#Solar Panels at your Rooftop

[uteksolar02]

Best Solar Panel Installation Company in Delhi NCR Your Guide to Green Energy

In recent years, the demand for solar energy has surged in the Delhi NCR region. As people become more aware about green energy and Solar Energy. That’s why choosing the Best solar panel installation company in Delhi NCR is crucial. In this blog you will get to know about the solar Power and Solar Panel installation Process of the Best Solar Panel Installation Company in Delhi Ncr. 

Why You should Switch to Solar Panels for Electricity Generation in Delhi Ncr.

Delhi has been a hot place in India for several Years. That’s why it is the best place for Solar Power optimization in India. By installing solar panels,you can reduce your electricity bills, become a Part of the Green Environment and increase Property Value. Utek Solar is the best Solar Panel Installation Company in Delhi Ncr. Furthermore, We will return you the Maximum Profits from the Solar Panel Installation in next Years. 

A hybrid solar panel system combines the benefits of both on-grid and off-grid solar systems. It integrates solar panels, batteries, and a connection to the power grid, ensuring a consistent power supply even when solar energy is unavailable. This system stores excess solar energy in batteries, which can be used during nighttime or cloudy days, and allows you to draw power from the grid when needed.

A significant offering of the best solar EPC company in Gurgaon is the grid-tied solar system. This system is connected to the local utility grid, allowing users to draw power from the grid when their solar system is not producing enough energy (e.g., at night).

An off-grid battery backup system is an essential component for those looking to go completely off the grid. It stores excess energy generated during the day for use at night or during power outages. Ensure that the company you choose offers reliable and efficient battery backup solutions.

Key Factors to Consider on the time of Solar Panel Installation:

When Choosing the best Solar Panel Installation Company in Delhi NCR are the Following:

Experience of the Solar EPC Company:

Look for a company who has the perfection in Solar Panel Installation. Utek Solar has the best experience in Solar EPC business. We have the most excellent technical team. Who knows how Solar Panel Installation works for residential and Commercial Sites.

Also Look for the Quality of Solar Panel:

The quality of a Solar Panel is the most Important thing in a Solar Power Project. The best solar panel installation company in Delhi Ncr will provide you with the higher efficiency, life-long Performance, and High durability Manufacturing techniques.

Certifications and Licenses:

Ensure that the Company is also certified for the trust and agreements. Utek Solar is a Certified and most trustable Company in Solar EPC Industry. We Provide you transparency in Business and all the legal documentations. 

Customer Reviews and Testimonials:

You also need to check the reviews and customer feedback. Customer feedback will give you the best performance satisfactions and Past performance of the company.

After-Sales Service:

A reliable company will offer comprehensive after-sales service, including maintenance, repairs, and monitoring of your solar system. Utek Solar will also give the after-sales services of the Panels, Inverters and Sprinkler System.

Here are some of the best things you have to keep in your mind. While you are Planning to Install the Solar Panels at your Residential and Commercial Sites. We hope this Blog will help you to choose the best Solar Panel Installation Company in Delhi Ncr. 

Conclusion:

Choosing the best solar panel installation company in Delhi NCR is a crucial step to installing the Solar Panels at your Rooftop. By considering factors such as experience, quality, certifications, and customer feedback, you can make an informed decision. Embrace the power of solar energy and enjoy the numerous benefits it brings to your home or business.

Investing in solar energy is not just an economic decision; it’s a commitment to a greener, more sustainable world. Select the Utek Solar and take a significant step towards energy independence today.

[rishikakraftsolar]

Looking for rooftop solar panels for your home in India? Rishika Kraft Solar offers top-quality solar solutions at the best prices, helping you reduce electricity costs and embrace sustainable energy. With reliable performance, easy installation, and long-term savings, our solar panels are ideal for eco-conscious homeowners across India.

[sunveerasolarjalgaon]

Rooftop Installation in Jalgaon

[anarchopuppy]

How to Build a Small Solar Power System - Low-tech Magazine

Readers have told me they like to build small-scale photovoltaic installations like those that power Low-tech Magazine’s website and office. However, they don’t know where to start and what components to buy. This guide brings all the information together: what you need, how to wire everything, what your design choices are, where to put solar panels, how to fix them in place (or not), how to split power and install measuring instruments. It deals with solar energy systems that charge batteries and simpler configurations that provide direct solar power. Conventional solar PV installations are installed on a rooftop or in a field. They convert the low voltage direct current (DC) power produced by solar panels into high voltage alternate (AC) power for use by main appliances and rely on the power grid during the night and in bad weather. None of this holds for the small-scale systems we build in this manual. They are completely independent of the power grid, run entirely on low voltage power, and are not powering a whole household or city but rather a room, a collection of devices, or a specific device. Small-scale solar is decentralized power production taken to its extremes. Most of the work in building a small-scale solar system is deciding the size of the components and the building of the supporting structure for the solar panel. Wiring is pretty straightforward unless you want a sophisticated control panel. You only need a limited set of tools: a wire stripper, some screwdrivers (including small ones), and a wood saw are the only essentials. A soldering iron, pliers, and a multimeter are handy, but you can do without them.

[reasonsforhope]

"Passed in February [2024], a massive subsidy program to help Indian households install rooftop solar panels in their homes and apartments aims to provide 30 gigawatt hours of solar power to the nation’s inventory.

The scheme, called PM-Surya Ghar, will provide free electricity to 10 million homes according to estimates, and the designing of a national portal—a sort of Healthcare.gov for solar panels—will streamline the process of installation and payment.

The program was cooked up because India had fallen woefully behind on its planned installations for rooftop solar. In many parts of the subcontinent, the sun is absolutely brutal and relentless, but by 2022, Indian rooftop solar power generation topped out at 11 gigawatts, which was 29 gigawatts under a national target set a decade ago.

Part of the challenge, Euronews reports, is that approval from various agencies and departments—as many as 21 different signatures in some cases—was needed to place a solar array on your house. Aside from this bureaucratic nightmare, the cost of installation was often higher than $5,000; more than half the average yearly income for a working Indian urbanite.

Under PM-Surya Ghar, subsidies for a 2-kilowatt solar array will cover as much as 60% of the installation costs, falling to 40% for arrays 3 kilowatts or higher. Loans set at around 7% interest rates will help families in need get started. 750 billion Indian rupees, or $9 billion has been set aside for the project.

Even in New Delhi, which can be covered in clouds and smog for days, solar users report saving hundreds during summer time on their electricity costs, with one apartment shaving $700 every month off energy bills.

PM-Surya Ghar is also seen as having the potential to cause a boom in the Indian solar market. Companies no longer have to go running around for planning and permitting requirements, and the government subsidies ensure their customer base can grow beyond the limits of household income."

-Good News Network, April 10, 2024

[solarpunkani]

The Lost Doll - A Short Story

To say that Arrden was in trouble didn’t even begin to describe his situation right now. He was screwed, utterly screwed, in deep doo doo. Deep.

He’d lost track of his little sister’s favorite doll again, a third strike on his record for being responsible. Not only that, but he’d lost it out in the city--where he and his sister weren’t even supposed to be in the first place! There was no way he would be able to explain himself to Mom and Dad without getting himself in trouble!

So there was only one solution. He’d have to go back out there and hunt it down, before either of them noticed it was gone.

“Arry! I want my dolly back!” his sister whined, but Arrden quietly shushed her.

“If you stay quiet, I’ll go get it and bring you some sweets!” he said.

Daisy hummed, her lip poking out into a powerful pout as she crossed her arms. “...gimme good sweets. From Junebugs!”

“Junebugs?!” what was he supposed to barter to get some of Junebugs’ candied fruit?! He was already pushing it just going out again, let alone bringing something to trade! “I can’t get anything from Junebugs, how about Missy Anne’s?”

Daisy responded by tilting her head back and yelling. “Daddyyy!”

“Okay, okay, okay! I’ll get you something from Junebugs, just don’t tell Dad yet!”

Daisy harrumphed, but nodded. At that same moment, their Dad came rushing up the stairs. “What’s going on up here, is everything alright?”

“I want uppies!!” Daisy beamed, reaching up with her little arms. Their dad laughed and reached down to pick her up, holding her close to his chest with a squeeze that made her giggle. While he was distracted, Arrden hurried downstairs to grab his bag and his skateboard.

“Hey, Arrden! Where’re you going?” his father called out.

Arrden froze in his tracks. Shit. “Uh! I wanted to go hang out at the library, maybe get more books!” That wasn’t entirely a lie--he did have to go to the library to check if they’d left the doll there during their earlier visit. And he did want to check out a book too.

“Alright, but can you get me some eggs from the Ferns on your way back? We’ll need them for breakfast tomorrow, bring her a few cuttings from the garden!”

Score! If he could take a few extra flower cuttings, he might be able to trade something for some Junebugs! “Okay, Dad! I won’t be too long, promise!”

Before his dad could ask any more questions, Arrden slipped out of the front door and hurried into the garden, picking the trimmers and two glass jars from the gardening table to set to work. Calendulas, rudbeckias, zinnias, and a few stems of milkweeds all found their way into the jar, which he placed into his tote as he slung it over his shoulder. He hopped over the fence, onto his skateboard, and was cruising out towards the rest of the town in a matter of moments. 

Gliding through the town on his board, he took a moment to appreciate it all--it was home, so he was used to it, but it really was so pretty. In school they’d been studying how things were just a few decades ago--an era he remembered faintly, but had no real fond memories for. He was younger than Daisy is now when their town started being remade into what it was, solar panels on every rooftop, gardens big and small bursting out of every crevice one could fit dirt into. Stained glass adorned practically every building, murals of suns and moons and plants and animals on any blank wall that wasn’t already overgrown with vining flowers. Maybe it was because he was old enough to ride around on a skateboard by himself, but things felt… smaller, than they did before. On bad days, it could be stifling, but on good days it was cozy. Most days were good days.

It didn’t take too long to get to the market plaza. He didn’t even have to look up to know he’d arrived, the light changing to pinks and oranges and yellows as he passed under the mess of fabric tarps overhanging the entire square. There were quite a few stands out today, some offering little baubles made of recycled plastic, or carved wooden statues of deer and bears and foxes, and the instrument maker was even offering a new guitar or two. Ooh, he’d have to save up for that. If he could prove himself responsible enough to maintain a spinning wheel, his friend Azzy had a few sheep, and they were always willing to give him wool to spin into yarn. Or better--if he could keep bees, to make honey and beeswax, that made for good trades.

Being responsible enough was the one thing he probably wasn’t today, since he’d lost his sister’s doll. 

Technically, Daisy had lost the doll, but it was still Arrden’s fault because he’d taken her out of the house while Dad was away at book club earlier. Oh, they’d explored the town together, gone everywhere Arrden knew she enjoyed, to cheer her up. She’d been stuck inside for days now--battling a nasty ear infection--but now that she was feeling better, she’d been begging to be let outside. Their parents said to wait just a few more days, to make sure she’d truly beaten it. Unfortunately, Arrden was weak to Daisy’s puppy dog eyes, and had whisked her away to explore all their favorite stomping grounds, getting her back home just before their dad got home. And apparently she’d dropped the doll somewhere on their adventures, and now here he was.

He stopped by the seed stand--Daisy always loved looking at the mystifying colors of Mister Peters’ glass gem corn, or reaching into the big bags of beans and letting them run through her little fingers. They’d definitely stopped here today--after all, Mister Peters’ son Kendall was working the stand, and he and Arrden had always been buddies.

“Hey, man!” Kendall beamed, reaching over the desk to tousle Arrden’s afro. Arrden mock-whined and nudged the taller boy off of him, rolling his eyes before sending him a grin. “You back again already? Did your Ma tell you to pick up more flower seeds? We're almost out of Liatris for the season.”

“Nah, it’s Ma’s working season. She doesn’t get back home till just before sunset. Did you see my sister’s doll anywhere around here? She lost it while we were out,” Arrden asked.

Kendall tutted at him, bead-adorned dreads swishing back and forth as he shook his head. “C’mon, man, you’re never gonna get those hives if you keep losing your sister’s stuff.”

