#Rose Ranch Vineyard

[withahappyrefrain]

Can you please do meet cute 45) A owns a flower shop and B just needs the courage to go inside and say hello. For Rhett Abbott?

THIS ONE SCREAMS RHETT!! I'm so glad someone requested it with him!

Rhett Abbott had never felt more ridiculous in his entire life. 

He was told they just needed a few things from the grocery store. Rhett hated going to the grocery store. It meant people and people judged and whispered things about him, regardless of if it was true (majority of the time it wasn’t). 

But the grocery store was on the same street as The Wild Rose, Wabang’s brand new flower shop. And inside was you, the owner. 

Rhett scoffed at the idea at first. There was no way Wabang had enough people to warrant a flower shop. Plus, folks had plenty of land, they could make their damn bouquets if they wanted. 

Apparently people were lazy. It also helped that you sold wine and little knick knacks in addition to floral arrangements. Jars of speciality honey from a local farm, the wine from a nearby vineyard. Dish towels with funny sayings and food related puns. 

It wasn’t a store Rhett would go into, nevertheless pay attention to. But Amy wanted to go and it wasn’t like Perry was going to take her. 

There was a decent sized crowd outside the store, listening to the mayor drone on about how great this was going to be for the town, not just for Wabang but also for the surrounding area. Out of all the places to be on the ‘precipice of an economic boom’, Wabang did not come to Rhett’s mind. 

Before he could roll his eyes anymore, the mayor introduced the owner of the shop, you. 

God, you were beautiful with your bright eyes and dazzling smile as you spoke about how welcoming Wabang had been to you and how helpful when it came to making your dream a reality. Rhett was instantly smittened. 

But he couldn’t just go up and talk to you. For one, you were busy cutting a red ribbon with stupidly giant scissors. 

Second, you were luminous, vivid. Everything he wasn't. 

Rhett knew he didn't offer much, if anything. His life was directionless; all he did was work on the ranch and ride bulls when he could (when his right shoulder wasn't acting up). He would just drag you down. So instead, he settled for the chances he could walk past your shop and peek into the window for a glimpse of you. 

It was fucking pathetic. His family would give him so much shit if they found out. And yet, it was the highlight of his day, seeing you arrange a case, talk to customers. Rhett especially loved it when he caught you giving the floral arrangements to clients. The corners of your eyes would crease and the bridge of your nose scrunched up when you revealed your creation. It also allowed him to linger by the store window, to bask in your warmth for a little bit longer. 

“Do you think they're pretty?” Amy asked one day while they were walking down the street. 

Rhett let out a confused hum, turning his attention from your store window to his niece. 

“The owner. You always look in their window when we pass by,” Amy explained with a giggle. 

“It's just an interesting store,” Rhett grumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets as he began walking again. 

“Then you should go inside!” Amy called out as she ran after him. 

If only it was that easy. 

—----------

Several months later Rhett was now standing in front of your door, rather than your window. 

He should go in. He had zero reason to not go in. Rhett actually required your services. So it wasn't as if he was just going to stroll in there with no plan. Or worse, use Amy as a guise (God, he hated when Perry did that). 

It was just….the thought of being in your presence, speaking to you. Having a conversation. Rhett wasn't much of a talker, never had been. Why would he, when hardly anyone was interested in what he had to say? 

And the truth was, he didn't have to go in. He could figure this out on his own. 

But when would his next chance come along? 

It was the unclear answer that gave him the courage to turn the handle and open the door. 

Your shop felt warm and inviting. One wall was filled with shelves, dedicated to displaying various colorful vases. In the middle, a designated ‘flower bar’ where folks could create their own bouquets. Amongst the store were various house plants and knick knacks. 

“Hi! Can I help you?” A sweet voice caused Rhett to turn around, the air exiting his lungs upon seeing you. 

He could only nod, at a complete loss for words. 

You waited for him, to see if he would expand. When he didn’t, you simply smiled and asked, “What can I do for ya?”

With fumbling hands, Rhett got out the photo from his jacket, “Um…I need help identifying these flowers. They’re the wedding flowers she had and I wanna draw the bouquet as like a….like a gift. Figured it would last longer than getting a bouquet but I uh…I need help identifying them. I wanna look them up so I can get the details right.”

This was going horribly. He should have just bought a magnifying glass off of Amazon or find someone who could digitally restore photos. 

“Do you know where they got married?” You asked, extending your hand out for the photo. 

“Yeah, uh, here in Wabang,” Rhett answered, running a hand up and down the back of his neck, hoping his body was just warm and not turning a bright red. 

“Oh, well that makes it much easier!” Rhett gave you the photo and you motioned for him to follow you to the counter. You got out a book that had a beautiful embossed floral design on the cover.

“I’m glad you know where they got married. It makes it much easier to identify. Also, considering WaBang has hadn’t a floral shop until this year and the nearest one was over an hour away, I’m assuming these are flowers native to Wyoming,” you explained, flipping through the pages. 

You looked up through your lashes, “I can tell you what flowers they are and you can look them up. But am I safe to assume that as an artist, you’d rather have your references in person?”

“Oh uh, I’m not…I’m not an artist,” He mumbled, shaking his head as he shoved his hands into his pockets. A nervous habit he couldn’t seem to break. 

“You’re creating art. Last time I checked, that makes you an artist…..” your voice trailed off, waiting to hear a name. 

“Oh! I’m Rhett. Sorry.” How could he forget to introduce himself? “Yeah, having something I could look at and observe up close would be great.” 

“Well Rhett, I’m more than happy to recreate that bouquet for ya. But I don’t have some of these flowers in stock, so it’ll take some time to order them,” you explained, “Probably like a week or so? If I have your number, I can let you know when they arrive.”

Rhett looked up, eyes wide in disbelief, “You want my number?”

Your nose scrunched up as you nodded, “Yes. I would love to have your number Rhett. Would hate for you to come in and I don’t have what you need.”

Rhett would do it. In fact, he even tried to assure you so. 

“Well, I might need another photo just to ensure I’m accurate. How will I let you know?” You countered. Fuck, you had a great point. 

So Rhett fumbled with getting out his phone, hands shaking as he passed it off to you. 

“I’ll give you my number too if that’s alright. Just so you aren’t wondering who’s texting you.” Your giggle was so endearing, Rhett couldn’t help but smile, couldn’t help but feel his shoulders drop and relax. 

He nodded, a small, slightly lopsided and totally sweet smile, “Yeah, that’s fine.”

You handed Rhett back his phone, “I’ll let you know if I need more info! And when I get them in.”

Rhett nodded, secretly (and seriously) hoping he didn’t look like an idiot with how hard he was smiling. 

“I'll uh, see ya around?” He practically asked. You nodded eagerly, saying your goodbyes as he quickly got out of the store. 

Rhett felt like he could finally breathe again once he was out of your store. That went well, right? He had your number, though it was intended to give updates regarding a gift for his mom. But he also had another chance to see you. Granted, once he was done with this project, he wouldn't have a reason to go into your shop. Maybe for Amy’s birthday, he could get her flowers. 

The vibration of his phone broke Rhett out of his thoughts. It couldn't be….could it? 

His eyes widened when he saw your name attached to the text. He nearly dropped his phone when he read your message. 

I'm glad you finally came in! I've been wanting to meet you ever since the store opened :) 

[borrowedfreedom]

I have a page where I'm listing CC I'm using because TS3 is old and links to CC are scattered. I thought I might share it as a post so it would be easier to see for new TS3-ers. Also I just learned how to do a cut and I wanted to.

Start Here First

Start here.

Second, follow the guide here.

Lastly, follow this guide here, except that I use gshade and not reshade, as I found it performed better with ts3.

After doing the above, here are some more things to check out:

Performance Stuff

Lazy Duchess mods

No Intro mod

No script mods notification

Delphy’s Dashboard to check for conflicts

The ‘Wow This Game is Old’ List

JustMiha’s Clean UI

More BITS Sound Overhaul

TS4 Cursors

Smartphone instead of Blackberry

No plumbob icon on sim tag

Moon Phase icons from TS4

Interaction on Sloped Terrain Enabler

Lighting and Graphics Upgrades I Use

HQ Mod + No Glow and The Sims 3 GPU Add-on and Better Shadows combined

Gelina’s lighting tweaks here*

Tileable Shader Fix, and Reworked EA Lights*

Snow But Better

Ifca’s Default Repacements

*Changing lighting and shadows can make the game too dark sometimes.

Sims CC I Use

Buhudain’s You Are Real Sim normals

Kurasoberina UHD Primer Skin default

Kurasoberina’s Lana Eyes defaulted

Literally everything else by Kurasoberina also

Literally everything by Ifca while we’re on it

Carver’s CAS Overhaul

Walk cycle edits

Horse CC

For an up to date list of pet CC, I joined a Discord called Sims Kennel Union, which has up to date CC lists for both Pets and Horses. Nevertheless here is what I have used and can recommend:

EQHD

Luke Teth Butter HD Horse

HD Eye Mod by Performance Saddlery (in overrides)

IHTL’s Everything EQHD

Raymond Equestrian Center Downloads

Performance’s EQHD Manes

Lakeside Saddlery for EQHD Tack

Snapdragon Vineyard's Marking Folder - start here!

Haxby Stud’s Markings and Coats

Wrenegade Stables Markings

Lavender Equestrian’s Markings

Cheshire Farms Markings

Pure Spirit Markings

Cath Markings

Sliding K Ranch Markings

Faewood Markings

Old Fellow Ranch Markings

Edelweiss Markings

Calvero Terranora Showjumping’s Realistic Hoof Shaders

Briar Vale For the Barn

Halym Rose Build/Buy

Sugars Legacy Stables for the racing tack

Creators to Check Out (haven’t used but look great)

Let them eat burnt waffles for their everything

LatoyaSims who makes seemingly everything

Nilxis’s lots

ChazyBazzy for MM hair

Vasilla’s Objects and lots

Sketchbook Pixels

Donna Cunningham’s Photography Tutorials

Calvero Terranora Showjumping’s Poses

Ancient Sport Stables Poses

Old Fellow Ranch Non-EQHD Resources

Xtina Sims Equestrian

Paso Belle Equestrian’s Lots

Lavender Equestrian’s Lots

Lavender Equestrian’s Downloads Page

Rotherford Download’s List - a list, but more up to date

Other CC Lists (many broken links but still useful)

Rotherford Downloads List

A default database

OneEuroMutt’s list of default replacements

OneEuroMutt’s list of cc

OneEuroMutt’s list of sliders including FOLDER DOWNLOADS

Brntwaffles list of CC

Izo’s tags

Vasilla’s Page of Everything

1s CC Finds

1s CC Finds on non Wayback

This Retexture Catalog

Discipline Resource Guide by Equus Sims

Link List for Equus CC

A list of CC for a horsey lot that is also great

Juno Stark’s List of Horsey Sim Websites

Equus CC Database

Lastly, Actual Gameplay Mods I Use

Sunrise/Sunset Offset Mod - my own version

Longer Equestrian Center Hours - my own version

One with Nature

The Randomizer Mod

Faster Upgrade Times - 1 hr

The Sweet Simmer’s Toddler Mods

No Stretch Children Can Series

Disclaimer

Even CC and mods I have used successfully might break your game. Make a backup. I just started doing ts3 stuff and I dunno any drama that might be involved with any of the above creators or their creations. Failing to recommend a creator here doesn't mean that they suck or whatever -- just that i haven't found them yet. (Reblog to rec more and help a simmer out!)

[studioahead]

Barbara Stauffacher Solomon: Northern California Legacy Spotlight

Last April, just before her death at 95, we had the privilege to interview Barbara Stauffacher Solomon, the trailblazing landscape architect and artist best known for her supergraphics inside Sea Ranch. Solomon, or “Bobbie” as everyone called her, was much more than her famous graphics, as her daughter Nellie, who helped parlay our questions to Bobbie, emphasizes.

Nellie King Solomon is an artist in her own right, whose gorgeous abstract paintings almost match the vibrancy of Nellie herself. We spoke with the two of them about memory and landscape, about love and what each has learned from the other, and about looking back on a life well-lived. Nellie’s daughter Fia joined in.

A few months after Bobbie's death, we revisited Nellie to ask what her mom’s legacy might be. 

Studio AHEAD: Did California’s landscape influence your work once you returned from Switzerland?

Bobbie: It was the freedom of being a California woman that influenced you more than the landscape. Being in California as a woman was very different than being in Switzerland as a woman. I could do anything I wanted.

Nellie: I feel you, too, about the California woman thing and the freedom here having worked and lived in Europe and New York. I’ve come back to California multiple times as a result. There are hard-to-describe unspoken freedoms that are unheard of elsewhere. Even in New York. I would do things and be dismissed as “Californian”: make a drawing a certain way, have a different relationship to abstraction. At Cooper Union I would jump on top of my drafting table just so I could get a good look at my drawing from a distance. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world! Definitely a California move.

I would spend the weekends at Martha’s Vineyard looking at a seashell, stoned, and come back Tuesday morning with clear ideas about what I was going to draw for afternoon critique—that was a very different way of going about it. Slaving all weekend and sleeping under your desk was the East Coast Cooper way. Not for me. Go jump in some water and look at seashell instead.

Bobbie: About architecture, I see the corners of buildings and how they relate to each other. Supergraphics is all about relating everything to the corners. It never works having to do a computer printout ahead of time. It doesn’t work because it’s all about tying the graphics to the corners, which is on site. The architecture tells you what to do.

Studio AHEAD: The contrast between the colorful, geometric quality of Sea Ranch’s Supergraphics and the rolling hills and waves of Sonoma is very striking. Was this on purpose?

Bobbie: I didn’t want it to stick out. I didn’t want it to be more visible than the landscape itself. Well, it is but it’s indoors.

Nellie: You were doing the Supergraphics indoors so that it wouldn’t stand out against the land and look obnoxious. That’s why there’s all those rules up there at Sea Ranch—that whole dictatorial handbook that comes with the property that says don’t plant a rose or do Supergraphics outdoors. Your stuff is brazen but it’s inside.

Bobbie: Like once I was teaching at Sitka, Alaska and a woman wanted me to paint the main street with Supergraphics—this little town. I said “No!” with vengeance.

Nellie: I remember the walk through the forest and the ancient weathered totem poles and you would let the students paint inside the ugly fluorescent lit hallways. You wouldn’t let them paint outside in the beautiful quiet forest.

Studio AHEAD: What is one of your works that you’d wish had gotten more attention?

Bobbie: Graphics at the San Francisco Museum. It’s the biggest artwork in the museum that a woman has ever been allowed to make. And what does that mean? There really hasn’t been any press.

Nellie: And you’ve been annoyed about that. It’s bigger than a football field, and stronger in a way.

Studio AHEAD: Nellie, you help your mom with these large installations. What have you learned from her?

Nellie: Be big, bold, and beautiful. Be brazen. Think of the whole space and really go for it. These are all things that come in the territory of helping my mom do what she does. They definitely have rubbed off on me. To think of things from the perspective of the negative space, as opposed to the positive space, that’s a more formal quality. I think of the principles that she learned from Armin Hoffman. What I absorbed in watching her put together and draw Green Architecture and the Agrarian Garden when I was in fifth grade. So many gardens Bobbie and I snuck into all over the world. That there’s a certain irreverence and physical relationship to space and making that I’ve adopted from working with her.

I learned a lot of stuff from her and that would be very hard to figure out. It’s like untangling pantyhose that has been in a drawer forever. It’s all tangled up. And then some stuff I learned from Cooper Union and then some stuff I learned from Hoffman. I mean where does one education start and another education begin? What stuff did you learn from which grandmother or which parent? These influences are all different voices mixed together and yet when you get in your studio—there’s a great quote—when you close the door to your studio, you have to kick out all the voices and then begin.

Studio AHEAD: Bobbie, what has Nellie taught you?

Bobbie: What has Nellie taught me when you have a kid you love? You just learn how to try and make them happy.

Studio AHEAD: Fia, what’s going to be your medium of choice?

Fia: I'm a singer-songwriter, writer, and aspiring actress. I have an idea. I think that the youngest one should ask a question to the oldest one. I want to ask Bobbie, Why is your imagination at the end of life so opposite to your work?

Bobbie: You smart little thing!

* * *

Nellie: At the end Bobbie saw all of these romantic, fanciful, green, growing vines all over the ceilings and over the whole house. At one point the house turned into a hot-fudge sundae with different shades of light, dark, and milk chocolate for all the shadows. All these romantic and wild, elaborate visions would appear over the white walls of the clean, modernist house where she lived. Entirely opposite to the stark hard-edged graphics she was known for. That’s why Fia asked her question and why Bobbie knew it was wise.

Bobbie always loved the “schmaltzy” as she would call it. The romantic gardens, the formal gardens, the Tuileries, France, Turner Classic movies, Hollywood plots. When we wheeled her up to the entrance of SFMoMA to see her Strips of Stripes exhibition from the revolving doors, there was, flanking her work, two large Julie Mehretu works: “Ah, those are real art. The kind of stuff I would’ve made if I didn’t have to make money.”

As she lay dying in a magical space, her imagination ran wild on the stark white ceiling. She was enveloped in a romantic fantasy, ever-changing, constantly urgent to describe it to me, or anyone who would listen, as she slipped between worlds.

* * *

Studio AHEAD: What do you think your mom's legacy will be?

Nellie: There’s a chance that Bobbie’s Northern California legacy continues to be Sea Ranch. Bobbie does not see herself as defined by Sea Ranch at all. She is much more interested in her books and her continual evolution. Bobbie has a much more complex legacy than that one early project. She has multiple voices: hard-edge Supergraphics, complex books like Good Mourning California, the Green Architecture and the Agrarian Garden landscape drawings in the 80s.

She continually reinvented herself. Which made it tricky to pigeonhole her into a discipline or a style for a final summation, but it’s also her brilliance. In a 1968 Vogue issue, Bobbie (and her friend, the film critic Pauline Kael) were named “two of the 20 (?) women most in touch with her times.” Bobbie continually stayed “in touch with her times” by evolving with the times.

Studio AHEAD: What has been the reaction since her passing?

Nellie: People’s reaction is with a certain sense that Bobbie is immortal. It’s a funny thing. A dealer she worked with said “it seemed like she would never die. She couldn’t.” Even as she got old, she said “who you calling old?” Fia and I have decided not to refer to Bobbie in the past tense. We refer to her in the present tense. “Bobbie is” as opposed to “Bobbie was.”

There’s an outpouring of caring. It makes me want to invite everyone to be together in her honor, and onward. Bobbie lives in us. Bobbie is not at all gone.

“To be is not to know what to be”—this is one of my favorite things she wrote. If she is not being, then she now IS. Perhaps this is why galleries prefer to represent estate artists. Quantifiable only after death.

Photos: Ekaterina Izmestieva

[k1reynolds]

Nestled on the southwestern slopes of the Haleakala volcano, just past a stretch of white-knuckle switchbacks, near the community of Ulupalakua, lies an oasis. A wine oasis. Yes, a wine oasis in Paradise!

We had been planning a trip to Hawaii, to include a few days on Oahu, then a week on Maui. Knowing that there are now wineries in all 50 states, we turned to Google to find out where might be the Hawaiian wineries. As luck would have it, right there on Maui, there is MauiWine. We contacted them in advance to arrange a tour and tasting, and General Manager Joe Hegele graciously offered to be our personal tour guide.

MauiWine’s story is rich in history and culture. The winery lies on a property formerly owned by Captain Makee, a whaling captain in the mid-1800’s. The story goes that Captain Makee spotted the land while passing by the south side of Maui on the way to Oahu. He committed to himself that one day he would live there.

Prior to Captain Makee owning the land, however, King Kamehameha III leased it to a rancher,  L.L. Torbet, who established a plantation and ranch. Torbet raised potatoes, and during the California Gold Rush, bought a boat to carry his crop to hungry gold miners on the mainland. Unfortunately, his boat sank, and he lost everything.

Meanwhile, Captain Makee was having his own challenges. A crewman aboard ship, upset at being denied leave, snuck into Captain Makee’s cabin at night, and attacked him with a hatchet. The attack failed, the crewman escaped, and Captain Makee decided it was time to retire. After settling in Honolulu, he eventually followed through on his commitment to settle on the land he had seen on Maui. In January 1856, he purchased the Torbetsville plantation, establishing a home and cattle ranch.

Having survived the attempt on his life, Captain Makee came to understand that life is a gift, and devoted his days to celebrating life. He loved the local roses, Lokelani, and dubbed the property Rose Ranch. He soon became known for his hospitality and day’s long parties. Dignitaries, including Hawaiian King Kalakaua and Queen Kapiolani would visit for hula dancing, poker games, and relaxation.

Even today, the property is considered sacred ground. As you enter, in front of the King’s Cottage, you pass a hula circle, carved from cypress trees planted in the 1870’s for King Kalakaua, known as “the Merrie Monarch”, who would sit and watch hula dancers on that spot. The cypress trees stood for nearly 150 years, until a storm in 2012 brought two of them down. Local artist Tim Garcia, was brought in to carve the remaining trunks into representations of King Kalakaua, hula dancers, and vessels. Joe said that even to this day, ōlapa (hula dancers) from around the world will visit the MauiWine Hula Circle to perform their dances.

Joe has a long-standing connection to Rose Ranch. He was raised here from the age of five. Though he did head to the mainland to attend college and gain some work experience, he returned to Rose Ranch five years ago to manage winery operations.

Once known only for their pineapple wines, under Joe’s direction, MauiWine has undergone renaming, rebranding, and the expansion of their grape wine program. Though they do source juice from the mainland, their 16 acre vineyard is planted to several varieties, including Syrah, Grenache, Viognier, and Chenin Blanc.

Unlike most vineyards, where sun exposure is paramount to encourage ripening, the MauiWine vineyards biggest threat is fruit rot. With the humid climate in Hawaii, the vines and grape clusters here are pruned to encourage air flow. This includes a canopy management program focused on leafing, rather than shade, and fruit drop to open up the clusters. From flower to fruit set, they have about a 40% conversion rate. They have also been experimenting with grape shattering, which further reduces rot risk. All of the vineyards are harvested, then field sorted to ensure only the best fruit comes in. No sorting tables are used in the winery.

At about 2,000 feet elevation, and relatively short sun exposure; just 11 to 12 hours per day, despite to the tropical location, MauiWine is considered a cool climate vineyard, with average temperatures in the mid-70’s. The grape growing season on Maui runs from about January through August. The early season helps to avoid hurricanes, which could – and have – damaged crops.

On August 8, 2014, Hurricane Iselle made landfall on Maui. Harvest had begun, but the entire 6 acre Syrah crop remained in the vine. Winds from the hurricane blew the vines over and there was fear the crop would be lost. However, MauiWine put out a call on Social Media, and volunteers arrived to help. The harvest came in, and production went on as normal. It turned out the the vines were not severely damaged, and they continue to produce today.

When most people think of wine from Hawaii, they think of pineapple wine. And they’re not necessarily wrong. Pineapple is a year-round crop, which enables MauiWIne to run it’s production year-round as well. More than 84,000 pounds of Maui Gold pineapple is processed at MauiWine each month, and turned into three different styles of wine. 

This may come as a surprise, MauiWine pineapple wine is NOT the syrupy sweet wine you may be expecting!We had the opportunity to sample all three pineapple wines offerings:

Hula o Maui – Pineapple Sparkling Wine

A brut sparkling wine made entirely of Maui Gold pineapple. Pale straw color, with vigorous streams of bubbles. Dry and fruity, and quite tasty. Produced in the traditional champagne method, this is a serious bottle of bubbles, that also doubles as a playful mixer for mimosas!

Maui Blanc – Off-dry Still Wine

Here’s a wine sure to please the Mosacto lovers in your party. Semi-dry but with plenty of character and depth. Also produced from 100% Maui Gold pineapple, this wine would pair nicely with spicy foods. This was the first wine produced by MauiWine, back in 1977, while waiting for their grape vineyards to mature. Don’t miss this one of a kind wine!

