#I can see the 20th on the horizon... it's magnificent... | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

pinkcreamypeach · 3 months ago

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"How in control are we?"

Characters - Princess peach, Prince Haru and Princess Daisy (In the ending part)

Sunshine beams down, warm and bright, casting a dazzling, golden glow on the bright blue sky, as far as the eye can see. Not a single cloud obscures this radiant view. The air is filled with the sound of birds chirping, creating a mesmerizing melody, while a gentle breeze rustles the leaves on the nearby trees.Green grass grows everywhere, stretching out from horizon to horizon.

The young princess takes a deep breath, her eyes closing in bliss as she savors the refreshing aroma of the surrounding air. She is meeting her betrothed, the prince she is soon to marry on her birthday, the first day of spring on March 20th. She has been dubbed "the spring deer" by her people on account of her beauty, and her mother gave birth on a magnificent mushroom during her birth, the Peach-colored fly agaric. The mushroom's color is stunning, a bright yellow-orange with pale striations on the cap's inner edge. The cap ranges from pink to orange-red, with a slightly paler color at the edge. The gills below the cap are white, and the stem is typically dark brown. This rare and wondrous mushroom is a symbol of fertility and abundance, and her mother named her "Peach" after her birth.

As the princess sips her tea, her thoughts turn to her upcoming wedding and the man she is to marry. Her mind is filled with conflicting emotions - looking out at the beautiful view before her, taking in the vibrant colors and sounds of nature, trying to banish her thoughts of uncertainty.

A gentle yet confident voice called out, "Princess?"

Her teacup gingerly placed upon the ornate table, she turned her attention to the source of the voice, her eye contact immediately fixed upon the figure before her.

"Yes?" The princess replied, her voice gentle.

It was the prince, his teal eyes sparkling with a lively energy as he stood, looking down upon her with a respectful bow. His reddish-brown nose wiggled in greeting. He was like a young, energetic puppy full of joy, and it was infectious. The prince’s smile broadened at her reaction, revealing pearly straight white teeth, as he straightened up, his tail wagging.

The prince stood tall, his teal eyes sparkling and a smile stretching across his face as he introduced himself. "My name is Prince Haru," he stated with pride, his voice clear and confident.

The princess nodded, her own smile still in place as she responded. "I know of your name, Prince Haru. I'm grateful for your assistance in saving our kingdom's sorcerer. It was truly a benevolent act, one that I will always remember," she said, offering a slight bow in thanks.

As they sat back down at the table, Haru and the princess couldn't help but stare at each other for a moment, each surprised by the sudden glow of their matching brooches. The silence was swiftly broken, however, as Haru cleared his throat and noticed the old-fashioned strawberry cake on the table. "Ah, a classic," he said, his eyes fixed on the dessert. The princess nodded in agreement, taking a small piece for herself.

The cake is usually baked in a round, layered cake pan with a flat bottom, which allows for the use of layers. After the cake is cooled, each layer is topped with a thick layer of whipped cream, and the strawberries are arranged in a decorative design on top. Finally, a fresh strawberry is placed on top as a finishing touch. While there are many variations on this traditional recipe, the key ingredients are the white cake, strawberries, and whipped cream.

As Haru looked at the delicious-looking cake with a mixture of hunger and admiration, his stomach let out a low growl, and he almost drooled at the sight. He took a deep breath and cleared his throat, trying to compose himself before asking, "Your Highness, if I may inquire, who prepared this delightful dish?"

The princess blushed slightly at Haru's compliment and fixed her crown, which sat comfortably between her small antlers.

With a soft smile, she replied, "Oh, I made this baked dessert. My father doesn't like me getting dirty, especially since it's important to keep my clean appearance as a lady and princess." She couldn't help feeling a sense of pride at having successfully prepared a sumptuous cake for the prince.As Haru's eyes lingered on the cake, the princess couldn't help but notice his longing gaze. She gave him a kind look and hoped he would feel comfortable eating in her presence.

“I can see you're hungry aren't you? Would you like a slice of cake?” She said

“YE-*ahem* I mean.. That'll be a pleasure, your highness.”As the prince accepted the slice of cake with a clumsy nod of his head, Peach could see that his excitement was overwhelming him. His tail wagged faster as he brought the fork to his mouth, his eyes wide and bright like a child's on Christmas morning. He took a big bite, but his enthusiasm seemed to get the best of him, and crumbs flew everywhere, sticking to his whiskers and splattering across the table.

Despite the mess, Peach couldn't help but smile as she watched him devour the cake. He seemed so innocent and sweet, with his shy smile and tail wagging like a dog on a walk. She felt a twinge of tenderness in her heart, realizing that beneath his royal veneer, he was just a regular lad like everyone else.As the prince ate, the animals that lived in the kingdom seemed to come alive. The mushrooms grew taller, their tops bursting with color and releasing a sweet scent in the air. Birds chirped and fluttered about, filling the world with a joyful cacophony.

It was a perfect day, Peach thought to herself, and as she looked out over the lush garden, she felt grateful for everything she had. The prince continued to eat, his face smeared with cake, his movements awkward but sweet. As he took another bite, Peach felt a sense of contentment wash over her, knowing that she had made someone happy.

Peach smiled, memories flooding to her as she recalled the carefree days of her childhood with Daisy. She could almost hear the sound of Daisy's adorable laughter as they chased after a bird, the brown-haired princess jumping up and down and making bird noises. The image brought a chuckle to Peach's lips.

Daisy was always so adventurous, never afraid to get her hands dirty. Peach remembered how her sister would gladly play in the mud, but the moment a bird pooped lands in her hair, Daisy would scream bloody murder. She truly had a low tolerance for bird poop and that was something Peach always found amusing. Her bestie's would scream and complain like a true princess, and it was always fun to see her get all worked up over it. But despite Daisy quirks, Peach loved her dearly, and she missed those carefree days they spent together.

As she was lost in thought, Peach looked up and saw the prince trying to sneak another piece of cake. She cleared her throat to catch his attention and he instantly froze, trying to hide the piece of cake behind his back.

"Haru..?" she spoke gently, breaking him out of his trance. He looked up at her with a guilty expression

“Y-yes princess?” Cleaning his throat again for the second time.

“..Your highness ..I don't think we should be married..” Biting her lips nervously

“..Huh?”

He looked up at her with wide, curious eyes, his head tilted slightly to one side as if trying to make sense of what she had just said. The prince's eyebrows furrowed in contemplation.

As the moments passed, the prince struggled to come up with an appropriate response, his face shifting through a series of expressions as he struggled to find the words to express himself.

Finally, the prince managed to stammer out a few words, his voice shaking with emotions that he struggled to understand.

"W-what do you mean? We...we don't have to marry?”

"Because, I believe that marriage should be about love, passion, and a genuine connection between two people. The idea of falling in love and getting butterflies in my stomach at the thought of being with someone, of having starry eyes when I look at them, of blushing so hard that it turns my cheeks pink, that's what I want, that's what marriage should be!" her voice was filled with emotion and passion, her hands clasped together as she imagined the perfect fairytale love story. Her bright, shining eyes reflect her dreams and desires for a future with true love and happiness.

While the prince was listening to what she was saying, his mouth fell into a shocked shape as everything clicked into place for him. His face broke into a huge smile.

"Why can't we have that?" he exclaimed, his eyes wide with excitement.

"You never even proposed to me.." She said sighing

“But we're wearing these necklaces, which technically means we're engaged. Since it's like a ring of unity. That's what my father said." Haru said as he played with his necklace

Peach's ears drooped slightly as she listened to Haru's words."I know we're wearing these necklaces," she said, feeling the weight of the silver chain with teal gemstone around her neck. "But that doesn't mean we have to follow through with the marr-... "What do you mean a ring?" she asked, her voice quivering slightly.

He would explain he held his tail as he spoke “Well..when I was 10, I got this necklace as a gift. My father said that the Brooch is a legend that the owner of the second nearly-”

“Identical Brooch is a prince that will sweep her off her feet…” She finished his sentence

“yea that!” He pointed at her as she finished it, his ears pointed up more. Peach would think before her ears slowly raised up, eyes widen

“..Don't you think that's a coincidence? Were both given these necklaces on our birthday at the age of ten, we both are set to be married, these necklaces glowed and shines near each other.. How are our father's are close in ranking and power and are..friends? Don't you think that's a bit..a huge coincidence..?” Raising an eyebrow as she rubs her head

“...I haven't thought of all of that..but even if it was a coincidence. It's part of our culture to have arranged type marriages, it's quite rare for it not to be. Am sure they want the best for us, to be set up for life and be safe. Your father wants you by someone who can protect you, my father wants someone who can be nurturing. It's a great balance you know..?”

The princess frowned as well, rubbing the edge of her nose “But I don't want to get married. I want to wait! Not married to a prince who did a good deed. Doesn't mean I'll have to marry afterwards..It feels wrong and forced to me..”

Haru looked at her, his eyes softens as he sighs to himself as well.

“..I know it's so much on you. Our father wants this marriage to go though, it's going to happen on your birthday. Maybe we can work on doing this together you know..Maybe we can both fall in love..at least to make our fathers happy..” Haru went to reach out his hand towards Peach but she quickly pulled away getting up.

“I don't fake or force myself to love anything or anyone..I just can't..am sorry..”

Tearing up as she rushed off away, her footsteps fading away into the garden. Haru was stuck alone in his feelings, holding his hands together. His ears down as he eats the strawberry cake to make himself feel better. Wondering why they should even be married if they don't even know each other. He saved the only mushroom kingdom sorcerer, but this just doesn't seem right. It seemed so much on the princess.. But what would he even do? Complaining about an arranged marriage, what a silly thought. A prince's dream is to marry a princess and live happily ever after together. But did he want this? Of course he does.. he's a prince.. So why does his stomach twist and turn in pain? At the thought of this marriage going through?

¥….¥…¥…¥…¥…¥…¥…¥…¥…¥…¥…¥…¥…¥

The princess was crying in her garden as she sobs. Covering her eyes, why must she go and ruin this little meeting! Why was her heart beating so hard and fast, her nose red and sniffing. Until she felt a hand in her hair, peach's ear twitched as she gazed up redden baggy eyes. She saw her friend Daisy, who had a worried face. Her usually feline sharp pupils were big and round. Like a cat worried about if their owner was hurt or sad.

“..The meeting didn't go well?” Daisy said before sitting beside her, her knees to her chest. Her head tilted slightly, keeping her unusually frown.

“Y-yes..*sniff* Rubbing her eyes, sniffing some more. Her lips quivering before trying to breathe in and out.“Just I..don't want this..I-i..can't..I won't..but how..? Why do I have to be married!? I never asked for this!” Breathing hard, as she grabs her ears as tight as possibly. Her chest rising up and down, she felt like she was gonna explode.

As Daisy would hug her tightly. Rubbing behind peach's ears as she comforts her. Making soft purring noises, putting the princess slowly at ease. Her breathing would return to normal, holding her arm tightly. The princesses wouldn't speak, just enjoy the silence and comfort of each other's company. Peach needed this hug…it helped her calm down, the purring made it even more relaxing.. Slowly going limp into Daisy's arms, eyes fluttering to stay open.Getting a small chuckle out of the brunette, sensing the blondie was about to fall asleep.

She deserves this time of peace and quiet..

<End + Extra art>.