“It’s not my fault she keeps dropping it! If she cares about it so much, you’d think she’d keep track of it better!”

“Yeah, and if you cared about getting those hives and that spinning wheel, you wouldn’t keep riskin’ it by taking her out with it.”

“Like she goes anywhere without it!”

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Kendall arched a brow at him. 

Arrden sighed. “I know, I know. But Daisy was so sad! I couldn’t not take her with me!” 

“Well, let’s just hope you get that doll back. Oh! Mrs. Fern wants me and Dad to plant a garden near her chicken coops next week, Dad said I can invite any friends I want. Next Saturday, nine AM, her place?”

“...won’t the chickens just eat all the seeds again, like they did last year?” 

“Oh, of course they’re going to, but Mrs. Fern’s gonna make us a big apple pie for all our hard work, and I know you want in on it.”

“You should’ve lead with the apple pie, man, I’m in! But I’ve gotta get going, text me about it later?”

“You know it! Good luck on finding that doll!”

Arrden left him with a final wave, hopping back onto his skateboard and wheeling off further into the market place.

Unfortunately, no other stands had his sister’s lost doll. He tried every other one they’d gone to--the bead and jewelry stand, the stand for the Watters’ farm selling baby chicks and a lamb, the one for the new artist that had moved to town a few months back--no such luck. 

The next best bet was the big, round, blue and yellow tent at the end of the marketplace. It was where Luna sang songs to entertain kids while their parents browsed the wares at the market in peace. It was never really Arrden’s thing growing up--he preferred poking his nose into his parents’ business, seeing what they were getting and running around making trouble for himself. But his sister loved the tent and ol’ Luna, and would beg to stop there even when it was just the two of them. So he ducked inside to check the seats.

Fortunately, Luna wasn’t performing right now. Instead, there was a younger girl, just tuning up the guitar in anticipation for the next batch of kids. She looked up with a bright smile as he stepped in. “Hello, there! Anything I can help you with?”

Arrden froze. That was not Old Lady Luna. That was Pretty Girl Sasi, the girl who sat in front of him in class. He definitely didn’t have a crush on her! Absolutely not, no matter how much his friends insisted he turned red as a tomato around her, he did not have a crush on her! She was just. Really pretty! And he didn’t know how to handle that!

“O-Oh, Sasi! I--I wasn’t expecting--I thought--Old Lady Luna--” he stammered, feeling his neck get hot.

“Luna’s my aunt, I’m helping her for the weekend in exchange for more guitar lessons.” Sasi said, standing to her feet and brushing long, silky black hair over her shoulder. “I’m sure she’d love to teach more people, if you wanted to do lessons together sometime?”

Honestly, Arrden had never had much interest in learning guitar, but now he was half-tempted to trade the flowers in his bag for that pretty new guitar at the instrument seller’s stand. “Oh! Uh--I--maybe! I’ll see if I can--ah--” his brain went numb for a second, and Sasi sent him an amused look as he briefly opened and closed his mouth like a fish. Wasn’t he here for something? Right! “Have you seen my sister’s doll? I--my sister was here earlier, and she lost her doll, and I dunno if it might’ve been here or… y’know. Y’know?”

Sasi giggled, making her way over to a basket tucked away to the side. “Well, I dunno what her doll looks like specifically, but my aunt always puts stuff kids leave behind in this basket. Wanna check?”

Arrden nodded and got to his knees, sorting through the basket a moment. There were a handful of dolls there--some little brown bears or orange foxes, others moreso resembling people, but none of them were Daisy’s little flower doll. He had to wonder if there were tons of brothers ripping and running around town trying to find their little siblings’ dolls today, or if these had been left for months and years with no owner. It made him a bit sad, and for a moment he missed his own little childhood doll, even though Black Cat still sat safely on a shelf in his room.

As he stood back up, Sasi frowned. “It’s not there? I hope you find it.”

“I hope so too. I’ve got a few more places to check, though, so fingers crossed!” Arden sighed, adjusting the strap of the bag on his shoulder. Sasi grinned, bangles clinking as she held up her own hands with their fingers crossed, prompting him to do the same. “Oh! My friend Kendall’s dad is planting flowers at Mrs. Ferns’ chicken coop next Saturday at nine, you’ll probably wanna ask him to be sure, but I think it’d be cool if you came! We’ll get apple pie after, too!”

“I wouldn’t want to intrude…” 

“I don’t think you’d be intruding! I mean--I’ll text Kendall and ask if you can come, but I doubt he’d say no!”

Sasi awkwardly rubbed her arm, her shoe nudging a divot into the soft dirt under them. “I’ve never really gardened before… I don’t think I’ve planted a seed since I was little, none of my family’s ever been good at it…”

“Oh! Between me and Kendall, you’ll be a pro in no time!”

“Then… maybe I’ll try it. Oh, I think my mom wanted to ask your dad to plant some moonflower seedlings by our gazebo… unless you wanted to come and do it sometime? We could trade numbers and figure out a time…”

Butterflies danced in Arrden’s stomach as he whipped his phone out of his pocket. “Y-Yeah, sure, let’s trade numbers--” unfortunately, he whipped it out so fast the phone flew out of his hand and plopped into the dirt by Sasi’s feet. The girl laughed a bit, bending down to get it and offer it back to him, and he smiled sheepishly. “Th-Thanks, Sasi…”

In just a few moments, the two had exchanged numbers and sent the customary ‘hey this is Arrden’ or ‘Hi this is Sasi’ texts, well on their way to expanding their friendship. Sasi even watched him leave from the opening of the tent, waving him goodbye as he skated away.

Arrden found himself humming a love song all the way to the pet store.

Right, he and Daisy had come here for cat food! After all, Arrden’s crime today hadn’t been leaving the house, but leaving the house with Daisy. He’d stopped to grab food and a new toy for their housecat, Shadow. Daisy had wanted to come along to see the adoptable puppies the Lees had raised, all ready to herd sheep on some other farmer’s land. Even though they didn’t have a farm, the puppies were still little fluffy bundles that Daisy just couldn’t resist playing with. However, he did send a few pics to Azzy, and had received some heart eye emojis in response. Who knows? Next time he went to their place, they might have a new bundle of joy bouncing around the fields. 

When he saw the puppies playing tug of war, his heart sank, but he instantly relaxed when he realized they were playing with a bundle of rope and not a little doll. Arrden doublechecked the rest of their outdoor pen, and even tried to peek into their dog house, before he decided ‘no way it's in there’ and instead made his way inside.

The shelves were well stocked with a variety of foods for a variety of animals, and all kinds of toys. There were even a few birds on display inside--he paused a moment to look at the fluffy-looking pigeons, and gently pat a couple of peachicks through the gaps in their cage. Tanks, leashes, training manuals, and treats were also available--a vast array of homemade cookies and biscuits with all kinds of berries and faux icing. ‘Human made, dog approved,’ the sign above them said. He’d been dared to eat one, a few years back, and truth be told he understood why the dogs liked them. Personally? Arrden wasn’t a fan.

He perused the entire store in search of his sister’s doll, double and triple checking the toy shelves to make sure he hadn’t missed it. God forbid, someone had traded for it thinking it was one of Mx. Miller’s handmade toys and already tossed it to the hounds. He tried to put that thought out of his mind.

After making one final loop around the store, Arrden approached the desk, where Mx. Miller was working on sewing up another pet toy out of scraps of old clothes and hand spun fabric. Right, a lot of people would donate their old and worn clothes to the shop so they could find new life as a beloved toy. At least, when they didn’t donate them to a teen hoping to learn embroidery or make new patches for their jacket. In that sense, Arrden and Mx. Miller were staunch competitors in the last life of beloved fabric market, if his patch-adorned vest had anything to say. 

“Hey, there! Can I help you with anything?” Mx. Miller asked as they looked up from their work. 

“Hi, uhm… my sister lost her doll earlier today, and I was wondering if you saw it by any chance? It’s about this big--” Arrden cupped his hand a little over a foot above the top of the counter. “--and looks like a white and yellow daisy, with green arms and legs.” 

Mx. Miller scrunched their nose--they must’ve seen all kinds of toys over the course of the day--and eventually shook their head. “I don’t remember seeing a doll like that. But if anyone brings one like that in, I’ll keep it in lost and found, alright?”

Arrden nodded quietly. “Okay! Thank you, Mx. Miller.” Arrden made his way out of the store, pausing a moment to ruffle one of the puppies’ heads a bit as it poked its head over the baby cage before he hopped back onto his skateboard and made his way off. 

No luck at the market, no luck at the music tent, no luck at the pet shop… his last hopes were the library, Mrs. Kitterling’s jewelry shop, or just… out in the street somewhere, stepped upon and dirty. Or worse. Someone had seen it and taken it, and Arrden was thoroughly screwed. 

He couldn’t lose hope. He’d stop by the library, cross his fingers, hope to any power there was that he found it alright. 

He felt the path change under the wheels of his board as he turned onto the Aster Town Library’s walkway. It was still old cobblestone, with a few cushiony low-growing groundcovers poking between the tracks. Comfy for shoes--or those who preferred to walk barefoot, like Sasi’s family--but not so great for itty bitty skateboard wheels, so he hopped off the board and tucked it under his arm and walked the rest of the way. To either side of the cobblestone path, there were gardens--to his left, an expansive meadow of wildflowers, almost like the garden at home, and to his right was a small pond with an array of koi and all kinds of other fish, their scales glittering like tiny drops of sunlight under the water’s surface. Dotted across both landscapes were benches, for people to enjoy a drink and a book while taking in the perfumed scent of flowers, or listening to the gentle trickle of the pond’s small waterfall. He checked all the outside benches, but deep down he knew Daisy’s doll wouldn’t be out here. These sitting spots were great and all, but Daisy spent most of her time in other spaces. 

Arden entered the library and placed his skateboard on the designated skateboard shelf by the door, which already had a couple of other tenants taking up slots. They were all a similar color to his, but he knew he’d be able to grab the right one--his was custom painted with a big yellow sunflower, spinning wheels and bees along the edges, and a couple of stickers in the blank spaces. He’d done everything but paint his name on the bottom of the board to mark it as his. Plus, everyone else had their boards painted--one had a bright big zinnia flower, with suns and moons both on the horizon, while another had a ferocious looking bear painted on with a wolf howling at the moon.

“Back again already?” Arrden turned to see one of the librarians, Mx. Kingsley, waving at him from the front desk. “You already returned your books, if that’s what you’re here for.”

“It’s not! Well, I do want more books, but--my sister lost her crochet doll, and I’m retracing my steps to try and find it. Did anyone turn it in?”

Mx. Kingsley shook their head, frowning a bit. “No, I’m sorry, I don’t remember any dolls being turned in today. I’ll go check the Lost and Found, why don’t you go ahead and look around while you get your books?” 

“Sounds like a plan. Thank you, Mx. Kingsley!” Arrden beamed, before heading off deeper into the library.

The library had always been one of his favorite places. When he wasn’t helping his parents with the garden, or hanging out with his friends after school, you could probably find Arrden tucked away somewhere on library grounds. He knew this place like the back of his hand--if he ever applied to volunteer here, no doubt he’d be let in, but he wanted to have a little bit more freedom before leashing himself to a formal volunteer position. Nevertheless, he was here all the time, and his sister Daisy was also becoming fond of the place. As Arrden perused the shelves, selecting a few books on beekeeping and wool spinning as well as a few novels, he took a moment to enjoy the pure library vibes. Small potted herbs grew on the shelves, bundles of mint to be snacked on, while posters for new books and fliers for town events adorned walls and bulletin boards all across the space. Every book in here was well-loved, the smell of old books mingling with the herbs and making everything just… heavenly. There were plenty of bright, sunny windows--some clear, most brightly colored stained glass works of trees and flowers sprouting out of open books--all with plenty of cushioned benches and rocking chairs and bean bags sprawled out underneath them. A few of the study rooms had been borrowed, a couple of kids studying in one, while the other had a handful of adults using the chalkboard to talk about something-or-another. Even still, Arrden knew his sister’s doll wouldn’t be in any of these places.