Maui Splash – Pineapple Wine infused with Passion Fruit

The sweetest of the trio, and perhaps the most popular. It retains the pineapple character, but adds a splash of tropical sweetness on the palate and finish. It’s like a day at the beach, in a glass. Great on it’s own, or add a splash of soda for a refreshing spritzer. In production since 1992.

As good, and intriguing, as the pineapple wines were, the real treat of our visit was the personal tasting of the Rose Ranch Wine and Estate Wine lines. MauiWine is proud of their pineapple wine, and as we learned, there is good reason for that. Still, the vineyard is the passion project, and the one that intrigued us most. Joe hosted us in The Old Jail; an historic building on the property that was once, well, the local jail. MauiWine has updated the space nicely – no dank cells and bread & water here – this is as upscale a tasting venue as we’ve ever visited. While most guests enjoy tastings in the King’s Cottage tasting rooms, club members and others looking for a deeper experience may reserve personalized tastings in the Old Jail. Here, Joe poured us samples of the best that MauiWine has to offer.

No. 001 – Traditional Method Sparkling Wine

From the Estate Collection. A crisp, delicious wine, made from 60% Chardonnay and 40% Pinot Noir. The juice is sourced from California, from a well known Napa producer (but who cannot be named for proprietary reasons.) Vigorous streams of fine bubbles rise in the glass. Flavors of almond, yeast, and fresh-baked bread, with apple and pear, and a nutty finish. If I didn’t know this was a MauiWIne, I’d swear it was from Champagne!  

LoKelani – Sparkling Rosé

A Rose Ranch Wine Collection wine. A brut sparkling wine made from Syrah and Pinot Noir. Very pale pink. Honestly, neither of us would have known it was a Rosé if Joe hadn’t said so before pouring. Flavors of strawberry, cranberry, and some citrus notes. Quite a delight!

2017 Ulupalakua Vineyards Viognier

Another from the Estate Wines collection. We are big fans of well-made Viognier. And we’re now big fans of the Ulupalakua Vineyards Viognier! Dry, with floral aromas and flavors of apricot, citrus, and mineral notes, with a spicy finish.

2017 Ulupalakua Vineyards Rosé

Estate Collection. A blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Grenache, and an interesting blend it is. The Syrah from Block 2 is farmed specifically to be vinified into Rosé, in the maceration method; harvested early to preserve acidity, and left on the skins after harvest for a very short time, just to add some color. Meanwhile, the Grenache portion is made in the Saignée method, in which the grapes are pressed for red wine production, and a small portion is bled off (saignée in French) to intensify the color of the red wine. The bled off portion is then made into a Rosé wine, and in this case, added to the Syrah Rosé. The result is a delightful, dry, crisp Rosé wine with flavors of strawberry, cherry, raspberry, and tropical fruit.

2017 Ulupalakua Vineyards Grenache

Estate Collection. You might think of Grenache as a full-throttle, big red. In this case, you couldn’t be more wrong. This Grenache is as elegant and restrained as we have ever had. Pale ruby color; crystal clear (look at that color in the photo!) But don’t let the pale color fool you. This beauty is bursting with flavors of black cherry, plum, licorice, and earthy notes. It is bone dry, with zippy acidity and a spicy finish. Joe recommends serving slightly chilled, and since that is how he served it to us, we absolutely agree!

2016  Ulupalakua Vineyards Syrah

Estate Collection. This is the big, bold, meaty red you’ve been looking for! Inky purple color. Big flavors of crushed blackberry, chocolate-covered cherry, licorice, and earth. Big, chewy tannins balanced with medium acidity, On the finish there is kirsch and mineral. A stunning wine, indeed!

After we wrapped up our Old Jail tasting, Joe escorted us on a walking tour of the winery production area. MauiWine is a study in contrast; the vintage, plantation-style buildings housing the facility and cellar are juxtaposed with state-of-the-art winemaking equipment. Joe pointed out their new bottling line; a shiny stainless steel workhorse that has the capability to seal bottles with all four major wine closures: traditional cork, screwcap, crown caps (part of the sparkling wine production, for secondary fermentation), and the familiar sparkling wine cork, secured with a wire cage. The facility, view, and surroundings are all very impressive, and well worth a visit! Tours are complimentary, so come on up!

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Before delivering us into the capable hands of the tasting room staff, Joe had one more surprise for us. We followed him a couple of miles back up the road to the vineyards. Joe mentioned to us that the vineyard is greatly protected and generally reserved for staff and family. The views here are spectacular, and the photos we took simply cannot do them justice! On the slope of Haleakala, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Kaho’olawe island, and the U-shaped volcanic crater that is Molokini, the views literally took our breath away. Rather than try to describe it, just enjoy the photos.

With Hurricane Lane approaching, we asked Joe if any special precautions were necessary. Not very many vineyards or wineries have to contend with hurricanes! Joe said that all of this years’ harvest is in, so there is no worry about the fruit. The only concern is loss of power from winds and falling trees.

After we returned to the King’s Cottage tasting room, Joe introduced us to Denae and Tamara, two of the friendly and knowledgeable staff members. There, we sampled Pineapple Wines (described above), the rest of the Rose Ranch Collection, and a taste of the 2012 Syrah – the hurricane wine!

Kula – White Blend

Photo Credit: MauiWine.com (not sure what happened to our photo!)

An enticing and delicious blend of 44% Sauvignon Blanc, 44% Viognier, and 12% Muscat. Lots of citrus and tropical fruit flavors. Dry, yet fruity with zesty acidity.

Mele – Red Blend

Racy and delicious, this is a blend of 40% Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, 40% Merlot, and 10% Sangiovese. Medium body with smooth tannins, flavors of blackberry, raspberry, and cherry, with hints of green bell pepper and black pepper spice.

Sway & Stride Blend

An Aussie style blend with 80% Syrah (or Shiraz, if you prefer!) and 20% Viognier. Nicely balanced and delicious, with blackberry, cherry, and spice.

Cool embossed label!

Ulupalakua Vineyards GSMV

Photo Credit: MauiWine.com (another one we were so into we forgot to take a picture.)

Not your typical GSM! Grenache, Syrah, Malbec, and Viognier. Big and bold, yet elegant, with violet, blackberry, cranberry, and tobacco notes.

2014 Ulupalakua Vineyards Syrah

The hurricane wine! Very few bottles remain, and are available only in the tasting room. This is an amazing wine of deep character and flavor. RIpe blackberry and plum, earth and tobacco. Big, bold tannins, with a long, satisfying finish.

We were honored that Joe hosted us as guests of MauiWine. Relatively small in production, with about 30,000 total cases annually, and their estate wine releases range from about 100 to 400 cases each, they are mighty and impressive. Although available for purchase online, they are well worth a visit if you happen to be in Hawaii.

In conclusion, Robyn would like to share her personal impressions:

As we planned for our trip to Maui and our visit to MauiWine, I envisioned that it would be beautiful and unlike any winery I had experienced thus far. I had no idea how understated my vision was. I may be back on the mainland, but I can assure you that my experience has left a lasting impression. The rich legacy of culture, the majestic grounds, the sense of value for close relationships with staff and customers, and the passion behind how MauiWine came to be, is a hidden treasure. When Joe explained how the climate is unlike any other traditional grape growing region and that even all the “experts” truly can’t predict the outcome of a crop, I said, “it’s like a big experiment every year?” To which he replied, “exactly”, with a smile on his face! Like a biography, Joe described the triumph, heartbreak, and thrill, that is MauiWine. The common thread connecting all of them is passion!   

Mahalo, MauiWine!

By Kent Reynolds and Robyn Raphael

Photo Credits, unless otherwise noted: Kent Reynolds and Robyn Raphael

Wine Tasting in Paradise at MauiWine Nestled on the southwestern slopes of the Haleakala volcano, just past a stretch of white-knuckle switchbacks, near the community of Ulupalakua, lies an oasis.

[deathbyjoong]

ATEEZ Wedding HCs

Each member x fem!reader

Genre: Fluff, some slight suggestiveness

Note: I hope you guys like these! Let me know what you think! Shoutout to @bfyunho for being an angel and beta-ing for me 💕

Yunho

Your wedding will take place in a protected forest area on the West Coast in early October, with a large number of attendees at the ceremony and an even larger number of people at the reception

Yunho wears a classy white tux with a yellow lily nestled atop the lapel

You knew he was gonna be a giggly, blushy mess when he first saw you during the ceremony

But nothing prepares you for when you meet eyes with Yunho from the middle of the aisle

It’s like the world stops around you

Yunho is the only person in the world in that moment, with his eyes shining and his grin so wide you wonder if it hurts

He tries to play it cool when you get to the altar, but he can’t stop smiling. And you don’t want him to

He giggles in the middle of his vows and the whole audience goes aww

Listen he’s just a stupidly cute groom okay

When the officiant pronounces you husband and wife, he grabs you by the face and kisses you sweetly

You can feel his smile in the kiss, and you swear you feel the slightest bit of wetness beneath his eyes

The two of you hug as everyone claps, and Yunho parts from you with a soft kiss to your forehead

As the two of you walk back down the aisle together, he tries to cover his giddy laughter with a hand over his face but it’s so obvious that you’re the happiest two people in the world

The reception will take place on a nearby ranch, with an awesome DJ, open bar, and massive dance floor

Multicolor lights and lots of energy, with a special table up top for you and the groom to watch everyone make toasts

Yunho has an arm around your shoulders and the two of you watch fondly and laugh while people give toasts

Everyone in the wedding party will have flower crowns of yellow and white with green leaves, and you bet your ass Mingi is given an extra one so he can put it on Yunho at some point during the reception

Mingi doing a flower crown drive by and Yunho blushes but he looks so happy and handsome in his flower crown uwu

Especially because it matches your bouquet :(

When it’s time to leave, Yunho scoops you into his arms and carries you bridal-style (how else?) as everyone cheers and throws flower petals over you

You wave to everyone out of the window as Yunho drives the two of you to the airport, ready to begin the first of many adventures with his favorite girl

Mingi

Mingi has always been your summer sun, so of course it’s a summer wedding

The ceremony and reception are at a beachfront hotel, and you carry a rainbow of bright colors in your mixed bouquet

The flower that Mingi wears on his white tux is your favorite kind of the bunch, a pink dahlia that you picked out for him specially <3

It’s a beautiful scene, with ribbons hanging off of chairs, blowing softly in the wind

The soundtrack to your walk down the aisle is a simple string quartet along with crashing waves on the beach behind you

When Mingi first sees you walking toward him, he can’t help but let out a loud noise that sounds like something between a laugh and the word “wow”

He puts his hands over his mouth in embarrassment at his outburst, as the audience laughs along with you

Mingi tries to compose himself but just giggles in wonder at how he managed to land this gorgeous woman

Like he just cannot believe it

He gets emotional during the vows, and you can tell he’s a bit nervous about speaking even though he wrote these lines weeks ago and has been turning them over in his head ever since

You smile at him, hoping he can feel your love and encouragement

Mingi takes a moment to focus on you, just you

You mouth the words, I love you to him and his resolve returns

He finishes his vows with such conviction that you forget anyone is even watching--because these words are truly for you and only you

After rings are exchanged, you throw your arms around his neck and bring him to you for a kiss

It’s not one big kiss as much as many short kisses, because both of you are breathless and giggling

You practically skip down the aisle hand-in-hand, and Mingi is high-fiving everyone on the way out

The reception is a blast, with way too many people giving speeches, and more than half of those speeches centering around roasting you

But it’s all in good fun, and it’s a night full of laughter and celebration with all of your friends

You and Mingi are at the center of the main table, but you eventually get up and walk around together, greeting all of your guests and accepting gifts

Mingi keeps a hand on the small of your waist, making sure no one steps on your dress or bumps into you

This is also to keep himself calm, since he can get a little overwhelmed with all the activity and people buzzing around you both

His favorite part of the whole day is your first dance as newlyweds

He holds you close, and you whisper back and forth to each other as you sway slowly across the dance floor

He already knows this is gonna be the favorite moment of his entire life

Jongho

Jongho lets you choose almost all of the details of your venue and season, because he admittedly doesn’t understand all the fuss and he just wants you to have the perfect day

So it’s a fall sunset at a winery, because that’s been your dream setting since you were a girl

The vineyard looks stunning against the backdrop of autumn foliage, and even Jongho is impressed

In keeping with the autumnal theme, your accent color is maroon

You know Jongho thinks he looks best in red-based colors, so you gifted him a maroon silk tie to wear with his suit. The bridesmaids’ dresses and groomsmen’s ties are the same shade, and everyone looks gorgeous

You fully expected Jongho to keep a completely straight face during your walk down the aisle--the man isn’t always forward with his emotions

You were wrong, however

Jongho can’t help the adorable, gummy smile on his face when he first sees you walking to him

As you get nearer, you can just make out the faintest tinge of pink in his cheeks

He’s trying so hard not to be shy, but you’re so beautiful in your dress that he can’t help but feel like he’s seeing you for the first time

He has to look briefly at the ground to compose himself when you finally stand in front of him, shining like the sun

He doesn’t take his eyes off you a single time after that, beaming at you the whole way through through the vows

One of your family members is audibly weeping in the front row at how in love you both look

Jongho wastes no time in kissing you after you’re pronounced married, and can’t help but throw his arms around your waist and pick you up

The reception is an absolute blast, taking place that evening in a clearing that’s been set up with tables and twinkle lights

The one set of details you did leave to Jongho was the food and drinks, because his taste is, objectively, just better than yours

Jongho chose filet mignon with vegetables (much to San’s dismay) and a wine menu full of exquisite pairings (much to Seonghwa’s delight)

You cut the wedding cake together, and you can’t resist smearing some icing across Jongho’s cheek

He responds by sticking some on your nose, and everyone laughs with you

Wooyoung gives a hilarious speech that turns out to be quite sentimental and lovely, making you blush and bury your face in Jongho’s shoulder

When it’s time to make your exit, Jongho scoops you up and sings to you, all while nearly skipping to the gravel driveway, where a car is waiting for you

His laughter is music in your ears, and you feel the strongest happiness you’ve ever known--safe in his arms, knowing he’ll never drop you

Yeosang

It’s a summer afternoon when you meet your man at the altar, although the altar isn’t quite that--

The ceremony takes place in the gardens of an upscale hotel, with beautiful flowers blooming all around you. The “altar” is actually an archway decorated in red and white blooms and ivy fronds

Yeosang is wearing a classy black suit with a red tie, the same red of the roses in your bouquet and flower crown

His hair is blonde (his summer look) and slicked back. He almost looks prettier than you, truly the statuesque Kang Yeosang that his brothers always gush about

It’s not a huge ceremony, with the audience numbering no more than about eighty people--just close friends and family members deemed worthy

You’re in a simple but elegant dress, and it almost knocks the wind out of poor Sangie when he sees you at the end of the aisle

At first, his mouth just hangs open as you glide towards him, accompanied by the lilting music of a string quartet

He manages to gather his jaw off the floor and grins at you when you stand in front of him, blushing furiously

The officiant gestures for the two of you to join hands right away, and Yeosang takes yours with a small “hi”, which you return with a giggle

He gets through the vows just fine, but when you say yours, he fails to suppress a smile. He tries so hard to keep a straight face but just can’t bc he’s so giddy

When you’re pronounced Mr. and Mrs., he leans in and kisses you softly, giving your hands a gentle squeeze

He doesn’t let go of you for a single moment, even when his friends slap him on the back during your walk back down the aisle, hollering loudly and making him laugh

In the interest of keeping things lowkey, the reception is a cocktail hour (or four) in an event hall inside the hotel

The first dance is beautiful-- no complicated steps, just the two of you embracing as everyone looks on fondly

The music is curated by Yeosang himself, with Hongjoong’s help, and the drinks are flowing freely

A couple of hours pass and everyone is good and tipsy--including yourselves

It’s a good thing the event hall is spacious, because at one point, almost everybody is dancing

Sang spins you around on the dancefloor when he’s feeling brave, and you’re having so much fun that you don’t realize the time is flying

When it’s time to leave, people start whistling, and Yeosang is nearly the same color as his tie

He hides his face in your shoulder, and you cover his face with kisses

After saying your goodbyes to everyone, you whisper something to Yeosang, and he nods with a giggle

As requested, he carries you piggy-back to the car, as everyone waves you off

Seonghwa

We know Seonghwa comes from wealth, and the man is extra af, so of course the wedding is extravagant

It’s a winter wedding that takes place at a mountain resort, and pretty much everyone you or Seonghwa have ever known is in attendance

Your groom is in a black tux with an silver tie, and the bridesmaids are wearing dresses of icy blue

You do a pre-ceremony reveal in a side hall, partly because you want a moment alone amidst the madness, and partly because the two of you can’t wait to see each other

Seonghwa almost cries when he turns around and sees you in your dress and the pearls that he gave you

You giggle, fighting back tears, and walk up to him slowly

Hwa’s got one hand over his mouth, and the other pressed over his heart, and only moves them when you’re close enough to touch

He just holds your face in his hands and presses your foreheads together

You’re both smiling and laughing, even through the tears that are now falling freely

You hang onto his shoulders for as long as you can before your maid of honor tells you it’s time to get moving

The ceremony takes place in the grand atrium, with massive windows revealing the soft snowfall and forests outside

You walk down the aisle confidently and quickly, ready to just marry this man already

When the officiant announces Mr. and Mrs. Park, you don’t hesitate to put your hands on his shoulders and kiss him

Seonghwa holds your waist and the back of your head, keeping you close. It’s a sweet, passionate kiss that’s over in a matter of seconds but leaves you dizzy nonetheless

The reception takes place immediately after, in a grand hall decorated with flowers and lights everywhere

You and your husband are seated at the head table in the reception hall, which is perfect because you’re in your own little world anyway

Hwa gets really excited about feeding you pieces of the wedding cake, gently wiping icing from your lips between bites

During the toasts and speeches, he keeps kissing your hand and smiling to himself

Of course, you have to end the night on a high note--the traditional bouquet toss!

All the bridesmaids and eligible ladies are gathered at the foot of the grand staircase, giggling with excitement and pushing a little here and there to get the clearest shot

But you toss the bouquet with a little more force than you meant to, and it goes over all of them

Yeosang happens to be walking along after just having gotten himself some more food, and catches the bouquet without meaning to

He looks at the flowers in his hand, bewildered, as you and Hwa cackle above, and the ladies in the crowd look more than a little disappointed

Seonghwa never lets him live it down, giggling every time he brings it up

It’s more joy than Hwa thinks he deserves, but he’s unbelievably grateful for each moment

Wooyoung

You and Wooyoung have a spring wedding in a botanical greenhouse with a moderate number of guests in attendance

The greenhouse is massive, and filled with every kind of orchid you could imagine from floor to ceiling

It’s a cool, cloudy day out, so the greenhouse isn’t too hot. But light still spills in and illuminates all the colorful flowers

Wooyoung is waiting for you at the altar of rich green leaves and soft pink orchids (one of which has been plucked and pinned to his lapel)

He’s wearing a bowtie, one that he proudly picked himself because he thought you would like it, and a snazzy pair of shoes that he’ll be able to dance in later

When you emerge during the ceremony, the sight of you in your dress immediately brings tears to his eyes

Wooyoung wipes his eyes, but still sniffles a bit through his vows. If you weren’t so giddy, you would probably be doing the same

The officiant finishes his part and begins to announce, “I now pronounce you--”

He doesn’t get to finish, because Woo gets too excited and launches himself at you, grabbing you by the face and kissing you as everyone breaks into laughter

You throw your arms around his shoulders, kissing him back as best you can while giggling

It’s not a wedding for Wooyoung if the reception isn’t LIT

It takes place under a large outdoor hall, with an open bar, disco lights, and so, so much dancing

The first dance is the only slow dance of the night, and the two of you spend the rest of the songs swinging around wildly on the dancefloor with all your closest friends

He does a choreographed dance with the boys to an upbeat song of his choice, making sure to be extra cheesy when pointing at you and lip-syncing to you

Cutting the cake is a hot mess, but in the best way

You and your new husband nearly end up starting a food fight, but let’s be honest, what did anyone expect from Wooyoung and his girl

You get a little bit of icing on his tux, and he gets a little bit on your shoulder (which he offers to remove with his mouth if the two of you can sneak off)

You playfully smack him on the arm, but the idea is lowkey tempting

You’re mildly nervous when Yeosang gets up to make his Best Man’s speech, but Wooyoung assures you that he’s not gonna say anything too embarrassing

He does roast the two of you a little for being so loudly in love with each other, but he also makes both you and your new mother-in-law cry when he recounts the moment Wooyoung first told him he wanted to marry you

You hadn’t heard that story before, so when you glance over at Woo with tears in your eyes, he wraps you in a big hug and kisses your cheeks

You cling to him like velcro after that, which is fine, because he loves every second of it and returns the affection without a second thought

Inwardly, he hopes you’ll hold each other like this every day for the rest of your lives

San

You and San share a taste for all things modern, sexy, and sleek, so nothing makes more sense than a spring wedding on a city rooftop

Lavender is the obvious accent color choice for both of you, as purple has long been San’s favorite, and you think it suits both of you well

San is waiting at the end of the aisle for you wearing a classy grey suit, lavender tie, and the widest smile you’ve ever seen on him

The sun is setting over the city skyline, but in San’s eyes, it rises and sets on you alone

You carry a bouquet of lavender flowers, and a few are tucked into your hair

Your heart is pounding in your chest, but the sight of San, handsome and grinning, gives you the boost you need to keep moving

San says his vows without a hitch, but you get nervous while reciting yours-- there are a lot of people staring at you, and the pressure gets to you a little

When you stutter over your words, you catch yourself and look up at San, eyes wide

But he’s your rock, your mountain-- steadfast and gentle with you even when you’re not gentle with yourself

“You’re doing amazing,” he whispers to you, quiet enough that no one else can hear

His kind eyes and easy smile comfort you immeasurably, and you finished your vows with a renewed confidence

Upon hearing “You may now kiss the bride”, San wraps one arm around your waist and holds one of your hands with the other, kissing you sweetly as your guests erupt into applause

The applause turns to cheers and whistles when San whirls you around and dips you low, holding you in the kiss while he adds the extra flourish

The reception is just as perfect as the ceremony. It’s a roaring party set against the glittering backdrop of city lights, and lit throughout with twinkling lanterns

There are games, trivia, good music, and plenty of lively conversations

You and San make the rounds, making sure to greet all of your guests and thank them for attending, giving gifts, etc.

At one point you get separated, but you meet his gaze through the crowd

San is looking at you with so much love that you have to excuse yourself from your conversation with a family member and stroll over to him

Throwing your arms around him, and feeling his go around you, you kiss him once more and nuzzle your face into his neck

He holds you there for a moment, smiling to himself and basking in the moment-- trying to memorize every detail of it

It seems San isn’t just the winner of the day for having married you--he manages to kick everyone’s ass at limbo even while being a little tipsy

Afterwards, he returns to you with puppy dog eyes, and demands his prize-- “a kiss from the most beautiful woman in the world”.

You’re more than happy to give it to him, continuing the kiss even as someone whoops

You smile against his lips knowing that, despite what San may think, the luckiest person in the world is actually you

Hongjoong

You’ve always wanted marry the love of your life in an art museum

Hongjoong’s appreciation and love of art runs deep, so he agrees right away

You book the venue for springtime, when it’s bright and golden and still a little bit cool outside--your favorite time of year

Joong is in a neat, grey suit with a patterned bow tie that you picked out-- it’s mostly green, but with a quirky pattern that he loves

He gave you something as well-- before you even picked out your dress, Hongjoong made you promise not to buy wedding shoes

You were confused, but trusted him

Two weeks before the wedding, he hands you a box. In it, are a pair of designer shoes that he drew on and painted, customizing them just for you

They’re beautiful--not too plain but not too much either, and you cry when you first open them. Hongjoong blushes, pleased that you love them so much

The ceremony is in the Grand Gallery, with a glass ceiling and high walls covered in priceless masterpieces

You glide down the aisle with confidence and ease--seeing Joong at the end of it makes you feel like you’re walking on air

He whispers, “You look beautiful” when you reach him, and you reply, “You too.”

