#Grape Planting Instructions

[kerryshifts]

things that remind me of my marauders dr.

as someone who can't be nonchalant for the sake of her life.

the breeze in the air after a long day at the beach, after a cold shower because your skin is so burnt by the sun that you can't stand your beloved hot water. wearing a t-shirt that looks like a dress on you, while you are in your balcony and the cicadas are beforming their best songs just for your. in your hand there's a cigarette, and you can feel your nose being more red than usual. on the plastic table there are juicy grapes that your mother just bought for you, and the cicadas lower their voices just so you can hear the grape pop in your mouth when you bite it. fortunately the sun doesn't hit you here, and even if you feel your flesh melting with the plastic chair you are sat on, you inhale the smoke and wish this moment could never end.

the ice cubes in your coca-cola. they remind you of a mirage after hours in the desert, and the bubbles start looking like your friends.

candles are lit. the tea is sitting there waiting to be sipped. your friend is looking at you as if you hold the answers to all of her questions. and maybe you do: your tarots are sitting in your hands and you try not to laugh out loud by the awkwardness of it all, shuffling and waiting for the tarot to stick out from the deck. they do, and now your friend is trying not to smile because her and the guy she is talking with are going to get married. maybe you are both fools, but it's okay. you and your friend are feeling each other's delusions and this is all that matters.

it's 3am and everyone around you is sleeping, so you decide to get out of bed and go in your garden. you lay down with chills all over your body, with your favourite sweater on, and listening to a dead artist singing about mars and aliens. the moon is almost full, and you think about your friend who was about to suffer because of her in another reality. you wish you could see mars and the stars from your garden, but the moon is all you have. so, all of your secrets go to her and you hope that your friend won't be mad at you for loving something that he hates.

you tell your friend about your prophetic dreams. she asks you if you know which are going to happen and which aren't. you just tell her that you don't know and they just happen.

one moment, you are young and your older cousin just gave you a beer and told you to not tell your parents. you taste it and you make a disgusted face. your cousin laughs and tells you that one day you will change your mind, and you just roll your eyes. the next moment you are the older cousin, and while your parents and aunt are not looking, you let your little cousin take a sip. they are disgusted by it.

it's autumn, outside it's raining, and you and your bestfriend decided to be independent. you decide to go in the kitchen and bake some cookies: the recipe was there, but following instructions has never been so difficult. the storm outside mirrored your capacity of not spilling everything on the floor, that you had to clean before your mother would see it, and when you put them in the oven, it seemed the biggest accomplishment of your lives. after eating them, your mothers worry how on earth cookies made you both sick for weeks.

at the thrift store you see a guy with a leather jacket. he is taller than you, has black hair, and is wearing converse. then you look at your leather jacket and your converse, and frown. your father asks you what happened and you ask him if you can pull off a leather jacket. he tells you that you look like a rockstar of his time. you nod.

your strawberry milkshake is more creamy than usual.

while watering your plants, a fox decides to visit your garden. it's not unusual, your mom once told you that a fox would come everyday in front of our window to say hi. neither of you decides to move closer, and the only thing that you can ear is the plants saying thank you for giving them water.

you open the fridge searching for the cherries your grandma told she bought just for you. your smile goes away when you realize that your brother already ate them. you want to hex him, but your grandma sighed and gave you fifty euros to go and buy an ice cream. you tell her that an ice cream costs five, and she just winks at you.

your uncle is naming every saint on the calendar while searching for a place to park the car on the hottest summer day. your cousin is trying not to giggle out loud, you need a cigarette. this is how accidentally your uncle discovers a small beach, with other two families. the water reflects the sky and looks enchanted. you eat the best sandwich of your life, and you don't think about your situationship.

it's really cold. you refuse to wear a winter jacket because it doen't go with your outfit. everytime someone asks you how are you, you just smile. ignoring the pain and not giving them the satisfaction to see you hate your decision. they already know it, but if no one says something out loud, you are okay with it.

⠀ ⠀

⠀ ⠀

[marlynnofmany]

The Many Uses for Earth Fruits

“Right,” said Paint, placing her scaly hands on the cafe table as if bracing herself for something unpleasant. “How do you eat these?”

I told her, “Well, you take the peel off first,” and picked up a banana.

“Okay, good to know. Glad I asked.” She lifted another gingerly, testing its softness with a claw and watching to see what I did. “So it just pops open?”

“If you do it quickly, yes,” I said. “And if it’s ripe. Moving too slowly will just squish it. Helps if you dig a fingernail in a little first. A claw.”

She followed my instructions while the sounds of the space station food court echoed around us. It wasn’t too crowded, but we’d picked a table next to the ramp down into the area, which felt more out of the way. Paint didn’t want to get her tail stepped on, and I didn’t want an elbow to the head while eating. Some of the people here were big.

“I got it!” Paint exclaimed, her lizardy face lit up with delight. “So you just eat this part?”

“Yep!” I said, demonstrating by taking a bite of my own banana. It was a little too green for my taste, but not bad.

Paint bit off a chunk, leaving sharp toothmarks behind. She chewed a couple times, then stopped and wrinkled her lizardy face in a fascinating way.

I said, “You can spit it out if you don’t like it.”

She spat the banana mush onto her plate, making disgusted noises while she tongued it out of her teeth. I pushed the bowl of grape-sized waterspheres closer. She tossed a couple into her mouth and bit down, swishing the water around dramatically.

“No good, huh?” I asked.

Paint shook her head. “No thank you. That texture is unpleasant, and the flavor isn’t better.”

“They’re not my favorite either,” I said, setting my banana down and picking up a strawberry. “Want to try one of these? I think they’re probably closer to the fruit you’re used to, at least in texture.”

She regarded it with suspicion. “Do you have to pick all those seeds off?”

“No, you can eat the whole thing, except for the leafy part. The seeds are small enough to ignore unless they get stuck in your teeth.” I bit into it and showed her what the inside looked like.

“I’ll try it,” she said. “Though that big one smells the most intriguing.” She pointed at the orange.

“Oh yeah, that’s got a nice strong citrus scent for sure,” I said. “People use orange oil for cleaning sometimes, and as a decorative smell. It’s flammable, though.”

“Of course it is. It’s from your planet. Does the whole fruit explode if exposed to flame?”

“No, nothing like that!” I hurried to explain. “If you squeeze the peel next to a candle, it makes the flame spurt. Nothing big.”

Paint shook her head. “Somehow that’s still not a surprise. I take it you only eat the inside of this one as well?”

“Yes, it—” The rest of my sentence was overshadowed by loud guffaws from the top of the ramp. I craned my neck to see a trio of Armorlites strolling casually into the food court. There were already a couple others here and there, but these three clearly liked being the center of attention. I was reminded of school bullies entering a cafeteria. Big dinosaurian bullies.

“Look at all the little plant eaters, with their plant shop! Does any of it run away or fight back? No? What weaklings.” The one in front laughed more, backed up by the others.

Yep, definite school bully vibes. I tried to turn back to my conversation in hopes that they’d just move on, but another human had made the mistake of trying to walk up the ramp while they were coming down, and they’d turned their sneering toward him.

The unlucky guy tried to stick close to the railing and give them plenty of room. They just stepped closer, and one of them smashed the banana he was carrying into his face. He reacted by yelling at them, which just made the big muscley guys laugh all the louder.

“What are you going to do? Hit me with your squishy plants? That’s worse than your squishy muscles.”

While the guy threatened to go get a pineapple and club them with it, I pulled the peel off my banana and quietly stood from my chair. The ramp was right at head level, and they were close. When the lead bully turned to continue downward, still laughing, I stuck an arm through the railing and placed the banana peel directly under his foot.

It was a thing of cartoonish beauty. He stepped heavily and his foot flew out in front of him, leaving him to crash onto the floor and take out one of his friends at the knees. The other stared in shock while the human pointed and laughed.

“That’s one thing bananas are good for!” the guy crowed. “And don’t you forget it! Nice one!” That last part was directed at me, and I gave him a thumbs up.

The first two Armorlites got groaning to their feet.

