#L&T Kudzu

[leifandthorn]

"You didn't think you'd be the only magical girl in this support group, did you?"

[when-it-rains-it-snows]

archery range stories

from the new range, actually

-walking back from 70 meters, I found a 5 pieces of an X10. this thing was spread out over 60 feet. it had been *exploded*. outdoor at the new range is behind an old shopping center, so it's asphalt below and a cinder block wall down one side. if you miss the target, the wall, and the asphalt skips the arrow rather than breaking it, there is kudzu waiting. can you tell the difference between kudzu and poison ivy? I can't. I have three arrows back there now. my three arrows cost about the same, possibly a bit less, than that one X10.

-none of the recreational barebow archers wanted to come outside with me and shoot 70. come on, guys, it's fun. the parking lot doesn't Always break your arrows. I t ' s f u n y' a l l c ' m o n

-"if I don't come back in at all, then the kudzu got me." "dibs on your stuff." i *like* that guy.

-on a previous day, his bow was so loud that it was giving me a headache. CRACK! CRACK! THwCRACK! I told him that brace height is a thing that one can do? And he could?? he had never unstrung the bow. so, after a Google search and a borrowed bowstringer his bow went from deafening to merely loud. he was hugely appreciative and we're friends now. he gets my stuff if the kudzu nabs me.

-my bow, a Gillo, is Italian and so was the dude giving me plunger tuning advice. He said "oh I know him, he was after me" when I said that Gillo is Michele Frangilli. the old grey dude shooting compound might have been on the the Italian Olympic team before I was born? my plunger was far too stiff: bless you, sir.

-another guy shoots a Gillo also, so we're automatically friends. I don't make the rules, it's the few and the proud that shoot neither hoyt nor win&win. he hasn't been seen at the range in awhile, so when he showed up he was like "murders! so many murders! Someone stabbed a K9 also!" - - and that's where he's been.

-dude wtf? Dude wtf? Dude wtf? Dude wt

-my exact words were "what the hell do you do for a living"

-crime scene photographer!

-(whew)

[hillbillyhippiemusicreview]

What Are You Listening To? Volume 2

“Is it LA sunny or Memphis blue Oh, I wish I knew, I wish I knew What are you listening to” -Chris Stapleton

Sooo…I know last time I penned this column and asked “What Are You Listening To,” I said this was going to be a weekly event—but what had happened was….I got lost. Lost in the music. Followed Alice down the rabbit hole of resplendent tunes where time stood still. Yeah, we’ll go with that. In the words of the great Colin Raye, “that’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.” Life happens! HOWEVER, I am finally back with some solid songs you need to have constantly revolvin’ in your library like they do in mine. So, without further ado, I bring to you five of the best of the new new. Did ya hear that rhyme? I’m a poet and didn’t know it. (Ya’ll ignore me, I’m sleep deprived and halfway past silly, so just turn up these tracks, tune me out, and fall in love like I did!)

1) Shelby Lore, “I’m All In”

As much as I love the sad songs, I’m a sucker for a heartfelt love song that makes me actually WANT to fall in love again, and have it stick. Shelby Lore effortlessly accomplished that feeling with his recent single, “I’m All In.” His brooding, gritty vocals pair nicely with a lovesick melody that is primed and ready for summer slow dances under the stars. The romantic lyrics reflect upon a burgeoning relationship where the fella is promising his new lover that though “[he doesn’t] know where this is headed, and [he doesn’t] know where it will end, but if it comes down to sink or swim, [he’s] all in,” promising an enduring love rather than a one night stand. My initial listen of this song was the first time Shelby had crossed my radar, and by the end of it I was a huge fan, impatiently wanting to hear more....so I listened to “I’m All In” about ten times in a row, soaking in every iota of emotion, drowning in a well of my own lovelorn blues letting it both break and heal my heart at the same time. My most favorite part? ‘Twas when he’s reflecting on the first night they shared, with the promise he’d do it all over again if only he could rewind time. Swoooooon.

 2) Kudzu Killers, “I Won’t Drown”

From the first chord of “I Won’t Drown,” I knew it was my type of jam with its vibrant, southern rock-tinged sound. By the beginning of the single, I was hooked: “reckless heart and childish games, stoked my heart and set these flames, your gypsy heart ran wild and free, I just didn’t know it wasn’t with me.” MAN...what a way to start off a song and draw you in! The harmonica solo that enters after the second verse is enough to get you on your feet dancing and clapping along, if you weren’t already--and it’ll keep you rockin’ through the duration of the song. It’s a melodious look at redemption from the burn and scorn of a former flame, while simultaneously acting as a lyrical warning about the karma that will eventually come back around. While the single is a very well-written song, the melody is played out in such a rousing way that it takes a few listens before the gravity of the lyrics begins to set in--so make sure you give it a few listens. The Kudzu Killers are at the top of my list for “Bands to Watch” in 2021 and “I Won’t Drown” is the perfect example as to why. Trust me.

 3) Gabe Lee, “’Ol Smokey”

One of my favorite Nashville treasures, Gabe Lee, is a musical force to be reckoned with—I truly believe his talent knows no bounds. “’Ol Smokey” has become a favorite of mine to blast in the car with my windows down, singing my heart out because it’s just that GOOD. This tune can originally be found on Gabe’s 2019 debut release, Farmland, but here it gets re-cut with a bit more funky folk flavor that speaks right to my heart, featuring a rockin’ bluegrass band. Lee is a master storyteller, and I both admire and envy his craft as it typically leaves me spellbound. Here, he spins the tale of a heartsick, forlorn woman still bound by the shackles of the love she shares with a downtrodden man who just can’t seem to cross back over to the right side of the tracks, despite numerous chances. The lyrics allude to Lucy Ann watching the evolution of the demise of her relationship play out on a desolate TV screen as the boys in blue roll in, but perhaps its merely a metaphor of the storm brewing in the jail cell of her mind. Give it a listen and decide for yourself.

 4) Vodka Something, “Just So You Know”

Story time: One night while absentmindedly scrolling through social media, I came across this short clip on Instagram of a wickedly talented, shirtless, heavily tattooed guy with long braids and a backwards cap playing the most beautiful song on my favorite instrument and within seconds, I was hooked. The juxtaposition of the lovely, intricate melody with the eye-catching scene seen in the video drew me in almost instantaneously, and I’ve been enamored with “Just So You Know” since that evening. So enamored to the point that I cannot accurately fathom the words to describe it. To me, it’s a bit like emo bluegrass, as if Panic at the Disco bore a musical lovechild somewhere in the foothills of Kentucky with Bill Monroe. Alternative folk is likely a better categorization, but whatever it is, it’s perfect. The pickin’ of the banjo, the lyrics, the inflection and intonation of his voice, and the whole vibe of the song and music video are jaw dropping. I don’t ever assign numerical ratings to any music I review, but if I had to—I’d give this one a 1000/10 simply for how uniquely beautiful and soul-stirring it is. Consider this an important lesson in not judging a book by its cover and to give everyone a chance--you never know what magic you may find, if only you’ll lend an ear. Now, go do your homework and L I S T E N.

 5) Bella White, “Just Like Living”

Canadian songstress Bella White has found a loving home amidst the bluegrass genre making the style her own with her 2020 album release, Just Like Living. On the title track, her piercing voice is seeped in the folklore of the past, as the euphonic instrumentals pair perfectly with the lyrics to create the quintessential bluegrass track we’ve all been missing, yet it’s wrapped neatly in a new-age sound. At times, her mellifluous vocals remind me of a female Benjamin Tod with the subtle howl and cadence she has to her flow, and I have adored what I’ve heard so far with this coming-of-age tune about leaving home behind to chase love that always seems to be just quite out of reach. Not only does she utilize her voice as an instrument, but Bella is a true wordsmith weaving her words together both vividly and poetically, as evidenced from the very first verse: “The lights pourin’ through my window dressin’ everything up in gold, and I don’t know what I’m doin’ here, I left the howlin’ winds and the prairies to find some kind of idea, am I full or am I empty?” Wow. “Just Like Living” is a must listen.

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Do me a favor--while you listen to these fabulous creations, tell someone you love ‘em today. Peace, love, and music, ya’ll. They make the world go round.

-Lyssa

[t-raith]

R O L E P L A Y   C H A R A C T E R   S T A T S   S H E E T

Repost, replacing the old information with your muse’s information.

Pass it on to your mutuals for a better understanding of their muses.