You’re wearing the shoes that he reformed for you, and they peek out from the hem of your dress

He gets misty-eyed during his vows, pausing for a second to breathe because he’s so overwhelmed with love. You respond by reaching up and brushing his cheek

He smiles at you, pure and sweet, and continues. The vows are beautifully written, eloquent, and poignant

But then again, you already knew everything he touches turns to gold

You make him cry again when you read your vows, and you get emotional a bit yourself as well

His hands are shaking when he puts the ring on your finger because he’s so excited-- you’ve both looked forward to this day for so long, and you can’t believe it’s happening

You hear a loud sniffle and look over at the audience to see Seonghwa and San holding each other and weeping in the audience

You can only giggle for a second before you’re announced as husband and wife

It’s a sweet and simple kiss, just the two of you holding each other close

Joong has his hands on your cheeks, and yours are on his shoulders

He nuzzles your nose after the kiss, just an affectionate brush accompanied by the smile that you love more than anything

Your first dance is to an orchestral version of “Twilight”, which he helped to rearrange

You rest your head on Hongjoong’s shoulder, and just watch his face as the two of you sway to the lilting music

His eyes are closed, and he looks completely at peace. The corners of his mouth are turned up slightly, and his hand is splayed across your back, holding you close

You press a kiss to his neck, and he does the same to your forehead

It’s heaven on earth, and you pray to anyone who’s listening that it lasts forever

[thebestintoronto]

15 Best Day Trips from Toronto

Looking for the very best day trips from Toronto to go on?

Whether you enjoy impromptu trip or planned experiences, there are plenty of awesome outing you can take place from Toronto

Whatever the season is, there's constantly something fun to do despite where you do an excursion in Ontario!

If you do not have an auto, rent out one for your adventure!

You can get a day long rental (grabbing as well as leaving in midtown Toronto) from Expedia for as reduced as $91, that includes limitless mileage and complimentary cancellation as much as 6 hours prior to pick-up.

If you're not originating from midtown, you can get cars and truck services as low as $58 from areas in the GTA, such as Richmond Hillside, Markham, or Pickering!

Whether you enjoy roaming around charming communities, sipping glasses at wineries, or hiking through nature, there are all kinds of amazing local areas to road trip to in Ontario.

Right here are some enjoyable day trips from Toronto to journey to, regardless of what the period!

The most effective excursion from Toronto.

1. Twist via Royal Prince Edward Area

Prince Edward Region has ended up being a prominent spot for excursion from Toronto, full of Instagrammable areas and also cool places.

Drop in one of their dozens of wineries and also breweries for an afternoon of tasting, or hit up the Royal prince Edward Area Lavender Farm for some adorable images.

There are also beautiful coastlines and nature spots to go treking in, if that's what you're into!

Here are some suggestions for things to do throughout your Royal prince Edward County excursion:

Visit the white dune at Sandbanks Provincial Park Take a look at the sedimentary rock bluffs at Little Bluff Conservation Area

Best time to go to: summer through loss

2. Discover the historic community of Port Hope

Port Hope is an enchanting little heritage town in Ontario, and also there are lots of fun things to do midtown throughout the year.

If you go to during the autumn, you can even do some salmon angling right in the heart of downtown Port Hope.

It's additionally the town they filmed the It motion pictures in, so you can walk around and also discover all the shooting places!

We checked out while they were shooting, which is why you see American flags in the photo above.

It: Chapter 2 is available on Crave Canada if you intend to see before searching places in Port Hope!

Best time to go to: spring via fall

3. Get a preference of neighborhood in Kawartha Lakes

South Pond Farms is widely known for their program on Netflix, Preference of the Country.

Their home is absolutely stunning (you can remain there on Airbnb), as well as they provide delicious dishes using ingredients from their very own yard.

Discover lunch and dinner events on their web site.

Finest time to visit: springtime with loss

4. Lay out in the sun at Sauble Beach

Sauble Beach is more than simply an Instagram-worthy sign.

Read a book with your toes in the sand, play some coastline volley ball, or endeavor out into the clear blue water!

It's the perfect area to take a day trip from Toronto.

If you want to clear out a little bit further, you can head a hr up north to Tobermory as well.

Ideal time to go to: summer with fall

5. Study the Grotto in Tobermory

Tobermory is most significantly recognized for their Grotto, an extraordinary swimming hole you would not believe remained in Ontario.

Paid vehicle parking is restricted as well as you need to get online in advance, even if there are vacant places when you show up.

Additionally, make sure to examine the weather ahead of time-- we scheduled our car parking and also really did not end up going since there was an awful thunderstorm en route!

This is the farthest eliminate of all nowadays trips from Toronto, however it's definitely achievable if you agree to head there very early and leave late!

Finest time to see: summer season

6. Walking at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park

If you wish to see cliffs, holes, as well as caverns, Mono Cliffs is the area to go.

The park itself will certainly take a couple of hrs to hike, yet you'll wish to explore outside the park too!

I have a different article all about just how to invest a day hiking at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park.

Finest time to see: year-round

7. Prance via lavender areas in Milton

Lavender areas for life ...

Take the eliminate to the spectacular Terre Bleu Lavender Farm in Milton and also get some charming Instagram photos.

Check out right when it opens up in the early morning, due to the fact that it gets active extremely promptly!

Terre Bleu is the largest lavender ranch in Ontario, with over 40,000 lavender plants that bloom at different times during the year!

Oh, and you're mosting likely to want to try the lavender ice cream-- it's amazing.

Best time to visit: summertime

8. Store vintage in Guelph

The Aberfoyle Vintage Market is paradise for vintage purchasing.

You'll find all type of trendy gems like license plates from the 70's and also vintage coke indications from old diners.

There's a heap to see around the marketplace, and also you'll certainly be able to spend an entire day below.

One day might not even suffice to check out the whole thing!

The Aberfoyle Antique Market is open every Sunday throughout the summer season and loss, so you can definitely make several journeys.

Don't fail to remember to bring reusable carryall for your rewards!

If you're looking for much more adorable vintage shops in Guelph, take a look at Outpost Vintage and also Wild Rose Consignment.

Finest time to go to: year-round

9. Go hiking in Cambridge

Cambridge is just one of the prettiest cities in Ontario, with its mix of historical buildings as well as vibrant street art.

There's a charming coffee shop called Monigram Coffee Roasters that makes great sandwiches, as well as lots of treking trails within the city!

Ideal time to see: year-round

10. Go tubing in Elora

Laze around down the Elora Canyon and let the river bring you!

It lies in the Elora Canyon Conservation Area, so you can do a little hiking on the path later on if you're in the state of mind for it.

Don't forget to bring water footwear, as well as don't do this if you dislike bugs.

If you can't swim (like me lol), see to it you're with somebody that understands exactly how-- the ending requires you to swim to coast.

If you remain in the state of mind to do some actual swimming, drop in the gorgeous Elora Quarry afterwards!

Ideal time to visit: summer

11. See a theater show in Stratford

Fancy seeing a live theatre program?

Stratford is everything about arts as well as culture, as well as you most likely currently recognize them for the Stratford Event.

I attended Eliminate a Mockingbird in 2014, and it was remarkable!

This Shakespeare-loving town is filled with unusual boutiques, awesome neighborhood consumes (the Stratford Cook Institution is found here), and also lots of fun points to do.

Finest time to check out: year-round

12. Go through falls in Hamilton

Hamilton is referred to as the waterfall funding of the world, with over 100 waterfalls to explore.

Spend a road trip in Ontario discovering Hamilton's stunning falls and eating at some of the best Hamilton restaurants on King William Street!

If you enjoy hiking, you need to definitely do the Dundas Height trek for the unbelievable views.

There are likewise a lot of charming and Instagrammable areas in Hamilton, consisting of Motel Dining establishment and also Hi Baked Sugar Shop.

I've got a post everything about just how to invest a day in Hamilton!

Finest time to see: summertime through fall

13. Go white wine sampling in Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake is the ideal place for white wine lovers, with practically 100 wineries found here.

Visit 1 or 2 and also check out Niagara Falls, or simply invest an entire day seeing as lots of wineries as you can!

Definitely stop by Stratus Vineyards-- they make possibly my preferred icewine.

Likewise an enjoyable reality: icewine is spelt as one word here in Canada!

Finest time to go to: summer season through loss

14. Obtain touristy at Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls is simply among those outing from Toronto that never ever gets old despite the number of times you visit.

Take in the sights of Horseshoe Falls, do some touristy tasks along Clifton Hill, and ride the Niagara SkyWheel while viewing the sundown!

It's the ideal place for an outing, yet you can also invest a weekend break in Niagara Falls.

Best time to go to: year-round

15. Walk the Toronto Islands

If you prefer to remain as close to the city as possible, the Toronto Islands is the perfect field trip within the city.

All you require to do is take a ferryboat over to the islands, and also you can invest a day strolling or cycling around!

I have a different article all about points to do at the Toronto Islands.

Best time to see: springtime through autumn

Ideal day trips from Toronto:

Prince Edward Area

Port Hope

South Fish Pond Farms near Kawartha Lakes

Sauble Beach

Tobermory

Mono Cliffs Provincial Park

Terre Bleu Lavender Ranch in Milton

Aberfoyle Vintage Market in Guelph

Cambridge

Elora Canyon

Stratford

Hamilton

Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara Falls

Toronto Islands

Toronto is near a great deal of great communities and also areas for field trip, whatever activities you're interested in doing!

I've also got a post all about road trip tips that you might find useful.

Will you be doing any kind of one day trip in Ontario this summertime? What are several of your favourite outing from Toronto? I 'd like to know in the remarks!

P.S. if you liked this article, you could like this blog post on exactly how to do an outing to Niagara Falls, or any other articles on taking a trip in Ontario.

The post “ 15 Best Day Trips from Toronto “ was originally seen on Diary of a Toronto Girl

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Mel’s Big Fantasy Place-Name Reference

So I’ve been doing lots of D&D world-building lately and I’ve kind of been putting together lists of words to help inspire new fantasy place names. I figured I’d share. These are helpful for naming towns, regions, landforms, roads, shops, and they’re also probably useful for coming up with surnames. This is LONG. There’s plenty more under the cut including a huge list of “fantasy sounding” word-parts. Enjoy!

Towns & Kingdoms

town, borough, city, hamlet, parish, township, village, villa, domain

kingdom, empire, nation, country, county, city-state, state, province, dominion

Town Name End Words (English flavored)

-ton, -ston, -caster, -dale, -den, -field, -gate, -glen, -ham, -holm, -hurst, -bar, -boro, -by, -cross, -kirk, -meade, -moore, -ville, -wich, -bee, -burg, -cester, -don, -lea, -mer, -rose, -wall, -worth, -berg, -burgh, -chase, -ly, -lin, -mor, -mere, -pool. -port, -stead, -stow, -strath, -side, -way, -berry, -bury, -chester, -haven, -mar, -mont, -ton, -wick, -meet, -heim, -hold, -hall, -point

Buildings & Places

castle, fort, palace, fortress, garrison, lodge, estate, hold, stronghold, tower, watchtower, palace, spire, citadel, bastion, court, manor, house

altar, chapel, abbey, shrine, temple, monastery, cathedral, sanctum, crypt, catacomb, tomb

orchard, arbor, vineyard, farm, farmstead, shire, garden, ranch

plaza, district, quarter, market, courtyard, inn, stables, tavern, blacksmith, forge, mine, mill, quarry, gallows, apothecary, college, bakery, clothier, library, guild house, bath house, pleasure house, brothel, jail, prison, dungeon, cellar, basement, attic, sewer, cistern

lookout, post, tradepost, camp, outpost, hovel, hideaway, lair, nook, watch, roost, respite, retreat, hostel, holdout, redoubt, perch, refuge, haven, alcove, haunt, knell, enclave, station, caravan, exchange, conclave

port, bridge, ferry, harbor, landing, jetty, wharf, berth, footbridge, dam, beacon, lighthouse, marina, dockyard, shipyard

road, street, way, row, lane, trail, corner, crossing, gate, junction, waygate, end, wall, crossroads,  barrier, bulwark, blockade, pavilion, avenue, promenade, alley, fork, route

Time & Direction

North, South, East, West, up, down, side, rise, fall, over, under

Winter, Spring, Summer, Autumn, solstice, equanox, vernal, ever, never

dusk, dawn, dawnrise, morning, night, nightfall, evening, sundown, sunbreak, sunset

lunar, solar, sun, moon, star, eclipse

Geographical Terms

Cave, cavern, cenote, precipice, crevasse, crater, maar, chasm, ravine, trench, rift, pit

Cliff, bluff, crag, scarp, outcrop, stack, tor, falls, run, eyrie, aerie

Hill, mountain, volcano, knoll, hillock, downs, barrow, plateau, mesa, butte, pike, peak, mount, summit, horn, knob, pass, ridge, terrace, gap, point, rise, rim, range, view, vista, canyon, hogback, ledge, stair, descent

Valley, gulch, gully, vale, dale, dell, glen, hollow, grotto, gorge, bottoms, basin, knoll, combe

Meadow, grassland, field, pasture, steppe, veld, sward, lea, mead, fell, moor, moorland, heath, croft, paddock, boondock, prairie, acre, strath, heights, mount, belt

Woodlands, woods, forest, bush, bower, arbor, grove, weald, timberland, thicket, bosk, copse, coppice, underbrush, hinterland, park, jungle, rainforest, wilds, frontier, outskirts

Desert, dunes, playa, arroyo, chaparral, karst, salt flats, salt pan, oasis, spring, seep, tar pit, hot springs, fissure, steam vent, geyser, waste, wasteland, badland, brushland, dustbowl, scrubland

Ocean, sea, lake, pond, spring, tarn, mere, sluice, pool, coast, gulf, bay

Lagoon, cay, key, reef, atoll, shoal, tideland, tide flat, swale, cove, sandspit, strand, beach

Snowdrift, snowbank, permafrost, floe, hoar, rime, tundra, fjord, glacier, iceberg

River, stream, creek, brook, tributary, watersmeet, headwater, ford, levee, delta, estuary, firth, strait, narrows, channel, eddy, inlet, rapids, mouth, falls

Wetland, marsh, bog, fen, moor, bayou, glade, swamp, banks, span, wash, march, shallows, mire, morass, quag, quagmire, everglade, slough, lowland, sump, reach

Island, isle, peninsula, isthmus, bight, headland, promontory, cape, pointe, cape

More under the cut including: Color words, Animal/Monster related words, Rocks/Metals/Gems list, Foliage, People groups/types, Weather/Environment/ Elemental words, Man-made Items, Body Parts, Mechanical sounding words, a huge list of both pleasant and unpleasant Atmospheric Descriptors, and a huge list of Fantasy Word-parts.

Color Descriptions

Warm: red, scarlet, crimson, rusty, cerise, carmine, cinnabar, orange, vermillion, ochre, peach, salmon, saffron, yellow, gold, lemon, amber, pink, magenta, maroon, brown, sepia, burgundy, beige, tan, fuchsia, taupe

Cool: green, beryl, jade, evergreen, chartreuse, olive, viridian, celadon, blue, azure, navy, cerulean, turquoise, teal, cyan, cobalt, periwinkle, beryl, purple, violet, indigo, mauve, plum

Neutral: gray, silver, ashy, charcoal, slate, white, pearly, alabaster, ivory, black, ebony, jet

dark, dusky, pale, bleached, blotchy, bold, dappled, lustrous, faded, drab, milky, mottled, opaque, pastel, stained, subtle, ruddy, waxen, tinted, tinged, painted

Animal / Monster-Related Words

Bear, eagle, wolf, serpent, hawk, horse, goat, sheep, bull, raven, crow, dog, stag, rat, boar, lion, hare, owl, crane, goose, swan, otter, frog, toad, moth, bee, wasp, beetle, spider, slug, snail, leech, dragonfly, fish, trout, salmon, bass, crab, shell, dolphin, whale, eel, cod, haddock

Dragon, goblin, giant, wyvern, ghast, siren, lich, hag, ogre, wyrm, kraken

Talon, scale, tusk, hoof, mane, horn, fur, feather, fang, wing, whisker, bristle, paw, tail, beak, claw, web, quill, paw, maw, pelt, haunch, gill, fin,

Hive, honey, nest, burrow, den, hole, wallow

Rocks / Metals / Minerals

Gold, silver, brass, bronze, copper, platinum, iron, steel, tin, mithril, electrum, adamantite, quicksilver, fool’s gold, titanium

Diamond, ruby, emerald, sapphire, topaz, opal, pearl, jade, jasper, onyx, citrine, aquamarine, turquoise, lapiz lazuli, amethyst, quartz, crystal, amber, jewel

Granite, shale, marble, limestone, sandstone, slate, diorite, basalt, rhyolite, obsidian, glass

Earth, stone, clay, sand, silt, salt, mote, lode, vein, ore, ingot, coal, boulder, bedrock, crust, rubble, pebble, gravel, cobble, dust, clod, peat, muck mud, slip, loam, dirt, grit, scree, shard, flint, stalactite/mite

Trees / Plants / Flowers

Tree, ash, aspen, pine, birch, alder, willow, dogwood, oak, maple, walnut,  chestnut, cedar, mahogany, palm, beech, hickory, hemlock, cottonwood, hawthorn, sycamore, poplar, cypress, mangrove, elm, fir, spruce, yew

Branch, bough, bramble, gnarl, burr, tangle, thistle, briar, thorn, moss, bark, shrub, undergrowth, overgrowth, root, vine, bracken, reed, driftwood, coral, fern, berry, bamboo, nectar, petal, leaf, seed, clover, grass, grain, trunk, twig, canopy, cactus, weed, mushroom, fungus

Apple, olive, apricot, elderberry, coconut, sugar, rice, wheat, cotton, flax, barley, hops, onion, carrot, turnip, cabbage, squash, pumpkin, pepper

Flower, rose, lavender, lilac, jasmine, jonquil, marigold, carnelian, carnation, goldenrod, sage, wisteria, dahlia, nightshade, lily, daisy, daffodil, columbine, amaranth, crocus, buttercup, foxglove, iris, holly, hydrangea, orchid, snowdrop, hyacinth, tulip, yarrow, magnolia, honeysuckle, belladonna, lily pad, magnolia

People

Settler, Pilgrim, Pioneer, Merchant, Prospector, Maker, Surveyor, Mason, Overseer, Apprentice, Widow, Sailor, Miner, Blacksmith, Butcher, Baker, Brewer, Barkeep, Ferryman, Hangman, Gambler, Fisherman, Adventurer, Hero, Seeker, Hiker, Traveler, Crone

Mage, Magician, Summoner, Sorcerer, Wizard, Conjurer, Necromancer, 

King, Queen, Lord, Count, Baron, Guard, Soldier, Knight, Vindicator, Merchant, Crusader, Imperator, Syndicate, Vanguard, Champion, Warden, Victor, Legionnaire, Master, Archer, Footman, Gladiator, Barbarian, Captain, Commodore, 

Beggar, Hunter, Ranger, Deadman, Smuggler, Robber, Swindler, Rebel, Bootlegger, Outlaw, Pirate, Brigand, Ruffian, Highwayman, Cutpurse, Thief, Assassin

God, Goddess, Exarch, Angel, Devil, Demon, Cultist, Prophet, Hermit, Seer

council, clergy, guild, militia, choir 

Climate, Environment, & The Elements

Cold, cool, brisk, frosty, chilly, icy, freezing, frozen, frigid, glacial, bitter, biting, bleak, arctic, polar, boreal, wintry, snowy, snow, blizzarding, blizzard, sleeting, sleet, chill, frost, ice, icebound, ice cap, floe, snowblind, frostbite, coldsnap, avalanche, snowflake

Hot, sunny, humid, sweltering, steaming, boiling, sizzling, blistering, scalding, smoking, caldescent, dry, parched, arid, fallow, thirsty, melting, molten, fiery, blazing, burning, charring, glowing, searing, scorching, blasted, sun, fire, heat, flame, wildfire, bonfire, inferno, coal, ash, cinder, ember, flare, pyre, tinder, kindling, aflame, alight, ablaze, lava, magma, slag,

Wet, damp, dank, soggy, sodden, soaked, drenched, dripping, sopping, briny, murky, rain, storm, hail, drizzle, sprinkle, downpour, deluge, squall, water, cloud, fog, mist, dew, puddle, pool, current, whirlpool, deep, depths, tide, waves, whitewater, waterfall, tidal wave, flow, flood, leak, drain

Wind, breeze, gust, billow, gail, draft, waft, zephyr, still, airy, clear, smokey, tempest, tempestuous, windswept, aerial, lofty, torrid, turbulent, nebulous, tradewind, thunder, lightning, spark, cyclone, tornado, whirlwind, hurricane, typhoon

Man-made Item Words

Furnace, forge, anvil, vault, strap, strip, whetstone, brick, sword, blade, axe, dagger, shield, buckler, morningstar, bow, quiver, arrow, polearm, flail, staff, stave, sheath, hilt, hammer, knife, helm, mantle, banner, pauldron, chainmail, mace, dart, cutlass, canon, needle, cowl, belt,  buckle, bandana, goggles, hood, boot, heel, spindle, spool, thread, sweater, skirt, bonnet, apron, leather, hide, plate, tunic, vest, satin, silk, wool, velvet, lace, corset, stocking, binding

Plow, scythe, (wheel) barrow, saddle, harrow, brand, collar, whip, leash, lead, bridle, stirrup, wheel, straw, stall, barn, hay, bale, pitchfork, well, log, saw, lumber, sod, thatch, mortar, brick, cement, concrete, pitch, pillar, window, fountain, door, cage, spoke, pole, table, bench, plank, board

Candle, torch, cradle, broom, lamp, lantern, clock, bell, lock, hook, trunk, looking glass, spyglass, bottle, vase, locket, locker, key, handle, rope, knot, sack, pocket, pouch, manacle, chain, stake, coffin, fan. cauldron, kettle, pot, bowl, pestle, oven, ladle, spoon, font, wand, potion, elixir, draught, portal, book, tome, scroll, word, manuscript, letter, message, grimoire, map, ink, quill, pen, cards, dice

Coin, coronet, crown, circlet, scepter, treasure, riches, scales, pie, tart, loaf, biscuit, custard, caramel, pudding, porridge, stew, bread, tea, gravy, gristle, spice, lute, lyre, harp, drum, rouge, powder, perfume, brush

bilge, stern, pier, sail, anchor, mast, dock, deck, flag, ship, boat, canoe, barge, wagon, sled, carriage, buggy, cart

Wine, brandy, whiskey, ale, moonshine, gin, cider, rum, grog, beer, brew, goblet, flagon, flask, cask, tankard, stein, mug, barrel, stock, wort, malt

Body Parts

Head, throat, finger, foot, hand, neck, shoulder, rib, jaw, eye, lips, bosom

Skull, spine, bone, tooth, heart, blood, tears, gut, beard

Mechanical-Sounding Words

cog, fuse, sprocket, wrench, screw, nail, bolt, lever, pulley, spanner, gear, spring, shaft, switch, button, cast, pipe, plug, dial, meter, nozzle, cord, brake, gauge, coil, oil, signal, wire, fluke, staple, clamp, bolt, nut, bulb, patch, pump, cable, socket

torque, force, sonic, spark, fizzle, thermal, beam, laser, steam, buzz, mega, mecha, electro, telsa, power, flicker, charge, current, flow, tinker