@bberetd @maceincognito @house-of-xiii @peaches2217 @magnas27 @keylovesstuff

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tajmahaltourtrips · 5 months ago

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mintytoastypoetry · 7 months ago

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the low frosty air

sirens, echo throughout the streets

the crisp winter air

01/05/21

morning it is so

testing our minds growing old

magnificent frost

01/07/21

silence as it is

brightly as the sun and moon

our love is glowing

01/08/21

dinkydoo is that

hilarious and foolish

small but amazing

01/09/21

brethren and sun

community and united

forevermore so

01/10/21

long ago with pain

leaves and trees among them stay

my mind pleasantly

01/11/21

horizons anew

through and through to do and adapt

for the changing plans

01/12/21

warmer than normal

no sustenance today

thus was my fun day

01/13/21

productivity

projects and more to do so

comes always a cost

01/14/21

endings and more there

it is only another

beginning for all

01/15/21

woke up a bit late

introspective mind of young

today is and was

01/16/21

this will be a mark

upon our decades of life

fill the memories

01/17/21

so contemplating

is the mids of old and young

future and past gone

01/18/21

sad thoughts for no reason

characteristic unhelped

no avail unfixed

01/19/21

celebration none

is one for me and good luck

pray new creation

01/20/21

power and greed someone

we all see the results of it

newly oppressed old

01/21/21

news and sociality

stressful and tenuously

restoration needs

01/22/21

relax and chill more

this was the new motto today

saturday forever

01/23/21

these days for burning

are just the mode of younger

years and tears alike

01/24/21

with strength and vigor

we decide we know better

we ignore love ignore facts

01/25/21

(81 days later)

101

oh how I miss my dog

as sad as it is it must be

I have moved on now

April 11th 2021

102

days of spring oh yes

lovely twenty four of such

seventy till next

April 12th 2021

103

withdrawl from there

is the best thing we can do

honestly, come on

April 13th 2021

104

dangerous gov bill

I am sorry but not so

it is not helpful

April 14th 2021

105

nothing e’ver changes

we’re part of a silent

crowd nothing changes

April 15th 2021

106

quiet and quite still

are the tenets of each skill

dormant inside you

April 16th 2021

107

national haiku

poetry day how fitting

quite amazing wow

April 17th 2021

108

chris cuomo what

you just, no words to say

I just have no words

April 18th 2021

109

if you think violence

is okay only for you

you a hypocrite

April 19th 2021

110

anniversary

wow, such wow today indeed

i hate it sorry

April 20th 2021

111

seriously none

nothing ever tends to change

we the silent crowd

April 21st 2021

112

happy earth today

even though we continue

allow it perish

April 22nd 2021

113

thirty five days of

spring hallelujah, praise Him

please summer come fast

April 23rd 2021

114

like pond and sky there

we do reflect, you and I

farther clouds and stars

April 24th 2021

115

you promised you’d love

me that far, the lies, deceit

you’ve told burrows deep

April 25th 2021

116

my soul is left cold

all my memories we share

all my pain to bear

April 26th 2021

117

you and then my heart,

enjoy and find pleasure in

breaking it apart

April 27th 2021

118

mask mania ugh

i understand and now we

should all by now know

April 28th 2021

119

stabbing someone is

not something someone does as

an innocent gal

April 29th 2021

120

banning menthol cigs

much wow, so effective just

as prohibition

April 30th 2021

121

Someone in my car

sleeping called the police here

now its all good now

May 1st 2021

122

fifty days until

the real summer begins yay

much the yay and wow

May 2nd 2021

123

happy one two three

not going to lie kinda

funny, much laughs ha

May 3rd 2021

124

may the fourth be with

gina corano, she did

nothing wrong at all

May 4th 2021

125

if you want vaccine

take vaccine, only if you

know the valid effects

May 5th 2021

126

making humanity

a multi-planet species

quite a feat to take

May 6th 2021

127

spring oh spring go now

thank you so much for being mild

but now its time, warmth

May 7th 2021

128

what in heck china

get better grip on your thing

foolish mistake dudes

May 8th 2021

129

happy mothers day

and to all mothers as well

wish you the best luck

May 9th 2021

130

confederate lost

happy day of defeat yay

victory to union!

May 10th 2021

131

eat what you want day?

well, if this isnt the day

like, this a good day

May 11th 2021

132

no neil tyson, lol

that is not why people arent

getting it, nope nope

May 12th 2021

133

well its about time

ugh cdc, of course now

welp, bye bye gas lol

May 13th 2021

134

oh great still nothing

nothing changing nothing at

all, great yay whohoo

May 14th 2021

135

yes, finally the

stores are doing it thank god

now I cant wait now

May 15th 2021

136

May 16th 2021

137

cannot wait for it

summer just around that little

corner, oh yes oh

May 17th 2021

#poem #poetry #haiku

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youneedsomeprompts · 3 years ago

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I became a writer one day.

There was a time when I was feeling really down during the last three months of 2020. It was hectic and was probably the most saddest months of my life.

The only last string of happiness that gave way to my depressed mental state was when I started reading Lout of Count's Family.

I had enjoyed myself and was so engrossed with the novel and manhwa that I have never felt so deeply enchanted towards a story and a character before.

During the start of the year I have distanced myself with a bunch of people and I may or may not have hurt a few of them along the way. The only given comfort I could have, as I tried to move on from the issues I have been fighting from within, was through reading the novel and gaining online friends in discord.

It was all so much fun!! So many talented artists and apparently a LOT of those authors I have read fanfics about TCF/LCF (like those big big names whose fics had a bunch of hits and kudos) where practically living in the server.

Oh man the joy I had was intense when I realized I was actually mingling and talking to them. I was just at awe with how their thought process worked, how they articulated those details and plots in their writing, and seeing them creating AU's in the AU's channel whether it be fluff or angst or crack or a mix of the three XD. I was reading and chatting with them live and it felts so surreal to have read so many different alternate universes and stories created on the spot.

So main point.

One day, as I was craving for more fics of my otp, AlbeCale (I love these two so much), I tried asking in one of the channels in the server if there were any new ones, because apparently I have read everything already in ao3. However, I did not expect a magnificent coin named Penny, a beautiful fruit named Mango, a fancy potato called Fancipotato, a sweet purple dragon named Miru, the Boss of our server, Boss Ren and a bunch more writers would tell me something that would change my life for the better

"If you can't find what you want, write it yourself~"

"You don't know until you try! You can just write and not post it if you want!"

"Join us!"

"Just write down ideas you have and who knows maybe it will evolve into an oneshot and before you know it a multichapter au!"

"Ohhhh!!! You should try writing!! I highly encourage just to try even if you don't think it's good because it's fun, therapeutic."

It still gets me laughing whenever I recalled my past self, who after creating a username and wrote 3 chapters in, posted in two days immediately. That was when the Boss Ren, Mango and my beta partner Butter, gave me a looong lecture at that moment XD I didn't know what was 'spacing' and that it was better to set schedules. And they were also kind enough to tell those things to me so I wouldn't have a burnt out.

I was just so new to everything, heck I haven't even written a fanfic before in my life, never even read fics/ original stories in wattpad or ao3 before I found my love for the novel. (This novel has also been the third story I've read when I only mostly bury myself with manhwas/mangas)

It ended well and I have learned so many things along the way. My writing has greatly improved because of the people I have conversed with for the past 4 months. I have these tiny gremlins named Aster, Polka and Elli who are with me in a private server made Crypt who always seemed to persuade me in creating more plot to the story. These damn little enablers where the reason why the story is still not stopping anytime soon... (but they are a blessing and I would kill for them)

Crazy thing here is, if I told my past self who was still down in the dumps back in 2020 that I was writing in 2021 she would probably say,

"No shitting way!"

So enough backstory, since I've explained the depth of how I was just a beginner writer with no experience whatsoever, I am proud of where I am standing right now.

To think I have found this magical outlet to release my stress and to feed myself when I am craving for 'food' for the heart and soul at the same time. I have met so many kind humans down in the comment section who believes, supports and loves my first fic. I won't ever shut up about my this fic everywhere because the moment I posted that story was the day I felt somewhat lighter, satisfied and... well free.

To my past self who wouldn't stop crying her tears every night inside the bedroom, you'll be surprised to know that I'm already at the 20th chapter of the first fic I've written with 100,000 words count. (And I'm not even halfway done with the plot) I have garnered 2k kudos which I'm pretty sure you wouldn't even believe, knowing you were just a reader and did not think you'd be a writer.

I was unexpectedly influenced in the pursuit of the vast horizon of writing where I still can't see the end, but I'm enjoying every bits and parts of the journey.

In simpler terms, I am happier now. Why? Because I became a writer one day.

Thank you for sharing! It is great to see which healing effect writing can have. And how awesome what successes and affirmation you've already received! I wish you the best for your future writing!

Share your writing success! (x)

#writing #writing experience #writing success #submission

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lgbtqiahistoricalromance · 4 years ago

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Finishing Out Summer 2020 TBR List! - Updated 7/31

Starting back in March, I was adding novel after novel for purposes of reading during social distancing and Summer 2020. I’m hoping you all found some great reads, even if you haven’t been able to read them all. *Here is another batch to round out Summer 2020, and I’m thrilled by the selection that includes sapphic, trans MCs, and more eras and locations than any list to date.

Leather and Lace by Rebel Carter (Good Sky series #5) - May 20th - sapphic

Mary Sophia James came to Gold Sky, Montana to find a husband at the insistence of her overbearing mother. Striking out in spectacular fashion after setting her eye on Julian Baptiste, her options are dwindling, and time is running out. She needs to find a man to marry before her condition becomes…obvious. Her mother’s prejudices and sharp tongue aren’t helping matters and Mary, to her shame, hasn’t behaved much better. But all her plans are derailed when she spots the most beautiful person she’s ever seen across the town square. Alex Pierce is strong, intriguing, looks stunning in a pair of trousers…and a woman.

Gold Sky is accepting of all types of love, and that between women is no different. Still, Alex didn’t expect to be so floored by the sight of the firey haired, yet fragile looking young woman. Mary needs to be married and Alex has a solution. Because in Gold Sky, Montana there are many ways to be married…and not all of them include a man.

Leather and Lace is a 35k word novella set at the same time as the events of book 2, Hearth and Home. It includes a passionate and romantic f/f love in a town where diversity, and love, reign supreme.

Note : Leather and Lace has a bit of mail-order, arranged married, kind of secret baby with some foreced proximity sprinkled on top!

The Sugared Game by KJ Charles (The Will Darling Adventures #2) - August 26th

It’s been two months since Will Darling saw Kim Secretan, and he doesn’t expect to see him again. What do a rough and ready soldier-turned-bookseller and a disgraced, shady aristocrat have to do with each other anyway? But when Will encounters a face from the past in a disreputable nightclub, Kim turns up, as shifty, unreliable, and irresistible as ever. And before Will knows it, he’s been dragged back into Kim’s shadowy world of secrets, criminal conspiracies, and underhand dealings. This time, though, things are underhanded even by Kim standards. This time, the danger is too close to home. And if Will and Kim can’t find common ground against unseen enemies, they risk losing everything.

The Revolutionary and the Rogue by Blake Ferre - August 24th

Perrin deVesey knows pain. As a member of Crimson Rose, a secret club for men who love men, he’s taken the vow “to stand and shield.” Standing together during these perilous times is the only thing keeping their necks from the guillotine. Now their leader is using the club to rescue wrongly accused traitors. After losing a past lover to an unjust execution, the decision to support this treasonous cause is easy…until a devastatingly handsome Committee Officer complicates Perrin’s whole world. Officer Henri Chevalier hates aristocrats. But the man he finds while investigating Crimson Rose is more than just wealthy and fancily clothed. He’s a rogue that could take him to the heart of the uprising and stop it before it starts. His plan to get close to Perrin and steal his secrets backfires, though, when Henri finds himself falling for the damned aristo and his dangerous smile. His heart is even more conflicted as he learns the truth behind their cause…and the truth his own people have been hiding. Together they must make the choice—to stand and shield at any cost—and their love might be the deadliest weapon in all of France.

Healing Lance by MD Grimm (A Warrior’s Redemption #1)- July 28th

A baby’s laughter. A mind uncaged. Lance is known as Scourge, the warrior in the black armor, the dog of the warlord Ulfr Blackwolf. He was just a boy when Ulfr found him and molded him into the perfect weapon. He slaughters and pillages on command, merciless and numb, devoid of emotions. Then a baby girl laughs at him during a raid. And everything changes. When Gust, a talented healer, is out deer hunting and stumbles across a magnificent horse bearing a mortally wounded rider, he has no idea that his life is about to change forever. Gust applies all his skills to his patient, determined to save the rider’s life, and is rewarded when the man opens his eyes. As friendship, and more, bloom between warrior and healer, so does the danger over the horizon. Ulfr has not forgotten, and Lance must take his first steps on the long road to redemption.

