#Southern cooks

[demaparbat-hp]

Beautiful

[sincerelytennessee]

[daily-deliciousness]

Crispy southern hot honey fried chicken

[steven-sandner]

Galactic Center over Aoraki, New Zealand

Photography Size: 80 W x 100 H x 3.8 D cm The Aoraki Mackenzie Dark Sky Reserve. Link to more about me and my work 🍂💫✨

[lowcountry-gothic]

"Six Seconds of Dark"

The proper habitat for synchronous fireflies can be found in pockets across the eastern United States, but they are sensitive to light — even a full moon can disrupt their ability to flash in unison. Large swaths of untouched, dark forest in national parks provide prime habitat. Every year, between 30,000 and 40,000 people enter a lottery for just shy of 1,000 passes to see the lightning bugs over eight nights at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. A record-breaking 17,593 people entered a similar lottery in 2023 in hopes of being among the 1,300 chosen to see the Photuris frontalis species at Congaree National Park in South Carolina. 

From a story by Jessica Bradley for The Bitter Southerner. Photos by Stephen Cook.

[sonyathesnailll]

babygirl who's a 40+ yo woman who's also an eldritch horror

[scrumdiddlysdoodlies]

family comes first🥰🔪

[littleevil0ne1]

🐸 Frogs Makin Gumbo 🐸

Heavily inspired by @julialepetit illustration from the drawfee stream "First Stream of 2021" available on YouTube!

[thelcsdaily]

Ciambotta Reimagined- Italian Summer Stew

An all-in-one dish for a homey vegetable stew bursting with summery flavors. One thing about summer vegetables that never changes is how delicious they are. It has been transformed into a hearty, savory feast with the addition of pasta and Italian sausage.

“To me, food is as much about the moment, the occasion, the location, and the company as it is about the taste.” – Heston Blumenthal

[polyamorouspunk]

So tonight’s hardcore show is… at a farm… with a mom who cooked us dinner…

[everybody-loves-to-eat]

[ghouldtime]

COD Camp AU Part Two

Follow up to this post

Just assorted characters who I have ideas for in it. And before anyone comes at me like "oh but but Graves tried killing them" or "König is apart of KorTac and they're enemies with SpecGru" I'm aware. This is an AU for a reason :D That doesn't happen here, I'm pretending like they're all not trying to kill one another and haven't because I can

Kate Laswell (Camp Advisor)

She's one of the few who doesn't go by her callsign. Instead she goes by Larkspur, her wife's favorite flower. She figured it was a little less creepy sounding to kids over "Watcher"

Kate can usually be found near Price or simply checking around camp herself. She's usually the one responsible for safety inspections and reporting anything that needs to be fixed officially

While she's not fond of it, she usually is the one handling all the paperwork and "official" boring things. It's not the most exciting job but someone needs to do it

That being said, she can make quick work of it. She's handled more complicated things in her life than the headache that is dealing with legal documents

She'd rather be out and actually active than stuck behind a desk all day. Which is why she does try to get around to all parts of camp. She's jumping in where she can and is quick to lend a hand where ever she is needed

All the campers love her. What's not to love? Sure she's a little bit intimidating at first but she's simply so used to having to put on a stern face to convey how serious she is and to please listen to her (dealing with stubborn operators and military personnel alike will do that to you) that by now, it's a habit. But she's understanding, empathetic, and proactive - she's trying to fix problems and prevent things from going south before they can

Since she's often popping in on activities, lending a hand, helping where she can - many campers easily recognize her and are usually quite excited to see her. Especially when it comes to things like team events (Listen to her, she WILL give you pointers to beat the other team) or crafts. Kate has a variety of skills up her sleeves and she's got a knack for showing them off

Usually though, she's far more involved with the counselors than the campers. She's the one making sure that everyone is working as well as they can together and things are being done properly. If not, they're being reassigned. She's checking in to help maintain the natural flow - and making sure there's no extreme drama or any other things going on

Adjusting to camp life and living in closer quarters isn't something that many can easily adapt to and she knows it. Plus, sometimes campers can be a handful and a half and it can be exhausting mentally and physically. It's important for her to make sure the counselors are okay because EVERYONE needs someone looking out for them. They might be looking out for the kids but she's looking out for them and has their backs

Especially when it comes to interpersonal counselor relationships. That stuff is no joke. Resentment and drama can easily build and divides can form and the last thing she wants to have to deal with is that headache - plus, she does care about everyone's well being. Everyone can't be well if there's quarrels happening, especially behind the scenes.