The one who was still standing decided that this was hilarious, and it was time to make fun of his friends. “Oh, the little weaklings got you there! Taken out by plants, and not even the spiky kind! I’m going to tell everybody.”

“Don’t you dare.”

“I’m gonna!” That one led the way down through the food court, with the one who had fallen first grumbling after him and the third trying to pretend he hadn’t just taken a pratfall too. In moments they were gone, and the impending fight was averted.

“Thanks for that,” the other human said. He grabbed a handful of napkins from the station next to the trash can, then trotted back down and gave some to me, wiping his face with the rest.

“My pleasure!” I said, reaching under the bars again to wipe up the smear. The banana peel was much flatter and a bit torn, but easy enough to clean away. Background conversation around us went from agitated levels back to regular volume.

When the guy headed off on his own business, I waved goodbye then found my chair and sat back down.

Paint gave me an incredulous look. “How did you know it was that slippery? Is that a thing those are used for on Earth?”

I thought for a moment, setting aside the pile of banana mess, then just said, “Yes.”

She shook her head. “I really would have expected a projectile of some sort, but not that.”

“Well, I could have thrown an apple or something at him,” I said. There was a nice red one on the sample tray, and I picked it up. “But that would have just started a real fight. This was undignified, and more likely to make them leave.”

Paint leaned an elbow on the table. “Is that fruit the best projectile, then? Is it the same as the one he was talking about?” She waved her hand after the other human.

“You’d think so, but no,” I said, turning the apple in my hands. “A pineapple isn’t related to an apple, or to a pine tree. Names are complicated. And there is that old saying,” I added with a grin. “An apple a day keeps the doctor away, but it’ll keep anyone away if you throw it hard enough.”