The rest of the series is either out this Summer or finishes in Sept!

Unhallowed: A Novel of Widdershins (Rath & Rune Book #1) by Jordan L Hawk - July 17th

Monsters. Murder. Librarians. Librarian Sebastian Rath is the only one who believes his friend Kelly O’Neil disappeared due to foul play. But without any clues or outside assistance, there’s nothing he can do to prove it. When bookbinder Vesper Rune is hired to fill the vacancy left by O’Neil, he receives an ominous letter warning him to leave. After he saves Sebastian from a pair of threatening men, the two decide to join forces and get to the truth about what happened to O’Neil. But Vesper is hiding secrets of his own, ones he doesn’t dare let anyone learn. Secrets that grow ever more dangerous as his desire for Sebastian deepens. Because Kelly O’Neil was murdered. And if Sebastian and Ves don’t act quickly enough, they’ll be the next to die.

My Heart’s in the Highlands by Amy Hoff - July 17th - sapphic - time travel

The year is 1888. Brilliant and beautiful, Lady Jane Crichton has fought the constraints of her Victorian Edinburgh upbringing to become one of the first women to attend university for medicine. Denied a degree because of her gender, she decides to marry a closeted gay man, providing him with political and social cover and herself with the time and money to pursue her scientific interests—one of which is a time machine. Jane’s machine works…but not exactly as she expected, and soon she has crash-landed in the 13th-century Scottish Highlands. There she is rescued by a wild, red-haired warrior woman, Ainslie nic Dòmhnaill, next in line to the chiefship of the great Clan Donald, the rulers of the Sea Kingdom of the Isles. Despite the constant threat of attacks from enemy clans, harsh winters and a touch of homesickness, Jane finds herself bewitched by this land, this time and this magnificent woman. The rough and warlike Ainslie also feels the magic and revels in a passion and love neither she nor Jane had ever imagined. But Jane is hiding a dangerous secret—one that threatens to tragically transform their Highland fairy tale.

Kinship and Kindness by Kara Jorgensen (A Paranormal Society Romance #1) - releases July 29th -trans MC

Bennett Reynard needs one thing: to speak to the Rougarou about starting a union for shifters in New York City before the delegation arrives. When his dirigible finally lands in Louisiana, he finds the Rougarou is gone and in his stead is his handsome son, Theo, who seems to care for everyone but himself. Hoping he can still petition the Rougarou, Bennett stays only to find he is growing dangerously close to Theo Bisclavret. Theo Bisclavret thought he had finally come to terms with never being able to take his father’s place as the Rougarou, but with his father stuck in England and a delegation of werewolves arriving in town, Theo’s quiet life is thrown into chaos as he and his sister take over his duties. Assuming his father’s place has salted old wounds, but when a stranger arrives offering to help, Theo knows he can’t say no, even if Mr. Reynard makes him long for things he had sworn off years ago. As rivals arrive to challenge Theo for power and destroy the life Bennett has built, they know they must face their greatest fears or risk losing all they have fought for. With secrets threatening to topple their worlds, can Theo and Bennett let down their walls before it’s too late?

More under the cut...!!!!

My Highland Laird: Sci-Regency Book #5 by JL Langley - releases August 10th

Bannon Thompson, talented artist and youngest son of the Duke of Eversleigh, is hastily shipped off after his latest indiscretion. After crashing on rural Skye, leaving him and his valet the sole survivors of a diplomatic mission, Bannon must navigate the complexities of a primitive clan society and take up a role he never wanted: helping a sexy Highlander ensure the safety of both their planets.

Laird Ciaran MacKay wants nothing more than to keep his clan safe from the off-world intruders who killed his father. Suspecting complicity among his own people, he has no choice but to trust outsiders from a spaceship crash—and he can’t seem to fight his attraction to the stubborn redhead. Drawn to the handsome laird, Bannon risks a bold affair. But there is more at stake than reputations as they find two lost Regelens and uncover the Intergalactic Navy’s plot.

Artful Deception by Jackson Marsh (The Clearwater Myseries Book #5)

“Deception. The lie that tells the truth."

A damaged painting tempts Lord Clearwater to a final battle with his arch-enemy, and it's not a summons he can ignore.

Archer must free his homicidal brother from incarceration and reinstate him to the title. He will be left humiliated and penniless, but free to live his life with Silas with no threat of exposure. The alternative is death.

Drawing inspiration from a work of art, Clearwater manipulates a series of illusions to stay one step ahead of the endgame. While James, Tom and Silas race to solve clues and reach Archer before the fatal deadline, the assassin, Dorjan, remains hot on his heels ready to kill.

The sixth book in The Clearwater Mysteries series brings back popular characters from previous adventures in a fast-paced, twisting mystery that can have only one of two possible endings.

Or perhaps one of three. After all, deception is the lie that tells the truth.

Ten or Fifteen Miles by BL Maxwell - May 27th

Tim Latham had only been riding for the Pony Express for a week before he has to show the new guy the trail. Being raised on a farm in the Sacramento area, the Pony Express gave him an opportunity to see more of the country beyond his family’s little plot of land. He loves everything about the job: the adventure, the scenery, and the speed. Racing the wind on the back of a horse was as close to perfect as he could imagine.

Jeremiah Rollins grew up in San Francisco under the shadow of his father's successful shipping business. But Jeremiah craves the adventure he reads about in the dime novels he can’t get enough of. On a whim, and despite his father’s disapproval, he signs up for the Pony Express and leaves his old life behind for the steep, rocky trails that cross the Sierra Nevada. Both men are excited to begin their journey on their first ride together to Nevada Territory. They set out, making their way from station to station, racing as fast as their horses can carry them, and their friendship grows every mile. They both wanted adventure, but they may end up getting more than they dreamed of. Every ten or fifteen miles brings new experiences, and new feelings that grow with each mile they pass.

People Like Us by Ruby Moone (Winsford Green #2) - July 21st

Arthur Fitch clawed his way out of the violence and poverty of the slums of London to become a valet to the aristocracy. His ambition to secure a higher position led him to a disastrous appointment with a cold, brutal man, and when things come to a head, Arthur is forced to flee into a snowstorm to find safety. Joseph Wilkinson is the Winsford Green blacksmith. He has a good life, good friends, owns a thriving business, but at the end of the day when he goes home, loneliness consumes him. When he stumbles upon a small man determinedly trudging through the snowstorm, he invites him into his home to shelter. Arthur Fitch is older, smart-mouthed, and as prickly as hell. But, as Joe peels back the layers, he discovers a warm, funny, vulnerable man whose tastes in the bedchamber leave Joe gasping and desperate for more. Trouble is, having found the real Arthur Fitch, how can he convince him that life in a small town can be infinitely better than working for an Earl? That love really is possible for people like them? Particularly when Arthur’s past catches up with him in horrifying fashion.

Seaworthy bu KL Noone (Character Bleed Book #1) - August 1st - bisexual MC - contemporary, but with a lot of historical touches

An epic motion picture! A gay Napoleonic War love story! Ballrooms and battles at sea! Romantic happy endings on the silver screen! And a film that’ll change everything for its stars ... Jason Mirelli can’t play adrenaline-fueled action heroes forever. He’s getting older, plus the action star parts have grown a little thinner since he came out as bisexual. This role could finally let him be seen as a serious dramatic actor, and he needs it to go well -- for his career, and because he’s fallen in love with the story and the chance to tell it. The first problem? He’ll be playing a ship’s captain ... and he hasn’t exactly mentioned his fear of water. The second problem? His co-star: award-winning, overly talkative, annoyingly adorable -- and openly gay – box office idol Colby Kent. Colby’s always loved the novel this film’s based on, and he leapt at the chance to adapt it, now that he has the money and reputation to make it happen. But scars and secrets from his past make filming a love story difficult ... until Jason takes his hand and wakes up all his buried desires. Jason could be everything Colby’s ever wanted: generous and kind, a fantastic partner on set, not to mention those heroic muscles. But Colby just can’t take that chance ... or can he? As their characters fall in love and fight a war, Colby and Jason find themselves falling, too ... and facing the return of their own past demons. But together they just might win ... and write their own love story.

The Engineer (Magic & Steam Book #1) by CS Poe - May 28th

1881—Special Agent Gillian Hamilton is a magic caster with the Federal Bureau of Magic and Steam. He’s sent to Shallow Grave, Arizona, to arrest a madman engineer known as Tinkerer, who’s responsible for blowing up half of Baltimore. Gillian has handled some of the worst criminals in the Bureau’s history, so this assignment shouldn’t be a problem. But even he’s taken aback by a run-in with the country’s most infamous outlaw, Gunner the Deadly. Gunner is also stalking Shallow Grave in search of Tinkerer, who will stop at nothing to take control of the town’s silver mines. Neither Gillian nor Gunner are willing to let Tinkerer hurt more innocent people, so they agree to a very temporary partnership. If facing illegal magic, Gatling gun contraptions, and a wild engineer in America’s frontier wasn’t enough trouble for a city boy, Gillian must also come to terms with the reality that he’s rather fond of his partner. But even if they live through this adventure, Gillian fears there’s no chance for love between a special agent and outlaw. Based on the short story, “Gunner the Deadly.” Entirely revised, newly expanded, and Book One in the exciting new steampunk series, Magic & Steam.

Pirate’s Promise (Pirate’s of Port Royal Book #1) by Jules Radcliffe - May 12th - the rest of the series is also out this Summer!

Press-ganged as a boy, Job Wright must learn how to live as a free man.

For years Job has been a captive, treated as a servant—and sometimes more—by a crooked merchant crew. Until the day his ship is attacked by pirates. English pirates, no less, and Brethren of the Coast, a brotherhood of free men who owe allegiance to no one but themselves. Job thinks he's been rescued at last, but he's badly mistaken. As an Englishman aboard a Spanish ship, the Brethren believe he's a traitor and an enemy. But just when pirate justice is about to be delivered, Garrett Dubh intervenes. He both saves Job's life and recruits him to the pirate ship Audacious.

Surrounded by a fearsome crew, Job finds protection under Garrett's wing. He's ready to do anything for the handsome pirate—things he'd never willingly do for another man. But Garrett ignores Job's shy overtures. He believes Job is too traumatised by his past. Too young to know what he wants. And nothing Job says will change his mind.

To show Garrett he can take care of himself, Job leaves the safety of the Audacious. He joins the most ruthless Brethren crew in the Caribbean, led by the enigmatic and cruel Rusé.

But in the French pirate haven of Tortuga, thoughtless actions can have fatal consequences, something Job is about to discover. And this time, Garrett isn't there to save him.

Chasing a Legacy by D. A Ravenscroft - May 2020

Against the tense political backdrop of the Second French Empire, siblings Camille and Marianne find themselves wrestling with personal demons both past and present. As Camille strives to keep family secrets buried and unveil a plot against them, Marianne becomes involved with the handsome Baron Auclair and his mysterious younger sister. Little do the siblings know that soon their very different lives will come crashing together…

The sequel to a sequel! In this follow up to the unofficial Les Mis sequel ‘Chasing a Ghost’, we follow Enjolras and Grantaire’s children, Camille and Marianne, through dangers untold and family strife. Set in 1866, towards the end of the Second Empire, this story has murder, mystery, romance, drama, comedy, and a pet lion. And yes, it’s very, very queer.

https://www.lulu.com/en/gb/shop/d-a-ravenscroft/chasing-a-legacy/paperback/product-y58wrq.html

Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian (Seducing the Sedgwicks Book #3) - June 23rd

Will Sedgwick can’t believe that after months of searching for his oldest friend, Martin Easterbrook is found hiding in an attic like a gothic nightmare. Intent on nursing Martin back to health, Will kindly kidnaps him and takes him to the countryside to recover, well away from the world. Martin doesn’t much care where he is or even how he got there. He’s much more concerned that the man he’s loved his entire life is currently waiting on him hand and foot, feeding him soup and making him tea. Martin knows he’s a lost cause, one he doesn’t want Will to waste his life on. As a lifetime of love transforms into a tender passion both men always desired but neither expected, can they envision a life free from the restrictions of the past, a life with each other?