Tagged by: @achangelingandmage

▍ FACE CLAIM: Matt Bomer ▍ NAME: Thomas Raith ▍ AGE: 48 currently, but it changes annually ▍ GENDER: Male

▍ NATIONALITY: White Court Vampire ▍ BIRTHDAY: February 14, 1969 ▍ SUN SIGN: Is that like a star sign ▍ RESIDENCE: Fancy-ass Gold Coast apartment ▍ MARITAL STATUS: Unmarried, probably forever because of this weird allergy ▍ ALIGNMENT: True neutral (mostly), but tries for neutral good

▍ DRINK: Mac’s, whiskey, soda, whatever ▍ FOOD: Brunettes Whatever’s within easy reach and requires minimal effort ▍ DAY OR NIGHT: Night ▍ SNACKS: Brunettes Whatever’s within easy reach and requires minimal effort ▍ SONG: Imagine Dragons - Demons ▍ QUOTE: Life is like a roller coaster: There are ups and downs, you often feel like vomiting, but in the end there are weird pictures of you for sale ▍ HISTORICAL CHARACTER:  Henry FitzRoy perhaps? ▍ PET:  Someone remind me, do humans count as pets? ▍ BOOK: Sci-fi in general ▍ COLOUR:  White ▍ FLOWER / PLANT:  Kudzu ▍ SEXUALITY:  Normally prefers women, but pickiness is inversely proportional to Hunger level ▍ ROMANTIC ORIENTATION: Prefers women

▍ BODY TYPE:  Casually athletic ▍ EYE COLOUR:  Basically a mood ring ▍ HAIR COLOUR:  Black. ▍ BODY REFERENCE: Same as FC

Tagging: Whoever wants to... I recommend @childofawoundedgod​ @charity-able​ @rangerlake​ @lostintimenoutoftouch​

[uyuro]

UYU REVIEW: YADAH products from BB COSMETIC! 💗 use my code ‘bbuyuro’ for 8% off at bb cosmetic! ✨

Hello again everyone! This has been a very busy few months for me. I've spent the last two weeks basically breaking down because I had a killer exam that was worth 40% and recovering from flu 😓 I'm still very uneasy about how I did but it's Easter now and I'd like to relax and have a break~ I hope you’ve all been well.

Yadah is not one of the more popular brands, but I have seen them popping up more recently. Their mascot is a really cute girl with red hair and she kinda reminds me of a pumpkin. They have a decent mix of skincare and make-up products, and they did a collab with the Korean fashion site Sonyunara recently! If you go to their Korean website, it has a really cute design and theme, I linked it below and I’d recommend visiting just to see the illustrations. Since I haven't seen many other people talking about this brand, I hope it'll be interesting for you guys to discover a new k-beauty brand!

BB Cosmetic is a relatively new Korean beauty store, and they stock a lot of the more popular Korean brands + they ship worldwide for free! 💗 Their prices are really affordable and competitive with some of my other faves with free shipping like Jolse and Beautynetkorea, as well as eBay stores. Don’t forget, you can use my discount code ’BBUYURO’ for 8% off. 

I personally love BB Cosmetic and it’s become one of my go-to websites for Korean beauty shopping. While they do provide me products to review, I shop there frequently as well - I’ve provided a mini-review of some other BB Cosmetic products at the bottom, one that was a free gift and one that I purchased personally. I would highly suggest BB Cosmetic if you live in the US because they have USPS shipping which arrives super quick!

Disclaimer: Some items were sent to me for review and consideration by BB Cosmetic. I am not being compensated for this review and opinions are always 100% honest.

✏️ ABOUT THE ITEM: AUTO LIP CRAYON

First things first, I’ll be reviewing the Yadah Auto Lip Crayon. Here are the features:

Creates rich colour with a soft-matte finish

Long-lasting and lightweight

Contains macadamia seed oil that moisturizes and soothes lips

Paraben-free 

There are 7 shades available (from L-R in the image): #01 Dazzling Red, #02 Tangerine Orange, #03 Pink Holic, #04 Rose Coral, #05 Cotton Candy, #06 Plum Burgundy, #07 Rose Beige.

Here are the swatches of the colours (in the same order)

Here's a suggestion from Yadah to use two different colours from the range for a two-toned lip! This one combines #06 Plum Burgundy and #07 Rose Beige.

Ingredients

These are taken from Yadah’s Korean website. All the colours are listed, but the ones I pasted are specific for #06 Plum Burgundy:

Diisostearyl malate, Octyldodecanol, Synthetic fluorphlogopite, Capric / Caprylic triglycerides, Polyglyceryl-2-triisostearate, CI 15850, Ozokerite, Candelilla wax, Microcrystalline wax, Dipentaerythrityl hexahydroxystearate / Hexastearate / Hexarosinate, Adeps lanae, Polymethyl methacrylate, Polyethylene, Iron oxide red, Black iron oxide, Avocado oil, Rosa canina fruit oil, Macadamia integrifolia seed oil, Dibutyl hydroxy toluene.

I've bolded the ingredients that they listed as key ingredients, and italics are ones that came up as 'problematic' on cosDNA.

CI 15850, Candelilla wax and avocado oil all came up as slight acne triggers, which I don't think is really a problem as this is a lip product.

CI 15850 is a red pigment and has a safety rating of 1 - 4.

Dibutyl hydroxy toluene is a preservative with a safety rating of 6. If you're not familiar with cosDNA, for the safety rating, the lower numbers are better. However it's still not a 100% perfect indicator as it depends on the concentration of the ingredient and the usage as well.

Pricing 

BB Cosmetic: $6.16 (free shipping worldwide)

Koreadepart: $6.51 USD (shipping by weight)

Yadah's official website: 8,000 won / $7.04 USD (within Korea only)

You can see here that BB Cosmetic actually has the cheapest price by far, especially considering that they include free shipping!

As I mentioned before, Yadah isn’t extremely well-known and I wasn’t able to find their products on some other popular k-beauty sites like Jolse and Testerkorea, etc.

📷 PHOTOS + DETAILS: AUTO LIP CRAYON

The packaging is a black triangle box with shiny lettering. The colour I’m going to be reviewing is #06 Plum Burgundy. I like that the twisty part of the tube has the colour of the crayon on it too.

The tube of the lip crayon has the silouhette of the mascot which I think is cute 😊

Here are some swatches that I did on my arm. The left is with just one swipe - I have tried layering it but the colour doesn't build since it's very pigmented already. On the right side, I tried very hard to scrub it off with just a tissue (no remover) and you can see a stain is still left behind.

This means the lasting power is great, but I wouldn't recommend using it before a day that you plan on wearing nude colours, since the stain will most likely still be there.

The colour is very similar to the swatches but it seems a bit more purple rather than red. I'm still very happy with the colour though since I don't have a lot of dark colours!

Here are some lip swatches! In the top picture I attempted a gradient lip, but just one-tone instead of two-toned like in the suggestion image. I think dark colours look really good for the centre of the gradient and I love how this smoothed out at the edges! If you don't like dealing with watery tints but still want a dark colour to do gradient lip with, I would really recommend this one.

I basically never do a full-on layer of lipstick but I thought it would be helpful for this post 😛 Like many lipsticks, it's hard for me to get a smooth line right away and it's noticeable since this is a dark colour. If you plan on wearing full lip colour, I would suggest using a lip liner with this one.

The last picture is just blotted away, and this is what the lip looks like after about 5 hours on me (with eating). It's still noticeable but the colour has worn away a bit. I actually quite like this pink-red stain that is left behind.

Here's a selca while wearing the Auto Lip Crayon~ No make-up so don't judge 😛 I actually really like bold lip colours on no make-up days because it helps take away attention from the other parts of my face.

I found the lip crayon to be very, very comfortable to wear. I found myself not having to wearing lip balm underneath for once since it really is moisturising. The lasting power is quite good, although I do find lipstick-type products a bit annoying since I drink water a lot. It's easy to reapply though so it's not a huge issue.

The Mamonde Creamy Tint is a popular product that I've seen around and I have to say that the Yadah Auto Lip Crayon is a lot more comfortable. In comparison, the Mamonde one is basically not creamy or moisturising at all, in fact it's drier than a lot of lipsticks I own. If you wanted to invest in a lip crayon but you have dry lips, I would highly suggest the Yadah Auto Lip Crayon over the Mamonde Creamy Tint!

✏️ ABOUT THE ITEM: ANTI-T RED ZERO SPOT CREAM

The next Yadah product is the Anti-T Red Zero Spot Cream. It's a spot treatment for acne and comes in handy tube packaging.

Yadah actually has a whole Anti-T trouble care line, all of which feature their cute mascot.