After that, I had to do some explaining of Earth idioms before we got back to sampling the fruit. Paint insisted on telling Eggskin about it as soon as we returned to the ship, because that seemed like the kind of thing our medic-and-cook should know.

~~~

These are the ongoing backstory adventures of the main character from this book.

Shared early on Patreon! There’s even a free tier to get them on the same day as the rest of the world.

The sequel novel is in progress (and will include characters from these stories. I hadn’t thought all of them up when I wrote the first book, but they’re too much fun to leave out of the second).

[najia-cooks]

[ID: Greens including mock strawberry, wood sorrel, and spearmint topped with flowers including violets, speedwell, and grape hyacinth. End ID]

Garden weed salad

This salad takes advantage of some spring edibles that are commonly found in garden beds or on lawns to make a kind of "gardener's salad" that's easy to make after clearing a bed for planting.

The dressing is a vinaigrette that combines extra virgin olive oil with balmasic and ume plum vinegar to add sweetness and salt, and to bring out the floral, fruity notes of the wild greens.

Patreon | Paypal | Venmo

Recipe under the cut!

Ingredients:

For the salad:

About 100g total edible raw greens, flowers, seed pods, etc.

Anything that's edible when raw and not too bitter will be good here. Try plantains, docks, purslane, garlic mustard, violet (leaves and flowers: not rhizomes), young chicory, young dandelions (leaves and flowers), speedwells, spearmint, cresses (leaves and seed pods), mock strawberry, lemon balm, purple dead-nettle, ground ivy, amaranth, lamb's quarters, sorrel, wild garlic, chickweed, etc.

Violet leaves, cress, and mock strawberry made up the bulk of my salad. More strongly flavored and bitter greens such as speedwell, dandelion, and garlic mustard are used more sparingly.

For the dressing:

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 Tbsp 18-year balsamic vinegar (or balsamic vinegar of moderna plus a pinch of granulated sugar)

1 tsp ume plum vinegar

1/2 tsp Dijon mustard

1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions:

For the salad:

Float plants to clean them. Dry in a salad spinner, or wrap in a kitchen towel and spin around to dry. Roughly chop or tear.

For the dressing:

Whisk olive oil, black pepper, and mustard together in a small bowl. Slowly add vinegar while whisking to combine. Don't skip the mustard: it will help the dressing to emulsify. Taste and add salt if necessary (note that plum vinegar is already quite salty).

[barbielore]

From time to time, Barbie has dabbled in gardening as a hobby. Not just farming, where Barbie is raising animals and participating in agriculture, but gardening on a smaller scale.

Gardening Fun Barbie & Kelly gift set is one such release, however I have to say it's a little disappointing because there are some plastic accessories (watering can, spade, and so on) but the plants themselves are cardboard flowers in pots.

Bonus points, though, because it has instructions on the back for how to grow different kinds of plants.

A more recent release is the Barbie gardening playset, featuring a hat for optimal sun protection as well as a trellis upon which grapes and tomatoes can grow from the same vine. Barbie can be anything, and that includes a plant geneticist. I don't make the rules.

The playset itself does not actually package both grape and tomato on the vine but if you look you can see it on the demonstration picture on the box as well as in Mattel's promotional pictures.

There were also two different accessory sets labelled Gardenin Pretty: one from the So Much To Do line and the other Dress N Play. They were functionally extremely similar, featuring a rabbit, a dress with apron and a flowerbox containing some flowers.

But they weren't exactly the same. The flowers, dress and bunny are all different, even though they are broadly speaking the same items.

In fact, Dress N Play has two bunnies instead of just one.

The So Much To Do flowers match those from Barbie Flower Garden, an addition to the Folding Pretty House.

[xiiithhazard]

Echoes of the Unseen Children – Chapter 14

Word Prompt 50 – Role Swap

@year-of-the-echdina

First Chapter

Prev. Chapter

…

Chapter 14:

Over the course of the next few days, they took turns sleeping and foraging for supplies and making an attempt to build a new shelter. However, with everything either soaked or burned they only accomplished a very small lean-to. On top of that, they’d been running out of places to find food, even before the Dingoes had burned their stores, so they were forced to use the dried reactions they’d received from the Dingoes, something they had hoped to save for their trip.

Of course, now that their map was gone as well, their adventure to find The Master Emerald looking to be on a permanent hiatus. But it wasn’t until their fourth day back that they realized just how little justification they had to continue staying on the island.

“Why is it always water?” Sonic complained, as they all stood at the edge of their camp clearing, a place that had always been safe for them to roam before, only to find that the ocean was now feet away and seemingly moving closer by the hour.

“We can’t stay here.” Knuckles was the first to point out what they all already knew, just didn’t want to say.

“No, but where are we supposed to go?” Sonic demanded in annoyance, kicking a rock into the water, like that would really do them any good. It made him feel a little better though. “This was the biggest island, if it’s not holding its ground, then moving to another one isn’t going to do anything.”

“We need to go to the mainland. That’s where all the other clans were headed.” They both looked at Amy as she suggested this, for neither of them had ever been to such a place. Even their bag of rings wouldn’t do them any good, as they had no idea how to get there. And considering what had happened the last time they’d tried to cross the water on a raft, they’d rather not risk that again. “I – I traveled there once. With my parents.” She went on, nervously fidgeting with the edge of her dress. “I think I can –”

She paused when Knuckles placed a hand on her shoulder, recognizing that she was feeling the stress of taking responsibility for their safety. “We still have a little time to prepare.”

“Yeah, and we have plenty of rings. You don’t need to get it right the first time.” Sonic pipped up, ever the optimist. Though they all knew that, going to the mainland would mean that those same rings would now become their currency. So, they were not likely to last as long as they had originally hoped.

“Take some time.” Knuckles instructed her. “We’ll make all the preparations. You just focus on these.” With that he set the bag of rings in her hand and smiled at her. Earning a little grin in return.

“Come on, Buddy.” Sonic proclaimed, taking Tails from her as well, knowing very well that he made focusing on any kind of task a near impossibility. “You’re hanging with your bros today.”

The baby proceeded to declare his happiness with this idea and, with that agreed upon, they decided to head to the highest point of the island, and the one place where they knew they could still find food.

…

“Amy said that they should easily pull away from the vine when they’re ripe.” Sonic murmured, as they crawled under the canopy of grapes, searching for what they were looking for. Unfortunately, it became clear that most of them would not be ready before they had to leave. But they wouldn’t be able to carry that much anyway. “Is it just me, or is it even more crowed in here?”

He wasn’t wrong. They’d had a hard time getting through the thick foliage and overgrown tree roots the last time they’d visited. Now it was noticeably more restricting, and not just because they were feeling a little claustrophobic from spending time in a cage.

“It’s probably the rain.” Knuckles answered, effortlessly shifting some of the branches away, to give himself a place to sit, without actually damaging any of the plants. An action Sonic couldn’t accomplish, even with all his weight behind the attempt. So, he just ended up laying on his back and scooting around.

Their bag was getting rather full, by the time Sonic caught himself checking on his brother again and again, something he’d been doing a lot lately. He wasn’t sure if he was just worried, or if he still didn’t quite believe that Knuckles was actually alive. Either way, it didn’t take long for the echidna to pelt him with a grape.

“Ow.” Sonic complained, rubbing his new bruise and glaring at his brother.

“I am not a spectacle for you to gawk at.” He grumped, as he continued to check the grapes, one bushel at a time. Though, in doing so, he missed the smile that spread across Sonic’s face. Then he just burst into laughter, prompting the echidna to raise an eyebrow at him. “What’s so funny.”

“That was the first thing you ever said to me.” Sonic announced and Knuckles blinked. “Well – maybe not the first. But – still.” He murmured, looking at the sky, as he just continued to smile. Remembering a time when they had been on opposite sides of a gate, that seemed like it would never open. In more ways than just one. “We’ve – come a long way since then. Haven’t we?”

“Yes.” Knuckles responded after a moment and smiled as well. “We have.”

“So –” Sonic spoke up again, as he shifted into his brother’s little space and sat up to stretch. “Amy mentioned something, and – it’s got me thinking.” He whispered, rubbing at his quills in a nervous manner. “Do you think it was just a coincidence that you and I met.” He looked up, hoping his brother understood what he was getting at.

“It does seem that the gods have taken a special interest in us.” Knuckles muttered, slowly lifting his black arm, as if to indicate his point. As Amy had guessed, all he needed to do in order to move it again, was restore some of his energy. However, it still appeared to be quite the arduous process. Though Sonic had caught him using it absentmindedly a few times. Which made him wonder if it was more a mental block, than a physical one.

“That’s just it. That crazy dingo jerk actually called me a god. I’m just not sure whether or not I should take it seriously.” Knuckles looked up as he said that, before narrowing his eyes in thought. “I mean – there isn’t a god of speed – is there?” Sonic asked, fighting with his quills.

“No. Not that I know of.” Knuckles looked at the ground thoughtfully, before shifting his focus toward the horizon. This high up, they could clearly see the ocean, even though the thick foliage. “There is one of water though.” That made Sonic twitch as he too looked toward said liquid that was seemingly determined to chase them out of another home. Almost like it was – sentient.