Best Laid Plaids by Ella Stainton (Kilty Pleasures #1)- August 31st

In 1920s Scotland, even ghosts wear plaid.

Welcome to a sexy, spooky new paranormal historical series from debut author Ella Stainton.

Scotland, 1928

Dr. Ainsley Graham is cultivating a reputation as an eccentric.

Two years ago, he catastrophically ended his academic career by publicly claiming to talk to ghosts. When Joachim Cockburn, a WWI veteran studying the power of delusional thinking, arrives at his door, Ainsley quickly catalogues him as yet another tiresome Englishman determined to mock his life’s work.

But Joachim is tenacious and openhearted, and Ainsley’s intrigued despite himself. He agrees to motor his handsome new friend around to Scotland’s most unmistakable hauntings. If he can convince Joachim, Ainsley might be able to win back his good name and then some. He knows he’s not crazy—he just needs someone else to know it, too.

Joachim is one thesis away from realizing his dream of becoming a psychology professor, and he’s not going to let anyone stop him, not even an enchanting ginger with a penchant for tartan and lewd jokes. But as the two travel across Scotland’s lovely—and definitely, definitely haunted—landscape, Joachim’s resolve starts to melt. And he’s beginning to think that an empty teaching post without the charming Dr. Graham would make a very poor consolation prize indeed…

The Gentleman’s Thief by Isobel Starling (Resurrectionist Book #2)

Tuesday 28th December 1897. Mr. Benedict Hannan, the owner of Hannan’s Auction House in Fitzrovia, London, receives an unexpected visitor at his Bloomsbury home. The man on his stoop sends Benedict’s heart into a flutter, and on inviting the mysterious stranger into his house, he is inviting mystery, adventure, and volcanic desire.

Sebastian Cavell—master thief, gives the impression he has sought out Benedict for the sake of business, but the kind of business Sebastian has in mind has nothing to do with making money!

Cavell has been tasked with finding the whereabouts of a missing German aristocrat. With Benedict’s society connections, Sebastian gains access to his Gentleman’s Club and to men whose behavior is not so gentlemanly!

Benedict is pulled into the circle of a dangerous secret society and he not only learns the truth about the mysterious Sebastian Cavell, but learns the truth about himself and all he truly desires.

The Curse of the Mummy’s Heart by Julia Talbot - June 30th

Something is rising in the desert sand, and between two adventurous men.

Famous 1920s Hollywood actor Douglas Fitzhugh and his brother Donnie are headed for Egypt on a classic monster movie quest. Their mysterious benefactor, a man they call Grant, has sent them to find a stranded archaeologist, and all they have to go on is a handwritten journal. That's just the kind of adventure Douglas loves, and he never passes up the chance to get away from his studio-driven life.

Charles Angeloff is also on his way to Egypt with a special object his father has asked him to return to the tomb he ripped it from. Charles is just out of university, and when he meets Douglas, he falls hard for Douglas' charm and his worldly ways.

As they travel, more men of adventure join them: a cowboy, a rich seminary student, and a librarian. When they're all together, it's like magic happens, and the men all realize they're on a mission to stop the horror that stirs beneath the desert sands, even as that creature sets its sights on Charles. Will Douglas and Charles lose each other just when they've found what they both think is the man they want to be with forever?

Starcrossed: A Paranormal Historical Romance (Magic in Manhattan #2) by Allie Therin - May 18th

When everything they’ve built is threatened, only their bond remains… 1925 New York Psychometric Rory Brodigan’s life hasn’t been the same since the day he met Arthur Kenzie. Arthur’s continued quest to contain supernatural relics that pose a threat to the world has captured Rory’s imagination—and his heart. But Arthur’s upper-class upbringing still leaves Rory worried that he’ll never measure up, especially when Arthur’s aristocratic ex arrives in New York. For Arthur, there’s only Rory. But keeping the man he’s fallen for safe is another matter altogether. When a group of ruthless paranormals throw the city into chaos, the two men’s strained relationship leaves Rory vulnerable to a monster from Arthur’s past. With dark forces determined to tear them apart, Rory and Arthur will have to draw on every last bit of magic up their sleeves. And in the end, it’s the connection they’ve formed without magic that will be tested like never before.

Another Chance For Love by Ellie Thomas - July 4th

Former British Army Lieutenant Adam Merryweather survived the Western Front of WWI and has slowly recovered from his injuries. But can he heal from a broken heart? Torn between family duty and personal happiness, he sacrificed his love for Alf and has never ceased to regret it in the two years since the war ended. Adam is slowly putting his empty life back together, working for the family firm in the city centre of Bristol and trying to stop his mother’s meddling to find him the perfect socially acceptable bride. When he happens to meet Alf out of the blue, Adam is determined to try again. But convincing Alf to give him another chance may be too much to hope for. Can a chance meeting bring them back together? Or has Adam lost another chance for love forever?

The Care and Feeding of Waspish Widows by Olivia Waite - July 28th - sapphic

When Agatha Griffin finds a colony of bees in her warehouse, it’s the not-so-perfect ending to a not-so-perfect week. Busy trying to keep her printing business afloat amidst rising taxes and the suppression of radical printers like her son, the last thing the widow wants is to be the victim of a thousand bees. But when a beautiful beekeeper arrives to take care of the pests, Agatha may be in danger of being stung by something far more dangerous…

Penelope Flood exists between two worlds in her small seaside town, the society of rich landowners and the tradesfolk. Soon, tensions boil over when the formerly exiled Queen arrives on England’s shores—and when Penelope’s long-absent husband returns to Melliton, she once again finds herself torn, between her burgeoning love for Agatha and her loyalty to the man who once gave her refuge.

As Penelope finally discovers her true place, Agatha must learn to accept the changing world in front of her. But will these longing hearts settle for a safe but stale existence or will they learn to fight for the future they most desire?

*If more come to my attention after this is posted, they will be added!!!

#lgbt romance #historical romance #sapphic #trans romance #f/f romance #m/m romance #books

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still-finding-our-way · 4 years ago

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N17, N16

(SX 742760) 28/11/ 2020

I am slow to write about this walk. For days after, whenever I close my eyes, visions arise, vivid and intense. Spooling and searing under lids, I need time to process what feels like a profound experience. Hallowed and spiritual, time distorted, surreal and dreamlike, we are moving through a white space, still without a whisper of wind. Silence magnified. The sighting of a magnificent raven perched on a boundary wall, silhouetted against the gloom, statuesque and blacker then coal. Its eerie caw, rasping, cuts through the stillness. We watch, still and wordless, spellbound by its presence, reluctant to peel away to continue on our journey. The sighting feels totemic. This is the ravens space, not ours.

Jennie points out a tiny plant no more than finger height amongst the moor grass, dew drops suspended, crystal cut on delicate limbs—it radiates amongst earthly hues, no seasonal decoration able to match its completeness. Stripped back to the elements, away from noise and distraction, the high moor often feels otherworldly, now swathed in thick fog, visibility reduced to less than a few metres, the landscape is positively alien. Spatial perspective has dissolved and we are suspended in a colourless void. A place where there is no middle or far distance, no front, back or sideways, no horizon or sky. Only the here and now. Just us, breathing in whiteness, the sound of boots trudging. For all we know we might have slipped through a megalith portal, crossed over a time and space threshold and be walking in a different dimension and reality.

My eldest daughter Libby joined us on this walk. All three of us seeking relief and respite on the moor and in each other’s company; vital therapy for shaking out the suffocating insularity caused by the lockdown restrictions. As with Jennie’s children and my own, Libby grew up with parts of Dartmoor as her extended playground. Now, as an avid climber, she regularly searches out the moor’s rocky outcrops to boulder and climb with her partner Harry. No doubt under normal circumstances—not being pregnant and having clear visibility—she would have confidently strode out and led the way. Today however, engulfed by a swirling nothingness, unable to correlate the symbols on the map with the surrounding terrain, the compass becomes our only reliable guide.

Navigating through murky liquid water requires an act of faith. Follow the flickering red arrow, trust the magnets and the unseen. Our belief rewarded by staying on course. Landmarks marked on the map: Rippon Tor, Logan Stone, Buckland Beacon, Pil Tor and Top Tor, loom out from the grey miasma, yawning great slabs of granite, alien rock sculptures, moulded and defiant. It felt miraculous. All this despite my erroneous route planing. X may mark the spot but as we found out, almost to our peril, the links between the X’s do not necessarily follow a neatly drawn line on the map.

The walk was designed primarily around visiting Buckland Beacon, a Tor which stands 1,253ft (382m) above sea level and which Jennie had discovered hosts two slabs of stone carved with the 10 commandment’s from the Christian bible. Given our religious upbringing, exposed to the spiritual fervour of Pentecostalism, we wondered how we had not heard about the stones before.

A quick scan of the internet reveals a family who had made money through the Greenall Whitely brewery established in the 18th century in the North of England. An enterprise enabled by the seismic cultural and economic fallout from the industrial revolution. Flicking from page to page I quickly spiral into a story about commercial enterprise, the expansion of capital, wealth, political influence and private education, the tentacles of which reach Devon through the brothers William and Herbert Whitely, who moved to the county in the early 20th Century. William Whitely became lord of Buckland Manor, buying up land and a number of surrounding farms with the help of his younger brother, Herbert. As a staunch protestant and traditionalist, William commissioned local stone mason W. A. Clement to engrave the ten commandments on two slabs of granite on the south face of the Beacon in 1928. The inscription was a celebration of the Parliamentary ruling that rejected proposals to revise the Book of Common Prayer, and included the dates when the bill was passed and an eleventh commandment for good measure.

Meanwhile, the younger brother, Herbert had been busy building a menagerie on his private estate near Paignton, acquiring all manner of exotic plants and animals. In 1923 he opened his collection to the public as Torbay Zoological Gardens, a venue that later became known as Paignton Zoo. I read with interest that Herbert had a particular penchant for blue, collecting and breeding blue animals and plants. The most precious hue in nature, not really a pigment but an interplay of light on feathers, wings, skin, scales and exoskeletons. Blue is not an earthly colour, it has to be extracted from stone or made synthetically and as such has been much prized in history. The deep blue pigment 'Ultramarine' favoured by the great Italian renaissance painters, Raphael, Botticelli and Titian, was ground from the semi-precious mineral ‘Lapis lazuli’, which translates from its Middle Eastern roots as literally ‘blue stone’. Mixing and blending, accruing and containing. Blue became the colour of royalty and divinity. Peacock feather, delphinium, cerulean and the deepest indigo. A slick of blue eyeshadow drawn across Cleopatra’s brow to seduce an empire. Virgin blue, alchemy and sorcery. Blue blood and blue beard. The rich and powerful scoring words into stone and hoarding natures treasure.

Reading the inscription on the stones unearthed long forgotten memories from childhood. Stories flooded back about the wrath and vengeance of the Christian old God ‘Thou shalt have none other gods but me … I the Lord thy God am a jealous God’. Seduced and softened by modern liberalism, a new religion where, on the surface at least, we are expected to cast no judgement, the language felt controlling and finite, limited and at odds with the fecundity of the moor, which even in the deepest winter is alive. You can feel and smell the aliveness, folding and churning, a living entity. Leaf mould and dung, symbiosis, copulation and predation; the parasitic and endophytic, plant and animal and the in-between. Everywhere sprouting and spewing fungi, mulching and mashing. Names that weave story and folklore into identification of plant and fauna, marking out the deadly and the vision inducing: Witches butter, Yellow brain, Ink cap and Velvet shank. The moor speaks to an earthly spirituality, synthesising and composing, living and dying, a life renewing continuum. I take heed of myth that reflects the biological life cycle as found in the ancient trinity of the Hindu deities: Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva—forever creating, maintaining and destroying. Alive and dead, my skin catches on the shards of granite, grains of quartz and feldspar, mingling with micro-biological lifeforms, bacteria and my own spiralling blue-print contained in DNA.

