#New Hebrides

[lonestarbattleship]

USS WEST VIRGINIA (BB-48) in the floating drydock USS ARTISAN (ABSD-1), having her screws repaired at Espiritu Santo, Aessi Island, New Hebrides.

Photographed on November 9, 1944.

Battleship North Carolina Archives: P2016.021

source

[postcard-from-the-past]

Indigenous people on the New Hebrides

French vintage postcard

[kiddosdreamsposts]

“Tropical retreat, Lololima Cascades / Vanuatu .”

[renaissancerecordsrpg]

“Tropical retreat, Lololima Cascades / Vanuatu .”

[grokwrites]

“Tropical retreat, Lololima Cascades / Vanuatu .”

[new-wave-girl]

“Tropical retreat, Lololima Cascades / Vanuatu .”

[jurakan]

Fun fact please?

Today You Learned about Shion/Shony.

[Wikipedia’s article is under ‘Seonaidh’, but I read about it under the name ‘Shion’ in Mark Williams’s book.]

So, in the early 1700’s book A Description of the Western Islands of Scotland by Martin Martin (yes, that is his name) describes an annual nighttime ritual on the Isle of Lewis, in the Hebrides, in which the local church community would get together, pick someone to hold a cup of ale, and then wade into the water and dump it in while declaring it an offering to Shion or Shony to have a prosperous harvest. Now Marty-Mart thought that this was a holdover from an old pagan religion. It was popularly believed by scholars that ‘Shion’ must have been some old Celtic deity of the sea, whose cult was long forgotten, but that this one little island off the coast of Scotland remembered, if only for this one little holiday. Wikipedia even calls this ‘likely’, though it doesn’t have a citation for that sentence.

Welp. Probably not, according to Mark Williams.

In his book Ireland’s Immortals, Mark Williams talks about Marty-Mart’s records, and his own research. He also brings up that acclaimed scholar Ronald Hutton (famous debunker of New Age nonsense) independently came to the same conclusion, and that is this: this probably isn’t a pre-Christian ritual that survived. This is probably a pre-Reformation ritual that survived. After all, ‘Seonaidh’ is close to the Scottish Gaelic form of ‘Johnny’, in the same way that ‘Sean’ is the Irish take on ‘John’. Williams suggests that, given there are a ton of weird little festivals for saints all over the world, and the prominence of water, this is probably a ritual feast celebration to Saint John the Baptist, and it somehow survived the Reformation in this remote corner of Scotland.

A bit weird, but I hope it’s a good Fun Fact.

[supercantaloupe]

so not only am i Not playing principal on the beethoven, that was probably the worst reading i've ever done in orchestra. great

[vox-anglosphere]

The Isle of Skye, jewel of the Scottish Hebrides, is defined by the sea.

Good Morning from Scotland and Happy New Year 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

Sunrise over the cliffs of Staffin Bay, Isle of Skye

📸luca_gino_photographyon Instagram.

[sitp-recs]

Hello! I saw your last rec for Draco being whipped for Harry. Would you have any recs for the reverse situation? Harry being absolutely smitten for Draco. I love when it's mostly from Harry POV and Draco is driving him mad. Does anything come to mind? Thank you for your lovely recs and your presence in the fandom, it's a blessing! 💜

Yes of course! I feel like I did quite a few lists for pining Harry so this one will focus on smitten Harry told from his own pov. I tried to mix old favorites with fics I don’t see recced often. I’d highly recommend checking @tackytigerfic, @bixgirl1 and ignatiustrout as they all explore this trope so beautifully!

Take A Stab At It by @sorrybutblog (E, 3k)

It’s a bit pathetic, Harry knows, to have a hard-on for the guy who bullied you in school. Kind of cliché to look back on years of obsession and hatred and think, Oh.

Hourglass Heart by bixgirl1 (E, 5k)

It only happened once — depending on how Harry counted.

Blue Sky Is Living Here Today by ignatiustrout (G, 5k)

Draco's a father, Harry's in love with him, and it's really hard to take things slow.

The Things They Never Say by bixgirl1 (E, 9k)

Harry and Draco don't know how to talk. So they do other things instead.

Sex Ed for Aurors by curiouslyfic (M, 9k)

Some things, you need to learn on the job.

i wake up falling, orphaned (M, 9k)

Draco’s always leaving, one way or another. Harry’s usually 240 thousand miles too late.