Atmospheric Words

Unpleasant, Dangerous, Threatening

(nouns) death, fury, battle, scar, shadow, razor, nightmare, wrath, bone, splinter, peril, war, riptide, strife, reckoning, sorrow, terror, deadwood, nether, venom, grime, rage, void, conquest, pain, folly, revenge, horrid, mirk, shear, fathom, frenzy, corpselight/marshlight, reaper, gloom, doom, torment, torture, spite, grizzled, sludge, refuse, spore, carrion, fear, pyre, funeral, shade, beast, witch, grip, legion, downfall, ruin, plague, woe, bane, horde, acid, fell, grief, corpse, mildew, mold, miter, dirge

(adjectives) dead, jagged, decrepit, fallen, darkened, blackened, dire, grim, feral, wild, broken, desolate, mad, lost, under, stagnant, blistered, derelict, forlorn, unbound, sunken, fallow, shriveled, wayward, bleak, low, weathered, fungal, last, brittle, sleepy, -strewn, dusky, deserted, empty, barren, vacant, forsaken, bare, bereft, stranded, solitary, abandoned, discarded, forgotten, deep, abysmal, bottomless, buried, fathomless,unfathomable, diseased, plagued, virulent, noxious, venomous, toxic, fetid, revolting, putrid, rancid, foul, squalid, sullied, vile, blighted, vicious, ferocious, dangerous, savage, cavernous, vast, yawning, chasmal, echoing, dim, dingy, gloomy, inky, lurid, shaded, shadowy, somber, sunless, tenebrous, unlit, veiled, hellish, accursed, sulfurous, damned, infernal, condemned, doomed, wicked, sinister, dread, unending, spectral, ghostly, haunted, eldritch, unknown, weary, silent, hungry, cloven, acidic

(verb/adverbs): wither (withering / withered), skulk (skulking), whisper, skitter, chitter, sting, slither, writhe, gape, screech, scream, howl, lurk, roil, twist, shift, swarm, spawn, fester, bleed, howl, shudder, shrivel, devour, swirl, maul, trip, smother, weep, shatter, ruin, curse, ravage, hush, rot, drown, sunder, blister, warp, fracture, die, shroud, fall, surge, shiver, roar, thunder, smolder, break, silt, slide, lash, mourn, crush, wail, decay, crumble, erode, decline, reek, lament, taint, corrupt, defile, poison, infect, shun, sigh, sever, crawl, starve, grind, cut, wound, bruise, maim, stab, bludgeon, rust, mutilate, tremble, stumble, fumble, clank, clang

Pleasant, Safe, Neutral

(nouns) spirit, luck, soul, oracle, song, sky, smile, rune, obelisk, cloud, timber, valor, triumph, rest, dream, thrall, might, valiance, glory, mirror, life, hope, oath, serenity, sojourn, god, hearth, crown, throne, crest, guard, rise, ascent, circle, ring, twin, vigil, breath, new, whistle, grasp, snap, fringe, threshold, arch, cleft, bend, home, fruit, wilds, echo, moonlight, sunlight, starlight, splendor, vigilance, honor, memory, fortune, aurora, paradise, caress

(adjectives) gentle, pleasant, prosperous, peaceful, sweet, good, great, mild, grand, topic, lush, wild, abundant, verdant, sylvan, vital, florid, bosky, callow, verdurous, lucious, fertile, spellbound, captivating, mystical, hidden, arcane, clandestine, esoteric, covert, cryptic, runic, otherworldly, touched, still, fair, deep, quiet, bright, sheer, tranquil, ancient, light, far, -wrought, tidal, royal, shaded, swift, true, free, high, vibrant, pure, argent, hibernal, ascendant, halcyon, silken, bountiful, gilded, colossal, massive, stout, elder, -bourne, furrowed, happy, merry, -bound, loud, lit, silk, quiet, bright, luminous, shining, burnished, glossy, brilliant, lambent, lucent, lustrous, radiant, resplendent, vivid, vibrant, illuminated, silvery, limpid, sunlit, divine, sacred, holy, eternal, celestial, spiritual, almighty, anointed, consecrated, exalted, hallowed, sanctified, ambrosial, beatific, blissful, demure, naked, bare, ample, coy,  deific, godly, omnipotent, omnipresent, rapturous, sacramental, sacrosanct, blessed, majestic, iridescent, glowing, overgrown, dense, hard, timeless, sly, scatter, everlasting, full, half, first, last

(verb/adverbs) arch (arching / arched), wink (winking), sing, nestle, graze, stroll, roll, flourish, bloom, bud, burgeon, live, dawn, hide, dawn, run, pray, wake, laugh, wake, glimmer, glitter, drift, sleep, tumble, bind, arch, blush, grin, glister, beam, meander, wind, widen, charm, bewitch, enthrall, entrance, enchant, allure, beguile, glitter, shimmer, sparkle twinkle, crest, quiver, slumber, herald, shelter, leap, click, climb, scuttle, dig, barter, chant, hum, chime, kiss, flirt, tempt, tease, play, seduce

Generic “Fantasy-Sounding” Word Parts

A - D

aaz, ada, adaer, adal, adar, adbar, adir, ae, ael, aer, aern, aeron, aeryeon, agar, agis, aglar, agron, ahar, akan, akyl, al, alam, alan, alaor, ald, alea, ali, alir, allyn, alm, alon, alor, altar, altum, aluar, alys, amar, amaz, ame, ammen, amir, amol, amn, amus, anar, andor, ang, ankh, ar, ara, aram, arc, arg, arian, arkh, arla, arlith, arn, arond, arthus, arum, arvien, ary, asha, ashyr, ask, assur, aster, astra, ath, athor, athra, athryn, atol, au, auga, aum, auroch, aven, az, azar, baal, bae, bael, bak, bal, balor, ban, bar, bara, barr, batol, batar, basir, basha, batyr, bel, belph, belu, ben, beo, bere, berren, berun, besil, bezan, bhaer, bhal, blask, blis, blod, bor, boraz, bos, bran, brath, braun, breon, bri, bry, bul, bur, byl, caer, cal, calan, cara, cassa, cath, cela, cen, cenar, cerul, chalar, cham, chion, cimar, clo, coram, corel, corman, crim, crom, daar, dach, dae, dago, dagol, dahar, dala, dalar, dalin, dam, danas, daneth, dannar, dar, darian,  darath, darm, darma, darro, das, dasa, dasha, dath, del, delia, delimm, dellyn, delmar, delo, den, dess, dever, dhaer, dhas, dhaz, dhed, dhin, din, dine, diar, dien, div, djer, dlyn, dol, dolan, doon, dora, doril, doun, dral, dranor, drasil, dren, drian, drien, drin, drov, druar, drud, duald, duatha, duir, dul, dulth, dun, durth, dyra, dyver,

E - H

ea, eber, eden, edluk, egan, eiel, eilean, ejen, elath, eld, eldor, eldra, elith emar, ellesar, eltar, eltaran, elth, eltur, elyth, emen, empra, emril, emvor, ena, endra, enthor, erad, erai, ere, eriel, erith, erl, eron, erre, eryn, esk, esmel, espar, estria, eta, ethel, eval, ezro, ezan, ezune, ezil, fael, faelar, faern, falk, falak, farak, faril, farla, fel, fen, fenris, fer, fet, fin, finar, forel, folgun, ful, fulk, fur, fyra, fallon, gael, gach, gabir, gadath, gal, galar, gana, gar, garth, garon, garok, garne, gath, geir, gelden, geren,  geron, ghal, ghallar, ghast, ghel, ghom, ghon, gith, glae, glander, glar, glym, gol, goll, gollo, goloth, gorot, gost, goth, graeve, gran, grimm, grist, grom, grosh, grun, grym, gual, guil, guir, gulth, gulur, gur, gurnth, gwaer, haa, hael, haer, hadar, hadel, hakla, hala, hald, halana, halid, hallar, halon, halrua, halus, halvan, hamar, hanar, hanyl, haor, hara, haren, haresk, harmun, harrokh, harrow, haspur, haza, hazuth, heber,  hela, helve, hem, hen, herath, hesper, heth, hethar, hind, hisari, hjaa, hlath, hlond, hluth, hoarth, holtar, horo, hotun, hrag, hrakh, hroth, hull, hyak, hyrza

I - M

iibra, ilth, ilus, ilira, iman, imar, imas, imb, imir, immer, immil, imne, impil, ingdal, innar, ir, iriae, iril, irith, irk, irul, isha, istis, isil, itala, ith, ithal, itka, jada, jae, jaeda, jahaka, jala, jarra, jaro, jath, jenda, jhaamm, jhothm, jinn, jinth, jyn, kado, kah, kal, kalif, kam, kana, kara, karg, kars, karth, kasp, katla, kaul, kazar, kazr, kela, kelem, kerym, keth, keva, kez, kezan, khaer, khal, khama, khaz, khara, khed, khel, khol, khur, kil, kor, korvan, koll, kos, kir, kra, kul, kulda, kund, kyne, lae, laen, lag, lan, lann, lanar, lantar, lapal, lar, laran, lareth, lark, lath, lauth, lav, lavur, lazar, leih, leshyr, leth, lhaza, lhuven, liad, liam, liard, lim, lin, lirn, lisk, listra, lith, liya, llair, llor, lok, lolth, loran, lorkh, lorn, loth, lothen, luen, luir, luk, lund, lur, luth, lyndus, lyra, lyth, maal, madrasm maera, maer, maerim, maes, mag, magra, mahand, mal, malar, mald, maldo, mar, mara, mark, marl, maru, maruk, meir, melish, memnon, mer, metar, methi, mhil, mina, mir, miram, mirk, mista, mith, moander, mok, modir, modan, mon, monn, mor, more, morel, moril, morn, moro, morrow, morth, mort, morum, morven, muar, mul, mydra, myr, myra, myst

N - S

naar, nadyra, naedyr, naga, najar, nal, naal, nalir, nar, naruk, narbond, narlith, narzul, nasaq, nashkel, natar, nath, natha, neir, neth, nether, nhall, nikh, nil, nilith, noan, nolvurm nonthal, norda, noro, novul, nul, nur, nus, nyan, nyth, ober, odra, oghr, okoth, olleth, olodel, omgar, ondath, onthril, ordul, orish, oroch, orgra, orlim, ormath, ornar, orntath, oroch, orth, orva, oryn, orzo, ostel, ostor, ostrav, othea, ovar, ozod, ozul, palan, palad, pae, peldan, pern, perris, perim, pele, pen, phail, phanda, phara, phen, phendra, pila, pinn, pora, puril, pur, pyra, qadim, quar, quel, ques, quil, raah, rael, ran, ranna, rassil, rak, rald, rassa, reddan, reith, relur, ren, rendril, resil, reska, reth, reven, revar, rhy, rhynn, ria, rian, rin, ris, rissian, rona, roch, rorn, rora, rotha, rual, ruar, ruhal, ruil, ruk, runn, rusk, ryn, saa, saar, saal, sabal, samar, samrin, sankh, sar, sarg, sarguth, sarin, sarlan, sel, seld, sember, semkh, sen, sendrin, septa, senta, seros, shaar, shad, shadra, shae, shaen, shaera, shak, shalan, sham, shamath, shan, shana, sharan, shayl, shemar, shere, shor, shul, shyll, shyr, sidur, sil, silvan, sim, sintar, sirem, skar, skell, skur, skyr, sokol, solan, sola, somra, sor, ssin, stel, strill, suldan, sulk, sunda, sur, surkh, suth, syl, sylph, sylune, syndra, syth

T - Z

taak, taar, taer, tah, tak, tala, talag, talar, talas, talath, tammar, tanar, tanil, tar, tara, taran, tarl, tarn, tasha, tath, tavil, telar, teld, telf, telos, tempe, tethy, tezir, thaar, thaer, thal, thalag, thalas, thalan, thalar, thamor, thander, thangol, thar, thay, thazal, theer, theim, thelon, thera, thendi, theril, thiir, thil, thild, thimir, thommar, thon, thoon, thor, thran, thrann, threl, thril, thrul, thryn, thuk, thultan, thume, thun, thy, thyn, thyr, tir, tiras, tirum, tohre, tol, tolar, tolir,  tolzrin, tor, tormel, tormir, traal, triel, trith, tsath, tsur, tul, tur, turiver, turth, tymor, tyr, uder, udar, ugoth, uhr, ukh, ukir, uker, usten, ulgarth, ulgoth, ultir, ulur, umar, umath, umber, unara, undro, undu, untha, upir, ur, ursa, ursol, uron, uth, uthen, uz, van, vaar, vaelan, vaer, vaern, val valan, valash, vali, valt, vandan, vanede, vanrak, var, varyth, vassa, vastar, vaunt, vay, vel, velar, velen, velius, vell, velta, ven, veren, vern, vesper, vilar, vilhon, vintor, vir, vira, virdin, volo, volun, von, voon, vor, voro, vos, vosir, vosal, vund, war, wara, whel, wol, wynn, wyr, wyrm, xer, xul, xen, xian, yad, yag, yal, yar, yath, yeon, yhal, yir, yirar, yuir, yul, yur, zail, zala, zalhar, zan, zanda, zar, zalar, zarach, zaru, zash, zashu, zemur, zhent, zim, ziram, zindala, zindar, zoun, zul, zurr, zuth, zuu, zym

A lot of places are named after historical events, battles, and people, so keep that in mind. God/Goddess names tied to your world also work well. Places are also often named after things that the area is known for, like Georgia being known for its peaches.

My brain was fried by the end of this so feel free to add more!

I hope you find this reference helpful and good luck world-building!

-Mel

[writingonjorvik]

Can We Discuss A New Housing System?

Ok, so if you remember playing SSO around the launch of Jorvik City, you know we’ve been teased for a proper housing system for a while now. Some of you may still have some furniture (arguable) in your inventories and closets like myself. It’s also one of the most popular feature requests right now from players, as least in my polls. But what would an SSO housing system even look like? And how could it be blended into the existing story.

So, obviously, I have some ideas on that, and I going to try blending it into the story, because I think having a “home instance” house kinda situation could be a good way to deliver background story information (like retcons to characters and just passive character building). However, there are a lot of mechanics involved too, so I’ll strive to write about all parts of this equally. And also, this is a HUGE suggestion, but I figure I’d write it out in its fullest so I can get more feedback on the idea too.

I have, however, had some thoughts on the actual questline for this, so I’m going to dabble with writing those as well. They’ll be indented quotes to keep it clear. But I want to have the story itself lead, so I’ll start with quotes and expand after into the individual ideas as they show up. So here we go.

I imagine you’d get a general quest notification for this to start, just on your map. I’m going to put it at level 18 unlock, or after the service at Doyle’s Abbey. I think this makes a good late game initiative, and a project to work on while waiting on quests, since you do also have your current home stable as a temporary housing space.

Baroness: Player, I have a task for you of the utmost importance. 

Quest Accept

Good! I expected nothing less from you. Now, to the matter at hand. I own a small piece of land that recently has...seen less use. Have you heard of Horse Island? It’s a lovely place. Originally it had been opened to help local stables in Jorvik keep their horses active during the off-seasons when many of our campers go home.

However, when talented craftsmen John started to move to Jorvik, many stableowners hired him to update their own barns. You may have as well. While I certainly appreciate his work with my stables here, I have to admit that his arrival was effectively the closure of Horse Island.

And that’s the problem. I can’t leave the island alone as is. There are a number of structures there and I would like to reopen it as a park. Or I have another offer for you.

Quest End.

Baroness: Would you like to hear my offer, Player?

Quest Accept

My family and I owe a great deal to you. You’ve been beyond helpful here at my vineyard and with my son’s stables, you’ve been...discrete about my ex-husband, and you brought my grandson home. Some might even consider these deeds exemplary. My title as a Baroness may be more formal than my ancestors, but I can recognize a hero of Jorvik when I see one. 

It’s not an easy gift, but I would like to gift Horse Island to you. However, if you accept this gift, then there are some requirements you’ll have to meet to live there, much less your horses. Like I said, the island has been all but abandoned and will need some serious repairs before anyone can live there safely.

Quest End.

Baroness: Are you interested?

Quest Accept

Wonderful. Then the deed is yours. I have a ferry chartered for you and an associate to head to Horse Island to begin repairs. You’ll find them in New Hillcrest.

Quest End.

(Item Get: Island Deed)

Now, this doesn’t mean you’ve unlocked Horse Island as a home stable yet, but you do own it. This would unlock a first stage of the housing process, where it’s pretty much unusable outside of building it. Your current home stable would still be your home stable until it reaches “Stage Two” so to speak, but you have access to to Horse Island moving forward as a visitable and intractable map.

I’ve made up an NPC for this for fun, but they’re basically going to become your bookkeeper for the island, and the hub for updates, info boards, and quests on expanding it. Their name is Aiden (more or less a nod to Aideen and there’s good reason once we get into later stages), a fem-butch presenting young person who kinda doubles as an Isabelle for your island and a construction worker until you bring on John (if you want to). They have a Clydesdale (I like the dapple rose grey for them) named Amber.

Upon arriving in New Hillcrest:

Aiden: Oh, you must be Player. The Baroness told me you were coming. Me? I’m Aiden. I’ll be helping you get Horse Island back on its hooves.

Player 1: Nice to meet you. What do you know about Horse Island?

Player 2: Huh, you’re a little young for contractor.

Aiden: You won’t meet anyone who knows Horse Island better than me. It’s why the Baroness asked me to help. My parents used to work there, taking care of horses. Grew up on the island myself. I learned everything I know from them, plus a double major in college. If anyone can help you get this island back to a living condition, it’s me.

You ready to get going?

Quest Accept

Aiden: Good, let’s get a move on.

Quest End.

At this point, you actually reach the island. It’ll start with the original island design, a tropical/Hawaii style island (can we discuss Jorvik’s biodiversity later, actually), though this is ideally something that you’ll be able to change. If it doesn’t start with this design, I think it should be an optional biome as a reference for long term players from when Horse Island was around before.

At release of it, I’d think Horse Island should just be one island, but eventually I think adding additional smaller islands would be a good way to continue expanding the island and adding options to its development, while still keeping the theme of the overall island.

The main island has three parts: a small village kinda area with a broken down barn and buildings, three big paddocks, and a trail area. If this carries over functionality from the current home stable system, then this would be a great way to have private trail rides/races you could make, with each biome having a slightly different layout of the three main areas, but we haven’t gotten to that yet.

After you arrive, there’s a ferry point you can unlock that will rotate to South Hoof and New Hillcrest (really like the ferry system and I think it should be expanded), as well as a trailer/boat to transport back to Jorvik. On arrival, there’s not a lot you can do outside of explore, though it should be incredibly difficult since the island is incredibly damaged and hasn’t been maintained.

After arrival, Aiden will wait for you by the ferry to continue the quests.

Aiden: Aideen, the place has seen better days. Sad to see it like this. But, no time like the present. We’d better get to work. Well, Player, you’re in charge here. Want to scout out the damage?

Quest Accept

Aiden: Alright, follow me.

Aiden leads on a loop around the island to the major points. Following dialogue should be overlayed as you reach each location to keep the ride going.

Aiden: The beaches used to pretty open. There are other islands around here too. Maybe once we get things set up, I can look into some boats to visit other islands. Long ways off though.

Ah, this forest used to be so fun to ride through. I remember having friends over and building races through the woods together. Maybe we can get it cleaned up and open it again for you and your friends.

These paddocks need a lot of work. Don’t worry though. Once we can get them patched back up, they can hold, ten, twenty horses at a time. We can start small and build them out.

This place used to be filled with life. My parents and I used to live over there. Might be a good idea to get some cabins set up first. I’m fine camping until we do though. Supposing you’re fine headed back to mainland for some food.

With just you here, I don’t think we’d need a lot of shops. Same time, I’d like to see folks living here again. Maybe a few shops, open the place for tourists. That is, if you don’t mind people in your backyard.

That’s the biggest building on the island. I know it’s not mansion, but it should be a comfortable lodge once we finish with it. Nice place to hang your hat at least.

Last stop. This barn is going to need a lot of work. Come on, let’s clear out a stall for Amber and Player’s Horse.”

Quest End.

At this point, the farm opens up a lot of quests Rescue Ranch style, where you can pick up to-do’s from Aiden and then go do them like dailies. Some should be limited to make it feel like you’re making progress over a few days, but until you get to Stage Two of the island, I definitely think you should be able to grind through some smaller quests to make the island livable relatively easily.

I do also really like the idea of adding a Harvest Moon-esque gifting system for foods. I think this could be a good way to test a potential trading system while also delivering on more character development and a use for food. It’ll work on the same kind of system as Harvest Moon, where NPCs have favorite foods and hated foods, but it’ll mark in your journal as you go which is which. Giving Aiden food they like will reset daily tasks for the island as well as build your relationship with them. Eventually once the island is in a later stage, other NPCs can come visit and you can gift them foods too to get bonus dialogue and quests.

The first to-do you get is to go into the stable and clear out two stalls. Aiden will idle around the stable, but each time you interact with something in the stable, they’ll move to the next location and work on hammering walls or sweeping as you go until the to-do is done. Finishing this will also open a caring location on the island.

Aiden: That’s already better. Don’t have to sleep in the rain anymore. Now, there’s a lot to do, so let’s talk about a few of the more important projects.

Quest Accept

Well, to start we need to get some houses built. One for you, one for me. I don’t mind camping, but this is Jorvik. Weather can be all over the place. Next, we need to make a space for any other horses you want to have on the island. The barn should be our next goal. I think those are two good projects to start. Come talk to me and I’ll let you know what you can do to help.

Quest End.

This is Stage One of the island. It’s about building the most basic of necessities; your house, Aiden’s house, and the barn. I think dailies should add big chunks to the progress bars, but there should also be smaller to-dos to speed up the process if you want to grind through it. There’s already going to be a lot of money sink into this island, so Stage One to-dos are either clearing spaces, repairing walls, or gathering wood from the forest (this won’t clear it). There’s no shillings or SC required, though once you’re halfway through this stage, Aiden will let you know that they’ve gotten in touch with a suppler that you can order supplies from, much like the shop for building the bridge to the Harvest Counties, to speed up construction.

At the end of Stage One, you’ll get another quest from Aiden.

Aiden: Now this is starting to feel a little more settled. It’s definitely not the island I remember. Don’t think Horse Island fits it anymore. How about giving it a new name?

Quest Accept

Prompt: Name the island using a naming thing like club naming system. If you don’t want to name it, it’ll either stay as Horse Island or as your Player’s name’s Island (i.e. Amelie Eveningstorm’s Island).

Aiden: Hm? Island Name? Yeah, I think that’ll do. Alright Player, Island Name it is. I think it’s time you can call this place home.

Quest End.

After this, you’ll get a prompt offering for you to set your home stable at your island. Once you do, it becomes your home stable permanently and all other home stables become closed (this would be cool if the stables got a small redesign after for you, but that’s minute). This ends Stage One. The island is a functional home stable. You can go in your barn, which will reflect whatever home stable upgrades you had before hand and work like the home stable does now, though the invite a friend will temporarily disabled. On your island, Aiden will offer to upgrade your stable instead of John unless you hire him later.

So, by the end of Stage One, these are the features you have unlocked:

Caring station

New home stable

Supplies shop

Ferry to South Hoof and New Hill Crest

Trailer point

Ability to rename the island

Inn/hotel (Aiden’s house)

Your house (single room)

Barn customization

House customization

Like I said, this release would mean a lot of new features. I think at least with releasing it in stages, the first/second stages can be released, and then later stages can be released to continue expanding the island. However, no small part of those features should be customization. Stage One unlocks basic customization. We’re not to biome changing yet. Right now you can update the appearance of your barn on the outside, maybe some things on the inside, the exterior of your and Aiden’s house, and the inside of your house with basic furniture. I don’t think your house should ever be that big, maybe like three rooms total, or like start with the size of Herman’s interior, then Dr. Hayden’s interior, and then move up to a two story cabin with a big first floor and a smaller room upstairs. But we’re not there yet either, just the first basic house.