I really wanted to share some drawings from their website because they are so nice! The drawings show the key ingredients of the cream, which you can also see in the ingredients list.

Here are some of the features:

Natural extracts control excessive sebum secretions, improve skin environments, and soothe the troubled area.

Vegetable extracts naturally moisturize the sensitive skin.

Paraben, Benzophenone, Mineral oil, Sulfate, Artificial dyes, Minimal chemical materials free.

Main ingredients: Salicylic acid, Green tea extract, Rosemary extract, Sage extract.

Ingredients

Taken from the Korean Yadah website and analysed with cosDNA.

Aqua, Propanediol, Capric / Caprylic triglycerides, Nicotinamide, Glycerol, Hydrogenated palm kernel oil, Lecithine, Phytosteryl macadamiate, Pentylene glycol, Shea butter, Mangifera indica (mango) seed butter, Camellia japonica (camellia) seed oil, Xantham gum, Camellia sinensis (green tea) leaf extract, Chamomilla recutita (chamomile) leaf extract, Thujopsis dolabrata (thujopsis) branch extract, Centella asiatica (centella) extract, Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice) root extract, Sorbitan caprylate, Arginine, Stearyl glycyrrhetinate, Phytosqualane, Magnolia kobus (magnolia) bark extract, Salix alba (willow) bark extract, Lonicera caprifolium (honeysuckle) extract, Polygonum cuspidatum (Japanese knotweed) root extract, Aloe barbadenis (aloe) leaf extract, D-flavanoids, Brassica oleracea italica (broccoli) extract, Vitamin E, Rosmarinus officinalis (rosemary) leaf extract, Glycine soja (soybean) peptide, Adenosine, Scutellaria baicalensis (Chinese skullcap) root extract, Pueraria lobata (kudzu) root extract, Trehalose, Dipotassium glycyrrhizate, Opuntia ficus-indica (barbary fig) fruit extract, Glycine soja (soybean) seed extract, Hydrolysed pea protein, Pisum sativum (pea) extract, Isoflavone, Panax ginseng root extract, Ginkgo biloba leaf extract, Angelica gigas extract, Cimicifuga dahurica root extract, Equisetum himemale extract, Linoleic acid, Punica granatum (pomegranate) fruit extract, Trifolium pratense (clover) flower extract, Hizikia fusiforme extract, Coptis chinensis (Chinese goldthread) root extract, Portulaca oleracea extract, Citrus unshiu (Satsuma mandarin) peel extract, Grape skin extract, Yeast betaglucan, Levulinic acid, Dioscorea villosa (wild yam) root extract, Vaccinium angustifolium (blueberry) fruit extract, Hyaluronan, Malus domestica (apple) fruit extract, Silybum marianum (milk thistle), Sophorin, Astaxanthin, Quercetin, Citrus aurantium bergamia (bergamot) fruit oil.

Oh boy, this ingredients list is super long, full of extracts, and probably means nothing to you. To be honest, it doesn't really mean much to me either since I don't know what most of these ingredients do. I've tried to add the common names for most of the extracts, although are pretty obsure regardless. In a way, I feel like loading the product with so many extracts is pointless though. 

Most of the ingredients don't come up with any acne triggers or safety issues. The only one that came up is vitamin E which I don't personally know too much about, but please take note if this is an ingredient that causes acne for you!

Pricing

BB Cosmetic: $13.58 (free shipping worldwide)

Koreadepart: $9.45 USD (shipping by weight)

Yadah's official website: 17,500 won / $15.40 USD (within Korea only)

With the Anti Zero Spot Cream, Koreadepart comes in a bit cheaper (although this is a sale price I believe). If you are planning a haul with Koreadepart then it might be worth it to pick this up too, but otherwise I would recommend BB Cosmetic since Koreadepart shipping fees are quite expensive for a small amount of items.

📷 PHOTOS + DETAILS: ANTI-T RED ZERO SPOT CREAM

Here is the tube and the packaging! I really like the overall design of this product. The colour contrast and the simple drawings are really nice.

A far bit of warning: if you don't like seeing acne / acne marks, don't scroll any further! I have some photos of my own acne further down.

The tube design is actually quite unique (or at least I've never seen anything like this before), and there's a small knob on the side that you press to dispense the product.

(I'm really sorry for the low quality of this picture. I've been having so much trouble with Tumblr recently and the photo I originally took just wouldn't upload.. I've had to try over 20 times just to upload all the pictures in this review and it's really becoming troublesome 😓)

Anyway, the cream is quite light in texture, kind of like a gel cream. It feels quite smoothing and fresh once you apply it and it feels moisturising too.

So here is my experience with this spot cream! Before using the cream, I have quite a few active pimples which are raised as you can see. After using it every day, and pausing my other spot treatments, the second side is my after.

The odd thing about this cream is that it didn't calm down all my pimples. It did help soothe some of them. A lot of the ones that hadn't come to a head yet, came to a head immediately after using the cream. This allowed me to use my pimple patches and quickly get rid of them.

If you have problematic skin and you're interested in k-beauty, you've most likely heard of the COSRX Centella Blemish Cream. However, apart from being a spot treatment they're not really that similar. They do both have centella asiatica as an ingredient, but it's definitely more prominent in the COSRX cream. The main difference is that the COSRX cream is a lot thicker, and a little goes a long way. 

I've found that the COSRX cream doesn't really work that well on me anymore... this is different for everyone's skin though. I think if you have one, and it works, you probably don't need the other.

💭 OVERVIEW + FINAL THOUGHTS

yadah auto lip crayon: 5 / 5

I have become very fond of this lip crayon. I like how pigmented and vivid the colour is, and it's creamy and moisturising. I also enjoy the stain that it leaves behind, so it looks pretty even when it fades.

It's easy to use, and especially easy to create a gradient lip with which is my favourite lip application technique. I've used it around 10 times and the tip hasn't even changed shape really so I could imagine that it would last a long time.

I wouldn't wear this lip crayon everyday since I don't like lip products that transfer (since I drink a lot of water, as I mentioned earlier). Howvever, that's not necessarily a problem with the product, it's just a feature of the type of product and it can't really be helped so I won't be marking it down just for that.

💖 Pros: Pigmented colour, moisturising, long-lasting. 💔 Cons: Transfers easily, leaves a stain (could be good or bad, up to you).

yadah anti-t red zero spot cream: 4 / 5

This isn't a perfect spot cream for me - I'd love for it to just make my spots disappear but I doubt many people find a product as perfect as that. This spot cream has been working well for me though. I like that it soothes some away but it also inflames some so I can get rid of them more easily with other methods.

I'm not quite sure how long this would last, but I haven't made a noticeable dent in it yet. Since it's a spot treatment, it should last a while.

The packaging is handy and a lot more portable than the COSRX Centella Cream, so if you ever feel like you need to soothe your blemishes on the go, you can! I also love the packaging design. If you're looking for a new spot cream, I would suggest checking this one out! 💕

💖 Pros: Handy packaging, soothes pimples, helps bring blemishes to a head. 💔 Cons: Doesn’t work on all blemishes, may not work for everyone!

Please keep in mind for acne products, it varies for everyone! 😬

OTHER MINI REVIEWS: WELCOS CONFUME ARGAN TREATMENT OIL + THE FACE SHOP THE THERAPY 

welcos confume argan treatment oil: 5 / 5 I've been trying out different Korean hair oils for a while to soothe my damaged ends. I saw a lot of good reviews on this one, and I liked how it came in a huge bottle (it also comes with a mini travel sized bottle).

It's hard to really describe how an oil works in a unique way, but this oil has been working well for me in soothing my damaged ends. I use it just after showering on damp hair and also once my hair is dry. If you're looking for an affordable hair oil, you should try this one 😍

I bought this from BB Cosmetic for $10.83.

the face shop the therapy royal made moisture blending formula cream: 5 / 5

Even though I have dry skin, I've always been more fond of gel creams. I got this in a sample set pouch but I'm going to be purchasing the full size once I come back from China. I originally started using this when I ran out of my Belif Aqua Bomb, but I think I actually like this one better since it's not as heavily fragranced.

It has a very light, soft texture but still very moisturising. This has been very good for keeping my eyes and nose moisturised, but it's very good for all over the face. A bonus is that it seems to be lasting a long, long time. This is only the sample size and I'm only about halfway through so far.

The sample / travel kit that this is available in goes for $10.98 (with 2 other small products). The full size is available for $28.37.