If anything happens, she's the woman you can rely on and SHOULD. Go to her first. She'll always be the one to lend a listening ear and will do her best to solve it or at least put something towards it

Or just go to her if you want someone to easily hang out with and chat to. Especially if you'd like a moment of peace and quiet. The world can be loud and chaotic out there but her office is usually much less of a shit show. You'll get bonus points if you're bringing her extra cookies from the cafeteria (even more if you remember some for her wife)

She's the voice of reason, sensibility, and a whole lot of calm compared to all of the craziness going on. And she's super cool, how does anyone not like her. She's got SO many cool stories, she's great, I love Laswell <3

Bonus: Her wife is the camp photographer. She IS getting all those cute pictures and it IS going to be an album and it IS glorious

Nikolai (Camp Supplier)

Technically he's not apart of the staff that you'll find constantly at camp, but that doesn't make him any less important. In fact, he's the main reason WHY they can keep running and functioning as they do

He's Price's absolute go-to and is the one who is bringing things in. Whether that be dealing with the food shipments, the general equipment and maintenance things they need stocked, or really anything they need brought in - he's the guy

Usually he's in around very early mornings or very late at night, it's a rarity for him to turn up when it's normal waking hours, which is very much on purpose

Partially because unloading/loading is easier when not dealing with campers - partially because just sometimes Price has things that prooooobably wouldn't be Laswell approved and shouldn't exactly be around at camp. And partially because Price loves shooting the shit with his old buddy, having a smoke and a light drink before he has to bid Nikolai farewell as he gets back on the road

Also because if Nikolai is left to interact with any of the campers, he IS pulling the cool/fun uncle move and giving them things that he deems as child appropriate (like a knife) and teaching them how to use it

"It's good they learn now! When I was their age I could already name all the types of blades and knew how to work them too. Will come in handy one day, no?"

Not Laswell approved in the slightest. And as much as Price agrees, and as much as the campers think Nikolai is awesome (he is), Price really does NOT want to deal with being chewed out by Laswell.... again. Rightfully so but he's begrudgingly accepted that his and Nikolai's ideas of what kids these days should know aren't exactly the same as theirs

Nikolai is still very much one of the coolest guys to meet at the camp, though. While he's been politely told by Laswell to maybe back off from the campers and giving them "Fun ideas", she never said anything about the counselors

Unsurprisingly, Nikolai is incredibly popular with the counselors. You'll have to compete to get picked to help unload trucks and unpack on the days when he's coming in because EVERYONE wants to see him

He's got a great sense of humor that strays a bit more on the almost-dirty side and will instantly treat you like he's known you for your whole life. He's already got a hand clapped on your back and is asking about how school or... whatever it is you're doing is going

He'll happily give you advice and what you should do - or more correctly what he would do if he were in your shoes, but you know, that's just him. He'll likely end up talking about some story of his childhood which honestly is starting to seem like its own movie franchise with the amount of things that have happened

Overall, for the short time he's around, he's always a welcome face and you're probably going to be one of the people going "WOOO NIKOLAI!" whenever you see that semi truck. He's got a fanclub at this point

König (Maintenance)

A guy as big as him is perfect for maintenance. He already knew how to work with his hands from childhood where he grew up on a farm - his parents taught him. It's an important skill to be able to fix things, so he learned how to do it well

He can very easily pick up whatever needs to be moved or reach the tallest of places. Carrying planks of wood and fixing that one leaky pipe in the ceiling is easy as can be for him. He only really needs assistance if it's an area too small for him to fit