“Nope! I don’t wanna even think about that.” The hedgehog declared, throwing his hands in the air and putting his foot down. “It’s bad enough without divine intervention.”

Knuckles chuckled at his misfortune, but didn’t bring it up again. “From what my father told me, there are seven gods of nature. Each corresponding to a Chaos Emerald.”

“Chaos Emerald?” Sonic repeated, he felt like he’d heard that term before, but couldn’t quite remember what it was. “Is that like The Master Emerald.”

“Yes and no.” Knuckles answered, sitting back against his tree and letting Tails out of his carry pouch, to wonder for a bit. “The Chaos Emeralds came into existence when the gods were born. The Master Emerald is much older. Created by the universe itself to bring balance and control the Chaos energies that once threatened to tear reality apart.”

“Okay.” Sonic muttered. He wasn’t sure if that made any sense, but he wasn’t going to argue either. Knuckles knew far more about the subject than he ever would. “What are the other gods then?”

He took a moment to think about that before counting them off on his fingers. “Water, fire, wind, lightning, life, light and darkness.

“There’s – one for lightning?” Sonic whispered, looking at his hands, aware that his power often took on that shape, when he was really channeling it. “Do – you think –”

“I don’t know, Sonic.” Knuckles interrupted, rubbing at his head, like he was getting a headache. “I’m not going to pretend like I understand anything the gods do. They were created to keep the world in balance. They don’t usually care what us mere mortals are up to.”

“Then – why did Iblis?” Sonic countered him, causing his brother to go quiet and look away. “Sorry.” He offered quickly, knowing that was still a touchy subject.

“It was – a prisoner.” Knuckles answered anyway and Sonic looked back to find his friend watching a rock rather intently, his eyes strangely unfocused. Which made Sonic move to his side, quickly checking that he was alright, only for the echidna to jump out of his trance, when he was touched.

“Stop that.” Sonic commanded, his heartrate increasing again.

“Sorry.” He stated, rubbing his head again. “I feel like I can remember what happened, if I just focus enough. But it’s always just out of reach.”

“Yeah well, do it on your own time. I didn’t sign up for a heart attack today.” Sonic complained, gripping his chest fur, trying to calm himself down. Only to freak out again, when he looked around and realized someone was missing. “Where’s Tails?”

Knuckles swore, as he realized this too, and quickly started searching the vines for the little fox. Thankfully, they were pretty accustomed to his disappearing act and knew the best place to look would be the most interesting thing in the area.

“Sonk.” The baby cried out happily, as they crawled into the clearing to find the little pest was hanging out with the nexus stone.

“Don’t try to butter me up, you little booger.” Sonic proclaimed, storming over to put his hands on his hips and glared at the baby. “It’s not funny.” He insisted, when all he got were giggles in return. In the end, the hedgehog just sighed and relented to the fact that he couldn’t stay mad at that adorable face. “Hey!” He demanded, when he looked over to find Knuckles was now examining the nexus stone. “Don’t touch that.”

His brother just turned and raised an eyebrow at him. “When did you get so paranoid?”

“It was because of that thing that the dingoes found us. So, I think I have a good reason.” He complained, glaring at the seemingly innocent stone statue. Though Knuckles didn’t look convinced, he did take a step back, just to make him happy. “Thank you.”

“Will you stop that.”

“Stop what?”

“Acting like me.” Knuckles countered and Sonic winced, despite himself. Before reaching up to grip his quills, like he was having a brief moment of insanity.

“Oh Chaos, I am. What is this world coming to? Quick, hit me, I – OW!” Sonic complained when his brother didn’t waste so much as a second, before taking him up on that offer. Which ended with the hedgehog on the ground, holding his face. “Not that hard.”

“I wasn’t taking any chances.” Knuckles proclaimed, as if speaking of the weather and Sonic glared at him. But he was ignored, as the echidna turned back to the nexus stone, before carefully raising his right hand to hover over it.

“Hey, what did I just say?” Sonic grumped, only to be ignored again, as Knuckles cocked his head to the side, like he was seeing something no one else was. “What?” Sonic demanded, looking from his brother to the stone and back again.

“I’m not sure, but something about this thing feels – familiar.” Sonic stood up again and walked over to stand by him, trying to gauge what he was getting at. “It feels – like Iblis.” He finally settled on and the hedgehog blinked at him. “It’s only a small trace, like an echo. It’s not the real thing, just – all that’s left behind.”

Sonic raised an eyebrow at the stone, before glaring at his brother again. “Okay, you’re starting to weird me out.”

“Will you just listen to what I’m saying?” Knuckles growled, turning on him in a huff. “I don’t think this was a nexus stone at all. I think it was a prison. For another god.” Sonic blinked and closed his mouth with a snap, as his friend turned back to the rock again. “Except, the lock was broken and it’s not here anymore.”

Slowly, Sonic turned to look at the stone as well, trying to wrap his mind around that. If they hadn’t already encountered Iblis, he wouldn’t even believe that a god could be imprisoned. But, if one was, who was to say the rest hadn’t fallen victim to the same thing. And, if that were true – “Then where is it now?” He asked out loud.

For a moment they just looked at each other. As they both knew of one person that had been in contact with that stone and had seemingly come away from it with powers that no normal person should have.

…

Sonic couldn’t remember ever seeing Amy laugh so hard. Yet neither he nor Knuckles joined in. As they were too busy trying to convince her that they were serious.

“Guys, I am not a goddess. I can promise you that.” She giggled, before reaching out, to boop both of their noses. “But I’m flattered by the complement.” She purred, prompting them both to blush and turn away.

“Will you just honor us, please?” Knuckles insisted. “I’m not convinced that us meeting was just a coincidence. Everything that’s happened is too – deliberate.”

“How so?” Amy muttered, still fighting back her laughter a bit and he sighed.

“I end up on a random island that just happens to have a message left for me or someone in my bloodline. And meet the one person who can take me there.” Knuckles pointed out, his tone serious, which finally made the girl calm down and consider his meaning. “Not only that, but that message caught the attention of a tribe that would then try to sacrifice me to a god, that instead gave me some of its power.”

“Okay, that’s a good point.” She admitted, looking down at Tails, as the baby tried to capture one of his tails, only to be thwarted every time.

“And you said yourself that him and I meeting seemed more like destiny.” Sonic added and she looked at him, her face screwed up into something a tad uncomfortable.

“Yeah but – that was just you two. The only reason I said anything is because I was feeling a little – I don’t know – out of place.” Her sad tone made them both back off a little, before Sonic moved to her side and pulled her into a one-armed hug.

“No one was ever suggesting that. And if they did, I’d beat them up myself.” That got her smile to come back and it was her turn to blush and look at something else.

“We’re just – wondering if maybe you had a point.” Knuckles added and she looked up at him, before sighing.

“Okay, then what does that have to do with me?”

“Can you tell us exactly what you saw, when you first touched the nexus stone?” She blinked at the question but settled down to answer him.

“It was like I could see all the magic in the world. The chaos power inside all living things. From the plants to the animals to my parents. That’s how I found my way back home.”

“Did you tell them about this?” Knuckles insisted and she blinked.

“Of course I did, I was 3 years old.”

“And did they do – anything?”

Amy narrowed her eyes at him this time. “What are you getting at?”

“I apologize.” He stated quickly. “I’m not insinuating that they would do anything bad. It’s just – my father made a point to put a lock on my power, when it started to become too much for me to control. Your parents were unusually knowledgeable about a great many things. It wouldn’t surprise me if they also did the same for you.”

“You think – that’s why the magic went away?” She asked, her voice quiet and reserved.

“I don’t know. All I’m saying is that – when it comes to the gods, nothing should be considered a coincidence.”

Amy took a minute to look away and really think about what he was saying. Seemingly going through a few emotions to do so. “But – why would one of the gods by trapped under that stone?”

“I’m not sure.” Knuckles admitted, before looking down at his hands. “However, my father told me a story that once happened to my ancestors. This was even before Enerjak’s time. They were forced to imprison the water god inside of The Master Emerald, because it was threatening to the destroy the world.”

Everyone looked at him sharply before, again turning their attention to the ocean. Though no one said anything out loud.

“Then – you think I’ve had the power of a god – this whole time?” Amy finally asked and Knuckles shrugged.

“At least a small part of one, maybe.”

“But – why? And why us?”

“I don’t know, it could be we were just convenient vessels.” Knuckles suggested making them all look a little uncomfortable now, but they got over it.

“Then – do you think there are others like us?” Sonic added and they both looked at him, it seemed the idea of that hadn’t ever crossed their minds, but now it was too intriguing a thought to let go. And it wasn’t long before they all turned their attention to their fourth member. Causing the baby fox to blink up at them, his tail still clamped between his teeth.

“Oh boy.” Amy murmured, to which they couldn’t help but agree. Raising a baby had been enough of a challenge, considering they were all still children themselves. What were they supposed to do if he had god-like powers too?

…

Comments – They feed the starving writers. 🤗

[deathlessathanasia]

Was Eirene associated with spring?

Unsure. Looks like she was associated with the harvest season.