Poppiholla by @moonflower-rose (M, 12k)

Harry had accepted that he would pine silently for Malfoy forever, but one, humid summer might change that.

Take the Moon by tackytiger (M, 15k)

Harry Potter has always wanted a family of his own, and when a deadly blood curse forces him into a marriage bond with his best friend Draco Malfoy, it looks like he might just have found one. It's just a shame they’d always planned to break up after a year…

White as Snow by bixgirl1 (E, 19k)

After a quick escape from danger, Harry and Draco find themselves trapped in a blizzard, a small cabin their only refuge from the storm. It's the perfect place to recover and regroup — and to have a long-overdue conversation or two.

We Might Be Too Old for a Bildungsroman by @wellhalesbells (T, 21k)

Harry finds something he’s been looking for since the war’s end. Admittedly, the packaging’s a bit odder than he expected.

With Great Yawns and Stretchings by sugar_screw (T, 22k)

The coffee is very good. Really. And the cats are so cute. That's why Harry goes so often.

On Your Shore by @xanthippe74 (M, 35k)

Clearing out a remote house full of cursed collectibles in the Outer Hebrides? Not a problem for an experienced curse breaker like Harry Potter. Spending a week with the straight, happily-married man that he’s starting to have feelings for? And sharing a bed with him at night? Surely Harry can handle that, too.

LA, Who Am I To Love You? by @epitomereally (E, 42k)

Harry’s summer in LA is not going as expected. Pansy Parkinson keeps inviting him to parties in the Hollywood Hills and harassing him to finally go to the physical therapist, Blaise Zabini keeps slipping new strains of his company’s magical weed into Harry’s pockets in hopes of an endorsement, and Draco Malfoy keeps having sex with everyone but Harry.

Here's The Pencil, Make It Work by ignatiustrout (M, 49k)

Harry thinks "Why is Malfoy working in a coffee shop in muggle London?" is a much simpler question than, "Are you going to accept that auror offer and, if you don't, what will you do?"

Modern Love by tackytiger (E, 61k)

Harry Potter, of all people, knows that life isn’t always fair. And no one gets to be happy all of the time. But surely there’s something more—something better—than a rubbish Ministry job, and a lonely old house, and that feeling that everyone out there is doing a better job of living than Harry is.

Azoth by @lol-zeitgeistic (E, 88k)

Now that Harry is back at Hogwarts with Hermione for eighth year, he realises that something’s missing from his life, and it either has to do with Ron, his boggart, Snape, or Malfoy. Furthermore, what, exactly, does it mean when one’s life is defined by the desire to simultaneously impress and annoy a portrait?

What We Pretend We Can't See by gyzym (M, 131k)

Seven years out from the war, Harry learns the hard truth of old history: it’s never quite as far behind you as you thought.

Can't Sit Still by wilteddaisy (E, 193k)

Five years after the war, Harry finds himself drawn to Draco Malfoy by memories that aren't his own.

[lonestarbattleship]

USS WEST VIRGINIA (BB-48) in the floating drydock USS ARTISAN (ABSD-1) at Espiritu Santo, Aessi Island, New Hebrides. WEST VIRGINIA was docked for upkeep and repair to propellers damaged when she touched ground off Leyte on October 21.

Photographed on November 13, 1944.

Battleship North Carolina Archives: P2016.021

Naval History and Heritage Command: 80-G-314220, NH 89345

[aziraphales-library]

Hello! Thank you for the role you play in this fandom, I don't know what we would do without Aziraphale's fic library

Today I wanted to ask if you knew fics where Aziraphale and Crowley are bitter exes who end up realizing later that they haven't stopped loving the other.

Thank you 💛

Hi! We have #getting back together and #reunion tags you can check for plenty more fics like this. Here are more to add...

Even Now, I Still Love You by Zakani_Donovan (T)

It had been 6 years since Crowley had last spoken to Aziraphale, and considering their nasty little breakup, he hadn't expected their next conversation to start with them suddenly being neighbors.

Down to the River by CemeteryAngel725 (E)

Twenty-five years ago, Tony Crowley walked out of Azi’s life and broke both of their hearts. Since then, Azi has been living in suspended animation, working in the army/navy surplus booth he inherited from his dad and writing horror novels. Now Tony is back from the city, flush with success and wanting to catch up with Azi. Should Azi risk his heart and try to reclaim what they’ve lost? Or is it too late to start over?