Instead, he stepped out the side door, and directly into the warm and cozy greenhouse area. A mix of colorful panels greeted him with spots of light on the ground, casting everything into an almost magical light. There were two large tables that were perfect for studying and craft sessions, potted herbs and even a few fruit trees along the sides of the walls, but best of all--a big, comfy chair, tucked into a corner with its own shelf of books nearby. This was his favorite spot in the library--and his sister’s too. Arrden was half-tempted to just sink into the big chair, curl up with one of his books, and let the hours pass as he lost himself among the pages of a story. The library was open through the night, but he’d never been allowed to stay past eight, because apparently fourteen was still too young to be out on his own late at night.

But no, he was here for a reason. So instead of settling into the chair, he checked the cushions to make sure the doll hadn’t been lost in the depth of it, but came up with nothing but a healthy dose of lint-fingers. Daisy’s doll wasn’t sitting on any of the tables or shelves either, nor was it on the floor. This was the only room Daisy ever liked to hang out in, so the odds of it being anywhere else were… slim.

As he made his way back to the front desk, he passed a shelf of books and a title stuck out to him--something about playing guitar for beginners. Well… it wouldn’t be so bad to do a bit of reading, would it? He took the book and tucked it under his arm with the others. 

“Find the books you’re looking for?” Mx. Miller asked as Arrden arrived to the desk.

“I did! Did you find my sister’s doll?”

The look on Mx. Miller’s face told him everything he needed to know, but even still they shook their head with a soft sigh. “There aren’t any dolls in the lost and found, kiddo. I hope you find it!”

Arrden sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I hope so too.” He placed his books on the counter, and Mx. Miller began scanning them out of the system. 

“More books on beekeeping and spinning? I’d think you’d be one of the resident experts by now!” they said with a soft laugh.

“I just wanna make sure I know all I can! I still gotta get my parents to let me have the gear and all.”

“Oh, I remember when I was trying to start with my crafts. It took ages to convince my parents I could run a spinning wheel without hurting myself, but one day one of my friends let me try spinning with the wheel she had at her place. When I came back with a nice bundle of finished yarn I’d spun myself, and less bandages than they expected, my parents let me go get my own wheel the next day.”

Arrden hummed. “Maybe… but I dunno anyone with a wheel who’d let me borrow it.”

Mx. Miller arched an eyebrow, gesturing with their eyes towards the craft room in the back. “You know, I just dropped one of my older wheels into the tool space for borrow. How about the next time you come around, you put your skills to the test? I’ve got some hemp I’ve already combed out but I never ended up doing anything with it, I’m more than happy to let you learn spinning with it!”

“You’re for real?” Arrden beamed. “I’d love to! Oh, maybe I can come right after school Tuesday?”

“I’ll be sure to bring it in, then!” Mx. Miller slid the books across the counter back to Arrden. “You keep on reading until then, alright? I can’t help you with the bees, after all.”

“Okay! Oh, did you want anything for--I mean, I can maybe bring you some of my mom’s flowers, or--”

“Oh, no, no! We don’t have to trade for it! I just love helping young learners, you know? Now get going! You’ve still gotta find that doll!”

Arrden gasped and shoved the books into his tote. “Right! Thank you again, Mx. Miller!” at that, he rushed out of the door, grabbing his board and hopping onto it as he made his way down the path. He made his way to the last possible place the doll could be--Mrs. Kitterlings’ place.

On his way there, though, he found himself stopping, hopping off his skateboard a moment to look at a garden. It was a small pollinator garden, the likes of dozens around town--but this one was special to him. Not because of the big beautiful mural of butterflies and bees stopping to drink on a giant Asclepias syriaca on the brick wall overlooking it all--though common milkweed was one of his favorites for growing and trading. But because he remembered, ever so faintly, helping to start this place.

This garden--the East Avenue Pollinator Pod Garden--was one of the first Pollinator Pods to be planted in the town, about eight years ago now. He was a little kid then, and didn’t see the bigger picture--how this pod was the cornerstone that would help transform this town into the community he knew it as today. No, Arrden was just one of dozens of grubby little six year olds who were excited to get to play with dirt without getting into trouble for it that day. The adults had been working on clearing out the empty lot for ages by that point, transforming the place from some old tire-and-junk filled lot into safe, empty ground ready for planting. Not that Arrden was around to appreciate it when that work had started. He remembered following his mom around with a little plastic trowel, carefully digging where she instructed so she could help him gently place tiny little seedlings into the holes he made, or helping to scatter coreopsis, rudbeckia, and liatris seeds around while he played tag with Azzy and Kendall. His dad helped him try and properly pronounce the names, though there was still awhile where Asclepias were ‘Sleepies’ and rudbeckias were ‘Rudy-Becky’s’. And he remembered coming down with his dad every week during his mom’s working season to help water the plants and watch the life slowly fill into a place that had been so empty and barren for so long. He remembered coming to celebrate while his mom’s work group added a paved walkway, and a fountain, and a bench dedicated to a Mrs. Lianne Kitterling--the mayor at the time who had started the initiative to green up their spaces and their lives in the tiny town of Charlesville (a few years later, they’d rename the town Aster, and adopt the sunflower as their symbol). After this garden, so many more changes came--more solar panels and wind turbines floating high above the city, gardens spreading around every corner of the city, initiatives to clean the forest that bordered their town’s northern side and restore the prairie that used to be to its south. New people moved in, entranced by the changes taking place--like Sasi’s family, and his mom’s best friend Miss Dianne--and helping to shape the town into the colorful place it is now. 

It was honestly hard to remember what things were like before, but maybe that was because he was so little when the changes started happening. In second grade, they changed the school year--only four days a week, and about four hours for each day, instead of the five days and six hours that had apparently been standard for decades before. He couldn’t imagine how he’d manage school and his friends and hobbies if he was spending five days in school, let alone six hours each day! His Dad said before he was born, the town switched to seasonal work--everyone could choose to either work from January to June, or July to December, at any job. Before that, everyone worked practically every day of the year, which Arrden could scarcely imagine now. Maybe all the changes hadn’t started with this garden after all, but in Arrden’s mind, watching the garden grow was the first time he realized things were changing and growing--just like the caterpillars who called the garden home. The city was in its cocoon, shifting and changing, and even now his mother said its wings were only just now unfurling. 

“Hey, Arrden!” 

Arrden was snapped out of his thoughts by the familiar voice calling his name, and turned in time to see his friend Azzy--and their friend, Flare--riding up on their own boards. Azzy pulled to a--somewhat clumsy--stop and hopped off their board to come join him. “What’s up? Looking at the old garden?”

“I don’t think it's that old, Az. But, uh, guess I got lost in thought seeing it.”

“I feel you, man.” they took off their helmet, long blonde hair cascading to past their shoulders. “I was just here last week, getting a few volunteer hours in filling the empty gaps with more seedlings. Felt like I got rocketed back to the past for a moment. Crazy how well everything grew in, I coulda sworn we accidentally trampled half those seedlings but now look at it all!”

“You trampled the seedlings. And I wouldn’t be surprised if the adults came in a few days later to replace the ones you stepped on, but who knows.”

“Azzy and I were heading to the skate park,” Flare said, stepping over. “You want in?” 

“Ooh! Yeah, you should totally come hang! There’s even gonna be a band performing later tonight!” Azzy beamed, green eyes alight with excitement.

Arrden sighed. “I wish, but I still have that 8 o'clock curfew. And I lost my sister’s doll. I’ve gotta find it before my parents find out, or else I’m never getting that spinning wheel!”

“You lost Daisy’s daisy?! Aw, you’re in for it, man!”

He groaned. “I know!! If it’s not in Mrs. Kitterling’s place, I’m done for! I dunno where else it could be!”

“Fingers crossed for you, then! Oh, wait, Flare, you wanted to stop in Kitterlings’ too, right?”

Flare nodded. “My mom wants more decorations for her locs, and I might get some for when she twists my hair soon” she groaned. “I’m gonna miss the puffs, but having to wash and dry it all every week is driving me crazy!!”

“Aw, I don’t find it so bad! When it's my hair care day, I just plop on the couch with some snacks and turn on some good movies!”

“I wish it were that simple, my mom expects me to do so much to it! I might end up liking the twists better, who knows until I get them in? I think some bee charms’ll help!”

“Oh, you like bees?”

“Her dad’s the head of the beekeeper’s guild in town! He has, like, twenty hives!” Azzy beamed.

“Yeah, he’s been teaching me how to manage hives since I was ten! I have two hives of my own, too!”

“Ooh! I’ve been wanting to learn beekeeping for the longest while, but I haven’t gotten any hands-on experience yet!” Arrden said “I’ve checked out just about every book on beekeeping the library has, but my parents still don’t think I’m ready for a hive…”

“Why not join the guild, maybe apprentice for one of the beekeepers? I know my dad loves teaching hands-on!”

Arrden blinked dumbly. “I can join the guild if I don’t have any hives yet?”

“Dude! Yeah?! How are you supposed to take care of a real hive if you’ve never been near one before! Look--” Flare dug her phone out of her overall pocket. “We’ve gotta trade numbers, I’ll get you hooked up with Dad and maybe you can come over when he’s teaching Sasi Friday after school.”

“Sasi’s learning beekeeping?!”

“Yeah, I dunno, she didn’t catch me as the type but she told me last week that someone sparked her interest in it.”

“Oooh, wonder who that could’ve been?” Azzy laughed, nudging Arrden in the ribs. Arrden briefly remembered his last interaction with Sasi when Azzy was nearby, how they’d nudged him into talking about his interests and he wound up infodumping about bees all lunch period instead of eating. He’d thought he’d totally embarrassed himself! Was she actually interested in it now?

“Uh! Well! L-Let’s trade numbers, then!” Arrden handed Flare his phone, and Flare handed hers to him. They plugged in each others numbers and sent introductory texts and then handed back the phones. “So, you guys are going into Kitterlings?”

“Yeah, c’mon!”

Mrs. Kitterlings’ shop wasn’t very far--in fact, it was just a door away from the wall the pollinator pod was up against. The awning over the door and windows were a bit faded with age, the gold paint spelling out Kitterlings’ Jewelry chipping off the brick surface they were painted onto. Well loved, his mother had always said, the building’s well loved.

Well loved it was, indeed, with a lot of the ladies in town. Mrs. Kitterling was one of the only jewelers in town, but she made lots of items--asides from necklaces and bracelets, she also made earrings, rings, loc decorations, hearing aid jewelry, and more. This was on top of her supposedly growing some of the best roses and daffodils for barter. Or maybe the ladies liked her so much because she used to be the mayor, and had relinquished her position to instead let decisions be made by a panel of citizens a few years back? After she’d retired from politics, she’d opened the shop and almost immediately was the talk of the town all over again. 

Either way, Arrden wasn’t much of a jewelry guy--he found it got in the way most of the time. But he had been here earlier to get a new bracelet for his sister, with a little daisy charm made out of recycled metal. So the odds of him having lost the doll here were fairly high.

Flare almost immediately got distracted by the loc decorations on display, little burlap baggies full of gold and silver ones on the shelf underneath, but Azzy accompanied him to the front desk. Mrs. Kitterling was talking to another woman--Mrs. Deere, one of the kindergarten teachers--about placing an order for a custom pair of earrings. Today, Mrs. Kitterling was wearing hearing aid jewelry that made her ears look like butterfly wings, adorned with a mix of wire and recycled glass gems. 

Once Mrs. Deere had finished placing her order, Mrs. Kitterling turned to the two teens with a smile. “Ah, young Arrden and Azzy! A pleasure seeing you here again, how can I help you?”

“Hi, Mrs. Kitterling. I, uh, lost my sister’s doll, did you see it by any chance?” Arrden asked.

“It’s, uhm, real important!” Azzy added, trying to back him up. Arrden appreciated the effort, Az.

Mrs. Kitterling hummed, adjusting her glasses. “Why, what does the doll look like?”

“It’s got a green body, and a big daisy flower for the head! Right, Arrden?” Azzy turned to Arrden, who nodded quietly.

“About… eight inches big, I think. Something like that.” Azzy procured their sketchbook from their bag, and Arrden nodded again. “About that big!”

“I think I did see a doll like that! I bet it's in the lost and found box, give me just one moment!” Mrs. Kitterling smiled before wheeling herself to the back room.