Which isn't very often. Usually it's things like "Billy tried doing a cartwheel but ended up face first in the wall. Anyways can you come fix it-"

It's easy enough for him. The campers usually have to vacate the area anyways when he's doing work due to potential hazards anyhow, so he works all on his own, as happy as can be

He's working on his own and is usually all alone 9/10 times. He's not very social and would rather keep to himself. Plus, kids have little filter. He'd rather take his space from them because usually if he's around them, the things THEY end up saying make him self conscious more. Even if he knows he shouldn't be, kids can be brutal

If you want to get in contact with him, usually walkie talkie is the best way. Cell service is as good as gone around most of the camp. Its that or try to look for him in areas where people wouldn't be

He's on top of things and keeps the camp in working order, luckily. Being as organized as he is and on-top of repairs means he can often be left with a fair bit of free time

Which he happily uses to go on hikes or to spend some time out in mother nature, enjoying the outdoors without pressure from anyone or anything

He's very much his normally quite socially awkward self which is why he'd prefer to stay away from others, but you can occasionally catch him mid-job. Please, don't bother him while he's working - unless he specifically volunteers you as tribute to help him (it happens when he needs someone to hold things)

Don't tell him what to do while he's doing it, though. He knows how to do his job and knows it well, which is ALSO why he doesn't like usually working with others. His own self-assurance can be misinterpreted as arrogance but he knows he's good at what he does, thank you very much

You're really not going to find him around others, except maybe the counselors and the older groups of campers who know how to actually treat others with respect. That's on rare occasions and usually it's only when he's practically made to be social

Still, you can absolutely get in his good graces and try to befriend him. Offer to help him out, get to talking to him about himself, and maybe politely steer any campers away who stare at him because he's a moose of a man - and maybe bribe him with snacks, you'll eventually get closer

He'll still not be the most chatty but you'll find he has a sense of humor (as dry and as terrible as it might be at times.. and maybe a bit snarky), and just maybe you'll find yourself hanging out with him at the art pavilion late at night, working on your own projects

He loves to carve, it keeps his hand and his mind occupied. And for being such a big guy, he's quite dexterous and has a lot of skill manipulating a knife. Maybe a worrying bit, but look! He's made you a carving of your favorite animal, maybe don't focus on the knife but rather the work that he's done (and is proud of)

Keep that as a token and you'll surely have good luck for the rest of the year. Maybe even better with him if you make him one in return

Bonus: He's unofficially banned from campfire stories. Not that he particularly wants to be there to tell him, he just might if some kids seem distressed or are begging. It's just like how his mom did for him when he was little, so surely he can do it! Except they're uh... they're the German kind. The ones that usually end with someone dying, tortured, suffering - the ones supposed to teach lessons and morals. He loved them so surely they must too - wait why are the kids crying? Oh god, he made it worse. (Banned for a reason, he's just confused and a bit baffled, he thought it was a happy one :( why are they sad?)

Phillip Graves (Equestrian Director/Barn Manager)

Sorry not sorry, I'm never UNseeing him as anything less than the utter cowboy energy he puts out. Granted, he's not from the rural countryside or a poor family. He's from an affluent family who happened to have a home in the countryside, there's a difference

He just goes by Graves because being called "Shadow" ended up with too many "oh, like the hedgehog?" 's for his liking

You're on one of three teams when it comes to him. You either love him, hate him, or love to hate him. There's absolutely no in between. He's an incredibly polarizing person with how strong his personality is

Most of the counselors simply do not like him because he's absolutely a snake in the grass and will do what he can for his benefit. It's himself and his interests first, others second. Usually that just means any and everything to do with the barn, he sees it as his priority

He's really only kept around because of how damn popular he is with the campers and parents alike - and the fact he really has money and brings a fair bit in for the camp. A lot of other staff don't like him, but you can't deny his charm or that he's actually good at what he does. He butts heads with many because he's.... himself, but he's easy enough to avoid on a general basis