Starting Stage Two:

Aiden: Alright, we’ve got the basics all here, Player. Now we need to start on getting the rest of the island open. This is going to be a lot more work, and there are some permits that we’ll need to pick up, so you may want to pick up a day job while we’re at it. And dinner too. Ready to hear the damage?

Quest Accept

There are three big areas on the island. The village here needs to be restored. I’ll let you decide what buildings you want to put up, but I think opening a few shops and having some private classes eventually might be a good start from going in the black on running this place. Yeah, you’re going to need to pay me eventually to keep working you know. I’m kidding. I’ve got room and board. But why don’t we start with some shops here. Could get some tack sold for your horses, clothes with your name all over it, and food for the horses.

Next is the forest area. There are plenty of good trails in the area, we just need to get them opened up again. After that, I can build some jumps for you and we can set up courses to train the horses. Good idea to keep them active. I’m no professional like yourself, but I could probably lend a hand there. Or you can use the trails we make to ride with rides. Your call, after we finish.

Then there are the paddocks. We have a small one here in the village, but I’d like to have that for training. No, I want to fix up the bigger ones down the path a bit. Good place to let the horses have some time outside. Like I said, let’s start small and get all of the paddocks fixed up enough to have ten or so horses in there first, then we can talk about expanding them for more.

There are a few other odds and ends that could use some work. The beach could use some cleaning up. If you do, we can expand the docks for more tourists to come visit, or to come practice their riding here if you still want to do lessons. Need to hire someone for that. You’ll also be able to visit some of our island neighbors if you like. Might be a good change of pace, or you’ll get some inspirations.

Oh, and I have some ideas on how to expand your house. Let me know if you want to make it bigger.

Quest End.

At which point, Stage Two starts and all of these dailies and to-dos become options to start working on. Now, it should be important to say that I think the shilling limit should be removed because any projects moving forward need a “permit” to start. It’s basically a shilling sink to give more purpose to collecting them in game (still with Star Coin options, but definitely with shilling options too), though they would start low (1,000 shillings for the food stall as an example) and build up to higher prices based on the benefits. So things like the food stall and expanding the docks to make your island visitable will be relatively cheap, but things where you can make money, like from the training options and stores, will be a little more because you get a return on them. After you buy a permit, you’ll get dailies and to-dos to actually build it, ranging from a day to a week to build without buying extra supplies.

Now, let’s dive into some of these features. Shops I think should sell very basic tack and clothing, but I do think a basic icon system would be great where you can generate an icon (pick a background, foreground, and a symbol with your island name beneath it from a list of presets). Other players should be able to come to your island and buy these too, which is one of the ways you can make money back, as any part of the shillings, and even Star Coins, you make from people buying on your stores should come back to you. I think this balances out with how many players there are playing SSO, but it could always use fine-tuning to decide what that ratio is.

The island would also have some basic customization, like preset locations where you could slot in different styles of buildings, benches, plants, so on. I don’t think a full drag and drop system would work with SSO on a large scale, maybe just in your house, but I do think there should be some options you can put in places to make it feel customized, or on a basic grid system.

Aiden will train your horses (a max of five a day, randomly selected from non-maxed horses) for about a 1000 exp a day once you restore the forest area. Additionally, you’ll unlock a race that you can build. I think this should be pretty simple, with preset slots where you can put in jumps and turns along an existing course and set of pathways. The more jumps you buy, either in quantity or quality, and put in, the more exp you get from the race. Additionally, other players visiting your island can pay shillings to get that exp themselves for their horses. Another way to make money. The race would also be open for free to just go on the leaderboards, where you could optionally put in a sum of money every day for the winner for people who pay to enter.

Additionally, once you get the forest restored, Aiden will also offer to restore the paddock in town to make dressage, jumping, or western events which can be set up much the same way. You can buy extra course boards to swap out all three tracks and make them available like the cross-country tracks as well, or maybe build another paddock for it.

The horse paddocks are really just for a fan-favorite request, having open paddocks to see all your horses. There are three paddocks on the island to start, and once they’re repaired you can have ten horses in each, and then twenty once you expand them. I imagine that there could be a number of pathing loops you could set your horses on, and they’ll just walk around or stand in the paddocks on those preset tracks to make it look a little more active. It would be cool too if any horses not in your stables would be rotated into the paddocks at random every day. 

Beach repair is small and should be pretty quick. It opens up letting people visit you and you to visit other islands with another dock. That’s about it. I’m debating whether you should be able to see other people on your island if it’s a random person visiting you, but eh. Guess that’s up in the air. It may have to be mandatory because of systems.

And making the house bigger I already covered, so I’ll skip it for now.

So, by the end of Stage Two, you should have these features:

Caring station

New home stable

Supplies shop

Ferry to South Hoof and New Hill Crest

Trailer point

Ability to rename the island

Inn/hotel (Aiden’s house)

Your house (double room)

Barn customization

House customization

Village customization

Race maker

Horse food stand

Cafe

Tack shop

Clothing shop

Training paddock

Expanded docks

Horse paddocks

Horse trainer (Aiden)

It’s also at this point that some NPCs will start to come visit you and that gifting system will open up further.

Now, Stage Three:

Aiden: This place has really come back to life. Can’t believe how much it’s changed. Thanks, Player, for letting me be a part of it. Means a lot.

From here on out, the projects I got for you are just to make Island Name better. Add some ease of access for you and our guests. Let me know when you want to discuss the details.

Quest Accept.

Great! Well, we could use a vet for starters. No one’s hurt, but hate to see something happen and not be able to handle it. Also, with you working all day, it would be nice to have another hand taking care of the horses. I know Maya’s offered to help. Maybe make it more permanent than what she does now. Oh, and someone to train the horses better. I don’t mind working a few every day, but I’m not a professional. Might be able to run things faster if we had someone here.

If you don’t mind, I’d like to build a space for myself. I know it’s not my island, but I’d appreciate a space. I can’t be here running the place all the time, so a garden or something to unwind would be nice. What do you mean that’s still work?

Oh, I saw this spot on the back end of the island. Might be a good training spot for your druid business. Yeah, I know about that. Don’t worry, stays on the island.

I got another blueprint for your house too, so let me know if you want to add anything else.

Let me know when you’re ready to get started.

Quest End.

Stage Three is about building convenient functionality on the island. Most of these are straight forward. You get a vet, an upgraded version of Stable Care (either cheaper, bigger blocks of time, or you can buy with shillings, if not just permanently hire Maya), and there’s a secret area only you and people in your party can enter, more or less to be used for a training area with druid magic, supposing something like a mastery system was added, but it could also just be used to expand existing druid training. There could be some other easy additions like a notary for changing horse names, access to the Lifetime store, and a riding club point.

There was some discussion in the WOJ Discord about changing the daily care system so that instead of constantly having to care for your horses, you build bond with your horse while leveling them, and it’s permanently at max after that as a meter of how close you are instead of health. If that’s the case, I think Maya could still be there to increase bond for you, supposing you could hire a trainer separately to skip levels, maybe bond is related to caring for the horse, which Maya would handle? I dunno. This system is designed around the system as is.

The build for Aiden is just to be nice. There’s no bonus for it, it just builds an area of Aiden.

At the end of Stage Three, you’ll have:

Caring station

New home stable

Supplies shop

Ferry to South Hoof and New Hill Crest

Trailer point

Ability to rename the island

Inn/hotel (Aiden’s house)

Your house (second story)

Barn customization

House customization

Village customization

Race maker

Horse food stand

Cafe

Tack shop

Clothing shop

Training paddock

Expanded docks

Horse paddocks

Horse trainer (Aiden & regular trainer)

Vet

Updated Stable Care

New area for Aiden

Secret druid space

Notary

Access to Lifetime store

Riding Club Master

Stage Four is kinda my last full stage idea and it focused on opening the island up to future expansions easily by adding magic options. I think crafting would go hand in hand with SSO, and particularly this entire system. Further stages could be able adding functionality to that kind of system, like opening gardens to farming supplies for crafting, but for now, I’ll leave that up in the air and focus on just this last stage with what we have in game right now.

Aiden: This is turning into a real destination, isn’t it, Player? Almost magic to see how much this place has changed since we started on it. Hey, speaking of magic, I have an idea.

Quest Accept

Aiden: Listen, I know you and your friends are, uh, magical. I mean, this whole island gives you away, if you ask me, but I’ve also seen your friends around. And I know about the druids. Not going to tell or anything, but I want to help if I can with that business. Seems important.

Now, what if we brought some of that here to Island Name. Might help set us apart. I can cover up any of it that matters to our guests, like that secret space we have already, but maybe we could expand it a little for your friends. Use it to change up the island, add some more space. Up to you. Let me know if you want to get started.

Quest End.

Stage Four adds a lot of magic to the island, and it also is the ground work for future updates. It’s finally at Stage Four we get that biome changer I talked about, as well as the option to form more islands, which you can add more functions to later. I think a lot of druid things can be added at this point, like portals to the Secret Stonering and Pandoria, as well as a magic race mode to the cross-country race like what we have in the Cloud Kingdom.

It also would be cool at this point if you could have a library you could build to reference lore material we’ve collected, which would probably be pretty useful for quests moving forward.

It feels like Evergray, Avalon, or Rhiannon should step in for this stage, if not all of them for different features to help with the magic parts. Personally, and if it’s not obvious by the podcast, I really like these three characters for building the druids out as an order, and I think this would be a good way to develop some of the druids’ recovery stage, as well as our powers as the PC.

In total, the features Stage Four would end with are:

Caring station

New home stable

Supplies shop

Ferry to South Hoof and New Hill Crest

Trailer point

Ability to rename the island

Inn/hotel (Aiden’s house)

Your house (second story)

Barn customization

House customization

Village customization

Race maker

Horse food stand

Cafe

Tack shop

Clothing shop

Training paddock

Expanded docks

Horse paddocks

Horse trainer (Aiden & regular trainer)

Vet

Updated Stable Care

New area for Aiden

Secret druid space

Notary

Access to Lifetime store

Riding Club Master

Portals

Library

Biome changer

Island additions

Magic race mode

Connections to main story (optional)

And that’s...everything for now, I think? That’s a lot, but this feature would be massive and I wanted to go really in depth with it even if I couldn’t make graphics this time around like with the masteries. I think it’s still really important that SSO is combating price bloat in the game, and this might be a good way to change that up by giving shillings more of a use. Generally, I wanted to design it around the ideas of end game content for players looking for a reason to get on SSO more, and also to create more player made content to continue that idea.

So, yeah. What are y’all’s thoughts on a system like this?

[welcometohetaliahell]

Where They Live in Their Countries

*each of the characters more than likely have multiple homes through their countries, and even the world, but what I will be focusing on is where they most likely stay given the season/time of year.

The America’s

America: When it’s time for a new Congress to be sworn in or a new president has been elected Alfred will stay in DC from anywhere to a few weeks to the whole first year of a new presidents term depending on how he’s feeling about the way things are going. His house there is always clean and ready for him to move back in, so it has most of his stuff, because politics are crazy, and you never know when you’ll be needed. He has an apartment in New York and in Seattle which is where he spends the majority of the colder months because he knows that while it’ll be cold as hell he will at least have something to go out and do where if he spent his time in Texas he might be bored. He does, however, go to Texas and LA during the warmer months to spend some time on his ranch, part cows part dog rescue/sanctuary, and to party a bit on the West Coast and grab the latest tech and everything. Canada: Technically he has three homes throughout his country, but he spends the majority of his time between the one Ottawa and the one in Calgary when dealing with politics and social movements and everything. But he does have this cabin way up by the Northwestern Passages that he sometimes escapes to when everything with either his country or his brother or just the world, in general, becomes too much. This little cabin has the bare essentials, one bed, a small kitchen with a food fireplace, and a toilet with shower in the corner. No walls, one door, a few windows. When he goes here the boy is alone and he likes it, often he brings a few books and maybe even a caring kit or something else to do though he mostly sleeps when he’s up here and Kuma loves it he can go out a wander around without worrying about scaring humans and he’s never gotten hurt or lost. Mexico: She technically has a home just outside of San Luis Potosí near the Sierra Gorda Biosphere Reserve but more often than not she’s traveling around her country spending time with her people, getting involved in a social movement, the culture, and trying to influence change and have a good time. She likes to keep busy but stay out of mainstream politics, she’ll go to protest and rallies but avoid political speeches and stuff because it just gives her a headache. She loves her people, not the government/politics which irritates her boss at times but she’ll just kinda disappear whenever they try to get her to stay and participate in a speech or something and she willn’t show back up for a while. She has never missed a world meeting though, she feels like her voice is more likely to be heard there versus trying to talk to her boss. Cuba: Kinda like Mexico, he technically has a home in Havana, but he very much likes to travel around his country and just hang with the people and help them out if he can. When the embargo was lifted he stayed in Havana for a while to make sure everything went smoothly and no one was getting hurt. He even did a few guided tours and all for people, but he mostly just moved about like a local and tried to be friendly and greet everyone. He’ll often stay at places that are close to the beach and have an open design because he really loves being out and about and heard prefer to fall asleep to the sound of the ocean over the roar of A/C. 

Europe

Britain: Technically he still has a number of homes scattered across his former colonies, except for America, but many of them he hasn’t visited in decades – either out of worry or shame. His main house is located a short ways away from the train, which is only about a half an hour ride into London. He didn’t want to live in the heart of London because he still wanted some peace and quiet, but he wanted to be close enough that if the Queen or Parliament needed him he could be there in under an hour. He also shares a cabin with his brothers out near Inverness, Scotland – Angus actually lives there full time but once a year or so all the brother meet up and spend a week there because despite all their bickering and fighting they are family. France: He spends most of his time in his apartment in Paris, mainly because he loves waking up in the morning and going to his balcony and being able to smell the roses on the streets and the fresh baked goods and yeah. He loves the feeling of life that is there. But if it is the holiday season or he just wants to get away and have some alone time he goes out to this little Victorian-esk cottage he has out in Cluny where he can still enjoy wine and good company but with fresh air and open fields. Russia: He still lives in that same house he has lived in for centuries, it’s not run down and if it were anywhere else in Europe where there was a noticeable change in the seasons his house would look a lot less scary than it does on the outside. The inside, however, has changed many times over the years but in general, it is open and kinda fancy but like once you get used to how old the place is it’s really nice. He likes to keep the windows uncovered and there’s a fireplace in nearly every room so a lot of light. He shares this place with sisters most of the year except when tensions get high with the government and he’ll have them go back to their countries because while he knows they can’t die and so does everyone else that knows about them he, like China, has been “killed’ a few times and so he just wants to make sure they’re safe. Germany: He does have a small apartment in Berlin for business and everything but hates being there just cause of the past, he loves how it’s progressed and all but with Prussia exploring being near the place where they were once viciously separated doesn’t do him any good. His main home is in Frankfurt and he has a nice yard where all the dogs can run around and play and sometimes he’ll sit out there and work. He also has a greenhouse from Japan and Italy where he grows some cornflowers and his own potatoes, mostly he puts the snow shovels and stuff in there. He doesn’t have a basement! He has 5 rooms total in his place; his room, an office (with some of Prussia’s journals), Prussia’s room, and two spare guest rooms. It’s two stories with an attic where he keeps some of the “out of sight out of mind” kinda things from the past. He has some workout equipment in the living room but there’s a big closet downstairs that he hides it in when people come over. Italy: He has a place in Venice that he likes to go to when he just wants to drop the facade and be him, not who people think he is. But he loves his apartment in Rome, so he only goes to the home in Venice if his brothers are going there or he needs to escape. He also visits Germany a lot but has tried his best to plan those visits out and not just show up startling Germany in the middle of a fútbol match or as he’s coming home from work. Southern Italy: He tries to stay as far away from Rome as possible unless his brother drags him there or there’s an important event – there’s a little bit resentment there because of his Grandpa but also he hates how loud it gets there. He likes dividing his time between Naples and Lecce, he likes the vineyards and just chilling by the beach. He enjoys sculpture more so than his brother and so goes to a lot of those types of museums. He does share a little place in Venice with his brothers that they celebrate holidays at or escape to where the Vatican is bothering them again. Spain: He balances his time between his place and Romanos. He lives out in the countryside and really doesn’t travel into the city all that much, unless France and Prussia visit, because he likes keeping busy with gardening and music over boring meetings and paperwork. His house is also decorated with some of his artifacts from his life as a country, and he has a lot of books. He loves learning, old habits, and if the weathers bad or he’s just not feeling well he’ll sit down and read, and he gets so lost sometimes that hours will pass and suddenly Romano is there wondering why he didn’t answer his message. He also has an open plan house, but one story, where the living room and dining are pretty much the same and the kitchen is just separated by a counter/island space. His office has his guitar in it along with some recording equipment. Scotland: As mentioned he spends a good bit of the year at the brother's cabin near Inverness, he likes the quiet and the history that is around there. But he also stays in an apartment above a pub in Glasgow that he works at during the busier, tourist months of the year. He likes having something to do but he also enjoys the solitude which what Arthur uses as his excuse as to why he doesn’t let him go to any of the world meetings, saying he’ll try and start a fight. Poland: Like Germany, he chose to live away from the bigger cities of his country due to the history but also the noise. While he’s very much a people person he likes how chill Wroclaw is, plus he can have more land for horses. The outside of his place isn’t too extravagant, but the inside is completely renovated and modern. He had two, TWO, closets that separate his everyday clothes from his special event party clothes. He likes going into the city to have fun, which he often does towards to end of a work week he’s having to spend in the city. Lithuanian: He does not like the city and tries to not have to stay the night there just cause he has the weight in the air of how busy it is and everything. His house surrounded by woods and there’s a really nice river that runs near it. He often sits outside and reads and eats meals out there when it's nice. He has a two-room place, one being his bedroom and the other being his office. Poland, however, loves to drag him off to his country and spend time with him. He sometimes stays at his house and he’ll wander around the town with him loving to go to the markets and get fabric that isn’t in regular shops and such. Latvia: See Estonia. He goes back to his country when he needs to, but he hates being alone and Estonia is an internet rat so he likes to think them living together is good for both of them because he gets Estonia to eat and go outside and Estonia helps him not feel lonely. He loves his country though, he’s just still a bit unsure of what to do really. Estonia: See Latvia. He appreciates the company in his apartment. His city isn’t really loud ever, and so Latvia is calm there and he also helps him to remember that there’s more to life than working a playing online. He has helped Latvia go back and forth between their countries and he really enjoys the culture there, but Latvia is welcome to stay as long as he wants. They’re brothers and they’re still learning how to be countries and it's nice to learn together. Austria: He and Hungary share a home in Salzburg, the birthplace of Mozart, and he doesn’t have a place anywhere else. His bosses have no problem coming to him if they need him or just calling if he has to travel it usually isn’t for more than a few hours and if he needs to he gets a hotel room. He enjoys being by the river and surrounded by mountains, plus he just loves the old vibe the place has – there’s less noise pollution from people and more natural sounds. He has his piano is a room, that’s part library, that has windows looking out to the river and mountains with a set of huge doors that he likes to open up during the warmer months. Switzerland: He lives on a gated property because he’s super protective and maybe a bit paranoid about his safety and the safety of his sister but it’s a super nice house. It two stories with a big open floor plan for the kitchen, dining, and living room. Upstairs there is his room, his sisters, a guest room (that’s rarely used), and a nice open office area where he likes to work on his computer while his sister paints, crochets, reads, or whatever she wants to do. The dining room opens out into the backyard where there is also a nice garden that he can see from the office space. There’s also a large shed to the right side of the house where he keeps all his guns, and everything locked up but often at night, he’s in there cleaning them and such. Netherlands: So, he technically lives by himself a nice little house off a country road with a nice garden full of tulips and such, but Belgium and Luxemburg are always there, and they even have rooms at his place. He lives maybe 20 minutes or so from Amsterdam, but it looks like you’re in the middle of nowhere because there's huge fields and old houses. He likes to short drive into the city if he has a meeting and he likes being able to go back to his home that is very much his safe space and when he’s not working he likes to tend to his tulips and loves going to market to sell them but also buy a bunch of other stuff, mostly for his bunnies. Yes, he has bunnies. Belgium: See Netherlands. While she has her own room at Netherlands house and is there a good bit of the time she has an apartment in Brussels that she really likes and its super convenient for her when she has meetings, but she also loves the festivals and concerts and just being super immersed into the life of the country and the people apart of it. Luxemburg actually really likes staying with her and she even let him add his own corner to her office when he can paint and sew and stuff. Belarus: See Russia. She enjoys spending her time reading in their library, or the large living room, but also enjoys going out with her sister shopping. Her home in her country is very modest being nearly identical to the others on the street. Most of her things are at her brother's house, she loves her family and likes to stay close. Ukraine: Similar to Belarus, she mostly lives with her brother but her home in her country is much more personalized and she often returns to randomly outside of when Russia sends her away. Being older she likes her privacy and enjoys being at her brother’s house cooking and being around family, but she also enjoys curling up on her sofa at home crocheting and what not.

Nordics

Iceland: No one really knows honestly, like he could be a longtime resident in a hostel/hotel, or he could have an actual house but what is known is that he lives on the northwestern portion of the land away from all the volcanos. He does have an apartment in Reykjavík for business necessities but outside of that none of the Nordics know where he actually lives, just that its obviously a place with wifi. Norway: Kinda like Canada he has one main home and it’s in Oslo where he can ride the train anywhere else he wants/needs to go and he chose to live there for the convenience of the airport and the shopping centers and everything but he also has a place in Trondheim where he goes when he doesn’t need to worry about politics or anything and a cabin up in Alta that he and the other Nordics travel to for a little escape and to spend time together. He also sometimes travels down to Denmark’s place in Skagen to visit but that’s a secret, shhh! Finland: So, he had Sweden live together, with Sealand obviously, and they don’t live in Sweden. They live in a little town called Kemi that’s right by the Swedish border in case Sweden does have to go back over. They compromised on living there because it’s a small town perfect for Sealand but again it’s close to the border. He does rent an apartment in Helsinki when he has to go do business and more often than not Sweden in back in Stockholm so Sealand is with him. Their house in Kemi is adorable a rather spacious because that’s where the Nordics celebrate their holidays together. Denmark: He lives in Copenhagen, which seems stereotypical, but he lives there to get as close to Sweden as he can get without crosses borders just to annoy the shit out of him when they’re both there for business. He also has a place in Skagen because it has a gorgeous beach but also because that’s the closest he can get to Norway without crossing borders. He likes to travel to the cabin and spend time with Norway there. And it has an awesome port and he loves fishing on a boat in his free time, sometimes he also works at the cafes/restaurants in the town. Sweden: See Finland for where he mainly lives, but he has a place in Stockholm that he rents for when he needs to return home for business meetings and everything and he also stays with Sealand when there’s any kind of trouble with the Finnish government going but mostly he books an apartment in Stockholm for a few weeks and the returns to Kemi.

Asia

China: He lives just a little way outside of Beijing, away from the noise and a good bit of the air pollution but close enough that if he needs to he can travel to a meeting. Similar to Turkey he has relatively stayed in the same spot for close to a century but remodeled him home a number of times. Recently he has added more privacy to it with a large garden surrounding and blending into the area. He likes to sit just outside his living room with his tea and listen to the world. His house is orderly but not lacking in character. He has a number of artifacts from his long life scattered about, along with a number of books. He has a large and cozy dining area where he likes to invite over his family for the holidays. Japan: He only goes to Tokyo for conventions and works with the government/other countries. He likes his apartment there and has had to stay there for an extended period of time but whenever he can he likes to escape out to Kochi where he can enjoy the peace and quiet but also take part in the markets and festivals there. Depending on whether or not he’s spending the holidays with his family he goes back to Tokyo to join the crowd essentially, though he tries to not be alone on the holidays. South Korea: He has an apartment in Seoul and he absolutely loves it there. Fast internet, fashion, food, and lots of people. He also has immediate access to the train and the airport if he has to go anywhere. If he wants to stay somewhere else he’ll just rent the place for however long he’s gonna stay there, but he loves the noise and energy of the city while having easy access to anything and everything he could ever want or need. India: Similar to Scotland he has a small apartment above a shop he works at, selling ceramics and rugs. He loves the hustle and bustle of the market but towards the rainy seasons he goes out to the countryside and sometimes stays with the monks, meditating and helping out with the farmers. He really likes to keep busy and his boss doesn’t really bother him too often, only when he wants his to make an appearance somewhere with him as a “representative” or something, or just to remind him of when the world meetings are. When he’s in the countryside he also likes to visit the animals and make sure they’re doing alright – he hates poaching but understands the farmers need to keep their own animals safe so he does the best he can with installing fencing and such to keep the two separated.