The commandment stones are no match for the elements or the passing of time. Eaten away by lichen and eroded by the onslaught of weather, the words have to be regularly chiseled to stop them disappearing altogether. A hundred years passing, not even a heartbeat in geological time. Rooted in pre-history and borne out of fire and fusion, the stones represent forces far bigger than the scratchings and scrubbings of men. Standing on the stones, taking the obligatory 'we were here' selfies, it is easy to dismiss the monument as archaic, the monomania of a rich and powerful man. But we arrive at the stones with our own set of beliefs, contained by ideological structures—some of which are invisible to even ourselves—that colour how we see our place in the world. We talk comfortably about the effect of nature on the body as evidenced through scientific measurement and analysis, the language of endorphins, lowered blood pressure and raised serotonin levels—but we are not so fluid in the language of the spiritual.

Sipping hot tea, I garble about monotheism and the cultural separation of the divine from earthly realms to an abstract other place. But I am unable to grasp the right words to explain the contradiction of the stones with the surroundings. I want to say how the arrival of the three mono religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam elevated the divine to a non-earthly domain, somewhere over the rainbow, beyond the clouds and out of reach. The earlier gods and goddesses; the spirits and deities of rivers, trees, forests and stones were all but chased out, surviving only through folklore and myth. Whilst the life renewing vitality of the deep earth became associated with devilment and hell; a place to bury the carnal and hide our earthly appetites. Out too, went the animal spirits, the totems from which to learn and draw strength from: the sharp eyed raven, the stealth of the wild cat, the strong ox and cunning snake. In separating the divine from the corporeal we created a hierarchy and dominion that placed man atop of the pile so we might touch the divine and in doing so we cut off our roots. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust. Bones and dirt, dirty old bones. Godliness became whiteness and purity, and heaven the only place where we might be free from earthly weights; the sweat and the tears, pain and sickness, shame and folly. You can see the attraction—the body weighs heavy, it breaks and is fallible. Our appetites always biting back. Too much and we get sick, too little and we get sick. How to to lighten the load? Psychedelic drugs, serotonin, diazepam, liquid ecstacy, shamanic rituals, prayer, hallucination, meditation, visions and dreams; a story to make it all go away.

The crown slips. The spires reach high up to the skies but bring us no closer to heaven. We are no more divine or kingly, as we ever were. Heaven was always here.

The spool keeps spinning and I can’t rewind. Each moment evaporates into nothingness. Gone. White space. Dense twisted oak and hardy hawthorn giving way to larger trees as we descend into the valley. Mosses, liverworts, fern and lichen. Leaf litter turning to thick mulch. Branches snag and catch loose hair as we duck beneath trees. Bulbous fruiting fungi wet to touch, animal. Three women: mothers and daughters and friends, traipsing down a winding road in the deepest winter. Smiling and laughing, savouring the moment. An old church, cool and still invites us in. Before we enter we study the lettering on the ornate clock face on the church tower, we think it spells ‘Dear Earth’. Later I find out Mr William Whitely has been at it again, replacing the numbers in 1931 with the letters ‘My Dear Mother’. I figure it means the same as our first interpretation. We enter the church and stay awhile. My girl waits outside, sitting on an old lichen covered bench amongst the granite gravestones, her trusted dog by her side. The old bones of Mr Whitely not far away feed the earth while she grows new bones deep within her belly.

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onekrambles · 4 years ago

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The Hubris of a World Unknown

The sun was sweltering the day we visited the Museum of Terracotta Warriors and Horses of Qin Shi Huang. Part of Emperor Qinshihuang’s Mausoleum Site Museum, the museum of terracotta warriors is tucked away in the east of the city of Xi’an, China. It was unusually hot for a Spring day, but it seemed that it was the norm for the semi-arid capital of Shaanxi Province. The sun shone brightly on the vast flat plains of the seemingly unremarkable museum grounds.

It made sense that for as far as the eye could see, there were only low buildings and the lush green mountains off in the horizon. Qin Shi Huang (259-210 BCE) — the First Emperor of China — upon ascension to the throne at only age 13 had planned for his inevitable demise. He’d ordered almost immediately the construction of an underground mausoleum where he would have an entire army of over 7000 terracotta warriors, horses, chariots, and weaponry to protect him in the afterlife. Qin Shi Huang had a revolutionary mind and is widely known for innovations (i.e. the standardization of currency, writing, unifying the nation with a universal language, etc.) during his reign that lay the groundwork for the powerhouse China we know today. He’d sought to conquer certain death from very on in life, the subterranean citadel of soldiers guarding his tomb had mercury coursing through underground troughs similar to the topography of rivers and seas on Earth that was believed to be a way to immortality.

Today, at the site of one of the greatest archaeological finds of the 20th century, the first and largest of the excavated pits sits inside a utilitarian warehouse. Throngs of people squeeze their way into the huge structure housing the terracotta warriors. It was a practical building — a large metal roof covering the area with skylight illuminating the place. There was nothing to aid air circulation save for the openings of the entrances and exits. Visitors elbowed their way to the front of the barricade surrounding the large pit of dirt. Many had the sole intention to take photographs and immediately vacated the place, which worked in my favor as a path to the front slowly cleared for me.

It was a magnificent sight — rows upon rows upon rows of terracotta warriors and horses stood steadfast between walls of blackened dirt, spanning as far as the eye could see. I was awe-struck my it all. The scale of the history that loomed hit me square in the face.

That, and the dust.

“This is one of the four pits uncovered, but it is the biggest,” the tour guide beside us revealed to her group of tourists. “It was the first one to be opened to the public. When it was discovered, most of these soldiers weren’t complete like what you see now.”

“It was took time to put them all back together like this.”

Murmurs of fascination grew as she led the group away from the barricade, their places immediately snatched up by the next cluster of visitors.

Chaos arose after the sudden death of Qin Shi Huang in 210 BCE. Peasant rebellions broke out and looting took place. Xiang Yu, a military leader who overthrew the Qin Dynasty (221-206 BCE) is the prime suspect fingered by Chinese archaeologists for the arson and looting of the tomb. The weapons that each soldier wielded were taken away, now lost to the world. The tunnels of the citadel were set aflame, causing smoke and flame damage to the terracotta warriors and the structure of the place, rafters fell during the fires crushed the warriors into rubble. The soot is still apparent in the dirt that covers the place.

The crowds started to trickle down as we wandered further along the pit towards the stuffier, dustier air that sits in the middle of the building. The shattered pieces of the warriors lay in heaps of broken fragments in the maze of dirt — as promised. Excavation in the pits remain incomplete even today, there still remains pieces to the puzzle of Qin Shi Huang’s tomb that are elusive. Beyond the rubble were cordoned off work areas were archaeologists sat hard at work, painstakingly piecing each fragment together.

There were two other excavation pits that were part of the museum, and a fourth pit that was empty when it was uncovered — believed to be incomplete due to the sudden death of the Emperor. Pit 2 and Pit 3, named in the order of discovery, were very much like the first one. Rubble and warriors amongst a maze of dirt.

Like the Pit 1, the pits are yet to be completely uncovered; only a sixth of Pit 2 has been unearthed so far. However, Pit 2 is said to have a complete army of the terracotta warriors discovered. In the pit are archers both kneeling and standing, infantry warriors, cavalry warriors, and chariots that have been found.

Adjacent to the second excavation pit was a blessedly air-conditioned exhibition hall, a relief from the stagnant air of the place. The most complete of the warriors uncovered were put on display. Each figure stood nearly two meters high and no two warriors looked exactly the same. Each had different eyes, nose, ears, cheeks, mouths, hair — you name it. Their individual characteristics even gave indication to their ranks or their military specializations by their clothes, hats, shoes, roundness of their bellies, postures, just to name a few. Warriors meant to wield weapons that were fully and not only for artistic purposes had their hands shaped accordingly to their weapon of choice. Every warrior was different from next, as it would be in a mortal army.

Kneeling terracotta archer, hands positioned to hold a crossbow

Middle-ranking terracotta officer

High-ranking terracotta officer

Upon close inspection of the figures, faint traces of paint can be seen on the warriors. “The warriors used to be painted in vibrant colors of reds, blues, greens, and yellows,” yet another tour guide was explaining to his group of tourists.

It truly was convenient. We casually shuffled nearer, not at all suspicious, to listen in.

“Actually, the warriors have colors when they’re discovered but the paint fades off very, very quickly — four minutes and it’s gone! Archaeologists always have to be quick to take pictures before it goes. Xi’an weather is too dry, not good for the paint. It oxidizes too fast.”

Due to the lack of technology and proper research, he explained, excavation efforts have been massively minimized where possible. Until there was a way to properly retain and preserve the colors, at the very least.

To date, there’s still remains a large portion of the Emperor’s tomb to be uncovered. Sima Qian (145-86 BCE), in Shiji — considered the greatest historical work in China, had described what the contents of the tomb might be. It was thought that Qin Shi Huang had lined his burial complex with a treasure of riches and piles of precious gemstones said to represent the stars, the Sun, and the Moon; the Emperor had looked to the cosmos as a guide for crossing over to an immortal existence. Thought this was once thought to be a myth, the discovery of the terracotta warriors had shed a light of doubt on the supposed fallacies of Sima Qian’s records. There isn’t anyone to corroborate his claims too. Sima Qian had said that Qin Shi Huang so feared that his artisans might disclose all the treasure that was in the tomb that after the burial and sealing up of the treasures, the artisans and laborers related to the construction of the tomb were also imprisoned with him. How true this claims are, no one yet knows.

It was late afternoon when we finished our tour of the museum. It’s true that there wasn’t much else to see besides dusty terracotta figures, and yet my eyes were opened to something far beyond statues of warriors that were meant to protect the Emperor in the afterlife. It spoke of ambition and power, it spoke of the strength of a merciless yet revolutionary ruler. The mysteries of a time unknown to anyone alive today.

The mound that stands above Qin Shi Huang’s tomb complex is a ways away from the terracotta warriors, still untouched until proper preservation techniques have been established. We had a long day ahead of us still, this was only one stop among many other stops and made our way out of the museum grounds.

I don’t know if I’ll ever get to see the secrets that lay beneath the ground I stood on with my own two eyes. At least not in this lifetime. Maybe the next, then.

#travel writing

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princessweddingdresssweetheartne · 5 years ago

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Princess Wedding Favors

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metamodel · 5 years ago

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Piss, Bread and Circuses

Hello again. I recently visited the Australian Film, Television and Radio School for their latest Re:Frame event, which was about audience engagement in the attention economy. After just ten minutes, I wanted to stab my eyes with a pencil.

Station ident: After returning to design after a year away, I find that Everything Now Looks Very Strange Indeed™. This is another one of my updates on restarting a creative practice (which I’m calling Studio Thing), plus a dose of cultural and design commentary.

Ah yes, the eye-stabbing. I can imagine many interesting conversations about attention in a post-broadcast media world, but when this event opened with a keynote from self-proclaimed “Data Whisperer” Elisa Choy, they were almost occluded in advance. Choy’s talk represented everything that might be dubious about the meeting of Big Data and creative strategy: figuring her audience as a bunch of panicked TV executives, she opined about the declining ratings of big tentpole shows like MasterChef. As a panacea for this non-problem, Choy offered her data-whispering “methodology”: ambulance-chasing the public’s roiling opinions on social media, which we can then mirror by creating the Right Content™. Pet-swapping is hot, so we should make shows about pet-swapping! I kid you fucking not.

[caption align="alignnone" width="980"]

The death spiral of bread and circuses[/caption]

Look, I know, feedback loops have the potential to enable many things, but they’re not necessarily positive, and here I have to take a stand: this particularly impoverished approach to data and culture represents the tightening of a noose around society’s neck. Rather than opening up possibilities in cultural production, the weaponisation of social media metrics to slavishly create What the Public Wants only serves to narrow our focus to that of a cybernetic Id: the collective embodiment of the prototypical addict, reduced to drinking their own toxic urine from a tube. (Having myself sought professional help over poisonous feedback loops involving substances that amongst other things included, uh, Netflix, I don’t use such metaphors lightly.)