Arrden beamed, bouncing up and down a bit with Azzy. “She has it, she has it! Maybe I can get that spinning wheel after all!”

“Then we can team up and start making a buncha yarn! And you can learn how to spin hemp and stuff too!” they said.

“Your sister’s gonna be pretty damn happy too, right?” Flare said.

“Yeah, yeah, yeah! That doll’s practically her best friend, she’s gonna be stoked!” Arrden gasped suddenly. “Shit! I still have to stop by the Ferns’ place to get eggs for my dad! And I promised Daisy I’d get her some Junebugs!”

“You’re going to Junebugs?!” Azzy gaped. “Hope you brought something good to trade!”

“...I’ve got some flowers?” Arrden opened his tote a bit to show the collection of cut flowers he’d brought. They were just a smidge wilted from spending the past hour or so traveling around town, but still fine to trade, right?

“That might be enough for some of a batch, but I dunno…” Azzy reached over and pat him on the back. “Fingers crossed for you, man.”

“Oh, god, you don’t think it’ll be enough? I dunno what I’m gonna do…”

Azzy hummed, tapping their chin. “I think they like raising insects. Any of those milkweeds got eggs on em?”

“Probably a couple, the monarchs have been going crazy in the garden lately.” Arden took out the milkweed stems and peered closely at the leaves. “I swear, it’d be harder to keep them away than to attract them… oh! When’d this guy get here?”

“Ooh, yeah, I see a caterpillar too! Right there!” Azzy said, pointing to a completely different leaf from the one Arrden was looking at. They then spotted the rather large caterpillar Arrden was staring at. “Oh! Guess you’ve got two! You might be good, then!”

“Oh, thank god.”

It was about then that Mrs. Kitterling wheeled her way back out to the front desk, smiling brightly as she set a little doll on the counter. “Little Daisy was still wearing a little necklace, too! Did you still want that, little Arrden?”

Arden huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. “No thank you, ma’am. Thanks for keeping Little Daisy safe!” It all made sense now--Daisy would always try and let her doll partake in activities, so she was probably taking necklaces off the shelves and putting them on the doll while Arrden handled the trade for the bracelet. Then she’d gotten so excited about putting her new bracelet on, she’d probably left the doll up on the counter. Then they had to hurry home to make it back before Dad finished with book club, and they’d forgotten it entirely… well, at least he had it back now! Just a few more errands, and he could bring it back before Daisy got impatient and told on him.

“Of course, of course! Was there anything else you needed?”

“Uhm,” Flare cut in. “I was actually wanting to trade for these bee decorations, if they’re available?”

“Oh, of course, Flare, dear! What did you have in mind?”

“I’ve gotta run a few more errands, but I’ll see you guys in school?” Arrden said, already backing up towards the door.

“Oh, definitely! See you!” Azzy beamed, waving goodbye as Arrden made his way out.

Truth be told, Arden was a bit fidgety the entire ride to the Ferns’ place. He was so relieved to have found the doll, but so anxious to let it out of his sight again, so he held it tight in his grip most of the way there. At least, until he decided he didn’t want to risk dropping it, so he’d put it in his tote bag to keep it safe. But with all the flowers and jars and books in his bag at this point, the doll kinda half-hung out of it, and so he’d get paranoid that it’d fall out so then he’d clutch it tight in his hand again… what was usually a maybe twenty minute ride from Mrs. Kitterlings to the Ferns’ stretched to about thirty just because of his indecisiveness.

It probably didn’t help that the roads up to the Ferns’ weren’t all too great. They lived out near the fields--not too far from Azzy, actually--but it was a route better suited for bikes and wagons. Dirt roads weren’t too good for skateboards, so Arrden ended up on foot a good chunk of the way. Not that he actually had to travel too too far up the road, as the Ferns kept a farm stand at the end of the long driveway to their house, stocked with cartons of the day’s fresh eggs from their amassment of chickens, quail, and pigeons. Early in the mornings, you could even find a few glass bottles of milk down in the cooler, or a few blocks of cheese and butter, or baskets of whatever fruit was in season up on the table. All you had to do was leave something of worthy trade in the exchange basket, like flower cuttings, or seeds, or handmade jewelry, or… anything, honestly. His dad said the Ferns practically begged people to take their eggs from them in the past, and yet every year they were more than eager to get more chicks to add to their flocks.

Arrden placed a jar of calendulas and rudbeckias on the trade counter, gently placing a carton of chicken eggs and a glass jar from the ‘givebacks’ counter into his bag. At least it gave him a safe place to sit Little Daisy--he imagined the doll felt quite comfortable, sitting nestled in a glass jar all to herself. After making sure everything was safe and secure, he made his way back down the dirt road, hopping onto his skateboard the instant it became a viable option.

The ride to Junebugs took him to basically the opposite side of town from his house back in the suburbs, not that it meant all too much to him. He liked the solitude he got from riding around on his skateboard, humming his favorite songs and feeling the wind in his hair. Still, the street lights might be coming on by the time he actually made it back. He’d worry about that later, for now he had to hurry to Junebugs before they closed shop for the day. Fortunately, he made it just in time--the sign still read ‘Open!’ on their front door. He enjoyed the perfumed scent of the serviceberry and apple flowers as he rode under their reaching branches on the pathway, the colorful pink blooms of native rhododendrons growing in bright surges around their trunks. Junebugs’ front garden was always a wonderful sight to see, though part of it was because being there almost always meant leaving with something sweet.

The front window counter was still open, so Arrden stepped off his board and made his way over to ding the little bell on the counter. “Just one moment!” a voice called out from further inside. Of course, Arrden didn’t mind waiting--waiting just meant getting to enjoy the scent of sugar syrups and honeys and glazes, the colorful sight of candied fruits and flowers alongside baked cookies and other pastries settled on drying racks. He could feel his mouth starting to water at just the thought of taking a bite of some. Unfortunately, he had to save all the candy for his sister, otherwise she’d definitely pitch a fit.

It didn’t take too long at all for Mx. Junebug to return to the counter. Their fingers were still stained with various colors from dealing with so many plants and candies, but they brushed it off on their apron and smiled. “Hey! I like your patches, kid. How can I help you?”

“Oh, uhm, thank you!! Uhm, do you have any candied strawberries? Or violets, maybe?”

Mx. Junebug leaned on the counter. “I have both right now, just finished a batch earlier today. What’re you wanting to trade for ‘em?”

“I! Have! Uhm…” Arrden set his tote bag on the counter and gently reached in to pull out the jar of flowers that remained--a handful of zinnias and milkweed, which fortunately the two caterpillars were still munching away on. “My mom grows lots of flowers! And these ones had some caterpillars on them! I heard you like them?”

Mx. Junebug’s eyes grew wide, and Arrden knew he had a good trade before they even said anything. “I will absolutely take those little buggies off your hand! Give me a moment to get you all set up, alright?” they said, taking the jar in both hands before disappearing further into the house. Arrden leaned against the wall by the counter, lazily watching bees fly around the serviceberry blossoms as he hummed under his breath. Ultimately, it didn’t take all too long for Junebug to come back with a small bioplastic baggie of candied strawberries and violets, tied off with a little bow of teal rope. “Here you go, kid! Hope you enjoy ‘em!”

“Thanks so much, Mx. Junebug!” Arrden grinned, waving before he hopped back onto his skateboard and made his way back onto the main streets.

The ride back home was fairly uneventful. For Arrden, at least. Things in Aster slowed down, sure, but they never came to a full halt. Even now, strings of fairy lights were beginning to turn on amongst the market’s awnings, powered by solar panels that had been collecting energy all afternoon. Though most stalls stayed closed through the night, the street instead became something akin to a giant party hall for those who preferred to be active through the night. Older teens and young adults danced to a collection of music--on one end of the street, there was a punk band performing, while on the other someone had brought a speaker and was playing party tunes from their phone. Arrden was half-tempted to join them--Kendall had been to a few night parties and said they were loads of fun--but if he didn’t get home soon, his parents would be upset. So he had to muster all his self-control to stay on his board and skate past the festivities, skate past the cozy-looking library that was all aglow as late night readers nestled into beanbags and chairs. Once he made it past the nightly temptations, though, it was just softly glowing street lamps until he made it back home.

As he stepped back inside, he was greeted with the sight of his mother resting on the couch with Daisy in her lap, watching TV. His dad was in the kitchen playing rock songs on the radio as he sang and cooked.

“Hey, Ma! Hey, Dad! I’m home!” Arrden beamed.

“Glad you’re home safe! Took you a bit longer than I was expecting, was everything alright?” his dad said, peeking out from the kitchen doorway.

“A bit, but I got sidetracked talking to some friends. Sorry I’m late, though.” he said, making his way into the kitchen to set his bag down before rushing back out to hug his mother. “Hey, Ma! How was work?”

“Oh, it was good! I was just telling Daisy about the new window we’re working on for the community center’s new makerspace! It’s going to be big and round, with a lovely big daisy!”

“Daisy! Like me!” Daisy beamed.

Arrden grinned and ruffled his sister’s hair. “Daisy, like you! I bet it’s gonna look great, Mama, you can build anything!”

His mother leaned over to give him a kiss on the forehead. “You’re a sweetheart, Arrden, you know that? So, what’re you gonna do tonight?”

“Uh, I checked out some books from the library that I wanna read! I left them in the kitchen, actually, let me go get them!” Arrden hopped up from the couch to duck back into the kitchen to scoop up his books--and Daisy’s doll, hopefully before his dad spotted it.

Unfortunately, he wasn’t so lucky--the doll was sitting in the jar, out on the counter beside his stack of books. He froze at the sight of it, and his father turned from the cooking to send him a look. Uh oh.

“Arrden? Let’s step outside a moment.” his father said, sliding a lid onto the simmering pasta sauce. “We need to chat.”

Uh oh.

Arrden nodded wordlessly, following his father out the back door into the backyard. There were a handful of fireflies flitting about as they made their way to the bench swing under the treehouse. His father leaned back in the seat, while Arrden sat hunched into his own shoulders. The silence was agonizing, as they sat out there, Arrden’s poor mind going wild with possibilities. He’d always tried to avoid getting into trouble with his parents, and he had a significant feeling that he was in trouble with his parents right now. Oh, he was never gonna get that spinning wheel at this rate, let alone a beehive!

“You went out to get Little Daisy back, didn’t you?” his father finally said, but he hadn’t looked away from the fireflies yet.

Arrden nodded quietly, then realized where his father’s eyes lay. “I-I did. I… wanted to bring it back before you realized it was gone, because…”

“Because you took Daisy out, even though we’d said she had to stay inside?”

“Y-Yes… I’m sorry, Dad, but she was being so sad, and I just wanted to cheer her up! We were safe the whole time, her ear didn’t even hurt at all, and--but… I shouldn’t have taken her, I’m sorry…”

His dad hummed. “I appreciate you looking out for your little sister, Arrden.” he let out a soft laugh, shaking his head. “Lord knows my older brothers wouldn't've done the same for me at your age. And I understand why you wanted to find the doll before it became a larger issue. I’m not mad at you for trying to find the doll.” Arrden let out a sigh of relief, but paused as his father turned to him and held up a finger. “But. I’m a bit upset that you took Daisy out into the town without permission. What would you have done if she’d gotten hurt, or if her ear infection got worse while you were out?”

“...you’re right, Dad… does this mean I can’t have a spinning wheel…?”

His dad’s eyebrows arched, and his locs shifted as he tilted his head. “...not necessarily. I think you were irresponsible to do what I told you not to, but I can also see you were being responsible by looking for Little Daisy and owning up to your mistake. I do wish you would be more honest with me, though--I would have helped you look if you’d told me. And you wouldn’t’ve had to get bribe candy for your sister, either.”

“Did she tell on me?” Arrden pouted. “She promised not to if I got her candy.”

“I noticed she didn’t have the doll, and she was honest with me when I asked.” another hum from his dad. “...I’ll talk with your mother about letting you have a spinning wheel, but if you break our trust again, we’ll be pushing it back by at least a month. Alright?”

Arrden nodded. “Alright. Thanks, Dad.”

