glance out the window overlooking the pool to make sure Zemo’s still sitting out there on his lounger, and he is, right where Torres left him. Fortunately, the man seems completely engrossed with something on his phone, so Torres can be fairly certain he won’t be interrupted or overheard, can even make some extra noise while filming for his daddy. He starts up a video call and trails a hand down his chest, over the firm plane of his stomach, slowly inching it down to dip his fingers beneath the stretch of hot pink and neon green lycra where the hefty bulge of his cock is tenting the fabric…

And lest we forget, this is the Torres thirst trap selfie that inspired the fic:

[ninjastar107]

I feel like this is common knowledgr but I'll make a post about it anyway,

If you are growing viny plants, you can always trellis them.

Watermelon, cucumber, pumpkins, beans, grapes, etc. They can all be strung up. Just be mindful that the plants that make heavier fruits will need some extra support on the fruits.

[prep4tomoro]

Edible Landscaping - What Is It, How to Design It and What Plants to Choose:

Edible landscaping refers to mixing food plants in with your ornamental ones, to create a setting that is not only visually appealing, but productive as well. This post will provide suggestions for How to Design It and What Plants to Choose. Edible landscapes are nothing new, with the Ancient Egyptians being one of the first to create gardens featuring flowers, grape vines, and fruit trees, mixed with seating areas where one could enjoy the scenery. In the 10th century, the rose gardens that were sprinkled with fragrant herbs became a signature creation of Benedictine monks. Examples include:

Using different types of loose-leaf lettuce as border plants

Creating a hedge from blueberries or currants, rather than unproductive shrubs

Replacing non-edible trees with fruit trees

Using tomato plants or grape vines, instead of conventional climbing vines to cascade over a trellis

Having pots and baskets of colorful, fragrant herbs, rather than non-edible flowers

Incorporating striking vegetables, such as Swiss chard and pak choi, into flower beds

Using strawberries, thyme and mint as ground cover

Related Resources: How to Plan and Get Your Garden Started Design Suggestions and What Plants to Choose YouTube Videos Edible Landscaping by Rosalind Creasy 20 Plants to Grow for Calcium [Author's Reference Link]

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[00towns]

plant matter, part 2: an end of season update

read part 1 here!

Veggie garden

I’m sad to report some mixed results here. This Japanese summer was absolutely brutal, both on me and the plants I was desperately trying to keep alive. The heat was beginning to demand that I water the garden up to twice a day, an unfortunate side effect of growing in containers. This became tedious quickly, and I was more than often reviving my wilted tomatoes and peppers from the brink of drought induced death. I got several fantastic harvests of cherry tomatoes, which I either brought to work to share with coworkers or made into a delicious sauce with garlic. I got one really good harvest of yellow peppers, which I brought to a riverside barbecue to share with friends. In late summer, my veggies were struck by two pests: an infestation of scale, and an uncomfortably nosy neighbor who seemed to view my small garden as an opening to talk to me. I could have fought the scale, but my travel picking up in August and September meant that I was also frequently away, and I decided to let the scale win. I was rid of both pests at once! 

Houseplants 

This hobby has gotten out of hand. I discovered this summer that you can buy plant cuttings on Mercari, and it went downhill from there. My collection of plants has almost doubled, none of which I will be able to bring home with me when I return to the US next year. Some highlights include a monstera albo I’m growing from a leafless node cutting, a variegated syngonium which arrived in my mailbox in a plastic bottle, and a Teruno Collection Shangri-la pothos, which goes for upwards of fifty dollars on Etsy. In this year’s graveyard are a string of pearls, a string of hearts, and a peperomia, all of which were victim to the shitty potting soil at my local grocery store. 

My deliciosa lived outside the whole summer and had a blast. She’s almost doubled in size. I don’t know if it’ll fit back indoors, although I was forced to trial this theory during Shanshan when the winds were really starting to pick up. She needs to start paying rent. 

Spider lily

Not much survives the heat of the summer in terms of flowers, but when the temperature breaks so do the hearts of spider lilies, which bloom in spiky red and white fireworks. They dot the banks of the river behind school, growing like weeds at the base of trees and in thickets of weeds. A sign of the waning summer, they’ll last for as long as the cicadas, until the forests eventually fall silent and brown for the winter. 

Peaches, grapes, chestnuts 

I became addicted to spending Y1000 almost every other day on incredible fat peaches from the farm stand and grocery store. They’re so delicate that even picking them up damages the flesh underneath, and some I saw this year were so large they required two hands. The early season ones were white but still soft and absurdly sweet just like yellow peaches, and the later season ones have been mostly yellow with a more earthy taste. These peaches were blended into nice cream, baked into peach cobblers, and eaten with two hands over the sink like an animal. I’ll miss stonefruit season dearly. 

Shockingly even more expensive are bundles of shine muscat grapes with thick, bitter skin. Usually bought as a gift, I choose the cheapest ones and pop a few in my mouth before I even make it home. Grapes will be a feature over the next months in daifuku and jelly desserts. My neighbor’s grape trellis has been fruiting since July, but now the size of the bunches look like they’ll break the thin stems they hang from. I’ll be a little bird, waiting for them to fall. 

Lastly and my favorite are chestnuts. In the morning, they sit fallen on the side of the street; by the time I walk home they’re pecked apart and the flesh inside consumed by hungry creatures. I enjoy them roasted from street stands, baked into desserts, soft and crumbly in bread. 

Thank you, growing season! See you next year!

[seattleurbanfarm]

Types of garden trellis for climbing plants

Garden trellises are handy structures that help climbing plants grow upward, saving space and making gardening more efficient. If you're searching for Garden Trellises Near Me, you'll find various types suited for different plants and garden setups. From simple wooden frames and wire grids to elaborate structures like teepees and arches, each type offers support for vines and climbers like tomatoes, cucumbers, and beans. Let's explore a few types of garden trellis for climbing plants.

A-Frame Trellis: Constructed with two vertical sides that meet at the top, forming an A-shape. Ideal for beans, peas, and cucumbers.

Obelisk Trellis: Pyramid-shaped structure with vertical supports converging at the top. Great for flowering vines like morning glories and clematis.

Teepee Trellis: Made by tying together bamboo or wooden poles at the top to create a teepee shape. Perfect for beans, peas, and small melons.

Wall-Mounted Trellis: Attached directly to a wall or fence, often made with wire or lattice. Suitable for climbers such as ivy, climbing roses, and jasmine.

Arched Trellis: Forms an arched tunnel or pathway with horizontal supports. Excellent for grapes, kiwi, and other heavy-fruited climbers.

If you need Garden Coaching, maintenance, and installation of garden design in your yard, then you should get in touch with Seattle Urban Farm Company. The team of expert builders will translate your garden design from concept to reality.