Of course, I’d merely shrug if such an approach weren’t already so sadly emblematic of where we’re at as a society. The dream of a perfectly closed loop of reactive idiocy won’t ever fully “work”, of course, but in this era of insta-populism and habit-forming media apparatuses that feed on our own bile, we’re nonetheless currently living the damage wreaked by such attempts. As strategists, designers and producers of culture, we should be doing everything we can to avoid this spiral into doom.

Georgia Rowe, a service designer at the ABC, slyly mentioned at the same event that being sensitive to the breadth of people’s lived contexts would be, you know, essential to any kind of useful loop of engagement. Her respect for that universe of possibility within the pores of everyday life, rather than its reduction into more yet grist for the mill, has always been the progressive horizon of Human-Centred Design. But I’m not sure that this is enough to counterbalance the spectre before us: media landlords, populist strongmen and other disreputables, busily instrumentalising our data into some kind of zombie-reptilian autonomic nervous system of anti-culture. And it’s not Georgia’s individual responsibility to create a stronger antidote to such tendencies, either; shouldn’t we collectively be pushing harder in other directions?

In fact, I wonder these days if the “human context” we so often highlight has become a fig-leaf or alibi for our underlying zombie-reptile tendencies. Is the very popularisation of Human-Centred Design in the current juncture, which correlates so strongly with the rise of our current digital product overlords, itself a symptom of our predicament? As someone who cut their teeth as a Director of Design at Australia’s first social-purpose-focused Human-Centred Design studio, it’s not easy for me to say this, but our obsessive focus on fashioning usable, desirable products, and thus the methods we use to do this — including HCD — are imbricated in this short-circuit of desire, and exploited by the profiteers of our attention. Perhaps some spanners need to be thrown into the works, lest design is sucked into its own black hole.

Beneath the pavement: the rave

The second keynote at Re:Frame was from Seb Chan, the Chief Experience Officer at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image. Seb’s work is thankfully all about creating the conditions for reigniting curiosity and community, rather than death-spiralling. (He’s also an exemplary citizen of the Republic of Newsletters; Fresh and New is essential reading for anyone interested in culture and technology, as well as having an interesting “pay to access the archives” business model. Go and subscribe, immediately. Seb’s also responsible for giving me the kick in the pants to post a new issue: “I like your newsletter,” he told me after his talk as I blushed prettily, “… WHEN IT COMES OUT.” Ahem.)

Seb said a couple of slightly cryptic but suggestive things in his keynote that I think can help loosen design’s tendency to auto-asphyxiate under capitalism. Firstly, he noted that his design approach isn’t focused on reactively addressing “user needs”. (And he was also clear that neither is it about narrowly focusing on transactional interactions, as experience design so often is.) Secondly, he acknowledged that his current work in experience design inevitably draws from his background in organising electronic dance parties in the distant 20th Century — a different but related kind of “experience”. (No doubt some of you also remember going to Frigid in ‘90s Sydney. Good times!) Moreover, he provocatively described those events as “utopian, elite and exclusionary”.

It might be surprising to hear a senior figure of a public cultural institution use terms that could be interpreted as “anti-democratic”, but that’s not really the angle here. Seb’s approach certainly isn’t about disregarding the needs of ACMI’s visitors, or making it the sole preserve of over-educated latté-belters. Rather, going beyond “user needs” opens up possibilities that would be foreclosed by seeing visitors as simply customers who need to be mechanically serviced. And by being underground, 20th Century electronic dance culture created pockets of safety that enabled sexual minorities to have space to flourish, outside the panopticon of the dominant culture. Subcultures therefore serve as an alternative model for conceiving of how we might experience public institutions and infrastructures. The upshot is not how to make museums more obscure, but how we can use this insight to create spaces of conviviality across our social terrain.

In a recent newsletter, Seb put it this way:

When people in the cultural sector talk about museums or libraries as aiming to become ‘town squares’ or similar, I wonder if they are missing a trick. A town square is where only the loudest voices can be heard. Perhaps a town square is not what is needed, but an ecology of smaller niches where smaller voices thrive? And the institutional role lies in being a facilitator of the connections between niches?

Essentially, this is about a different way to be public.

Beneath the pavement: limestone caves

Thinking about this thought-bomb, I’m reminded of nothing less than W.H. Auden’s magnificent 1948 poem “In Praise of Limestone”, which contrasts the gentle affordances of limestone caves with other, less forgiving geological spaces:

“Come!" purred the clays and gravels,

“On our plains there is room for armies to drill; rivers

Wait to be tamed and slaves to construct you a tomb

In the grand manner: soft as the earth is mankind and both

Need to be altered."

Against a totalising, scorched-earth concept of public space, Auden yearns for his sensual pockets of limestone. He’s not uncritical — like anybody who’s grappled with the limits of the identity politics that sometimes come with subcultural niches, the poem is ambivalent about the indulgence and narcissism that such spaces can engender, but it’s suggestive of something much more interesting to me than the flattened, data-whispered zombie dystopia of The Public (Opinion) that appears to be all the rage these days.

More on publics and counterpublics next week! I’m currently in Melbourne for the sometimes-provocative SDNOW conference, and there’s too much to write about…

A sustainable portion of all my love,

Ben

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movingeightmountains-blog · 6 years ago

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Settling In

Rolling hills, unspoilt beaches, yachts bobbing gently in the water, with white sails softly blowing in the breeze, the varying blues of the sea, pretty skies, magnificent aging trees like old men watching with smiles on their faces at the children and families playing in the parks and playgrounds below, the cows and sheep quietly grazing on fields of lush, green grass…serene, peaceful, quiet…it is all so stunningly beautiful. This is New Zealand.

The safety and the sense of 'order' one feels here is tangible. Added to this is a great transport system, with buses (that run every fifteen minutes), trains and ferries (to take one across to the north shore or to one of the many islands dotted around), all of which you can easily hop on and off from early in the morning until late at night. Our house is cosy and sunny and feels more like a holiday home. Happy voices of children are heard daily in the playground across the road in the park, children climbing and running and swinging and jumping… The large trees line the winding pathways of the park, dogs pull their owners along on their leashes, or run free, tails wagging, catching the balls that are hurled in the air in front of them, the grass is luxuriously thick and green and feels soft to the feet. A walk through this park leads one to the long, superb stretch of sea and sand. Looking out to sea, the islands Rangitoto, Whangarei as well as the little village of Devonport, part of the North Island, and the Coromandel can be seen in the distance. The twisting promenade curves its way for kilometres along the beachfront - keep walking along the beach to the left (about 6 kms) and you will eventually reach the beautiful Auckland City, dominated with the Sky Tower on it’s horizon. Walk to the right and you will be able to explore the charming village of St Heliers with its quaint shops, restaurants, bakeries and little stores. Yachts all along the coastline bob up and down in the expanse of water, and stand-up paddle borders, kayakers, swimmers enjoy the gentle water protected in this bay by the land and islands surrounding it. Across the road people gather in sidewalk cafes; as you walk past, the aroma of coffee tempts one to join the other patrons and perhaps even to enjoy one of the delectable meals on offer. Looking around the restaurant you will find people working on their laptops, or just simply sitting and watching the view in front of them. People smile when they walk by, even sometimes stopping for a chat, they seem happy as they walk their dogs, ride their bicycles or scooters (called ‘limes’ ‘cos they are lime green) - both forms of transport are dotted all over the place - you can just pick one up wherever you find one lying around and then drop the bike, or scooter, off wherever you want (all done on a phone app to pay for their use - I'm yet to try one!). Despite the first couple of days of jetlag, I managed to meet Craig's colleague, Jimmy and his wife at their house; they kindly took us for a coffee and ice cream near where they live. Two days later we were off on a four-hour drive to Whakatane to visit Craig's sister, Jan. It was lovely to see her again and meet her husband and to see her children again after so many years. Also, to meet her two gorgeous and bubbly little grandchildren! Parks adorn Auckland city; the picturesque Cornwall Park was the first one that I had the pleasure to visit; it was a diving friend of Craig's birthday and we met there, with other friends, for a ‘barbeque’. This massive park reminded me of the forests in England, (there are apparently more than 800 trees), a working farm with cows and sheep, and many trails and paths for the public to enjoy, including the path up to the extinct volcano where you can be rewarded with a stunning view over Auckland and the surrounding areas. There are 48 extinct volcanoes in Auckland, I’ve walked up two so far, but I still have to experience this one! Waitawa Regional Park, about an hour's drive from home, was next on my list of places I had the opportunity to visit. This unspoilt beautiful coastline is exquisite! We met our new friends, Jonathan and Linda there for a picnic. The view of the ocean with it’s islands dotted around is spectacular. Sharing a special evening at the book launch of author, Nicky Pelligrino, with Caitie at our community library, was a special treat. Whilst sipping on a glass of wine, nibbling on dates and cheeses and other delicious snacks, Nicky spoke about her life and how she started writing books. I bought her latest book, "A Dream of Italy", which, of course she duly signed for me, a romantic novel in which various characters, and for various reasons, leave their mundane lives to buy a house and start a new life in Italy! The subtitle “Sometimes a new place changes everything” somehow appealed to me! Mt Eden is the highest extinct volcano in Auckland. A relaxed and enjoyable 2km walk along a winding path brought us to the top; it was a perfect place to appreciate the spectacular views, and to try and assimilate that yes, I am actually here, finally, in New Zealand, after years of discussions and speculating whether we would ever make this move! The 27th April was Matt's 20th birthday and we decided to take the ferry to the little village of Devonport where we wandered up the one main little street, visiting ‘old-worlde’ little shops along the way. We stopped for a coffee and apple pie and cream in an inviting little coffee shop before making our way up a winding hill to another extinct volcano, Mt Victoria. The final part of the walk were steps up and then....oh my goodness a breathtakingly-beautiful 360ﹾ view of Auckland and surrounds! I actually felt quite emotional and was taken aback by the splendour of the view that was in front of me and around me! I have had countless dreams, since I have been in New Zealand, where I am still in Johannesburg, still desperately trying to sell the house, still trying to leave South Africa and all the stress that goes with it! I still sometimes can't believe that I now live at the bottom of the world, so far from all I have known, from my brothers, from dear friends, from the familiarity of everything in South Africa. It is a weird feeling, like my body is in NZ but my brain sometimes still feels like it is still in SA. An old South African friend of mine, who now lives here and who I had the wonderful chance to spend time with again, said to expect this for the first two years of living here as she felt the same! So at least it is normal! I am getting to know the immediate area around the house and have GoogleMaps on when I drive to keep me on track! To begin with either Craig, Cates or Matt would come with me to the shops to point out the best brands etc which was a big help! The grocery shops here are mostly quite different to those in South Africa, they are very big, like warehouses, which is probably a good thing because there’s no sense in lingering in shops like these as they are quite rough. It can be rather overwhelming to walk around the many aisles, faced with so many different varieties of grocery items, and always nice to see something one recognises, whether it’s a tin of milo or the proverbial Mrs Balls chutney! Our two dogs, Marshall and Mara, seem happy, especially loving their walks to the park and beach! Our cat, Coco, however, doesn't seem to have settled quite as well as the dogs. We are keeping him inside for the moment which he doesn't seem to mind. He has taken to using a litter box quite easily but he seems a little 'skittish' at times so I hope he will settle down properly at some stage. I think generally it is the freedom here which stands out for me as the most important quality of life in New Zealand. The freedom of not having to lock doors and windows, the ‘luxury’ of being able to drive with your windows down, even at night, the freedom of being able to hop on and off buses, trains and ferries, the freedom to walk around late at night, of being able to stand outside in the garden at 3 ‘o clock in the morning waiting for Mara to ‘spend a penny’, with a little picket fence wall, and not fear that someone is going to jump over the wall and threaten your life. Driving is also a very different experience to the driving in South Africa. It is difficult at first to keep to the 50km speed limit that is the rule on most roads, but it does create a sense of order and safety on the roads. The speed limit on highways is 100km which seems plenty fast enough to me and which you soon get used to. Drivers are courteous and ready to say ‘thanks’ with a wave of a hand, politeness rules as ordinary civilians say ‘thank you’ as they get off buses…to waiting cars as they cross the pedestrian crossings…there is a ‘niceness’ here, everything seems quite calm, and one seldom hears the sound of car horns hooting or police sirens wailing, people talk softly in restaurants, even sitting on the beach is quiet as there are no waves (can be a little disconcerting!). However, (and there has to be a ‘however’ as nothing is ever perfect in life) I do miss the familiarity of the people in South Africa, the ways of doing things, the common thread that runs through South Africans in how they think and feel and do. Watching the news on New Zealand TV and listening to chat shows on the radio, the sense of humour is quite different, there is a ‘silliness’ sometimes as little things are discussed which really wouldn’t even make it on to a news or discussion show in South Africa. It can sometimes seem ‘petty’ and ‘trivial’! But I am being quite critical and probably because we are used to much more serious discussions and situations in South Africa! Maybe, with time, I will get used to ‘a lost cat’ which makes 7 ‘o clock evening news as really something to be concerned about! And that there may have been a spotting of a panther on the South Island! And that a sea-lion visited someone camping in a tent one night! And that a young man has broken a record for sitting on a park swing for 34 hours! It really is a ‘simple’ life here! What I really miss is not being able to spend time with family and friends, like my brothers Michael and Paul, and my dear friend and next-door neighbour, Alex when we used to meet in the road for a chat or for a pizza at Throbbing Strawberry, not being able to meet with Sally-Anne and Bridge for a ‘brekkies’ in the morning, or Carmel for a honey-nut latte and basil-mushrooms-on-low-GI at Woolies, or spend time with Cathy for a good chat at Lifestyle Nursery accompanied by a tasty English breakfast, visiting Uscha and Stel at their home or meeting her at our ‘head office’ vegetarian restaurant at Hobart shopping centre, or taking my brother to Cresta on Saturday mornings and enjoying a lunch from the harvest table in Woolies, or spending each day with Lorraine at school, discussing the kids, our teaching, the school, going on bush camps and field trips together, just the two of us with the children, and then enjoying time outside of school together… get-togethers with my dearest ‘luvverly ladies’ friends, Colleen, Erica, Yvonne, Denise, Bronwyn, Carmel, (and Kelly-Mae) for our chats and giggles.. Sometimes when I am grocery shopping here in NZ, I expect to bump in to someone I know, as I often used to back ‘home’ ….it is the familiarity that I miss… even writing this, I feel nauseous with longing as I wonder when I am going to see my family and friends again? In making the move abroad, because you want a ‘better’ life, mostly for your children, as safety is your concern, their future career prospects, a ‘better’ quality of life…it is a decision one makes, but the cost is great, not only financially but more importantly in missing the people you leave behind. Perhaps the older you are when you make the move, as Craig and I are, in our late fifties, the more difficult it is, or maybe it will just take longer to integrate into ‘normal’ life once again… It will be interesting to see what friends we make in time…and how we settle into a new life in a new country with new people and new ways…. So, it’s like many things in life, yin and yang, I feel extremely happy to be here, grateful, knowing it is right, and yet, at the same time, feeling sad and missing those I love. Some say it is a courageous act to emigrate, but I think it is possibly an even more courageous act to decide to stay.