His dad laughed, ruffling his hair a moment as he stood to his feet. “You’re a good kid, Arrden. There’s worse things you could be doing than taking your sister out to play. Now, come on in when you’re ready, alright?”

“Alright, Dad.” at that, his Dad made his way inside, closing the door behind him, leaving Arrden sitting alone on the bench outside. He sighed, looking up at where the stars were beginning to peek their way through the darkening sky. He stayed there awhile, watching the fireflies and moths dance around the meadow, listening to the rustling of the wind in the tree’s branches, the gentle creak as he swung slowly back and forth on the swing.

He was a pretty good kid, huh?

-------------------------------------------

Special thanks to @1wren and @105ttt for beta-reading this fic for me!

[jbbuckybarnes]

How Peter Parker would comfort and care for a depressed loved one

(don't mind me, just some self-indulgence I wrote when I was in the trenches of depression)

• "No, no, no, what we're not gonna do is feel guilty. This world is a depressing place when the rest of you isn't stable. And the world loves making people unstable."

• He'd meal prep for you, wake you up on time to keep your rhythm in check, bring you sleep tea, watch movies with you on particularly bad days.

• "What's your current take on going outside? Vitamin D might do you good." He'd ask cautiously.

• You'd tense up at the idea of spending more energy than you had but knew it was needed to get better.

• "I can...carry you to the rooftop?" He'd raise his brow.

• You'd do grabby hands at him from the bed.

• You'd chill on the sunny rooftop for 45 minutes every now and then, not talking much, just existing.

• "What are your thoughts on therapy?" He'd mumble a few weeks down the line.

• "The only thing my insurance covers is CBT. I fucking hate CBT."

• "What if we figure out a way to pay someone you can choose?"

• "I don't wa-" "Na-ah, friends help friends survive."

• Please imagine Spider-Man making a couple extra bucks by helping people install solar panels and carrying heavy stuff.

• He'd sit down next to you with a laptop and you'd search for therapy options.

• "DBT. IFS. EFT. The other EFT. Hypnotherapy. Logo Therapy. Integrative Therapists for Psychedelics. Somatic Experiencing." Even he was overwhelmed with the option.

• "IFS. Hypnotherapy. Maybe Logo Therapy." You mumbled and he decluttered the tabs.

• You landed on a woman doing both IFS & Hypnotherapy. Both things that intrigued you.

• "I mean if nothing else works...drugs still exist." You'd shrug and he'd smirk at that.

• He'd bring you to your first appointment giving you the biggest hug before you went in.

• The woman would explain to you that you needed to get mentally resourced first and that she'd try with a specific type of hypnosis to see if that helps.

• When Peter saw you get out of the building he'd instantly put his arm around you while walking.

• "I'm so tired." You'd mumble leaning against him while walking, trusting him to lead the way while you were spacing out, "Gonna tell you about it after a long sleep."

• You'd wake up the next morning with energy. Still depressed, but not quite as depressed as the previous days. He slept over to make sure there were no weird aftereffects.

• You would look at him sleeping and get up to make yourself something simple to eat.

• He'd peek his eye open before both of them were wide open seeing you standing in the kitchen.

• "Woah." He mumbled before getting up and hugging you.

• "How was it?" You paused for a second, "That's what he said."

• You told him what the hypnosis felt like and that you went back to the origin of your depression and did some inner child work thing. And the hypnosis took a lot more out of you than you expected. And now you had more energy and hoped it wasn't short-form placebo.

• "Even if it is, she can still do the other work with you." You nodded.

• "Can we go for a short walk?" He'd eagerly nod.

• Over the weeks you'd get better and better at coping with your symptoms and connecting to your inner parts. You'd figure out your triggers and how to calm yourself out of them.

• He'd love to see you flourish and take you on little friend (👀) dates all across New York City the more energy you'd have.

• He'd make sure you'd keep seeing the beautiful things in the world. He'd program your TV to not show news. He'd actually send you good news deliberately.

• "We should live together." You'd suggest.

• "If you can handle the feds searching the apartment at some point." He'd giggle.

• "I'd be good with that. I'd hide little things making it awkward for them." You both laughed.

[solarpunkbusiness]

Solar balconies are booming in Germany

Solar balconies are a piece of the wider energy transition across Europe, explains Jan Osenberg, a policy advisor at the SolarPower Europe association.

“We see them as a subset of rooftop solar, but also as something different,” he tells Euronews Green. “We basically see it as a trend to use all possible artificial infrastructure for solar generation.”

Train tracks, motorways, carparks, car roofs, cemeteries and building facades… the list of structures getting a solar makeover goes on and on.

Plug & Play Kits

From a customer point of view, the main difference is that balcony PV is much easier to install. You can buy the kit online, and don’t need an electrician to set it up. Unlike for rooftop installations, where certified installers are recommended to avoid fire risks and damage to the structure.

In short: the panels are put on a mounting structure and attached via cables to an inverter that converts the electricity from DC to AC, which goes into your socket via a regular plug.

Who are solar balconies for?

“The main reason for the success of balcony solar systems is that it gives people the chance to use solar who weren’t able to use it before,” says a spokesperson for German manufacturer Meyer Burger.

“Most people don’t own a house, or they cannot install rooftop solar because of heritage protection, shading, or other constructional conditions of the roof. For them, balcony solar is appealing because they can use solar power to generate their own electricity and reduce their electric bills.”

[solarpunkfool]

You wake up. The sunlight filters through the tree branches leafing outside your window, and you hear the birds calling (the birds are back, populations returning in the thousands, then millions as air pollution lessens and climate patterns rebalance). You head to your kitchen and make yourself a morning drink, coffee or tea, pouring the spent grounds into your countertop compost bin - municipal pick-up is tomorrow, you remind yourself. You put the paper wrapper from the tea/coffee into the recycling bin. There are no trash bins anymore, no plastic to throw away. 

You get ready for your day, putting on your clothing, soft cotton/linen/wool that won’t last much longer than you when you’re done with it. You message your work friends on your slightly clunkier, but infinitely repairable smart phone - you’ll meet them at the local light rail stop. You summon a link (a free, sometimes remote controlled, publicly available cab service - serviced by the municipality, and fully electric). You make sure to give yourself a little extra time than you did when you had a gas car, since the links travel more slowly and carefully, but that’s ok, because the streets are safe for tricycles, bikes, dog-walkers, nighttime deer, errant soccer balls, and neighborhood cats. You spend the time before it arrives watering your backyard garden, and you chat with your neighbor who has just finished picking blackberries from the vines along your fence. She tells you she’ll make cobbler and bring you some later. You’re grateful, since you never have time to bake when you’d rather be spending time with your family. Your phone alerts you when your link arrives, and you head out. There’s another neighbor in the link already, and you’re both headed to the light rail stop. You chat about the weather, how the trees that were planted en masse all those years ago have kept the summers so much cooler and the winters so much milder. He jokes about not having to mow the grass in his yard nearly as much as he used to, after the ordinances for planting slower-growing native plants. He shows you a picture of how well his garden is doing, and you mention your neighbor and the blackberries. His eyes widen, and he mentions that he’s never been able to get berries to grow. You take his information and promise to invite him over for cobbler sometime next week. 

You arrive at the light rail stop and walk under the fully green bridge (for animals to cross safely, and to keep the station cool) to meet your friends. You exchange notes about how your efforts are doing, what you think should be improved as you board the nearly silent electric train. You look out the window as you travel deeper into the city and watch as the green of trees along roads and sidewalks never lessens, the dullness of concrete doesn’t increase. With the links available and so few private cars on the streets, the size of the roads has decreased, making more room for trees, playgrounds, gardens, and wildflower patches. You see what used to be a concrete and brick center berm taken over by the boxy outlines of beehives, surrounded on both sides (what used to be narrow sidewalks) with fruit tree orchards. 

You arrive at your destination and disembark, walking with your colleagues to your building. It’s still a highrise, mostly concrete and glass, but the rooftop terraces are fully green spaces and the glass panels are permeable solar panels, drinking in the sun’s energy like the plants that stretch across its roof. You spend your day leading your team in delivering top quality services, eat lunch at the free market kitchen down the street, and then head home. Your work day is 5 hours long, with an hour for lunch. 

When you get home, your partner and child are there already, playing in the street on your kiddo’s new bike. The street is quiet and safe. You breathe deeply, smelling absolutely no car exhaust. 

You meet your neighbors at the community house (every neighborhood has one), where there’s always a free dinner if you want one. You don’t like to cook, so you don’t offer to take a shift, but you help clean up. Your partner mentions taking your kiddo to the doctor for a possible ear infection, but it turns out they just had a bug bite in their ear. You laugh about it. The doctor’s appointment cost nothing, just as your dinner does. You can cook at home, but why would you? You could eat alone, and sometimes you do, but today you want to laugh and talk with your neighbors and let your kiddo play with theirs. You and your partner help the clean up team after dinner, washing your own dishes and a few others’ so it all gets done. The dishes aren’t perfect, chipped and older, but who cares when the food is free. 

You and your family walk home and meet your old dog on the porch. He snorts and snuffles your child’s hair and leans in for pets. 

You go in and put your kiddo to bed. You spend the rest of the evening watching tv or reading with your partner. You talk about your day. You see the news that more sustainable grazing practices mean that the rainforest has advanced by nearly 2,000 feet this year, dark soil and thick tree roots spreading outward, crowns capturing more and more carbon from the air. You hear that the tigers and snow leopards, elephants and rhinos, are all increasing in population. 

It starts to rain. You are thankful you don’t have to water the garden tonight. You and your partner head to bed, and you think - this is my life. I am leaving a planet to my child that they will WANT to inhabit. Sure, there wasn’t steak on my plate tonight, but my belly is full and my air is clean and my home is safe. You dream sweetly, thinking of dandelions sprouting up through cracks in concrete, deer and foxes walking through breaks in fences, children swimming in clean water.

[dipperdesperado]

dreaming and IRL worldbuilding

I’ve been doing some talking about getting into radicalism and how to organize. You can do that first—you have a feeling that things need to change and you just act. At some point though, I think it’s important to start thinking from a longer-term perspective. That's where visioning comes in.

To know how to change the world, we should know what we want it to look like. Solarpunk is a great example of this—giving us aspirational visuals and vistas for how the world could look if we got our shit together. This is what a vision is in a nutshell.

Once we have have an understanding of what we want the world to look like, we have to figure out how to get there. This is where things start to become interesting. To me, values are like guiding principles that we ground our actions in. To come up with values, think about the ethics and principles that are embedded in your vision. If we think about solarpunk, some values that I see are ecological harmony, intersectional feminism, and economic democracy.

When we have our vision and values in place, we can think about the specific things that we want to accomplish. Our goals should be relatively concrete things that we can build strategies around. What are the material changes that you want to happen? What are the specific, tangible things that you can work towards? If it’s too broad (ex: “I want to abolish the commodity form”), then that might be one of the descriptors of your vision.

So, you create a vision → which informs your values → and dictates your goals.

To develop a vision, put on your dreaming goggles. Imagine what the world can look like. Try to engage your senses. What do you see? What do you hear? What does it smell like?

To develop your values, look at that vision, analyze the implied material and social contexts and use those as guiding lights.

To develop your goals, think about the specific things you can work towards, acting within your values, to create fertile ground for your vision to flourish.

To wrap up, I want to walk through a vision of a better world. If you want some homework, you can derive some values and goals from that.

---

As I leave my house for the day, I step out onto a quiet city street. The air is crisp and filled with the scent of freshly bloomed flowers and the subtle aroma of earthy, homegrown herbs. The street is lined with majestic, towering trees, their leaves dancing in the gentle breeze, casting shattered shadows on mosaic sidewalks below.

As I walk along the street, I hear the melodies of birds chirping, flitting from mossy building to wild rooftop. The sound of laughter and lively conversations fills the air, as people gather in community spaces and reclaimed streets.

The buildings themselves are architectural wonders, adorned with solar panels and living walls that burst with vibrant vegetation. They harmoniously blend into the surrounding natural landscape, their design inspired by historical ecological buildings. These buildings are not just structures; they are living organisms, integrated with the ecosystem, providing shade, shelter, and sustenance for both humans and wildlife.