Ottoman Family

Turkey: He lives on the same property that his house during his empire was on, just the house itself is much smaller and the yard has been turned into a garden. He hated the empty space in the huge home and so he one day demolished the whole and rebuild it – which was a shock to Hungary, Egypt, Greece, and the others who visited a few months later. But he’s happy and he likes sitting out on the back-porch area he made looking out into his garden. He likes growing his own spices for many of his dishes and there are a few fruit trees back there too. His dogs like to play in the small creek he re-directed to run through which he listens to fall asleep. He jokes that it was his mid-life crisis, but really he just wanted to change it from the empire to him now. He stays there a lot of the times, avoiding the politics of his country. Greece: I swear this man lives in the ruins of the temples of the old god’s, but he has to have an actual place because he’s always fresh and clean whenever another country shows up, but no one has an idea where he actually lives. He’s similar to Cuba, he bounces around his country enjoying to warm weather and cool breeze from the ocean, staying in hostels or sometimes with an ancient family. He lives to have sunbath i.e. nap, on the beach. Egypt: He likes to be by the Nile and lives in a very simple one-story home with a large back porch that leads to a walkway that takes him down to the waters. It helps clear his mind but also keep him connected to his past and his mothers past. He does like being close to the city so that he can enjoy the markets and go to museums and such, again keeping him rooted to his past but he likes to contemplate a lot and spends time reading and writing about his thoughts. His Pharaoh hound trails behind him and will often nudge him to remind him to eat or when it's getting late. Hungary: See Austria. While she enjoys spending time with him and their home is absolutely beautiful full of artifacts of their past but with every modern amenity, they could possibly need/want she enjoys going back to her home during the summer. Her apartment in Budapest is her little escape, her own little world, and more often than not she needs to be there during the summer anyway. She loves seeing her people and spending time with them at markets and festivals. Sometimes Austria has tagged along with her but when she really needs to be alone there he never questions her and gives her that time. She likes to bring him back a pressed flower, a trinket, or something that see-saw a few days prior that reminded her of the home she has with him.

Other

Prussia: Because of his situation (him not being a country) he tends to bounce all over the place. He’s actually gone to England and asked about his old places in his form colonies and stayed at a few of them. He likes to explore, it was one of his favorite things to do when he was an empire, and it keeps his mind busy. He also likes to add his new adventures to his journal collection. He goes to Germany’s for the holidays and stay’s there for the Spring and Summer festivals, also whenever Germany needs him to watch the dogs. But during the winter he’s gone, somewhere on the other side of the world being “The Awesome Prussia”. Australia: Again, do wild animals count? He is a most permanent resident at a animal sanctuary where he helps rehabilitate the wild animals of his home and those that can’t be released back into the wild he helps settle into residency at zoo’s or other long term care facilities where they’ll live like they were in the wild but where they’ll constantly be checked on. He rents a place when he needs to in Sydney but really if he can help it he’ll do a one-day trip there and back cause he prefers kangaroos to people. New Zealand: They’re kinda like Iceland except no one has any clue where they may even live. Some speculate they live in a hobbit hole others think they have a nice tiny apartment in the city. All that is really known is that when another country comes to visit they pop-up out of nowhere somehow always knowing exactly when and where that other country is, even if they don’t want to be noticed.

[dandelionwineshop]

THURSDAY NIGHT TASTING 6-8 PM:  BEDROCK WINE COMPANY!!!

Zinfandel Dynasty: Bedrock Wine Company’s Deep American Roots

Quiet revolutionary Morgan-Twain Peterson started making wine when he was five years old! He is the son of California legend Joel Peterson. With his “partner-in-crime" Chris Cottrell, Morgan makes some this country's most visionary wines under the Bedrock label. Dandelion’s own Matt Nelsen works with him as well, assisting with harvests and also creating video evidence of the work they’re doing. Matt will be behind the Lions Club Bar tonight to walk you through some of this amazing wine and we’ll be chilling in the AC, discussing the terroir that makes it all happen. Please join us for an eye-opening and delicious deep dive into these unique American beauties.  WINE, BREAD, CHEESE, and VINYL!

Bedrock Wine Co, Ode to Lulu Sonoma Valley Rose 2018

The first taste of the wonderful 2018 vintage. With this offering, owner/winemaker Morgan Twain-Peterson has paid homage to Lulu Peyroud of Domaine Tempier, an estate that fashions great Bandol rosés. This blend of 50% old vine Mourvedre, 30% old-vine Carignan and 20% Grenache from vines planted between 1888 and 1922 is a killer, strikingly Provencal-style rose. It possesses a light pink color, crisp acids, medium to full-bodied flavors, and tremendous intensity as well as character. Fresh, perfumed, bright, clean, dense, and delicious. $25

Bedrock Wine Co, Old Vine Zinfandel 2017

Delicious, honestly made Zinfandel at a reasonable price is a tall order, but Morgan & Chris come through vintage after vintage. In 2017, they were able to put extra focus on the great quality in Contra Costa County (27%), Dry Creek (12%), Sonoma Valley (17%), Alexander Valley (11%), and Lodi (10%) to create a delicious, balanced and juicy wine. Old-school meets new, with just enough polish and plumpness to match the binary rusticity. Offering expressive black cherry, smoky anise and white pepper flavors. $27

Bedrock Wine Co, Lorenzo's Heritage Dry Creek Valley 2016

From vines at Teldeschi Ranch, this is a muscular and dense wine composed of Zinfandel, Petite Sirah and Carignan along with small amounts of field-blended Cinsault, Peloursin and Vaccarese. The richness of Dry Creek Zinfandel is balanced here by elegant, knife-like Carignan and feral, wild Petite Sirah that come from distinct blocks at John Teldeschi’s ranch. This wine should give years of enjoyment as the layers begin to unfurl. Full-bodied with copious notes of charcuterie, roasted meat, Provencal herbs, lavender and spice box. Powerful, brooding and explosive, Lorenzo has a lot to say. $50

Bedrock Wine Co, Sonoma Valley Cabernet Sauvignon Montecillo Vineyard 2016

Powerful and tightly wound, the 2016 is nevertheless quite expressive, with tremendous aromatic and flavor intensity to match the firm, hillside tannins. Farmed by Chuy Ordaz, this survivor Cabernet Sauvignon site makes intense, old-school, mountain Cab that retains great refinement. The 2016 is a classic example of the site, showing the gorgeous cassis, pipe tobacco, camphor and pepper. Hints of cedar, tobacco, licorice and leather gradually develop in the glass. $100

[reconciliationproject]

A CHILD’S INNER SCREAM        

August 11, 2018        

         “So, what’s my position now,” he asked, leaning half forward and half toward me.  We were sitting in two soft rocking chairs, facing the same direction, with a round oak table between.

“What do you mean what’s your position now?”, I asked, though I knew what he was asking.

His wife of forty-four years, my mother of almost thirty-eight years had been buried earlier this day.  The day-bed, where she had lain for most of the last year, was across from my chair.  The mattress was still stained and painful memories still attached.

It had been her wish to die, to stop trying.  A breast lost to cancer two years before and weight down to eighty pounds had left skin and bones to surround her declining spirit.  Dad told me she had made him promise no more hospitals.  He took care of her the last year, helped by women from a visiting nurses service.

The morning he found her lifeless and unresponsive, on the day-bed, he did some strange things.  The manager of the visiting nurses office told me he came by there, talking crazy, saying something about Pat, my mother, then left hurriedly.  Several other people told me they had seen him that morning, acting and talking strangely.

When the visiting nurse came to the house, she found Mom dead and called for an ambulance.  One of the paramedics called me and I talked with him briefly, then handed the phone to my wife, before I broke into tears.

I later talked with my dad, asked him how he was doing and told him I was on my way.  There were friends at the house and I felt better knowing he had company.

When I drove up to the house, the whole place seemed emptier than ever before.  An old white frame house, with pillars on the front porch, that my grandfather had built around 1920.  The house was surrounded by huge oak trees, magnolias, pear, peach and plums.  Dogwoods were set among the larger oaks and the remnants of a winter garden lay behind the trees, next to a small vineyard.

Normally I loved the sight but today it seemed lonely and sad.  It seemed as though all the living things knew the lady of the house, who loved them all, would not walk again among them. Nor would she walk and smile among us.  Reluctantly I parked the car.

Dad rose when I came in and we embraced, awkwardly, at first.  This was the first time I could ever remember hugging him.  The visiting nurse was standing up, at the end of the room, in the doorway between the den and kitchen, both long rectangular rooms.  Dad had a somewhat confused, vacant look and I helped him back into his chair.  He was no longer the six foot two and one half inches of his prime.  He now seemed closer to my 5′ 10 1/2″ inches and he looked like all of his seventy-six years.

I introduced myself to the nurse, who was not really a nurse but someone the visiting nurses sent to the house to clean, cook lunch and take care of home-bound patients’ hygienic needs.  She told me her name and recounted the story of finding my Mom dead and calling the ambulance.  Later, before she left, she told me there were some potatoes and onions in the pantry that were about to go bad and some meat and left-overs that needed to be cleared out of the refrigerator.  The way she spoke, I knew she was asking for them.  It was easy to tell she was poor and I told her to go ahead and take the things she was talking about.  Over the course of that day, and the next, she asked for more and more things–a real scavenger.  Her services ended.

Dad and I sat down and he told me which funeral company he had directed Mom’s body be sent.  I contacted the owner and discussed needs, dates, services, etc.  I was having a tough time with the subject so I told him I would be down later.

I asked Dad for names of people to act as pallbearers.  He could not think of any so I asked about people I had heard he and Mom speak about.  I did not know many people there, in the small town where he grew up and where they had moved after he retired.  I asked who the man was that took their cattle to auction, etc.  Finally I had some names and I started making phone calls, wishing at that moment that I had siblings who could help with what had to be done.  But I was an only child and it was up to me.  I called other people for names and came up needing two.

I went to the funeral home and sat down with the owner.  We discussed prices, quality of caskets, clothes, markers and services.  I would do fine, for a while, then have to control my suddenly appearing tears and emotions.  I finally left to go back home and see what clothes Mom had there, appropriate for her last public occasion.

Dad was still sitting in his rocker, where I had left him, the room growing dark as the sun set behind the trees.  I told him about the arrangements I had made, so far, and started looking for mom’s clothes.  Dad was quiet and I asked him to try to come up with more names for pallbearers.  He couldn’t. He didn’t.  I was getting frustrated with him and could not find any appropriate clothes.  Part of me wanted to sit there like him but the other part knew things had to be done.  God, I was sad and Dad was no help!  I left to select a gown from the funeral home’s selection of appropriate apparel.

Dad’s lack of help was stressful.  I wanted to yell, scream and cry, to try and relieve the hurt, sadness and sudden unwanted responsibilities that had been placed  upon me.  I picked out the gown and casket then stopped by to meet the young minister.  I told him about Mom’s life and gave him a poem I had written for her, as a birthday present.  I held together and completed the arrangements.

We made it through the funeral and burial.  When the minister read my poem, it almost did me in.  Back at the house, there were friends, food and conversation.  Dad told a friend of mine that I was trying to get all of his money and control of his affairs.  The friend told me and old feelings returned.

Dad and I had had a love/hate relationship for most of my remembered life.  He and Mom had spent many weekends partying and drinking, when I was young.  All of their emotions bubbled to a drunken surface, many times, and erupted into violence.

I remember sitting in my bed, about seven years old, looking down a long hall, into the living room, and hearing the loud talk, screams and shouts.  I saw hitting, both her and him.  He was much larger than her but she fought back–it was in her nature.  Dad had been a heavyweight fighter during college.  She played tennis in college and grew up as a cowgirl in Eastern New Mexico, doing a man’s job on various ranches.

Sometimes, during the violence I was subjected to, there were yells for help.  sometimes I could see him pushing her across the small area of the living room I could see, while sitting in the middle of my bed.  I would sit there watching, wanting to scream but too afraid and holding that sound inside.  Eventually, when I was in the third grade, my stomach erupted, from all the terror I shoved down there.  I would wake up screaming in pain, holding my stomach.  The only place I could eventually fall asleep was lying crossways in Mom’s padded rocking chair.

Mom took me to local doctors, then, on referral, to a large Galveston hospital.  The doctors never found anything wrong and came up with a diagnosis of ‘migraine stomach’.  That diagnosis was otherwise termed, ‘we don’t know’.  Years later I diagnosed the cause myself.  Whenever I was around violence, of any kind, my stomach tied up in knots and I was able to relate the feelings together with the drunken violence I had witnessed and been subject to.

The drinking and fighting episodes continued to flare up every so often.  Some were witnessed by my friends and really embarrassed me.  As I grew older, about fifth grade, I started to run into the living room, or whatever room the sparks were coming from, to try and separate them.

I remember one such episode in the kitchen.  I ran between them screaming, “Stop it!”, tears covering my face and nerves wracked by fear and sadness.  My Dad looked at me and said, “What are we doing to our son?  What have we done?”, his words slurred, sloppy and wet.  He then made us all hold hands, in a circle, and drop to our knees while he said a drunken prayer and asked for God’s forgiveness, as tears rolled down all of our faces.  There were no lasting effects, though.  The drinking and violence continued.

During these years, the love/hate relationship developed between Dad and I.  Everything would be all right, until the drinking.  Sometimes things would turn out ok and sometimes not.  I got to the point where I hated to see them drink at all and I would turn off to them, acting hateful, staying distant and holding my twisting, painful stomach.

There were times when I would try and break up fights and , unable to do so, would run to neighbors’ houses.  The neighbors would never do anything to help, never wanting to interfere, afraid for themselves.  They would talk to me then I would have to walk back down the dark sidewalk to the house. I would return to our house, listen at each window and at the front door, to see if the violence was still going on and eventually would go back inside, only because I had no other choices.  I would tell Mom and Dad that I had told the neighbors, hoping that would, somehow, have some kind of positive effect.  It didn’t.  Sometimes there would be flashing lights from police cars, because of the yelling going on inside my house.  Police cars were never called to anyone else’s house on our block.

Eventually, after a severe period, Mom and Dad separated and Mom filed for divorce.  I was in Junior High and I put a loaded shotgun in my closet.  Dad suddenly moved back in one day and no one had told me that was going to happen.  I didn’t know they had reconciled.  I found him in my room one day holding the shotgun.  He looked at me and said, “I found this in your closet.  It’s loaded.  What was it doing there?”

I felt strange, uneasy.  It was so easy to hate this man when he was drinking, drunk, yelling at, pushing, cursing or hitting Mom or me.  Yet, when he was normal, I did not feel the same feelings toward him.  I was young and confused about love and hate.  I knew that I felt both and I only wanted the love feeling to stay.  But the hate was so powerful.  Besides, I had plenty of memories that supplied the answer to his question.

“I wasn’t going to let you hurt Mom anymore,” I said, looking him in he eyes then dropping my eyes toward my shuffling feet.  It was so hard to imagine shooting him, when he was not drunk, scary and dangerous but the memories provided the conviction.

My words and feelings struck him and he said, “Well, I’ll put it back in the storeroom”, as he walked out of my room with the gun, not looking at me.  His words were spoken softly and I got the feeling, somehow, that I had hurt him.

My parents did not drink and get drunk every day.  Their violence nearly always erupted on weekends, after parties and on holidays.  Sometimes there would be weeks, or even months, between episodes.  Sometimes there were only days.

My natural sympathy was for my Mom, smaller and weaker than him.  Sometimes she would sleep with me after their fighting.  The alcohol breath became familiar to me and I hated the smell.  Her cough was the only normal sound she made.  Everything else sounded drunken.  I went to sleep holding her hand.  How I loved the peace, the quiet, after the fighting.  Still, I held what had passed, what I had experienced, inside.

I was too young to understand that there were two sides to every argument.  Pent up anger and frustration were unknown to me then, at least intellectually.  As I grew older, and apart, I began to understand some of these things but was never able to relax around my parents when they drank.

My dad only really hit me once, on a Christmas night when I tried to break up one of their fights.  Dad had pushed Mom back on the bed in their room and was wrestling and slapping her.  I jumped on him and he slapped me, sending me backward landing against the door frame.  He and Mom were as stunned as I was.  I moved first and bolted out the front door, to the next door neighbor’s house.  Different city, different neighbors, same results.  Fifth grade.

I always dreaded Christmas alone with Mom and Dad.  As long as family was around, things would be all right.  But Christmas always involved drinking and drinking always brought up bitterness and resentment toward Dad.  Thank goodness we were not alone but a few Christmases.

The question, “So, what’s my position now,” came from a seventy-five year old man, guarded and suspicious, who had lost his wife who had been his strength for forty years.  “Your position is the  same as always, Dad.  I’m not here to take your money, or land, or your house.  You are still in control of that,” I tried to reassure him.  I felt myself becoming, more and more, the parent.

He leaned back, somewhat reassured, but not totally.  He had given me money many times in the past.  Some of it I spent foolishly.  I had not completed college in four straight years, had bounced around several jobs and done a few things he did not consider to be great life achievements, or advancements.

He had always been successful and always did his best, at whatever he did.  A first rate athlete, rough, tough and self-assured.  He had been handsome, big in stature and worked for one company for over thirty years.  He had also been in a single profession his whole adult life.  He always succeeded and could not understand the lace of success, or consistency in my life.

Our views were different in many ways but we had grown somewhat closer over the years.  There had, however, always been a barrier.  I wanted to hug him several times over the  years but could not, until Mom died.  Many times I wanted to tell him I loved him but could not speak the words.  Neither could he.

Dad eventually went into a nursing home a few months after Mom’s death.  His mind was fading.  When Mom left, his anchor, his strength and wisdom deserted him.  In the nursing home, he lived in the past.  Sometimes he knew me and my family and sometimes he did not.  He always knew that he knew me, he just was not always sure exactly who I was.  Sometimes he introduced me to his nurses as his brother, father, or his cousin.

There were times he would ask about Mom, or tell me I needed to see her, but he could not find her right then.  He forgot she had passed and his dream world reality was the only way he could continue to exist without her, I guess.

Mom and Dad had a sum of money in the bank and received payments on land they had sold.  Financially, Dad was all right.  I paid his bills, invested part of his money and used some of it to further a dream I had had for a long time.  I wanted to be a writer.  The money financed my first book and gave me a year to spend writing and thinking.  When the book was published, by me, I took a copy with me to visit Dad.  It so happened that it was one of his more lucid moments.

We talked about the weather, about whether or not anyone had been to see him and how the food was.  I told him what his two grandchildren were up to and how my wife was doing.  I told him I had written a book.  He looked at me without changing expressions and I wondered whether or not the words were penetrating all of the layers leading to understanding and comprehending.

My local newspaper had done a front page story about me and there was a photo of me holding my book.  I showed him the paper and the book.  He was interested in the newspaper article and he tried to reach for it so he could see it better.

Strokes had left him bent and crippled, with little arm or hand movement.  I got his glasses, put them on him and held the paper so he could read the article.  His concentration was good, for a while, but I could see it waiver.  I do not think he finished the article, but he stared at the picture.  I showed him the book and opened it to the dedication, one of which was to him and Mom.  I was not sure how much of this was getting inside of him.  I talked about the book, thanked him for making it possible for me to have done what I did, the way I did.

Shortly thereafter, it was time to go.  I got up, thanked him again and leaned over to kiss his forehead.  I started walking toward the end of his bed.  He said, “Gary”, and I turned and looked at him.  He had not called me by my name in months.  He said, “I love you”, and his big, long face broke up in tears and love.

I was stunned and my emotions were caving in.  Barriers that had been erected and strengthened for years, for decades, started crumbling.  I looked at him and said, “I love you, too”, through tears and a tight throat.  I walked back around to the side of his bed and leaned over and hugged the thin, frail body, my cheek on his.  He looked up at me and continued, “And I am so proud of you.”

It was almost more that I could stand.  For months I did not know whether or not he knew me, when I visited.  He could rarely remember my name.  But he knew!  Today he knew and he loved me and was proud of me.  I had wanted to hear and know those things for years.

Since he had become so dependent, I had grown so used to touching him, rubbing his shoulders and fixing his hair.  During his decline, I had diapered him, showered him, dressed him and cleaned him after his messes.  The child turned parent.  I had grown used to touching him but the emotional barriers were still there, even in his helplessness.  I stayed a little longer, filling myself with the moment.  He loved me, he was proud of me and I loved him.  All the words spoken face to face.

Through the years, I had grown to understand that my parents’ drinking, fighting, cursing, screams and violence had not been directed toward me, though I was the one who suffered the most.  Intellectually I understood.  But the tears, terror, screams and fears, held inside by the helplessness of a terrified young boy, sitting in his bed, looking down a long hall, watching his parents fight and scream, were beyond intellectual understanding.  The memories and experiences were fortified and buttressed by repetition and anger, hate, fear and sadness were shoved inside.  They were guarded and protected by masks of anger, humor and cockiness, protecting the tender feelings inside.  They were difficult feelings to release.

My dad started those walls crumbling and I am still working through them.  That may have been his last lucid act.  The last time I saw him, he introduced me to a nurse as his cousin Peanuts, whoever that is.

But I remember the good times, too, and there were many.  Maybe all of this is why Mom went first, so Dad and I could get together before he joined her.  There were things I wish I could have said to Mom before she died, but that will not be the same with Dad. We talked. He loves me and is proud of me.  And I love him.

Copyright 2018 by Gary Bass

[bootz-n-catz]

Chapter: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

Title: Why’d You Come In Here (Lookin’ Like That)

Rating: M

Summary: Waverly is drowning in student debt, can’t find a good date to save her life and wants something different out of her life. When Chrissy approaches her to be on ‘The Bachelorette’, she takes it as her chance to do something adventurous, find some financial stability and maybe find love along the way. But what she didn’t realize is that the owner of the ranch they’re staying on, Nicole Haught, would be an unlikely contender for her heart.

You can read the latest chapter below or on AO3

This week on The Bachelorette Canada!

Waverly is seen standing in front of the guys who are all sitting in the living room. Mark is next to her. She holds her hands clasped in front of her excitedly as she says, “We’re going to a local vineyard for the day!”

All the guys cheer and we cut to B-Train’s interview. “Right now, I’m just hoping for some one on one time with Waverly.”

“I think I’m a shoe-in for the good impression rose this week,” Perry says with a confident smile.

Chad, your typical handsome beefy looking guy, nods in his interview. “I own a vineyard. Whatever we do on this date is going to be a piece of cake for me.”

The camera cuts to the bus pulling up to a beautiful vineyard. Waverly is standing out front already, a big smile on her face. All the guys pile out of the bus looking excited for the day ahead.

“Hi everyone!” Waverly says, throwing her arms out wide. The guys all respond at once, a gargled mess of greetings as they all try to outdo each other. “Welcome to Sweet Hill Winery! Today we’re going to make some wine and learn about it and I’m very excited. Sound good?”

All the guys cheer again so Waverly motions for them to follow her into the winery. They walk into a room with clothing racks, identical white outfits hanging on each.

“Alright, so get changed into your wine making clothes and we’ll get started!” Waverly says.

Champ smirks as he picks up his outfit. “Should we get changed here?”

Perry noticeably rolls his eyes.