"There is a natural connection between Eirene (Peace) and Opora (Harvest, Autumn), two personifications found exclusively in the circle of Dionysos on Attic vases also from the period of the Peloponnesian War (431-404). Eirene was earlier known as one of the Horai (Seasons), presumably the autumn season in which everyone was freed from military duties and devoted their attentions to reaping the ripened crops (Simon, 1986: 700). Opora, which suggests the ripened fruit (as in epic, e.g. Homeros, Ilias 22.27, and Odysseia 11.192 and 24.343-344) as well as the time at which the fruit becomes ready for harvest, must be the same general season (LSJ s.v. ὀπώρα). In a Dionysiac vein, Stafford restricts opora to the grape harvest, which she places in late summer (2000: 187). Michael Silk likewise translates Opora as “Summer” (Silk, 2000: 130 n. 74). … In deciding whether to translate Opora as Summer or Autumn we are mediating between the three- and four-season view of the calendar. Yet Opora is highly relevant to the abstract, political meaning of eirene as the crops could not come to fruition in times of war. This was one of the greatest problems for the Athenians during the Peloponnesian War: from its beginning (431/430), Spartan forces repeatedly ravaged the Athenian countryside and crops (Thoukydides 2.19, passim). Because of the Spartan assaults, Opora was absent during most of the Peloponnesian War, and one might surmise that she would only arrive when Eirene was present. Aristophanes made this connection in Eirene (produced in 421). In this play, Opora and Theoria (Spectacle, particularly Festival Embassy) attend Eirene, who had been buried by Polemos (War) and eventually recovered by the farmer Trygaios (Aristophanes, Eirene 520-526). … Her companions in later fifth century comedies, especially Opora and Georgia (Agriculture), however, suggest her role as a fertility deity (fr. 294 KA [from another play named Eirene] actually names Georgia as her sister). She is certainly worshipped as such by Aristophanes’ farmers (in Akharneis 26 and Eirene 360) and may have been worshipped by actual Athenians, at the Dionysia." - Polis and Personification in Classical Athenian Art by Amy C. Smith

Eirene was also associated with Ploutos, personification of wealth and agricultural abundance, a god often connected with Demeter. This seems to reinforce her ties to agriculture. But what season would she be associated with exactly? Honestly, I don't know. It seems that sowing usually took place in autumn, but apparently spring sowing was also possible. The vine was also planted either in autumn or spring. Judging by Hesiod's instructions in Works and Days the time for harvesting was late spring, but maybe other ancient Greeks did things differently, maybe things changed over time or were different based on the region. Then there is the problem of various crops: you wouldn't harvest, say, grain, olives and grapes at the same time. I freely admit to knowing little to nothing about agriculture though, ancient or modern.

So... late spring? Late summer? Autumn? You could make an argument for any.

[justkeeponsimming]

Hex has just enough gardening skill to plant most of the crops in her inventory.

She took a gardening class whilst she was at university, thinking it would be a couple of extra, easy credits. Little did she know that her skills would really come in handy for a future business!

Strangely, as per the instructions on her nectar making machine, apples are the main ingredient for most nectar types. All of the grapes she foraged from her family’s farm on Windenburg Island are no use for now!

Luckily, the Sim God has visited the family farm frequently to add to the produce variety. Hex has perfect crops from most of the sim world updates. One day, she’ll have a tree full of perfect apples to make the best quality nectar in all of Chestnut Ridge!

After a long, hot afternoon, Hex finally finishes planting all of her crops. She wipes her arm across her forehead, smearing dust across her face. She makes a note to make a staff bathroom with a shower a priority once the business makes money!

Hex won’t have time to visit the New Appaloosa Nectary until after her wedding. She snaps some photos of her progress and sends them to her criminal contact, Gabriella Avila. Hopefully the progress of her business will show how dedicated she is to opening up new opportunities for the Llama Gang!

[sweethoneyrose83]

Rambley's Railroad Menu ( Fanmade) Part 4 

Lunch in the Dining Car

Locomotive Club Sandwich: Triple-decker sandwich with turkey, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise, served with a side of coleslaw or potato chips.

Pullman Porter’s Chicken Salad: A light and refreshing chicken salad with grapes, celery, and almonds, served on a bed of mixed greens or in a croissant.

Caboose Chili: A robust and spicy chili made with ground beef, beans, tomatoes, and a blend of spices, topped with shredded cheese and sour cream. 

Locomotive Club Sandwich 

Ingredients:

- 12 slices of thick-cut bread (sourdough or multigrain recommended) - 1/2 pound of cooked turkey breast, thinly sliced - 1/2 pound of cooked ham, thinly sliced - 8 slices of crispy bacon - 4 large leaves of romaine lettuce - 2 large tomatoes, thinly sliced - 8 slices of cheddar cheese - 1 avocado, sliced - 1/2 cup mayonnaise - 1/4 cup Dijon mustard - 2 tablespoons honey - 2 tablespoons pickled jalapeños, chopped (optional for a spicy kick) - Butter for toasting bread - Salt and pepper to taste - Skewers to hold the sandwich together

Instructions:

1. Prepare the Spread: - In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, and honey until well combined. If you like a bit of spice, add the chopped pickled jalapeños.

2. Toast the Bread: - Lightly butter one side of each bread slice. - In a large skillet or on a griddle, toast the bread over medium heat until golden brown on both sides. Set aside.

3. Assemble the Sandwich: - Lay out three slices of toasted bread for each sandwich. - Spread a generous amount of the mayo-mustard mixture on one side of each slice.

4. Layering: - On the first slice, place a leaf of romaine lettuce, followed by a few slices of turkey, two slices of bacon, and a slice of cheddar cheese. - Top this with another slice of bread, spread side down. On this slice, spread more of the mayo-mustard mixture on the top side. - Add tomato slices, ham, avocado slices, and another slice of cheddar cheese on top of this second slice of bread. - Place the final slice of bread on top, spread side down.

5. Secure and Serve: - Insert skewers or long toothpicks at each corner of the sandwich to hold it together. - Carefully cut the sandwich into quarters, ensuring each quarter has a skewer through it.

6. Plating: - Arrange the quarters on a plate, garnish with some pickles or a small salad if desired.

Tips: - Customize the sandwich by adding or substituting ingredients like roast beef, different cheeses, or additional vegetables. - For a vegetarian version, replace the meats with grilled vegetables or a plant-based meat alternative.

Enjoy!

[bijoumikhawal]

The Tzohar

When the world was first created, God filled the world with a sacred light, known as the primordial light. This was the light that came into being when God said, “Let there be light” (Gen. 1:3). It was not the light of the sun, for that did not come into being until the fourth day, when God created the sun and the moon and the stars. It was a miraculous light by which it was possible for Adam to see from one end of the world to the other.

When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, the first thing they lost was that precious light. Without it, the world seemed dark to them, for the sun shone like a candle in comparison. But God preserved one small part of that precious light inside a glowing stone, and the angel Raziel delivered this stone to Adam after they had been expelled from the Garden of Eden, as a token of the world they had left behind. This jewel, known as the Tzohar, sometimes glowed brightly and sometimes was dim.

As he lay on his deathbed, Adam gave the jewel to his son Seth, who passed it down to the righteous Enoch. Enoch grew in wisdom until he was taken into Paradise in a chariot, and transformed into the angel Metatron, the heavenly scribe and Prince of the treasuries of heaven.

Before departing this world, Enoch gave the Tzohar to his son, Methuselah. Methuselah slept in its glowing light, and some say that is why he lived longer than anyone else. Methuselah passed on the jewel to his son Lamech, who gave it to his son, Noah, who brought it with him on the ark. Indeed, God instructed Noah to do so when he said, “Put the Tzohar in the ark” (Gen. 6:16). Noah hung it on the deck, and for forty days and nights it illumined the ark. Noah determined whether it was day or night by gauging the brilliance of the stone. It was dim during the day, but it shone brightly at night.

When the ark landed on Mount Ararat, the first thing Noah did was to plant grapes, and when they grew ripe, he made wine and became drunk, and at that moment the Tzohar fell from where it had been hung in the ark, rolled into the water, and sank to the bottom of the sea. There it was carried by the currents until it came to rest in an under-water cave.

Years later, after the waters had subsided, the child Abraham was born in that cave. His mother had gone there to give birth, to escape King Nimrod’s decree that all new-born boys be put to death. For Nimrod had seen a sign that a child born at that time would overthrow him. After giving birth, Abraham’s mother grew afraid for the safety of her family, and at last she abandoned the infant in the cave and returned home. Then the angel Gabriel descended to the cave and fed the infant with his thumb, through which milk and honey flowed, and because he was fed in that miraculous way, the boy began to grow at the rate of a year every day. And on the third day, while exploring the cave, he found a stone glowing in one of the crevices of the cave. Then the angel, who knew how precious it was, put it on a chain, and hung it around Abraham’s neck.

Thirteen days later Abraham’s mother returned to the cave, for she could not put the fate of the infant out of her mind. She expected to find that the child was no longer living, but instead she found a grown boy, who said that he was her child. She refused to believe it at first, but when he showed her the glowing stone and the sacred light it cast, she came to believe that a miracle had taken place.

Abraham wore that glowing jewel all the days of his life. Whoever was ill and looked into that stone soon healed, and it also served as an astrolabe to study the stars. Before his death, Abraham gave that glowing jewel to Isaac, and Isaac gave it to Jacob at the time he gave him the stolen blessing. For Isaac had intended to give the glowing stone to Esau, but Rebecca, who was a seer, knew well that it was destined to belong to Jacob.

Jacob was wearing the Tzohar when he dreamed of the ladder reaching to heaven, with angels ascending and descending on it. And he, in turn, gave the stone to his beloved son, Joseph, when he gave him the coat of many colors.