Walking Mara in our park...

...and along the walkway of our beach

Fun in the waves!

A visit to Catie’s Uni in Auckland city when Sarah was still visiting.

Stopping for a quick lunch with Cates at the café across the road from her Uni

Eploring the city!

Waitawa Regional Park with Linda and her family

Craig and I at Waitawa Regional Park

Cates and I at Nicky Pellegrino’s book launch

Cates and Matt at the top of Mt Eden with the Auckland Sky Tower in the background

In Devonport, with Auckland city in the background

Views from the top of Mt Victoria

Leaving Devonport by ferry in the evening to make our way back to Auckland city in the background.

Marshall and Mara go to the beach for the first time!

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dfroza · 4 years ago

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Today’s reading from the ancient books of Proverbs and Psalms

for Thursday, April 8 of 2021 with Proverbs 8 and Psalm 8, accompanied by Psalm 20 for the 20th day of Spring and Psalm 98 for day 98 of the year

[Proverbs 8]

[Wisdom Calling]

Can’t you hear the voice of Wisdom?

From the top of the mountains of influence

she speaks into the gateways of the glorious city.

At the place where pathways merge,

at the entrance of every portal,

there she stands, ready to impart understanding,

shouting aloud to all who enter,

preaching her sermon to those who will listen.

“I’m calling to you, sons of Adam,

yes, and to you daughters as well.

Listen to me and you will be prudent and wise.

For even the foolish and feeble can receive an understanding heart

that will change their inner being.

The meaning of my words will release within you revelation

for you to reign in life.

My lyrics will empower you to live by what is right.

For everything I say is unquestionably true,

and I refuse to endure the lies of lawlessness—

my words will never lead you astray.

All the declarations of my mouth can be trusted;

they contain no twisted logic or perversion of the truth.

All my words are clear and straightforward to everyone

who possesses spiritual understanding.

If you have an open mind, you will receive revelation-knowledge.

My wise correction is more valuable than silver or gold.

The finest gold is nothing compared to the revelation-knowledge

I can impart.”

Wisdom is so priceless that it exceeds the value of any jewel.

Nothing you could wish for can equal her.

“For I am Wisdom, and I am shrewd and intelligent.

I have at my disposal living-understanding

to devise a plan for your life.

Wisdom pours into you

when you begin to hate every form of evil in your life,

for that’s what worship and fearing God is all about.

Then you will discover

that your pompous pride and perverse speech

are the very ways of wickedness that I hate!”

[The Power of Wisdom]

“You will find true success when you find me,

for I have insight into wise plans that are designed just for you.

I hold in my hands living-understanding, courage, and strength.

I empower kings to reign and rulers to make laws that are just.

I empower princes to rise and take dominion,

and generous ones to govern the earth.

I will show my love to those who passionately love me.

For they will search and search continually until they find me.

Unending wealth and glory

come to those who discover where I dwell.

The riches of righteousness and a long, satisfying life

will be given to them.

What I impart has greater worth than gold and treasure,

and the increase I bring benefits more than a windfall of income.

I lead you into the ways of righteousness

to discover the paths of true justice.

Those who love me gain great wealth and a glorious inheritance,

and I will fill their lives with treasures.”

[Wisdom in the Beginning]

“In the beginning I was there,

for God possessed me even before he created the universe.

From eternity past I was set in place,

before the world began.

I was anointed from the beginning.

Before the oceans depths were poured out,

and before there were any glorious fountains

overflowing with water,

I was there, dancing!

Even before one mountain had been sculpted

or one hill raised up,

I was already there, dancing!

When he created the earth, the fields,

even the first atom of dust,

I was already there.

When he hung the tapestry of the heavens

and stretched out the horizon of the earth,

when the clouds and skies were set in place

and the subterranean fountains began to flow strong,

I was already there.

When he set in place the pillars of the earth

and spoke the decrees of the seas,

commanding the waves

so that they wouldn’t overstep their boundaries,

I was there, close to the Creator’s side as his master artist.

Daily he was filled with delight in me

as I playfully rejoiced before him.

I laughed and played,

so happy with what he had made,

while finding my delight in the children of men.”

[Wisdom Worth Waiting For]

“So listen, my sons and daughters, to everything I tell you,

for nothing will bring you more joy than following my ways.

Listen to my counsel,

for my instruction will enlighten you.

You’ll be wise not to ignore it.

If you wait at wisdom’s doorway,

longing to hear a word for every day,

joy will break forth within you as you listen for what I’ll say.

For the fountain of life pours into you every time that you find me,

and this is the secret of growing in the delight

and the favor of the Lord.

But those who stumble and miss me will be sorry they did!

For ignoring what I have to say will bring harm to your own soul.

Those who hate me are simply flirting with death!”

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 8 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 8]

For the worship leader. A song of David accompanied by the harp.

O Eternal, our Lord,

Your majestic name is heard throughout the earth;

Your magnificent glory shines far above the skies.

From the mouths and souls of infants and toddlers, the most innocent,

You have decreed power to stop Your adversaries

and quash those who seek revenge.

When I gaze to the skies and meditate on Your creation—

on the moon, stars, and all You have made,

I can’t help but wonder why You care about mortals—

sons and daughters of men—

specks of dust floating about the cosmos.

But You placed the son of man just beneath God

and honored him like royalty, crowning him with glory and honor.

You ordained him to govern the works of Your hands,

to nurture the offspring of Your divine imagination;

You placed everything on earth beneath his feet:

All kinds of domesticated animals,

even the wild animals in the fields and forests,

The birds of the sky and the fish of the sea,

all the multitudes of living things that travel the currents of the oceans.

O Eternal, our Lord,

Your majestic name is heard throughout the earth.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 8 (The Voice)

[Psalm 20]

For the worship leader. A song of David.

May the Eternal’s answer find you, come to rescue you,

when you desperately cling to the end of your rope.

May the name of the True God of Jacob be your shelter.

May He extend hope and help to you from His holy sanctuary

and support you from His sacred city of Zion.

May He remember all that you have offered Him;

may your burnt sacrifices serve as a prelude to His mercy.

[pause]

May He grant the dreams of your heart

and see your plans through to the end.

When you win, we will not be silent! We will shout

and raise high our banners in the great name of our God!

May the Eternal say yes to all your requests.

I don’t fear; I’m confident that help will come to the one anointed by the Eternal:

heaven will respond to his plea;

His mighty right hand will win the battle.

Many put their hope in chariots, others in horses,

but we place our trust in the name of the Eternal One, our True God.

Soon our enemies will collapse and fall, never to return home;

all the while, we will rise and stand firm.

Eternal One, grant victory to our king!

Answer our plea for help.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 20 (The Voice)

to be accompanied by these lines:

That clinches it—help’s coming,

an answer’s on the way,

everything’s going to work out.

See those people polishing their chariots,

and those others grooming their horses?

But we’re making garlands for God our God.

The chariots will rust,

those horses pull up lame—

and we’ll be on our feet, standing tall.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 20:6-8 (The Message)

[Psalm 98]

A song.

Compose a new song, and sing it to the Eternal

because of the unbelievable things He has done;

He has won the victory

with the skill of His right hand and strength of His holy arm.

The Eternal has made it clear that He saves,

and He has shown the nations that He does what is right.

He has been true to His promises;

fresh in His mind is His unfailing love

for all of Israel.

Even the ends of the earth have witnessed how our God saves.

Raise your voices; make a beautiful noise to the Eternal, all the earth.

Let your joy explode into song and praise;

Make music to the Eternal with the harp;

sing a beautiful melody with the harp and chorus.

With trumpets and horns,

fill the air with joyful sounds to the King, the Eternal.

Let the sea rumble and roar, and all the creatures it holds shout praise;

let the whole world and all those who live in it join the celebration.

Let the rivers applaud

and the mountains join in joyful song

In the presence of the Eternal because He is coming

to judge the earth.

He is coming,

and His judgment will be what is right for the world

and just to all people.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 98 (The Voice)

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topfygad · 5 years ago

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Ambling By way of Europe | Nat Geo Traveller India

A cross-border jaunt throughout Japanese Europe potential prospects a pair to realms of natural magnificence and human connection.