Thank you for checking out my review today! I hope you enjoyed reading and here are links for mentioned products again if you were interested in any of them:

YADAH auto lip crayon YADAH anti-t red zero spot cream WELCOS confume argan treatment oil THE FACE SHOP the therapy royal made moisture blending formula cream (whew, long name!)

Don't forget to use my code 'BBUYURO' for an additional 8% off❣ Have a lovely day~

[aardenpress]

 story written by Bill Arbuckle. House didn’t like the stories. Mink didn’t care. Seemed she had a new story to tell about it every morning while we waited for the big yellow bus to pick us up and take us to school. That’s how I got to know Mink. She l

 story written by Bill Arbuckle. House didn’t like the stories. Mink didn’t care. Seemed she had a new story to tell about it every morning while we waited for the big yellow bus to pick us up and take us to school. That’s how I got to know Mink. She lived two blocks away and walked by my house every morning on her way to the bus stop. Sometimes she’d come by early and ring the doorbell. My momma would let her inside and treat her to a bowl of cereal or a couple of hardboiled eggs. “Lord knows, that poor girl’s not gettin’ near enough to eat,” Momma used to say. “And her mother’s working day and night to make ends meet. But the worst part of it is that she has to live in that house.” One morning I asked Momma what was wrong with Mink’s house. “It’s just a big, creepy house,” she said. “And it’s probably cold and drafty too.” Momma shoved a brown paper lunch bag into my hands and shooshed me out the door. “Now you get to the bus stop or you’ll be late.” Seemed to me that Momma knew something about Mink’s house and didn’t want to talk about it. “House?” Mink said when I asked her about it. “It’s bad.” She was standing on top of the stone wall that divided the park from the sidewalk. She teetered on the edge and extended her arms. “There’s a dead girl who talks to me too. But I’m not scared.” She stopped talking long enough to stand on her tippy toes before leaping from her perch. Six feet later, she landed with a thump. “Ain’t scared of nothing.” She stared at me for a second. “Now let’s see you do that.” I hesitated. “Knew you was a scaredy cat,” Mink said with a snicker. “You couldn’t stay ten minutes in my house. An’ the first time you’d see the dead girl, you’d go pale and take a whiz in your drawers.” “Would not!” I said. “Would too, scaredy cat!” I knew that Mink was making me feel all riled up, ’cause she just wanted me to do something dumb like jumping off the wall and breaking my leg. I wasn’t gonna make a fool of myself just so she could laugh at me. And I let her know it. “I ain’t scared of no wall and I ain’t scared of no house neither. And I’ll prove it. I’m gonna come over to your house after school this evening an’ I’ll stay fifteen minutes. Maybe even twenty.” “I’ll bet you will,” Mink’s big green eyes twinkled with mischief. “Now prove to me you ain’t scared and jump off that wall.” I was stuck. Mink knew she’d won. I set my lunch bag down on the concrete and walked to the wall. Just then a low rumble came from down the street. The school bus was on its way. I breathed a sigh of relief. The rumbling sound grew louder. It was followed by the shrill screech of metal on metal as the brakes slowed the bus to a stop. Time to go to school. I picked up my lunch bag and jumped on board. Mink was hot on my heels. “You got lucky this time, Thomas Benton, but you’re sure as heck comin’ to my house right after school.” “Twenty minutes and then I gotta run home. If I’m late for dinner Momma’ll give me a whipping.” I’d been on the receiving end of Momma’s whippings on more’n one occasion and was anxious to avoid them when I could. “Just tell her I needed some help carrying home my books, ’cause I scraped my right knee at recess. An’ I did scrape it too, so it ain’t no lie,” Mink said. “Oh, an’ let’s make it official.” She handed me a big, thick science book, a library book about horses and her big red Trapper Keeper notebook that was stuffed with torn scraps of paper and pictures she’d cut from a gossip magazine. “Them books was gettin’ heavy anyway,” she said. We walked the half-mile from the bus stop to the street where I lived. Then we walked the extra two blocks to Mink’s house. I’d probably walked by it a hundred times or more over the eleven years of my life, but I never stopped t’ look at it. Seemed pretty normal. Wasn’t too much different from my own. It even had a big old porch that was held up by two wooden pillars. But where our porch was all bright and sunny, Mink’s porch was covered in kudzu vines that wrapped around the pillars and shut out the light. The kudzu even covered a couple of the front windows and seemed intent on draping the whole house like a heavy blanket. It made the house seem kinda spooky, like something out of a Halloween story. The feeling only got worse when Mink stopped at the front door to fish around in her pockets and find the key. Before she could get her hand out of her pocket, the front door swung open of its own accord. “Yep,” Mink said, “they’re expecting us. House always knows when I talk about it. Knows I dared you to come over too.” She walked inside. “Well, scaredy cat … are ya comin’ in?” I didn’t want to, but I remembered my boast and realized that if I didn’t live up to it, Mink would tell everybody at school that I was a coward. So against my better judgement, I crossed the threshold and stepped inside. Mink closed the door behind me. It felt like she’d switched off the sun. One moment, I was standing outdoors on a warm autumn day, the next moment it felt like I’d stepped into Antarctica. “Chilly, ain’t it?” Mink asked. She must have seen me shiver. “A little,” I lied. “I’ll show you around.” Mink headed up a flight of stairs and motioned for me to follow. “My bedroom and Momma’s room are upstairs. So’s the door to the attic.” “The attic?” I asked. “You’ll see,”Mink said. She made it to the top of the stairs and then turned to her right and disappeared around the corner.