Jacob made Joseph promise to wear the stone at all times, but he did not reveal its power, which he knew well. And because Joseph’s brothers did not know that the amulet was precious, they did not take it from him when they stripped him of the coat of many colors and cast him naked into the dark pit.

Now snakes and scorpions lived at the bottom of that pit. And when Joseph heard them slithering and creeping in the dry leaves, he shivered in the darkness at the bottom of the pit. All at once a light began to glow, and Joseph saw that it was coming from the amulet he wore around his neck. And as long as Joseph remained in that pit, the jewel continued to glow, so that he was never afraid. At last Joseph heard Midianite traders calling out to him from the top of that pit. They pulled him out of the pit and brought him to Egypt, where they sold him into slavery and to the destiny that fate held for him, which was to become Prince of Egypt.

When Joseph was imprisoned in the dungeon, he discovered that if he placed the Tzohar inside his cup and peered into it, he could read the future and interpret dreams.That is how he interpreted the dreams of the butler and baker, and later the dreams of Pharaoh that prophesied the seven years of famine. It was that same cup that Joseph hid in the saddlebags of Benjamin, about which his servant said, “It is the very one from which my master drinks and which he uses for divination” (Gen. 44:5).

That cup, with the precious jewel in it, was placed inside Joseph’s coffin at the time of his death, and it remained there until Moses recovered Joseph’s coffin and was told in a dream to take out the glowing stone and hang it in the Tabernacle, where it became known as the Ner Tamid, the Eternal Light. And that is why, even to this day, an Eternal Light burns above every Ark of the Torah in every synagogue.

Pg 85-86, Tree of Souls by Howard Schwartz

[breesays]

But me, I'm still a sunbeam

THIS is a blog of a balanced person (me, right now), so let's capture this moment in my personal history.

These are the workouts I do. No talking, just simple instructions and percentage progress + music that serves the purpose. I've been trying to view workouts more as playtime and tell myself "I get to" rather than "I have to." The toys I have are bosu, bala, mini bands, kettle bells, sliders, stability ball. We're playing, that's all. Not measuring or weighing, just the tiny triumphs of "Oh, when I did this two weeks ago it was much harder."

I went to Nico Vega's comeback show at The Bellwether and got a ticket to their headlining show at The Lodge Room in December. I've used all my ticket perks for 2024 already, plus K.Flay in March. WWWY and The Postal Service next month.

We got a hummingbird feeder for our balcony, and we've started to name them. So far: Murphy (after the balm I must cover my body in to fend off the mosquitos), Quacksley, Mousey, Little Puff and Cherry. We're growing stuff out there, too - grape tomatoes, basil, nasturtiums, pretty succulents.

Read Maggie Smith's "You Could Make This Place Beautiful" and I definitely started out thinking I was going to give it 5 stars but had a lot of mixed feelings about it toward the end.

This is everything I've read so far this year - but a few on that list are DNFs (looking at YOU, Russell Brand). Speaking of that, I'm giving Clare Dederer's "Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma" another chance, but some of it is hard to stomach.

From Kate Baer's "What Kind of Woman"

I've used ALL my kitchen appliances this month: Air fryer (everything), blender (raspberry lemon smoothie), food processor (pesto, hummus), instant pot (tomato soup, tiktok pasta). This is mostly because I can fit them ALL on my counter at once. Oh, and I made a vanilla cake from scratch. Baking is not my favorite, but I like to challenge myself. And sometimes it's more about not being able to find what I want as ready-made.

Desmond's teacher told me his gross motor skills are advanced - he finishes projects early, is great at any sport he tries (even ones he invents) ... has he expressed interest in sports? Oh yes, I said, he loves all sports... he just doesn't want to play them with other kids. Maybe we'll give soccer another try. But I prefer to let him play openly - we draw, we build, we plant, we cook, we dance, we make up words (this is harder than it sounds). He asks for playdates with friends so I know he cares very much about them -- I just don't think he wants parameters placed around what he can do with said friends. He has a 2-year-old friend and he loves to just explore Griffith with him. It used to be ME, but he has since requested the presence of said friend. Said friend extracts more joy from sliding down piles of dirt than I do, anyway.

Desmond has really changed my relationship with food. He is such an adventurous eater. I have a history of disordered eating that's been mostly resolved with meds and years of therapy - but I still had rules, you know? Things I wouldn't keep in the house, ingredients I didn't trust myself with. But Des is such a role model of intuitive eating. He'll try anything, even give it a few good chews before making a decision. Jicama was a recent rejection. I'm trying all kinds of recipes, not just low calorie or veggie-based. He makes me excited to make new meals, and he loves to help, too. We have a dining table and he drinks oat milk and I drink fizzy water and it's just an entirely new experience for me. Tasting and tweaking and using our senses. There's no good and bad. He's allowed to have candy, but he isn't crazy for it. We listen to our bodies. Are we full? Do we want more because it tastes good, or because we're still hungry? Listen.

What else? Getting my last peak hike in might be a challenge, since WEATHER has arrived in SoCal. I feel like the window for hiking in good conditions was a relatively short one this year. Baldy is the closest, but might have to trek down to South OC for Sitton.

My show (Setlist Insider) x 311 is published

My Oli bug turned 6 years old

I have 33k words written.

[avachemicals6]

Chelated Fe DTPA | premium Purity Iron DTPA Supplier & Manufacturer in India

Chelated Fe DTPA (Ferric Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic Acid) is a water-soluble, stable chelate of iron that is widely used in agriculture and horticulture as a micronutrient fertilizer. It is specifically designed to correct and prevent iron deficiencies in plants, especially in mildly alkaline to slightly acidic soils (optimal pH range: 4 to 7.5).

Iron is essential for chlorophyll synthesis and overall plant metabolism. Deficiency can lead to chlorosis (yellowing of leaves), poor growth, and reduced yield. Chelated Fe DTPA provides iron in a bioavailable form that is more readily absorbed by plant roots or leaves, even when environmental conditions (such as high pH or the presence of other minerals) would normally hinder iron uptake.

Key Features:

Chelated form: The DTPA ligand forms a strong complex with iron (Fe³⁺), protecting it from precipitation and oxidation in the soil, thus ensuring prolonged availability to plants.

Soluble and stable: Easily soluble in water, it can be used in drip irrigation, foliar applications, or soil treatments.

pH suitability: Particularly effective in soils with pH between 4.0 and 7.5; above this range, more stable chelates like EDDHA are recommended.

Quick response: Provides fast correction of iron deficiency symptoms due to high bioavailability.

Versatile application: Suitable for use in open fields, greenhouses, hydroponics, and soilless media.

Typical Composition:

Iron (Fe): 11% (water-soluble and DTPA-chelated)

Application Guidelines:

Soil application: Mix with water and apply near the root zone.

Foliar spray: Dilute as per manufacturer's instructions and spray uniformly on foliage.

Hydroponics: Use as a part of the nutrient solution to ensure balanced micronutrient supply.

Advantages:

Enhances photosynthesis and plant vigor

Improves crop yield and quality

Prevents and cures iron chlorosis in a wide variety of crops

Compatible with most fertilizers and agrochemicals (do a jar test before mixing)

Common Crops:

Fruits (e.g., citrus, grapes, berries)

Vegetables (e.g., tomato, cucumber, lettuce)

Ornamentals and turf

Cereals and pulses

[huntinorganics]

Downy Mildew of Grapes: What Every Farmer Should Know

Hey farmer friend,

I hope you’re doing alright out there. I know farming isn’t easy. There’s always something — weather, prices, pests. But today I want to talk about something that doesn’t get enough attention, even though it causes a lot of trouble: Downy Mildew of Grapes.

If you grow grapes, please take a few minutes to read this. I’m just a student, not an expert. But I’ve talked to farmers, read a lot, and seen how hard this disease hits. So here’s what I learned — plain and simple, just for you.

What Is Downy Mildew, Really?

Downy Mildew is a disease that hurts grapevines. It shows up mostly when the weather is warm and wet. Once it’s there, it spreads fast. It can mess up the leaves, the fruit, even the growth of the vine.

What’s worse? It can ruin your grapes completely if you don’t catch it early. No harvest means no income, and that’s something no farmer should have to face.

How Does It Start?

There’s a tiny organism behind this called Plasmopara viticola. It hides in old leaves, leftover stems, or even the soil. When rain or dew makes things damp, the disease wakes up. Spores rise up with the moisture and land on fresh leaves. And just like that, it spreads.

What It Looks Like (So You Don’t Miss It)

Your grapevines will show signs if something’s wrong. Here’s what to look out for:

Yellow, oily-looking spots on the top side of leaves

White, fluffy stuff underneath the leaves — often seen in the morning

Leaves turning brown and dying in patches

Small grapes shriveling up and falling off

Overall, the plant looks weak and stops growing well

Sound familiar? If so, you might be dealing with Downy Mildew.

Why It’s Such a Big Problem

One sick leaf turns into many. One sick vine can lead to a whole section gone. And if it rains again? It can spread even faster.

Some farmers have lost half their harvest to this disease. Imagine all your hard work, gone just like that. It’s not just lost grapes — it’s lost time, energy, and money.

That’s why I’m writing this — so that maybe you can catch it early and stop it before it spreads.

What You Can Do to Stop It

Here are some simple things that work. These tips come from farmers, agri officers, and good old experience:

1. Pick strong grape varieties Some types of grapes can handle Downy Mildew better than others. Ask your local seed seller or agri center what grows well in your area.