Reason Enough by ffonippop (E)

Crowley and Aziraphale’s entire relationship spanned just a little under eleven months. If dissected, the entire affair can be categorized very neatly into three parts: a rocky beginning, a rocky middle, and a rocky end. It devastates Crowley, how something that was so promising and held so much potential could end in such a shitstorm. Diminished to nothing but a hungover, sad, and lonely stain on his couch, Crowley is left to wonder if it was always going to end this way— or if it’s ended yet at all.

Like a Martyr, Not Enough (The Decoy Bride) by vines_and_vellichor (M)

Author Aziraphale Eastlowe had been a dutiful son for the entirety of his life… mostly. After a bout of teenage rebellion, he learnt that disobedience only brings misery and heartbreak to those he cares about; it’s better for everyone to toe the line and make the most out of the plan that has been laid out for you by your family and God. When a courtship with the famous Christian singer Gabriella Archer presented an opportunity to exit the dog-eat-dog world of city life, the last thing he expected was an existence plagued by writer’s block and a wedding so enticing to the British press that the privilege of a private ceremony was tantamount to successfully teaching a duck to play the accordion. In desperation, they turn to Taddesfild, a remote island in the Outer Hebrides, to marry. Things go south when a convoluted plan by Gabriella’s agents culminates in hiring local resident Anthony J Crowley as a decoy bride to put the paparazzi off the scent. The very person Aziraphale distinctly remembered dumping nineteen years ago. The situation is less than ideal: his fiancee is missing, the island is infested with bloodthirsty photographers and he has just accidentally gotten married to his ex.

Borrowed Words by sunrisesinthesuburbs (M)

Anthony J. Crowley, best selling author, has writer's block. He could blame the Accident, but deep down he knows his block started way before. He hasn't written anything in too long, if we choose to ignore the dozens of unsent letters addressed to the angel he lost two decades ago, when he moved to New York City. When his best (and only) friend convinces him to take a little vacation in a small town in Connecticut, he expects peace and quiet. He doesn't expect to see the smile that still haunts his dreams again. Apparently, small towns are full of surprises, and how late is too late? The world stops spinning on its axis or, at the very least, Crowley stops breathing. This is absolutely impossible. He forces himself to swallow, to take a deep breath, as he doesn’t want to scare this girl off. Muriel, who is still smiling, all bright and wide and just like- Oh, God. “A bookshop, you said?” He chokes out. This is impossible, and he’s being ridiculous. He is in London, this is just a sick coincidence and his stupid brain playing stupid games. “Yes, you can see it if you turn around.” Crowley doesn’t move. “It’s called A. Z. Fell Books.” Now, the world definitely stops spinning.

Sinking Ships by AppleSeeds (E)

The world is practically on fire and it feels like nobody's doing anything about it, but Crowley's outlook brightens considerably when a new member arrives at his local climate action committee. Crowley is immediately smitten, and is thrilled when he and Aziraphale become fast friends, although he can't help but hope they might one day become something more. When all of his wishes come true, Crowley starts to feel like life couldn't possibly get any better. He can picture exactly what his future is going to look like, until something happens that feels like a powerful bolt of lightning has struck and split Crowley's life right down the middle, with everything before that moment on one side, and everything that is to come - scorched, lifeless and devastated - on the other. With the help of a counsellor, Crowley begins the difficult journey of picking up the pieces and working through what's happened. When Aziraphale unexpectedly comes back into his life, Crowley finally has the chance to get some answers, revealing that the truth is very different from what he was led to believe. Now he just needs to figure out whether that changes anything.

- Mod D

[postcard-from-the-past]

Copra drying on the New Hebrides

French vintage postcard

[swifty-fox]

Im researching for kfak and came across some ancient BOB fandom:

December 5 2008, 05:26:04 UTC 

In general, Vaseline petroleum jelly. Still classic, but I bet it did a number on rubber. In the Pacific, where the sodomy was everywhere, there was this one spot on Guadalcanal or someplace in the New Hebrides the gays liked to call Vaseline Alley where a lot of trade could be picked up, va-va-voom!