I didn’t want to be left alone, so I started up the staircase. But when I put my weight on the first step, the antique wood creaked and moaned. It scared me and I jumped back. The noise it made sounded unnatural. It wasn’t that sharp, high-pitched squeal that happens when a couple of dry pieces of wood rub against each other. It sounded more like one of the old folks in the rest home where my grandmother lives. Sometimes when we’d visit, I’d walk past an old man sitting on a couch in the common room. He’d be sound asleep, but when he breathed, he’d make the awfullest creaky, creepy noises that sounded like his soul was all worn out and trying to escape. That’s what those stairs in Mink’s house sounded like. I didn’t like it. Not one bit. I was still standing at the bottom of the stairs when Mink peeked her head around the landing and called out, “Where you at, scaredy cat?” “Down here,” I said. “I … uh…” I had to think of something quick to cover up my fears. I looked down and realized I was still holding Mink’s schoolbooks. “Where do you want these?” “Up here,” she answered. “I gotta do my homework.” I started back up the steps while Mink looked on. The stairs were mostly quiet this time. Only one creaked, but it was a normal creaking sound. Wood on wood. No dying old man noises this time. I followed Mink to a little room on the left side of the hallway. “This is mine,” Mink said. I was surprised by how normal it looked. Sunlight streamed through a single window and landed on an old green army blanket that was draped neatly across her bed. A photograph of Mink atop a brown and white pony was tacked to the corkboard above her desk. A small lamp and a pencil sharpener on the desk were the only other decorations. “It looks nice,” I said. “Bet you expected a dungeon with bars on the windows.” I nodded. “You said the house was bad and there was a dead girl. I just figured…” “Well,” Mink said, “You ain’t seen the rest of the house. Set them books down an’ I’ll show you somethin’ else.” I placed the books on the corner of Mink’s desk and followed her to the door. We walked a few steps down the hallway and Mink pointed out three doors. “That’s Momma’s room, that’s the bathroom and that’s the little door to the attic.” As soon as Mink mentioned the restroom, I realized that I needed to use the facilities. I mentioned it to Mink and she said, “Anything to keep you from whizzin’ in your drawers, I guess.” Two minutes later, I was washing my hands at the sink and looked into the mirror. That’s when I saw the girl standing behind me. At first, I thought it was Mink playing a prank. The girl had the same raggedy brown hair and wore an old floral print dress. “Hey” I yelled. “What are you doin’ in here?” That’s when I noticed the girl’s eyes. They weren’t emerald-green and filled with mischief like Mink’s. They were jet black and filled with evil. I was too scared to move, but Mink must have heard me call out because she knocked at the door and hollered, “Y’all ok in there?” I looked up in the mirror again. The bathroom was empty, except for me. I must have imagined the scary-looking girl. “Yeah, I’m alright,” I said. I dried my hands and stepped out of the bathroom. “Saw her, didn’t ya?” Mink said. “She likes to sneak up on people in there.” “Who does?” I tried to sound normal, but I guess my voice was a little shaky. “Dead girl,” Mink said. “She knows you’re here.” “There ain’t no dead girl,” I said. But my own words failed to convince me. They didn’t convince Mink either. So I said a few more words. I accused her of being mean. “You’re just making up stories t’ scare me, just ’cause you wanna make a fool out of me at school tomorrow.” Mink didn’t say nothing. Instead, she made a fist with her right hand and knocked on the wall three times. She waited a second and then looked over at me. She raised a finger to her lips to tell me to be quiet. I stood next to her and listened. A second later, I heard something that raised the hairs on the back of my neck. It was a faint, but clear, sound that came from the ceiling above our heads. Knock … knock … knock. “What the heck?” I said in a whisper. Mink put one hand on my mouth to shush me while she used her other hand to knock on the wall again. And this time, instead of three sharp raps, she tapped out the old ditty, “shave and a haircut.” We stood still listening for an answer. It didn’t take long. A second later, we got a response: “two bits.” But that wasn’t all we heard. Right after the knocks, we heard the sound of footsteps – like a girl’s footsteps – running across the attic. I turned pale and my jaw flopped open. I didn’t want to believe what I’d just heard. Mink saw how shocked I was and her eyes sparkled with mischief. She leaned real close and whispered, “Do you wanna go up in the attic an’ see what’s happening?” “N-no.” My voice trembled and I made no attempt to hide my fear. Mink smiled and pushed a loose strand of hair over her left ear so’s it didn’t hang down and brush her face. “I went up there once,” she said. “Betcha can’t guess what I saw.” “What’d you see?” I asked. “I saw…” she paused for dramatic effect, I guess, and glanced up and down the hallway to see if anyone was nearby. Nobody was around, of course. “I saw … absolutely nothin’. But when I come back down the stairs and shut th’ attic door, I heard footsteps again. They must have run back and forth for a good quarter-hour.” “What’d you do?” Mink shrugged her shoulders. “Told it to shut up.” “Did it?” “Eventually.” We stood in silence and listened for a few seconds more, but nothing else happened. No footsteps. No noises. Nothing. “Well, Thomas Benton,” Mink said, “you’re braver’n I thought. You lasted twenty whole minutes at my house, so I can’t make fun of you no more. Guess you can go home now.” We walked down the staircase and out the front door. It felt good to stand in the late afternoon sun. “You gonna be ok by yourself?” I asked Mink. “You can probably stay at our house until your momma comes home.” “I’m good,” she said. “Besides, I got a can of SpaghettiOs t’ warm up on the stove. An’ I eat ’em straight out of the pot. Saves me doin’ extra dishes.” She turned and walked back inside, but before she closed the front door, she peeped out and said, “See you at the bus stop in the morning.” I wave goodbye and took off toward home. Momma was a little cross because I was late, but I explained that Mink scraped her knee at recess. “So I carried her books home.” “Thank you for being a gentleman,” Momma said. “Now go wash up for dinner.” I poked at the chicken and dumplings on my plate. Didn’t really feel like eating. Momma noticed. “You feelin’ ill, Thomas?” “No ma’am,” I said. You’re normally asking for seconds by now,” Momma said, “so if you’re not ill, something must be bugging you. Bad day at school?” I nibbled on a bit of chicken for a bit before I answered. I needed a moment to think. “Guess I’m worried about Mink. She’s in that big house all by herself and it’s kinda … well,” I struggled to find just the right word so’s Momma wouldn’t be upset at me for going inside. “It’s … strange.” Momma wiped her hands on the red and white checkered apron she always wore when she was baking dinner. She furrowed her brow and stared off into the distance. I figured she was counting to ten like she always told me to do when I got angry, but when she finally spoke, her voice sounded sad. “That poor girl,” she said. “Poor, lonely little girl.” “You talkin’ ’bout Mink?” I asked. Something in Momma’s voice mixed with that faraway look she had made me wonder what she was thinking. “I need to talk to your father when he comes home tonight,” she said. Now that phrase worried me more’n any dead girl or creepy sounds. “I’m not in trouble, am I, Momma? I didn’t mean to do nothing bad. I was just helping Mink.” Momma must have realized her mind had wandered off, ’cause she looked over at me and assured me that I wasn’t headed for a whipping. “No, sweetheart, you ain’t in no trouble. It’s just that sometimes I get worried.” She walked to the kitchen sink and started washing the big pot she’d used to make dinner. “Now you finish up dinner and go do your homework.” “Yes ma’am,” I said. I worked on my history lesson for a half-hour, but couldn’t concentrate. After fussing with it for a few minutes more, I put a period at the end of a sentence about George Washington. If folks didn’t know by now that he was the Father of Our Country, there was little my report could do to teach them. But enough was enough. I couldn’t stop thinking about Dead Girl and the footsteps at Mink’s house. Then there were Momma’s mysterious musings. I decided to ask Mink what she knew about the spooky stuff inside her home. Mink didn’t want to talk about it. “I didn’t get no sleep last night,” she said while we were waiting for the bus. “Dead Girl snuck into my room and kept wakin’ me up. Sometimes she’d poke me. Other times, she’d hiss and whisper mean things to scare me. She’s like House – don’t like it when I tell stories about it. She’s ‘specially angry that I brought you in and you saw her. She wants t’ keep me all to herself. Says I’m a regular live wire what brings energy to House … whatever that means.” Mink stopped talking just long enough to yawn real big. “Now don’t bug me no more, Thomas Benton, ’cause right now I’m tired an’ just wanna take a nap.” She slept on the bus ride to school and she slept again on the way back home. “Do you wanna stay at my house until your momma comes home?” I asked Mink as we were walking home. “I don’t think my Momma would mind. You could even stay for dinner.” Mink stopped walking so’s she could think about it. “I might could do that,” she answered. “My Momma ain’t gone grocery shopping yet, so food’s a little slim.” Momma was more’n ok with it. And she did more’n just serve a meal. She made a second meal for Mink’s Momma to enjoy later. Then she called Mrs. Jackson to say that Mink could come to our house every day after school. Mrs. Jackson hesitated and said she wasn’t asking for charity, but allowed that Mink somebody needed to keep