2. Clean up the vineyard Old leaves and plant waste? Get rid of them. That’s where the disease hides. Don’t let it sit around.

3. Give your vines space to breathe When you prune, open up the plant so air can flow. Wet, crowded vines are more likely to get sick.

4. Water smart Water the soil, not the leaves. If the leaves stay wet, the disease loves it. Try to water early in the day so the plant dries before night.

5. Use safe sprays There are sprays that can help stop Downy Mildew. Follow the instructions and switch them up so the disease doesn’t get used to one type.

6. Watch the weather After rain or high humidity, be on alert. That’s when Downy Mildew is most active. Check your vines often.

A Few Words From Me to You

I don’t know your field or your vines, but I do know this — you work hard every single day. You deserve a good harvest. You deserve peace of mind.

Downy Mildew of Grapes is tough, but not impossible. Don’t let it steal your hard work. Check your vines, share this info with your neighbors, and take action early.

One sick plant is a warning. Don’t wait for the whole field to show signs. If you spot it, act fast. You’ll be saving your crop, your time, and your money.

Stay strong, and know that people out there (like me) truly respect what you do.

— A student who stands with farmers

[novoplata]

Chipper.

Just like other writers, there was a time in my life when I attempted to write a novel. I wrote up to 50,000 words before calling it quits and abandoning the project altogether. My problem? I'm not the kind who likes to commit to long-term projects. I work best on shorter-style novellas, essays or articles before moving onto the next topic. This habit is also reflected in the type of workout I enjoy doing -- chipper-style ones, where you do 3, 4 or 5 reps of multiple movements for 10 rounds or more, as opposed to 10, 15 or 20 reps of movements for 5 rounds or less. Logically, I suppose both workouts could total up the same number of reps, but chipper-style ones appeal to my shorter attention span better. Realising this makes a lot of sense for me. It's not that I am lazy or unmotivated; it's just how things are wired for me. Ditto with work. I guess this also explains why I tend to switch jobs every so swiftly and enjoy juggling multiple projects. I just don't like doing the same thing for an extended length of time. Which also explains why meal-planning never worked for me. Sabbatical. But in the seventh year, the land is to have a year of sabbath rest, a sabbath to the Lord. Do not sow your fields or prune your vineyards. Do not reap what grows of itself or harvest the grapes of your untended vines. The land is to have a year of rest.  - Leviticus 25:4-5, NIV My first attempted sabbatical was back in 2018, freshly burnt out from juggling multiple jobs and projects, plus a book launch the previous year. I had saved up enough and planned to go on a digital nomad stint in Australia for a whole year. So, I went for a month, got bored from not having a job and came back to work for a hotel here. I hated the job and ended up leaving again the following year.

As I grow older, I find that my tolerance for holding a job for a longer term becomes shorter and shorter. On the one hand, I am fully aware that in my 40s, I should just find a job that pays OK and stick with it until retirement. But on the other hand, I still feel so fatigued mentally and emotionally -- like I'm never properly rested -- and kept wanting to quit. Of late, I have kept coming across Bible verses and messages pointing to resting and why one needs it. I realised that the reason I never really went all the way with my supposed sabbatical back in 2018 was also because I didn't trust God to provide for me. In the Book of Leviticus, when God instructed the people to rest on every seventh year, it is meant to be a reminder that God provides for his people and that they need to rest and rely on Him for sustenance. I kept going through this cycle of craving rest and getting anxious while resting, only to accept a job that makes me miserable soon after. I asked God why this kept happening to me, and apparently, it's because I still hadn't learned the lesson I needed: to rest and rely on Him for sustenance.

This month marks 20 years since I started working full-time -- with short bursts of breaks in between. Since 2007, I have consistently been juggling at least two jobs at a time. I may not have had to juggle having a career with raising kids, doing my master's degree or any other challenges, but doing two jobs just because is legit tiring. So, why did I do it? Because I've always had this vision of taking time off in the distant future to just rest and travel. Except, I kept pushing the distance further for fear of lacking. Then it occurred to me that until I learn this lesson of resting and relying on God -- like how John reclined on Jesus after the Last Supper -- this cycle of getting a well-paying job that I'd end up hating and wanting out will never end. In a way, this season feels just as pressing as my Tawau season in 2007, when I felt totally discontent and just wanted to leave. Things were comfortable back then, but I wasn't growing, and God had planted this seed of wanting to pursue writing in my heart. Each night, I would cry and ask God why I was so unhappy and what He'd want me to do. The answer led me to quit my poorly paying Tawau job to apply for a night-shift entry-level journalism job that paid even worse. I swear I was so anxious and felt so bullied by circumstances then. But God was not without a plan. Looking back, 18 years later today, His plan really was beautifully crafted. I would have saved so much suffering from anxiety if only I had trusted Him more during those times. Trust me again. I recently sat down with my supervisor and HR manager to discuss my performance so far since I joined almost three months ago. According to them, I wasn't meeting any of the expectations of what a senior communications manager should be. All the while, I've been feeling like I've been poured out completely into this job, that I have nothing else to offer.

Then it occurred to me that I still have those savings (plus compounded interest) from when I was supposed to be digital nomading in Australia. And I've never properly rested over the years, and God has personally invited me to come rest and recline on Him. Why am I resisting this? Why am I resisting Him? I told my supervisor that I have done the best to my ability thus far, and will continue to do my best in this job. But should I fall short, then it just means that I am not a good fit for this job -- not that I am incompetent or incapable of doing work. God has never failed me, not once, and I have yet to pass my test of trusting Him for sustenance. This time, when the time comes (reads: when I finally get sick and tired of my difficult menopausal supervisor and this impossible job), I will welcome the opportunity to rest with open arms and choose to recline in God's bosom.

[townsenddecades]

1338 – Day 1 – Townsend Farm

It is almost a twist of fate that 1338 starts off completely differently from the previous year. Where a year ago, the Townsends left their beds to find their plants miraculously grown, now they step out into the fields each morning to find that nothing is growing at all. Practically overnight, a killing frost has fallen, smothering their plants and stunting their development long before they even have a chance to harvest anything. They wouldn’t worry too much, except that they have a strong inkling that those are only the first heralds of winter.

“The weather could get better again”, Malika says, when Benjamin tells her about his worries, but her voice is doubtful. “Maybe it is only a passing spell.”

“Maybe”, he says with a sigh. “But I honestly doubt it. No, we should be grateful that we’ve managed to harvest so much before this happened.”

For the most part, their stores are fine. They have harvested most of their grain, so they’ll have enough of it for pulses, pottages and flour to last most of the coming winter and spring. The same is true of their vegetable harvest, and they also have more than enough honey. The only thing that really harms them is a lack of grapes. They were hoping to have many more of them to produce more nectar over the winter months, and maybe some additional apples and watermelons.

But even that disappointment is manageable. They have a decent enough nectar store that Frank and Catherine won’t run out of bottles to sell too soon. They’ll all be fine. That’s likely more than some of their neighbours can say. “That may be why the Watcher blessed us like this”, Hawise says one evening, while they are discussing some worrying news Adeline has told Frank. “She didn’t want us to suffer.”

“But Mother”, Hugh says tentatively, “Why would She spare us and not our neighbours? What have they done?”

There is a leaden silence at that; they don’t have an answer. None of them like thinking of themselves as more deserving, when they know perfectly well that most of their neighbours are kind, hardworking people that very much do not deserve to hunger. “I don’t know, love”, Hawise admits, after a moment. “But She has to have some kind of plan. Otherwise, why would She do something like this?”

“Why indeed?”, Frank mutters, looking out of the window. Believing in a divine plan is comforting, but if there is one, he doesn’t know that he feels comfortable with being set apart from their neighbours like that. It can’t mean anything good.

With not much to do on the fields and winter approaching, Benjamin decides to take his youngest son and grandson on a fishing trip. It has been a long time since he indulged in that particular pastime, because there has always been too much to do. Teaching John and Hugh reminds him of similar excursions when his other children were little older than the two boys are now. How time flies. One moment, you teach your own children how to fish and the next, your grandson is already six years old.

There are a few funny mishaps during his instructions, but both boys master the art of throwing out the line and reeling in their catch eventually. Making them stop chattering with each other takes longer, but they understand the importance of that in the end, too. And even having to hush them so they don’t chase away their prey feels strangely like old times, when he had to tell his two sets of twins the same thing.

While Benjamin and the boys are off on that trip, life continues at its usual pace on the farm. Frank is hard at work on the portraits he promised as a parting gift, while Hawise spends her time doting on her two daughters to distract herself from thoughts about her son. It makes her a little uneasy to know that Hugh is somewhere out by the water. He is her oldest child. What if he catches a chill in the intermittent rain? Or what if he falls into the water and drowns? He doesn’t know how to swim.