Europe Highway Excursions &#13&#13 Paloma Dutta &#13&#13 | POSTED ON: Would possibly 16, 2019

Council Sq. is the historic coronary heart of the Romanian city of Brasov. It’s surrounded by stunning Gothic, baroque and Renaissance properties, and belies tiny of its darkish earlier within the Middle Ages as a spot of basic public trials and executions. Image by: Posnov/Minute/Getty Photographs

Within the spring of 2015, excellent earlier than the European refugee disaster had pressured Europe, and your complete world, to appear inwards and get positions within the tussle of humanity versus governance, my companion and I had been floating because of Japanese Europe, mild-headed from the may of the Schengen visa, even having fun with hospitality from shocking quarters. In Romania, we determined to look at the nation by day and trip by prepare at evening time to avoid wasting on lodging though exposing ourselves to the continuity of journey. Beginning up off at Brasov—nestled amidst the Carpathian Mountains, and the closest city to the spine-tingling Bran Fortress that impressed Bram Stoker’s Dracula—we had travelled by darkish and snowy Transylvania, heads entire of tales of the Wallachian prince, Vlad the Impaler, and colours from the brightly painted frescos of the late 15th-century Moldavian monasteries in Suceava County. By the point we reached Bucharest, we had been devoid of an appropriate mattress or a bath for a couple of days. Although the earlier leg was in an reasonably priced wood-panelled, first-course coupe, it will need to have revealed. At 1 stage, weary from strolling near the money metropolis we uncovered a useful spot by the highway reverse the Nationwide Museum of Romanian Historic previous to rest awhile. As I used to be utilizing out an apple from my fabric bag I discovered a feminine observing us from a ways. Rapidly she questioned, “The place are you from?” and continued as if getting skipped our response, “Can I buy you some meals?” It took us solely a 2nd to understand she skilled mistaken us for homeless individuals, from another area. We refused the freed from cost meals however talked about her kindness.

A backpacking journey on a shoestring funds and a fluid itinerary often throw up some unconventional routes and signifies of trip. We skilled been on the road for a few weeks all-around Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary and, of examine course, Romania, and weary of cramped areas in buses and trains, we made the choice to stretch our legs and wander to Bulgaria. We achieved Giurgiu Nord, the railhead on the Romanian side, late afternoon, from the place by we might start the 13-kilometre stroll to the bordering Bulgarian city of Ruse, additionally recognized as Little or no Vienna for its stately 19th- and 20th-century neo-baroque and neo-rococo structure. We stepped out of Giurgiu station to siesta silence on a tiny lengthen of pitched avenue with grass on each of these sides, which led to the freeway from precisely the place we had been being to determine on our strategy to the border. With a middle-of-nowhere familiarity that confuses a travel-addled thoughts, we walked to the gate of the Romanian immigration workplace atmosphere and within the absence of a pedestrian queue lined up with vans, buses and different motor automobiles to get our exit stamp. Essentially the most romantic lengthen of the wander was on the a few-kilometre-lengthy Friendship Bridge over the Danube. Constructed in 1954, it was the one bridge connecting Romania and Bulgaria at the moment. The romance was heightened by the presence of the sprawling river with bristly eco-friendly banking establishments, diesel fumes from passing focused guests and, most significantly, the absence of some other pedestrians. In regards to the center of the bridge, we paused to stare on the brightly painted blue-and-yellow indication saying we had been being coming into Bulgaria. We walked on.

***

The mural work of the distinctive Orthodox church buildings (prime nonetheless left) of northern Moldavia, constructed within the late fifteenth century are motivated by Byzantine artwork The majestic neoclassical Romanian Athenaeum (backside left) is a live performance hall within the centre of Bucharest and a symbolic edifice of the nation’s wealthy classical new music custom Ruse, the northern city of Bulgaria, located on the monetary establishments of River Danube, is a melting pot website hosting varied cultural gatherings (applicable) these because the Ruse Carnival and the March Songs Days. Footage by: Augustin Lazaroiu/shutterstock (making), Roberto Sorin/shutterstock (man), Emily Marie Wilson/shutterstock (church inside)

Serendipitously stumbling into Albania, a nation which didn’t decide in our itinerary in any respect, was probably the most important journey on this month-lengthy journey.

To decrease a protracted story shorter, we ended up terribly slumber disadvantaged after we landed within the historic metropolis of Thessaloniki in Greece on an excellent spring early morning, having put within the earlier two evenings on the Athens airport. The one specific working day in regarding was spent trying out the a number of wonders of the Cradle of Western Civilisation, such because the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion for an excellent sundown within the Aegean Sea. By the point the airport shuttle dropped us on the inter-city bus station, it was apparent that we ended up in no level out to discover Thessaloniki, Greece’s subsequent premier city, earlier than transferring on to Montenegro at evening, as initially deliberate. Considering on our worn out toes, we checked the digital present board—the upcoming bus was leaving for Tirana in 10 minutes. A fast scan of the map verified that Tirana, Albania’s money, was on the path to our up coming location, the medieval Montenegrin metropolis of Kotor by the Adriatic Sea. We might seize up on sleep on the bus prematurely of buying a relationship in Tirana to Kotor. It took us 10 minutes to search out the ticket sales space and we skilled solely boarded when the bus begun relocating. As the frenzy of enjoyment from an impromptu act subsided, a niggling doubt crept in concerning the electrical energy of the Schengen visa to tide us all through the border since Albania was not a side of the EU.

Our system unsuccessful drastically. On the bus, there was no discovering any slumber. We ended up greeted with probably the most astounding landscapes of the unrestrained attractiveness of northern Greece—miles upon miles of open up highway with horizons flanked by snow-peaked mountains. On the Albanian side, on the Qafë Botë checkpoint, the friendliest immigration officers greeted us with “Bravo, bravo!” once they came upon we now have been from India. They had been so chatty that they forgot to stamp our passports and we skilled to alight the bus once more to remind them though our co-travellers waited on patiently we ended up the one non-locals. By the point the azure waters of Modest Prespa Lake and the UNESCO Whole world Heritage Website Lake Ohrid arrived into view—and with them the holiday resort cities with orange-tiled roofs—following us in our serpentine mountain route, we felt like we had been part of a aspiration globe.

When the bus stopped at Tirana eight hrs later, we felt alive at chancing on a stunningly stunning nation. We realized Montenegro must wait awhile.

***

Clockwise from high nonetheless left: Discovered within the Carpathian Mountains near Brasov, Poiana Brasov is a popular ski resort which is frequented by skiers from throughout Europe many because of its affordability Bulgarian memento dolls showcasing their vibrant traditional costume, nosai Turli perimesh, a practice Albanian principal dish of mixed veggies has Italian influences The historic Greek temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion provides panoramic views of the Adriatic Sea and its islands. Pics by: Danny Iacob/shutterstock (snow), posztos/shutterstock (dolls), fanfo/Fotosearch LBRF/Dinodia {Photograph} Library (meals stuff), Aerial-movement/shutterstock (Greek temple)

It’s all actually completely to be spontaneous, however not so purposeful to wind up in a area with minor to no understanding of its individuals in the present day, practices or forex, even. When in Tirana, our speedy prerequisite was to find a mattress for the night. With out having the Web and solely a sketchy offline map, we resolved to go aged college and hunt all-around our on the spot neighbourhood. We’ve got been very relieved to see a ‘Resort 50m ’ sign painted on a wall that certainly led into the courtyard of a resort. Nonetheless, extra exasperation adopted after we discovered no an individual spoke English. They finally set me on the cellphone with a person who instantly questioned, “How plenty of hours?” I responded we wanted a house for the evening. He recurring his genuine query, I patiently responded with the very same reply offering him the revenue of language barrier. This might have absent on for a though skilled my affiliate not indicated, acquiring gauged the predicament and environment by then, that we required to make a speedy getaway. It however took me a a number of minutes instantly after we walked out of the dim reception into the courtyard and out of the gate to understand we now have been at a get pleasure from resort.

Again once more on the streets but once more, with a helplessness that arrives from critical tiredness, we pored about our map to see if it confirmed up any lodging. Simply then, a youthful lady in athletic use who skilled at first jogged previous, stopped, turned once more and approached us. “Not quite a few individuals talk English proper right here. So be sure you allow me know if I can help you,” she claimed. We couldn’t thank her sufficient when she directed us to Milingona Hostel, a small wander from the place we had been and very close to to Skanderbeg Sq., the first plaza within the centre of Tirana. Tirana, as we might discover, is a beautiful and vibrant metropolis with quirky and vibrant Ottoman- and Soviet-era structure, along with a pyramid-formed conference centre that was a monument to communism. However a stranger’s intuition to extend assist to a pair of travel-weary foreigners is my lasting impression of the metropolis.

***

Striving to soak ourselves in as considerably of Albania with out absolutely upturning our itinerary, from Tirana, we travelled additional extra north to the neighbouring city of Shkoder to cease by Lake Skadar, the foremost lake within the Balkan Peninsula, from the place we might in the end depart Albania. A fleeting statue of Mother Teresa from the bus window within the heart of a farmland was disorienting however abruptly introduced family her Albanian hyperlink. We designed it to Shkoder however with out the necessity of the know-how of regional language and a radical map, we adopted the flight route of crows and acquired horribly dropped turning up at a dusty minor village on the outskirts of metropolis the place by instead of a lake, we now have been the objects of significantly curiosity and want. Lake Skadar evaded us on this journey. We had been getting late to catch the bus to Kotor so we promptly retraced our actions with a hope-mingled certainty that we might revisit Albania and procure our strategy to the lake subsequent time. We skipped our bus. However like in India, we realised there may be continuously a strategy to get throughout, even all through international borders. Earlier than lengthy an aged male approached us indicating he may ferry us to the Montenegrin border city of Ulcinj. We may go away our baggage in his motorcar, go for lunch and by the point we had been once more he would discover further passengers. Even with the shady underlining to this system we discovered ourselves tough-pressed to refuse. We travelled from Shkoder in Albania to Ulcinj in Montenegro in a shared cab.

The structure bordering Skanderbeg Sq., Tirana, (nonetheless left) 1 of the most important pedestrian zones within the Balkans, is an eclectic mix Tourism in Dubrovnik (high ultimate) soared as a result of Match of Thrones aired—it was the important thing filming space for King’s Touchdown Koulouri (backside proper) are sesame coated bread rings which hint their origin to the Greek city of Thessaloniki. Pictures by: Johner Pictures/Johner Illustrations or images Royalty-Price-free/ Getty Visuals (cable vehicle), PosiNote/shutterstock (foodstuff), amyrxa/shutterstock (horse statue)

Our encounter with kindness and consider in by the use of our time on the highway emboldened us after we didn’t have enough neighborhood foreign exchange to board a bus to Dubrovnik from Kotor, we emptied our pockets to obviously present the motive force the €eight we skilled in unfastened change. He agreed to get us all through in excellent faith and waited though we withdrew {dollars} from an ATM in Dubrovnik. Earlier, in Ulcinj, another not identified portion of your complete world to us, we skilled made our strategy to Previous Metropolis, a pirate cash, we later came upon, of the Adriatic Sea within the pre-medieval time interval. There, at an edge-of-the-globe cafe named Fisherman Hari, looking out at a brilliantly purple sky forming the backdrop for an excellent orange ball leisurely slipping into the Adriatic, we contemplated concerning the accumulating of all of the unsure moments that introduced us to this sundown. And, of Polish author Ryszard Kapuściński’s commentary on travellers, “The 1 certainty is that they want to be again on the freeway, going someplace. To be on their method once more—that’s the aspiration.”

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source http://cheaprtravels.com/ambling-by-way-of-europe-nat-geo-traveller-india/

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raiseveganus · 6 years ago

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Passing Up Going A Vegan Cruise To Enjoy The Beauty Of The Last Continent

Chances are you have heard of more and more people taking cruises to Antarctica at this time of year. And, you may be wondering why anyone would want to visit a frigid, desolate, and an isolated place where no one lives? Especially if you strongly dislike winter like so many others.

The fact of the matter is, Antarctica possesses a unique beauty that you would not be able to experience anywhere else. Even with the freezing temperatures, visitors who have gone on cruises to the seventh continent have been blown away with its incredible beauty and atmosphere. They basically have said that it is like stepping foot into another world.

And, because this is the time when the astral summer is on the horizon, it is an ideal time to go to enjoy its beauty. Not to mention, this is a time when there is 24-hour sunlight.

This kind of trip may be expensive, but it’s a great way to spend your money considering going to Antarctica is a once in a lifetime thing to do. And, if this is something that you have considered doing but you were concerned that none of the cruises heading over there offered vegan food -you are about to learn about something amazing and at the same time, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.