Streets are bustling with activity, but they are not dominated by cars. Instead, it is a pedestrian-friendly space where people of all ages and abilities move freely and safely. Electric trams silently glide by, their sleek design reflecting the beauty of their surroundings.

Local artisans and worker-owners have set up vibrant market stalls, showcasing their handmade creations and locally sourced goods. Vibrant textiles, handcrafted jewelry, and organic produce catch the eye. Neighbors stop to chat, share stories, and exchange ideas.

In the distance, I see a community forest garden, a lush oasis of greenery where residents gather to cultivate their own food. The garden is a testament to space reclaimed by the people, fostering a sense of ownership and connection to the land.

As I continue my walk, I feel a sense of hope and possibility. This city is a testament to the power of collective action and the transformative potential of dreaming and envisioning a better world.

[unchataparis]

Iris Verdi

Liladrien Week 2024 | Day Six: School

Adrien has started to call neo-Françoise Dupont the ‘green school’, although this probably wouldn’t make much sense to anyone else.

After all, to specifically attribute such an adjective would usually mean that the place stands out for it. No one would call a Haussmann terrace in the middle of Paris the ‘limestone house’ and no one would describe a specific cow among a black-and-white pasture as the Holstein-Friesian cattle.

Neo-Françoise Dupont is surrounded by buildings just as frondescent, just as sustainable, just as solar punk. Ink-dark glass panels installed upon rooftops, slanted on both sides, to catch every last drop of UV light. Lively lavender and frog-green ivy climbing up brick façades, low buildings, and a community garden in each apartment park – appropriately named because with the rise of interest in human-centred, hands-on community hubs, each residential area in Paris is now built around children’s playgrounds.

Still, when Adrien bikes to school this morning, waving hello to neighbours and fellow students – bikes because there are no longer any needs for individual cars and he lives too close to the school to rely on the entirely electric mini buses –  he pulls up to a Françoise Dupont that seems a cut above the rest of regenerated Paris.

Apple and tangerine trees planted in the courtyard bloom generous fruit in the height of spring, a warm breeze ruffles the verdant leaves. Colour-coded bins are clearly marked Déchets, Recyclage, and Compost. Stickered rainwater tanks decorate corners and crevices. 

Members of the student council and volunteers are manning the morning breakfast program. Fresh juice, waffles, cereal, yoghurt, eggs, and bacon are divided in catering trays and sampled freely by hungry students bearing wooden plates and metal cutlery.

In Adrien’s new homeroom, manned by a newcomer to the school named Madame Beaumont, most of his classmates are already gathered and they cheer to see him.

“Morning, Adrien!” Kim bellows across the room. He’s wearing a recycled polyester and cotton-blend hoodie with thrifted jeans. Beside him, Max dons a tunic weaved from hemp linen.

“Morning!” Rose chirps.

“You’re almost late!” Alya teases.

“Hey, guys.” Adrien looks down at the front row where Marinette is sitting. Hair tied into pigtails with gingham ribbons, lids and lips tainted with cocoa-butter-based cosmetics. She beams, clearly waiting for him and demurely pats the seat beside her. Adrien drops his canvas satchel and blows a gentle kiss towards his girlfriend. Marinette’s cheeks darken even further, already adorably flushed, and although she trembles, she doesn’t panic. Adrien is so proud of her. Marinette is growing over her fears admirably, conquering past trauma bit by bit like a champion.

“Alright, class!” Madame Beaumont announces, clapping her hands together to rein some control over her raucous homeroom. 

Nathaniel is doodling in a kraft paper sketchbook and Mylène is showing off her homemade bead jewellery to Juleka and Ivan. In the row behind them, Alya and Nino had leaned over to start talking to Adrien and Marinette about plans for the weekend. The Seine is crystal-clear and smells of salt and algae, perfect for swimming in. And afterwards, how about a picnic at the Jardin du Tuileries?

“Class!” Madame Beaumont repeats sharply. “Please – your attention, please!”

Voices settle down and rears are fully planted down on benches.

Madame Beaumont clears her throat before the classroom’s interactive whiteboard. Adrien sees the plans for today’s lessons floating there: agriculture lectures and an introspective analysis of Dead Poets Society.

“I’m very happy to announce that we’re going to have a new student join our class today,” Madame Beaumont says. “Her name is Iris Verdi and she hails all the way from Italy. This is her first time in France and she’s still getting a little used to the language. So, please give a very warm welcome and a friendly greeting to our new friend!”

Adrien claps along with the rest of the class as Madame Beaumont gestures for someone outside the classroom to step in. Adrien claps along with the rest of the class as an unusually tall girl saunters her way beside Madame Beaumont. Adrien stops clapping when the girl turns to face them with a smile that borders on a smirk, but no one else does.

The rest of the class continues clapping for this girl. She has long, nearly-yellow blonde hair twisted into a low chignon. She wears a red wool beret and matching blazer, a smart grey vest, a pleated black skirt, and polished leather boots. Her eyes are vixen-like and rimmed with black, her lips are pouty and glossy with the colour of ripe apricots.

“Bonjour, everyone!” she says in a sweet, melodic voice. Her nails are almond-shaped and painted the same colour as her lips. She has slung upon one shoulder a brown leather schoolbag. “It’s so nice to see you all.”

“Hi, Iris!” the class choruses.

Adrien looks behind him to see all of his friends beaming at Iris with nothing but geniality and sociable curiosity in their eyes. Adrien looks to his right to see Marinette nodding at Iris with warm welcome.

“As Madame Beaumont told you all,” Iris says in an accent that is different to the one she used when she came to their school as a new student last time. Less high-pitched, more sensible. With an undercurrent like trickling water. “This is my first time in Paris and French is a third language. Please forgive me if I make any errors.”

“Nonense!” Rose cries. “You sound fine.”

Everyone chants in agreement.

Iris’ eyes curve with her smile, her hands coming up to cup her mouth in faux overwhelm. 

“Oh, you guys are so kind!” she coos. “I can already tell I’m going to have the time of my life here!”

“French is your third language?” Marinette asks. “What’s your second?”

“English,” Iris replies easily. “Although that’s only because I’ve spent half of my childhood growing up in California.”

“California?” Alya says, perking up as she always does whenever anyone makes the slightest mention of the U.S. 

“Isn’t that where Hollywood is?” Nathaniel remarks.

“Yes!” Iris says. “Actually, I lived with my uncle just on the outskirts of LA where he owns a vineyard. It was a super cool place to grow up, because you get to meet the fanciest people and celebrities who come to tour.”

The class whispers their excitement to each other.

“How exotic!” Madame Beaumont says.

“If everyone’s willing,” Iris says, unclasping the magnetic flap of her bag. “I could show you all some pictures–”

“Excuse me,” Adrien says, speaking up. He feels as if he had been submerged in a dream-like trance where he was nothing but a helpless and doomed witness to pre-destined events. He listened to the inane conversation and if he himself lacked a mouth to speak with and a will to act with. Adrien snapped out of his stupor because Iris’ act of opening her bag reminded Adrien intensely of her opening her bag when she showed Adrien her faux-Fox Miraculous almost exactly one year ago. “But aren’t you Lila Rossi?”

Read the rest on Ao3 here.

[wiredawake]

Support Families in Northern Gaza through Rooftop & Home Vegetable Gardens

"My name is Laila El-Haddad. I'm an author and advocate for Palestinian rights and food justice. Many of you might know me as the co-author of The Gaza Kitchen: A Palestinian Culinary Journey. I'm also an avid gardener and though I am from Gaza City, I'm a farmer at heart!  Farmers represent the deep rootedness Palestinians have to the land.  For Palestinians, farming, especially during a time of genocide and ecocide-is an act of deep faith and the very embodiment of Sumood- the Palestinian concept of steadfast perseverance.

Background

Once known for its lush apple orchards, strawberries, and citrus, northern Gaza is now completely cut off from the rest of Gaza.  

As part of its policy to make Gaza unlivable, Israel has destroyed 50% of Gaza's trees and farmland, and severely restricted the entry of food and aid, especially to the north. The scale of damage and destruction is catastrophic. Israeli forces have leveled agricultural land, 90% of all greenhouses, olive groves, and poultry farms. The entire population is now facing a forced starvation policy and experiencing extreme hunger. 

Your Donation Will Help Change This Reality by Providing Rooftop, Home, and Urban Vegetable Gardens through seedling and seed distribution for Vulnerable and Displaced Families in Northern Gaza who are subsisting on 245 calories a day. 

What and Why?  

I'm organizing this campaign to help support farmers and families in the areas of northern Gaza most impacted by Israel's ongoing war to start their own rooftop and home gardens-a small step towards self sufficiency and food sovereignty. All international and local aid agencies have had to evacuate from the north, leaving the population especially vulnerable, and whatever limited amounts of fresh produce and aid are available are sold astronomical prices. 

How?

I spent months researching and consulting with agricultural experts in Gaza and abroad on the most secure and effective way to give Palestinians sustainable access to fresh produce.  Next, I partnered with with the Gaza Palestinian American Association and the Middle East Children's Alliance, both accredited 501(c)(3)  who are taking 0% overhead, as well as a team of community based partners in Gaza, who will be sourcing the supplies needed to start the home gardens locally and managing the project.  

Our team on the ground has been working hard to source and start growing local seedlings to distribute to families, and other materials needed to provide them with the resources they desperately need to start their own home, rooftop, patio, and community vegetable gardens, depending on the spaces they have access to.  We will roll out the project in several phases, which each phase targeting 100 families.

Each family will receive:

* At least 30 assorted seasonal vegetables seedlings (Palestinian summer squash, hot peppers, eggplant, cucumber and tomatoes, depending on availability)

* 80 grams of local seeds (dill, mulukhiya, chard), 

* Compost, soil, and amendments 

* Plastic planters, irrigation cans, where needed

* Training and follow up by agriculture experts

Your donations will also help fund the purchase of several solar panel systems to power  community wells that communities rely on to drink and irrigate their gardens and farms with (currently, municipal access to water is limited to once every ten days, and well motors are inoperable due to an Israeli ban on the entry of fuel).

With your support, we can help Palestinian families sow the seeds of a brighter future, cultivate hope and grow some of their own food again!

Your donation is tax deductible and zakat eligible!  100% of the proceeds will go towards the project in Gaza!  

Together, we will help families in the north grow healthy food for themselves, their neighbors and their friends!

[rishikakraftsolar]

Rishika Kraft Solar offers efficient and reliable residential solar rooftop panel installation for homes across India. Our expert team ensures smooth installation, helping homeowners reduce electricity bills and contribute to a greener environment. Choose Rishika Kraft Solar for sustainable energy solutions that power your home with renewable solar energy.

[kassymalone]

Well, it must be the time of year that I have no time or energy to write, because I have SO MANY IDEAS.

Fuck it, IDEA DUMP

A KISS Side Story: Coffee Snob

Moving back to the city to be closer to work, Black is living on his own for the first time. Aside from being a little lonely and burying himself in his work, he manages just fine. Plagued by an extra intense dose of his usual insomnia, he uses his restless nights to find the best coffee in the city.

Discovering an unassuming hole-in-the-wall that's open 24 hours, he discovers the single best coffee he's ever drunk in his life, and forms an unlikely friendship with the late-night worker. As their relationship starts to build beyond the constraints of the after-hours serving window, Black starts to wonder if there could possibly be more to his life than just work and family.

Let Me Be Soft

The barrier is broken, the vicious monsters are free. With everything he ever fought for in his hands, Edge is realising that he doesn't know who he is any more. With nothing to aim for and no royal guard to serve, he's adrift in endless possibilities that he can't grasp. Taking a temp job helping out a new human friend of Toriel's, his world starts to grow as he explores new, softer sides of himself, finding fulfilment in arts and crafts and a gentle relationship that he never even imagined for himself before.

The Rooftop

You thought you were the unluckiest person alive when a broken leg trapped you in your flat a few days after you moved to Ebbott, but when a mysterious plague struck and wiped out most of humanity, it turned out you were the lucky one. While monsters are immune to the plague, they're still isolating to protect their human friends and neighbours, including the guys in your building.