She knows that she is fretting, and that she should simply trust in her good-father. Benjamin has raised four children to adulthood. He won’t let anything happen to his only grandson.

“I’m expecting you girls to be good and not go on adventures when you’re older”, she tells Gemma once after hoisting her up into her arms. At nearly three, her little girl is getting too big for such things, but she hasn’t let that stop her yet. “I don’t think my heart could take worrying about all three of you.”

“Adventure!” Gemma repeats happily, as if to tell her mother that regardless of her wishes, no Townsend has ever shied away from grabbing life by the horns, and that she certainly won’t be the first one to try.

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From Soil to Harvest: How Biologicals Make Farming Profitable & Safe

In today’s world, every farmer dreams of higher yields and safer crops. But with changing weather, soil problems, and rising costs, achieving this has become harder. This is where Biologicals step in — nature-friendly solutions that help farmers grow healthy crops from soil to harvest while keeping farming both profitable and safe.

In this blog, you’ll learn what biologicals are, why they are important, and how to use them to make your crops strong and your harvest fruitful!

 What Are Biologicals in Farming?

Biologicals are natural products made from living organisms like bacteria, fungi, and plant extracts. These products help boost soil health, fight plant diseases, and improve crop growth without harming nature.

They are often used along with or as an alternative to chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Biologicals can include:

Bio-fertilizers

Bio-pesticides

Plant growth-promoting bacteria

Microbial soil boosters

Many farmers trust biologicals because they work in harmony with the environment, making farming safer for both the soil and the consumer.

 Why Should Farmers Choose Biologicals?

Using chemical-heavy farming for years weakens the soil and harms crop health. Biologicals help solve this problem naturally.

Here’s why switching to biologicals is the smart choice:

 Safe for the soil and environment

 Improves soil fertility and structure

 Reduces the need for chemical pesticides

 Increases crop resilience against pests and diseases

 Saves money over time with sustainable use

Biologicals work like nature’s doctors, restoring balance to your farm while protecting the environment for future generations.

 How Do Biologicals Make Farming Profitable?

Farming is not just about growing crops, it’s also about making a living. Biologicals help farmers cut down costs and improve crop quality. Here’s how they make farming more profitable:

Stronger Root Development

Biologicals help roots absorb nutrients better, leading to stronger plants and higher yields.

Healthy Soil Life

They boost soil microbes, which naturally break down nutrients for plant growth.

Disease and Pest Resistance

Some biologicals create a natural shield against pests and diseases, lowering the need for expensive chemical sprays.

Higher Market Value

Crops grown with biologicals are often chemical-free and healthier, which attracts better prices in the market.

 Tips for Using Biologicals in Your Field

To get the best out of biologicals, here are some easy-to-follow tips:

1️ . Choose the Right Biological Product

Select products from trusted bio agriculture companies, like Dhanuka, who offer proven solutions.

2️ Use Along with Best Plant Fertilizer

Pair biologicals with the best plant fertilizer for stronger results. Combining both helps crops grow faster and healthier.

3️ Apply at the Right Stage

Most biologicals should be used during early planting, flowering, or fruiting stages for maximum effect.

4️ Keep Soil Moist and Healthy

For biologicals to work, the soil must stay moist and rich. Using natural fertilizer along with biologicals makes this easier.

5️ . Follow Dosage Instructions

Using the right amount is important. Overuse or underuse can reduce their effectiveness. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for best results.

 Biologicals and Natural Fertilizer: A Powerful Combination

While biologicals strengthen soil and protect crops, using them along with natural fertilizer gives even better results. Natural fertilizers add organic nutrients, while biologicals improve soil microbes. This combination creates:

Healthier soil

Stronger plant immunity

Higher crop output

For farmers looking for long-term benefits, this is the perfect pair for sustainable farming.

 Final Thoughts

Switching to biologicals is not just about protecting your crops, it’s about building a better future for your farm and your family. Whether you're growing grapes, wheat, or vegetables, biologicals offer a safe, cost-effective, and eco-friendly path from soil to harvest.

Looking for trusted solutions?

Dhanuka offers a wide range of bio agriculture products, natural fertilizer, and the best plant fertilizer — all designed to improve your crop yield and keep your soil healthy.

Don’t Wait — Make the Smart Shift Today!

 Contact Dhanuka Agritech for expert advice on biologicals and natural solutions that fit your crops perfectly.

 Better soil, better yield, better future!

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Cooking with Culture: Recipes Inspired by Mohamad Haffar CA

Food has always been more than just sustenance. It’s a language that speaks to heritage, emotion, memory, and community. Across cultures and continents, families gather around the table to share stories and traditions passed down through generations. For those who grow up between cultures or deeply connected to their roots, food becomes a bridge—a way to stay close to one’s origins while embracing new flavors and influences. This is the essence of what inspires the culinary creations and storytelling of Mohamad Haffar CA, a figure whose recipes are as rich in history as they are in flavor.

In every dish he shares or prepares, there is an emphasis on authenticity, warmth, and the undeniable connection between identity and what we eat.

A Culinary Heritage Rooted in Story

Growing up in a culturally vibrant household, Mohamad developed a deep appreciation for the way food brings people together. Meals were more than routine—they were rituals. From the scent of slow-simmered stews to the sound of spices hitting hot pans, cooking became a sensory experience that etched memories into the kitchen walls.

The flavors of his upbringing—bold, earthy, aromatic—reflect the culinary heritage of the Levant. Dishes like stuffed grape leaves, lamb and rice pilaf, lentil soups, and herbed salads were staples. But beyond taste, these meals carried stories: tales of his grandparents' garden, seasonal cooking traditions, and holidays celebrated with generous tables and even more generous hearts.

Recipes That Tell a Tale

What sets Mohamad apart isn’t just his ability to cook—it's how he infuses every recipe with meaning. Here are a few examples of the signature dishes inspired by his cultural background and personal experience:

1. Za’atar Roasted Chicken with Lemon and Olive Oil

A staple in many Levantine kitchens, this dish is simple yet packed with flavor. Mohamad’s twist includes marinating the chicken in yogurt and lemon juice overnight, allowing the spices to penetrate deeply. The addition of za’atar brings an earthy tang that awakens the senses. Served with warm flatbread and labneh, it’s a comforting meal with a rustic, home-cooked charm.

2. Mujadara: Lentils and Rice with Crispy Onions

Often considered humble food, mujadara has become one of his go-to dishes when introducing others to plant-based Middle Eastern cuisine. Rich in protein and flavor, it’s a dish that’s economical and satisfying. The crispy fried onions on top add texture and depth—something he remembers watching his mother perfect over time.

3. Sumac-Spiced Chickpea Salad

Fresh, tangy, and vibrant, this dish is a nod to the Mediterranean’s love of bright flavors. Tossed with tomatoes, cucumbers, red onion, parsley, and olive oil, this chickpea salad is perfect for picnics or mezze platters. The sumac adds a lemony kick that balances the other ingredients.

4. Date-Filled Ma’amoul Cookies

No celebration in Mohamad’s home was complete without ma’amoul—shortbread-like cookies filled with dates or nuts. Mohamad recalls how these were prepared in large batches before holidays, shaped using wooden molds that had been passed down through the family. It’s a sweet tradition that still brings joy every time it’s repeated.

Cooking as Cultural Connection

One of the most powerful aspects of Mohamad’s cooking is how it connects generations. In a time when modern life can pull people away from their heritage, his recipes act as a form of preservation. They’re not just instructions—they're reminders of language, customs, and home.

He often emphasizes that cultural cooking isn’t about rigidly following every step—it’s about honoring intention. Measuring with your heart. Tasting as you go. Cooking with culture, for him, is less about perfection and more about presence.

Through social media, workshops, and community events, Mohamad shares not just food but also dialogue. He uses his platform to invite others into the stories behind the meals. Whether he’s guiding someone through their first attempt at rolling grape leaves or explaining the significance of a dish during Ramadan, he creates a space where culinary history feels accessible, even to those just beginning their journey.

Beyond the Kitchen: A Broader Vision

While food is at the center of Mohamad’s creative world, it’s not the whole story. He believes cooking can spark greater cultural understanding and inclusivity. Through cross-cultural collaborations, interviews, and storytelling, he builds bridges using ingredients as the common language.

His cooking classes often double as cultural lessons, where attendees learn about the regions, communities, and values behind the meals. For many, it’s a form of travel without leaving their kitchen—one that’s deeply educational and personally enriching.

In today’s fast-paced world, the act of cooking with intention has become a rare but deeply rewarding pursuit. When inspired by heritage and shaped by experience, a meal becomes something more—it becomes a story you can taste. From comforting stews to celebratory sweets, every dish Mohamad shares serves as a tribute to the traditions that raised him and the people he continues to inspire. For those seeking authenticity, community, and meaning through food, the recipes and philosophy of Mohamad Haffar CA are a nourishing place to begin.