“Um, yeah whatever you want-”

Waverly can’t even finish her sentence before Champ is taking his shirt off. She turns away for a moment, shocked, her hand coming up over her eyes as she laughs awkwardly. The other guys start taking off their shirts and pants to change and Waverly makes a surprised face at the camera.

We cut to her interview where she just giggles, eyes wide. “I mean…” she trails off as they show a shot of Chad flexing in a mirror wearing only his boxers before they cut back to Waverly’s interview where she’s fanning herself with her hand. “Wow.”

Finally, all the guys are changed and they head outside where several wooden tubs are set up on a stage. Each one has a mechanism under it that drains into a large tub. Waverly has a glass of wine in her hand as she explains.

“Alright everyone, you’re each going to stand in these tubs and squish the grapes with your feet until your bucket is filled with the juice. The first person to fill up their bucket wins!” Waverly says as the guys bounce excitedly, clapping their hands.

All the guys climb into their buckets and Waverly lounges on a nearby chair. She smiles widely as she takes a long sip of her wine.

“Alright, boys,” she calls from her chair, “Ready. Set. Go!”

They all start stomping away, a few of them slipping and falling into the pile of grapes below them. Waverly laughs in amusement, cringing when Perry goes down particularly hard.

We cut to Perry’s interview. “Yeah...that wasn’t my best moment.”

They all keep going, the buckets slowly get more and more full until a light goes off on Champ’s bucket. He raises his arms in celebration as the other guys look on with disappointed looks on their faces. We cut to Chad’s interview.

“Yeah...I own a winery but I don’t actually smash the grapes,” he excuses himself lamely, “You know, these days there’s machinery for that”

We cut to Champ’s interview where he is seen flexing his arm muscle and kissing it.

Champ gets out of the wine bucket, white outfit covered in purple grape stains. He jumps off the stage and runs over to Waverly as everyone else begrudgingly exit their own buckets. Waverly opens her arms to hug Champ and he picks her up, spinning her around a couple of times before setting her on the ground.

“Congratulations,” Waverly laughs, stumbling a little after being put down. “For your prize, you win the golden grapes!”

She hands him a cheesy little trophy adorned with grapes. Champ takes it and kisses it as if it’s something precious, before draping his arm over Waverly’s shoulders. A couple of cameras come up and take their picture as they stand there. Champ makes deliberate eye contact with Perry who looks less than amused. Then Champ turns to Waverly and leans in, kissing her hard on the mouth. He dips her back, her hands flat on his chest and a smile apparent on the corners of her lips.

We cut to an interview with Perry who just shrugs. “Champ is getting desperate. He knows it. We know it...he’s just using every trick in the book in hopes of sticking around and I hope that Waverly sees that.”

Later on The Bachelorette Canada!

All the guys are changed back into their clothes, sitting on some couches with alcohol in hand. Champ stands up and goes to have some alone time with Waverly away from the other guys.

“Good job on winning the grape mashing today!” she said as she adjusts to face Champ on the couch.

“Thanks, it’s all in the working out. You know?” he brags cockily. He brightens like he suddenly has an idea. “Watch.”

Champ stands up and takes off his jacket. Hey gets on the floor and starts doing quick pushups. Waverly stares at him for a moment, just blinking before she speaks.

“Um-”

“Here, get on my back,” Champ says stopping at the bottom of his push up and looking at her expectantly.

Waverly frowns and shakes her head. “I don’t know if that’s the best idea.”

“Come on!” he says with his wide, blinding smile.

Waverly gets off the couch, pushes off her shoes and tentatively sits on his back cross legged. She squeals a little in surprise as he starts to do push ups again, a little slower than before but still at a steady pace.

We cut to a shot inside the house where some of the guys, noticeably Chad, are looking out the window and watching. They all bristle, looking annoyed.

“He’s such a tool,” Chad says out loud. Perry nods in agreement and B-Train drains his beer. “He’s not gonna last. There’s no way.”

Next up on The Bachelorette Canada.

***

Waverly felt the tension on her shoulders like knots in a straining rope as she walked into her room. She groaned and kicked the heels off her feet dramatically. They hit the side of the bed and landed in a pile that Waverly knew she’d end up picking up before she went to bed anyways, but it was nice to pretend she could be messy for a moment. She sat down hard on the bed, mattress creaking around her when she heard a knock at the door.

“Come in,” Waverly called. Chrissy slid into the room with a smile creeping onto her face.

“So,” she said as she sat on the bed next to Waverly, “it looked like you had a good time today. Ready for the rose ceremony tomorrow?”

Waverly smiled and stood up to get her pajamas. “I did. Everyone seems very sweet.”

Chrissy folded her legs onto the bed, raising an eyebrow at Waverly. “I sense a ‘but’ in there somewhere.”

Waverly groaned and cursed her best friend’s intuition as she threw her pajamas on to the bed to start changing. The guys were nice. They were all very nice and very handsome and...Waverly couldn’t shake an odd feeling in her stomach whenever she thought about it. She pulled off her shirt and put her cami over her head with a sigh.

“There’s no ‘but’,” Waverly said, avoiding Chrissy’s eyes, “But...I don’t know. I’m just worried. You know?”

“About what?”

“About...everything. I miss Wynonna, I miss Purgatory, I miss my job,” Waverly said finishing putting on her pajamas. “Maybe if I could just...talk to Wynonna.”

“No,” Chrissy said sharply, “You know you can’t, Waves.”

Waverly laid back on the bed with a sigh. “Please? Just for five minutes?”

Chrissy looked at her sympathetically and shook her head. “You know it’s against your contract. I can’t.”

She shut her eyes and tried to ignore the tightness in her chest. She knew Chrissy would say no, there was just still that part of her that really hoped she would give her a few minutes on the phone with her sister. Everything was just far more confusing than Waverly originally thought it would be.

There was a phantom twinge of pain in her ankle and she was reminded of Nicole. Was it weird to miss her? Because she did. It had been a little over a day since she’d seen the redhead and Waverly couldn’t keep her mind from wandering to her. Even as hot guys were being paraded in front of her. She always managed to find something that reminded her of Nicole and well...even Waverly could acknowledge that was a little dangerous. She couldn’t help but want to spend more time with Nicole.

“As you start to get rid of the guys, it’ll get easier,” Chrissy said, misreading Waverly’s thoughts. For once. But Waverly was grateful at least. The last thing she needed was more of Chrissy’s prodding over Nicole.

“You’re right,” Waverly said, drumming her fingers on her stomach, “How many do I have to get rid of tomorrow?”

“Five,” Chrissy reminded her. Waverly sighed and hoped she could remember the names of the five guys she was going to have to get rid of.

There was a frantic knocking at the door just as Chrissy’s phone buzzed. She picked it up and Waverly went to the door. A flustered looking Jeremy stood on the other side of the door, his headset askew as he smiled at her anxiously.

“Hey, so there’s been an...incident. And they need you in the living room,” he said swinging his arms at his sides.

Waverly frowned, ignoring Chrissy’s hushed talking behind her. “Is everything okay?”

“Um. Yes?” Jeremy flinched. “Yes.”

She felt Chrissy grab her elbow and turned to look at her. She looked stressed, hair already out of place for some reason.

“It’s a good thing you’re wearing your cute pajamas,” Chrissy said before pulling Waverly with her out of the room and towards the living room.

“What’s happening?” Waverly asked. There were crew members bustling around, a few of the guys shuffling anxiously and looking concerned.

Chrissy sighed, “Well, apparently there was an incident-”

“What?” Waverly asked, shocked, “What kind?”

“Mark is going to tell you,” Chrissy said sitting down with Waverly on the couch of the living room as Jeremy started pushing some of the other guys away and back into the rooms. “On camera.”

“What?! Why?”

“Drama. For camera,” Chrissy said shooting her a sympathetic look as cameras set up around her. Mark walked in and smiled at Waverly, sitting on the couch next to her as Chrissy disappeared.

“Hey, you okay?” Mark asked, leaning a little forward so no one could hear them.

“I...think so?” Waverly chuckled, still overwhelmed. He patted the top of her hand sympathetically as Chrissy called out.

“Rolling?”

“Rolling!”

“Sound?”

“Rolling.”

“Okay, go ahead Mark!”

Waverly’s mouth felt dry and the house fell eerily quiet. She could hear some commotion outside and the distant sound of a siren but that was it.

“Waverly,” Mark started, taking her hand. She squeezed it, finding a weird comfort in it even though she had only talked to the man a couple of times. “So...there was an incident in the house today.”

“What happened?” Waverly said, much weaker than she had hoped.

“There was a fight.”

Waverly swallowed thickly and she shook her head. “I-...why? Who?”

“Jerry is hurt, he has to go to the hospital but he’s okay,” Mark said easily.

Waverly could barely remember Jerry, if she was being honest. But just the idea that some idiots were fighting is what got her. She licked her lips.

“Why? Who?” she asked. “Who did this?”

“It was him and Joe. But Joe claims it was self defense-”

“I want both of them gone,” Waverly said easily. “Tonight. I won’t put up with fighting in this house. Especially fighting that leads to people being put in the hospital.”

A twinge of a smile curled at Mark’s lips, disrupting the solemn look he was so clearly trying to uphold.

He nodded firmly. “As you wish.”

Waverly sighed and stood up, tired of it all already. “Thank you. I’m going to bed now.”

She walked off and behind her, she heard the cameras moving and shuffling. She could feel one following her as she went but she closed the door on them. After she was alone again, Waverly ran a hand through her hair and blew out a long breath. Well. At least that was two fewer guys she would have to cut loose tomorrow.

***

The rose ceremony went about as well as Waverly thought it might. It was unnecessarily long and awkward. The poor guys had to stand there and ponder their fate between camera setups. One of the guys cried and Waverly had to try really hard not to take it back and tell him he could stay. She was emotionally exhausted and so relieved that she wouldn’t have to see any of the guys for another day.

The next morning, she went on her run, eyes peeled and looking for a certain redhead. Thankfully she didn’t have to look for long. She heard a sharp snapping sound coming from behind the barn and knew it had to be Nicole. Waverly brushed some fly away hairs from her face and jogged behind the barn.

Her breath caught in surprise when she saw Nicole picking up a log and setting it on a stump, a pile of already split wood next to her. Her back was to Waverly, giving her a very nice view of Nicole’s back in a tank top. Waverly slowed her jog to a stop as Nicole lifted an ax over her head and swung it down onto the log, the muscles in her back moving smoothly under her skin. The log split with an impressive ‘crack', both halves falling off of the log as Nicole straightened back up.

Nicole looked over her shoulder, eyes catching on Waverly’s as she smiled at the brunette. Waverly blushed and tried to act casual as she walked over to the fence as if she wasn’t just staring at Nicole splitting wood. Nicole waved before taking off her Stetson, pushing her sweaty hair back from her face before putting the hat back on her head.

Waverly was definitely not following the muscles in her arms as she did so. Not at all.

“Howdy,” Nicole said, tipping her hat in that stupid way that Waverly loved.

“Hello,” Waverly called, walking up to the small fence that was separating them. She climbed over it, sitting on the top as Nicole approached. “It’s been a while.”

Nicole shrugged, “You’re a busy woman, it seems.”

Waverly rolled her eyes, watching carefully as Nicole leaned against the fence just a little more than a foot away from her. She could feel herself leaning towards her even if she didn’t mean to. Swinging her legs a little, Waverly tilted her head.

“Yes, well, it’s been a lot of nonsense,” Waverly said.

“You put up with the nonsense for...what exactly?” Nicole teased with a small smile.

“Love,” Waverly joked, eyes wide and sarcastic as she sighed. “But the other day I did get to go to a beautiful winery. I’ve always wanted to go to one. And Chrissy told me they’re going to have us all go skydiving in a few weeks so that sounds amazing.”

Nicole nodded slowly, eyes focusing on the scenery behind Waverly. It gave Waverly a chance to look at Nicole, specifically the line of her collarbone and how it was emphasized oh so nicely in the tank top. Her line of sight led her to a silver chain around Nicole’s neck with a simple gold band on the end of it. Waverly blinked, staring at it for a moment as her mind churned with thoughts as to why something that looked a lot like a wedding ring might be hanging from Nicole’s neck.

“The dating is going well then,” Nicole said, unknowingly interrupting Waverly’s thoughts. Waverly couldn’t tell if it was a statement or a question but it made her blush all the same. Part of her hoped there would be a bit of selfish prodding from Nicole’s end, but she wouldn’t trick herself into thinking that.

“I mean,” Waverly sighed and looked down at her knees. “They’re all very nice. And very handsome. I just...I don’t know if I can see my future with any of them. You know?”

Nicole snorted. “Yeah, I know.” Her fingers automatically found the ring around her neck as she looked up at Waverly, her voice more sincere. “Just don’t compromise yourself. Not for some hunk of meat. Not for anyone.”

Waverly watched Nicole’s lips as she talked, at how the words spilled over them and into the air. They tripped through the air and settled over her like a blanket that she took solace in. Her eyes flickered up to Nicole’s and she felt...familiar. But familiar maybe wasn’t the right term. It felt...safe. Like she hadn’t known Nicole for barely a week and knew little to nothing about her except that she had kind, gentle eyes that Waverly wanted to fall in. Or that Waverly was sure there were more muscles under Nicole’s skin than she could see, covered by a layer of softness that she was sure would feel so so good under her fingers. On top of her.

Waverly shivered.

“I’ll...try not to,” Waverly said before frowning, “Er...I won’t.”

“Can I...say something that might be a little...out of line?” Nicole said with a small cringe.

“I feel like I should say no,” Waverly said with a nervous chuckle.

Nicole’s head tipped forward, hair falling a little in her face. “You can if you want.”

“Go ahead,” Waverly said scooting a little closer to Nicole, “Please.”

With a lick of her lips, Nicole looked up at Waverly. “I...feel like you’ve been spending your whole life trying to be who other people wanted you to be. And you’re just now starting to figure out who you really are.”

Waverly blinked at Nicole, fingers pressing into the wood of the fence underneath her. There was something fluttering in her chest. Anxiety? Panic? Something...all together unfamiliar.

“Waverly?” Nicole said, bringing her from her daze. Her brow was wrinkled in worry and Waverly wanted to reach other and smooth it out with her fingers.

“Yes, sorry,” she said clearing her throat. “I guess I just-...I mean, you’re not wrong. I think.”

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Nicole shut her eyes for a moment. “I just was thinking out loud. I’m sorry-”

Waverly tucked some hair behind her ear and shook her head. She smiled in a way that she hoped was reassuring. “It’s fine. Really. Like I said, you’re not wrong.”

Nicole took her hat off and looked at it, fingers playing along the brim as another strand of hair fell into her face. Waverly’s smile widened when brown eyes met back with hazel.

“You’re a very interesting woman, Waverly Earp,” Nicole said. “If you weren’t on an elaborate, slightly sexist dating show and intending to marry one of the dolts at the end, I might ask you out for coffee.”

Waverly blinked rapidly, a thousand thoughts going through her head. “Wha-?”

Nicole put her hat back on her head and tipped it towards Waverly with a smile as she started to walk backwards away from her.

“Excuse you!” Waverly said. She needed answers. Rather, clarification. Like what would this coffee getting entaill? Was it-...would it have been considered a date? “Where do you think you’re going?”

Nicole laughed and tilted her chin to something behind Waverly. “People are looking for you.”

Like on cue, Jeremy’s voice called out. “Waverly!”

She looked over her shoulder, trying to keep her face neutral and not as annoyed as she felt. Jeremy was jogging towards her, waving at her frantically. “Yes?”

“It’s time to go,” he panted, coming to a stop a few feet away. He bent over and pressed his palms to his knees as he caught his breath.

Waverly looked back over at Nicole who was back to chopping wood. She split a log with another loud crack and stood up, axe on her shoulder and hip jutted out just so as she smirked at Waverly. She growled in frustration, a heat smoothing low in her belly at the sight. Why did Nicole have to be so hot and confusing?

“Coming!” Waverly sighed, hopping off the fence and walking back towards Jeremy, the sound of Nicole splitting wood fading back into the distance.

***

That night, Waverly found herself distracted. To say the least.

They had put her in a speed dating type situation with the guys. They were all at their own tables and every fifteen minutes she would switch tables. Then she would have to give the first impression rose to whichever guy she thought was the most interesting.

All of the guys were on their best behavior, being extra charming and witty in all their conversations. There was just one problem. Waverly’s mind couldn’t help but wander to Nicole and the conversation that they had had before Waverly was ushered away to get dressed for her dates.

Her mind ran through different scenarios and what could have happened. What would have happened if she said she would love to go for that coffee? Or if she had just...leaned forward and kissed her? Would it all have been really that bad? Either way, Waverly was thoroughly distracted. At the end of the night, she gave the first impression rose to Champ which meant that he got to “walk her home”. Really that just meant take an extra long walk around the property until they got to the back door of the house.

On the walk, Champ took her hand in his. His hand was big and engulfed her own, palms sweaty and also sticky for some unknown reason. But it was nice. Champ was nice, like always. Something about his aftershave with the slight undertones of sweat reminded Waverly of Purgatory. Of the life she was sure most people had expected of her by now. Marriage and babies. Lots of babies.

They took the path through the field, getting closer to the barn. It was oddly intimate even with the multiple cameras that were following them. Waverly saw a faint light shining through one of the top windows of the barn. Waverly wondered if Nicole was sitting up there reading or watching television.

Champ stopped with her in front of the barn, an arm creeping over Waverly’s shoulder as they looked up at the full moon.

“It’s beautiful,” Waverly said softly.

“It is,” Champ said. A small pause before he continued. “So are you, you know.”

Waverly couldn’t help her blush and she leaned a little into his side. He was a sweet boy. Not all that smart but sweet.

“Thank you,” she said looking down at her feet shyly. With the hand that wasn’t smothering Waverly’s, Champ put his hand on her cheek and tilted her face up towards his. He practically lunged forward to kiss her. His lips were chapped and the kiss was all too firm. Waverly put her hand on his chest and leaned back a little but he followed her and took it as encouragement. His tongue slipped into her mouth and she pulled back as nicely as she could, hand firm on Champ’s chest to keep him from following her lips again.

He smiled at her and she smiled back.

“That was amazing,” he whispered.

“Yeah,” Waverly said simply. Something in the barn window caught Waverly’s eye and she looked over his shoulder just in time to see the curtain move.

***

“It was clearly stated in the contract that they weren’t to be let loose on the property.”

The familiar voice woke Waverly up the next morning. She lay there trying to place it for a moment, still half asleep.

“And look what happens when they’re left to their own devices!”

Nicole.

She couldn’t help the way her heart thrilled at the sound of her voice. Even with the slight anger in her tone giving it a harder edge. Admittedly, she wanted to see Nicole. To wander out of her room and pretend she hadn’t heard whatever disagreement was going on with her and probably one of the producers. Plus her curiosity was getting the better of her. Waverly’s fingers flexed in the sheets and she wondered how quickly she could get up and make it look casual that she was outside of her bedroom. Waverly sat up quickly in the bed, running a hand through her messy hair and swinging her legs off the mattress as she listened.

“I’m really sorry,” she could hear Chrissy say, “we didn’t think that this would happen-”

“That’s the problem! No one in this house thinks,” Nicole said firmly.

Waverly padded out of bed and slowly opened the door, her curiosity getting the better of her. She straightened out her tank top and turned the corner to the kitchen. As soon as she saw Nicole leaning with both hands on the countertop, Waverly tugged at the hem of her shorts nervously. She really hadn’t thought this through.

“Nicole, I’m sorry. It won’t happen again,” Chrissy apologized from the other side of the counter.

Waverly walked cautiously up to the two, trying not to let her eyes linger on Nicole for too long. She could feel the tension in the room and her eyebrows shot up to her hairline.

“What’s wrong?” she asked softly, her voice getting higher at the end as she tried to dissipate some of the...whatever was happening here.

Nicole looked like she’d just noticed Waverly standing there, not doing a very good job of hiding the fact that her gaze had darted down Waverly’s form before catching her eyes. Waverly warmed under Nicole’s look, her stomach bumping into the edge of the marble countertop as she leaned against it. The line of Nicole’s jaw was tense and Waverly wanted to stroke it until she relaxed. Instead she crossed her arms over her chest and looked between the two.

Nicole finally looked back at Chrissy with an expectant raise of her eyebrow. “Want to tell her?”

Chrissy’s nostrils flared as she looked at Waverly. “Some of the guys got drunk last night and...decided to engage in some less than savory activities.”

“They tried tipping my cows,” Nicole said, “But the idiots didn’t realize it was a myth and ended up spooking them instead. Something else I don’t take kindly to. They spooked ‘em and the cows broke the fence. But the most important thing is now I have stressed out cows.”

Waverly frowned and shook her head. “I-...who was it?”

Nicole scoffed. “One of your idiot boyfriends. I don’t know.”

Waverly physically took a step back as if Nicole’s words had pushed her. Her chest tightened, lungs coming up short on air like she had been smacked in the face. Something about the sharpness in Nicole’s tone just...set her back. Nicole sighed and ran a hand over her face. She shut her eyes and took a breath before looking back at Waverly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap I’m just...frustrated,” Nicole said, eyes wide and pleading. Waverly’s arms loosened, her hands dropping to the counter in front of her.

“It’s fine,” Waverly whispered. Nicole reached forward across the counter, hand covering Waverly’s. She felt goosebumps erupt over her skin and her thumb gently reached up to stroke the side of Nicole’s hand.

Chrissy interrupted, “We’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

It was like Nicole remembered someone else was in the room and she quickly moved her hand away from Waverly’s. Without thinking, Waverly reached again for Nicole’s, their fingers just barely brushing before Nicole stood straight and her hand fell off the counter.

“Thank you,” Nicole said looking back at Chrissy. “Just control them, yeah?”

“We will,” Chrissy said with a serious nod. “Promise.”

With one final nod, Nicole looked back at Waverly and smiled shyly. “I’ll see you around, Waves.”

“See you,” Waverly said with a little wave that stayed low by her hip. One that she immediately regretted. Her eyes followed Nicole out of the kitchen, sighing when she disappeared. Chrissy cleared her throat and Waverly blushed, looking over at her friend.

“What was that?” Chrissy asked with a raised eyebrow.

“What was...what?” Waverly asked, going into the fridge to pull out some yogurt.

Chrissy didn’t say anything but her eyebrow crept up higher. Waverly shrugged, shaking her head like she didn’t understand.

“Waves. A love story basically played out in front of my face just now,” Chrissy said just above a whisper. “Both of you just gave the other puppy dog eyes back and forth.”

Waverly paused for a moment and looked up at Chrissy. “She was...giving me puppy dog eyes?”

Chrissy shook her head. “That bitch is head over heels for you.”

“Really?” Waverly asked as she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from smiling. Chrissy gave her a knowing look.

“You know who else is head over heels for you?” Chrissy said. “Those fifteen guys left in this house.”

Waverly blushed, opening the drawer in search of a spoon. “I know! I just...was curious.”

“Well stop being curious,” Chrissy said, “You have a month left in this house and you can’t choose a guy if you’re trying to flirt with Nicole instead.”

“I know,” Waverly grumbled, “And I’m not trying to flirt.”

Chrissy pulled her phone out, suddenly disinterested. “Sure, Waves.”

Waverly stuck her tongue out at Chrissy as she walked back towards her room with her yogurt. As soon as she was out of sight of her friend, she let the small hopeful smile she’d been holding light up her face.

[frecklesandthenerd]

Adventures in the Mountains

On Sunday, we flew to Mendoza for a couple of days. We booked two tours while we were there - a wine tour, as one tends to do in Mendoza, and a gaucho day (gauchos are the Argentinian cowboys). We also spent our evenings walking around the city of Mendoza, which is an interesting mix of working class areas and very loud tourist parties.