Initially contacting each other by the small buildings group chat, you get to know each of guys in Skeleton Skelton Hall very well, meeting in person when restrictions relax and helping each other through the start of the end of the world.

After The Fall

Its the end of the world. Literally. Well over 99% of the worlds population is gone, and everything is falling apart. As night falls, you duck into a relatively intact building to wait out a storm, only to find something you didn't expect - a working animatronic. Moon seems to be just as lonely as you are, trapped in this rotting shell of a building alone.

Using what little engineering skill you possess, you rig him up a portable solar panel to change his batteries, and the two of you take off in a refit security van to find what's left of humanity. Finally out in the sunshine, it turns out Moon wasn't quite as alone as it seemed, and now you've got another uncontrollable friend to explore the end of the world with.

A Smile Like the Devil Himself

You only went on the damn dating show to stop your mothers incessant nagging. When you got to the beach resort, it became pretty obvious that you were the foil - the plain looking one only there to contrast the literal instagram models that made up the rest of the 'cast'. The most gorgeous of all is the nearly seven foot tall bronze god with wild red hair, Ganondorf, who mostly just seems confused by everything going on.

Unimpressed by good looks and shallow affect (because the Gerudo women were the most beautiful in the world, apparently), he ends up spending most of his time with you, much to everyone's shock. Even when the show ends, the two of you stay friends as you help him adjust to life in your country and find a wife, which is apparently a rite of passage where he's from.

At least, that's what you thought you were doing. Turns out that your new 'friend' has a very different idea of courting than you do, and he's very keen to introduce you to his mothers in Hyrule.

Whether you like it or not.

[sjsmith56]

Heavens Above - Chapter 17, Lord Buchanan

Summary: A viewing party on the palace rooftop confirms Lord Buchanan’s discovery of satellites in orbit. On the journey back to his lands the discovery of a friendly wolf pup seems to be a good omen.

Length: 5.1 K

Characters: Lord and Lady Buchanan, King Stephen and Queen Peg, King Thorn, Jane Foster, Sky.

Warning: Minors DNI - contains sexual content which may be unsuitable for readers under the age of 18. Buchanan catches and cleans some fish for their meal.

Author notes: Basically, a feel good chapter.

<<Chapter 16

🔭 🛰️ 🐺

There were several people atop the palace rooftop shortly before sunset. Both King Stephen and Thorn, Queen Peg were King Stephen, Lord and Lady Buchanan, Dr. Jane Foster and the Queen's doctor, Dr. Lisa Madison. Thorn and Foster had arrived shortly before the evening meal.   When the Queen shared the news of Buchanan's discovery Foster had looked at Peg with a knowing smile.

"You're thinking we might be able to see the International Space Station, if it is still orbiting," she said. "I used to know it's orbit but I don't remember how often they had to do course corrections to keep it there. Even if it's not there the fact there are still satellites is a good indicator they had the technology once."

"I had the thought there might still be military missiles in silos," said Ileana. "Couldn't they be reprogrammed to go into space?"

"Theoretically, yes," said Jane. "But their fuel might not be enough to get them there." She made a sound of frustration. "I need first hand observations of that asteroid. There has to be the remains of an observatory nearby. Have either of you ever tried to figure out where on Earth we are? Where were you when you were brought here? I was in Arizona."

"New Orleans," said Ileana.

"London," said Peg.

"Well, there goes that theory," said Jane. "We were all brought to the same place from different places.  I wish I knew what this place used to be."

"I think we should be canvassing the population to find everyone who was brought here from a modern world," said Dr. Madison. "Surely, there must be someone with the knowledge we need."

"The King has requested all Lords gather here in a month to discuss the asteroid and what can be done about it," said Peg. "Perhaps if we get them to explore their own lands and look for the remains of an observatory or a missile silo, anything that looks out of place for these times."

There were sudden exclamations from the men and the women looked to see Buchanan pointing out a travelling point of light across the sky. The women looked up, watching it travel across the sky then disappear in the east. Jane looked at the assembled group.

"That was definitely a satellite," she confirmed. "Your world did have the knowledge at one time. If we could see the largest one of them it would give me an indication of how advanced your civilization was."

There were several other sightings of other satellites but it was almost two hours before the one that they were waiting for appeared in the western sky. Jane Foster trained the small telescope that had been brought out on it and cried out in triumph – quickly passing it to the others for a brief look. When it passed out of sight, the group, especially the men, were ecstatic.

"That was truly a place where people lived and worked?" asked Buchanan. "Why was it shaped the way it is and not like a house or a ship?"

"We have some time before it makes another pass," said Jane. "Come into the warmth of the castle so I can draw you a quick picture of it."

Quickly she drew a picture from memory and explained the different components of it, including the solar panels that powered the station in space. As they questioned her about how they would grow crops she explained how space is a vacuum, no air, no way to breathe without technology. Food was shipped to the station via rockets as were the people, although theoretically they could grow some things using hydroponics, which was another explanation in itself.

"So the probability of anyone being alive up there are non-existent," stated Buchanan, feeling a little deflated.

"Yes, it's not likely," replied Jane.  "Still, the fact that your world had one of these means that before the calamity your ancestors had the capability of going to space."

The clock chimed, indicating it was time to go back up to the roof to wait for the second pass. When it passed over everyone took another look for several seconds each until it was lost to sight. Jane explained how it likely wouldn't be visible again that night as its orbit would take it further south and they all retired back into the palace.

"Jane, I will build you the biggest observatory for you to search the heavens," said King Thorn. "I'm sure there are craftsmen who can duplicate that small telescope into something larger."

"Actually, there is a different type of telescope that would be better suited for that purpose but that is a conversation for the day," said Jane. "I am tired and I'm sure everyone here is also. Lord Buchanan, you have a quick mind to have realized those travelling lights were orbiting this world and were not stars. You have given me hope that somewhere that lost technology may still exist. We will need it to take action against the asteroid."

"You honour me, Lady Jane," he said. "I am intrigued by the whole notion of a craft floating around in the heavens, with people living and working on it. My lady wife has more familiarity with what that technology looks like but at least now I can easily envision it. I will direct my tenants to search out their lands for hidden treasures. My wife and I will also retire now for we leave early on the morrow for our lands. Good eve to you all."

He offered Ileana his arm and they retired to his quarters. His excitement was evident and Ileana had a funny thought that made her chuckle. When he asked why she was so amused she took a breath.

"I just realized you are a science nerd," she said. "In my time, to call someone a nerd was seen as an insult. At its worst, it meant you had little social graces which doesn't apply to you at all but when you put the term science in front of it the whole meaning changes. It means you are interested and accomplished in scientific endeavours. In my job I was considered a computer nerd. You being a science nerd is perfect because it means we both are interested in science and technology."

"And each other," he said, laughing as he placed himself on top of her. "Are you too tired for us to couple? I find myself eager even though I know we must leave early in the morn."

Her laughter was answer enough and their joyful coupling was heard by several as they passed the quarters. It was late when they finally slept. When Gerard and Alice opened their dressing room doors in the morning they had to call out to the pair to awaken them. After being assisted by the two servants to dress, both Ileana and Buchanan expressed their thanks to Alice and Gerard for all their help. Alice promised to continue her training to become a midwife. Packing travelling clothes for them both the good servants promised to have those saddlebags mounted on their horses when they were ready to leave. The King was already in his private dining hall and they joined him as a servant poured a drink for them. Ileana took a sip and cried out in excitement.

"It's coffee!" she said. "Where did you get coffee?"

"A pedlar from the outlands who came with Loki's allies decided he didn't want to take his wares back with him so he has been going through the land, with my permission," said King Stephen. "Your reaction was the same as Peg's. He promised to bring us more for it seems everyone is enjoying the taste as much as you are."

"I have some at our estate," said Buchanan. "Cook said the pedlar was there before they were besieged. I took some as did Lord Stark. It is a strong drink but tasty."

As the others came in the modern women all had the same reaction causing laughter. "If I had known this was so missed by the modern women I might have searched this drink out sooner," said the King. "Perhaps Peg would have married me sooner if I had offered her a pound or two of coffee as a bride price."

Their food was brought out and Ileana bent over her plate. The smell that was once tantalizing suddenly smelled foul to her and she ran for the nearest privy to empty her stomach. She came back to Peg's sympathetic eyes and Buchanan's unspoken question to which she nodded.

"My good wife is with child," said Buchanan. "She told me yesterday. The Sorceress has confirmed it."

"Stick to plain toast for now," said Peg. "It won't be long until you can have a hearty breakfast again."

"Wonderful news," said the King. "Congratulations my dear friends. What an exciting time for us both."

Ileana ate a slice of plain toast, managing to keep it down. Buchanan ate heartily, still happy with the news of their child. Once he had finished as had everyone else he stood up, expressing his desire to start on their journey. The others walked out to the courtyard with them where their horses were waiting. Ileana didn't see the white mare at first but Buchanan took her by the hand and walked her over to the mare.

"Ileana, I bought this mare for you," he said. "She is battle trained and sure footed. One of the women we escorted had no horse and I allowed her to ride it. In her mind it was one of the best rides she ever had."

"She's beautiful," said Ileana, stroking the horse's gleaming white neck. "What's her name?"

"She has none," said Buchanan. "You must name her."

"Well, she is as bright as the full moon," said Ileana. "Luna. Thank you My Lord."

"Luna it is," he said, then offered his hand to help her up.

The mare was easier to mount compared to Magnus who stood patiently waiting for Lord Buchanan. Once his master had mounted he became impatient and began lifting one front leg, then another, eager to begin their journey. Buchanan saluted the King and Queen then bade Ileana to ride beside him. They trotted out the gate and kept up the pace for some time until Buchanan called for them to slow down and give the horses a break.

"Are we staying in the mountain hut tonight, James?" asked Ileana.

"It is an option," he said. "We have bed rolls with us so it will be more comfortable than our previous stay. I have another place in mind that is a bit further but it will allow us to keep the horses with us overnight. It is dry, covered, and with a fire is quite comfortable."

They travelled for some time until they came to a stream that was fed by a small waterfall. Buchanan took his scabbard, boots and socks off and strode into the stream nearest the waterfall looking intently into the water. He found what he was looking for and asked Ileana for his longest knife. Then he stood quite still but bent over and suddenly stabbed at something in the water, lifting out a fish. Pulling the knife out he tossed the fish onto the grass and bade Ileana to make sure it didn't escape. Twice more he caught a fish, then came out of the water and started a fire with deadfall. He asked Ileana to look for strong green wood that could be stripped of its bark to thread the fish onto. As she did so he scaled and cleaned the fish, picking up the guts and throwing it at the base of a tree nearby.

"It's good food for the forest," he said and Ileana smiled.

Then Buchanan threaded the fish onto the stripped green wood and bent it over the fire so it was out of the flame but could cook in the heat from the coals. Laying where he could watch the fish he beckoned to Ileana to lay with him while the food cooked. They kissed and caressed, stopping every so often to adjust the fish to keep it from burning. He undid the ties of her bodice so he could kiss and touch her breasts but went no further as they still had a long way to travel after their meal. When he was satisfied with the cooked texture of the fish he searched the river bank for large flat stones, finally finding one that was more platter sized. He washed it in the stream and came back with it to the fire sliding the fish from the sticks onto it, then placing it on the grass in between them. Gently he pulled pieces of it off and fed Ileana, kissing her after every morsel. She did the same. After they ate they kissed again but this time Buchanan undid his breeches, lifting his hard cock out.

"Watching you eat from my fingers and then you feeding me has made me desire you," he said. "I can't ride with this so we have to take care of it. Don't undress. I will just lift your skirts up."

Carefully he pulled her skirts up and smiled when he saw she wasn't wearing her undergarment that she normally wore under her breeches. Burying his face under Ileana's skirts he searched for her warmth and found her already receptive to him.

"I was aroused by you feeding me as well," she said, smiling.