Phillip is many things but lazy? Hell no. He's opportunistic. If there's an easier way to do something, he'll do it. But he'll still be working his ass off for it. He's someone where if he sees something he wants, he's going to take it. He keeps things running and his ambition keeps them two steps ahead

He's got wit, he's got charm, he's got a smile that can disarm - seriously, the man can lay it on thick like molasses and it works. He's ended up with so many campers having the innocent crush on him BECAUSE of how suave he is. Doesn't matter if you hate him, can't deny the initial strong vibe he has - even if he is a bit of a douchebag later down the line, especially if you're against him

He really doesn't care for all too many of the counselors outside of those who work directly with him. If you're working under him as apart of the barn staff, congratulations, you're apart of his crew - he's looking out for you (at least on a surface level), and he'll happily sink his teeth into anyone who comes after you with a smile on his face

His group can certainly be a bit cliquey, as in you're not sitting with them or eating with them UNLESS you're apart of the crew. But to be fair, they're usually eating breakfast significantly earlier than everyone else and eating dinner later due to the horses - and that's also a biiiit of an excuse for it

He runs a tight ship and keeps everything moving. There's no room for error or for skipping past the times on carefully laid out schedule when you have as many animals there as he does. He's got a game plan and has everything down to a T, it's fast paced, but it's how everything keeps functioning like a well oiled machine

Graves isn't lazy, no, he puts in his work. He leads best by example and knows no one will respect him if he can't show that he's WORTH that. Plus, it helps build comradery if he keeps himself involved. Not to mention, he's a firm believer in "if you want something done right, do it yourself"

Usually there's other instructors and counselors who help teach campers and manage that, he's usually doing more so day to day important barn duties and working with the advanced equestrians. He knows his stuff, but he's very "my way or the highway". He's not a lenient instructor but he'll get results. And if you know what you're doing, great, he won't be over your shoulder at every given second and will even compliment you if you do well

He's a douchebag, he's full of himself, and he's got quite the attitude and arrogance but that's not all he is. Just work hard and be in his good graces, or avoid him at all costs, and you'll live. The Phillip hating team is quite strong so you have allies if you do the latter option

At least he's usually rather nice to his own counselors and is looking out for them. You can absolutely get closer to him if you work under him and work hard. He notices talent when he sees it, as well as hard work. He's not above appreciating it or at least rewarding his team and making them feel valued enough to keep supporting him instead of flaking to others

You can hate him all you want but you cannot deny how much he loves his horse. She's a dapple gray quarter horse named Carolina and she's probably his biggest weakness. She gets the fanciest and best of EVERYTHING, he keeps her pristine and proper. He's got a whole stash of purple shampoos and hoof and hair oils alike for her. Even their tack is blinged out, her halter has actual gems set in them. Yes, it's overkill, but so is all he does

[daily-deliciousness]

Bacon wrapped green beans

[ragzonacamrencruise]

Thoughts on Azutara but featuring either Katara or Azula drinking a love potion?

ooohhh yesss soo many thoughts!! okay hear meowt-

Everybody thinks it's safe to assume that Katara is the one who'll fall for Ty Lee's old trick of making everyone drink love potion intead of the supposed drink she's handing them. But Katara knows better than to gulp anything that Ty Lee gives her, having heard all the hilarious but embarrassing stories that come along with it.

So, she doesn't think much when one night, she finds Azula staring at her from across the courtyard in Ozai's Ember Island House. It's a full moon night and Katara has never been able to get much sleep whenever there's a full moon. The Gaang had just finished their meal around a campfire, all of them now soundly asleep.

Or, so she thought before she made out the silhouette as Azula's against the rising moon across the courtyard. The dying campfire flickers in Azula's eyes, and Katara's never seen it be so . . . golden.

"Couldn't sleep either, huh?" Katara asks softly, as she starts walking towards a cliff that sits on top of a hill that gently rolls down right outside the courtyard near Ozai's house. Azula doesn't answer, but Katara can feel Azula following right behind her. Katara sits at the edge of the cliff, dangling her feet in the air, with the house behind her and the rising moon in front of her, basking in its soft glow, filling her to the brim with power and a rare sort of energy she hasn't yet experienced. It's new and urgent and she just needs to cool it off before she does something stupid.