The view from our apartment in Mendoza (Photo/Jason Rafal)

We have a habit of visiting places while fountains are under construction (Photo/Jason Rafal)

A performer at a weekend craft fair (Photo/Jason Rafal)

On Monday morning, our guide Tim, our guide-in-training Tomás, and Syrah, the company owner’s dog, picked us up in a small truck and we began a 90-minute drive into the foothills of the Andes. By some ridiculous stroke of luck, no one else had booked the tour for that day, so we had two guides to ourselves. Tim and Tomás were great conversationalists as we drove past the man-made Potrerillos reservoir, through the little town of Las Vegas, and finally arrived at Daniel’s ranch.

Mist over the Potrerillos reservoir (Photo/Jason Rafal)

The reservoir, which is low from an alarming lack of snowfall in the past couple of years (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Daniel, his wife Marisa, and his son didn’t speak any English, but they were very nice to us. Immediately upon our arrival, I was handed a four-day-old goat, which was probably the nicest thing they could have done for me. The working ranch had a sizable herd of goats, quite a few horses, some cattle, and 12 dogs, who all eagerly asked for attention. I carried around my baby goat and watched as Daniel saddled the horses and his son let the goats out for the day. After I reluctantly handed back my baby goat, we had some mate and sopapillas for breakfast before mounting our horses and heading up into the mountains.

A cup of mate with breakfast (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Syrah, who is clearly not allowed in the house (Photo/Jason Rafal)

The baby goat that I wanted to keep forever (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Daniel’s son monitoring the goats (Photo/Jason Rafal)

A dense crowd of goats waiting to be let out (Photo/Jason Rafal)

A baby goat stuck in the fence (Photo/Jason Rafal)

The goats running to their daily grazing (and a cranky mule) (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Dogs in the yard (Photo/Jason Rafal)

The foothills of the Andes are beautiful on any day, but while we were in Mendoza there were low-hanging clouds that gave the entire landscape a misty mysteriousness. It was both stunning and completely surreal.

The riding was at a surprisingly intermediate level - we rode up and down steep gullies and across streams, and we spent some time trotting and catering the horses through the flat areas. My horse, a blue roan gelding, was very calm and surefooted, and we only sometimes argued about the best path to take on a steep hill. Syrah and five of Daniel’s dogs came with us, and they all ran alongside and randomly took off barking at cows.

Finding the route (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Heading up the hills (Photo/Jason Rafal)

A pretty great couple’s photo (Photo/Jason Rafal)

We got up to about 9,500 feet and stopped for lunch. The low, heavy clouds were threatening rain, but Daniel and Tim got a fire going and we feasted on cheese, sausage, bread, asado, and the mandatory Malbec. The dogs alternated between defending us from nearby cows and begging for the scraps. Tim and Daniel put up a tarp roof in case it rained, but it just got very cold and damp for a while, and we huddled around the fire.

Putting up the tarp (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Snacks on a makeshift table (Photo/Jason Rafal)

My favorite dog, begging for scraps (Photo/Jason Rafal)

After lunch, wine, and conversation, we got back on the horses and headed up to a lookout point, where we could see the reservoir and the rest of the valley below. From there, it was a steep ride down the mountain and back to the ranch.

The view from the top of the lookout (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Crossing streams on the way home (Photo/Jason Rafal)

A hen among the saddles (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Puppy toes (Photo/Jason Rafal)

It was a truly great day.

On Tuesday, we had a much fancier tour of the area. We were picked up by our guide and joined two other couples in a minibus on the drive to the Uco valley, Mendoza’s new hip wine region.

Jason and I made the mistake of assuming that because we got picked up at 8, which is very early in Argentina, we were going to be fed breakfast. The fact that we were not fed was through no fault of the tour, because everyone knows the harm in assuming, but it did mean that we were very unprepared to drink the equivalent of 6 glasses of high-alcohol wine before lunch. By the end of the first tasting, I was definitely feeling it.

The first winery we went to was Bodega Piedra Negra, which was is one of the foundational wineries in the valley. They had roses planted next to their roses, not because they needed to see signs of fungus like in France, but as a nod to the beautiful, rose-edged French vineyards. Our guide at the winery, who was from Minnesota and fluent in English, Spanish, and French, walked us through the spotless fermentation and barrel rooms, where we were able to try wine directly out of the barrel. One of their prize wines was a combination of Argentinian and French Malbec. Weirdly, the Argentinian Malbec is an older strain - after grapes were originally brought over from Europe, all of the Malbec in France died from the phylloxera epidemic and had to be re-seeded from the grapes in Argentina. This means that now, the strains in Argentina are a closer relative to the original French Malbec than current French Malbec is.

The beautiful front view of Piedra Negra (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Walking onto the terrace (Photo/Jason Rafal)

A room of white wines (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Trying Malbec straight out of the barrel (Photo/Jason Rafal)

The second winery, Corazon del Sol, is owned by an doctor based in Texas who also has wineries in Napa and the Willamette valley. He bought a plot in the communal network called The Vines, which is a growing town that will eventually have 10 boutique vineyards, a resort, and shopping within a consolidated area. Corazon del Sol is interested in mixing different types of grapes to create the most well-balanced wines, instead of focusing on the traditional Malbecs of the area. Our guide at this second winery was great, and we were also getting pretty drunk by that point. We learned that the only real threat to grapes in Mendoza is the devastating large hail, which can ruin a crop for multiple years. Some vineyards are not traditionally in storm patterns, but for those who are, their only real protection is nets that need to be removed to allow the grapes to get light, and then replaced when a storm is in the forecast. It increases labor in the vineyards quite a bit, but it’s better than losing a crop. They also bomb the clouds to try to prevent hail,but the effectiveness of this strategy is very debatable.

Baby grapes (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Signs of a recent spray (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Humidity being pumped into the barrel room at Corazon del Sol (Photo/Jason Rafal)

Our third stop was Alpasion, which is a combination of the words for soul and passion (you may be sensing a theme about the romantic quality of Argentinian winery names). There, we drank four wines over a four-course lunch. Jason and I were delighted to eat more than crackers, and the lunch was delicious. The view was also pretty amazing.

Our view for lunch (Photo/Jason Rafal)

[livingcorner]

vegetable garden

It was the erosion from this hillside, he judged, that had formed the little level stretch of vegetable garden. The soil was fat and black, and there was water in plenty, for he saw several faucets running wide open.

Nobody was at home, but Daylight dismounted and ranged the vegetable garden, eating strawberries and green peas, inspecting the old adobe barn and the rusty plough and harrow, and rolling and smoking cigarettes while he watched the antics of several broods of young chickens and the mother hens.

You're reading: vegetable garden

As for the rest of the ranch, the land was good in patches, where it was cleared, like the vegetable garden and the vineyard, but the rest of it was too much up-and-down.

It travelled for a time in the sky, and then it sank down and hovered over a large vegetable garden surrounded by walls, so that he came safely to the ground amidst cabbages and vegetables.

Read more: Top 10 Vegetables to Grow in Your Home Garden

The clouds of white dust that blew up the street, the gusts of hot wind that withered his vegetable garden, never disturbed his calm.

Then an army of gardeners arrived with fairy carts and spades and seeds and bulbs and forcing-houses, and soon they had a flower garden to the right of the verandah and a vegetable garden to the left, and roses and clematis on the walls of the house, and in less time than five minutes all these dear things were in full bloom.

Parsons’ wives have to do the housework and cooking themselves, and are thus not only cooks and housemaids, but if they have children– and they always do have children–they are head and under nurse as well; and besides these trifling duties have a good deal to do with their fruit and vegetable garden, and everything to do with their poultry.

There was no vegetable garden. The small orchard was old, sickly, and neglected.

I told those fellows to plant a vegetable garden, build new storehouses and fences, and construct a landing-stage.

Read more: There were two trees in Eden; only one was forbidden | The Compass

A distant part of the estate, a tract of waste land that had lain fallow for eight years, was with the help of the clever carpenter, Fyodor Ryezunov, taken by six families of peasants on new conditions of partnership, and the peasant Shuraev took the management of all the vegetable gardens on the same terms.

Further away still, vegetable gardens abounded, with frequent small plantations of orange or lemon trees intervening.

The trees along the resi- dence streets of the town were all newly clothed in soft green leaves, in the gardens behind the houses men were puttering about in vegetable gardens, and in the air there was a hush, a waiting kind of silence very stirring to the blood.

Source: https://livingcorner.com.au Category: Garden

source https://livingcorner.com.au/vegetable-garden/

[bethestaryouareradio]

Perennial favorites

“When the sun rises, I go to work.  When the sun goes down, I take my rest. I dig the well from which I drink, I farm the soil which yields my food, I share creation. Kings can do no more.” Chinese proverb

In the sizzling heat of summer, many annuals go to seed and flowers fade. Thankfully there are plants besides cacti and succulents that enjoy the higher temperatures. Most of my favorite summer bloomers are perennials that once established require minimal irrigation. 

My top ten summer flowering favorites include acanthus, agapanthus, bougainvillea, bower vine, crape myrtle, crocosmia, daylily, hollyhock, hydrangea, and rose. I also am a huge fan of the Naked Lady, but it sprouts its neck later in August, lasting through the fall months. Acanthus: 

Also known as Bear’s breeches, Acanthus can be deciduous or evergreen growing from rhizomes. It is drought tolerant with shiny oval leaves lobed with spines and spires of flowers that are purple, white, pink, cream, or green. It doesn’t like full sun when it is hot, so it may be best to grow Acanthus in partial shade. The flower spikes can grow to five feet. I like it as a back border plant or to line a path. The good news: butterflies flock to it. The bad news: deer devour it. Cut it to the ground in the fall and it will re-emerge in the spring. Greek Corinthian column capitals were and are modeled after the Acanthus plant.

Agapanthus: 

Another rhizome spreader that is hardy in drought times, yet pretty in bloom is the Lily of the Nile or African Lily that we know as Agapanthus. The rhizomes retain water and divide easily to plant in other locations. They prefer a sunny location, although I’ve seen many beautiful specimens growing in the shade. The sky blue, midnight blue, or white trumpet-shaped flowers bloom June through the end of August with stalks that reach four feet high. The elegant strap-like leaves are evergreen. When planting work compost and organic matter into the soil and continue to fertilize during the growing season. Deadhead when the flowers fade and toss them on the compost pile. Wear gloves when working with this plant as it is poisonous and could cause an allergic reaction in those who are prone to plant allergies.

Bougainvillea:

A gorgeous tropical vining shrub, bougainvillea flowers are modified leaves called bracts blooming in colors of yellow, orange, white, and my personal favorite, fluorescent pink. Native to arid climates, bougainvillea thrives in hot weather and needs full sun while requiring a minimum of H20. On our ranch, bougainvillea covered one full side of our two-story farmhouse delighting our family year after year with a spectacular showcase of hues. Plant bougainvillea on a strong structure or well-made fence. It can be pruned when it starts to rain or after flowering. Since it is susceptible to frost, cover with burlap in the winter to protect it if your plant is small enough.

Bower Vine:

This is the most perfect flowering evergreen vine for pergolas, arbors, and trellises. Grow bower vine over awnings, around windows and doors, or as a gate climber. It is easy to care for, doesn’t invade a roof or siding, and is a swift grower.  Blooming throughout spring, summer, and fall, flowers are pink and white with deep-throated trumpets attractive to hummingbirds. I grow bower vines in full sun and partial shade. Once established they don’t require much water while providing year-round beauty with their shiny green leaves. Prune whenever the vine needs a bit of TLC as this vine is not fussy. Cut stems to add to indoor arrangements.

Crape Myrtle:

The crape myrtle is hands-down one of my very favorite specimens because of its beauty and interest in every season. In summer the bush or tree is covered in showy flowers, in fall the leaves change to gorgeous red, umber, and gold, in winter the leaves fall off showcasing beautiful bark, and in spring the shiny green leaves sprout. All crape myrtles bloom on new wood and come in colors that include watermelon, red, white, pink, lavender, and purple. I prune my purple shrubs in early winter to twelve inches from the ground and by summer they have grown to three feet high. Prune trees periodically to keep them shaped. Although crape myrtles prefer acidic soil, they will grow in sand, clay, or loam. The Chinese Lagerstroemia indica crape myrtle is prone to powdery mildew so look for a cross with the Japanese L. fauriei to enjoy glorious blooms, attractive bark, and leaves without any issues. They are drought resistant, too!

Crocosmia:

This firecracker plant boasts a tropical origin with bright blazing orange, yellow, red flowers that light up the summer garden. In our region, they start blooming right in time for the fireworks of Independence Day and continue until autumn. Their sword-like foliage offers spikey interest to the landscape. Hummingbirds and butterflies are especially attracted to the trumpet-shaped blooms while deer and rabbits stay away. The corms naturalize and the stalks make excellent floral displays. After the flowers are spent, the seedpods provide additional appeal. 

Daylily:

Sometimes called “ditch weed”, daylilies will grow anywhere! Their botanical name is Hemerocallis from the Greek word hemera meaning day and kallos meaning beauty. They tolerate every kind of soil, are extremely low-maintenance, and require minimal irrigation once established. They are not a true lily as they have fleshy roots as opposed to bulbs. The leaves grow from a crown and the flowers form on a leafless stem called a “scape”. Most do not self-sow. Divide the roots every three to five years to create more plants. Each flower blooms for only a day, but each scape will have a dozen or more buds that will continue to open. A variety of colors and shades are available with butter yellow being the most ubiquitous. Every part of the daylily is edible. Sauté the buds in butter, garlic, and a little white wine for a delicious veggie treat that tastes like asparagus mixed with peas.

Hollyhock:

Happy memories surround the legacy of my hollyhocks. I can’t remember a time when hollyhocks were not growing in my mother’s or grandmother’s gardens. My seeds are heirlooms from several generations of family gardeners with a history that goes back over a hundred years. Hollyhocks are the classic cottage garden staple that every gardener should include for spikey tall stalks of pink, white, magenta, and red blooms that will continue until winter. A member of the hibiscus family, this self-seeding China native grows best in full sun in rich, well-drained soil. Because they grow to fifteen feet or more, plant towards the back of the garden or near a fence. By deadheading when the flowers fade, you will encourage continuous bloom production. Prune to the ground by winter and save the seedpods to share.

Hydrangea:

Another favorite plant for generations of gardeners, hydrangeas produce abundant blooms in partial sun. They are thirsty plants and need mulch around them to improve the soil texture and maintain moisture. Pruning hydrangeas is tricky because it is necessary to know what type you have as different hydrangeas require different pruning times and methods. The most common hydrangeas are Bigleaf, Oakleaf, Mountain, and Climbing which are pruned after summer blooming. They rebloom on “old wood” which are the stems from the previous season. Panicle and Smooth hydrangeas bloom on new wood (the stems from this season) and must be pruned before the buds form. I’m looking forward to trialing new Panicles from Proven Winners which will include Limelight Prime and a space-saving Fire Light Tidbit that will have cream-colored flowers covering the plant in summer, then turning to pink and lasting through frost.

Rose:

No introduction is necessary for the fabulousness of the rose. Roses are the most versatile, beautiful, and coveted plant in every garden. When gardeners proclaim roses to be the bedrock of their landscape, they are not exaggerating. Roses come in every color, shade, petal, and size to suit every desire. Roses are a diverse group of plants that include shrub roses, carpet roses, floribundas, hybrid teas, climbing, old roses, rambling roses, and tree roses. Their shapes and structures differ. Some look like peonies, others have a single floral pattern. There are rosettes, cups, doubles, pompons, button-eyed, incurved, recurved, and quartered.  My favorites are David Austin roses with intoxicating fragrance, fine foliage, disease resistance, and stunning flowers.  Over a hundred roses grace my landscape and I am constantly adding more. As Emma Goldman stated, “I’d rather have roses on my table than diamonds on my neck.”

When the sun rises, I go to work, spending as much time in nature as feasible. Consider planting some of my perennial favorites to enjoy elegance and exquisite allure throughout the summer months. 

Stay cool, hydrated, and share creation.

Happy Gardening. Happy Growing.

Photos: https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1511/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Perennial-favorites.html

Cynthia Brian, The Goddess Gardener, is available for hire to help you prepare for your spring garden. Raised in the vineyards of Napa County, Cynthia is a New York Times best-selling author, actor, radio personality, speaker, media and writing coach as well as the Founder and Executive Director of Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3. Tune into Cynthia’s StarStyle® Radio Broadcast at www.StarStyleRadio.com.

Buy copies of her best-selling books, including, Chicken Soup for the Gardener’s Soul, Growing with the Goddess Gardener, and Be the Star You Are! Millennials to Boomers at www.cynthiabrian.com/online-store. Receive a FREE inspirational music DVD.

Hire Cynthia for writing projects, garden consults, and inspirational lectures.

Cynthia@GoddessGardener.com

www.GoddessGardener.com

[weddingideas1234]

Creating a Rustic Wedding 101

If you want a laid-back, casual vibe on your big day, then a rustic wedding may be for you. This style uses nature-inspired elements and outdoor spaces in order to create a relaxed environment that encourages mixing, mixing and having a good time (with a bit of country flair). Keep reading about how to pull off a rustic wedding and some of our favourite rustic decorations and other ideas for all the details to add to your celebration. What does a rustic wedding mean to me?

Nature and the outdoors are the great components of the rustic wedding style. Rustic weddings are often associated with rural locations, such as barns and other countryside venues, but you can pull off this relaxed aesthetic almost anywhere with the correct approach. Typically, a rustic wedding style is a combination of farmhouse, vintage, and robust elements, such as wooden logs, burlap, baby's breath, mix-and-match vases, barrels, and galvanised metal. By adding sleek details, such as chandeliers, greenery garlands, candles, and twinkle lights, you can achieve a classic rustic wedding style. What are the best venues for a rustic wedding?

For rustic weddings, barns, ranches and farms are the most obvious venues. These types of venues easily lend themselves to the rustic wedding style because of their rural locations and informal settings. For vineyards, mountain lodges, and recreational parks or campgrounds, the rustic style is also suitable.

Some barns or farm locations may close for the winter and early spring, especially if your area is notorious for heavy snowfall. This means that you are more likely to be limited to traditional indoor venues during the winter and, as a result, you may need more decor to achieve a truly rustic effect. Ask about the inclement weather policy of the venue if you find a barn or farm available during the winter, and don't forget to create a "Plan B" if there are other ideas for Mother Nature. Finally, barns can be very draughty in the winter, so ask the venue if space heaters are supplied if needed. If not, you will need to take the added cost of renting them into account in order for everyone to stay cosy and warm.

For a rustic wedding, what are the good colours?

One thing that we love about the rustic wedding style is that it is super versatile. It works with many different colour palettes, and each one can help you achieve a different look depending on the decor you choose.

Popular rustic colour palettes are yellow and navy, burgundy and orange, or coral and turquoise. Stick with a softer pastel colour palette, such as blush, dusty blue, mint green, or even gold for a more 'rustic chic' look. How is it that you decorate your rustic wedding?

The style of the rustic wedding focuses on handmade details, rough accent pieces, and repurposed vintage items. You have to decide before you choose your wedding decor if you want your wedding to be traditionally rustic (more on that in a second) or something along the lines of a 'rustic chic' look.

The traditional rustic decor is heavy on the outdoor elements, such as hay bales, twine, raw wood pieces, and antlers. At traditional rustic weddings, burlap table runners, mason jars, and baby's breath are also popular. You may even add seasonal details to play up the pastoral theme, such as sunflowers in the summer or acorns and pumpkins in the fall.

All about creating a laid-back yet elegant setting is the rustic, chic style. The basic elements are retained in this traditional rustic style twist, but romantic and classic details are added, such as loose greenery, whitewashed chairs, muted metallic accents, and basically anything that you would see in a Fixer Upper episode.

For rustic weddings, what are the best flowers?

The rustic wedding style is all about creating a welcoming feeling, so for the bouquets, centrepieces (see our favourite ideas here), and other floral arrangements, you'll want a loose, slightly undone look. Nothing that feels too perfect or overly arranged, in other words.

With most types of flowers, the rustic style works well, but we particularly like sunflowers, hydrangeas, daisies, roses, delphinium, dahlias, poppies and lots of greenery (imagine wildflowers you might see growing in a country field). The baby's breath goes hand in hand with the rustic style, but some other floral accents that look just as beautiful are Queen Anne's lace, craspedia, goldenrod, and even cotton puffs. At a rustic wedding, what are you going to wear?

Generally, rustic weddings allow for more casual dress codes because of the informal atmosphere associated with rustic wedding venues. If your ceremony takes place in a 200-year-old barn or a field at the edge of a forest, for instance, asking your guests to wear tuxedos and floor-length gowns may not be the most practical route.

You'll also want to consider the venue when choosing your own attire. If you are wearing a wedding gown, slimmer silhouettes in lightweight, breathable fabrics are ideal for rustic settings. This provides you with plenty of freedom to move around easily, a must if you get hitched outside. A more casual dress code also means that your accessories should remain relatively understated, but do not be afraid to have some fun with them! This is an opportunity to wear stuff that may seem out of place at more formal venues, such as swapping your stilettos for a pair of sandals, flats or even cowboy boots!

If you're wearing a suit, opt for a more casual style in a lightweight material, like seersucker, cotton or linen. These options still look polished without being overdressed, and they're ideal for warmer temperatures. Wool suits are a great choice for rustic weddings held in cooler weather. For the ultimate laid-back look, skip the suit altogether and sport a button-down with dress pants, a tie, or suspenders. What type of food do you serve at a rustic wedding?

For rustic wedding cakes, we love the look of buttercream frosting that will give your cake a slightly more relaxed look. For each tier or skip the allover frosting, dress up with fresh flowers or greenery and opt for a naked or semi-naked cake instead. For extra rustic flair, Fondant offers a smoother finish to your wedding cake and can be decorated with a faux bois pattern or burlap ribbons.

Only some of our faves are homemade pies, doughnuts, waffles, and even pie pops. A prime opportunity to try out some alternative dessert ideas is rustic weddings. Pies are especially festive for fall weddings, since you can incorporate seasonal ingredients such as pumpkins and apples. You can serve pies or send your guests home with pre-boxed slices or mini pies as favours, in addition to your traditional cake. We also love cupcakes, candy apples, and flavoured kettle corn as rustic wedding treats. Our favourite Rustic Wedding Ideas

Ceremony of Hay Bale Seating

If you are exchanging your vows outside, this creative seating idea is spot-on for a rustic wedding. Even better, when you get married at a farm or other venue that already has hay bales on site, just add assorted quilts and blankets to dress them up.

A wooden ceremony arch is a staple décor piece when it comes to rustic weddings. We love this birch branch backdrop, decorated with flowers inspired by greenery and garden, and you can either make your own or source one from a local rental company for events.

Loose, over-flowing wedding bouquet

To add to the laid-back vibe of a rustic wedding, bring an oversized bouquet filled with vines, greenery, pampa grass, and other botanical accents. Focus on using wildflowers and cheerful blooms, such as daisies, sunflowers, roses, ranunculus, and poppies, to achieve that farmer's market-inspired look.

Cowboy Boots

What would a rustic wedding be without cowboy boots? Not only are these shoes suitable for a rustic aesthetic, but they are also practical if you have an outdoor wedding and do not want to ruin a pair of new shoes (or deal with uncomfortable heels and laces).

Costume Lightweight

Even with an informal dress code, you can wear a suit if you are having a rustic wedding. Finding the appropriate style is the trick. Look for suits made from cotton, linen, or tweed, which are on the less fancy end of the spectrum. Another option: skip the full suit and choose a coat and jeans for sports (no rips, though, please!).

Throwing blankets for fleece

If you are having an outdoor wedding, even in the height of summer, it can be cold when the sun goes down. Providing a basket of fleece blankets is a cute and practical solution that your guests will appreciate.

Decoration Wagon

Whether the waggon is purely decorative or you use it in a practical way, like wheeling a young flower girl down the aisle or displaying ceremony programmes, it is a perfect addition to any rustic wedding theme. Choose one in a colour that fits the rest of your décor to jazz it up, and then add streamers, greenery or flowers.