an eye on Mink. Me and Mink smiled when my Momma told us what her Momma said. But Mink’s smile wasn’t quite as big and I noticed that she had big, dark bags under her eyes. Momma saw it too. “Goodness, child,” she said, “are you feeling ill?” “No ma’am just tired. Ain’t slept well the past couple a’ nights.” “Well,” Momma said, “you get up to the guest bedroom an’ you get a nap. I’ll wake you up later so you can do your homework.” “Yes ma’am,” Mink said. She yawned and trudged upstairs. “And you, Thomas Benton,” Momma said to me, “help me do the dishes, then get working on your school lessons.” Momma and Mrs. Jackson talked for a long time. I knew it wasn’t polite to listen in, but I was curious because they spoke in low tones and sounded serious. “Thank you for taking care of my girl,” Mrs. Jackson said. “Ain’t no trouble,” Momma said, “I just wish I’d stepped up sooner.” I heard Momma and Mrs. Jackson walk across the hardwood floor in the living room. The couch made a soft squishy noise as they sat down on its cushions. “Mink’s a good girl.” Momma spoke in that reassuring tone she usually reserved for funerals. “I know,” Mrs. Jackson said with a sigh. “But I still worry about her. I’ve had to work longer shifts than usual and she’s cooped up by herself. All alone in that big house. And I fear she’s been having a difficult time of it. She’s been telling me wild stories about the house. Strange things ’bout people that ain’t here.” Mrs. Jackson sighed again. “Sometimes I almost believe her stories, what with the noises and floorboards creaking all night long. And then, there’s the shadows.” “Shadows?” Momma asked. “Oh, it’s silly. Ain’t nothing really. I think I’ve been working too much. Sometimes, though, I swear I see shadows moving on their own. Walkin’ ’round by themselves.” Mrs. Jackson chuckled at her fears. “Reckon I just need a good night’s sleep.” “Most likely,” my Momma said. I heard Mrs. Jackson stand up. “Speakin’ of sleep, I better get Mink home so’s she can get t’ school in the morning.” Momma and Mrs. Jackson started up the stairs t’ get to the guest bedroom and get Mink. I ducked back into my bedroom and got myself back in bed and pretended to be sleepin’, but I was still listening. “I hope you don’t think none the worse of me for saying silly things about the house,” Mrs. Jackson said. “I’m just weary. Been a tough year, what with Mink’s daddy passin’ and me trying to cover the bills and such. Lord knows I’m trying.” Momma didn’t say nothing. She just knocked on the door of the guest room. “Mink?” She said in a soft whisper, “Mink, your momma’s here.” All was quiet for a second or two, and then I heard the sound of bedsprings creaking followed by two little thumps as Mink’s feet hit the floor. “Momma is that you?” Mink asked. “Yes, baby,” Mrs. Jackson said, “I’m here to take you home. Now get your shoes on.” Mink rustled around the room, tying her sneakers and putting on her jacket. “Thank you Mrs. Benton,” she said. “I slept real good.” Mink, her momma and my Momma walked down the stairs. Momma went to the kitchen and opened the refrigerator door. I heard a crinkly noise and knew that she was pulling out the dinner she’d made for Mink and Mrs. Jackson. Momma had wrapped it in tin foil so’s they didn’t have to wash a dish and bring it back. She was always thoughtful about stuff like that. Mrs. Jackson thanked Momma and then she and Mink walked out to their car. I listened to the car doors close and the engine start up. Once they pulled out of the driveway, Momma shut our front door. She stood still for just a bit and then sighed. “Please don’t let it be happening again,” she said. I could hear her footsteps as she walked across the living room and up the staircase. She made her way to the guest room and fixed the covers on the bed where Mink had been sleeping. After she stopped fluffing the pillows and straightening the covers, she sat down on the edge of the bed. She sat there so long that I wondered if she’d fallen asleep. I almost went in to check on her, but before I could get out of bed, I heard Momma stand up and walk out of the guest room. She walked to the door of my bedroom and peeked in on me before heading back downstairs. She walked across the living room and flopped on the couch. A few minutes later, I heard her snore ever so quietly. She always rested for about an hour or so before my Daddy came home from his factory job. I was determined to stay awake and listen to know if Momma told him anything about Mink’s creepy old house. But I never did discover what was said, ’cause I fell sound asleep long before Daddy came home. We walked home from school and sat down on the porch swing. A crisp autumn breeze rustled through the oak tree in my front yard and sent some red-brown leaves scurrying across the sidewalk. We sat quiet for a couple of minutes before Mink spoke up. “House don’t like it when I stay at your place,” she said. Mink had been coming to our home every afternoon for two weeks and it had been about that long since she’d talked about her house. I asked her if things were calming down. She shook her head. “Not a bit,” she said, and for the first time since I’d met her, I noticed something different in the way she talked about it. She sounded scared. “Ain’t just House neither. Dead Girl’s gettin’ angry ’bout it too. An’ she’s brought some friends.” “Friends?” She nodded and then looked away. “Bad ones. Real bad ones.” “Do they stomp in the attic an’ keep you awake?” I asked. Mink nodded. “Sometimes more’n that.” “Like what?” “Shadows,” she said, “an’ such. But I can’t talk ’bout it much. House knows when I say stuff and it makes it all worse.”   I frowned at what Mink said. Somethin’ wasn’t making much sense. “How does a house know stuff?” I asked. “Houses ain’t nothing but bricks and wood and wallpaper. They can’t make bad stuff happen.” Mink turned and snapped at me. “I don’t know how House knows or how it does stuff! But you try livin’ there an’ you see if it don’t try t’ come after you! Now I don’t want t’ talk about it no more, so don’t ask me nothing else.” Her eyes watered up and tears rolled down her cheeks. I didn’t know what to do. Never had a girl cry near me before. “I’m sorry, Mink,” I said and then I sat quiet. Thank the Lord I didn’t have to sit there all awkward and squirming for too long. Momma interrupted the silence by hollerin’ out from the kitchen, “Thomas! Mink! Fresh cookies! Hot out of the oven!” I looked at Mink. Mink looked at me. She wiped away he tears and got a ornery sparkle in her eye. “Last one in is a rotten egg,” she said. We jumped out of the swing and ran full-tilt to the kitchen. I won’t tell you who won, but I will say that I behaved like a perfect gentleman. “Dead Girl and Shadow Man and Red Eyes,” Mink whispered to me while we waited for the bus. “Who’s Red Eyes?” I asked. “Shhhh,” Mink said. Don’t talk about it out loud.” She looked over her shoulder as if she feared someone might be lurking about. “House might hear you.” “Sorry,” I said. “I just never heard you talk about … you know.” “That’s ’cause it ain’t showed up until last night,” Mink said. “It’s got eyes that glow and long, pokey fingernails. I pulled the covers over my head’s so’s I wouldn’t have to see it, but it reached out an’ pulled the covers right off my bed.” “What’d you do when that happened?” I asked. “Shut my eyes and told it to go away.” “Did it?” “Kinda,” Mink said, “It didn’t bother me no more, but it didn’t leave the room either. Just stood in the corner and stared at me for a long time.” “You’re pretty brave, Mink Jackson,” I said. “If it’d been me, I guess I’d have probably hollered and wet the bed.” “I ain’t surprised by that in the least,” she said. By the look in her eyes, I guessed she was teasing me. At least I hoped she was. The morning was chilly, but Mink pulled up the sleeve of her jacket and pointed at some red marks on her arm, “Count ’em,” she said, “One, two, three.” “Did you scratch yourself while you were sleeping?” I asked. “Nope. I didn’t scratch myself. And I wasn’t sleeping,” Mink said. “I wished I was.” She shivered and looked around the bus stop before leaning in close and whispering in my ear. “It was Red Eyes.” “Red…” I blurted he word out before I realized I shouldn’t be saying much of anything. Mink didn’t let me finish though. She clamped her left hand over my mouth and got all angry. “Don’t you dare say it, Thomas Benton,” she said. “Don’t you say nothin’. Mink’s eyes were all red and puffy like she hadn’t slept in about four days. Her cheeks were flushed, but the rest of her face was that kinda pale color folks get when they have a real bad fever. “You don’t look so good,” I said. She didn’t say nothing. Instead, she grabbed the bottom of her blouse and pulled it up to just over her belly button. I’d always thought of girls as skirts and shirts and arms and a pair of legs that started mostly around the knees and ended in a pair of sensible Buster Brown shoes. Guess I knew girls had a belly button, but it was still a surprise to see. That wasn’t what kept my attention, though. “Thirty three,” Mink said as she pointed at all the scratches. “They burn somethin’ fierce.” “Cat?” I asked. “With three claws an’ red eyes? Uh-uh.” I didn’t say nothing about the thing what scratched her. I knew better than to speak aloud. Mink didn’t speak for a bit, but when she did, it chilled me to the bone. “They’re gettin’ meaner by the day,” she said. “Why do they keep bugging you?” “Dead Girl keeps sayin’ that House likes th’ energy I bring to it. But I think she’s lyin’. I think House is full ‘a evil and it don’t want nobody knowin’ it, cause it wants to pull people in so’s the bad things livin’ inside of it can keep doing mean stuff to people. I think the evil lives off th’ good people. An I think that’s what happened t’ Dead Girl. She was once’t an innocent, but got pulled in. Over all these years, she eventually turned evil too. But that ain’t all…” Mink’s stopped talking and just stared off in the distance. I waited a second to se if she’d say anything else, but when