Pulling her skirts higher while Buchanan guided himself into her they both murmured at the pleasure this joining was giving them. Her bodice was still undone and Buchanan buried his face into her bosom as he thrust himself hard into her. Running her hands through his hair, Ileana lifted herself into his thrusts and soon felt the beginnings of the intensity that would build to her release. Suddenly he grasped her hands and raised them above her head. He made a low sound that was almost a growl and looked at her with a ferocity she had only seen once or twice.

"I would have you scream for me," he whispered. "What will bring one to your lips?"

He pulled almost all the way out then slammed hard back into her, filling her with his full length and girth. She gasped loudly but he wasn't satisfied and hungrily eyed her neck, burying his face in the part where her pulse could be seen. Roughly mouthing the soft skin he lightly bit her ear lobe pulling it with his teeth then mouthing the spot. She moaned and it emboldened him. Holding her hands down with one hand he put his thumb on the spot just above her entry that he knew would bring the scream he desired.

"You spot is hard like my cock," he said, "and it wants to be set free to fill you with the screams of pleasure. Raise yourself into me and press yourself into my thumb while I circle your spot."

Ileana did as he asked and raised her hips searching for the spot that would release her orgasm. She pulled on her hands, wanting to touch herself but he wouldn't let go. Then he buried his face in her breasts again.

"James, I need to touch...," she gasped and this time he released her hands.

Immediately she caressed her own breasts then pulled one out and brought it to his lips. He groaned and she felt him grow inside her as he fought his own release. Grasping his face in her hands she joined their mouths and pressed her tongue deeply into his mouth. He did the same to her and it was as if a switch had been flipped as she screamed in her throat. Her scream was felt on his tongue and he came at almost the exact same moment. Both pressed into the other, lengthening the effects of their climax. Buchanan collapsed on top of her and buried his face into her bosom once again breathing heavily into it, taking in the lusty smells of their coupling. They lay there for several minutes until he started laughing. Then he raised himself on his arms and looked lovingly on her.

"This interlude has ruined my plans to stay in my original destination," he said. "We will have to stay in the mountain hut tonight and bring the horses in with us. It is the time of the year when some animals prepare for their winter sleep. Even Magnus might not survive an encounter with a hungry bear. Stay here, while I clean you up."

He reached inside his shirt and brought out the piece of Ileana's black lace skirt. She looked at it, recognizing it.

"You still have it," she said, smiling.

"Aye," he replied. "It is my talisman but it will have to be a cleaning cloth for now."

He wiped himself and fastened his breeches up then went to the stream and wet the cloth well before wringing it out. Gently he wiped her clean and pulled her skirts back into place before helping her up. Returning to the stream he cleaned it well, wringing it again and fastening it to his scabbard so it could dry. Then he pulled his socks and boots back on before putting his scabbard on. He cleaned up the bits of bone and fish placing them on the tree where he had left the insides of the fish. He noticed they were gone and not just scattered by small rodents but fully gone.

"Ileana, get on your horse," he said, suddenly alert. "It appears we had a visitor during our pleasures. I'm not sure what but it is now well fed, at least for now. Magnus didn't react to its presence so it mustn't have been a threat."

Easily she mounted Luna while he went back to the fire and kicked the larger pieces into the water to kill it.  Dirt was kicked on the remaining coals to suffocate the flame. Then he mounted Magnus. The two horses trotted again for some time and eventually came to the path for the mountain hut. Buchanan studied the sky and shook his head with concern.

"There is weather coming," he said. "Make haste, we need to be under shelter before it rains or we will be cold all night."

They rode as quickly as they could given the rocky path but were not fast enough to out run the weather and it started to rain before they made it to the hut. Without stopping he pulled both horses into the shelter, then went back out to gather what dry wood he could, bringing it back by the armfuls. He stripped off his leathers and started the fire, building it up to a roar.

"Take your wet clothes off," he ordered Ileana.

Ileana took her jacket, skirts and bodice off. Her chemise was still quite dry so he directed her to sit near the fire while he arranged her clothing so it would dry. Then he unsaddled both horses and laid their blankets on the floor in front of the fire. Their bodies steamed in the warmth of the hut but he smoothed his hands over their backs, satisfied they were not chilled. Their bedrolls were damp so he laid them out near the fire as well to dry them out. In the heat generated by the fire it didn't take long for everything to become dry and he transferred the saddle blankets onto the rough wooden bed which they had shared about 6 weeks previous. Magnus nickered then flicked his ears, immediately alerting Buchanan that something was amiss. He pulled his sword out of his scabbard and listened carefully at the door. Hearing a whimpering noise, he opened the door a crack, preparing to slash at whatever beast might be out there. A wet ball of black fur scurried in, causing him to jump back in surprise. Closing the door he looked closely at the creature which hid under the bed, only its bright eyes visible to him.

"What is it?" asked Ileana. "I just saw a ball of fur go there."

"I'm not sure," replied Buchanan. "Let me see if I can coax it out."

Reaching into his saddlebag he pulled out some rations. He gave some to Ileana and she bit into it.

"Beef jerky," she said with a smile, then ate more.

Buchanan ate some then tossed a piece near the bed and waited. A small black nose appeared sniffing, followed by thick black fur. It's curiosity and hunger won out over its fear and it came forward grasped the jerky and chewed it with pleasure, giving grunts and small growls as it chewed. Buchanan looked at Ileana and grinned.

"It's a wolf pup," he said. "Somehow it's been separated from its pack. I wonder if it is the creature that ate the fish guts. It's followed us a long way.  I am surprised it was able to keep up."

He tossed another piece at it then gave one to Ileana again while he chewed on his. Buchanan looked at Magnus who seemed to watch the pup with indifference and sat back thinking. He pulled another piece off and instead of throwing it held it out to the pup, waiting to see what it would do. It sat and looked at him for a short time, then at the food before it slowly approached Buchanan's hand. He moved the jerky closer towards himself and the pup followed it, its hunger guiding its actions. Finally, it took the piece gently from Buchanan's fingers and he tentatively scratched it behind its ears. Withdrawing his hand the pup stepped forward, raising one paw to Buchanan then another and sat waiting patiently for a piece of jerky. Ileana offered it a piece, smiling as it took it gently from her then stepped closer, sniffing her before it climbed into her lap, curling up and closing its eyes.

"I've heard of this happening," said Buchanan, sounding pleased. "Usually to someone who lives near the frontiers, away from others. This is the first I have actually seen it. We are now its pack."

Ileana beamed and automatically began stroking the young pup as it lay sleeping in her lap.

"It must be so tired after following us so far," she said. "We are keeping it, aren't we?"

"Aye," said Buchanan. "But it will need to be trained to rein in its natural tendencies. Can't have it hunting down the livestock. Those that succeeded in taming a wolf say it is worth the hard work as they are loyal loving creatures with their pack."

Buchanan laid their bed rolls on the raised wooden bed and lifted the small creature from its sleeping position on Ileana's lap. It never stirred as he placed it at the bottom of the bed. He took his shirt off, replacing it with his nightshirt from the saddlebag. Together they got into the rough bed where Ileana curled herself into him.

"This is much more comfortable than it was that first night," he said softly to her. "After you fell asleep I could smell your hair and feel its softness on my arm. It made it difficult to honour my pledge to you."

"But you did," she replied. "You were and still are a man of your word. That is one of the things that I love about you. In both our worlds you are a man of honour."

They kissed lovingly and easily fell asleep in each other's arms. During the night the wolf pup whimpered in its sleep and Ileana woke enough to pick it up from the bottom of the bed then bring it into the bed roll with her. As Buchanan spooned behind her she placed the pup in front of her. It licked her face then burrowed into her midsection and fell asleep. It's warmth was comforting and she stroked it until she slept again.

The sound of whining woke them both. When they searched for the sound they saw it was the wolf pup at the door. Buchanan went to the door, opened it and the creature ran outside barking at something. Grabbing his sword Buchanan stepped outside in the dawn, looking for the source of the pup's warning. The young wolf was at the base of a tree where it appeared to have frightened something enough for it to climb into the gnarled branches. Gingerly stepping over the rocky ground in his bare feet Buchanan peered up into the branches and saw the distinct face of a raccoon.

"Pup," he called to the little wolf, "come here."

He gestured at the pup and it looked back at him with a puzzled expression on its face.

"You want a name?" he asked the little ball of fur. "Very well, Shadow, come here."

It didn't move. He tried several names and it still gave him the same quizzical look. A beam of sunlight came through the trees and lit up the cub's face, making its eyes visible.

"Sky," said Buchanan. "Your eyes are like mine, the colour of the sky. Is that your name? Come Sky."

The dog bounded to him and sat at his feet, it's tail wagging. Buchanan scooped it up, checked its sex, and brought it back into the hut, chuckling. Ileana sat on the rough bed.

"What was out there?" she asked.

"A raccoon," he replied. "A deadly beast to protect us from. The pup has a name. Sky. His eyes are sky blue like mine. When I called him by that name he came to me."

"So the white wolf has a black wolf cub," said Ileana. "You know there will be stories about it."

"Perhaps there should be," he replied with a smile. "A wolf pack is a formidable thing."

They dressed, then led the horses outside where Buchanan saddled them and loaded the saddle bags. Sky had occupied himself with exploring everywhere but when it was time to go and he was called by name he came running. Buchanan picked the wolf cub up and placed him inside his shirt. At first Sky tried to get out but his new master looked sternly at him.

"Stay there," he said. "We're going to ride and I want you where I can see you."

The cub sighed and curled up inside his shirt. Once they started Ileana could see him looking out on occasion, seeming to enjoy the ride. A few hours later they were at the ravine and went carefully down the rocky path then up again on the other side. For a moment Buchanan looked at the path to Bruce the Giant's hut wondering if it was prudent to make a quick detour but decided it was more important to bring Ileana to their home. An hour later they entered the courtyard and both dismounted their horses which were taken by grooms immediately. Ileana looked up at the castle, her new home and turned to see Buchanan watching her reaction.

"Are you pleased?" he asked. "It is an older castle and I do have plans to modernize it. My quarters...our quarters were to be improved after I was here last. I will take you there but I wish you to meet my father first."

"I would like that," she replied, putting her hand out to him. "From the outside the castle looks large. I'm a little overwhelmed by the size, to be honest."

He smiled. "Mary, the housekeeper, will handle all the day to day running of the household," he said. "I have known her since I was a boy and she is good with my father. We will see her after we visit him."

Eagerly he led her to his father's quarters where the older man sat looking out the window. Buchanan led Ileana in and bade her wait at the door while he prepared his father to meet her. She watched as he knelt at his father's knee, gently taking his hand. At first the old man didn't react then he recognized his son and a big smile came to his face.

"Bucky, my boy," he kissed his son, affectionately. "You've come home. The war is done? You helped restore Steven to his throne?"

"Yes Father, the war is done, and Steven is king once more," said Buchanan patiently. "There is someone else I brought with me. I have taken a wife. Her name is Ileana."

He motioned for her to come forward and she knelt in front of the old man.

"Hello Father," she said softly. "James has told me about you."

The older Barnes looked at Ileana with a soft and loving face. Gently he touched her hair and then her cheek.

"You are very pretty," he said with a smile. "My Bucky, is he good to you?"

"He is, sir," she replied. "I love him deeply."

"Good," he said. "He was so sad when Elena died. He needed a good woman to help heal his heart. You have the look of love on you."

"Father, Ileana carries our child," said Buchanan. "A grandchild for you to have on your knee."

"A child?" exclaimed the older Barnes. "That is wonderful. You will be a good father. Now, what is it that you carry inside your shirt? I just saw some black fur."

Buchanan reached inside his shirt and pulled out the wolf cub. "He followed us for many miles by himself. Somehow he became lost from his pack. He ate from our fingers and slept with us last night so I think he chose us as his new pack. His name is Sky."

The old man laughed and held the pup in his arms. Sky licked the older Barnes' face, then curled up in his lap. Ileana and Buchanan watched happily as the black wolf cub endeared himself to the old man. Buchanan hadn't seen his father this animated in years and it pleased him that the pup had taken a liking to his father. His father fed the pup the remains of his meal from the table beside him which cemented their relationship. Several times he looked up at his son and daughter-in-law and his eyes were clear, his manner direct and his voice strong. It was as good an introduction as any they could have expected.

Chapter 18>>

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