But that plan goes down the drain when she feels Azula come up behind her to take a seat right beside, golden eyes scrutinising her with wonder, making Katara's stomach flip uncomfortably.

Okay, she should not be feeling this way about Azula.

She blames it on the full moon hormones.

"Anything in particular that's keeping you awake?" Katara tries again. "For me, it's the full moon."

When Azula doesn't respond, Katara turns to look at her with a slight frown, wondering what's going on inside the fire princess's beautiful mind.

Did she just call her beautiful? God damn it-

She blames it on Azula's change in hair-do with just a ponytail and her bangs framing her face. She looks like she jumped to ground directly from the Sozin's Comet, burning hot. And it doesn't help when Azula's looking at her like this too, with her golden eyes softened in the glow of the full moon.

"Did Toph offer you something to drink?" Azula wonders at Katara finally breaking her long held silence.

"Yes." Katara answers eagerly, glad to make some kind of conversation. A few seconds more of this excruciating silence and she would've gone mad for sure. "But it was just watermelon juice. I made sure to check."

"Are you sure it was just watermelon juice?"

Katara squints her eyes. "Are you suggesting it was something else?"

Azula shrugs, her eyes still unable to waver from Katara's. "I donno. She offered me some too. And I haven't felt this weird since that one time in the Royal Fire Academy for Girls."

Katara's frown deepens. "What do you mean?"

"When we were little, Ty Lee learnt this secret to boil down a love potion that makes you incredibly infactuated with the person the potion demands."

Katara nods. "Yes, I'm aware of it."

Azula lets out a short huff in irritation before continuing. "Ty Lee tricked me into drinking love potion when we were in the Academy and I think she convinced Toph into her little devious plan cuz it felt just like how weird I'm feeling right now."

Katara knows she shouldn't be doing this. She shouldn't be asking questions like this, but something foggy in her brain just lets the query fall from her lips like rain on a hot day. "How weird are you feeling right now?"

A moment of silence passes between them as Azula lets those words hang in the air. "Weird enough to do something I've always wanted to do since I laid my eyes on you." The firebender's hair moves with the breeze, against her steady dialated eyes on Katara.

You see, Katara is not the one to miss an opportunity where she can be bold. Bold enough to say-

"Then do it."

And before she can even blink, Azula is upon her. Her hands find Katara's hips and she's a goner. She lets herself get drowned completely when Azula leans in to place the softest lips Katara has ever known on her mouth, claiming her once and for all. She's always dreamed of how it'll be when Azula finally gets over her resolve and avows her like she's doing right now, but she never came close to even fabricating the real thing.

The urgency Katara felt before hits her back with a force she can only describe as 'waterbending-bomb like'. She desperately grasps onto Azula's top collars, finally getting what she's wanted since she saw Azula in those Fire Nation party outfits when they went to watch the Ember Island Players again.

Azula runs her hand through Katara's hair and her braids fall helplessly open, springing Katara's wavy locks free from its confines. She cluches it in her fingers, pulling Katara's head back with it to gain more access to her.

An involuntary noise escapes Katara as she feels herself completely submit to Azula's needs and desires.

That seems to pull Azula out of her daze, as she quickly halts their ministrations, untangling herself from Katara's body. "We shouldn't be doing this."

And Katara's gut bottoms out. Just when she thought she had a chance, Azula goes and breaks her heart like this. She shoulda known better than to-

"The love potion's still in our systems." Azula continues and Katara looks at her with wide eyes. "Come find me tomorrow if you still think this is what you want when the love potion is out."

And with that, Azula stands up and leaves a reeling Katara still dumbstruck over her luck at finding gold in the middle of a desert.

***

okay . . . i didn't mean for this to get this looongggg, but, how do you like that?? tell me tell me tell me :)