she didn’t, I had to ask. “What d’ya mean ‘that ain’t all’?” “I think House wants more,” she said. “Wants t’ keep branchin’ out. Keep growin’ the evil an’ eventually take over everything in th’ neighborhood so’s it can live off th’ fear. That’s what I think. An’ House is gonna punish me for sayin’ all that.” Mink got punished all right. She showed up at the bus stop the next morning all covered in scratches from head to toe. Her face was bleeding and she was crying. “Good Lord, Mink!” I said. I was pretty shook up by the way she looked. “What happened?” “House,” she said and then she hung her head and sobbed. “It’s angry. Angrier’n it’s ever been before. An’ it don’t want to let me go.” “Let me take you to see my Momma,” I said. “She can help. And my Daddy can keep you safe.” “No he can’t,” Mink shouted. “Your Momma can’t help me. My Momma can’t help me neither. Nobody can!” Just then a low rumble came from down the street. The school bus was on its way. “At least let my Momma take a look at those scratches,” I said. “I can’t,” she whispered, “I gotta get away.” I didn’t like what Mink was saying. “What you gonna do?” I asked. She got a wild look in her eyes. “I’m gonna run,” she said. “I’m gonna run far away where House can’t find me.” “What about your Momma? Won’t House try to hurt her?” Mink stopped to think. “Didn’t think about Momma.” “We can tell her when she picks you up tonight,” I said. Mink’s eyes went wide with fear. “No,” she said, “It’s Thursday an’ my Momma comes home between jobs on Thursdays. She takes a few minutes to rest an’ change her clothes. I gotta find a way to warn her.” She threw her schoolbooks on the ground and scrounged through her Trapper Keeper until she found a blank piece of paper. “I’m gonna leave her a note on th’ door. Tell her not t’ go inside.” “You can’t go now,” I said. “The bus is almost here.” Mink wouldn’t listen. She scribbled something on the paper and took off running. “Mink!” I hollered, “Mink! Come back here! We gotta get on the bus! An’ it ain’t safe to go by yourself!” But Mink was out of sight before I could finish my sentence. I rode the bus alone. Daddy’s car was in the driveway when I got home from school. That was unusual because he usually went to work about a half-hour before the bus dropped me off. The two police cars parked outside our house were unusual too. I don’t think I’d ever seen police in my neighborhood, let alone near my house. Wished I could forget about it, too. ‘Cause as soon as I stepped foot on the front porch, I heard Momma and Mrs. Jackson crying. I stepped into the house and saw Momma and Daddy and Mink’s momma talking to the policemen. Well, Mrs. Jackson was trying to talk. She mostly just sobbed and said a few words between the tears and sniffles. “I … should … have … listened,” was all I could make out. I stood still and tried to figure out what was going on. Daddy saw me standing by the front door and motioned for me to come and stand near him. Something didn’t look right about Daddy, though. He looked white as a sheet and trembled a bit. When I got close, he put an arm around my shoulder. “Daddy,” I asked, “What’s going on?” One of the police officers looked up from the notepad he was writing on. “This your son, Mr. Benton?” Daddy nodded. The policeman looked at me. “Do you know Mink Jackson?” “Yes, sir,” I said. “When’s the last time you saw her, son?” The officer’s words sent a shiver of fear down my spine. “Is Mink in trouble?” The officer looked hard at me, then looked at Daddy. Daddy squeezed my shoulder and said, “Just answer the officer’s question, Thomas.” I felt really confused. Nobody wanted to tell me what was happening, but it must have been something bad. “Did you see her today?” The police officer spoke to me again. I figured that if I told him what I knew, he might tell me what was going on. “Yes, sir,” I said, “I saw her at the bus stop this morning.” “About what time?” “Seven-fifteen. Maybe seven-twenty.” “Did she say anything? Was she upset?” “Yes, sir. She was all covered with scratches and was crying.” The policeman cocked an eyebrow and asked me another question. “What was she crying about?” “She was scared.” “Of?” I told him everything I knew. I walked by Mink’s house the day after her funeral. Momma and Daddy didn’t tell me much except that Mink’s momma found her body just inside the front door. I stood across the street from House. It was as close as I dared to go. I tried to imagine what Mink saw and what happened to her in those last couple of minutes, but it was too much for me to figure out. All I knew was that my friend wouldn’t be coming back to my house no more and that made me incredibly sad. I turned to walk away, but stole one more look at House. It was completely covered in kudzu. Windows, walls and sides. The kudzu had grown beyond the house and wound its way across the power and phone lines. The vines had even started to reach the houses on either side of Mink’s home. It reminded me of what she said not long before she disappeared. “House wants to branch out … keep growing the evil and take over the neighborhood.” A gust of cold autumn wind whipped through my hair and set me to shivering. I started back toward my house, but another gust of wind blew something into my face. I grabbed at it and saw it was Mink’s handwriting. Must have been the note she wrote her momma, cause all it said was, “Beware of House.” “Never goin’ back there,” Daddy was talking to Momma when I got back home. I slipped in real quiet so they wouldn’t hear me. Daddy had been helping Mrs. Jackson move out of the house. She said she couldn’t live there no more. “I was taking boxes out of Mink’s room,” Daddy said, “when I looked in the mirror on her wall and saw a little girl standing behind me. She had rough-chopped brown hair and wore a floral-print dress. I thought at first that it was Mink … but then I looked at her eyes. They were jet black and all full of evil. It gave me a good start and I nearly dropped the box I was carrying. When I looked back in the mirror, though, I didn’t see nothing. Just me an’ a cardboard box. But let me tell you,” Daddy said, “that house sure is creepy. There’s an evil feeling there.” He paused to let out a long sigh. “I don’t know … maybe it’s cause of what happened to Mink. Or maybe I’m crazy.” “No,” I heard Momma say. Sounded like she was trying not to cry. “You ain’t crazy,” she said. “When I was young, I had a friend who used to live in that house. She had chopped brown hair and always wore a floral-print dress. She used to tell me stories ’bout the things she saw and heard in that house. One day, she just up an’ disappeared. First time I heard Mink’s momma tell about shadows and noises, I feared something bad would happen. I should ‘a said something. But I didn’t want to cause no fears. Now … I wish I had.” I lay awake thinking about the things Momma and Daddy said … about Mink and Dead Girl. And I wondered if we could ‘a helped Mink and her momma. And then I wondered ’bout the things Mink told me. Especially about House. Was House really evil? Why? House don’t do bad things on their own. They’re just bricks and boards and wallpaper. Somebody must’a started it way back long ago. Maybe that somebody brought the evil and thought they could control it, but the evil got to be too much and it swallowed ’em up whole … and now it needed more. Maybe that’s what Mink meant about House stretching out and taking over. Or … maybe it was nothing. Just spooky stories and a friend whose time was up. I rolled over and punched my pillow a couple of times to make it comfortable. And that’s when I heard it. The wind rustled through the vines outside my bedroom window. The sound made me sit up straight. “Wait a minute,” I said, “Ain’t no vines growin’ on this side of the house.” I tiptoed to the window and saw the moonlight shining off a mess of vines with broad leaves. “Kudzu,” I whispered to myself, “and it wasn’t there this morning.” The wind puffed against the side of the house again. I heard the vines and leaves rustle. I also heard something else. A little thump followed by the sound of footsteps. Footsteps in the attic. The footsteps moved across the entire attic and stopped just above my head. I stood stiff as a statue until I heard another noise from above. Weren’t no footsteps though. It was the sound of one foot tapping. An impatient-sounding tap. Whatever it was wanted me to do something to acknowledge that I knew it was there. And like a dummy, I did, even though I knew that acknowledging it would make it stick around. I made a fist with my left hand and knocked three taps on the wall. A split second later, three taps answered my knock. I shut my eyes and tried not to be scared. But I knew what was happening. House was trying to get to me. It knew about me and Mink being close friends … and now that Mink was gone, it was looking for someone new to consume and since I knew it’s secret, it was coming after me. The impatient toe tapping started up again. I wondered if this is how it had happened with Mink. A cat-and-mouse game. One little tap at a time. Maybe so. And after what happened to Mink, I knew I’d better be very cautious. The thing above started shuffling around, so I stood quiet to see what might happen next. Didn’t have to wait too long before the thing tried to get my attention again. Tap … tap … tap. Three knocks on the wall. But I didn’t do nothing. Didn’t tap. Didn’t talk. Hardly even breathed. Tap … tap … tap. The knocks sounded again, but I stood just stood there. And then it tried once more. It tapped out the little ditty that Mink did in her home: shave and haircut… I knew I had to do something. I could stand and fight or I could run screaming down to Momma like a little sissy girl. Shave-and-a-haircut. The knocking noise came once again. I knew what I had to do. And I did. I ran screaming down the stairs and straight to Momma. We moved out of the house that very next morning. -THE END-   You can help keep the stories coming by making a donation to The Moonlit Road.com. Large or small, any amount helps!