At the front, the cold European front, well, there's always spit. Since I'm assuming you're talking about Haguenau I'm thinking you could whip up a bombed-out pharmacy that has stuff that would work. Unless you're writing Webgott, in which case I suggest Joe would just stick Dave dry just to hurt him.

[probablyasocialecologist]

An ambitious plan to plant at least a million native trees on crofts in the Outer Hebrides has taken root, its organisers say, with more than 200 small new woods sprouting across the islands. The Western Isles woodland project hopes to reestablish a thriving mosaic of small woods dotted across the islands by using vacant or underused crofts to reforest the Hebrides and promote nature restoration. Under the project, funded mainly by profits from the UK’s largest community-owned windfarm, west of Stornoway, 211,000 trees have already been planted on 245 crofts, plots of land that were historically family-run small holdings. Some of the new woodlands have up to 1,500 trees grown from local seeds, featuring alder, hazel, birch, rowan, Scots pine, blackthorn, sycamore and various species of willow. The project has been so successful it has helped establish three new tree nurseries on the islands.

[...]

“We’re restoring a landscape which existed a thousand years ago,” [Jon Macleod] said. Using seeds gathered from local trees greatly increased their chances of prospering – “the survival rate and provenance is relevant to the place”. Calum Macdonald, the former Labour MP leading the project, hoped it could be a model for community owned energy projects across the UK. Four-fifth of the woodlands’ funding is from the £900,000 annual profits made by the three 3MW wind turbines owned by Point and Sandwick trust, a community development body. The turbines at Beinn Ghrideag generate up to 30GWh of power a year – enough, Macdonald said, to supply all the Western Isles with electricity.

[...]

Green energy schemes generally employ only a handful of staff and engineers whereas community ownership allows people to capture the profits they produce and reinvest them locally, Macdonald said. In Denmark, about half of turbines are community-owned. Many rural communities in the UK feel excluded from the profits generated by energy firms, and resent the large turbines, sub-stations and large pylons built in their areas. “I would love to use the green energy revolution to get a lot more long-term benefits for our communities,” Macdonald said. Macleod agrees. “No one is against renewable energy here but community benefit is key, otherwise it’s just exploitation,” he said.

31 August 2024

[inky-duchess]

what are the different regions that Britain conquered? I know that Wales and Ireland are two, but I don’t know where to begin of looking into the different cultures?

"Britain" never conquered Ireland, nor Wales or Scotland. The English invaded and occupied them, the concept of Britain did not exist at this time.

Britain also occupied:

Egypt

Sudan

South Africa

Nigeria

Kenya

Uganda

Ghana

Zimbabwe (formerly Rhodesia)

Asia

India

Pakistan

Bangladesh

Myanmar (Burma)

Malaysia

Singapore

Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Hong Kong

Americas

Canada

United States (13 original colonies)

Jamaica

Barbados

Bahamas

Trinidad and Tobago

Guyana

Australia

New Zealand

Fiji

Papua New Guinea

Europe

Malta

Cyprus

Botswana (Bechuanaland)

Lesotho (Basutoland)

Swaziland (Eswatini)

Malawi (Nyasaland)

Zambia (Northern Rhodesia)

Tanzania (Tanganyika and Zanzibar)

India

Pakistan

Bangladesh

Myanmar (Burma)

Malaysia

Singapore

Sri Lanka (Ceylon)

Hong Kong

Maldives

Brunei

Yemen (Aden)

Iraq

Kuwait

Jordan

Palestine

Canada

United States (13 original colonies)

Jamaica

Barbados

Bahamas

Trinidad and Tobago

Guyana

Belize (British Honduras)

Bermuda

Saint Kitts and Nevis

Antigua and Barbuda

Saint Lucia

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Grenada

Dominica

Cayman Islands

Montserrat

Falkland Islands

Oceania

Australia

New Zealand

Fiji

Papua New Guinea

Solomon Islands

Vanuatu (New Hebrides)

Tonga

Samoa (Western Samoa)

Kiribati (Gilbert Islands)

Tuvalu (Ellice Islands)

Nauru

Europe

Malta

Cyprus

Gibraltar

United Arab Emirates (Trucial States)

Qatar

Bahrain

Oman (Muscat and Oman)

Seychelles

Mauritius

Maldives

Caribbean

Anguilla

British Virgin Islands

Cayman Islands

Montserrat

Turks and Caicos Islands