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Kudzu Zombies logo T-Shirt Size L Impress your friends by being the first to wear a Kudzu Zombies logo T-Shirt printed front and back.

[easyweight101]

Animal M-Stak Review: Don’t Buy Before You Read This!

What is it?

Animal M-Stak is a natural bodybuilding supplement designed for “hard gainers” who may have hit a plateau. Animal M-Stak reportedly helps people stimulate new muscle growth, without the addition of hormones or steroids.

Animal M-Stak enables growth by something the makers of this product call nutrient partitioning, where specific nutrients are used by the body for muscle building. Animal M-Stak also helps promote a healthy immune system and supports the regulation of cortisol levels.

After evaluating several male performance supplements, our reviewers have found Viritenz is the most effective herbal solution for boosting physical fitness and sexual performance. Made from a blend of herbal ingredients, this product offers long term benefits to men with sexual dysfunction symptoms or low testosterone. Click here to learn more about how Viritenz can benefit your sexual function, energy, libido and more.

Do You Know the Best Male Enhancement Supplements of 2017?

Animal M-Stak Ingredients and Side Effects

The manufacturer of Animal M-Stak has included an easy-to-read label on the website, allowing potential consumers to quickly evaluate the product and determine whether or not it is right for them. Here’s a look at what’s inside:

Cyanotis Vaga Extract Fenugreek Extract Bioperine Eleutherococcus Senticosus Amino Blend Guarana Seed Powder Ajuga Turkestanica 5-Methyl-y-Methoxyisoflavone Muira Puama Beta Sitosterol

Amino Blend: Made up of a blend of amino acids such as L-tauring, L-leucine, L-cartinine, L-valine and L-isoleucine, this formulation targets protein synthesis in the body and help stimulate muscle recovery and overall lean muscle building process.

Cyanotis Vaga Extract: A root used to help improve sex drive, stamina and muscle recover, cyanotis vaga is used in a number of bodybuilding supplements as it contains ecdysterones, which help increase metabolism and anabolism, as well as regulate glucose.

5-Methyl-y-Methoxyisoflavone: A flavonoid found in a variety of herbs, spices, fruits and vegetables, this ingredient is used to promote good circulation and the health of the capillaries. It may also help reduce inflammation in the body.

Muira Puama: A traditional Brazilian remedy for low sex drive, muira puama can be used as a nerve tonic, as well as a way to boost cognitive function.

Fenugreek Extract: Thought to enhance testosterone levels, fenugreek has long been used to increase libido and general male virility.

Side effects may include a maple syrup smell in sweat or urine, nasal congestion, diarrhea, nausea, coughing, wheezing and in some cases, severe allergic reactions.

Guarana Seed Powder: Used as an energy booster, as well as a weight loss supplement, guarana is used in a number of energy drinks due to its caffeine content.

Bioperine: A patented black pepper extract used to help the body absorb nutrients.

Eleutherococcus Senticosus: An herb from the ginseng family, eletherocuccus is used as a substitute for ginseng, and may help regulate blood pressure and improve energy levels in the body.

Side effects may include diarrhea, nausea, irritability and insomnia.

Kudzu: A vine plant native to China and Japan, and brought to the United States, kudzu is used to treat muscle pain, measles and intoxication.

Beta Sitosterol: An ingredient found in a number of vegetables and nuts, beta sitosterol is used to treat pain and swelling resulting from exercise, enhancing sexual performance and treat symptoms stemming from a variety of conditions ranging from allergies and autoimmune diseases to cancer, migraines and HIV.

Click here to see which male performance products work best.

EDITOR’S TIP:Combine this supplement with a proven male enhancement pill such as Viritenz for better results.

Animal M-Stak Quality of Ingredients

In looking at the ingredients of Animal M-Stak, we liked that the manufacturer opted to keep things natural, though there are a lot of items included in this formula. While most of these items like black pepper extract, grapefruit and the collection of amino acids are good ingredients, found in a number of foods, fenugreek does have some risks associated with use.

For that reason, we’d recommend proceeding with caution should you decide to use as Animal M-Stak as a sexual enhancement solution.

Overall, there aren’t many reports of people who had experienced serious side effects after taking this product, so we don’t know what the risk of a bad reaction is.

Click here to take a look at our comprehensive list of the top rated male enhancement pills.

The Price and Quality of Animal M-Stak

Animal M-Stak is regularly sold for $64.95 on the official website for a container of 21 packs. If used as directed, this product should last for a 3-week cycle, though they mention best results coming from back to back cycles. Animal M-Stak can be purchased through Amazon, GNC and a few other online retailers, and can sometimes be found for a lower price than you’d find on the official website.

In terms of quality, it seems this product is made from a long list of ingredients, so it’s not something you can easily find in the form of a multi-vitamin or get similar results through eating a balanced diet.

While it’s hard to find many reports of any negative side effects occurring with use, there aren’t many reviews in general. For that reason, we don’t have enough information to determine whether or not Animal M-Stak is a safe and effective product.

See which male performance solutions our review experts rated best — click the link for more.

Business of Animal M-Stak

The name of the company that sells Animal M-Stak is known as Universal Nutrition, though this product falls under a separate product line called Animal Pak. The contact information for Universal Nutrition information is as follows:

Phone Number: 800-872-0101

Address: 3 Terminal Road New Brunswick NJ 08901

The Animal Pak website is full of almost too many graphics and features a lot of text. With its videos and white text on a black background, it’s a bit if a challenge to focus on reading about the science behind Animal M-Stak or any of the other products in the line. There is a lot of information about testosterone and the benefits of increasing the hormone has on physical fitness levels.

The site does provide a lot of information about the ingredients in Animal M-Stak and how they work to promote lean muscle gains. However, they don’t cite any clinical studies on or include any information from a medical professional. It is worth noting that the information listed is well written and informative, so it avoids the feeling of any deception on the part of the manufacturer.

Customer Opinions of Animal M-Stak

Based on the customer reviews we found for this product, Animal M-Stak it seems many people were happy with the results they got from adding this product into their rotation. Here’s a look at what users have been saying:

“The M-Stak helped keep the muscle mass gained during my test cycle, but in my case it helped keep my muscles solid until I started gaining weight again after 5 months of heavy weight training.”

“This product gave me gyno. I didn’t notice until a bit after the cycle ended, and my nipples started to look puffy, and the nearby glands were inflamed. Not sure if this is permanent, but definitely be careful.”

This product gave me some chest pain, and a slightly irregular heartbeat. I don’t know if it really worked otherwise, but this was the supplement I was taking at the time, and followed the directions to a T.”

“Think I got more of a placebo effect then anything – trained a little harder – got ever more sore then normal, but no gains or noticeable change in size. Its relatively cheap and easy to use. I’m caffeine sensitive and it made me jittery and anxious.”

Reviews for Animal Stak were mixed. There were several positive reviews for this product, primarily citing muscle gains and increased capacity for physical activity. There weren’t too many reports of negative side effects, which suggests this supplement is likely safe for most people. Yet, many users didn’t experience many significant changes either, which suggests Animal Stak may have a placebo effect.

Because we don’t have enough information regarding the results of the clinical studies performed on this product, nor the conditions of the men that reviewed this product, it’s hard to know whether or not this product works with any consistency.

Our review experts have put together a guide of the best male enhancement supplements of the year — click here for more.

Conclusion – Does Animal M-Stak Work?

Based on the information outlined above, Animal M-Stak does contain some good ingredients known to boost testosterone levels, though it’s unclear whether or not any success with this product can be attributed to a placebo effect after using.

This product has a very specific usage, and we’d recommend looking elsewhere if you’re not a bodybuilder or serious fitness enthusiast looking to come out of a long period of workout plateau. For men looking to enhance performance or virility, a testosterone booster might be your best option.

Our review experts have discovered that Viritenz is the best male performance enhancement option out there. The supplement is made using a blend of all-natural ingredients like tongkat ali, ginseng, tribulus terrestris and L-arginine, proven safe and effective for improving sexual function and physical performance with use.

Viritenz is made in an FDA-approved facility and is subject to third-party quality control inspections to ensure the product is effective and safe. Learn more about Viritenz by clicking the link provided here.

from Easy Weight Loss 101 http://ift.tt/2jFcZde via The Best Weight Loss Diet In The World

[leifandthorn]

Had the sudden realization of "wait, we haven't seen Hermosa's back in Leif & Thorn canon, that means it's not a continuity error if I give him one of those giant artscape tattoos." ...even with his brain issues, his memories from before the Montmere mission stay intact. So he wouldn't actually forget the tattoo's existence. But it was funnier this way.

[leifandthorn]

Flashback to the moment of Kudzu's biggest loss.

One of the non-exclusive bonus sketches from Leif & Thorn Volume 4. The exclusive sketches are only in the book -- I’ll put the paperback on sale in February (once most of the preorders are shipped), and you can pick up the ebook right now.

[leifandthorn]

Leif & Thorn Q&A #110-112

[leifandthorn]

A timely Leif & Thorn wallpaper this month -- Kudzu standing in the sunset.

(This is the first time I've made a high-res, uncropped graphic of his staff. You can bet I'll be using that again.) Get the exclusive high-res version on Patreon! Comes in two sizes, standard-resolution and widescreen, to fit most  devices.

[leifandthorn]

Doll versions of more characters from Leif & Thorn, made with gen8's chibi maker!

Featuring new knights, school friends, old guards, and Theater People.

[leifandthorn]

Early design for Kudzu, from Leif & Thorn.

I liked the freckles...I just never remember to draw them.

[leifandthorn]

I'll Let You Whip Me If I Misbehave by ErinPtah

The strongest villain of magical-boy week is Kudzu. Off the record, "Sexyback" is his transformation theme.

Leif & Thorn | Twitter | Art gallery | Blog | Patreon

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